Written by Ridley Pearson
Art by Ile Gonzalez
Published by DC Zoom (An Imprint of DC Comics)
Pages: 153 plus extras
Retail: $9.99
I’ve been going on for a while about the new young reader imprints from DC Comics. And while I’ve been singing the praises of DC Ink and DC Zoom, I had yet to get my hands on a copy of one of their earliest releases until now!
I really had my heart set on Mera: Tidebreaker. It’s a origin story about the future queen of Atlantis. However, it seemed that fate had a different genesis story on hand for me to review for FCF!
If you are familiar with DC’s regular series Super Sons, you know that it is the adventures of the son of Superman, Jon Kent and Batman’s heir, Damian Wayne.And that’s exactly where you readers of the regular series turned occasional miniseries should stop. That’s because this version of the Super Sons takes place on an alternate earth.
Science says that the damage to the polar ice caps will be irreparable sometime in the next 10-25 years. However, in Super Sons, the damage is beyond fixing. Well, almost. Superman has agreed to go into outer space to collect a substance that might help reduce the effects of damaging greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne’s Wayne Industries has developed a retractable flood wall in which to protect coastal cities from the rising tides. But as the water’s continue to rise, communities such as Metropolis are abandoned and the people of Coleumbria are forced to move further inland.
Already, I think you can see some changes between the DC Comics Super Sons and the DC Zoom imprint. But before we dig further into that, let’s finish with the plot summary.
Both the Waynes and Kents are forced to move to the city of Wyndemere. Bruce Wayne has been called away to solve a crisis in Asia. That leaves young Damian in charge of the company. With Lois on assignment covering the floods, Jon is offered an after-school internship at the Wyndemere branch of the Daily Planet.
In the absence of their fathers, Jon and Damien witness a sort of lawlessness sweeping their new hometown. Flood refugees experience prejudice at the hands of native Wyndemere residents. A mysterious virus is causing thousands to go into coma with no possible hope of recovery, including Lois Lane. And a strange band of girls are after a newcomer named Candace, who possesses a powerful totem. The only way to get to the bottom of this chaos is for the two young men to join forces!
The Polarshield Project is an interesting ‘buddy cop’ sort of comedy. As straight-laced and idealistic Jon joins forces with a half-cocked and wild Damien, you really feel that you are experiencing the early days of Lethal Weapon’s Riggs and Murtaugh as opposed to the first pairings of a Superboy and a Robin. While the story was quite good, the established tropes of young Wayne and Kent isn’t canon.
Usually Damian Wayne is very demure. He’s got too much of his grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul, in him to the point that having fun is a four-letter word. Yet here, with Bruce Wayne not wanting his son to be his sidekick, there’s a sort of wackiness to Damien as he tries to become a superhero. Usually in Super Sons, it’s the fish out of water Jon Kent who is the comic relief. Instead, in this series, Kent is the voice of reason. It’s Damien who’s doing odd stuff for an unintended laugh.
I guess it’s hard to make an all-ages graphic novel based around a character who is prophesied to be the antiChrist. (Read Detective Comics #666 for more details on Damian Wayne’s future role in the DC Universe.) But I think that Ridley Pearson (Peter and the Starcatchers) might have made the right move by staying away from that area of the Batman Family. But did he have to make Damian Wayne a complete loon?
I do agree that setting the Super Sons in an alternate earth was a good decision. It helps staunch readers be able to separate the DC Zoom universe from the comic books. When I saw the description of how this series was going to deal with global warming, an issue which really hasn’t spiral out of control yet in the comics, I envisioned loyal DC readers going into a revolt. But having the characters be so dynamically different is a little off-putting.
There are some great new characters in Super Sons and with their introduction, it looks like this series is going to become a Justice League Juniors sort of title. Cassandra is obviously a descendant of the animal master, Vixen. And one of the minor background characters looks ripe to take over the Green Arrow role. But who is this new character named Tilly? A blonde-haired pixie with amazing skills on a computer; is she supposed to be a younger version of Felicity Smoak on TheCW’s Arrow?
Hopefully, these questions as well as a slew of other mysteries will be uncovered in book 2, The Foxglove Mission, due out this November. Pearson establishes new DC realm that has promise. He just needs to tighten up on the character development. The art by newcomer Ile Gonzalez is something too that has potential but needs a little bit of work. I love her designs of Jon Kent. But something doesn’t look right with Damian’s eyes.
Kids should love this new take on the progeny of The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. Parents are going to be a little perplexed as this isn’t their Super Sons. It’s a good thing that there is a ‘Who’s Who?’ at the end of this volume that helps clear up any confusion.
Besides, this is a book meant for readers aged 8-12. If it doesn’t capture the imagination of the adults, that’s a-okay. This is a Super Sons for the next generation of DC fans!
Super Sons, Volume 1: The Polarshield Project debuted in print and digital platforms on April 2, 2019.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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