The future… is broken. This will take more than a little bit of glue to fix. Your Major Spoilers review of Super-Sons #12 awaits!
SUPER-SONS #12
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Artist: Tyler Kirkham
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editor: Alex Antone & Paul Kaminski
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Super-Sons: “Superboy and Robin must face the repercussions of the events of “Super Sons of Tomorrow” and how the emotional toll will affect their relationships with each other, their parents and the Teen Titans. Meanwhile, the past rears its ugly head to haunt Damian Wayne—in the form of his mother, Talia Al Ghul!”
FUTURE VERSIONS OF HEROES WHO DON’T EXIST ANYMORE
As this issue (billed as an epilogue) opens, we get a shot of grown-up Tim Drake from the ‘Titans Tomorrow’ storyline falling through space and time, having sacrificed himself for his friends. It’s a weird choice for me, since these are future versions of characters who may or may not exist any more (Bart Allen, Cassie Sandsmark and Kon-El), but the Titans are moved by the loss of their friend. Raven even unloads on the Kid Flash for taking a selfie, shouting that he isn’t taking a serious situation seriously, both in terms of time-space paradox and of her dead friend. While that conflict percolates, Superman takes his son and Damian Wayne aside to sternly tell them that Jon can’t hang with Damian anymore, as his future self is clearly a danger, but Damian takes the high road, and explains that he will protect Superboy, even from himself. It’s a nice moment, especially since everyone in this issue who isn’t Superboy or Robin is written as a jerk of one stripe or another. With Superman’s approval, the Titans (whose headquarters was blown up AGAIN) make their way to the JLA Watchtower, where they take a vote on whether to admit the young Superboy as a provisional member…
AN ACTUAL LIKEABLE DAMIAN WAYNE
It doesn’t go well. Damian, amazingly, takes the time to stop and comfort his pal for getting black-balled, even to the point that he grudgingly accepts Jon calling them friends, which means that this is perhaps the most human our young Robin has ever been. The art is well-done throughout most of the issue (although Raven, Starfire and future Wonder Woman look weirdly bulbous), but much like the art, only the protagonists really look 100% on model throughout the issue. I’m reminded of the old days of crossovers, back in the 70s where the guest-character never quite looked/felt right in the pages of books like Marvel Team-Up or The Brave And The Bold, but it’s a real problem for me that this issue features Batman, Superman and the Teen Titans without actually seeming like the versions appearing in their own titles. Even Beast Boy feels weird and wrong under this creative team, regardless of the fact that I like both of our leads better than I do in their other ongoing books…
BOTTOM LINE: INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT NOT BAD AT ALL
In short, calling this book an epilogue is pretty accurate, as it rehashes and follows up on the themes of the big time-travel crossover without really treading any new ground or being particularly memorable. As a day in the life of our heroes, featuring some nice human moments between them, though, Super-Sons #12 works (in a vacuum, as long as you’re not concerned about false notes from the guest-stars) pretty well, earning 2.5 out of 5 stars overall. I’m not sure why DC editorial is so focused on having their primary heroes have children but not actually doing the things you do when you have children, but if you’re interested in seeing an earnest young Superboy working with a not-entirely-awful Damian Wayne Robin, it’s perfectly fine…
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