Jonathan Kent’s time has come. In the upcoming series Superman: Son of Kal-El from writer Tom Taylor and artist John Timms, he’s taking on his father’s iconic role and embracing his destiny as the 21st Century Superman.
And he’s not the only one embracing destiny—if you’ve followed Taylor’s career and read his posts on social media, his affection for the Man of Steel has long been clear. Though he famously wrote a corrupted Superman in Injustice, Taylor has spoken at length about how the iconic hero is a symbol of much-needed hope and optimism, which Jonathan Kent will represent in distinctly contemporary ways in Superman: Son of Kal-El.
DC Nation spoke with Taylor about how it feels to launch a new Superman series for a new era, how both of Jonathan’s parents play an equal role in shaping him as a hero, what it’s like collaborating with Timms, and how—despite age changes and evolving roles within the DC Universe—Jon and Damian Wayne remain the World’s Finest friends.
Tom, it’s clear to anyone who has followed your career over the years how much Superman means to you. What are the emotions involved in not only writing Superman, but launching a wholly new title—one starring Jonathan Kent in the lead role?
It is oddly emotional. Superman has been my hero for as long as I can remember. Being raised by a single mother, he was one of my biggest male role models as a child. I have a very strong memory of being four years old and proudly walking down the street with red underpants over blue jeans, while wearing a faded thrift-shop Superman t-shirt. For this Australian kid to grow up and become the writer of Superman…I mean, statistically, I’d have a better chance of being an astronaut and going to space.
Writing a new Superman, a new hero for a new generation to look up to, is a big responsibility and a great honor.
You’ve written an older Jonathan Kent before, in DCeased: Dead Planet, though that’s a very different type of story. How much does your past experience writing Jon inform your take in this series?
I think writing Jon, both as a child and as an adult, gives me a good idea of his soul, of his drive, and his desire to help people and right wrongs. It’s important to remember he’s not just the son of Clark, he’s the son of Lois Lane, one of the greatest champions of truth on the planet. Her fire and sense of justice is as much a part of Jon as anything he gets from his father. When my wife and I met, she was actually a crime reporter, so I don’t have to look far beyond her, or my own mother’s long history of activism and protecting others, to see Lois Lanes around me.
I was also fortunate enough to spend time with Margot Kidder and she was truly the embodiment of Lois for me. We had lunch one day, and Margot told me stories of her protesting. She was arrested fighting against the powerful for the voiceless.
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