Review: Challenge Of The Super-Sons #2

Challenge of the Super Sons #2 came out last week and continued a fun romp with the title characters before Jon was aged for the Legion. 

As usual with the print issues we have two stories, both written by Peter Tomasi.  

The first is a straight continuation of the Sons mission to save heroes secretly from a fate predicted on the Doom Scroll. This story features Wonder Woman being unknowingly stalked by a minotaur. The sons do their magic to save Diana all while quipping back and forth. This is pure entertainment with some standard friction and admiration between the two. Max Raynor is on the art here and his stuff is glittering. Last time I talked about Raynor I said DC needed to put him on a Batwoman book. Now I think I'd like to see him fill in on a Wonder Woman issue now and then.

The second is a flashback setting up the premise for the arc. Superboy and Robin are thrown back in time to meet the real villains of the piece, Felix Faust and Vandal Savage. I think I will definitely get a time travel story headache from the proceedings given the premise. The art is by Jorge Corona, a new artist for me. His work is a bit more stylized than Raynor's. 

This book is fun and breezy and I love it. On to the book.

Last issue we learned that Wonder Woman was the next victim on the Doom Scroll.

Robin has something that can help, a Lasso of Lies. By wrapping Diana in it, he can shunt her into a hallucinatory state so she won't see the boys saving her.

I love the discussion about the existence of the lasso. Robin is so matter-of-fact when telling Jon about Batman's contingencies. But Jon is dismayed. And later, he appropriately calls it a very super-villainy thing to have around. 

I love the little squabbles. It shows how different the Super and the Bat families are.

This is my favorite panel of the book and shows just how fun this book is.

Wonder Woman has been put into her trance. Robin wonders if Superboy has seen any sign of what the threat could be. Jon says he's got nothing. Behind him a minotaur starts to stampede.

Hilarious.

And then more banter.

When Superboy initially can't floor the beast, Robin jumps in. But if super-punches barely slow it down, a regular kick isn't going to be effective.

When Robin names it as a hapkido kick, Jon responds its crapola.

Ah yes, two young heroes adventuring. Love it.

Ultimately Jon is able to subdue it. 

With the beast captured, Wonder Woman is released, wondering who was watching over her.

And this is why I think Max Raynor needs to draw a Wonder Woman book.

With that over, we proceed to the next chapter which occurs in the middle of one of the stories of last issue.

There, the boys were sent back in time and by Rura, the elderly witch woman.

Here we see where they went. In a time where Vandal Savage is bored from living forever and Felix Faust wants power. 

Stunned from the trip, the boys are overpowered. Savage and Faust demand their acolyte Rura, here a young girl, bring them into their stronghold.

So this is young Rura. We have met old Rura. Get ready for time travel headaches.

"This is the first time she has met them but not the first time they have met her."

With a little magic, Faust discovers that the boys are from the future.

That means he can get access to the information both he and Savage want. 

Looks the boys are in trouble ... again.

What can I say. This was just a fun entertaining issue with action and laughs and great art. I love the friction between the boys, always the best part of the series and these characters.

So bring on more!

How I wish we could have got a Supergirl team-up issue.

Overall grade: B+