Review: Superman Father Of Tomorrow #1

Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 came out this week, an Elseworlds mini-series that has Jor-El make it to Earth rather than Kal. I have read many Superman Elseworlds around the arrival. Kal in Civil War times, Kal in Soviet Russia, Kal in King Arthur times, the whole family making it to Earth. But I think this is the first time that Jor being the only survivor has been explored.

Kenny Porter is writing the series and I really only know him from the Superboy Man of Tomorrow mini-series, a fun ride with Conner. This is the first chapter so Porter is setting the stage a bit, although we do get a pretty significant event here that is the catalyst for Jor-El to become this world's Superman. I also like how this 'Superman' is not only relying on the super-powers his physiology gives him, but also the super-science he knows. How much should he share? Interesting.

Danny Earls is on art and he is also relatively new to me. I really only know him from some of the rest issues of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's current Hulk run. His art is a little rougher in style than the usual house style for DC but it works here, really making me feel like this is a completely new world.

I do like that the timeline for Kal is basically preserved, meaning characters like Lois and Lex are as old as Clark would be even on this world. That might be the most interesting wrinkle to be explored.

On to the book.

We start with a rocket from another galaxy heading to Earth while the Kents try to fix their broken car.

But immediately things are different. A Stormwatch satellite tries to shoot it down. The invulnerable rocket plows through the satellite, destroying it. And the falling debris of the satellite is looked upon as a shower of meteors by the innocent Kents. 

Already we see that this isn't some idyllic world. Things might skew a little darker.

Despite that, we learn that the Kents are sad because they can't conceive and have a family. There is the usual loving relationship between Jonathan and Martha.

But it is adult Jor-El who crawls out of the cloaked rocket. 

They don't have a baby to care for. But they now have an 'adopted brother'. 

I really like how Porter gives us all the tropes we are used to, right up to the rocket opening. 

With the Stormwatch crew dead in space, General Sam Lane is given command of Stormwatch with the mission to find and eliminate this alien threat.

We settle into the usual Sam Lane character on this world pretty quickly. Sam follows orders and leaves the hospital to start this mission even though his wife is literally giving birth to Lois.

Maybe that first panel is Lane contemplating what his next step is before leaving. Perhaps this was a crossroads moment for him. But this is about as cold as you can get, missing the birth of his child. 

Given the color of the Kents' hair, it feels like years have passed and Jor-El has integrated himself into farm life while hiding his powers to the public.

Jor gives a sort of Trek-ian Prime Directive statement where he says Kryptonian law forbids him from sharing tech to a more primitive culture. But it is clear he is helping the Kents out a lot. That looks like a farm from the Legion of Super-Heroes.

I like that Jor is at least trying to acclimate.

I loved this panel by Earls as we see Jor remembering his family after seeing all sorts of kids running around a town carnival.

The ship looks pretty big. Chilling to think that Lara and Kal almost making it to the rocket only to be vaporized. 

Great panel. 

In a heartfelt scene, we see Jor-El unable to save Jonathan Kent from a heart attack, something he could have done if he had shared his technology. That really resonates with the Christopher Reeve movie where we get the 'despite all my powers...' speech.

And that event beingt he spur for Jor to do more also jibes with the Donner-verse.

I like how Martha is supportive, saying that maybe it is time for Jor to share his real self with the world. 

So we see so many similar vibes to our usual world in this world.

We learned of General Lane's mission earlier. We see it come to fruition. In Metropolis he decides to reveal Metallo technology, an AI sort of robot designed to scan for alien DNA and destroy. It must sense Jor-El nearby but can't pinpoint. As a result, Metallo decides that the safest thing to do is wipe out the whole block. Okay, a definite flaw in the system. But I also had that resonance feeling again. It was a LexCorp robot piloted by John (Metallo) Corben that drew out Superman in the Animated Series.

With innocents in danger, Jor-El shows up in his supersuit, also armed with gadgets. Here he saves Lois Lane who is on site with her dad. Earls has to be homaging Superman #654 .

We met Lois.

Now we meet Lex.

Looks like there is an elder Luthor running a munitions company. Meanwhile young Lex is witnessing our new Superman being a hero and using technology to repel the Metallo attack.

Will this Lex be a hero? Or will he be a villain?

When Metallo is finally put down, Jor-El tries to introduce himself to the world.

First he tells Lane that he is a friend, another classic line from the Reeve movie.

Then he tries to say he is here to help, another classic line.

So what I want an Elseworld to do is get my attention and want to learn more of this new timeline or world. And this did this. I want to learn more here. I haven't seen enough of this Jor-El to know if he has the characterization to carry a book but enough of a cast is here to make me think the world is intriguing. 

What did you think?

Overall grade: B