After a bold first issue that radically challenged the Superman mythos, the second issue of Superman: Father Of Tomorrow shows us a fatherly Superman who saves the world by raising it like the family he lost, and the dangers of unsupervised science in the hands of ambitious mad men. Kenny Porter’s take on this Elseworlds miniseries asks: What if Superman were a paragon of truth, science, and a better tomorrow?
This was a solid follow-up to an intriguing beginning that highlighted the distinction between Jor-El and Kal-El as Superman and offered a creative look at how the “Father of Tomorrow” compares to the “Man of Tomorrow” as he takes on familiar rogues and betrayal in this action-packed drama. Porter’s take on this miniseries isn’t what I expected, but I am enjoying the ride, and I’m curious to see where it goes. I expected a condescending Jor-El based on Marlon Brando’s portrayal in the Reeve films or the God complex from Smallville, the TV show, who would present himself as a “saviour” and force his technology on society for its betterment; instead, I got a wise and restrained Jor-El who stepped up as a saviour to honor what he lost and lead a better tomorrow.
I got a look at how much of a father figure Jor-El is for Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, how his relationship with humanity is strained by the military’s persistence in weaponizing Kryptonian technology, and a solid clash between Superman and Parasite revealed how far humanity is willing to go to pervert Jor-El’s tech for their gain.
There were a lot of moments I liked in this issue, mainly how Jor-El operates as Superman. He saves the day like a father coming to fix a light bulb, to remove a bug, or a father who actually comes back from the store with milk. The way he fights feels like he’s spanking a spoiled child and teaching a lesson in humility. While Kal-El usually holds back in his fights, Jor-El isn’t afraid to be swift and decisive. There’s also a nurturing aspect to Jor-El’s sternness that highlights his emotional control, whether he’s furious at humanity for weaponizing his technology behind his back or disappointed in criminals for stooping low.
Danny Earl’s art has a cartoon-like style that peaks when there’s a fight scene or a serious moment, but the colors are a weird choice. One example that stood out to me was the cool fight scene between Superman and a familiar foe. While the fight was solid, Jor-El’s silver suit clashed with the bright colors in a weird way that didn’t appeal to my eyes; nonetheless, Porter’s take on this Elseworlds story and Earl’s clear art have captivated my attention, and I look forward to the next issue.
Grade: 7/10