Tom Taylor has been holding a secret from you. When the critically acclaimed author introduced that he can be persevering with Jonathan Kent’s story in Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent, he didn’t let you know why. Not solely will the miniseries see a rematch between Jon and Ultraman, however it’s going to additionally take DC’s youthful Superman to a spot he’s by no means been earlier than. The battle with Ultraman will power Jon to discover the multiverse, and one of the locations he’ll find yourself shall be drastically acquainted to followers of Taylor and his work for DC. It’s a spot of struggle, a spot of betrayal, and a spot of…Injustice.
Yes, we will lastly reveal that Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent not solely continues Jon’s story that Taylor started in Superman: Son of Kal-El, but in addition builds on the legacy of storytelling he crafted for the well-liked DC online game franchise, which hasn’t been seen in a DC comedian e-book since the Injustice 2 collection concluded in 2018. But how precisely will Jon discover himself in Injustice’s harrowing world, wherein Batman finds himself preventing for survival in opposition to a tyrant Superman? We had been as curious as you, so we sat down with Taylor for an unique interview about the upcoming collection and its newly revealed twist.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 (Art by Clayton Henry)
You have been teasing for a while that there’s a deeper cause for Jonathan Kent to be getting a brand new title.
Yeah, we have stored one thing hidden from the followers for a really very long time. We have a form of secret subtitle which we’re very completely satisfied to be asserting in the present day. This is Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent…Injustice.
Wow! Okay!
Okay, certainly. So much of folks know the premise of this collection: Ultraman, the man who stored Jon Kent, who enslaved him for thus lengthy, who basically took his childhood from him, he’s on the market in the multiverse murdering Kal-Els. Val-Zod, and somebody who we cannot give away simply but, come to Jon Kent and let him know that they imagine he is the just one who might cease him.
So, that is what everyone is aware of, however what they do not know is the place in the multiverse that is going to steer Jon. One of these locations—and an important half—is the world of Injustice.
How lengthy have you ever been eager to deliver Injustice into your Superman run?
Injustice for me is a really troubled time. I had a lot enjoyable on that e-book. Obviously, I used to be on it for years. I believe I used to be initially employed for fifteen chapters, and I wrote over 150. But there’s lots about Injustice that that rubs me up the mistaken manner. I do not imagine Superman, it doesn’t matter what occurs to him, can develop into that particular person. I do not imagine Wonder Woman turns into that particular person. So, for me, it is a actually fascinating Elseworld, and throwing Jon Kent as type of that beacon of hope and in a manner, fairly an harmless character and a personality who desires the finest for the world, throwing him into that world the place his father has develop into a dictator provides us a lot to play with. I’ve been speaking about this story to all my buddies who will pay attention for months, lengthy earlier than we knew the place we had been going with this.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 (Art by Clayton Henry)
The authentic Injustice saga kicks off with Superman reacting to the dying of Lois and an unborn baby that will have presumably grown as much as be Jon. So, with all of this emotional baggage, how will the Injustice Superman react to Jon, the person who his son might have been?
I do not wish to give away his response. I’ve written their assembly and it is a massive one. I do not wish to give away precisely how that goes down, as a result of a lot of the magnificence of this—we nearly did not wish to let folks know. But we have to let Injustice followers know that we’re going again. The first assembly was a second. I am unable to actually describe it but. You’re simply going to should learn it.
Where is that this going to happen in the Injustice timeline?
It’s proper at the core of it. Around Injustice 2: Year 5, which individuals know is round the sport time. It’s a extremely thrilling time and it is one of my favourite instances to put in writing as nicely—who’s alive throughout that point, the dynamics and what meaning for Jon. Because it is not simply his father. There are different characters, different gamers, and different those that he is aware of in that timeline who’re totally different. And seeing him work together with their totally different personas, and what’s occurred to them, and the way he hopes to assist is a large half of this story.
Who are some of the heroes and villains of the Injustice world that you simply’re excited to play Jon off of?
Obviously, Batman. There is Superman, there may be Wonder Woman, and the way she reacts to Jon instantly exhibiting up. But I assume the largest one—and I wasn’t going to provide this away, however you recognize what, for anybody studying this I’ll—there’s a totally different Damian Wayne in the Injustice world. Literally his finest good friend is basically not on the facet of the angels on this world. That goes to provide us a really enjoyable and entertaining dynamic and fairly a tortured dynamic to play with.
I do not know for those who’ve realized this, however that is the tenth Anniversary of your first Injustice collection. Did you ever assume that this nook of the multiverse would have such a protracted shelf life?
I had completely no concept that this was the tenth anniversary. That is unimaginable. As I stated earlier, I used to be employed for fifteen chapters. I believed that was going to be it at the time. We had no thought it was going to be the runaway success it grew to become, not to mention resulting in Injustice 2 and writing 75 chapters of that. It is unimaginable that it is gone to this point.
Obviously, it is a testomony to the complete franchise—to the video games, to all the things Ed Boon and the staff constructed at NetherRealm, to all the things that each one the artists have performed on these comics. They’ve gone on to be megastars. We’ve bought Bruno Redondo, and Dani Sampere, who simply labored on Dark Crisis. It spawned a large universe, but in addition some nice expertise as nicely.
Jon Kent and Ultraman. That is a rematch that we’ve been anticipating for a while, as a result of this man stole Jon’s life from him. How lengthy have you ever been planning it?
A very long time. It was one thing that I’d have beloved to have gotten to in Son of Kal-El, however there was simply no house actually, with all the things we wanted for Jon, and with the massive saga that we advised there. So, it was clear that this was the place to do this.
Ultraman is the catalyst for all of this. This is just not particular person, and he is already made Jon’s life hell. So, for him to be on the market murdering Kal-Els, which we discuss what that does to their worlds and to different worlds. It’s form of enormous. There is that this huge confrontation brewing, and also you’re all going to get to see it happen.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 (Art by Jordi Tarragona)
You talked about killing numerous Kal-Els. How frightened ought to I be about some of my favourite variations of Superman throughout the multiverse?
Yeah, be afraid. I’m not spoiling something. I imply we have already seen one lifeless in Action Comics #1050. You will see no less than yet one more go, and there’s something very troublesome about watching Kal-El die. And Clayton Henry is such a fantastic emotive artist. He’s somebody who simply will get some improbable appearing out of the faces of these characters. Losing our first Kal-El in Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent is an enormous second.
Speaking of Clayton Henry, his paintings is phenomenal. Can you inform me extra about your working relationship with him?
He’s only a phenomenal artist. He’s one of these guys that you simply see his artwork and also you’re form of drawn to it. He’s extremely expressive. Every character, all the things they’re going by way of, you’re feeling it. Every time we electronic mail, each time we speak, he is enthusiastic about this. He’s drawing a extremely huge subject proper now, and it’s a bit of a mutual admiration society happening. But it is simply because the work we’re doing is so enjoyable—it is so bombastic, massive, and full of cliffhangers and main moments, It’s superhero comics by way of an Injustice lens. Bringing that Injustice really feel to in-continuity comics is a extremely thrilling prospect.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 (Art by John Timms)
How are issues going between Jon and Jay Nakamura?
When we open, it’s going fairly nicely. Everybody in the world has forgotten that Jon Kent is Superman. Lex Luther has performed one thing referred to as Project Blackout, the place he is basically erased Jon Kent and Clark Kent from folks’s minds. Their secret id is gone. People now not know that Lois Lane is married to Superman. However, Jay Nakamura kissed Jon at the finish of the big battle for Gamorra. They do not know that Jay is with Jon Kent, as a result of Jay kissed Superman. The complete world nonetheless is aware of that Jay Nakamura is Superman’s boyfriend, in order that results in some stuff which we cowl straight up in subject #1.
Now Jay has to cover his face once they exit in public. It’s fairly a swap from the conventional secret id trope.
It is. Jon Kent can stroll round fortunately free. He really says at one level that that is the most free he is ever felt, simply strolling by way of a park. Jay is like, “Great,” as he’s all hidden.
Jon has been having some fluctuations together with his powers these days. What are you able to inform us about that?
Jon has been having some main fluctuations together with his powers. It’s been constructing to one thing for months, beginning in Superman: Son of Kal-El and going by way of to Lazarus Planet in that nice story written by C.S. Pacat. It’s been going someplace, and sure, you’ll be able to most likely inform from the subject #1 cowl that we’re lastly going to see that energy unleashed for the first time on this title.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 (Art by Mike Perkins)
How far do you’ve gotten issues mapped out for Jon Kent? It feels like you’ve gotten plans inside plans.
Definitely, I believe everybody has plans for Jon. I’ve seen him exhibiting up in lots of locations all by way of the DC Universe. It’s nice to see our boy simply proceed to develop and proceed to take over and proceed to be current and save folks on this universe. We have an enormous story deliberate right here, and we definitely have mentioned some plans for after this. But this was one of the explanation why this wanted to be a miniseries. Because of the story we’re telling on this, it didn’t really feel proper to inform it in Superman: Son of Kal-El. This wanted its personal title. This is an occasion in itself.
This all sounds very thrilling. Is there the rest you’ll be able to tease?
One of the actually thrilling issues is the return of Val-Zod, who I co-created with Nicola Scott. The web page the place he first reveals up, Clayton has simply drawn the absolute hell out of that. It’s a fantastic second. It’s actually thrilling to deliver him again.
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry and Jordie Bellaire shall be obtainable in print and as a digital comedian e-book on March 7, 2023.
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