Warning: DC Pride 2024 #1!
Summary
After one touching scene, Jon Kent earns the right to be the successor to theSupermanname more than he ever has before. Jon Kent adopting the name Superman from his father and using it alongside his father, Clark, has been a point of contention for some readers. It was especially controversial afterJon came out as bisexual in 2021.
Anyone still wondering if Jon Kent is deserving of the Superman mantle needs to look no further than the story “Bros Down in A-Town,” by Jarrett Williams, DJ Kirkland, and Lucas Gattoni, fromDC Pride 2024#1. When Jon’s new friend, the Ray, is feeling self-conscious about not being as confident as his friends, a conversation with Jon about their coming out experiences proves to bethe kind of moment of comfort that Superman was made for.
Committing to one of Superman’s key qualities is reason enough why Jon Kent deserves to carry the legacy. There’s no better job for Superman than talking to others one-on-one, especially when they’re in need of comfort.
Nightwing’s Dark Twist on Superman’s Most Iconic Moment Complicates Their Friendship
Superman and Nightwing have a surprisingly close friendship, and Nightwing is definitely part of Superman’s legacy — but he might not live up to it.
Comforting Others Is an Important Part of the Superman Mythos
Why Jon Kent Deserves the Name Superman
Being able to comfort others in need is one of the most important qualities that Superman has to offer. Comfort doesn’t necessarily mean saving citizens from a meteor or a similar astronomical threat. If that were the case, Superman wouldn’t be any different from any other superhero. Whatseparates Superman from other heroesis the moral code he carries into every adventure that can inspire others to strive to be better than they are. The moral code he carries is what makes Superman the standard of superheroism.
Someone so godlike could theoretically point their nose down at the average human, but instead of judging, Superman goes out of his way to look them eye-to-eye and relate.
Being Superman isn’t about how hard one can hit; it’s about displaying empathy and compassion when the moment demands it. These words apply to Jon Kent as much as they do to Clark, as evident by how Jon offers such empathy to Ray in a moment that demands it.Jon Kent has been written consistentlyas a moral compass in his own right in multiple instances. Compassion was alwaysthe original Superman’s best trait(sometimes to his detriment), andseeing Jon being written to display that trait so masterfully shows how he’s doing his namesake proud.
What Separates Superman’s Empathy from Other Heroes
And What Jon Kent Brings to the Table
Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean other superheroes don’t carry empathy. Most do, butwhat separates Superman’s empathy from others is where that empathy is coming from. Clark’s Superman, for all the power he wields, is consideredDC’s strongest character, and it’s not even close. Someone so godlike could theoretically point their nose down at the average human. But instead of judging, Superman goes out of his way to look them eye-to-eye and relate. By doing the same as heir to theSupermanname, Jon reiterates how he’s earned the right to be the new Man of Steel.
DC PRIDE 2024 #1
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
