Some thoughts about Superman: Son of Kal-El #4

How can Jon Kent confront Henry Bendix?

Jon is trying to pretend that nothing is different after the absence of his father. However, things are going to get much more difficult once that a threat coming from Gamorra rises.

Yeah, this story simply refuses to progress at an appropriate pace.

Tom Taylor offers a new chapter where he plays a little with the idea of Superman being no longer here while Jon tries to properly confront Henry Bendix... only to drag that premise way too much. I suppose that you could count all the time spent with Metahumans who have been used by Bendix as some sort of scalation to set-up for terrible and dangerous Bendix is but still, that should have been obvious way back to waste almost half an issue in it.

Oh, but do you know what Taylor also wants to spent time in? Part of his "Revolutionaries" from his so lovable Suicide Squad run! They just appear out of nowhere because Taylor wants nobody to forget his nobodies pet characters. Is not like they have a lot of page time but they mere appearance brings back bad memories from a book that was a complete waste in retrospective.

But then, the confrontation with Bendix actually happens. Taylor even justifies the fact that Jon didn't meet the guy until now by Lois telling Jon that he can't face a President... and then Jon does exactly that in a rather quick way. Well, that doesn't automatically make all the previous issues decompressed stuff, not at all.

What bothers me the most is how much of a stereotypical villain Bendix is presented as (Seriously, he only lacked the mad laugh). Then again, who was expecting anything more complex from the writer? Especially one that has something to do with politics?

And yes, I know about "the thing" that's going to happen in upcoming issues concerning Jon thanks that DC and Taylor wouldn't shut up about it. One would have thought it was going to happen in this same issue because of how early it was revealed but of course that doesn't mean is a gimmick, no sire!

Daniele Di Nacuolo handles the art and the flexible style is pretty similar to John Timms' which is a positive I guess and the story is followed clearly.

Barely anything happened here, let's see about next issue.