When it comes to popular pairings in the DC Universe, several names come to mind. Naturally, there’s the World’s Finest of Batman and Superman, and the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin. Other popular twosomes include The Flash and Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Green Lantern, and Green Arrow and Black Canary, just to name a few. The tactic of pairing two individuals together has a long lineage that dates back to TV shows and movies. Audiences love to see two of their favorite characters both clash and work together. It’s the same in comics, and it’s been entirely too long since one fan-favorite team-up happened.
Superboy (Jon Kent) and Robin (Damian Wayne) are the sons of Superman and Batman, respectively, and they’ve followed in their fathers’ footsteps to protect the world. Just like their fathers, Superboy and Robin couldn’t be any more different. Jon Kent sees the best in everyone and is overly positive, while Damian Wayne is jaded and cold. This can be attributed to their upbringings. But once the two young heroes teamed up, they captivated DC readers as the Super Sons.
Superboy and Robin Were The Best as the Super-Sons
Back in 2017, Writer Peter J. Tomasi (Batman & Robin, Superman) teamed with artist Jorge Jimenez (Earth 2) for Super Sons, part of DC Rebirth. Along with seeing Robin and Superboy interact when facing a villain, readers also got to see them in their personal lives. While it’s fun to watch the big action set pieces in comics, the real meat and bones of a story come during the quieter moments, where the interpersonal relationships start to shine. This is especially true for Super Sons.
Another big appeal to Super Sons was the art by Jorge Jimenez. This came at a time when Jimenez was mostly known for his work on DC’s Earth 2 books, years before he would make a name for himself on Justice League and Batman. Super Sons was one of the best-looking books on comic book stands, and it was all due to the work by Jimenez and colorist Alejandro Sánchez.
Having a much younger version of the World’s Finest was a breath of fresh air. Batman and Superman are veterans in the superhero game, while their sons were still learning the ropes. That brought a level of unpredictability and suspense to Super Sons. Jon Kent rubbed off on Damian Wayne in the best way possible, and there were traits of Damian’s that Jon also came to appreciate. They brought the best out of each other, and it’s a shame their partnership isn’t being utilized in an ongoing series. The closest we got were continuations of Super Sons, like Adventures of the Super Sons and Challenge of the Super Sons, and the animated movie Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons.
Super Sons Can Still Work, Even With Them Growing Up
DC made the controversial decision to age Jon Kent during Brian Michael Bendis’ run on Superman and Action Comics, turning Jon from a young Superboy to an adolescent who was now much older than Damian Wayne and the heir apparent to Superman. This flipped their dynamic, but the two young heroes still maintained their close friendship. A lot has been written about taking the adorable Jon Kent and turning him into the next Superman, and you’ll find proponents on both sides of the argument. The partnership between the Super Sons was definitely one of the casualties of this decision.
But fear not, all is not lost when it comes to the Super Sons. The right creative team can rescue Jon Kent and Damian Wayne, bringing them back together for all-new adventures. Super Sons can still work, even with Jon still being older. We’ve already seen their adult versions in backup stories for Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s Wonder Woman, along with alternate universe versions in the DCeased universe.
Anytime you put Jon Kent and Damian Wayne together, magic happens. Let’s see more of that magic in an ongoing DC comic book.
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