Comic Review: Super Sons - The PolarShield Project
Sometimes, you pick up a book and think, “Hey! This could be good.” Then you read it and think, “Wow, was I wrong!”. Sadly, today’s comic hit that level.
Title: Super Sons: The PolarShield Project
Author: Ridley Pearson
Illustrator: Ile Gonzalez
Publisher: DC Comics
Format: Library Edition 160 pages
Fluff: Jon Kent and Ian Wayne are opposites in every way except one--they are the sons of the World's Greatest Heroes, Superman and Batman! To uncover a global conspiracy, this unlikely duo must learn to trust each other and work together to save the Earth. But who is the mysterious Candace, and what secrets does she hold that could be the key to everything?
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REVIEW
Super Sons: The Polarshield Project is a young adult graphic novel written by Ridley Pearson and illustrated by Ile Gonzalez. It stars the super duo of Jon Kent and Damian "Ian" Wayne in their middle-grade years. As the cover and names suggest, they are the sons of Batman and Superman, and though they both know the truth about their fathers, they are still too young to join them in fighting crime. Climate change has torn the world apart in this timeline/alternate universe (muti-whatever). Sea levels have risen alarmingly, and the only thing stopping the world from being flooded is Wayne Tech and its giant coastal defences. Unfortunately, these seem to be failing in places where the children are evacuated from the danger zone to middle America. The two young boys meet for the first time, neither knowing the other’s secret. Here, the story gathers pace as a mysterious illness seems to spread through the communities. What is the cause, and can the new heroes save the day?
This was a weird read. I read the author’s intro and was scared to hear he had no actual knowledge of the characters and was free to explore however he saw fit. In theory, this can be fun and interesting. But in practice, this was a bad idea. My high points included the focus on climate change and the refugee experience. Though seen through the eyes of heroes, it still showcased that no one is safe from bullying, stereotyping, and ignorance. The artwork was on point for a youth read; it was bright, clean and very crisp, which aided in moving the story along. However, the way the characters are shown is painful to read. The outfits looked stupid and seemed like the most unbelievable part of the story. The characters also seemed petty and rather two-dimensional. And Damian “Ian” Wayne came off the worst.
Sadly, I can’t overlook this poor attempt at a spoiled rich kid story arc; Damian lacked any real depth like his counterpart that we know from the mainstream timeline. Overall, a real miss for me. Will it grow in the upcoming stories? I hope so; otherwise, this will drown under the rising tide of mediocrity, and the author should allow the flood waters to wash this timeline clean.
Let me know what you think of this new series. Is it worth continuing?
