Originally published on Patreon
The focus for this issue is squarely David, Superman's new sidekick, Boy Thunder. The issue begins with the teen hanging out with the first iteration of the Teen Titans, making friends, and testing out some of his new abilities. You can see that he's nervous to begin with, but soon starts to settle into the idea that he could be a super hero.
This is something that we see a little later on as he flies around with Superman, learning how he does things, and what it means to actually be out there helping people. However, the two of them are soon called in to help in a major situation when everyone in Gotham falls under the effect of a psychotropic drug that leaves everyone afraid of doorways and openings, essentially trapping people wherever they are. Whilst this doesn't seem like too bad of an issue on the surface, it means that patients are being left to die in hospital rooms, and people are trapped in burning buildings with no way out and no help coming.
The two of them fly off to Gotham to help save the day whilst Batman directs them from inside the cave, under the effect of the drug himself. When the two of them have to split up David finds himself having to save a group of trapped miners from a cave collapse. The situation calls for him to have to be very careful about using his powers, and in a moment of panic he runs away. Remembering the trauma of losing literally everyone on his Earth, he flies back in and manages to save the day.
However, this starts to point towards the fact that David hasn't been completely honest with the supers about what happened on his world, and his survivors guilt might be more actual guilt if the small flashbacks we get can be believed.
This issue is really well done, and the focus on David really helps to build him up as a character. We know that this can't end well, as Superman doesn't have a Boy Thunder sidekick, so making us care about David more, giving him depth and flaws, is both great, and feels incredibly mean. I can't help but feel that the eventual loss we get from him is going to hit a bit harder now because of this issue.
We also get a wonderful moment with Supergirl this issue too, as she has a conversation with David where she tells him about her experiences, of how she lost her world and family as a teen, and the kind of pain she understands that he's carrying. It can often be easy to forget what Kara went through because of how well she's adjusted to Earth, but she went through some serious trauma that could mess you up in a lot of ways. It's nice that this has been acknowledged, and that this version of her kind of has a reason for sometimes coming across a bit cold.
The artwork on this issue is wonderful as always, with Dan Mora bringing the characters to life beautifully. Everyone looks really good, the action is dynamic, and somehow David;s ridiculous costume doesn't look completely silly on him.The Key is also presented in a very sinister way too, which I was not expecting.
Overall this is a great entry in a series that has been consistently good, and whilst I'm loving this story I'm very worried about what might come next.
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