Jon and Damian’s iconic Super Sons duo could have some competition in the form of their two spiritual brothers.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Titans United #7, on sale now from DC Comics.
The Super Sons have been one of the best creations in the modern DC Universe. The partnership between the sons of Batman and Superman, Damian Wayne and Jonathan Kent, has been one of the most endearing and beloved pairings to come out of the comics in recent years. With Jon Kent now grown up and taking over as Superman, and Damian Wayne forging his own path in the Robin series, the Super Sons have faded away a bit lately. Their most recent adventure was only a one-off Superman and Robin special.
However, there may be a new Super Sons team on the horizon and it comes from an unexpected place. Conner Kent’s Superboy and Jason Todd’s Red Hood have been at each other’s throats since the series began, however, they may have just formed a new alliance in Titans United #7 (by Cavan Scott, José Luís, Daniel HDR, Jonas Trindade, Rex Lokus, and Carlos M. Mangual).
Red Hood has been Superboy’s biggest critic throughout the series and perhaps the biggest reason he fell into Blackfire’s hands, causing his brief villainous transformation. However, in the final scenes of the last issue, Conner teased Jason in much the same way that the former Robin teased him. Jason ridiculed Conner for his failing powers in the first issue and, after Lady Vic stole Hood’s guns this issue, it was Superboy’s chance to get his own back. Instead of fighting again though, they went off into the sunset to clear up the remaining mess from their latest adventure in an unexpected team-up.
The original Super Sons dynamic of Damian and Jon also had a rocky start but evolved into a great friendship. The same could happen here but on a slightly different level. There’s a lot more animosity between these two characters, even if they are (or should be) older and wiser than Jon and Damian. Given Red Hood’s anti-heroic history and Conner’s hotheaded personality, there could be room for a different kind of Super Sons partnership here, one that’s less about whimsical adventures and more about brutal crime-fighting. The traditional wholesome friendship could turn into a respectful, albeit strained, partnership.
Neither of these characters may appreciate being called Super Sons though. Jason has only just repaired his infamously troubled relationship with his adoptive father Bruce Wayne, and even then he might get a little defensive about being called Bruce’s son. Conner, on the other hand, has had issues with being considered Superman’s son in the past too. The two settled on being adoptive brothers but that doesn’t change the fact that the other half of his DNA belongs to Lex Luthor. Focusing on that villain as Superboy’s superpowered “father” could let him own the Super Sons title too and provide an excuse to revisit that unfortunate relationship as well.
The ending of Titans United and the odd circumstances of Jon and Damian could mean now is the perfect time for a gritty reboot of the Super Sons series. The two most brash and rebellious members of the Super and Bat-Families could bring a new brand of justice to the DC Universe, one that would allow them to explore their own troubled pasts as part of these two iconic families. Who knows, it could even lead to a team-up with the original Super Sons down the line.
