WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Superman #12 by Brian Michael Bendis, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Oclair Albert, Alex Sinclair and Josh Reed, on sale now.
The Superman family has found itself taking different paths as of late. Kal's son Jon went into deep space with Superman's father, Jor-El, only to go through a time warp and come back as a teenager. Supergirl had fought alongside Superman against Rogol Zaar, but hadn't been seen outside of her own title since she banished Zaar to the Phantom Zone. Superman himself was trapped in the Phantom Zone for a time, along with his entire adopted planet, before being freed.
There's a happy reunion in Superman #12, though, as Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis bring Krypton's surviving House of El back together again. Kal and Jon were already reunited, but now Supergirl is back as well. This time, she's brought along the family pooch, Krypto. And she's got Rogol Zaar's power staff with her, too, along with some uncovered information about the Super-team's new foe.
The revelations can wait, though. For now, it's time for a family moment.
The events of this issue take place concurrently with Marc Andreyko and Kevin Maguire's Supergirl #31. Kal, Kara, Jon and Krypto are all pulled from battle against Rogol Zaar, General Zod and Jax-Ur by none other than the House of El's patriarch, Jor-El. The respite provided by Jor-El gives the Super-family a moment to bond, although Jor-El isn't part of the family's group hug. Not surprising, considering his recent actions and the ongoing suspicions surrounding him. Instead, he only looks on.
Kara, in fact, hasn't been seen in Bendis' current storyline since Man of Steel #6, when she and Kal held a memorial for the destroyed city of Kandor. Rogol Zaar had previously shattered the bottled city in Kal's old Fortress of Solitude at the North Pole. She therefore hadn't seen Jon, either, since his time jump. And while "My, how you've grown" is a common sentiment at family reunions, Kara's reaction to a post-pubescent Jon is all too understandable.
Krypto, too, has been absent from the pages of Superman, having been primarily featured in Supergirl. But as any pet lover knows, it's not a true family gathering without the four-legged members present. Krypto is no less surprised by Jon's sudden transformation -- a moment that Andreyko and Maguire capture with a little more detail in Supergirl.
The most touching rendition of the reunion, though, belongs to Reis and Bendis. As moving as it is, it's also short-lived, as Kara and Krypto, along with Jon, return to the Trillium throne world to finish their business there.
Superman's dealings with Jor-El and Rogol Zaar continue in Superman #13, while Supergirl continues her face-off with the Empress of the Trillium Empire in Supergirl #32. Both issues go on sale July 10.