Jonathan Kent is a relatively new character in DC Comics. While most may recognize the name as the adoptive father of Superman himself, Jon is actually the son of Superman and Lois Lane. As of 2016, Jon has come to play a fairly large role in the larger scale of the DC Universe.
When the DC Rebirth launch first hit, Jon was featured heavily in the Superman solo title as it explored the familial side of the character. Recently, Jon has undergone some fairly drastic changes, one in particular that sets his character up for an even bigger role. Since he is still so new though, many fans are still unfamiliar with certain aspects of his character. To look into some specifics on Superman’s son, here is our list of 10 things fans should know about Jonathan Kent.
10 His Middle Name is Samuel
Jon’s full name is Jonathan Samuel Kent. While it may be obvious that his first name is after Superman’s own Earth father, the name “Samuel” actually comes from Lois Lane’s father. Therefore, Jon actually shares the names of both of his grandfathers. Furthermore, Jon would eventually meet Lois’ father and come to have a sort of complicated relationship with him, much like the one General Lane shares with his own daughter.
However, thanks to Jon’s innocent nature, General Lane was able to patch things up with Lois to a certain degree, making him much more involved in the Kent family.
9 He is Best Friends With Damian Wayne
Jon is also famous for the relationship he shares with Batman’s son, Damian Wayne. Together, the two were known as the Super Sons, causing all kinds of shenanigans throughout their run together. What was most entertaining about the series was seeing the two interact in the same manner as their fathers.
Jon and Damian were constantly getting on each other's nerves and annoying the other, but the two always had no issues coming together to take down a threat. The series excellently showcased the charm and charisma of the two young heroes and showed just how close Batman and Superman themselves could be.
8 He is Technically From An Alternate Dimension
Strictly speaking, Jon Kent is from a reality that is separate from the current main DC Universe. In fact, the reality Jon is from was the DC continuity that existed prior to the New 52. Eventually, the Superman from that Earth would make his way with his family into the New 52 universe, meaning that two Supermen existed on the same planet at the same time.
However, after the New 52 Superman died, the pre-New 52 Superman was officially established as the main Superman. Eventually, though, a tear in reality caused by Mr. Mxyzptlk actually altered the timeline so that the two versions of Superman merged. As a result of this, Jon and his family were changed to have officially been part of New 52 canon all along.
7 He Was Born During Convergence
In being from an alternate Earth, Jon Kent was actually first introduced during part of DC’s Convergence event. Though he is alluded to in the pages of the New 52’s Superboy #19, he is actually born while the old timeline existed alongside the New 52 canon.
While Convergence itself was met with relatively poor reception, the story still had a lot to do, especially in regards to setting up DC’s Rebirth relaunch. Not only did it introduce Jon Kent, but it also paved the way for the Pre New 52 Superman to return.
6 His Relationship with the Teen Titans
As of DC Rebirth, Jon Kent has seemingly tried incredibly hard to become a member of the Teen Titans. When the group was reformed by Damian Wayne, Jon continually tried to prove his value to the team, only to get rejected by Damian every time.
For a time, however, Jon did work alongside the team as an unofficial member thanks to the circumstances faced by the Teen Titans. In battling a time-altering villain, Superboy proved to be an incredibly valuable asset to the team. Superboy’s work was so well executed, that he was offered a place once he was a bit older.
5 Newborn Powers
At the moment, Jon is nowhere near as powerful as his father. In fact, his powers are so new to him, that he still doesn’t quite have full control over his abilities. On top of that, new powers seem to come to him on a weekly basis, making him more powerful faster than some people can keep up with.
Furthermore, Batman himself has theorized that, thanks to his unique physiology, Jon Kent could eventually become far more powerful than even Superman. While this is just a theory at the moment, the thought of a being more powerful than Superman is as interesting as it can be frightening.
4 Thrilling Adventures
For how new Jon is as a character, he has already been exposed to quite a lot. For being 12, Jon was rapidly introduced to a bunch of scientific phenomena, including space, underwater battle, time travel, interdimensional forces, dinosaurs, and much more. For being such a young hero, he has certainly experienced far more than many other super teens his age.
Granted, being the son of Superman certainly comes with its pros and cons, but there’s no telling just what adventures Superboy will come to witness in the future.
3 He Has His Own Rogues Gallery
For being a relatively new character, Superboy has still amassed quite the rogues' gallery. Though it is nowhere near as extensive as Superman’s or Batman’s, Jon and Damian have still encountered some new, unique villains of their own. Kid Amazo was the first that the pair would encounter.
Eventually, younger versions of famous villains like Rex Luthor and Joker Jr. would follow suit, causing trouble for the young friends. Even aside from his time with Damian, Superboy has still gone on to face incredible threats, including a few of Superman’s own villains. Though he has still had some assistance in confronting these foes, Jon has still held his own very well for how young he is as a character.
2 He Has Been Artificially Aged Up
Ever since Marvel Comics Legend Brian Michael Bendis took over the reigns for Superman at DC, significant changes have been made to Jon’s character. The most noticeable is in that Jon was rapidly aged up from 12 to 17 in 2 weeks time. Following a vacation out in space with his grandfather Jor-El, the pair fell victim to a time-displaced location.
After the two were separated, Jon would be held captive by Ultraman, an evil version of his father, for the next five years of his life. In reality, though, only 2 weeks would pass in the regular DC Universe, meaning that Superman couldn’t have had any idea that his son was in such a dire situation.
1 He is About to Join The Legion of Superheroes
While the change to Jon’s character does seem very drastic, the purpose was to eventually induct him into the Legion of Superheroes. The Legion is a group of time-traveling teens from the far future who, inspired by Superman’s example, set out to accomplish as much good as they can.
While Jon is not yet an official member, Brian Bendis has confirmed that the young hero will become a member of the team following a relaunch of their solo series. While the change to Jon’s age was met with very mixed reception, most fans are glad to see him come into his own as a character, and are looking forward to his role in the upcoming series.