Yes,
Mr. Oz has been revealed to be Jor-El, Superman’s Kryptonian father. How is
this possible, you may ask? Well, in my opinion, it isn’t. I don’t recommend
anyone taking what Jor-El says at face value.
Allegedly,
at the moment of Krypton’s destruction, Jor-El was somehow whisked
away, to Earth, coincidentally. Recovering from the destruction of one
planet and the re-entry into another’s atmosphere in a nameless Middle Eastern
nation run by a warlord, he became convinced of the corruption of humans. Gee,
Jor, seeing as how you’re Kryptonian and have super-powers, did it ever occur
to you do something decisive about the evil warlord?
Jor-El
intends to enlighten his son regarding the planet he has chosen to protect,
in the hopes that Kal-El will take another approach in his service to mankind.
I can only presume that involves some form of either subjugation or
abandonment.
I always
enjoy revisiting Krypton, regardless of how it is depicted. I love those old Wayne
Boring and Curt Swan designs, but today, it’s like comparing Buster Crabbe’s
Flash Gordon with Star Trek: Discovery. There’s a world of difference.
I’m looking
forward to subsequent issues, to see how Jor-El’s unmasking (assuming he is an
imposter) comes about. If he’s not a phonus balonus, then Superman as a concept
has indeed gone off the rails, and those Curt Swan stories are more precious
than ever.
Rating:
5/10