Warning! Spoilers ahead for Nightwing #89
In the latest issue of DC Comics’ Nightwing, the newest iteration of the “World’s Finest” is here with Dick Grayson and the new Superman replacing their fathers for a new era. With the original Superman having left Earth, his son Jon Kent has been left to carry on his mantle as Earth’s newest Man of Steel. However, Clark Kent asked Nightwing to watch over his son and to help mentor him in his absence. Now, Nightwing is making good on that promise in this new issue from writer Tom Taylor with art by Bruno Redondo.
In previous issues of Superman: Son of Kal-El (also from Taylor), Jon Kent has been struggling in the face of his new rival Henry Bendix, the corrupt president of Gamorra who has been manufacturing controllable metahumans as the next evolution of the Suicide Squad. During a recent altercation involving a confused sea creature headed for Metropolis, Bendix orchestrated events to make the younger Superman seem inexperienced and unreliable in the face of casualties that were had. While there would have been more had Jon not been there, the event has left the new Superman in a dark place. However, a new team-up with Nightwing will hopefully be what the new Superman needs to get his head right.
Due to a string of metahuman disappearances, Nightwing recruits the new Superman in the new Nightwing #89. As they work, Dick gets the chance to mentor and help guide Jon through some of the “superhero-ing” things the younger Man of Steel is still trying to get the hang of. That being said, while Dick Grayson might be in a mentor role to the new hero the two of them make quite the duo with their investigation leading right to a major villain’s doorstep: Lex Luthor. As such, it’s the perfect opportunity for Nightwing and Jon’s Superman to prove themselves as the new World’s Finest of the DC Universe, taking over the legacy shared by their fathers (Batman and the original Superman).
Seeing as how it’s doubtful that Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent will be teaming up anytime soon in DC Comics, it’s good that their sons will be continuing their legacy. There’s a lot that Jon can learn from Nightwing, who himself saw the original Superman as a major inspiration while growing up to become his own hero beyond his role as Batman’s first Robin. As a result, Nightwing and Jon teaming up brings everything full circle with some satisfying poetic symmetry.
While the second part of this new story is still to come in an upcoming issue of Son of Kal-El, it’s already being proven in this first chapter that Nightwing and the new Superman should be a consistent pairing going forward. Just as the Dark Knight and Man of Steel have often had their own Batman/Superman title, Nightwing and Jon’s Superman should have an ongoing series as well (with Tom Taylor writing of course).
