Noteworthy Issues: Dark Knights Of Steel #7 (June, 2022)

Part of the general Superman mythos is that when the infant Kal-el landed on Earth, he was adopted by the upright and moral Jonathan and Martha Kent.  Dark Knights of Steel posits a world where Jor-el and Lara also came to Earth, so what were the Kents up to?

Oh, there they are.

Issue:  Dark Knights of Steel #7, June 2022

Writer:  Tom Taylor

Artist:  Nathan Gooden

The Plot:  The Kents and the Titans help Prince Wayne back onto his feet as the prospect of war increases.

Commentary:  Yeah, that’s Jonathan and Martha Kent alright.

In a world where the Kents never got Kal-el, it seems they just do pretty much the same thing for any troubled (and often superhuman) soul that darkens their doorstep.  There’s even some dialogue at the end where they talk about their adopted son, and I won’t say who it is, but it fit in.  In point of fact, the Kents opening their home to fugitive superhumans likewise happened in the Elseworld story JLA: The Nail.  So, having them help Prince Wayne regain his strength after a sudden kryptonite attack fits.  They even more or less know what happened with King Thomas and Queen Martha and who Bruce’s real father is because apparently it’s not that big a secret in the kingdom.

They also have chainmail and weapons stashed away because the Kents were soldiers before they were farmers.  That turns out to be a good thing when Ra’s al-Ghul shows up, and he’s a very different kind of demon.  He wants the Titans, and while Beast Boy seems to have taken a liking to the prince, the others need more convincing since Bruce had spent a number of issues locking up anyone with superpowers in the palace dungeon, and Raven and Cyborg especially seem to be really wary of the guy and not afraid to tell him off.

He figures he deserves it.

Oh, and then Dick Grayson shows up looking for the Bat-Prince.

All things being equal, not a bad issue.  Bruce is learning the error of his ways with the help of some good guidance, and Jonathan and Martha figure he’s the rightful king and the right man for the job since he can actually apologize…putting him a bit ahead of some regular versions of Batman, let alone one that is half-Kryptonian.

Though I am going to wonder if/when the boy the Kents adopted here will ever show up.

Grade:  B+