Writers: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Max Raynor

Colors: Luis Guerrero

Letters: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 7/13/21
Reviewer: Soycornholio

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Savage Fate:

Every time, I read Challenge of the Super Sons by Peter J. Tomasi, I know that I will be reading an entertaining story. Challenge of the Super Sons #4 did not fail to deliver the entertainment value of the characters. The way these two go at it, could put their fathers to shame. Whereas I have a love/hate issue with these dynamics, this issue kind of skipped a beat by utilizing the same formula for the narrative thus far. With that being said, let’s dive into what made this comic an alright issue.

The Realness:

I am beginning to become slightly annoyed with The Challenge of the Super Sons. I am specifically annoyed with the way Robin and Superboy are interacting. After all that they have gone through, they still like to argue in the middle of a battle. Now, this (strangely enough) is a good thing. It comes off as real. Think about it, these are two teenage heroes. By the time their fathers arrived on the scene, they were in their 20’s. They had at least some sort of maturity about them. The sons on the other hand are two kids. Having two kids go toe to toe with supervillains without any issues, would not make sense. It would be too perfect. Kids argue. Kids cannot stand each other. Heck adults cannot stand each other. So, the way Tomasi writes Robin and Superboy as two frenemies works well with the narrative. I believe that at certain points throughout the story, I am supposed to be annoyed with the duo. Great job Tomasi!

In Another Universe:

Look, I am a fan of Damian Wayne. I enjoy that he is the “dark side” of Batman. I truly enjoy is scrappy nature as well. I also like Jonathan Kent. I like the fact that he (in my opinion) is a replica of Superman without being the Man of Steel. After reading Challenge of the Super Sons #4, I have arrived at the realization, that I would have had preferred that the two sons switched personalities. Imagine Superboy acting like Batman and Robin acting like Superman. That would have had created some interesting familial dynamics that would have had lent itself well to the overall narrative. Luckily, there are infinite universes!

Final Thoughts:

So, is Challenge of the Super Sons #4 by Peter J, Tomasi a hit or a miss? Honestly, this issue was average. The premise is beginning to feel very “Assassins Creed-like” in terms of following a specific formula. There is a fight between the Super Sons and Savage (or Faust), the Super Sons win, then they have to go rescue the next Justice League member. What I would like to see is a supervillain designed specifically for them. Tackling foes that their fathers have battled in the past is cool and all, but these boys have a lot more to offer. Overall, I would say you can skip this issue UNLESS you are invested in the series. Nothing took place that moved the plot forward per se, so you can use this time to catch up on issues 1-3.