DC Rebirth's "New Super-Man" and his Chinese Justice League

When Jen first pointed out this title, I was really excited to see what this hero would be like. I've been thinking a lot about the implications of a man-of-color donning the long flowy red cape and the seminal symbol of hope that adorns the Man-of-Steel's chest, so this seemed like an interesting take on the hero. This is an origin story for the Chinese Superman, and while he is perhaps a little further from the boy scout image that we have grown accustomed to, I think there is potential in this character, and I am cautiously optimistic to see how this story develops.

Let's start with the art. Viktor Bogdanovic's penciling is light and dynamic in a way that breathes a freshness to the Superman name that I appreciate. Take for instance, the sketch below:

Here we see Superman attempting to escape from the Chinese Batman and Wonder Woman. While the shading in this image isn't particularly groundbreaking, the ferocity and determined feel of the characters is something that Bogdanovic's penciling captures really well. Each character is ideologically different to his or her American counterpart, and Bogdanovic's penciling does an excellent job of further delineating those differences through each character's physical appearance. Superman is a little less muscle-y and slightly more slender than his American counterpart while Batman is a little...shall we say, fuller? than Gotham's Bruce Wayne. Wonder Woman, in this iteration, dons a full length green dress and a headband instead of a tiara. The halo-like outline behind this version of Superman is reminiscent of manga-style drawings as well, and I enjoyed the blending of art forms in this way. I think the art alone is worth a peek at this story. At one point, the Chinese Justice League battle a multi-headed snake, and battle is really well drawn, so I do recommend checking out this title.

As for the story itself, I am conflicted. On one hand, I am excited for the Asian representation in DC Publishing. On the other, the concept of a Chinese Justice League is a little problematic for me. It's a lazy concept that almost burlesques the demand for representation in recent years. Rather than creating culturally representative heroes for China, this version of the Justice League seems a little more like a copycat knock off than a legitimate attempt at diversifying the Superman title. Don't get me wrong, I do think a Chinese Batman would be cool, and to be fair to the writer, this version of Batman doesn't have the tragic origin story that Bruce Wayne has, but I don't know. The concept itself seems more gimmicky than anything, and I do not necessarily know that you can get away from that. I suppose that's why the writer embraces the kitchiness and names them the Justice League of China, but I am still unsatisfied.

This narrative follows Kong Kenan, a bratty teenage know-it-all who gets his kicks by bullying a chubby classmate. Kenan, like Clark, comes from a working class background, but his relationship to his only living parent, his father, is a bit distant. Kenan wants his father's approval and spends most of the first volume trying to get his father to notice him. The Ministry of Self Reliance chooses Kenan for their Superman experiment after Kenan saves the heir to large fortune from a super villain (coincidentally, the kid he ends up saving is the same kid he bullies on a regular basis). In addition to their own Superman, however, the Ministry has also created their own versions of Batman and Wonder Woman. The Chinese Justice League then fight together to bring down China's Freedom Fighters.

I know what you're thinking, "Freedom Fighters" sounds like a noble brand for a league of Super villains, what gives? Well Volume 1 doesn't completely answer that question. The Freedom Fighters are led by Kenan's father *insert dramatic music here* and are advocates for democracy in China. The problem is though that they have no qualms about operating outside of the law to attain their goals--so much so, that Kenan's uncle (also a member of the Freedom Fighters) has become so radicalized by his objectives, that he does not hesitate to shoot Kenan at volume 1's climax. Kenan's uncle's lack of humanity in that moment is important simply because it highlights the need for individuals to remain grounded through family and friends. The uncle, at this point, has neither. He does not have a life outside fo the Freedom Fighters (partly because he's been imprisoned for so long as a result of his work with the Freedom Fighters), so while his cause may be considered noble, his actions are quite the opposite.

The story is fun enough as a cursory read, but it wasn't enough to draw me in for volume 2. I want to support representation in comics, but this seems more like a cheap marketing ploy and a bit gimmick-y for my tastes. Kenan does make an appearance in Super Rebirth vol. 3, though, and he's quite lovely in that so perhaps I'll continue reading this Superman. I have not quite decided yet. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Until next time team!