Superman’s dad has stepped up to fill Alfred’s shoes by roasting Batman

It’s been nearly three years since Alfred Pennyworth died, a casualty of Bane’s war on Gotham in the final acts of Tom King’s BatmanHis murder caused a lot of grief and ran. Nightwing is pouring the inheritance Alfred left him into free public services in his hometown of Blüdhaven. Robin continues to struggle with his guilt at indirectly contributing to his own death. And Batman hasn’t been able to find a replacement for his foster father’s particular brand of no-nonsense support.

But in this week’s Superman is the son of Kal-El #11, Superman’s adopted father steps into the role for at least a moment. Kansas farmer Jonathan Kent is also missing Alfred. The couple used to communicate regularly and exchange ideas on parenting adult superhero children. That means one very important thing: Jonathan knows all of Batman’s business.

Like Alfred, he’s ready to roast Alfred about it.

Were there other things happening within the pages of comics we love? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of the books that our comics editor enjoyed this past week. It’s part society pages of superhero lives, part reading recommendations, part “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. It may not provide enough context. However, there will be many great comics. You can also read the previous edition if you haven’t seen it yet.


“You’re a grown superhero and Alfred told me you almost married Catwoman,” Jonathan Kent tells Batman over coffee on a balcony. “That’s hardly,” Batman protests. “Is Damian’s mother an assassin?” Jonathan interrupts. Batman pauses, awkwardly, before saying “Yes,” in Superman: Son of Kal-El #11 (2022).

Image by Tom Taylor/DC Comics

Batman has brought Jonathan’s grandson Jon to the family’s safe house in order to tell him that he can’t trust his new boyfriend, and Jonathan has something to say About this type of Batcopter parenting. (Also, Batman’s mug says “WORLD’S BEST MOM.”)

A man looks out on an altered and chaotic city street, at sights like a giant man, UFOs, giant robots, a man riding a dinosuar, a flying car, and a monster truck full of gold in Eight Billion Genies #1 (2022).

Image: Charles Soule, Ryan Browne/Image Comics

This is what you should know if you have seen our comics preview for summer. Eight Billion GeniesThe story is about chaos and the resulting confusion when all eight billion people on the planet receive one wish from a genie. It’s a twist: the story will jump forward in time with increasing leaps of magnitude eight seconds after the genies arrive, eight minutes, 8 hours and so on for eight issues. I’m dying to know what this world is like eight centuries after all this.

A dinosaur man with scales in the colors of Aquaman’s costume brandishes a trident as he yells a challenge, riding a giant crab, surrounded by other fearsome sea creatures in Jurassic League #1 (2022).

Image: Juan Gedeon, Daniel Warren Johnson/DC Comics

There is only one image that you can get the best of. Jurassic League #1, and it’s Batsaur’s tragic origin story, but if there’s a runner-up, it’s probably this Aquaman Dinosaur’s entire deal.

The Watcher, a robed figure with an enormous bald head, sits in a riotous crowd of aliens, eating a bowl of popcorn in Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War #1 (2022).

Image: Donny Cates, Martin Coccolo/Marvel Comics

Donny Carter and Martin Coccolo deserve a special mention for their ability to telegraph the tone of their Hulk Vs. Thor punch-stravaganza right on the first page.

Three grim reapers, one a petite goth woman, another a skinny punk man, and a black man in an Elizabethan era coat and cravat, discuss how the woman has lost her scythe with the dread of low-level employees who’ve screwed up on the job in Grim #1 (2022).

Image: Stephanie Phillips, Flaviano/Boom Studios

Grim is a workplace comedy about grim reapers, and as a one-time fan of Dead Like Me, I think that’s neat.

Mojo, an awful yellow man with a bulbous body, spindly limbs, and wires and cords for hair, bends to speak to his lawyer, an extremely tiny suit-wearing man who has an oyster for a head in X-Men #11 (2022).

Image by Gerry Duggan/Pepe Larraz/Marvel Comics

I’m sure there were some events that happened in this week’s issue of X-MenBut all of them were overshadowed by the small, oyster-headed lawyer and his briefcase. He’s my favorite comic-book character.

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