Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5 — Kenny Porter and Danny Earls Unleash Hex Luthor
Jor-El retreats to the Kent farm, but the fight isn't over. With General Sam Lane's forces still in play and a new, magical threat emerging in the form of Hex Luthor, this issue ramps up the tension for the finale. Danny Earls' art is a must-see.
There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you find a book where the art doesn't just illustrate the story but actively elevates it. Danny Earls has been doing exactly that on Superman: Father of Tomorrow, and with issue five, the visual storytelling hits a new peak. If you've been following Jor-El's journey through this alternate timeline, you know the stakes have been personal, but Earls' work ensures that every emotion and every action sequence feels grounded in a tactile reality that pulls you in.
The premise has always been a delicious twist on the Man of Steel's origin. We're watching Jor-El, the father, rather than the son, navigating a universe where his plan to save Krypton went sideways. In this issue, after a confrontation with General Sam Lane and his WildC.A.T.s that ends in retreat, Jor-El heads back to the Kent farm. It's supposed to be a moment of respite, a place to heal and regroup, but the universe of Father of Tomorrow has other plans.
That respite is short-lived. As Jor-El tries to formulate a new strategy, a familiar yet terrifying new player steps out of the shadows. Kenny Porter introduces Hex Luthor, a version of the Luthor family that feels both recognizable and freshly dangerous. This isn't just business-as-usual; this is a threat that feels earned, a complication that reshapes the conflict between the Kents and the Luthors in ways that are both shocking and perfectly logical.
What makes this issue so compelling to pick up, even mid-run, is the momentum Porter and Earls have built. You get to see how Jor-El handles the pressure of being the sole architect of his family's survival when his original plan fails. The dynamic between the hopeful resilience of the Kents and the calculated menace of the Luthors is played out with incredible nuance. It's a story about legacy, survival, and the lengths a parent will go to, all rendered with Earls' signature expressive style.
As we approach the end of this six-issue arc, the energy in the shop is palpable. This is the chapter where the pieces finally start to fall into place, and the threat of Hex Luthor looms large. It's a fantastic time to jump in if you haven't yet, as the narrative thrust is so strong you'll find yourself eager to see how Jor-El confronts this new challenge. It's a masterclass in character-driven sci-fi that just happens to feature Superman's family.