Warning: contains spoilers for Superman: Son of Kal-El #1!
DC Comics' new and change his timeless catchphrase, perhaps for good.
The son of Kal-El, Jonathan Kent has been a main character in Superman comics for some time now, making his debut in 2015's Convergence: Superman #2. Clark Kent has trained his son in case a potential future comes true and Clark disappears in an conflict. Jonathan is naturally worried about his father and stepping into his shoes, but he understands the importance associated with the name "Superman" and endeavors to try his best.
After Jonathan spends a busy day as Superman putting out a massive California wildfire and fighting off ninjas alongside Damian Wayne, the two talk about their respective legacies (Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and had a difficult childhood, to say the least). Jonathan eventually its he wants his symbol on his chest to stand for "Truth, justice, and a better world." It's a reinvention of his father's classic line, but it comes with a price: the complete abandonment of "...and The American Way!" first heard in the Adventures of Superman radio serials in 1940.
Some long-term fans of the character will see this as a slight, or perhaps an insult, as sharply criticized the United States of Captain America series for the same supposed lack of patriotism, taking issue with Captain America's apparent lack of enthusiasm for the United States government.
Captain America and Superman are both American icons, but their respective writers' approach to current American politics are quite different. Captain America is perfectly willing to represent America even as he criticizes its policies and leaders, whereas Superman distances himself from America more and more with every iteration of the character. Perhaps Superman's new catchphrase is an inevitable byproduct of his international appeal; nevertheless, it is somewhat disheartening to watch writers strip away Superman's American heritage page by page, year by year.
Source: Comicbook.com
