Absolute Superman #1 Review- Where There Is Hope, There Is Also A Superman
From DC Comics
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Rafa Sandoval
Wow, wow, wow, I was not expecting to be this enthralled by the first issue of Absolute Superman. For one, I have never really had a Superman comic click for me in a way that really drew me to the character’s solo series. For another, even with renowned writer Jason Aaron and superstar artist Rafa Sandoval at the helm, I really expected my own internal hype and expectations for the “big three” Absolute Universe titles to be tempered after this third offering. However, I am happy to report that my cynical, emotionally exhausted brain this week found the pages of Absolute Superman to be an absolutely welcome adventure into an all new take on the world’s most iconic comic book savior.
The allure of Absolute Superman can be attributed to three key factors. First of all, the framing of this first issue feels both epic and burgeoning, where the reader gets an unconscious sense of what this new direction of Superman is going to be like, but not the full picture of the story at hand. This is a structural tool that Jason Aaron has proven to utilize successfully, whether it be the interwoven Past and Future chapters of Thor in his now iconic run, or the Past and Present perspectives of Namor in his currently ongoing return to the character. The commonality here being that Jason Aaron always manages to introduce a broad scope to his stories which are enticing to follow along and discover.
Second of all, the intelligent, thoughtful restructuring of the familiar origin story we know. I don’t want to go into too many spoilers upfront here, but the task for any writer given the assignment of creating new interpretations of DC’s most popular Legacy characters is most assuredly a daunting one. The idea of re-contextualizing the origin of a character is difficult because it means tweaking and tampering with some of the most important and well known facets of a character that has allowed fans to become connected with them for decades (almost 100 years in Superman’s case). However, not changing enough is also a dangerous choice, because it means that the character is potentially not as bold or new or as interesting as promised. Yet in Absolute Superman, Aaron artfully adds more complex, nuanced detail to the familiar Superman origin tale without it being a distracting or showy affair.
Last but certainly not least, there is the character design of Absolute Superman himself. Rafa Sandoval was obviously up for the challenge in this department as the look of this alternate universe Superman is arguably more eye-catching than the original and certainly more badass. Rafa, and other cover artists, have made effective use of the subtle changes to the design with the various alternative covers for the first issue, specifically highlighting Absolute Superman’s flaming gauntlet-like wrists and ankles. What I love most about this seemingly simple yet flashy addition to Superman is that it wordlessly communicates the function of this new conceptualization of the Man of Steel- who is better attributed as a Man of Action.
Absolute Superman is a well paced, well executed addition to this unfolding “Absolute” Universe at DC and I can already see it becoming a lauded, iconic take on the character in years to come. It is a story filled with delightful, unexpected twists as well as powerful, thought provoking dialogue that earnestly makes you want to believe in a world with. Superman again.
Let’s talk more specifically about issue #1, which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Absolute Superman #1 begins with a retrospective look at life in the heyday of the advanced alien planet, Krypton. But rather than a picturesque look at a thriving Utopia, Aaron instead takes his time exploring the power imbalance of the Kryptonian caste system, showcasing the fracturing society of Krypton in a very realistic and depressingly familiar way. In just a few pages, Aaron has made me more interested in the society of Krypton than I have ever been, which makes the inevitable fate of this planet even more heartbreaking.
Additionally, Aaron expands the characterization of Lara-El and Jor-El, penning them as scientists who were ousted from the upper class of the scientific elite because of their radical views. Moreover, they are branded with the insignia of the lower labor class, which is of course the characteristic Superman “S” symbol as opposed to the upper class “Sun” symbol.
All of these narrative details conspire to paint the picture of a society blind to its own hubris. An empire that excels in its capacity to learn and harness the natural world but is painfully primitive in regards to its sociological structure (goddamnit if that doesn’t feel familiar). Even more topical, is the fact that Krypton appears to be facing a mounting and largely ignored environmental crisis…
The beautiful imagery of Krypton’s vast cities and alien farmland, coupled with the glimpses into the intense organization of all facets of society down to when and if it rains, paints the picture of a world that cannot accept failure or imperfection. This analysis also gives us some insight into what Kal-El might be like in this universe, as we see him as a young boy growing up in this society rather than being depicted as an infant.
As we explore the day to day life of Jor-El, a working class member of geological engineering, who suspects fissures within the crystal mines but doesn’t have the authority to investigate, we get our first glimpse at the impending doom of Krypton as liquid green radiation spews from the bedrock and horrifyingly melts the men trapped within, as Jor-El struggles to escape.
Next we cut to Earth, to the country of Brazil, where we find the horrific working conditions of another crystal mine operation guarded by armed Peacemakers of the Lazarus Corporation. The juxtaposition of these two worlds is such a poignant message of the ubiquitous nature of selfish greed and power throughout the universe, followed quickly by the reminder that hope and love also permeate the cosmos as well.
The introduction page of our Absolute Superman, shows him walking alongside the lowly mine workers as a carcinogenic snow caused by poor mining conditions falls around them. Like a red ghost in the blizzard, he steps into a side alley and meets with one of the mine leaders who asks him to join them for dinner as a newcomer. Curiously, this Superman is more content to whisper as he tells this mine leader, Joao, that “he has seen the wonders of your world,” and seen numerous places filled with suffering such as this which makes him question which is true: the beauty or the pain. Joao insists that having something to fight for is the truth, and our cynical Superman retorts, “And what if you have nothing?”
We then shift to the mine where we see the Peacemaker soldiers interrogating workers about the massive collection of diamonds that miraculously appeared already harvested in the mine, when all of the workers were supposedly called out. We then see the sleeping Absolute Superman who has a solar panel hooked up to the roof of his shack as he literally charges himself with sunlight, as the Peacemaker soldiers raid his shack. This is where we finally get to see Absolute Superman in action, who even in an admittedly “sun-weakened” state, blocks bullets and sends tanks flying as he lashes out with his fiery glowing fists.
The biggest take away from this whole section, aside from the starkly different interpersonal characterization of Superman, is the representation of Superman as a hero for the working man. As opposed to this lofty symbol of peace who organizes and protects the planet from universal threats- this is a Superman who is actionable, literally working alongside his fellow man, and destroying corrupt institutions from the inside. It is truly, eternally touching to see this man who has lost everything, still fighting to protect innocence and life, even when his own kryptonian technology (an AI named Sol) is telling him, “You must never forget the lesson of Krypton. Some worlds simply cannot be saved. Not from themselves.”
In the final moments of this issue, we see Absolute Superman cornered by the Phenomena Field Team of the Lazarus Corporation who momentarily incapacite him with an electrical strike, until Absolute Superman unleashes a devastating eye blast, destroying the surrounding area. However, as even more tanks land and the soldiers advance, Kal-El admits that maybe all of this was a bad idea, before he is surprised with a restraint from Agent Lane, who mockingly calls him, “Superman.”
However, just when you think the issue is over with that perfect exclamation point of an ending, we get a tease of a few plot threads to come as we survey the ruined, abandoned Kent property in Central Kansas owned by the Lazarus Corporation, and glimpse a sinister green, big-brained figure in the basement of a Nevada based governmental facility watching the events in Brazil take place. Additionally, we see the aftermath of Jor-El’s mining incident as he returns home to his wife, young son, and dog, as he warns Lara-El that they cannot tell anyone yet, but that the world they know is ending.
There are so many fun, specific details that we get in this first issue that make Absolute Superman a distinct and definitive alternate depiction of the beloved DC Comics character while retaining the true essence of what Superman is and should be. I think that this is my favorite issue of the “Absolute” line thus far because, like its predecessors, it felt like an epic, expansive tale that is only just beginning, but didn’t hold back from delivering concrete, thought provoking narrative pieces that made this universe much more relatable. By contrast, I felt like both Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman were deliberately holding back information and context surrounding their central character and their classic settings and antagonists for future development, which made their first issues feel like teasers to an idea rather than a fullly realized “Chapter 1.”
Please support your local comic book stores and check out the marvelous, momentous comic book called, Absolute Superman #1, on shelves now if you are lucky- reprints releasing December 18th!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
