Absolute Superman Vol. 1
Plot Summary and Credits
On the distant planet of Krypton, a family of farmers discovers evidence that their world is headed for destruction, a discovery that is kept hidden by the ruling class. They build spaceships to try and save as many people as possible, but most of them are lost as the planet explodes. Only their son Kal-El manages to escape, eventually finding his way to a world where he has incredible powers. He is introduced to this world by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, who live under the oppressive rule of a corporation called Lazarus, who enforce their will with an army of brutal Peacemakers. Kal travels the world and uses his powers to help those in need, drawing the attention of Lazarus and the investigation of their agent Lois Lane, whose encounter with the Man of Steel caused her to question her loyalty.
Jason Aaron (writer), Rafa Sandoval, Carmine Di Giandomenico (artists), Ulises Arreola (colourist), Becca Carey (letterer), Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, by special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel family
Collects Absolute Superman #1-6
My Copy
I got this almost immediately after reading volume one of Absolute Batman. I couldn’t wait to see what else the Absolute Universe had to offer, so once again I sacrificed my weekly quota of vegetables in favour of a look at this new version of Superman.
Before Reading
Even after enjoying Absolute Batman, I was still a little sceptical about Superman’s entry. Everything about him is so iconic, including his origin story, so was worried that too many changes would affect the core elements of the character.
After Reading
Just like with Batman’s first outing in the Absolute Universe, I’m pleased to say that my concerns were quickly swept aside. One of my biggest worries was that, having grown up on Krypton, Kal wouldn’t have the same connection to Earth and humanity as his primary counterpart, instead focusing on the home that he lost. This is remedied by his introduction to the Kents upon his arrival, showing him the good side of humanity before the Peacemakers arrive.
Speaking of the Peacemakers and their bosses, in any kind of story, authoritarian regimes can be pretty hard to get right, causing them to come across as on the nose more often than not. When your constantly reminded of how terrible they are and keep being shown the intricate ways they control peoples lives, the closer they come to losing their credibility as an intimidating threat. This is what Lazarus and the Peacemakers feel like. They take their whole “peace at any cost” to the extremes that you would expect them to, gunning down civilians en masse with no remorse or, in some cases, reason. Combine this with their completely ridiculous tank helicopters (which I actually thought were pretty funny) and you have an army that’s powerful but difficult to take seriously.
I found Krypton to be a much more interesting setting than Lazarus’ regime, especially with the viewpoint of a young Kal added to the world. It has the same tropes of class divisions and buried secrets that we’ve seen a million times before in other stories, but everything that we see feeds into the lives of the El family, such as the secrecy around their mining accidents.
The thing that really sold me on this new version of Superman was seeing how he’s viewed by the people he saves. At first they’re intimidated by him, this godlike being living among mortals, until they see how he uses his immense power to help them. This fully convinces them that he’s not only on their side, but will put his own life on the line for them, inspiring them with courage and hope. Like I said in last week’s review, this is what truly makes Superman Superman, and the Absolute iteration doesn’t forget it.
Closing Thoughts
This first volume provides a strong introduction to a new iteration of Superman, who remains true to the original character while adding his own unique twist.
I know this review is a little shorter than usual, and I apologise for this. I wrote it in the lead up to Christmas Day between Warhammer painting sessions, so it’s the best I could do while maintaining my priorities.
After so many heroic origin stories, it’s about time I look at the background of a villain. See you next week for the story of one of the greatest military commanders of a galaxy far, far away.
