Hope.
Superman is – and always has been - a beacon of hope. From his beginnings in the fertile depression-era minds of Siegel and Shuster to the soaring Christopher Reeve movies and beyond, the Last Son of Krypton has always used his abilities (far beyond those of mortal men!) to make the world a better place. The idea that a man with such power would stoop to become a servant to even the most downtrodden is a model of humanity that is no less than aspirational.
The Kal-El of Absolute Superman is not that man. Not yet, at least.
Absolute Superman #1 by Jason Aaron (Thor, Scalped), Rafa Sandoval (Action Comics, The Flash) and Ulises Arreola (Supergirl, Justice League of America) hits the shelves today, and, much like its brother and sister in the Absolute line, it is an intentional and drastic departure from the Man of Steel that we know and love. In the Absolute universe, everything has been corrupted, built on a foundation laid by Darkseid himself - and this version of Superman is no different, seemingly having been forged by much darker forces.
Much of this first issue spends its time on an altered Krypton, with the barely-recognizable biological parents of Kal-El. While this might seem like territory that’s already been covered ad infinitum, the differences (both subtle and obvious) begin to explain just how and why our title character has arrived at his current state. It’s some very nice world-building and character building all at the same time, and I’m hoping we’ll get a few more flashbacks to Krypton in the future.
When we do finally meet Kal-El, instead of the normal trappings of friends and fortress and family, he has placed himself apart from humanity, hiding in the dark. This Superman is very much an alien. On Earth, but not part of it. It doesn’t keep him from helping people, though, and he’s dealing with real social issues (as he did in his first appearances) for much of the book.
Of course, a larger conflict arises, and big-time punching commences. There’s a nefarious new villain or two to meet, and some old familiar faces in new situations that just might surprise readers old and new.
The Absolute Superman team breaks Kal-El down to his nuts and bolts, beginning the process of building him into what seems like will be a very grounded character. (The title of the story is Down in the Dirt, after all. Heck, he doesn’t even fly in the first issue!). The writing by Jason Aaron is smart and sharp, and he obviously spent a great deal of time working out the details of both Kryptonian society and Kal’s altered history. The artwork by Rafa Sandoval is appropriately dark, and paired with colorist Ulises Arreola, they create great atmosphere as they explore the murky, claustrophobic depths of both Krypton and Earth.
One more point before I go - in Mark Waid’s Birthright (also referenced in the Man of Steel movie), the S on Superman’s chest is actually the Kryptonian symbol for hope. In the Absolute Universe, it’s a very different symbol – which might just give us some clues as to the direction of this book…
Absolute Superman #1 is in stores today, November 6th.
Looking forward to Absolute Ambush Bug,
Christopher
Create an Account
Sign In
