Listen to Pick of the Week episode 74 here on your favorite podcasting platform: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793148/episodes/16616571
Absolute Superman? Pick of the week? What? Yeah, I know. Let me explain.
When the Absolute Universe was announced I was 100% on board. I love Elseworlds and I especially love reboots or new universes. These are excellent opportunities for people like me to jump onto a new series that isn’t weighed down by decades of continuity.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been the biggest fan of Absolute Batman and I’ve already stopped reading Absolute Wonder Woman. Absolute Batman isn’t different enough to really grab me, and Absolute Wonder Woman just isn’t my cup of tea – although I can see why fans of each character would love those books. They aren’t bad, they just aren’t for me.
Enter Absolute Superman. The one book I was least excited about out of the three. I’m interested with the focus on Krypton early in the series and while some of it was a little goofy (especially his parents decision making abilities), I was intrigued by the world of Krypton just before it’s demise. Absolute Superman is different enough that it keeps my attention. I know a lot of people hate dark Superman who hurts people or even kills, but I love it. I don’t know that this Superman will kill, but I like exploring the reactions of someone (even from another planet) who has experienced these events, lost everything and be hunted like an animal when they are trying to help other people. This issue is almost more focused on Superman and not on Krypton. While I was enjoying that visit, it is nice to focus on Earth and Superman. I love the cape and how different it is, but it seems like that is an unpopular opinion.
The Peacemaker storyline especially is intriguing to me. Exploring themes that involve PTSD and how these soldiers are suffering but thrown back on the job by Brainiac makes Brainiac even more sinister than before. It’s using these soldiers experiences and suffering to make other people suffer, even unintentionally that develops the villain. Even Louis Lane is different enough to be enthralling, adding bits of personal history and background to make her seem like a person and round out those edges to make her actions make sense.
The artwork is junk food for my eyeballs. Rafa Sandoval is doing a fantastic job and it reminds me a lot of Jim Lee’s art. It may be my 90’s nostalgia talking here but I’m loving every line in this book. The colors compliment the artwork and together it’s like magic.
While I can see why this book isn’t for everyone, I’m enjoying it more than any other Absolute title right now. Giving Kyrpton more depth (even if his parents are ridiculous), giving Superman an edge and even rounding out a character like Louis Lane to have more of a role is a mix that I’m on board for. Let’s hope Superman goes a little crazy and hurts or kills some bad guys. Take chances, do crazy shit. Let’s have a Superman with a little bit of an edge and character depth, that’s what Elseworlds stories are for.
