Click here to listen to Panel Chewing: Pick of the Week 87
If you listen to the podcast or read the blog, you probably know that Absolute Superman is my favorite series in the new Absolute line. I didn’t even expect to like the book, but it gets better and better. The Absolute version of Superman is still Superman, but there are enough differences to make it not just another reboot but enough to make it feel like a different character. Some people have complained that this Superman isn’t Superman. That’s the whole point, to do something different.
I’ve really enjoyed the pacing in this series. Instead of just jumping into the character and being business as usual, it’s taken it’s time introducing Superman, Krypton, Louis Lane and now Brainiac. This helps the reader become invested in the character and his past, and now that a formidable villain is introduced it builds tension on what Brainiac is capable of and what he will do to Superman. We all know Superman will find a way, but how will this interaction change him fundamentally?
Speaking of Brainiac, what an introduction. His origin story is terrifying and tragic, making him a dangerous and menacing villain. Not only to Superman but maybe the entire Absolute universe. He feels like a real threat. Visually he’s horrifying. This reimagining of Braniac leans into the more dangerous versions of Joker we’ve had and more of a science fiction horror version of this character.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t all that excited that Brainiac would be the first villain for Absolute Superman, but I’m all on board now. I love the chances that this creative team is taking and really leaning into the horror aspects of the series and Brainiac in particular. Seeing Superman face his first real threat is exciting, not only because of what Brainiac is capable of, but also because this is Superman’s first experience with a villain of this caliber.
