02/04 Comic Reviews: An Absolute Blast

Absolute Superman #16 written by Jason Aaron with art by Juan Ferreyra

A new arc of Absolute Superman begins in full force this week with the meeting of Absolute Hawkman and Clark Kent. Readers had been introduced to this universe’s version of Carter Hall in Absolute Evil as a former hero who saw which way the wind was blowing and sold out to the government, becoming an enforcer against those who would dare disturb the status quo. The issue opens with a brief look at his appropriately pulpy origin as an archaeologist in the 1940’s who’d been hired to dig up relics in Egypt only to be betrayed by a colleague paid off by the Nazis. In the process, he ended up linked to a mace which granted him flight along with seemingly prolonging his life, allowing him to turn to the tide of the war and continue the fight for “justice” in secret. In a lot of ways, this version of the character feels like he’s been lifted straight from a 1940’s comic strip and its clear-cut views of right and wrong, with “right” being intrinsically tied to the state. It was a moral code that served that setting, but has left him willing to make compromise after compromise because of his blind faith in his country and government. That’s without even getting into the toxic masculinity oozing off of this man as he verbally demands respect and attention and doesn’t appear to understand why that should surprise anyone. What interests me about the character is that despite his self-serving self-righteousness, he doesn’t appear to believe that the masters he serves are “good.” Just that the most good can be done if he looks the other way to their atrocities. It offers a glimmer of hope that there’s something salvageable of the former hero, though it remains to be seen if, given the chance, he’s capable of making the change.

Last issue had given us a demonstration of Clark’s newfound optimism, but we’re shown here that it hasn’t made him any more naive. He’s willing to hear Hawkman out, but clearly recognizes that this supposed elder statesman isn’t someone to take at face value, especially when that face is wrapped in bandages and wreathed in a demonic bird helmet. He’s clearly hopeful that he’s found a fellow to help him, but not to the point of ignoring some very obvious problematic behaviors. During their conversation, a point was raised that I’d also been curious about when Carter mentions the “others” that have shown up and Clark explains that with all the noise he’s exposed to, he never noticed them. Considering that he spends every waking moment responding to a cry for help somewhere in the world combined with his own compassionate nature, there’s a degree to which every cry has become equal to him. Compared to Hawkman who actively tries to stop Clark from leaving their conversation to help someone with the argument that someone is always in danger somewhere, we’re presented with a contrast of someone burning themselves out while trying to help everyone equally and someone who has gotten far too comfortable labeling some lives as less important than others in exchange for supposedly prolonging his ability to serve the “greater good.” Hopefully, Carter’s comment about the other heroes sinks in enough that Clark thinks to reach out for help to the right people rather than putting himself in the hands of monsters.

Meanwhile, a Mr. Lex Luthor receives a visit from a mysterious man (who is definitely not Brainiac) who seems convinced Lex is just the guy to take down Superman. As a small-town man who’s main priorities are providing for his family and coaching the local little league baseball team, Lex can’t understand why anyone would think that, nor would he even want to hurt anyone in the first place. Unfortunately, Brainiac has peeked behind the veil and seen the man Lex could be and is willing to do just about anything to shape him into it. The entire Absolute Universe is built on the idea that these characters exist to a degree as conceptual archetypes and are meant to fulfill certain roles, but this might be the most explicit any of the books have been about it. It’s a reminder that the Absolute Universe is not just about an inversion of success, it’s about the universe deciding that good cannot and should not win and Lex’s humble but happy life is just as much an affront to the universe as Clark’s heroics.  Time will tell if nurture outweighs what Brainiac (Sorry, I lied. It was Brainiac) is convinced is his true nature, but it will be impossible not to feel sympathetic considering the man we’re presented with. Speaking of characters and their fated roles, Lois has taken her newfound love of writing to the door of the Daily Planet. Unfortunately, journalism, print or otherwise, isn’t faring well as a profession these days, as the recently terminated reporter Perry White mentions on his way out the door. Of course, Lois isn’t a stranger to adversity, especially not with trusty sidekick Jimmy Olsen by her side. Considering how much they’ve been through, the fact that their dynamic remains so lighthearted and charming grants the reader a reprieve from the darkness as well as a reminder that Clark has more people to rely on than just superheroes.

As I said before, one of the most striking aspects of Juan Ferreyra’s art style is the way he draws faces. He captures Clark’s earnestness in every panel, but he also has the ability to convey a certain subtle derangement in the eyes of Carter when he reveals his face. It’s not so explicit that you immediately read him as “evil,” but it’s enough to put both Clark and the reader on guard. We’re treated to a brief clash between Superman and Hawkman and it’s a sight to behold as the two high-flying heroes go back and forth. I raved about the blue suit last time, and I want to add that when Superman is moving as a blue blur through the air, it’s flat out gorgeous. Seeing the self-righteous Hawkman getting thrown through several stories of a building into a subway station is immensely satisfying on top of being a masterclass in composition work.  Considering the monstrous note the book ends on, there’s every reason to believe that the next issue is going to be dialing up the superhero spectacle by orders of magnitude.

This issue flew by (pun not intended, but neither is it regretted), but it did an amazing job setting the board for the new arc. Things aren’t slowing down for our heroes anytime soon and the fact that they’re moving closer to their classic counterparts may be inviting the ire of the universe itself. There was never any question, but it’s plain to see that this book is only going to keep getting better from here, so hop in and enjoy your flight.

Absolute Batman #16 written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta

“We’re not together!”

After the utter delight that was the crossover in Absolute Wonder Woman, I couldn’t wait to read the next part in Absolute Batman. Obviously, it’s not a question that the issue was fantastic, but it managed to surprise me several times with its willingness to push beyond the boundaries of how we assume these stories must go. Of course, the Absolute Universe pretty much trades in that sort of thing, but I constantly find myself in awe of how subtle it can be and just how effectively it serves the story and distinguishes these heroes from their mainstream counterparts. It’s easy to assume that because a story must proceed a certain way in the mainstream, the opposite must happen in the Absolute universe, but that is still engaging with the same rules, just on the other side. What these books have done is throw that framework away entirely, telling stories about these characters doing what makes sense for these characters and this world without being beholden to the tropes and cliches of the genre.

Most forms of media and storytelling require us to suspend our disbelief to some extent with the writer’s job being to make it worthwhile for us to do so. One of the cliches prevalent in superhero storytelling that we are constantly asked to suspend our disbelief for is why these characters don’t reach out for help when things start to escalate. The Joker is going to blow up a building and Batman could easily resolve the situation by calling Superman to whisk the villain away and throw the bomb into space before anyone gets so much as a paper cut. However, there would be no conflict in such a story and so Batman never calls Superman and we never question it, because the story of Batman overcoming adversity is more interesting than the “realism” of him just calling his more powerful friend in to save the day. Of course, it’s not as if mainstream Batman never asks for help, but it’s almost always considered a subversion of the rules and tends to feel notable because of that. Certainly, in the character’s self-titled book, he will do things on his own within Gotham City. If anything, it contributes to the mythical status of these characters. Batman is not a man with powerful friends, he is the god of his respective story with his godly attributes being his wealth, lifetime of training, and his relentless pursuit of justice. He doesn’t need help because he is as much a god as the rest of his pantheon. Here in the Absolute Universe, however, Bruce Wayne is not a god. He is a man with a day job and friends who have been horrifically mutilated as collateral damage in his pursuit of justice. As a man with infinite resourcefulness but few resources, it makes perfect sense that he would reach out to the superhuman witch he’s friends with. This moment helped crystallize one of the aspects of the Absolute Universe for me. This is a universe in which the heroes have been separated from the myths. They are people attempting to fill those roles and experiencing entirely unique successes and failures because of it. Here, Bruce reaching out to Diana isn’t undercutting the conflict because it’s two underdogs banding together against adversity that they’re still outmatched by, even together.

Bruce is desperate to undo the mutations done to Waylon Jones, one of his closest friends. As Greek mythology is rife with tales of beings who transition from human to animal without a second thought, he reasons that Diana, Princess of Hell, may have some insight into a mystical means of turning Waylon back. To that end, they embark on a several weeks long inter-dimensional quest outside of time and space (convenient because Bruce has a job and only has the weekend off). Much of the story is told in snippets of the days they spend together trekking through the desert and each moment provides wonderful pieces of characterization, furthering the humanization of both characters and building up their familiarity of trust in one another. Much in the way Bruce was slightly nicer in Absolute Wonder Woman, Diana is slightly harsher here, with a scowling terseness that we haven’t seen in her own book. That isn’t to say she feels mischaracterized as the book is full of little moments, such as a montage of her listing off the ways their journey might kill them only to end it with an admonition not to be rude to someone or her talking through Bruce’s traumatic past with him and expressing genuine compassion without a hint of pity or condescension, all of which feel completely authentic and in-line with her character. It just made me realize that while the mainstream versions of these characters have been written by countless hands over a near-century, these versions have each only had a single person telling their story. It makes the differences under another writer notable in a way it rarely is outside of this line. Rather than a criticism, it’s just another way that the Absolute Universe has reframed my perception of these characters and their stories.

Bringing the supernatural into the story also allows Bruce to experience a vision quest and have a brief but significant conversation with his father. One of my favorite issues of this series centered around Bruce’s relationship with his father and how it informed his core principles as well as shaped what he wanted Batman to represent. Considering how much Bruce has lost in the recent past and how heavily his failures are weighing on him, it’s the perfect time to revisit that relationship and have a much-needed heart-to-heart with the man who shaped what being a hero meant to him. As Thomas says, being a hero is not about a single notable action, self-sacrificing or otherwise, it’s about having the resolve to continue building little by little each day, trying to make the world a better place even when the results aren’t immediately apparent. This Batman is a builder and very few things are built in a day. Patience and perseverance are core attributes of Bruce and that means not giving up on trying to help the people who need him.

When Bruce’s friends were attacked, I remember thinking that it felt like they were being pushed towards their classic incarnations, albeit in an especially violent and deliberate way, and that they were being swept up in the entropic force that is the status quo. However, this issue has made it clear that, much like Bruce, I was ready to give up on these characters before their endings had been written. That is not so anymore, as Bruce resolves to keep moving forward and do what he can to make things better for his loved ones.

Art is yet another way that Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman are counterpoints as Nick Dragotta draws Diana with his raw and kinetic style. Both artist are incredibly skilled, but their approaches couldn’t be anymore different and much like it was cool to see Batman drawn in Hayden Sherman’s precise and detailed style, getting to see Diana and Bruce facing down a giant centaur is an insane spectacle of action. The fact that Diana has a more dour expression than usual really hammers home just how imposing and terrifying she can be in the right circumstances. As always, Dragotta excels in motion, whether it’s the cinematic opening when Batman slides in on a motorcycle or during a climatic scene involving Pegasus. The book is full of energy that propels the reader from start to finish.

My position had originally been that I did not want these books to crossover for as long as possible because I was worried about it undercutting the conflict of the story, but after these last two crossovers, I no longer feel that way. It won’t be a pantheon of gods gathering to create a new status quo, it will be a group of people trying to make a difference in a world that rejects them. A story like that is one that I’d absolutely line up to read. This issue of Absolute Batman pushes the story forward while offering Bruce a light in the darkness and offering the reader of an example of what we can look forward to next time these books cross over.

Absolute Wonder Woman #16 written by Kelly Thompson with art by Hayden Sherman

A new arc is beginning in Absolute Wonder Woman as well, as Diana settles into her new home with the friends she recently made while in the labyrinth. But before we get into the story, I apologize in advance because I’m going to be digressing into superhero storytelling tropes again. One of the ways in which the Absolute Universe contrasts the mainstream universe is that in the mainstream universe (and, broadly speaking, mainstream superhero comics) superheroes are often defenders of the status quo. What that often means is that they are reactive in their conflicts because being proactive would be to impose an authoritarian hand on the world and take away people’s freedom to make the right choices on their own. They are defined by their restraint, choosing to guide and lead by example and protecting people from external forces that would take those freedoms away. On the other hand, because the Absolute heroes lack that power, both authoritative and physical, they are free to be more proactive because they themselves are fighting an oppressive force on behalf of the downtrodden. Rather than authority figures throwing their weight around, they are striking blows against titans who have already hold control over everything. Wonder Woman stands out as the exception to that as she does actually have the power and charisma to simply take over and impose her will on the world and is very much conscious of that fact. There is rampant injustice in the world and she is determined to stand against it, but a core part of her philosophy is giving others the chance to be better. That means sparing the lives of her foes when they haven’t already destroyed themselves and waiting for them to make the first move rather than going out and striking down the enemies she knows are plotting against her. Part of the reason she can do this is because she’s strong enough to take her opponents down regardless of how much time they have to prepare, but, as we see in this issue, she does have vulnerabilities and she still chooses to employ that restraint despite knowing her enemies may very well exploit them.

Of course, that fierce integrity is what has won everyone over, both in universe and out. In fact, Steve Trevor basically says as much when he’s called to a senate hearing to speak about his choices to defer to someone not from his country rather than follow the chain of command. Given that the premise of the Absolute Universe is it being a darker place than the mainstream universe, I spent a long time waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Steve to be revealed to be a truly awful person, but he’s shown himself time and time again to be a deeply moral person who will choose the most righteous path available regardless of how much risk there appears to be in walking it. The fact that he’s able to do so is also tied into the public’s considerable affection for Diana. Despite a senator, who my brain insists on calling “Absolute Colonel Sanders,” making an attempt to draw on Diana’s upbringing in Hell as a way to provoke a moral panic and turn the nation against her, for once people are looking at the facts and recognizing that Diana is a paragon of virtue on top of being a dedicated defender of the weak. For her enemies, this means that not only do they have to defeat the superhumanly strong witch in a physical fight, they also need to discredit her in the public eye in order to remove any influence she might have. This all leads to the opening of a museum exhibition by Diana’s friend, Dr. Barbara Minerva. Diana has been invited as a guest of honor, walking in like a celebrity, and reflecting on the difficult tightrope she needs to walk as a public icon who inspires rather than dictates.

To the surprise of no one, least of all Diana, Veronica Cale launches another attack on the Amazonian. The previous issues along with the cover of this one made no secret of the fact that Zatanna was going to be Diana’s next opponent, but I certainly did not expect to see the words “…and the Suicide Squad” as part of the introduction. This was neither the time nor the place I expected to see them and I’m excited to see what kind of threat this eclectic bunch is going to pose to Wonder Woman. Zatanna alone is already enough of a threat as she makes it clear she’s capable of subverting one of Diana’s greatest strengths and turning it into a catastrophic weakness. Things are looking bad in a way they never have before and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Hayden Sherman continues to make magic with some the most consistent and beautiful art I’ve ever seen from a superhero comic. Over the course of the book, we see Diana recuperating in her home, walking down a red carpet, and in the midst of battle, and it’s clear with no words on the page that she is confident and in control no matter where she is or what she’s doing. Describing a character as “visibly charismatic” probably calls to mind politicians with fake smiles and expensive haircuts who pay for articles ascribing that quality to them, but Sherman manages to portray a genuine charisma to Diana that comes across in every scene she’s in. It’s vitally important to this book because it leaves no question in the reader’s mind how it’s possible for her to be so beloved even in this dark and cynical universe. It also works as a foil to villains that look malicious and frightening. As much as Diana is an imposing force of good, her enemies look like they are actually capable of rejecting her goodness while standing against her physically. It sets the stakes for the next issue and looks good while doing it.

Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be the highlight of DC’s lineup and of superhero comics in general. The book provides us with a hero who is both powerful and moral and challenges her without undercutting any of her strengths or beliefs. It’s an uplifting book to read and has me hooked on every page with the promise that the story will only get better from here. This book is phenomenal and, with the start of a new arc, now is the perfect time to jump on if you haven’t yet. These are the highest peaks of storytelling folks, and, I promise, it’s one hell of a view.