11/6 Comic Reviews: Burning Bright
Absolute Superman #1 written by Jason Aaron with art by Rafa Sandoval
“When you have what is worth fighting for… that is the truth”
I wasn’t sure if I was going to write anything this week or not. I’ve been falling behind on account of life stuff and I’d been determined this week to get back into it. Unfortunately, recent events made it feel like bad taste to be talking about how much fun comics are. It doesn’t feel like anything is fun at the moment. But then I read Absolute Superman and I couldn’t imagine a timelier book. Over night it suddenly feels like we’ve shifted over to the Absolute Universe where the arc of the universe no longer bends towards justice and it’s tempting to give into despair. Hope and heroism are harder to come by, but that means they shine all the brighter. Absolute Superman is a perfect example of that.
Right off the bat, we’re introduced to the planet Krypton and it’s clear that it’s not the Krypton we know. It’s not so changed to be unrecognizable, the Science Council still rules, they still swear to Rao, and the red sun still flies over the city of Kandor. But almost immediately, things shift away from the familiar as the narration makes it clear that we will not find Jor-El here. Lara and Jor-El are reimagined as working-class scientists, both possessing incredible ability while also being unafraid of speaking the truth to power which results in both of their promising careers being stopped dead in their tracks. The second major shift we see is the significance of the “S” on Superman’s chest. Most versions of the character make the symbol his family crest, or, in the case of Superman: Birthright, the flag of his people. In this new universe, the symbol is the mark of the labor guild, the workers who toil in the fields and the mines, looked down upon and considered to be lacking in the skills for higher-level positions. Rather than feeling downtrodden by their change in circumstances, however, Lara and Jor wear their symbol with pride and stand tall against those in higher positions. Superman’s parents have gone through a number of interpretations over the years, but this one is quickly becoming my favorite. Luckily, it appears we’ll be spending more time with them as the book shifts back and forth between the events leading up to Krypton’s destruction and the present day.
Speaking of the present day, this story takes place in Brazil rather than the US. Migrant workers toil away in mines under the eye of the Lazarus Corporation and their Peacemaker enforcers. Even when asbestos is discovered in the mines, the enforcers level their guns and tell the miners they have a “contractual responsibility”. The miners enter expecting death but instead find the mines cleared of toxins and three carts full of refined diamonds waiting for them. They whisper amongst themselves that a figure they refer to as the “Omega Man” must have been the one who helped them. The Peacemakers, too, whisper about similar incidents in the region of miners suddenly finding themselves blessed with good fortune. Sadly, they’re not going to keep accepting it as coincidence and they attack the group of miners, demanding answers about the mysterious figure.
Alright, let’s talk about this new Superman for a bit. In the case of Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, the two heroes’ lives were significantly changed in this continuity, but the heroes they became were fairly similar even if their resources and approaches to problem-solving have changed. Superman, on the other hand, feels radically different than anything we’ve seen before. I was expecting baby Kal-El to land in Brazil instead of Kansas and have that be the significant change in his origin. Turns out, there is a lot going on in his backstory. So many moving parts and mysteries, that learning about his origin seems to be as much a driving force of the book as his actions in the present day. It’s unclear exactly how long Kal-El has been on Earth. He clearly feels a kinship with the people he’s helping, but he’s also an outsider. He speaks quietly and needs to be prompted to speak up enough for other people to actually hear him. As far as we see, he has no earthly identity, no Clark Kent. Removing the ties to Earth could have made him feel colder or more removed, but by showing us his parents’ backstory, we understand the deeply humanistic ideals that drive him. He may not be from our world, but he is fueled by righteous fury against those who would oppress the least of our brothers and he’s driven to act on their behalf. It turns out, one doesn’t need to be born into a certain group to feel empathy for that group. Who’d have thought? Each change made to his backstory and his character feel like deliberate choices to explore and redefine what Superman stands for. His powers also seem to work different as well. While he traditionally gains his powers by being beneath a yellow sun, he now seems to need his suit to recharge his power while he sleeps. Whether that’s because he gains his powers from a new source or something else remains to be seen, but it’s clear that he’s fighting on a limited charge which adds a level of danger we don’t normally see outside of Superman’s strongest foes.
Ok, art gushing time. I love this new Superman design. The darker palette fits the darker circumstances, but it’s offset by the glow of red energy he seems to be wreathed in. I have no idea if it’s the suit or Kal-El’s own powers giving him that glow. All I know is that it looks awesome as heck. There’s a roughness to his appearance that makes it clear he’s had a more difficult upbringing while not being over the top about it. The action scenes look great too as Superman reveals himself and finally fights back against the Lazarus Corp in earnest. There’s a moment where we see that Kal-El doesn’t have full control of his powers and the spectacle is as beautiful as it is frightening. To top everything off, we’re given a brief look at our first major villain and it’s downright chilling. There’s a lot of iconography pointing to one longtime Superman foe, but it’s tinged just a bit darker than we’re used to and all the more unsettling for it.
The mission statement of the Absolute Universe is that the heroes need to burn brighter than ever before if they want to survive in a cruel, unforgiving world, and this book burns pretty damn bright. It’s a worthwhile thing to stand against oppression and this book captures that perfectly. Darker Superman stories in the past often stray towards being edgy for edgy’s sake but this book has a core of sincerity that brings to mind that famous Superman speech:
“Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and empower us and, on my soul, I swear until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share, I’ll never stop fighting. Ever.” (Joe Kelly, Action Comics #775 (2001))
Earnest, sincere, and full of righteous fury, this is the Superman we need now more than ever. I don’t know if that “S” stands for hope, but this book certainly does. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I promise you won’t regret it.