Absolute Superman tells a completely original origin story for the Man of Steel unlike anything we’ve seen before. Almost nothing about Superman’s origin is left the same, and nearly all the changes work very well.
SPOILERS for Absolute Superman #1 below.
We start with a beautifully drawn version of Krypton. Crystals adorn every corner of this planet and are seemingly harnessed to absorb energy and possibly grown by the sun. The planet looks gorgeous but manages to be ominous at the same time even before its society is explained. The first few lines seem to want to trick us into believing Kryptonian cities are a hub for scientific advancement and progress until it’s revealed that the entire planet is extremely classist. The scientists are the top of the totem pole, looking down on everyone beneath them. Jor-El and Lara-El are not part of the scientific class, but the working class. In fact, this is where we get the origin for the classic Superman symbol: on Krypton, it is the symbol for the working class they are forced to wear, giving it an entirely different symbolic meaning.
Jor and Lara were both on track to become part of the ruling scientific class until they each did something to criticize them. Clearly, free speech is not welcome on Krypton. Lara wrote an essay that criticized the scientific class for underfunding their interstellar exploration programs and was banned from the scientific academy and, therefore, the scientific class for life. Jor, on the other hand, made it to the scientific academy and even gave a speech at graduation. In this speech, he declared the science league was environmentally reckless and that their actions would lead to an apocalypse and was also forced to be in the working class. However, neither of the Els view their class as a bad thing; they are proud to be in it.
This version of Krypton is such a polar opposite from the one we know that it’s almost too jarring at first, but the intricacies and backwardness of its society works really well with the story they’re trying to tell.
We eventually find Superman helping miners who are being taken advantage of by the company they work for, Lazarus Corp, in Brazil. Naturally, the Lazarus Pit associated with the League of Assassins comes to mind, but is never mentioned in the book. Superman is helping these lowly miners acquire diamonds and work in an asbestos free environment while the Peacekeepers, seemingly corporate military for Lazarus Corp, reinforce how they’re the worst version of capitalism. When we eventually get some dialogue between Superman and a miner, you can tell this version of Superman is very conflicted internally. He speaks softly, quietly, and in a mildly depressing way, very unlike the Clark Kent we know.
The situation on earth mimics that of Krypton: the rich rule Earth while the scientists rule Krypton. The powerful abuse the powerless to gain more power. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It’s a bit of a tired trope, but it’s not one that has been used for Superman like this which is the only reason it works.
Then, we get some action. Superman seems to have to charge himself to use his abilities, unlike his mainstream counterpart. We learn pretty much nothing about his charging equipment and jump right into conflict. Before the fighting starts we learn two things: Superman has been fighting this company around the globe for years and that he is not at full strength. Still, he is quite powerful. Regular bullets do nothing to him, but “maximum caliber” rounds seem to make him struggle. When Kal-El uses his heat vision, his entire body starts to glow yellow, but I’m not sure why. As the conflict crescendos, we meet Agent Lois Lane. She slaps some cuffs on Superman that he seemingly can’t break out of. I don’t know if they’re special cuffs that drain his solar energy, but it’s the last time we see him.
To top things off, we get a few single shots of what seems to be Braniac running Lazarus Corp and the Kent farm in ruins with a sign out front that says it is owned by Lazarus Corp. The very last revelations are that Krypton is going to die and that Kal-El was much older before he left Krypton. He looks to be about twelve, meaning he definitely has vivid memories of the planet.
The reimagining of the Man of Steel is definitely intriguing and I will certainly be continuing the series. The art is spectacular on every page, particularly when depicting Krypton. The most interesting dynamic is a very young Superman who remembers his home planet. I’m most excited to see how those memories influence his decisions, and I very much want to know more about how his powers work. The only aspect of this story I don’t particularly like are the classist themes. It’s just a trope that is a bit tired, but it’s never been applied to Superman, at least to this extreme, which does end up keeping it interesting.
Overall, I give the book a great 8/10.
What did you think of Absolute Superman #1? Let me know in the comments!