Review: Absolute Superman #1

I truly apologize for the lateness of this review. The weekly release of Action Comics with a dedicated Supergirl strip has made some books and news be kicked a bit down the road.

Absolute Superman #1 came out last week, the third title of the Absolute Universe to be released. For those coming in late, this universe is built off Darkseid energy which means everything is a little darker, a little more extreme, a little more volatile. From a brutal and poor Batman to a witchy Wonder Woman raised in Hell, things are skewed to a more grim sort of continuity.

Certainly, this Superman's origin is different. Jor-El and Lara are scientists but mired in the Labor Class. Krypton is a world filled with leaders willingly ripping the planet apart despite warnings. Kal is at least school age when he is rocketed off Krypton. There doesn't appear to be a loving Kent family in the mix. Lois is working for a nefarious acting corporation. So while some of the foundation is present, things are different.

But there is also a strong whiff of 'everything old is new again'. Writer Jason Aaron is setting Superman up to be populist hero, working against corruption and greed to help the underserved. In this issue, he is helping save people working in a dangerous mine. He isn't fighting super-villains. He is fighting the system.

Having read the earliest Action Comics by Siegel and Shuster, this is the foundation of Superman, hero of the oppressed. Heck, in those issues, he also helped out a mining community. And then, in the New 52, Grant Morrison brought that take on Superman back. Remember the 'jeans and t-shirt' Superman fighting evictions and gentrification?

In some ways, it works. This Superman isn't as different that sorceress Diana riding an undead Pegasus. In other ways, this first issue reads pretty close to prior takes making this not a new Superman but sort of a warped take.

We are only one issue in so I know the timelines and universes will continue to diverge. But the truth is I was worried about what a Dark Universe Superman would read like. This wasn't so dark to put me off completely. 

Rafa Sandoval is on art. I have loved Sandoval's work for a while and this issue he really shines. He handles the alien Krypton well. The Earth side of the book is a mix of tense conversations and wild action and he carries the story with the art. And the splash pages are powerful. 

So while the message of this is the standard 'corporations are evil', it isn't so heavy-handed that I eye-rolled. I am in, at least for a bit.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1074 - Supergirl Story

Action Comics #1074 came out last week, including the fifth part of the Supergirl back-up story by writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Skylar Patridge. 

Frankly, I am frustrated with this Supergirl story. 

We are five parts into this 'mystery mission' of Supergirl escorting a prisoner with universal threatening power. But who is it? And why does she need to do it alone? Tamaki has given us nothing to go on in five issues. Instead we get confusing story-telling, empty dialogue, and worst of all, a boring take.

This is supposed to be a showcase solo story for Supergirl. She is completely ineffectual in this story. As of now there is nothing that makes this a Kara story. Take her out and put in Natasha Irons, Starfire, or Hawkgirl and it would read completely the same. She has not even been a hero in this story. She is confused and helpless. In the Supergirl Special Tamaki wrote, the most action we saw was Supergirl eating a cupcake. In this story, we have Supergirl lose every encounter she is in, whether it is a physical altercation or an intelligent conversation. 

If this is supposed to drum up interest in the Supergirl character, it is going to fail. Because she is an afterthought in her own boring story. It is frustrating.

It's a shame because I am a fan of Skylar Patridge's art. And this Mark Spears variant cover is a killer too.

On to the indecipherable story points.

Review: Action Comics #1073 Superman Story

Action Comics #1073 came out last week, the end of the first month of the weekly distribution and officially one third through Mark Waid and Clayton Henry's Phantom Zone story. For some reason I forgot this was a 12-parter! (Alas, so is the Supergirl story.)

The story takes a pretty big turn at the end of this issue which gives us a sort of act break. We have laid the foundation so why not explore a new thread and come back to this.

Still, Waid takes advantage of the space to push this story forward as we learn more about Mon-El, Xa-Du, Aethyr, and the Zone itself. I do like this deeper dive into Mon-El as we see how the Zone has both hardened him but also elevated him. There are a couple of plot points I sort of need to accept. In particular, why Aethyr has taken such an interest in the Zone remains a bit of a mystery, as is its grudge with Superman/Jor-El. But story progress is progress.  I also like the seemingly unattached side plot with Kenan and Conner. 

Clayton Henry brings a very clean style to the proceedings, interesting choice given the chaos of the zone. He shine with the character beats, specifically the Mon-El  beats. Michael Shelfer continues to sparkle in the Kenan/Conner side adventure bringing some energy there.

So far so good with this arc. On to specifics.

DC Solicitations: January 2025

Between vacations and a glut of comics to review, some other posts kept getting pushed back. So time to look into the future and the new year at the January 2025 DC solicits. The entire slate can be seen here:
https://www.gamesradar.com/comics/dc-comics/dc-comics-january-2025-solicitations-covers/

Overall, I have to say I am feeling a bit of optimism about DC these days. There seems to be some sort of re-invigoration of the whole universe, perhaps emboldened by the Absolute Universe books. I feel like the main Superman books have been on an upswing recently. 

And I just have a sense that a Legion book is around the corner given all the cameos and guest stints for characters from that IP. 

This month will bring a new creative team to Action Comics. I'm sad to see Mark Waid go. But I am glad he is remaining on World's Finest and the new JLU.

On to the books. 

Superman #22
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by DAN MORA
Variant covers by MICO SUAYAN, JONBOY MEYERS, and DAVID TALASKI
1:25 variant cover by DAVID LAPHAM
Sweater Weather variant by MARGUERITE SAUVAGE

A secret alien strike team has arrived on Earth with their sights set on the greatest weapon in the universe…Doomsday. And the only person who can save the ultimate destroyer is Superman! While alien forces rain down on Metropolis, Superwoman trains with her new powers alongside an unlikely instructor...and you will not believe who it is!

I figured the Doomsday story was going to be a true arc, at least 6 issues so not surprised to see it still churning along. As for an alien strike team ... what do you think? Doomsday Revenge Squad made up of aliens from worlds he has devastated? Will Williamson dig into continuity and bring back some people from planet Calaton?

But the real question in the solicit is 'who is training Lois'? I hope it is Supergirl. It would make sense. Although it would be easy to believe that. Perhaps Lana as Superwoman? More Lois/Lana friction? Barda? Really hope it's Kara.

Review: Action Comics #1073 Supergirl Story

Action Comics #1073 came out last week, another of the weekly releases for the title during this Mark Waid main run. 

I was excited when I first heard that Supergirl was going to be the backup for this weekly run. But when the writer was announced as Mariko Tamaki, I had some trepidation. Other runs of hers, and in particular her inscrutable and boring Supergirl Special, made me worry this wasn't going to be a strong arc for Kara.

We are now four chapters into this Supergirl story and, I suppose not surprisingly, it is inscrutable and boring. Supergirl has been sent into space on a secret mission. But the details have been left unknown to the reader as well. I suppose Tamaki thinks a big reveal at the end will be a jolt for the reader. Unfortunately all the coy dancing around the actual plot has made this feel like a slog.

This chapter we get to finally see the prisoner Kara has been sent to fetch. There is a lot of vague dialogue from the villain that is more maddening than mysterious. It seems to imply there is some connection between Kara and the prisoner but there isn't a whiff of specifics.

Supergirl as a character doesn't get a lot of room to shine on her own in the DCU these days. Features like this are a sort of showcase for her, perhaps to drum up support for a new solo run. But a story like this (and like that Special) do the opposite. Kara doesn't shine her. She doesn't do much at all. She seems almost like a side plot device in her own story. And as readers we aren't invested because we don't know what the heck is happening. It's a shame.

As always, I like the art by Skylar Patridge. While there isn't much action in this chapter, there is some fun contrivances that allow Patridge to stretch a bit. The art is definitely the high point of the story.

On to the details, the few there are.

Review: Superman #19

I am finally catching up on my reviews after my vacation which means I have reached Superman #19. This is the first 'All In' Superman, bringing us the introduction of Lois 'Superwoman' Lane and the return of not one but two (but really one) classic DC villain to thwart the Man of Steel. It also unites two of DC's creative powerhouses - writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora.

I'll start by saying this 'All In' initiative feels a bit like Rebirth/Anti-Rebirth. The Absolute Line, with the new dark Earth and the darker takes on our heroes, feels like a step away from Classic DC. But the new teams, the new books, heck even these new pin-up covers of our heroes looking heroic, all seems to be a step towards a more traditional feel to our heroes. Add in a few wrinkles (like a powered Lois) and you have a great jumping on point.

I will start out by saying I think Williamson crushes it on this issue. You want to bring in new readers? Maybe people coming here because of the new initiative or Mora's art, you give them big action and intriguing hooks. He does both. Incredibly, he somehow brings new life to three stories we have seen before - Doomsday, 'good' Lex, and Superwoman. Heck, I am pretty tired of the first two. But somehow, they work here. In particular, the Doomsday one has such a fantastic cliffhanger ending here that I want to read more. Trust me, I never want to read more Doomsday! So kudos to Williamson.

There is also one little 'blink and you'll miss it' exchange at LexCorp that really interests me. More below.

As for the art, Mora has crushed it on every issue I have seen him on and this is no different. Mora is great on character design. His versions of Superwoman, the Atomic Skull, the Time Trapper all glitter. But it is smaller moments, the expressive work, a throwback Daily Planet front page, a world weary Lex, that really grabbed me. 

And yes, I bought the cardstock metallic cover featuring Lois. But come on DC! Wrong credits on the back cover? Waid didn't write this!

On to the book!