Absolute Power: Super-Son #1 – Sina Grace, Nicole Maines, Writers; John Timms, Travis Mercer, Artists; Hi-Fi, Rex Lokus, Pete Pantazis, Adriano Lucas, Colorists
Ray – 9/10
Ray: No character has been hurt more in this event than Jon Kent, being captured early in the war and turned against his own allies and families. Becoming a twisted Cyborg Superman powered by the Brainiac Queen, he became Waller’s secret weapon and tore apart Themyscira looking for his new enemies – only to be saved from himself by one of the best team efforts the DCU ever pulled off. As a Kryptonian, Jon’s physical wounds healed quickly – but the Amazons aren’t sure his mental ones are the same. In fact, they’re not sure the Brainiac Queen is gone at all, and they’re not ready to let him leave the island until they are. So begins a quest into Jon’s mind, as the Amazon healers try to probe deeper – and Jon finds an unlikely spirit guide in the form of Dreamer, his best friend turned traitor who has been working for Waller with her family under the gun. Dreamer sacrificed herself and is gone – or is she?
I’ll be honest – I would be extremely shocked if Dreamer actually was gone for good. She’s such a popular character and as long as Nicole Maines (cowriting this issue) wants to write her, it makes sense that she’ll make a comeback. But for now, she’s a ghost in Jon’s mind as he tries to exorcise some very literal demons and find out where Jay is. But of course, Jay has had his own tragedies in this war – ones he holds Dreamer personally responsible for. It seems like the rift between Jay and Jon could be becoming too large to span, but the issue pulls back at the last minute. What it doesn’t pull back from at all is the pain Jon is feeling, as it finally unleashes the years of trauma he’s endured at a young age and confronts the question of whether he’s able to fight on. This is a darker, more pained take on Jon Kent than we’ve seen so far, and it makes me hope that this creative team has more planned for the character.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
