Absolute Superman #6 – Jason Aaron, Writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, Artist; Ulises Arreola, Colorist
Ray – 10/10
Ray: This book has done more for expanding the world of Krypton than any comic I’ve ever seen, but that came at the expense of another setting – Smallville. Did it play any role in the story of this Superman? Over the course of this run, we’ve seen some hints – but it’s all revealed in this brilliant issue with guest art by Carmine Di Giandomenico. The opening of this issue shows Kal-El traveling through space, the sole survivor of Krypton, as he hits new lows of desperation and grief. He’s almost ready to give up and let the Kryptonian species die with him – until the spaceship detects a habitable planet. And so, Superman crashes onto the Kent farm – but this time, an elderly Jonathan and Martha Kent don’t take in a baby, they take in a volatile, confused, and wounded teenager who is quickly developing extreme powers he can’t fully control – and doesn’t even fully understand he has.
It seems like Kal-El’s interaction with the Kents in this world only lasts a few weeks, leaving a deep impact on both, but it’s not long before tragedy interferes. The Kent farm is dying because of Lazarus Corp, and they’ve locked down the area and have informants keeping tabs on anything unusual. It’s not long before Superman and the Kents are torn apart, left only with a vague sense of what could have been in a better world. And in the present day, that door has closed – Martha Kent is in a memory care center, Jonathan is nowhere to be seen, and the Kent farm is in foreclosure. As Lois Lane traces the path of the Superman back to Smallville, we get our first look at the mastermind behind Lazarus Corp – and it seems like two of the deadliest villains in the DCU are working together for what might be the first time. It’s another brilliant issue in a line that has not missed yet.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
