Absolute Superman #13 – Jason Aaron, Writer; Rafa Sandoval, Artist; Ulises Arreola, Colorist
Ray – 10/10
Ray: This series started a little slower than its fellow Absolute books in the first wave, but since then it’s been no-holds-barred all the way. We’ve finally returned to Smallville, as Kal-El heads to the one place he briefly felt safe. But Lazarus is hot on his trail – and they’re not simply coming to capture him. They descend with a level of power rarely seen from the shadowy corporation, and they intend to raze Smallville to the ground. What follows is a brutal six-week siege, as Superman tells his cape AI Sol (who has quietly become one of the best characters in the series) to turn itself into a shield from the town and leave him unprotected. While he’s still powerful, he’s far from indestructible without it – and he feels every missile he blocks. And at the same time, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen try to get the truth out from occupied Kansas, spreading anti-Lazarus messages from a secret radio station.
A big part of this story is how Superman has built a fortress under Smallville out of tunnels, something he learned from his father’s role as a miner on Krypton. That shields the everyday citizens – but it’s also a fragile haven that Lazarus is increasingly targeting. There’s a great segment where Superman meets the man who turned him into Lazarus when he was a teenager, and we get a brief look at how much harder it is for this Superman to be the hero he wants to be. He’s a good man, but he’s still brimming over with rage and struggles to keep it under control. It’s a great character flourish unlike any other version of Superman, and it makes it all the more inspiring when he does reach those heights. We’re getting close to the final showdown with Ra’s and Brainiac, and this issue ends with a gut-punch of a moment that reshapes the series going forward. Brilliant stuff.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
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