The most shocking thing about Absolute Power #1 wasn’t the horrifying ease with which Amanda Waller dismantled the superhero community. No, it was in the opening pages where Superman was shot and sent plummeting to Earth. It was a bold way to open a comic book event, and now Superman #16 begins to explore this fallout. Stripped of his powers and (once again) having skirted the edge of death, the Man of Steel starts to work out a plan to transport whatever heroes are left to his Fortress of Solitude. Luckily, he has help in the form of Zatanna Zatara!
I’ve spoken before about how tricky crafting tie-ins to a major comic book event can be; not only do creators have to acknowledge the events of another series, but they also have to make sure the story can stand on its own. Josh Williamson succeeds in that regard by focusing on both the big picture of Superman wanting to help his fellow heroes, as well as the smaller stuff – Clark Kent is worried about his friends and family.
Williamson also makes sure to follow up on the rest of Superman’s supporting cast and the fallout from House of Brainiac, particularly since that storyline played a huge role in setting up Absolute Power. The pairing of Superman and Zatanna is unexpected, but welcome. Anyone deep into Superman lore knows that magic and the Man of Steel don’t usually mix, so to have him seek a magical solution to the heroes’ problems underlines just how few options Waller’s left the heroes with.
Jamal Campbell returns to art duties, and delivers some opening pages that manage to hit even harder than Absolute Power‘s did. It begins with a young Clark Kent attempting to do a magic trick for his parents back in Smallville, a clever way of continuing to work in the magic theme. Then Clark notices a red spot on his shirt. It slowly starts to grow, and a fearful look overtakes his face, right before the panel goes fully red…and then transitions to Superman lying on a hospital bed as Mr. Terrific and Dr. Mid-Nite fight to save his life. In just a few moments, the stakes are set – and they only get higher from here.
Superman #16 is the perfect follow up to the events of Absolute Power #1, as it reminds readers that the Man of Steel is in a rare position: powerless and running out of allies. But the best stories aren’t about putting your hero in danger; rather, it’s how you get them out of it – which makes the wait for future issues all that more tantalizing.
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