Absolute Superman #15 is many things. It’s the start of a new story arc, “The Neverending Begins”, which is a play on Superman’s “never-ending battle” for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow. It’s also a new beginning for Kal-El; he’s survived the Siege of Smallville and finally defeated Ra’s al Ghul, but the cost was steep. Having lost his adoptive mother, Martha Kent, and Sol, the Kryptonian AI that’s kept him alive, how will the Last Son of Krypton adjust to a new life?
While books like Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Martian Manhunter have been dominating the conversation when it comes to DC’s Absolute line, I feel Absolute Superman is underrated, both for the emotional journey it’s taken Kal on and for how it’s both reinterpreted and pushed the Superman mythos closer to its mainline interpretation. Jason Aaron continues this approach in Absolute Superman #15 by having Kal speak to Lois Lane and Lana Lang about his exploits while dealing with the overwhelming pressure of trying to save as many lives as he can.
The standout sequence features Superman coming face-to-face with Ra’s al Ghul in prison. Instead of another battle between the duo, Superman decides to try something radical and reads to him from a book of poetry compiled by Ra’s victims. These readings are juxtaposed with the incredible feats Superman performs while saving lives, as he starts to figure out his place in life. Aaron turns what could have been a preachy moment into something all too human, including a moment where Kal screams into the heavens.
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The big moments in Absolute Superman #15 wouldn’t hit as hard as they do without the right artist, and Juan Ferrerya is definitely the right artist. Whether it’s big moments like Superman holding a dam together with the power of his cape, or staring down a corrupt billionaire as he burns a hole through said billionaire’s building, or the small moments where Kal is working on a tractor, Ferrerya makes every panel a work of art. He and Aaron proved themselves to be a creative team to be reckoned with during their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles run, so hopes are high that they can bring the same energy to Absolute Superman.
The biggest draw of Absolute Superman #15 is that it follows up on the developments of Absolute Evil #1, pitting Kal against a surprising new enemy and bringing Brainiac into the orbit of another DC character. It’s something that I never expected, yet it’s a prime example of how DC’s Absolute comics can take the kind of wild swings the mainstream books shy away from. I’m also happy that the Absolute Universe is starting to pull together all its different threads, while still making sure each title can stand on its own.
Absolute Superman #15 is both the beginning of a new story arc and a new chapter in Kal-El’s life, as he comes face-to-face with a new villain. If you haven’t been picking this title up, this issue is the perfect jumping-on point and proof that every Absolute title has something to offer.
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