Absolute Superman #3 is written by Jason Aaron and published by DC. Artwork is by Rafa Sandoval, colours by Ulises Arreola and letters by Becca Carey. Main cover art (left) is by Sandoval and Arreola.
Absolute Superman #3 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Years ago on Krypton, Jor-El and Lara became utterly convinced that their planet was headed towards cataclysm. But what could two lowly peons of the Labor Guild possibly do to save their entire species? The answer is decidedly not what you think…
Review
Absolute Superman is back in comic book stores today with an issue that breaks with the series format so-far. Jason Aaron kicks of 2025 with an issue that puts the focus on Kal’s past, bringing us closer to the cataclysmic events which traditionally marks the end of Kryptonian society. But as “The Last Dust of Krypton” arc hurtles towards one of the most well known moments in comic book history, the series continues to explore the relationship between Kal, Lara and Jor-El.
Throughout the first two issues Aaron has setup a series which nimbly hops between events in the present day and Kal’s past on Krypton. The deviation which finds Kal spending years with his parents rather than being sent to Earth as a baby is tantalising. Aaron has been able to offset the inevitability of the story by digging in to a captivating and unique new angle. What if Kal had been able to build a bond with his parents? How would that affect his integration in to Earth’s society? Add to that the El’s place in the Kryptonian lower-class and the refusal of the Science Guild to heed their warnings of a planetary disaster and you’ve got a blockbuster story waiting to happen.
The flashback sequences to six years ago have arguably been the biggest selling point of Absolute Superman. These moments have explored more of Kal’s character than present day scenes which have instead opted to focus more on action. In essence it feels like one story requires more exposure of the other in order to setup the Absolute Universe’s version of the character. At this stage Kal is the member of DC’s Absolute Trinity whom we know the least about. So for Aaron to accelerate the flashback storytelling this month feels warranted and sets up an exciting future.
It’s a testament to the strength of Aaron’s writing that he’s able to make us care for Jor-el, Lara and the young Kal. Granted the Absolute premise does mean that anything can happen. There’s a still a chance these two are alive on Earth somewhere. But with Superman’s origin one of the most well known stories in popular culture it takes a lot to be able to work around a preconceived idea of where the story will go. So we come in to issue three with an immense sense of tension. The young Kal seems to be on the cusp of discovering Krypton’s impending fate whilst his parents futile attempts to warm the higher ups continue to fall on deaf ears.
Aaron frames all of issue three’s revelations in the El’s relationship. What opens as a potential school issue beautifully recognises the El’s dedication to their son, fostering his sense of individuality that many of us would recognise as a traditional Superman’s strength of character. But given the circumstances in which the encouragement is given, here it fosters a sense of anarchy against the system which perfectly reflects the actions we’ve seen Superman take in the present day of previous issues.
There is a sense that Absolute Superman may be more enjoyable once binged in a collected edition. The pieces of the puzzle are coming together slowly. But the bigger picture remains somewhat of a mystery. But it’s a mystery which Aaron has me fully invested in solving because its characters – and more importantly their journey – feels like a pivotal one to understanding the heart of DC’s Absolute Universe.
Verdict
Absolute Superman continues to be the most disciplined of DC’s new Absolute books. Taking its time through issue three to explore Superman’s new origin story and setting up a potentially devastating loss as the destruction of Krypton (seemingly) looms large.
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