Superman Versus Lois: ‘Absolute Superman’ #2 Reviewed

Absolute Superman #2 continues to tweak with the origin story we are all familiar with as Lois Lane confronts Superman and, in doing so, gets a taste of his full array of powers. They are the ones we are more than familiar with but with new ones too. Alongside his invulnerability, strength and flying abilities, he also has a few that are a product of his AI suit. But in doing this, it’s a concept that makes him dangerously close to being too powerful. I mean, he’s Superman. He doesn’t need anything else. But, writer Jason Aaron, seems to think he does. And as a writer I can trust, I’m happy to leave my concerns at the door for now and watch the burgeoning relationship between Lane and the young Superman develop. Spiky as it is at the moment, given she works for Lazarus Corp and is in direct opposition to Superman.  

As well as Lois — who shows some flair as a writer when it comes to writing up field reports —  and Kal-El, we get further flashbacks to Krypton and the revelation that our young hero wasn’t all that young when he escaped the doomed planet as its sole survivor. These short interludes help build and establish the Absolute Universe’s Krypton but also help develop Jor-El and Lara as characters in their own right. All of which will help make Krypton’s inevitable end more impactful and meaningful. All of this is in Superman’s past as he comes to grips with a corporation with more money than sense to throw at him in the present. 

Rafa Sandoval on art continues to prove he is the right artist for this book. As well as large, wide-angle panels to present the action sequences – of which there are many in this issue – and jaunty-angled panels Sandoval utilises represent the chaos of this explosive chase scene between Superman and Lazarus Corp’s Peacemakers.

There are lots of muted colours used in this issue, skilfully applied by colourist Ulises Arreola, possibly to reflect the darker universe this is, but Superman’s red cape (well, what amounts to a cape that’s made out of red sentient Kryptonian powder), almost like a beacon of hope cutting through the darkness.

Absolute Superman is still a work in progress and Aaron and Sandoval are in no rush to tell the tale of the fall of Krypton. But, with great, snappy dialogue shared between Lois and Kal, and an action-fuelled issue, it’s also a quick paced chapter in this developing story. 

Absolute Superman #2 is out now from DC Comics.