A Comic Of Highs And Lows: ‘Absolute Superman’ #18 Reviewed
by Olly MacNamee
Summary
Absolute Superman #18 is a comic of two halves. Much like a game of soccer. On the one hand, we get a dramatic recount of the birth of Teth-Adam in ancient Egypt, but on the other, we have the never-ending Ra’s Al Ghul saga that simply won’t be kept down. Where that one will end, I really don’t care, but I do care for the entrance of Teth-Adam into the Absolute Universe and what that could mean for Superman.
Overall
8/10While something interesting is stirring in the distant past, in the present, Superman is left with the ever-present danger of Talia Al Ghul and the father she’s just freed from prison. And while we continue to focus on the ongoing Lazarus saga as it plays out in Absolute Superman #18, it’s the events of the past that gripped me. Not only do we get the introduction of the Absolute Phantom Stranger, here reborn as a mysterious hooded female, as well as a new interpretation of a Superman stalwart, but more interestingly still, the introduction of this universe’s Teth-Adam. And a very radical rewriting of his origin story, too, but one that ties him into the Absolute Universe in an appropriate way. But, as that’s not revealed in the preview, I’m staying quiet on that one.
Furthermore, Jason Aaron’s scripting is another indication – even if the main story isn’t – that things seem to be moving at quite a pace in the Absolute Universe at the moment. There is a real sense of world-building, establishing a wider range of characters familiar to DC fans. We’ve already seen Hawkman and the tease of Lex Luthor in this series, and now we get the Phantom Stranger and Black Adam. Although given this is a darker version of the main DC Universe, even Black Adam’s introduction is not quite what it seems. And when the past catches up with the present, you’ll see what I mean. It certainly is a promising last page reveal that guarantees I’ll be picking up the next issue now.
The return of Rafa Sandoval on art duties is welcome, even if his stand-in for the last story arc was more than capable, and here he once again shines with emotive characters and action-packed poses and choreographed fight scenes that grab your attention.
So, to sum up, this is a comic that has it’s ups and its lows. The drawn-out Lazarus Corps saga continued to drag on with the ever-tenacious Lois Land once again poking her nose into affairs of Ra’s Al Ghul and Jimmy giving prompts to AI to generate content for The Daily Planet. Only in the Absolute Universe would The Daily Planet stoop to using AI. After all, it is a darker version of our own universe. Even though these days, it feels like we’re already living in the Absolute Universe. Meanwhile, the more interesting story – of Teth-Adam – is the better, more interesting storyline. And one that will be driving this new story arc.
Absolute Superman #18 is out now from DC Comics.
