The new Absolute Universe of DC Comics is like a dark mirror. It distorts familiar images of classic heroes in disturbing ways. Despite this, the core of the characters remains untouched, even if the details of their origins are changed. This idea is showcased in the preview pages of Absolute Superman #1, which presents a view of the planet Krypton that is familiar yet askew.
Written by Jason Aaron with art by Rafa Sandoval, Absolute Superman #1 opens on Krypton before it is destroyed. We learn something of Kal-El’s home planet in this new reality. More importantly, we learn about his mother, Lara Lor-Van, and what kind of person she was. This, in turn, indirectly informs us of the values that later make Superman a hero on Earth.
The main cover and first five pages of Absolute Superman #1 can be viewed below:
Krypton of Absolute Superman a harsher take on science utopia
The classic vision of Krypton as a scientific utopia has been deconstructed and reconstructed repeatedly by many Superman writers. Even the kindest of modern stories paint the planet as a cold, sterile place, where conservativism and orthodoxy stifled scientific innovation. The harshest takes paint Krypton as a fascist world, fearful of anything that might alter the status quo. This attitude usually justifies why Jor-El strove to send his son to another world after it became clear he could not save Krypton.
The preview of Absolute Superman #1 leans towards the later interpretations. Here, Kal-El’s mother was condemned to a life in the servant caste for daring to question her elders at the age of nine. The preview also reveals a more harshly capitalistic Krypton, where farmers must pay for rain.
Absolute Superman #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on November 6, 2024.
