Absolute Superman #5 marks the end of the first story arc for the series. With this it will make Superman’s title the last of the Absolute Universe series to get across the finish line of the first story arc. Given how much of a focus Superman’s Absolute Universe origin has played into where things have gone it’ll be interesting to see what changes happen with Krypton. There has been too much building up to simply go with the same Krypton explosion we’ve seen most of Superman’s origin stories. Will there be any sorts of changes or even answers? Let’s find out with Absolute Superman #5.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Colorist: Ulises Arreola
Letterer: Becca Carey
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #5 SOLICITATION
“BRACE YOURSELF FOR A HEARTBREAKING TALE OF THE FINAL FATE OF KRYPTON! Kal-El’s life with his parents in the rural Redlands of Krypton is a happy one. But when that entire existence is suddenly threatened, the Els have no choice but to make a stand… and fight for the truth!” – DC Comics
REVIEW
Absolute Superman #5 captures that feeling of being the final chapter of the first volume of a light novel. There is this genuine feeling that a complete narrative that set the foundation for an even greater narrative. That greater narrative is something that is both familiar and completely new for Superman at the same time.
In terms of the present-day storytelling was an epilogue for the story between Superman and the Peacemakers. We see what happens when someone absolutely pisses off Superman. The way Rafa Sandoval drew this entire sequence made you feel how much fear the Peacemakers felt that Superman would kill them. The pure power shown by Superman was terrifying. It further drove home how while the core tenant of the character exist the Absolute Universe has transformed classic DC Comics in completely new ways. Absolute Superman #5 is the greatest example of the change with the Man of Steel’s portrayal.
This scene also works to separate Christopher Smith from the rest of the Peacemakers. Christopher has been given a character due to the horrible actions he has taken putting him directly in Superman’s sights. The Brainiac and Lazarous Corp making an effort to hide Christopher further separates him to be the definition of what is wrong with the Peacemakers. This leads the reader to want to see Christopher Smith get what is coming to him at Superman’s hands.
That then brings us to the real meat of Absolute Superman #5, which was seeing the final fate of Krypton. Jason Aaron handled the pacing of the time skip between this and previous issue extremely well. The writing got across how the true cause for Krypton and its citizens destruction was those in charge. Aaron used the actions we’ve seen from the Science League, Law Guild, and other nobles to best understand why even with years to plan those in charge failed Krypton’s citizens.
Because of that, even though Jor-El and Lara-El were able build their ship the resources they had meant they could only save a small percentage of people. Kudos to Sandoval for getting across the pain of this fact for really well Jor-El and Lara-El. It further exemplified the strength of their relationship was and has always been how they support one another.
Kal-El being a teenager when Krypton’s explosion was a nice touch to help further differentiate the Absolute Universe version of the character from his other counterparts. Being the age he was Kal-El is able to fully comprehend the pain of his home planet’s destruction. Even more so with how in trying to escape the planet Kal-El had to witness so many dying do to how intense the explosion was. Seeing both his parents and Krypto taking off in their own ships as the planet explosion added to the pain as Kal-El didn’t know if their ships would be destroyed.
All of that led in well back to the present day were now we have the high possibility that Kal-El isn’t the only Kryptonian who survive. More importantly, Kal-El may not be the only Kryptonian who made it to Earth. The final page with Kal-El returning to what he sees as his home on Earth is given even greater meaning as it is not just that the location is Smallville. Other surviving Kryptonians may have made Smallville their home. Which would create all sorts of additional questions on top of the questions we already have with the fate of the Kryptonians.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Absolute Superman #5 does so much to create an incredible close to the first story arc. Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval were at the top of their game with how they mixed the present and past into one deeply emotional story. By the end your left excited by all the questions that are set-up around Kal-El and the mythology of Superman in the Absolute Universe.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
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