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The Absolute Universe is defined by struggle. Every day is a grind for the people of Earth especially, and there are no special clubs full of superpowered people to come and make things easier. In some senses, it is the antithesis of the escapism presented by classic DC Comics. As such, it has a very different version of Superman than in classic DC Comics.
Kal-El has no real ties to humanity; he just can’t stand to watch another “intelligent” species kill itself and its planet. He’s young but had a good upbringing on Krypton until things fell apart. Six years later he finds himself on Earth and decides to take the fight to the evil and exploitative Lazarus Corp. Absolute Superman is more alien than the Kal-El fans are used to, with no Kents in sight.
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Absolute Superman won’t start out fighting Lex Luthor, leaving room for him to face other villains that are both new and familiar to the Man of Steel.
The design is one of the most obvious differences between the Absolute Superman and more familiar iterations of the character. He looks strikingly different from the bright blue Boy Scout fans know and love. Adopting a darker suit like the one he wore post-resurrection, he’s also back to longer, shaggy hair and light stubble.
In All-In, readers get a glimpse of a Superman with more of a beard, which makes sense because he doesn’t stop to take care of himself. He’s also not as pale as many versions of Superman, making him look a little more like someone who could be from anywhere in the world. His suit’s material looks more textured and futuristic, and he’s much younger than fans are used to.
9
Superman’s Parents Were Laborers
In classic Superman lore, Jor-El was an important leader on Krypton. He was the head of the Science Council, and only the militant zeal of General Zod kept him from saving Krypton. In Absolute Superman, readers meet very different versions of Superman’s parents and his trusty dog, Krypto.
Krypton is far from the idyllic utopia it has been, and the Science League is unwilling to hear anything that begs to differ. Condemned and cast out despite his education, Jor-El works as a laborer in the planet’s mines while his wife, Lara, searches Krypton’s databases for other potential homes for their son. The latter designed and constructed the apparatus that brought Kal to Earth when she was twelve.
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Sol Is His Suit’s AI
Superman is one of the strongest and fastest beings on Earth in any timeline, and technology can rarely keep up with him for long. Absolute Superman introduces new Kryptonian technology to accommodate Kal-El’s nomadic lifestyle. Now, when Superman fights crime, he’s aided by the Kryptonian artificial intelligence in his suit, which was also the vessel that brought him to Earth.
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The suit’s design is different from other iterations. The deep lines imply a more futuristic material, and his cape is made of the last dust of Krypton, which can expand and dissipate at will and heal wounds. The suit’s sleeves also have gauntlets that let him use solar radiation in new ways. Kal calls the suit Sol, and it does its best to keep him from losing control despite his rage and lack of training.
7
A More Proactive Superman
Superman doesn’t like bullies, but Absolute Superman introduces a version of the iconic hero who actively takes on oppression. In a world controlled by corporations and corrupt politics, Kal-El trades his potential alter ego for the freedom to be anywhere at any time, which is scary for all the world’s villains. Frequently showing up at work sites and places where people are in need, he’s a more proactive and in-touch Superman.
The Man of Steel stops problems when they arise, but Absolute Superman actively seeks out people and organizations responsible for systemic, long-term social issues. He doesn’t wait for people to become supervillains since he knows he’s strong enough to topple their systems before they reach that point. Helping the people his choices affect after his actions will undoubtedly become part of his journey.
6
Justice Doesn’t Rest
Fans know that Superman can be anywhere on Earth in the blink of an eye. He’s always listening for anyone needing his help, but he’s also centered in Metropolis, the Fortress of Solitude, and the Justice League watchtower. While fans are used to Superman taking a special interest in America, where he spends most of his time off, the Absolute Superman is very different.
Kal-El never grew up on Earth, so he doesn’t have specific ties to any particular place. He seems capable of picking up languages quickly with the help of his new Kryptonian tech, which allows him to have brief conversations with the people he saves before he flies to the next disaster. Classic Superman can speak virtually every Earth language (and many alien dialects), but he’s using it more on the Absolute Earth.
5
There Is No Clark Kent
One of the biggest and most glaring differences between the Absolute and the Superman fans know and love is the complete absence of Clark Kent. Superman’s dual identities are incredibly important to his characterization, but the latest iteration of the alien hero has strong ties to humanity or its family values.
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Instead, Kal-El grew up on Krypton and had a good relationship with his Kryptonian parents and his faithful dog, Krypto. Issue #2 shows him struggling at school due to the elders’ refusal to acknowledge the ecological problems on their world. Lois Lane describes him as having the air of a lost child without a home. He’s a loner who doesn’t stay in one place for too long, which is pretty different from the Clark Kent of the Superman Family.
4
Superman Has New Tricks
New versions of classic heroes often bring neat new superpowers, and the Absolute Superman has some really powerful abilities. Krypton is far more essential to his story, and his parents’ brilliant creations enable him to harness his Kryptonian heritage in new and powerful ways. His cape is an incredible upgrade, and his gauntlets are another.
With the crackling golden wrist guards and boots at the ends of his suit’s extremities, Kal-El can shoot solar blasts similar to his heat vision. As if that weren’t cool enough, his cape is made from Kryptonian Sunstone and can dissipate into his suit. The cape aids him in flight, can carry several adults, and even heals small cuts and bruises.
3
Kal-El Has No Family
Superman’s morality is a defining trait, and he credits his rigid moral code to his adoptive mother and father. Ma and Pa Kent are essential to Superman’s upbringing, but they aren’t part of his early days as Superman in the Absolute Universe. It’s a drastic change from classic Superman that makes him seem much more alien.
No Kents means no Clark, but it also means he doesn’t know certain English customs or turns of phrase. He has no frame of reference for human culture outside of his Kryptonian upbringing, setting him up as more of an outsider. Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne will undoubtedly be terrified of a Superman without human ties.
2
An Angrier Superman
The final panels of issue #2 show readers that Kal-El’s sudden and destructive actions have hard consequences for the innocent people involved. He doesn’t think things through as much as the Superman fans are used to, and he doesn’t always listen to Sol, the AI in his suit. He’s incredibly smart and ridiculously powerful but also young and emotional.
Kal-El has no one and no home. He doesn’t appear to rest or stop at any time. His new hands-on approach to toppling systemic issues seriously impacts the ordinary humans he liberates from terrible circumstances, and the impacts aren’t all good. Darkseid’s goal was to make DC’s greatest heroes seem small in the face of bigger issues, and that dictates a Superman who isn’t in control of anything.
1
Kal-El Has New Motivations
The Absolute iteration of Superman is motivated by his childhood in ways the Kansas farm boy could only imagine. He was old enough to watch his parents try to save a world that would not listen and refused to save itself, and he was determined not to let that happen to another planet. He’s angry that people aren’t good to each other, but he can’t help being an earnestly good and moral person.
Superman embodies hope, which is opposed by control in the Absolute timelines. His heart is firmly rooted in truth and justice, but the “American Way” classic Superman supported is a far-flung and twisted concept to him. He’s only interested in doing everything he can to save everyone he can, and he knows that on Earth, he has the power to do so. Whether he’s going about it correctly or not, he doesn’t have the life or alter ego fans are used to because those things take time away from saving people around the world.
“}]] DC’s Absolute Superman has already captured readers’ attention due to a few differences that separate the character from his mainstream counterpart. Read More