In the legendary publisher’s latest massive reboot ofSupermanlore, DC Comics has managed to bring the character back tohis Golden Age roots. TheAbsoluteUniverse is DC’s new attempt to radically refresh its roster of heroes and villains, and one of the most impressive updated incarnations isAbsolute Superman.
Absolute Superman#1 – written by Jason Aaron, with art by Rafa Sandoval – introduces readers to anew version of Superman, one who deviates in major ways from his mainstream counterpart. Some of these changes, such as Kal having grown up on Krypton and the presence of the Sol AI, are new, groundbreaking takes on the character.
That said, some of these changes have ahistory within Superman’s earliest appearances in comics books, bringing the Absolute Superman closer to his Golden Age history.
How The Future Of Superman Echoes The History Of The Man Of Steel’s Powers, Explained
Absolute Superman#1 – Written By Jason Aaron; Art By Rafa Sandoval; Color By Ulises Arreola; Lettering By Becca Carey
TheAbsoluteversion of Superman is generally weaker than his mainstream counterpart, and additionally, the Kents don’t play a role in his adult life. Both of these changes have roots within Superman’s earliest appearances. Yet the most intriguing idea of all is taking the idea of Superman being the “Champion of the Oppressed” and returning that to the forefront, just likehis Golden Age counterpart. Returning to these details of the character, and reinventing them for the modern age, is essential to keeping them timeless, making it feel like these characters are being made fresh for today’s era.
Absolute Superman resembles the earlier incarnations of the characters more than the modern ones.
The modern perception of Superman plays into the idea of him being unstoppably powerful, with strength to rival the gods on a regular basis. While the Golden Age version of Superman was still incredibly strong, the upper limits of his superpowers weren’t explored until later in the character’s history. Flight, for example, is an iconic part of Superman’s power set, but only became a part of the character’s history starting with the 1940sSupermancartoons by Fleischer Studios. It was only by the end of the Golden Age thatSuperman gained all the powersmost closely associated with him.
In terms of powers, Absolute Superman resembles the earlier incarnations of the characters more than the modern ones. He is still an incredibly strong and powerful character,but the scale of those powers are nowhere near the Superman of the mainline DC Universe. This new version of Superman can still get hurt in a fight, as evidenced by the Reaper Drones shocking him during his fight in this issue. And while Superman still has his heat vision, a power his Golden Age counterpart didn’t get until later, it comes with the drawback of being uncontrollable.
The Lore DC Readers Take For Granted Wasn’t Always Essential To Superman’s Story
Absolute Superman#1 – Available Now From DC Comics
Notably, the Kents are treated as an essential part of the Superman mythos, being guiding figures to Clark even during his adult life. But this wasn’t always the case for the character. Jonathan and Martha Kent weren’t given the names “Jonathan” and “Martha” until the 1950s and only became regular supporting characters in the 1949Superboyseries. The idea of the Kents being a part of Clark’s adult life wasn’t a part of the character until John Byrne’s 1986Man of Steelminiseries, which rebooted Superman and his backstory afterCrisis on Infinite Earths.
Absolute Superman Just Erased 2 MAJOR Parts of His Identity in Heartbreaking Twist
While fans expected big changes for Absolute Superman, it’s clear that this version is a far cry from the hero fans have come to know over the years.
Absolute Supermandeviates from this idea, in the fact that Superman was never adopted and raised by the Kents. However, the idea of Clark becoming Superman and the Kents not being a part of his life calls back to that earlier era of the character’s history. Given the modern prominence of the Kents in Superman’s supporting cast now,this is an intriguing change to make and one which will surely be explored in the future ofAbsolute Superman,especially in contrast to his mainstream counterpart.
Absolute Superman Reminds Readers That The Character Has Always Been The “Champion Of The Oppressed”
Absolute Superman#2 – Available July 11, 2025 From DC Comics
In his original appearance in 1938’sAction Comics#1, Superman was called “the Champion of the Oppressed” and this played a role in his earliest characterization. In his first appearances, he was fighting against ideas like corruption, oppression, and war before he fought super villains. While this aspect of the character has never fully gone away, or even been left in the background, the evolution of the character has resulted in an undeniable shift in the kinds of threats he faces, giving other aspects of the character focus as well.
Absolute Superman, in all the changes it makes, brings the character back to his Golden Age roots.
In this sense, it is fitting thatAbsolute Supermanreturns to the core of the original Superman, making the idea of Superman as the “Champion of the Oppressed” into the core of his superheroic identity. He fights against the Lazarus Corporation, which exploits miners in Brazil, and dialogue from other characters makes it clear that he’s fought against them before. While Superman has always been a hero for the marginalized,Absolute Supermanreinvents that for the modern era, modernizing it for the 21st century.
Absolute Superman, in all the changes it makes, brings the character back to his Golden Age roots. However, it isn’t simply returning to the past. Rather, these changes, as well as the new aspects of the character, work in tandem to create a new version of the character for a new generation. Superman has been an icon of pop culture for over 85 years now, and it becomes necessary to reinvent these characters to breathe new life into them from time to time. The changes inAbsolute Supermando just that, returning to his roots to create a brand-newSuperman.
Absolute Superman#1is available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
