Absolute Superman #3 Review

• Written by: Jason Aaron

• Art by: Rafa Sandoval

• Colors by: Ulises Arreola

• Letters by: Becca Carey

• Cover art by: Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: January 1, 2025

Absolute Superman #3, by DC Comics on 1/1/25, heads back to Krypton to show how the elite Science League worked to cover up news about their world falling apart.

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Is Absolute Superman #3 Good?

Recap

When last we left Kal-El in Absolute Superman #2, the Last Son of Krypton escaped capture by the Lazarus Corporation's Peacemakers while still handcuffed to Officer Lois Lane. When the pursing Peacemakers opened fire, creating collateral damage in the surrounding villages, Lois got an up-close look at the power of Kal-El's A.I. suit and miraculous cape of many functions. The issue ended with Lois Lane suddenly becoming a writer.

Plot Synopsis

In an all-Krypton issue, Absolute Superman #3 begins with a flashback to six years ago. Young Kal-El struggled to fit into Kryptonian society's draconian class structure, opting to write reports on his own rather than rely on A.I. and not excelling in the rigid school curriculum. During a camping trip with his parents, Kal learned his parents approved of his choice to forge his path in life. However, Kal will soon learn the camping trip had a second purpose - Jor-El was gathering proof of Krypton's imminent destruction.

Later, Kal and his classmates, on a field trip to Kandor, witnessed a horrific train wreck caused by the toxic gases seeping from the ground. Unofficially, Kal could see dying crops, dying wildlife, and anecdotal news of catastrophes happening everywhere. Officially, the Science League kept news of natural catastrophes suppressed.  

When the students reached Kandor, Kal became suspicious when it appeared none of the high-ranking Science League Klerics were working that day. Kal wandered the Halls of High Wisdom and was surprised to witness his father being dragged away from a meeting with the Science League to make them listen to reason about Krypton's destruction.

Kal raced home to tell his mother. In response, Lara gears up with the new super suit she built and heads to the detention center with Kal to free Jor-El by force. During the battle, Kal gains access to the computer system and learns the Science League has been secretly building escape ships for some time, but the ships are only sized large enough to carry the Elite Class away from Krypton.

The issue ends with junior reporter Kal-El making a big splash, Lara and Jor-El showing the big project they've secretly built, and a weird cliffhanger.

First Impressions

You have to give credit to writer Jason Aaron for putting oodles of thought and care into constructing the events surrounding the last days of Krypton. At a high level, the broad brush description of Krypton's outcome is still the same as the Superman mythology you already know, but Aaron drops in one or two twists that could have significant ramifications for the future. That said, there are systemic weak points that may put readers off.

How’s the Art?

Hats off to Rafa Sandoval for envisioning rich, alien landscapes and intense scenes of drama as Krypton's crumbling escalates. There's no Superman action to speak of, so all the visual weight falls to Sandoval to make Krypton and its cast of characters look as interesting as possible. On that count, Sandoval succeeds mightily.

What’s great about Absolute Superman #3?

If you're really into the last days of Krypton, this is the issue for you. Jason Aaron ratchets up the all-too-familiar talking points about government suppression of free speech, resisting established systems to follow your passion, and a planet-wide ecological crisis to make the destruction feel as real and familiar as possible. 

Plus, two surprise twists that come in at the very end (no spoilers here) suggest Superman's origin story is more different than the first two issues let on... maybe.

What’s not great about Absolute Superman #3?

If you're not a fan of stories focused on Krypton before Superman became Superman, you're going to have a tough time with this issue. 

Further, Jason Aaron is taking the word 'decompression' to new heights by writing a series as if he has all the time in the world to get readers on board with the Absolute Man of Steel.

Yes, Krypton eventually dies. Yes, we know the Powers That Be wouldn't listen to Jor-El, costing countless lies due to their hubris. This is not new information, and nothing Aaron presents in Absolute Superman substantially changes the original mythology enough to set Absolute Superman apart from his familiar counterpart.

Why is Jason Aaron wasting so much time? Perhaps Aaron is setting up a major surprise that upends everything you thought you knew about Superman. Whatever that surprise may or may not be, if there is one, Aaron is risking reader loss by taking too long to get there.

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Absolute Superman #3 is an absolute treat for Superman fans who want an entire issue set in Krypton and don't care if Superman shows up or not. Jason Aaron delivers oodles of forethought and details about Krypton's last days, and Rafa Sandoval's art is excellent. However, readers who insist Superman be the focus of a Superman comic will come away unsatisfied with this issue. Maybe Aaron is trying to out-Hickman Jonathan Hickman on Ultimate Spider-Man.

6/10

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Justice League: The Atom Project #1 Review

• Written by: Ryan Parrott, John Ridley

• Art by: Mike Perkins

• Colors by: Adriano Lucas

• Letters by: Wes Abbott

• Cover art by: Mike Perkins (cover A)

• Cover price: $3.99

• Release date: January 1, 2025

Justice League: The Atom Project #1, by DC Comics on 1/1/25, finds Captain Atom placing himself in the hands of The Atoms as a guinea pig to restore everyone's powers.

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Is Justice League: The Atom Project #1 Good?

Plot Synopsis

The issue begins with Captain Nathaniel Adam, aka Captain Atom, quietly on the run from military forces. After the events of Absolute Power, Captain Atom was one of the unfortunate heroes who lost his powers, and it appears he isn't coping well with being human again.

Captain Atom is eventually stopped by a squad of military officers led by Ray Palmer, aka The Atom. We see through an extended flashback that Palmer/Atom and Ryan Choi/Atom tirelessly work to help civilians who randomly acquired powers (called "Unsubs") by bringing them aboard the Watchtowers research facility. Conversely, Captain Atom volunteers as a guinea pig for the Atoms' experiments in the hope that restoring his problems will lead to a cure for everyone else.

Privately, the Atoms are at odds over Palmer's optimism versus Choi's realistic expectations.

As the issue progresses, the story is narrated by two unseen, unnamed voices meticulously watching everything Captain Atom does.

The issue concludes when Captain Atom refuses to return quietly, Palmer/Atom orders the military to open fire on his patient, and Captain Atom escapes using new powers he mysteriously acquired between the flashback and now.

First Impressions

Justice League: The Atom Project #1 isn't terrible, nor is it great. There's an interesting idea at the heart of Ryan Parrott and John Ridley's story that makes it feel unique to any other All-In debut so far. That said, there's a basic miss in this first issue and a secondary concern that makes me nervous about where this story is headed.

How’s the Art?

Mike Perkins's art style may be a hit or a miss, depending on your taste for DC's typical house style. Perkins relies on photo references and rotoscoping techniques to present his character work. Sometimes, the result is great, but in other cases, it's a tough sell. For example, Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi are ethnically far apart, yet you can't tell who is who in several panels. Perkins is the kind of artist who favors style over details, so your mileage may vary.

What’s great about Justice League: The Atom Project #1?

Justice League: The Atom Project #1 focuses on the fallout of Absolute Power with a more serious tone and sense of drama than any other All-In launch, except for, perhaps, Black Lightning. Readers with a hunger for the sci-fi facet of the DC Universe will like the Atoms talking shop and solving problems. Plus, Parrot and Ridley have an opportunity to shine a spotlight on genius heroes who aren't Mr. Terrific.

What’s not great about Justice League: The Atom Project #1?

As hinted above, the weak spots of this issue fall into two buckets.

First, the hook is present but super weak. The ending suggests something happened to Captain Atom to give him powers different than his original, and some mysterious duo is watching him. The hook is a goal that demands your attention, but at the end of this issue, the best you could surmise is that the hook is either "How did Captain Atom get powers?" or "Who are the two narrators?" That's not much to go on.

Second, Ray Palmer's confident decision to order the military to open fire on Captain Atom is concerning. Ray Palmer has his faults, but displaying outright fascist behavior isn't normally one of them. Also, a comic about a "medical patient" who refuses to be taken back for treatment by force sounds a little too much like Parrot and Ridley are trying to make a statement about government overreach (*cough*vaccine mandates*cough*). It's unclear if political messaging, which is John Ridley's go-to approach, is where this series is headed, but the ending may make savvy readers nervous.

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Justice League: The Atom Project #1 has an interesting idea at its core, but the execution is, to be generous, uneven. Ryan Parrot and John Ridley seize the opportunity to focus on the science (fiction) perspectives of DC with underrated and underappreciated heroes. However, the premise lacks a strong hook, and the ending is more off-putting than the creators probably intended.

6/10

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Absolute Wonder Woman #3 Review

• Written by: Kelly Thompson

• Art by: Hayden Sherman

• Colors by: Jordie Bellaire

• Letters by: Becca Carey

• Cover art by: Hayden Sherman (cover A)

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: December 25, 2024

Absolute Wonder Woman #3, by DC Comics on 12/25/24, unveils Diana's plan to thwart the massive Tetracide and explains the high price Diana paid to return Steve Trevor to the land of the living.

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Is Absolute Wonder Woman #3 Good?

First Impressions

Absolute Wonder Woman #3 is a complicated issue to review. Writer Kelly Thompson arguably has the best handle on creating an alternate (Absolute?) version of an established DC character, but a few gaps in storytelling fundamentals detract from the imaginative concept. It's like a really cool cake decoration on a lopsided cake.

Recap

When last we left the Absolute Woman of Wonder in Absolute Wonder Woman #3, Diana encountered a castaway Steve Trevor in Hell... somehow... signaling the beginnings of a potential romance. In the present, Wonder Woman defeated Harbinger Prime... somehow... followed by the arrival of the Tetracide.

Plot Synopsis

In Absolute Wonder Woman #3, the story waffles between Diana's time in Hell with Steve Trevor and the present conflict against the Tetracide on the shore of Gateway City.

In the past, Diana finds an ancient spell that will send Steve Trevor back to the surface world, despite no explanation as to how he wound up in Hell in the first place. The spell, however, requires a great sacrifice, and Diana pays the price by cutting off her right arm.

In the present, Diana attacks the Tetracide with physical attacks and magical spells, but her efforts only slow the creature down. She later warns the military that the Tetracide will soon emit a sound, a Siren's Song, that will mesmerize the entire city to race to the shore and willingly sacrifice itself to the beast. Since evacuation efforts are taking too long, Diana concocts a magical plan to temporarily deafen the entire city.

The issue concludes with Diana losing her magical prosthetic right arm and replacing it with a robotic placeholder and Diana running into Barbera Minerva.

What’s great about Absolute Wonder Woman #3?

If you read the synopsis above and thought to yourself, "Huh? That's weird, I guess, and maybe kinda cool. A one-armed Amazon from Hell doesn't sound like a traditional Wonder Woman comic, so sure. Let's go with that," then you get the gist. Kelly Thompson goes out of her way to distinguish this version of Diana in uniquely interesting ways, and the lengths Diana goes to for the protection of others says volumes about her character.

What’s not great about Absolute Wonder Woman #3?

Big, wild, weird things are happening, but you don't know why. Motivations for the heroes and villains are a fundamental aspect that must be established quickly for readers to make sense of the plot. If not, the flash and spectacle become little more than empty calories.

Why is the Tetracide attacking? Why is the Tetracide attacking Gateway City? How are the gods involved in this conflict? If they're not involved, why not?

In effect, you're dropped into a conflict without pretext, so the stakes become random. On paper, the plot so far reads as "Wonder Woman fights a giant random monster," which has all the narrative depth of a Saturday Morning Cartoon.

How’s the Art?

Hayden Sherman's art is a mixed bag. Sherman has a strong knack for making beautiful, expressive faces, which buoy the emotional moments between Circe, Diana, and Steve in Hell. However, the details of the figure gestures and action scenes leave a lot to be desired. 

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Absolute Wonder Woman #3 is a strange mix of cool character developments and interpersonal interactions for Diana, paired with an oddly incomplete plot. Kelly Thompson's script at least gives you the most different Absolute version of one of the Holy Trinity, but the lack of character motivations and pretext, combined with Hayden Sherman's uneven artwork, makes this issue a tough recommendation.

6.8/10

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As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.