The Lazarus Corporation has laid a complete siege to Smallville, destroying everything in their path as they wage battle in Kansas. Superman is fighting day and night to protect the citizens of his beloved town, but he may soon have no choice but to bow to Ras Al Ghul.
Creative Team: Jason Aaron (WRITER), Rafa Sandoval (ART and COVER), Ulises Arreola (COLORS and COVER), and Becca Carey (LETTERS).
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The Story:
Aaron turns the intensity to 11 with this powerful issue that draws a lot of parallels to real life in various ways. Seeing Smallville laid to waste is shocking however, Jason showcases the heart and soul which is its citizens rising up to the challenge to fight back. Superman is not sleeping and fighting day and night to save the town and it is weighing him down heavily all at the same time. I enjoyed how this issue still shows Kal El’s ability to find forgiveness for everyone even if he has to remind himself to hold back such as when he confronts the person responsible for getting his parents killed.
This issue takes various turns, yet as Braniac comes into play and Ras is set up even further as a menacing opponent as the final page has us worried for the future.
The Art and Letters:
Sandoval and Arreola craft magnificent scenes in each and every panel. The use of reds in the background settings brings the character details forward, whether it is their facial expressions or the clothes they wear. There are panels where Superman is firing beams from his eyes, and the detail is so much that the heat can be felt from the pages, assisted by Becca’s lettering, which paints the scene of how much pain Superman is in from doing so. The team makes epic use of a few splash pages and turns the setting around when Braniac shows up in bursts of green and purple, and on the final issue, where Ras stands tall as Superman, wielding a gigantic Kryptonite sword.
Final Thoughts:
Absolute Superman #13 is a powerful issue showcasing tyranny at its most powerful and the will of citizens from even Smallville who will go to extraordinary lengths to protect what they love.
Overall Grade: 9/10
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