Can those who have done their worst to the world be redeemed? Talia has brought her father to be reborn, but Ras refuses as he has chosen a path of redemption for his past sins. As Lois has revenge in her sights, Talia has taken the mantle of Queen over the Lazarus, and in doing so, she may have just unleashed something far more deadly than anyone could have imagined.
Creative Team: Jason Aaron (WRITER), Rafa Sandoval (ART and COVER), Ulises Arreola (COLORS and COVER), and Becca Carey (LETTERS).
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Story:
Jason kicks off the next new story with a lot of intriguing questions and plot threads. None may be more interesting to me than that of redemption. Should our worst enemy be forgiven despite the past? Alas, should a former slave be justified in his anger toward the world? We kicked the story off with meeting Teth Adam, and Aaron does an incredible job of making the reader feel for him. Teth’s family was taken and violently killed all to serve the Pharaoh. Having him be saved and given powers by Brainiac adds more layers to this interesting origin as well.
Meanwhile, Lois is justifiably out for revenge against Talia for killing her father. These intersecting plots begin to come to a head as there is an unknown third party wielding a powerful steel hammer as well. I love the setup, and Jason Aaron is looking to provide some interesting, thought-provoking questions along with some serious action in this coming arc.
The Art and Letters:
The artwork is shining brighter than it has ever been in this issue. Sandoval and Arreola bring out the pain and suffering a young Teth feels at the hands of his masters early on in these panels. The way they capture the anguish and the rage, not just from Teth but Lois as well, is well detailed and brought me in closer to the story. They deliver a glorious page of Superman bursting onto the scene, bursting with power and determination, and I couldn’t help but be impressed with how beautiful his suit and the design truly are. On the letters, Becca aids in invoking the rage we feel in subtle ways without overshadowing the artwork, but instead gives it more flavor all the same.
Final Thoughts:
Absolute Superman #18 is kick ass and extremely thought-provoking. They aren’t holding back with this new arc, and bringing Black Adam to life in this Absolute World has me hooked.
Overall Grade: 10/10
Be sure to check out more reviews from Matt and let us know your thoughts below!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply