ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #21: The Final Wishes of Superman.

The heated battle between Teth Adam and Kal-El for Earth comes to a head as Superman delivers his final wishes and takes the fight into space!

Creative Team: Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, Zander Cannon, and Becca Carey.

The Story:

Jason Aaron truly makes this issue feel like a culmination of a massive event that will shake the foundations of not only Superman but the whole universe. There is so much anger, desperation, and will among these characters that it elevates the stakes. Kal-El continues to mold and shape himself into the hero of Earth, and we see it not by the way he fights but by the things he does when nobody is looking. Jason gives us a glimpse into this when discussing his last wishes to Jimmy and Lois, telling them who and what to look after should he fail. It’s such a powerful bit of exposition and almost feels like a final goodbye. I appreciate that he allows the fight sequences to breathe while still offering minor narratives showcasing the differing ideologies that Adam and Kal-El have. As this arc ends, I am beyond excited to see what happens next on Superman’s hero’s journey.

The Art:

First and foremost, this cover is every ounce of beautiful and eye-popping as they come, and yet it doesn’t compare to how insanely gorgeous the inside artwork is. What stood out to me most was how Zander’s breakdowns and the SFX of the punches and collisions were all colored a different way, allowing for them to leap out at you while feeling as though they are their own character. Despite taking the fight into space, Rafa and Ulises manage to fill the panels with immense detail and coloring, with jolts of lightning and the detailed wounds each fighter carries as the fight rages on. Becca’s lettering aids in making this feel like a spectacle and never once makes us feel as though the art suffers an ounce.

Final Thoughts:

Absolute Superman #21 feels like a true spectacle and lives up to the hype in every way as this arc comes to. a close. There is so much violence, emotion, and power packed into these pages that it may, in fact, be my favorite issue of the run yet.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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