REVIEW: Absolute Power: Super Son #1
Absolute Power: Super Son #1, “Dreams So Real” follows up on Jon Kent’s extraction from Brainiac Queen’s control in Absolute Power #3. The one-shot both acts as a flashback to Jon’s involvement during the crossover event as well as set up story beats to explore in the future. Even if you’re not reading Absolute Power, you’re going to want pick this up to know what’s going on with Jon Kent.
The standard cover is by John Timms and is an explosion of color that highlights major players and events involving Jon. It’s a fairly visceral image as he’s pulling out plugs The Queen used to control him while the Fortress destruction is positioned to look like his mind is being blown. Jon’s been through a lot and his resolve shouldn’t be underestimated. John Timms also has a brilliant foil variant that’s simply Jon’s blue emblem. The electric blue symbol really pops on this shiny, elegant cover.
Lucio Parrillo’s variant is a haunting depiction of Jon’s possession. Resembling more of a Superman Robot than Superman’s son, his emotionless expression is quite chilling. Parrillo’s realistic style shows a depth to how controlled Jon was as we see him a shell of his normal self.
The variant by Reiko Murakami has the feeling of us peeking in on Jon as he struggles to regain control of himself. The red of his suit seems more like blood being pumped away through the tubes connected to him. The cracks along whatever container he’s in and the down-but-not-out pose he has gives off a weird sense of hope in an otherwise scene of despair.
The interior art team for the issue is massive. John Timms and Travis Mercer share Artist credit, while Rex Lokus, Pete Pantazis, Adriano Lucas, and Hi-Fi handle the colors. It may seem excessive, but the story jumps from the real, to memories, to dreamscapes, and back and the changes in art reflect when those realities switch. It’s executed really well and adds visual context to what Jon was experiencing as The Queen’s thrall. The emotional rollercoaster Jon goes through also hits harder due to the art’s expressiveness. The story truly benefits from the multiple styles at work.
Sina Grace and Nicole Maines team up with Letterer Dave Sharpe to shine the spotlight on Jon Kent and, surprisingly, Dreamer. Nia Nall has been presumed dead since the destruction of Superman’s fortress in Absolute Power #2, but this issue puts into question her actual fate. Having been freed from the direct control of The Brainiac Queen, the healers and mystics of Themyscira keep putting Jon through a series of rituals to make sure she’s been completely purged from his mind. In doing so, Jon’s reliving moments as her thrall as well as implanted memories that were used to keep his will flaccid. During these rituals, Dreamer keeps appearing and goes “off script” of what she’d done in his memories before. As Nightwing keeps him benched throughout the process, Jon uses his downtime to stay connected with Jay and reevaluate his life as Superman. There’s huge hints at major developments for the future of Superman’s son but the threat of Waller still beckons and Jon can’t stay on the sidelines forever.
(8/10) Absolute Power: Super Son #1 feels like a hype book presented as a tie-in to the Absolute Power event. While the event is relevant to where Jon’s headed, I don’t think the opposite is true. Still, the art direction is fantastic and the story is quite captivating. If you’re a fan of Jon Kent or Dreamer, this book is not one to miss.
