REVIEW: Absolute Superman #7
Absolute Superman #7 sees us quickly immersed in a cosmic horror tale, showing us the slow and horrifying transformation of this alternate take on one of Superman’s greatest foes; Brainiac.
Just like the past issues, we are treated with variant covers, illustrated by exceptional artists. The main cover is drawn by the primary artist of this series, Rafa Sandoval and colored by Ulises Arreola, which perfectly sets the stage for a haunting tale. On the cover, We see a shadowy green figure, looming over two helpless bottled cities, one containing a city engulfed in flames, with a speech bubble from the citizens inside, crying for help, and on the other, a container packed with miserable monsters, fighting for space to breathe. Behind our cryptic villain, we see dozens more just like the canisters in front, stacked precariously on top of one another, further solidifying the character’s unsettling obsession.
Getting to the variants, we have a tranquil yet moody Superman drawn by Dan Panosian, doing the iconic back turned, head turned towards the viewer superhero pose. Dan really accentuates Superman’s warmth and mysterious nature.
The next variant cover, done by Lesley Li, shows our Man of Steel striking a power pose, flexing his coal crushing biceps. Lesley’s clean line work and perfect body proportions really make it stand out.
And last but certainly not least, we have Jorge Molina’s cover which encapsulates Superman’s internal and external rage, beautifully conveyed through his conflicted expression and fiery hot fist.
Onto the issue itself, we have Jason Aaron once again returning to write, Carmine Di Giandomenico coming back as the artist from Issue #6, Ulises Arreola as the Colorist, and Becca Carey as Letterer. The issue opens with a small group of the rebellious Omega soldiers infiltrating a compound in the dry, unforgiving desert of Nevada. It quickly devolves into a scene, similar to the film, “predator” in which all the troopers are dispatched in incredibly grotesque and mind bending ways, obliterating any confidence they might’ve had in the mission.
There is a nice nod to Brainiac’s ability to shrink and grow whatever he chooses. Brainiac then reveals himself on the page, giving us our first full look at this mechanized monstrosity. This version of Brainiac leans into the horror angle, as he is seen with decaying, jade skin, an exposed brain, wires strung around his body, and an expression similar to David Howard Thornton’s “Terrifier” with wide eyes and exposed grimace, giving him an gnarled appearance. Aaron and Co. also gives him giant bug-like mechanical legs, making him distinct in comparison to dozens we’ve seen in the past.
From that point on, we get backstory on how this version of Brainiac came to be, as we see his struggle to maintain his sanity aboard a ship with seemingly no end to the workload, being basically enslaved by his “superior” brainiacs. We get some of the most unforgettably uncomfortable panels of the immense horror that this series has to offer, putting us neck deep into the hardships of his job from the past and the suffering he brings in the present.
Jason and Carmine once again do their absolute best, both in the visuals and the writing department, making us both feel for and fear this antagonist. The visuals on display here give it the right amount of grime and realism, while also making it feel larger than life and comic-booky.
(10/10) Absolute Superman #7 does exactly what any great comic should do; make us fear for our protagonist, deliver top notch writing and visuals, spread seeds for what’s to come, and excite readers new and familiar to the world of DC Comics.
