REVIEW: Absolute Superman #24

Superman is joined in his hunt for Brainiac in Absolute Superman #24, “Get Brainiac: Part Three: Steel.” John Henry Irons officially joins the fray as writer Jason Aaron, artist Juan Ferreyra and letterer Becca Carey gives us the beginning of a beautiful friendship as they confront the latest round of Brainiac 419,732’s acolytes.

We’re knocking at the door of Absolute Superman #25 and this creative team is setting up an incredible ultimate battle while giving us such a delightful and friendly interlude in this issue. Before we dive into this amazing and heartfelt issue, let’s gaze at this month’s incredible covers. In the standard cover by Rafa Sandoval and Ulises Arreola, Superman and John Henry take to the skies as explosions erupt under them. These Men of Steel are sunstoned-up, charged and ready to save the world together.

John Henry Iron’s suit of steel is shown in blacks, grays, whites and reds as he is featured in Ferreyra’s variant cover. He looks powerful and ready to fight in Superman’s never-ending battle. Pity the bad guy who must face this Man of Steel.

Superman looks ultra cool and determined in the variant cover by Carlo Pagulayan. This is a true heroic stance, as his hair blows upward and his gauntlets shine like lava, Superman looks unstoppable and ready for the fight ahead.

There’s also a stunning variant cover available by Mitch Gerads.

Ferreyra’s artwork never disappoints and he does a fantastic job conveying Superman’s action, power and the responsibility he feels as earth’s champion of right. He also does an excellent job of showing us the world through John Henry’s eyes as he begins to share a world, space, friendship and partnership with Superman. Everything image and color by Ferreyra is great and Carey’s lettering brings each panel and scene to life. Every page is powerful and important and helps tell the complete story.

Aaron understands Superman, who is finally regularly going out as Clark and who really needed John Henry, who is a strong, smart, kind, tall and friendly Black man. And that fact, after I finished this issue and went back through it again, nearly made me cry. My entire life, I have loved Superman and reading stories about him, but I never felt like I could be his friend like Jimmy Olsen was. Then Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove created John Henry Irons when I was 11 years old and I met one of my favorite new superheroes. And I loved how their friendship and partnership has been developed throughout the years in the main continuity.

But this issue really took it to another level for me. Clark invites John Henry to be a friend and partner and I can’t lie, when I saw John Henry openly welcomed to be a vital part of not only Clark’s mission to capture Brainiac but a part of his world and space, I felt like this 6’8, size 18 shoe-wearing, Black man who has been described by others as a smart, gentle giant, could finally be not only Superman’s best friend, but his equal partner in saving the world.

I felt the trust and friendship between Clark and John Henry being forged in this issue and the creative team did a great job of not only introducing three new classic Superman villains in the Absolute Universe but using them as a way to show the forge being made. The moments between John Henry, Clark, Si, the citizens of Smallville and the villains were all great, important and elevated the issue and the story arc. No moment was wasted, no backstory or flashback was unnecessary, and Superman became even more human and heroic.

(10/10) I absolutely love Absolute Superman #24 and after 24 issues in this incredible universe, I believe this issue is my favorite so far. It spoke to me on so many levels and to me, as a Black Superman fan who has always wanted to be his friend and work alongside of him, I really felt it in this issue through the eyes and experience of John Henry Irons.