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Absolute Superman (2024)
Absolute Superman, Vol. 2: Son of the Demon
The Son of the Demon Rises — Superman’s Rage Unleashed
Absolute Superman Vol. 2: Son of the Demon continues Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s bold reimagining of the Man of Steel in a world that fears his power—and may soon feel its wrath. Collecting issues #7–14 of the hit series, this volume plunges Superman into a brutal conflict with the Lazarus Corporation, led by the immortal Ra’s al Ghul. As Kal-El is hunted, manipulated, and pushed to the edge, the mysterious Omega Men arrive with a terrifying proposition: unleash your full power, or watch the world burn. With Smallville under siege and his past haunting him, Superman must decide what kind of god he will become. Available in both hardcover and softcover editions.
Absolute Superman Vol. 2: Son of the Demon continues Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s bold reimagining of the Man of Steel in a world that fears his power—and may soon feel its wrath. Collecting issues #7–14 of the hit series, this volume plunges Superman into a brutal conflict with the Lazarus Corporation, led by the immortal Ra’s al Ghul. As Kal-El is hunted, manipulated, and pushed to the edge, the mysterious Omega Men arrive with a terrifying proposition: unleash your full power, or watch the world burn. With Smallville under siege and his past haunting him, Superman must decide what kind of god he will become. Available in both hardcover and softcover editions.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,370 books1,709 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
July 18, 2026
Absolute Brainiac steals the show.
Gonna be honest, this is my least favorite version of Superman himself, but I am really digging what Aaron did with Brainiac. Instead of just a cold, computeresque personality, he turns Brainiac into a psychotic serial killer who thoroughly enjoys himself as he gleefully pulls the wings off of flies. Except by flies, I mean people, and by wings, I mean body parts.
For me, the villains are absolutely making this whole story worth it.
Ra's al Ghul, who runs the sinister Lazarus corporation, is out to find and break Kal's will, forcing him to man up and be the kind of killing machine Ra's wants in a son and heir.
His daughter, Talia, finally shows up in this volume, in a twisted reveal.
Meanwhile, the rebel Omega Men are now combined with Apocalypse's Boom Tube technology, using the Father Box to teleport themselves into ever sketchy situations.
This puts Lois Lane (Peacemaker in the Lazarus Corps) & Jimmy Olsen (radical from the Omega Men) on two different sides of the coin, with both trying to aid and save Superman.
I'm trying hard not to compare, but Kelly Thompson is killing it over on Absolute Wonder Woman by giving a completely different spin on Diana's upbringing and introduction to Man's World. But even so, Diana is still Diana. Kind of showing that, regardless of how she gets there, she will still have that innate compassion, kindness, and calm badassery that makes her popular.
I'm not sure this Superman is giving the same vibe. He's definitely trying to hold on to himself, but the story isn't flowing in a way that makes me feel like I'd trust him to babysit my cat. And I know, I know! Apples and oranges. Different stories take you to different places. And I'm honestly enjoying this far more than I thought I would after the first volume. I like that Aaron is going full-weird with this thing. I just wish I were connecting with Kal as a character more.
Recommended.
Gonna be honest, this is my least favorite version of Superman himself, but I am really digging what Aaron did with Brainiac. Instead of just a cold, computeresque personality, he turns Brainiac into a psychotic serial killer who thoroughly enjoys himself as he gleefully pulls the wings off of flies. Except by flies, I mean people, and by wings, I mean body parts.
For me, the villains are absolutely making this whole story worth it.
Ra's al Ghul, who runs the sinister Lazarus corporation, is out to find and break Kal's will, forcing him to man up and be the kind of killing machine Ra's wants in a son and heir.
His daughter, Talia, finally shows up in this volume, in a twisted reveal.
Meanwhile, the rebel Omega Men are now combined with Apocalypse's Boom Tube technology, using the Father Box to teleport themselves into ever sketchy situations.
This puts Lois Lane (Peacemaker in the Lazarus Corps) & Jimmy Olsen (radical from the Omega Men) on two different sides of the coin, with both trying to aid and save Superman.
I'm trying hard not to compare, but Kelly Thompson is killing it over on Absolute Wonder Woman by giving a completely different spin on Diana's upbringing and introduction to Man's World. But even so, Diana is still Diana. Kind of showing that, regardless of how she gets there, she will still have that innate compassion, kindness, and calm badassery that makes her popular.
I'm not sure this Superman is giving the same vibe. He's definitely trying to hold on to himself, but the story isn't flowing in a way that makes me feel like I'd trust him to babysit my cat. And I know, I know! Apples and oranges. Different stories take you to different places. And I'm honestly enjoying this far more than I thought I would after the first volume. I like that Aaron is going full-weird with this thing. I just wish I were connecting with Kal as a character more.
Recommended.
June 17, 2026
My god, but this is messy.
And yet, the heart of Superman comes shining through as Brainiac and Ra's al-Ghul team up to press the young, angry alien from Krypton into violating his no-kill creed so he can become Ra's al-Ghul's heir abhorrent, ruling the world with an iron fist and culling the human hordes that infest it.
Through the sound and fury -- explosions, killer moles, lava baths, kryptonite weapons, VR brainwashing, sieges -- and the Easter eggs -- Brainiac 5 / " . . . kneel before . . . " / "How many K's in "despotic oligarch"? -- we track a young man trying to find his identity, his place in a world on which he was not even born.
And as wild as this alternate universe remix seems on the surface and as difficult as the route may seem, there is an arc that seems to be heading toward a Superman with whom I am very familiar. Ad astra per aspera, indeed.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Absolute Superman #7-14.
Contents:
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Prologue. A Mind Is a Terrible Thing / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter One. Lazarus, Come Forth / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter Two. The Omega Man / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval and Fico Ossio, illustrators
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter Three. The Beast in the Mine / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Finale. Man of Steel, Mind of Ash / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Part One. Sol / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Part Two. The Free State of Smallville / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Finale. Son of Nowhere, Nothing, and No One / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• Variant Cover Gallery / Mikel Janin, Dan Panosian, Leirix, Jorge Molina, Clayton Crain, Brandon Peterson, Jeff Spokes, Gerald Parel, Dustin Nguyen, Tirso, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Jae Lee and June Chung, Karl Kerschl, Kris Anka, Mattia De Iulis, Bengal, Talaska, Elizabeth Torque and Sabine Rich, and Nikolas Draper-Ivey, illustrators
And yet, the heart of Superman comes shining through as Brainiac and Ra's al-Ghul team up to press the young, angry alien from Krypton into violating his no-kill creed so he can become Ra's al-Ghul's heir abhorrent, ruling the world with an iron fist and culling the human hordes that infest it.
Through the sound and fury -- explosions, killer moles, lava baths, kryptonite weapons, VR brainwashing, sieges -- and the Easter eggs -- Brainiac 5 / " . . . kneel before . . . " / "How many K's in "despotic oligarch"? -- we track a young man trying to find his identity, his place in a world on which he was not even born.
And as wild as this alternate universe remix seems on the surface and as difficult as the route may seem, there is an arc that seems to be heading toward a Superman with whom I am very familiar. Ad astra per aspera, indeed.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Absolute Superman #7-14.
Contents:
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Prologue. A Mind Is a Terrible Thing / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter One. Lazarus, Come Forth / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter Two. The Omega Man / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval and Fico Ossio, illustrators
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Chapter Three. The Beast in the Mine / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• Superman, Son of the Demon, Finale. Man of Steel, Mind of Ash / Jason Aaron, writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Part One. Sol / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Part Two. The Free State of Smallville / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• The Battle of Kansas, Finale. Son of Nowhere, Nothing, and No One / Jason Aaron, writer; Rafa Sandoval, illustrator
• Variant Cover Gallery / Mikel Janin, Dan Panosian, Leirix, Jorge Molina, Clayton Crain, Brandon Peterson, Jeff Spokes, Gerald Parel, Dustin Nguyen, Tirso, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Jae Lee and June Chung, Karl Kerschl, Kris Anka, Mattia De Iulis, Bengal, Talaska, Elizabeth Torque and Sabine Rich, and Nikolas Draper-Ivey, illustrators
April 11, 2026
I’ve got mixed feelings about this series. Aaron’s at the helm, he knows his stuff, so the structure and dialogue are solid.
But...
The plot is boring as hell, with a caricatured, over-the-top villain – Ra’s Al Ghul was actually quite a good idea – who gets himself bogged down in a daft plan underpinned by confusingly stupid motivations.
Brainiac’s introduction is terrifying and would have justified a story arc, but he works for Ra’s for no apparent reason. Events unfold against all odds and mainly serve to let Kal-El feel sorry for himself.
That’s the other major flaw in the series. I feel nothing, absolutely nothing, for him. His characterisation is colder than hell; he’s got a broom up his arse, he whinges and talks to his bloody cape – the guy’s a walking Dark Sasuke and even Batman is more fun than him!
It may be that Aaron’s plan is to make him empathise with the human race along the series, but the fact remains that after 14 episodes I still don’t connect with the main character and that’s a problem
But...
The plot is boring as hell, with a caricatured, over-the-top villain – Ra’s Al Ghul was actually quite a good idea – who gets himself bogged down in a daft plan underpinned by confusingly stupid motivations.
Brainiac’s introduction is terrifying and would have justified a story arc, but he works for Ra’s for no apparent reason. Events unfold against all odds and mainly serve to let Kal-El feel sorry for himself.
That’s the other major flaw in the series. I feel nothing, absolutely nothing, for him. His characterisation is colder than hell; he’s got a broom up his arse, he whinges and talks to his bloody cape – the guy’s a walking Dark Sasuke and even Batman is more fun than him!
It may be that Aaron’s plan is to make him empathise with the human race along the series, but the fact remains that after 14 episodes I still don’t connect with the main character and that’s a problem
March 13, 2026
One of the darkest and most gruesome of the current "Absolute" series from DC that I've read so far, Absolute Superman "Volume 2: Son of the Demon" by Jason Aaron continues young Superman's fight against the global Lazarus Corporation run by Ra's Al Guhl and the psychopathic A.I. known as Brainiac.
The gore is off the charts in this one. In the first five pages, we have the pleasure of watching someone vomit their bones, someone being skinned, and someone being liquified. Yay! (Needless to say, this series is so NOT for kids. Unless they're sociopaths already.)
Very dystopic, bleak, and a little too-close-to-home in terms of verisimilitude, but this second volume is somewhat better than the first volume. I will continue with this series, for sure, but so far it's my least favorite of the DC "Absolute" series.
The gore is off the charts in this one. In the first five pages, we have the pleasure of watching someone vomit their bones, someone being skinned, and someone being liquified. Yay! (Needless to say, this series is so NOT for kids. Unless they're sociopaths already.)
Very dystopic, bleak, and a little too-close-to-home in terms of verisimilitude, but this second volume is somewhat better than the first volume. I will continue with this series, for sure, but so far it's my least favorite of the DC "Absolute" series.
March 15, 2026
We get a Kal-El that doesn't know who he is, beyond what others think he should be. The whole story arc is focused on him getting potentially weaponized by others, unless he does something. In this case, the something consist on breaking his rule and killing evildoers. While the story isn't bad, it's quite unimpressive. It's very bombastic, like it loses all of its potential with its over-the-top scifi nonsense. I'm also disappointed in the artwork by the artists involved in this run. It feels like any other comic, instead of being unique, especially when this Absolute series is meant to go all-in.
May 16, 2026
I wanted to give this 4.5 stars. The artwork is awesome, the story is very good, but I don't like the format of the story keeps jumping back and fourth. An example i am really getting into the battle or tense the scene/panel then it jumps back to some that happened in the past then jumps back. Once in a while this would work, but all the time it gets very annoying.
Meet the heads of the Lazarus Corporation. Brainiac, the CEO the Demon's Head Ra's al Ghul and someone to be announced. Their mission to break the Superman. To make him their instrument of destruction. Can the lessons Kal have learned over his lifetime on Krypton and Earth, allow him to endure the mental and physical abuse to make him a monster. However there is the bigger question of who is he?
A great addition to the Absolute Superman and the Absolute universe. What is next? Will Superman be a hero, a destroyer or lost in history? The book finishes with a huge variant cover gallery.
Meet the heads of the Lazarus Corporation. Brainiac, the CEO the Demon's Head Ra's al Ghul and someone to be announced. Their mission to break the Superman. To make him their instrument of destruction. Can the lessons Kal have learned over his lifetime on Krypton and Earth, allow him to endure the mental and physical abuse to make him a monster. However there is the bigger question of who is he?
A great addition to the Absolute Superman and the Absolute universe. What is next? Will Superman be a hero, a destroyer or lost in history? The book finishes with a huge variant cover gallery.
October 4, 2025
Why can't Chris catch a break in any universe 😭
March 8, 2026
SHE MADE HIM A SUIT I’M GOING TO CRY
March 10, 2026
Such a refreshing take on Superman. I don't think i personally have ever seen him deal with anger and struggles like this. The set pieces are fantastic the story really moved me as cringe as that is haha
Read
October 3, 2025okay so this is why we're not seeing damian in the absolute universe...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2026
The Absolute line continues to thrill as no other superhero comics have in recent memory. Aaron's examination of power, restraint, and family, and his reimagining of Superman's origin, is superb. On art, Rafael Sandoval creates a Kal El (don't call him Superman yet) that struggles every month to hold back his grief-fueled rage at oppressors and even all the Earth for the pain of the loss of his family and home. Even the manner in which we get people closer to their Earth-1 counterparts is interesting and comes organically from the narrative. There are true losses in this volume that open Aaron to many options in the next one. I'll keep coming back to this.
I got Absolute Batman Vol 2 still to read, but so far, I'll say it's Wonder Woman, Superman, and then Batman. Batman is the most adolescent of the 3, and I get why many people like its interpretation of the Dark Knight. Maybe Vol 2 will endear me more to this version.
Overall, what I like about the Absolute universe is that it gives these heroes backgrounds that connect them to others closer to the struggles most readers face than their Earth-1 counterparts. For Clark, his grief here provides the source of his struggle in a way that puts Earth-1 Bruce's to shame. lol But I think it's a great wrinkle to give him.
He's not a mindless brute, but someone with near-limitless power who is deeply hurt and continues to hold back from unleashing that power, lest he devastate innocents and harm the legacy of his family and planet in doing so.
Great stuff. Read it.
I got Absolute Batman Vol 2 still to read, but so far, I'll say it's Wonder Woman, Superman, and then Batman. Batman is the most adolescent of the 3, and I get why many people like its interpretation of the Dark Knight. Maybe Vol 2 will endear me more to this version.
Overall, what I like about the Absolute universe is that it gives these heroes backgrounds that connect them to others closer to the struggles most readers face than their Earth-1 counterparts. For Clark, his grief here provides the source of his struggle in a way that puts Earth-1 Bruce's to shame. lol But I think it's a great wrinkle to give him.
He's not a mindless brute, but someone with near-limitless power who is deeply hurt and continues to hold back from unleashing that power, lest he devastate innocents and harm the legacy of his family and planet in doing so.
Great stuff. Read it.
March 24, 2026
Martha Kent I love you🥺💕💖💕
May 4, 2026
I love this take on Ra's, a touch of Vandel Savage and a capitalist villain with a very twisted Brainiac.
The parts that don't work are why Brainiac follows him and Superman himself hasn't changed much in 14 issues. I feel his growth is so slow it almost feels non existent.
Still Im do like the Absolute series takes overall
The parts that don't work are why Brainiac follows him and Superman himself hasn't changed much in 14 issues. I feel his growth is so slow it almost feels non existent.
Still Im do like the Absolute series takes overall
April 3, 2026
From the first volume, which covered the initial six issues of Absolute Superman, writer Jason Aaron and artist Rafa Sandoval leans hard into darkness and tragedy when it comes to Superman, who has arrived at Earth during his formative years as he becomes more aware of what is happening around him, developing fears from an internal and external matter. Being a social crusader against the likes of big business corruption and war mongers, Superman remains on the run, being treated like a criminal and no doubt he questions himself if he is doing the right thing in a world that seems to fear him.
Before we see what Kal-El has been doing, this volume opens with an issue that solely focuses on Brainiac, one of the greats from Superman’s rogues gallery. Considering the character himself has interpreted numerous times through comics and other media, Aaron and guest artist Carmine Di Giandomenico transform Brainiac into a proper sci-fi horror villain with unsettling visuals and a chilling yet tragic backstory. As there is more than one Brainiac roaming around the Absolute Universe, I'm curious where Aaron can go with this concept.
As much as I can praise Aaron for taking the Superman mythos into darker places, there are times when it can get too depressing, such as Kal-El reunited with her adoptive mother who is suffering from dementia. A great deal of this volume is about Superman suppressing his rage, which can build up into a destructive power, and even though he won’t cross the line of killing anyone, which would make him an even greater threat, there are outside forces that are trying to influence him.
Although it is a compelling idea of exploring Superman going through some form of PTSD, he does get side-lined by the supporting cast like Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, who have fun banter throughout, evoking more of the classic elements from the mythos. We even get the introduction of Lana Lang, who may not have the best development, but she represents the people of Smallville who see Superman as a saviour. However, the most moving relationship is actually with Kal’s A.I. companion, Sol, the only thing who calms him down during moments of stress, even if Kal doesn’t recognise him as family until it’s too late.
Lex Luthor may have appeared elsewhere in the Absolute Universe, but he is not the evil corporate figure that Superman has to face throughout this arc. Known for the longest time as one of Batman’s most iconic villains, Ra’s al Ghul is an interesting choice for a Superman villain, positioned as the director of the Lazarus Corporation, a destructive megacorporation with an army of Peacemakers that exploits workers in third-world countries. For Ra’s, it’s all about him leaving a deadly mark on this world and leaving on a legacy that he hopes others will carry on, hence why attempts to force Superman to become his son and join him.
While the aforementioned Di Giandomenico leans hard on the horror visuals with his issues, Sandoval as the main artist is all about the explosive action, with a great emphasis of the colour red, thanks to colourist Ulises Arreola. While the mass destruction can be too much, especially during the climactic battle in Smallville, there are some stunning pages featuring Superman powering up like a Dragon Ball Z character and a good use of his abilities, most notably his ever-changeable cape. It is also nice seeing interesting spins of familiar aspects of the DC Universe, such as the Omega Men and their use of the Father Box, which could hint something big in subsequent issues.
Even when this volume concludes, the storyline ends on a sad note and who knows if that tone is going to be continuing in Aaron’s ongoing run. That said, Absolute Superman continues to do interesting things with the Superman mythos and makes me excited where this version of the iconic Blue Scout will go, even if they are touching upon more of the familiar elements.
Before we see what Kal-El has been doing, this volume opens with an issue that solely focuses on Brainiac, one of the greats from Superman’s rogues gallery. Considering the character himself has interpreted numerous times through comics and other media, Aaron and guest artist Carmine Di Giandomenico transform Brainiac into a proper sci-fi horror villain with unsettling visuals and a chilling yet tragic backstory. As there is more than one Brainiac roaming around the Absolute Universe, I'm curious where Aaron can go with this concept.
As much as I can praise Aaron for taking the Superman mythos into darker places, there are times when it can get too depressing, such as Kal-El reunited with her adoptive mother who is suffering from dementia. A great deal of this volume is about Superman suppressing his rage, which can build up into a destructive power, and even though he won’t cross the line of killing anyone, which would make him an even greater threat, there are outside forces that are trying to influence him.
Although it is a compelling idea of exploring Superman going through some form of PTSD, he does get side-lined by the supporting cast like Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, who have fun banter throughout, evoking more of the classic elements from the mythos. We even get the introduction of Lana Lang, who may not have the best development, but she represents the people of Smallville who see Superman as a saviour. However, the most moving relationship is actually with Kal’s A.I. companion, Sol, the only thing who calms him down during moments of stress, even if Kal doesn’t recognise him as family until it’s too late.
Lex Luthor may have appeared elsewhere in the Absolute Universe, but he is not the evil corporate figure that Superman has to face throughout this arc. Known for the longest time as one of Batman’s most iconic villains, Ra’s al Ghul is an interesting choice for a Superman villain, positioned as the director of the Lazarus Corporation, a destructive megacorporation with an army of Peacemakers that exploits workers in third-world countries. For Ra’s, it’s all about him leaving a deadly mark on this world and leaving on a legacy that he hopes others will carry on, hence why attempts to force Superman to become his son and join him.
While the aforementioned Di Giandomenico leans hard on the horror visuals with his issues, Sandoval as the main artist is all about the explosive action, with a great emphasis of the colour red, thanks to colourist Ulises Arreola. While the mass destruction can be too much, especially during the climactic battle in Smallville, there are some stunning pages featuring Superman powering up like a Dragon Ball Z character and a good use of his abilities, most notably his ever-changeable cape. It is also nice seeing interesting spins of familiar aspects of the DC Universe, such as the Omega Men and their use of the Father Box, which could hint something big in subsequent issues.
Even when this volume concludes, the storyline ends on a sad note and who knows if that tone is going to be continuing in Aaron’s ongoing run. That said, Absolute Superman continues to do interesting things with the Superman mythos and makes me excited where this version of the iconic Blue Scout will go, even if they are touching upon more of the familiar elements.
June 27, 2026
3.6 stars
March 16, 2026
A solid continuation of the first volume. I like this interpretation of Brainiac. Ra’s al Ghul is interesting but it almost feels like a mash up of him and Vandal Savage. Not sure how I like it, I think it could have been developed a little bit more. I do like the Battle of Kansas arc. I think I’ll wait until the next volume to decide if I keep going with this series. So far its the weakest of the Absolute line for me
May 21, 2026
Im still not 100% sure of this but it is pretty cool stuff.
March 27, 2026
While it’s a Superman unlike any Superman I’ve ever read before, it’s also the Absolute title I’m enjoying the least right now. Big points for inventiveness and originality, tho.
3.5/5
3.5/5
April 5, 2026
God can these stop making me cry?
March 24, 2026
I'm not sure if it's the writing style or the story overall but something about Absolute Superman is just falling short for me. There are definitely some cool concepts and ideas but it feels disjointed and quite random at times.
May 16, 2026
Son of the Demon opens with an introduction to an insane version of Brainiac that had me eager to dig into the rest of the plot... which was comparatively fine. I expected/hoped Jason Aaron would go further with Brainiac as a foe, but pretty quickly we're on to Ra's al-Ghul, who's motive seems to have switched from "live forever" to "become a living god."
The pace is fast, almost too fast at times. Superman is captured, then breaks out; Jimmy Olson's Captain Planet gang recruit Lois Lane and fight their own battles (). The final few issues showcase the Battle of Smallville as al-Ghul's army (?) lays siege to the small Kansan town. I get that the Absolute series is over the top, but this was a bit much.
And yet! I was never truly dissatisfied. The story flowed smoothly, looked great, and kept me engaged. I will say, though: I like regular Superman a lot more than this mopey version.
The pace is fast, almost too fast at times. Superman is captured, then breaks out; Jimmy Olson's Captain Planet gang recruit Lois Lane and fight their own battles (). The final few issues showcase the Battle of Smallville as al-Ghul's army (?) lays siege to the small Kansan town. I get that the Absolute series is over the top, but this was a bit much.
And yet! I was never truly dissatisfied. The story flowed smoothly, looked great, and kept me engaged. I will say, though: I like regular Superman a lot more than this mopey version.
July 11, 2026
Admittedly I didn't rush in to this one despite loving the first book, I was apprehensive that it couldn't impress me like the first one did. I've read a bunch of Superman before and it's very difficult to make the modern character vulnerable. Usually it's a matter of time before he inevitably does the right thing and beats the antagonist in to a pulp. Absolute Superman has complete reinvented Superman. I loved Absolute Batman but this has overtaken as my current favourite book in the imprint. Very few flashbacks to Krypton this time, an excellently paced climactic story that seems to ramp up the stakes higher and higher with every page. I really feel like the plot has gravity, we're not going to see characters killed off this week and revived in the next issue. Impressively builds on the first arc in a way that feels like the climax has been anticipated for a lot longer. Absolute Superman is now my favourite hero in the Absolute imprint, and if keeps up the same pace could vie for the crown.
I have never explored Jason Aaron's work previously but I'm absolutely (no pun intended) going to track down more in hope it's of equal quality. Wish I could rate it six stars to indicate it's improvement over Volume 1 which rightly deserves it's five.
Reads like Absolute Superman has a destination it is working towards rather than phoning in a villain and resetting the status quo after every arc.
"And at this point... all I am is wounds"
I have never explored Jason Aaron's work previously but I'm absolutely (no pun intended) going to track down more in hope it's of equal quality. Wish I could rate it six stars to indicate it's improvement over Volume 1 which rightly deserves it's five.
Reads like Absolute Superman has a destination it is working towards rather than phoning in a villain and resetting the status quo after every arc.
"And at this point... all I am is wounds"
March 30, 2026
I still do not care for the character flips for Jimmy or Lois, they just feel too basic. I do enjoy brainiac as being on some level insane due to his intelligence, makes the character feel more volatile and more terrifying. His design was excellent.
The battle of smallville was pretty cool, Al Ghul is a bit of an odd character who I still find a bit odd. He floats the line between physical threat and mental threat - here he is like a Bezos hopped up on steroids, which is still off. I prefer a puppeteer from the dark, powerful in politics and business and cunning in battle- he almost shouldn’t be so physically imposing.
Overall, this is an improvement but doesn’t really feel that GOOD. I love when Superman makes regular people feel powerful and important, that’s when he’s my favorite- when he is just a good person who inspires goodness in others.
The battle of smallville was pretty cool, Al Ghul is a bit of an odd character who I still find a bit odd. He floats the line between physical threat and mental threat - here he is like a Bezos hopped up on steroids, which is still off. I prefer a puppeteer from the dark, powerful in politics and business and cunning in battle- he almost shouldn’t be so physically imposing.
Overall, this is an improvement but doesn’t really feel that GOOD. I love when Superman makes regular people feel powerful and important, that’s when he’s my favorite- when he is just a good person who inspires goodness in others.
April 7, 2026
I am a WRECK.
This series just keeps blowing itself out of the water. The emotional build-up and payoff is perfection. Kal-el, you have my heart til the end.
Jason Aaron, thank you for handling a story with so much relevance with the utmost precision and grace. The themes and parallels are right in your face and I like it that way.
Don’t talk to me about how precious Martha and Kal-el are. Their bond means everything to me.
Talia al Ghul (and Ra’s) can go kick rocks.
“…that you do not have the right to judge and execute people…simply because you can.”
This series just keeps blowing itself out of the water. The emotional build-up and payoff is perfection. Kal-el, you have my heart til the end.
Jason Aaron, thank you for handling a story with so much relevance with the utmost precision and grace. The themes and parallels are right in your face and I like it that way.
Don’t talk to me about how precious Martha and Kal-el are. Their bond means everything to me.
Talia al Ghul (and Ra’s) can go kick rocks.
“…that you do not have the right to judge and execute people…simply because you can.”
March 23, 2026
Absolute Superman Vol. 2 Son of the Demon collects issues 7-14 of the DC Comics series written by Jason Aaron with art by Rafa Sandoval, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Fico Ossio.
The Demon’s Head Ra’s al Ghul has targeted the being known as Superman to be his new instrument in global domination. With the aid of a defective and psychotic Brainiac, together they will push Superman to his mental and emotional limits.
I absolutely struggled to get through this. It dragged on way too long and often feels like it forcing Superman’s story of resolve and hope. Absolute Wonder Woman and Batman’s new world feel fresh and natural in their changes to their origins and characters, but Superman’s in turn feels like changes were made just to be completely different than his Prime Earth/Earth 0 counterpart. Ra’s being a Superman villain doesn’t work at all. To me, it feels like this character was originally supposed to be General Zod but in order to make it as different as possible, they made the decision to pick someone from Batman’s rogue gallery instead.
Superman’s world feels dark and bleak which is such a departure from the Superman I grew up with. There are very brief moments where I see my Superman and then it goes right back to this oppressive and violent world. This is easily my least favorite story in the absolute universe and a rare miss from Jason Aaron. Now that this first prolonged series of arcs is wrapped, maybe it gets on track to tell a compelling story.
The Demon’s Head Ra’s al Ghul has targeted the being known as Superman to be his new instrument in global domination. With the aid of a defective and psychotic Brainiac, together they will push Superman to his mental and emotional limits.
I absolutely struggled to get through this. It dragged on way too long and often feels like it forcing Superman’s story of resolve and hope. Absolute Wonder Woman and Batman’s new world feel fresh and natural in their changes to their origins and characters, but Superman’s in turn feels like changes were made just to be completely different than his Prime Earth/Earth 0 counterpart. Ra’s being a Superman villain doesn’t work at all. To me, it feels like this character was originally supposed to be General Zod but in order to make it as different as possible, they made the decision to pick someone from Batman’s rogue gallery instead.
Superman’s world feels dark and bleak which is such a departure from the Superman I grew up with. There are very brief moments where I see my Superman and then it goes right back to this oppressive and violent world. This is easily my least favorite story in the absolute universe and a rare miss from Jason Aaron. Now that this first prolonged series of arcs is wrapped, maybe it gets on track to tell a compelling story.
July 3, 2026
naah! very underwhelming villain.
April 5, 2026
Sobbing! Screaming! Throwing up! I love this autistic, little man!
July 17, 2026
Nooooo don't change your politics 2 be more centrist pleaseeeeee Jason Aaron remember why you started ur mission!!!!
Review of advance copy
"I was raised to judge someone by the lightning in their hands, not just the thunder in their mouths."
To Recap a few things about the Absolute Superman universe:
⚡Kal-el grew up on Krypton to a low status family, so his exodus to Earth leaves him more alien and separate to his adoptive culture, as well as championing the down-trodden.
⚡While he still has some super powers, he power is mostly augmented via a suit (named Sol) that acts like an hyper-intelligent armour.
⚡This Superman is much more global
⚡Lazarus Corp takes the place of LexCorp, with R'as Al Ghul being the evil billionaire tycoon.
⚡The Daily Planet is not a staple here; Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson have other interesting entrances into this story.
In this 2nd volume, there is no longer any watching from the distance: Al Ghul comes to front and center with a destiny for Kal-El, whether he accepts it or not. This is very similar to a classic R'as Al Ghul / Batman plotline, but it now makes more sense because ...it involves Superman!
The people of Kansas also get top marks here.
Definetly an upgrade from Volume 1 (of which I waffled on before concluding my review).
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