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tmwebb3's review against another edition
5.0
Thought provoking. Great story about what could have happened, but the morals of Superman still come through.
revellee's review against another edition
3.0
I’m not super into Superman as a character... this is probably the most interesting I’ve seen him. However, a lot of this subverted Superman felt pretty forced and cheesy. Maybe that’s intentional?
Don’t want to give away the ending, but I think it could have been a much better twist...
Don’t want to give away the ending, but I think it could have been a much better twist...
red_lemon_diary's review against another edition
5.0
This took me by surprise. In short - epic! Superman had always seemed such a boring, perfect hero but this was a great take - Soviet Superman during the cold war should be the cannon origin story for the character. Couldn't put it down and the art is brilliant. And that ending... 5 stars.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
4.0
What would superman be like if he was found by a family in communist russia instead of the good old U.S. of A? Pretty good story, even though I tend not to like the elseworlds books because they're basically "what if..." situations that are totally out there and really not all that appealing. This one is different though.
herrkelm's review against another edition
5.0
fantastic read. Millar wrote a great story that's both original and familiar. one of the best Superman stories I've read
adamrshields's review against another edition
4.0
Summary: A reimagined Superman, played out as a Cold War story with Superman landing in the 1950s Soviet Union.
As I say in almost all of my posts about graphic novels, this is not my area. I read books that are recommended by people who it is there area, like Seth. It was not Seth that I heard this from first. I heard about it first on a podcast that I do not remember. And then it was in the Christ and Pop Culture best of 2018 series. And there have been others that have recommended it once it was on my radar screen.
I like remakes. I know many people do not, but I like the reimagining of stories. A shot by shot remake is not particularly interesting to me; but a different take, a new character perspective, an alternate timeline, etc., is often interesting.
Complete reimagining like this tends to focus on upsetting our assumptions. Superman in his original conception was the ultimate American, the image of the American Dream. Superman: Red Son imagines Superman as the ultimate communist. One that not only believed in the ideals but tried to enact them and oppose those that were working within communism only for their own power.
I thought the ending was well done and I think really the only option for this type of story. The art was good, but I read this more for the story than the art.
One of the problems with polarization today is that many do not believe that true believers can continue to exist. There is an assumption of only cynical belief, a belief that uses others for their own purposes. Superman here is not a cynical believer, he is a true believer, but one that is not blind to others that are cynical or power hungry, or at least not always blind.
As much as I do think we need to identify mixed motives and motivations, the reality of true belief if something that is important to allow for.
originally posted on my blog at http://bookwi.se/superman-red-son/
As I say in almost all of my posts about graphic novels, this is not my area. I read books that are recommended by people who it is there area, like Seth. It was not Seth that I heard this from first. I heard about it first on a podcast that I do not remember. And then it was in the Christ and Pop Culture best of 2018 series. And there have been others that have recommended it once it was on my radar screen.
I like remakes. I know many people do not, but I like the reimagining of stories. A shot by shot remake is not particularly interesting to me; but a different take, a new character perspective, an alternate timeline, etc., is often interesting.
Complete reimagining like this tends to focus on upsetting our assumptions. Superman in his original conception was the ultimate American, the image of the American Dream. Superman: Red Son imagines Superman as the ultimate communist. One that not only believed in the ideals but tried to enact them and oppose those that were working within communism only for their own power.
I thought the ending was well done and I think really the only option for this type of story. The art was good, but I read this more for the story than the art.
One of the problems with polarization today is that many do not believe that true believers can continue to exist. There is an assumption of only cynical belief, a belief that uses others for their own purposes. Superman here is not a cynical believer, he is a true believer, but one that is not blind to others that are cynical or power hungry, or at least not always blind.
As much as I do think we need to identify mixed motives and motivations, the reality of true belief if something that is important to allow for.
originally posted on my blog at http://bookwi.se/superman-red-son/
ppetropoulakis's review against another edition
5.0
Superman has not crash landed in America but in the Soviet Union. This is an alternate universe story of the man of steel being raised in the communist world. Spectacularly, the writers show a world where the eastern block has achieved world domination thanks to the demigod running the USSR. Millar has written this beautifully by showing the human and godlike nature of the superhero in the totalitarian communist utopia.
spooglaloo's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this story. It was a quick and easy read and a very cool reference to classic super heros.
hagbard_celine's review against another edition
3.0
This is fun and wacky. I like the idea that even Superman can’t solve the Calculation Problem and create utopia. Fat, shitty Kennedy makes a fun appearance too!