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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Fine for what it is: a what if? type story. There is no deeper questioning of politics or ideology, no exploration of character. It could've been mroe.
What if Superman was a communist?
What if Batman was an anarchist?
What would happen if Lex Luther was the president of the United States?
What if..
The story was good and had quite the twists.
The illustrations were amazing, and the design of the characters was really good.
My real problem with the story was...All the characters are the same except maybe for Batman. I love the anarchist Batman, I wish there was more of him. But Superman is good, regardless of being in the United States or the Soviet Union. It’s all the same, nothing has changed. It’s always the same notion, Lex Luther is obsessed with power and Superman. All the characters remain the same.
I didn’t have the difference I was looking for, but as for the story, it’s very interesting and worth checking out...
What if Batman was an anarchist?
What would happen if Lex Luther was the president of the United States?
What if..
The story was good and had quite the twists.
The illustrations were amazing, and the design of the characters was really good.
My real problem with the story was...All the characters are the same except maybe for Batman. I love the anarchist Batman, I wish there was more of him. But Superman is good, regardless of being in the United States or the Soviet Union. It’s all the same, nothing has changed. It’s always the same notion, Lex Luther is obsessed with power and Superman. All the characters remain the same.
I didn’t have the difference I was looking for, but as for the story, it’s very interesting and worth checking out...
J'ai adoré! Superman n'est pas automatiquement le méchant de fait de son changement de camp. J'ai aimé la façon comment l'histoire et les personnages étaient vraiment nuancé. La fin, surtout, est tout juste parfait pour cette réécriture du mythe.
Often said to be one of the best Superman stories ever, Red Son is the story of Superman reimagined in that he left Krypton just a little off schedule, and due to the Earth's rotation his ship crash lands in Soviet Russia during the Stalin era instead of in the United States.
Other than that, the story is pretty light on origin, which I appreciate. Because the real fun with Superman comes in when he's got his powers.
The strengths of the book come in the side characters. This book has a Lex Luthor who is sort of the good guy, hired by Uncle Sam to make sure the Soviet Superman can be thwarted if need be. There's also a pretty great, insane Russian Batman. Batmonavich, if you will, who represents the anti-Superman faction in his neck of the woods.
The other good thing, they made Superman a Soviet who is fully in favor of communism and all that, but they didn't make him a crazed asshole. Sometimes this happens in comics. For comic nerds, I'd point to the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline where all the problems could have been prevented if Cyclops would have stopped acting like an asshole for 4 seconds. I would have at least appreciated hearing Captain America say, "Cyclops! Will you please, PLEASE, stop being an asshole for like 4 seconds." For people who aren't comic nerds, the best comparison I could draw would be various Denzel Washington movie plots where one conversation would solve everything.
"Oh, your insurance doesn't cover a hear transplant. But as doctors, let's prioritize saving a life and worry about the bills later" (John Q.)
"Okay, I DID steal money to save my wife's life. Let's throw that wrench off to the side. But I did not kill her, and in fact, I think stealing half a million in evidence money to pay for her surgery would probably go a long way to proving that I was working really hard to keep her alive." (Out of Time)
"So I prayed for help from God and he sent an angel. His name is Dudley. That's only the beginning of the fuckups, but I have a feeling this will all work out in a comical, family-friendly manner if we can all just relax a bit. I mean, I know that sounds far-fetched, but you're sitting in a church listening to a preacher. So either you believe in this shit or not." (The Preacher's Wife)
Avoiding the Superman plot that relies on avoiding a single conversation was a big plus for me.
Here's the part I didn't dig so much.
I'm afraid that Dark Knight Returns covered some of the best territory here almost 30 years previous.
Superman used as a tool of a totalitarian regime? Check.
Batman versus Superman in a big bad way? Check.
As much as I have problems with Frank Miller and Mark Millar at times, I still fucking love Dark Knight Returns. It's a great book. Probably my favorite representation of Batman art-wise, and if I were to compile a list of top 10 badass Batman moments, no less than 3 would come from Dark Knight.
Red Son takes things further, and I still do give it credit for staying true to the Superman character in different circumstances. And the Lex Luthor stuff is really good. But the Dark Knight comparison is unavoidable, and there's not a lot that'll stand up to that one in my book.
All that said, I think that what sets this apart from other Superman stories is that it's actually interesting. Superman actually does shit. He changes shit. He embraces his power a bit more and tries to do good. Okay, it turns a little evil. That's what always happens when you go for more than your share. But at least I was fucking interested in what Superman would do next, and at least we were presented with a problem that he couldn't solve with strength and speed.
I do also feel that I should add in that this is a good read for folks who aren't always fans of comics. If you have a basic concept of Superman, that's all you need moving through here.
Other than that, the story is pretty light on origin, which I appreciate. Because the real fun with Superman comes in when he's got his powers.
The strengths of the book come in the side characters. This book has a Lex Luthor who is sort of the good guy, hired by Uncle Sam to make sure the Soviet Superman can be thwarted if need be. There's also a pretty great, insane Russian Batman. Batmonavich, if you will, who represents the anti-Superman faction in his neck of the woods.
The other good thing, they made Superman a Soviet who is fully in favor of communism and all that, but they didn't make him a crazed asshole. Sometimes this happens in comics. For comic nerds, I'd point to the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline where all the problems could have been prevented if Cyclops would have stopped acting like an asshole for 4 seconds. I would have at least appreciated hearing Captain America say, "Cyclops! Will you please, PLEASE, stop being an asshole for like 4 seconds." For people who aren't comic nerds, the best comparison I could draw would be various Denzel Washington movie plots where one conversation would solve everything.
"Oh, your insurance doesn't cover a hear transplant. But as doctors, let's prioritize saving a life and worry about the bills later" (John Q.)
"Okay, I DID steal money to save my wife's life. Let's throw that wrench off to the side. But I did not kill her, and in fact, I think stealing half a million in evidence money to pay for her surgery would probably go a long way to proving that I was working really hard to keep her alive." (Out of Time)
"So I prayed for help from God and he sent an angel. His name is Dudley. That's only the beginning of the fuckups, but I have a feeling this will all work out in a comical, family-friendly manner if we can all just relax a bit. I mean, I know that sounds far-fetched, but you're sitting in a church listening to a preacher. So either you believe in this shit or not." (The Preacher's Wife)
Avoiding the Superman plot that relies on avoiding a single conversation was a big plus for me.
Here's the part I didn't dig so much.
I'm afraid that Dark Knight Returns covered some of the best territory here almost 30 years previous.
Superman used as a tool of a totalitarian regime? Check.
Batman versus Superman in a big bad way? Check.
As much as I have problems with Frank Miller and Mark Millar at times, I still fucking love Dark Knight Returns. It's a great book. Probably my favorite representation of Batman art-wise, and if I were to compile a list of top 10 badass Batman moments, no less than 3 would come from Dark Knight.
Red Son takes things further, and I still do give it credit for staying true to the Superman character in different circumstances. And the Lex Luthor stuff is really good. But the Dark Knight comparison is unavoidable, and there's not a lot that'll stand up to that one in my book.
All that said, I think that what sets this apart from other Superman stories is that it's actually interesting. Superman actually does shit. He changes shit. He embraces his power a bit more and tries to do good. Okay, it turns a little evil. That's what always happens when you go for more than your share. But at least I was fucking interested in what Superman would do next, and at least we were presented with a problem that he couldn't solve with strength and speed.
I do also feel that I should add in that this is a good read for folks who aren't always fans of comics. If you have a basic concept of Superman, that's all you need moving through here.
One of my favorite Superman stories of all time. Superman bores me to tears in general but I love the idea of him being raised in a Communist environment and how it affects his outlook on humanity.
Full review here: http://aeither.net/?p=3057
Full review here: http://aeither.net/?p=3057
In the battle between my fascination with Soviet Russia and my complete disinterest in Superman as a hero, my complete disinterest wins. Love Batman as a bomb-throwing anarchist, though.
This was the Superman comic I'd been wanting to read for ages, I just didn't know it.
Superman's arrival on Earth is off by 12 hours, and so he lands in Soviet Russia instead of the United States. He reveals his powers as an adult and quickly rises to become Stalin's right-hand man and primary weapon against the Unites States.
This is what I wish Superman movies would have more of as well. Sure, the powers are cool and make for good visual effects, but what about the moral dilemma of being the only person on Earth with such powers? Comrade Superman does exactly what I imagine someone with those kinds of powers and the humanity to stop suffering would do.
tl;dr: This is probably the most I have enjoyed anything Superman related for some time now.
Superman's arrival on Earth is off by 12 hours, and so he lands in Soviet Russia instead of the United States. He reveals his powers as an adult and quickly rises to become Stalin's right-hand man and primary weapon against the Unites States.
This is what I wish Superman movies would have more of as well. Sure, the powers are cool and make for good visual effects, but what about the moral dilemma of being the only person on Earth with such powers? Comrade Superman does exactly what I imagine someone with those kinds of powers and the humanity to stop suffering would do.
tl;dr: This is probably the most I have enjoyed anything Superman related for some time now.
My second ever comic that I've read. Fairly enjoyable for a mic, which isn't my favorite genre. An interesting mix of superheroes, history, conspiracy, and humor. More in depth that I originally thought.
Awesome. It was my first Multiverse comic book and so far... the best one.
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder