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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
If you're going to try to reinvent a character under different circumstances, this has to be a gold standard. It retains everything that makes Superman Superman, while transposing him into Stalin's Russia. It's the perfect synthesis of what you know and new ideas. A top tier Superman Tale.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Holy mother of god. This was amazing. I want to say this is the second best comic I have ever read, second only to Watchmen.
Ideally prospective readers of this would have at least moderate knowledge of the DC Universe to catch all of the references to other heroes and events. But having moderate knowledge of twentieth century history is also really beneficial. Luckily, I'm a history major and a comic nerd, so I have both.
I don't want to get into the plot too much as to avoid spoilers, but basically Superman lands in the Ukraine instead of Kansas and is raised with Communist ideals, but he's still a good guy who doesn't want to kill anyone. At first reluctant to take power upon Stalin's death, he eventually realizes he needs to save the Soviet Union from poverty and crime and whatnot. So he does, and then his utopian (albeit totalitarian) rule expands nonviolently across the world, excluding the United States who have their own problems with this creeping communism. But basically the world turns completely totalitarian and then utopian and then. And then there's a killer twist at the end that almost knocked me out of my chair.
But knowing about the DC Universe allows you to catch references to Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, etc. And knowing about recent history allows you to catch references to historical figures and events that happened differently (because alternate history). This was definitely right up my alley. The artwork was awesome, the dialogue was awesome, and the plot was phenomenal. I'll admit it took a little while to get going, but it picked up very well. I wouldn't call it exciting, but it's definitely gripping.
Ideally prospective readers of this would have at least moderate knowledge of the DC Universe to catch all of the references to other heroes and events. But having moderate knowledge of twentieth century history is also really beneficial. Luckily, I'm a history major and a comic nerd, so I have both.
I don't want to get into the plot too much as to avoid spoilers, but basically Superman lands in the Ukraine instead of Kansas and is raised with Communist ideals, but he's still a good guy who doesn't want to kill anyone. At first reluctant to take power upon Stalin's death, he eventually realizes he needs to save the Soviet Union from poverty and crime and whatnot. So he does, and then his utopian (albeit totalitarian) rule expands nonviolently across the world, excluding the United States who have their own problems with this creeping communism. But basically the world turns completely totalitarian and then utopian and then
Spoiler
Earth blows up, but we are led to believe that the world has reverted into some minor form of dystopia at this pointBut knowing about the DC Universe allows you to catch references to Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, etc. And knowing about recent history allows you to catch references to historical figures and events that happened differently (because alternate history). This was definitely right up my alley. The artwork was awesome, the dialogue was awesome, and the plot was phenomenal. I'll admit it took a little while to get going, but it picked up very well. I wouldn't call it exciting, but it's definitely gripping.
I absolutely loved this graphic novel because it reimagined Superman in a way that was not only refreshing, but also expanded the ideology & mythology of the character.
The graphics and color scheme and artistry were fantastic, possessing a Kafka-esque quality that is reflective of the 1950s and time period of which the graphic novel takes place for most of it. It very much appealed to me as a fan of the imagery of that time period in world history.
What “Superman: Red Son” was able to do effectively was to tell a unique Superman story that still kept the fundamental concept of who he is that makes us gravitate towards him in the first place. Even though his ship crashed into the USSR instead of America, I was able to sympathize with him because he firmly believed in helping people. That’s who he is.
And it’s interesting to see him having to deal with some gritty aspects of both ideologies of capitalism and communism. The novel never veers or advocates towards one side, instead choosing to explore the grey areas of both ideologies through Superman, who is conflicted with his personal morals clashing with all that is around him. And it is that complexity that makes the comic stand out.
The story itself is very focused and clever in how it takes established elements of certain DC characters and successfully twists them, with Superman pursuing his life goal of uniting the world and shaping it into what he wants it to be: a utopia where everyone - the working common man - is peaceful. What’s stopping him is America under the reigns of President Lex Luthor and the reality that saving everyone is impossible and that deciding for everyone what is best for them is ineffective.
I just love this so much and I’m so glad to have read this graphic novel.
The graphics and color scheme and artistry were fantastic, possessing a Kafka-esque quality that is reflective of the 1950s and time period of which the graphic novel takes place for most of it. It very much appealed to me as a fan of the imagery of that time period in world history.
What “Superman: Red Son” was able to do effectively was to tell a unique Superman story that still kept the fundamental concept of who he is that makes us gravitate towards him in the first place. Even though his ship crashed into the USSR instead of America, I was able to sympathize with him because he firmly believed in helping people. That’s who he is.
And it’s interesting to see him having to deal with some gritty aspects of both ideologies of capitalism and communism. The novel never veers or advocates towards one side, instead choosing to explore the grey areas of both ideologies through Superman, who is conflicted with his personal morals clashing with all that is around him. And it is that complexity that makes the comic stand out.
The story itself is very focused and clever in how it takes established elements of certain DC characters and successfully twists them, with Superman pursuing his life goal of uniting the world and shaping it into what he wants it to be: a utopia where everyone - the working common man - is peaceful. What’s stopping him is America under the reigns of President Lex Luthor and the reality that saving everyone is impossible and that deciding for everyone what is best for them is ineffective.
I just love this so much and I’m so glad to have read this graphic novel.
shallow cringe. Superman and antagonist alike are so hog-wildly pretentious it's unreadable. Not how I want to learn about bolshevism
⭐
⭐
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is fun “what if” scenario and it has a quirky ending. For fans of superman, you still get all the usual cast of characters albeit in different modes. I feel the author could have thrown in a few more historical reinventions but on the whole a fun reimagining.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes