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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I think I like this "what if" for Superman better than the original idea. Just saying...
Very engaging tale full of satisfying twists and turns. While deeply indebted to classics like [b:Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?|161275|Superman Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?|Alan Moore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1308365122l/161275._SX50_.jpg|155647] and [b:Batman: The Dark Knight Returns|59960|Batman The Dark Knight Returns|Frank Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327892039l/59960._SY75_.jpg|1104159], the unique setting and truly excellent concept make this tale stand out.
Superman is not really my favorite superhero, I often find his stories to see just too tidy to really hold my interest. There's a reason I prefer Batman - he seems to be a hero that if fallible, whereas Superman often appears above all that. Superman often embodies to holistically the ideals of truth, justice and the American way, but sometimes I want those ideals to not work for him - I want to see a different Superman. And Red Son delivers just that.
The premise is simple: what if Superman had crashed in Soviet Russia instead of the United States. From this idea, the story evolves into a fascinating examination of nature versus nurture, American capitalism and Soviet Marxism. Superman: Red Son does more than just present a really interesting "What If?" story, it actually develops a kind of social commentary that lends support to why comics are such a vital genre of literature.
Superman become fallible here - his actions are meant to be questioned because you are given a character who seems naturally inclined to help and save humanity, however, doing so in the context of a political ideology completely divorced from what we are used to seeing with Superman. But at same time, the utopia that Superman creates appears simultaneously perfect and wrong - we are at odds with wanting it to succeed and wanting it to fail. It is not until the final moments that we see (along with our favorite Krytonian) why Superman's ideas were wrong.
The ending of Red Son may also have provided my absolute favorite take on the Superman origin story ever - it is a delicious twist that I wish could be explored in the normal comic book narrative.
Highly recommended!
Plus, there's Batman's hat!
The premise is simple: what if Superman had crashed in Soviet Russia instead of the United States. From this idea, the story evolves into a fascinating examination of nature versus nurture, American capitalism and Soviet Marxism. Superman: Red Son does more than just present a really interesting "What If?" story, it actually develops a kind of social commentary that lends support to why comics are such a vital genre of literature.
Superman become fallible here - his actions are meant to be questioned because you are given a character who seems naturally inclined to help and save humanity, however, doing so in the context of a political ideology completely divorced from what we are used to seeing with Superman. But at same time, the utopia that Superman creates appears simultaneously perfect and wrong - we are at odds with wanting it to succeed and wanting it to fail. It is not until the final moments that we see (along with our favorite Krytonian) why Superman's ideas were wrong.
The ending of Red Son may also have provided my absolute favorite take on the Superman origin story ever - it is a delicious twist that I wish could be explored in the normal comic book narrative.
Highly recommended!
Plus, there's Batman's hat!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm still amazed with how Mark Millar conceptualized the whole thing. Who could have thought that there will be a different world order if Kal-L's ship lands not in Smallville but in a small farm in Ukraine? Millar pushes this what-if to an astounding dystopic piece of work that leads us to think what it means to live a good life (and yes, even in the end, this question is pushed to its brink).
And just to make things more exciting for those who want to read this, I say: be thrilled with the ending.
And just to make things more exciting for those who want to read this, I say: be thrilled with the ending.
I wanted to love it but it just didn’t quite live up to expectations.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-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
adventurous
dark
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
This was a very interesting take on the Superman tale. Those of us who remember parts of the Cold War and Soviet Union will likely appreciate the history a bit more. Millar's take on the characters is pretty good. It is a comic, but it does have some depth to it. I am not as sure about the somewhat circular ending (which I will not reveal for those who may want to read this). It's the only thing keeping me from giving it the five stars. Unlike True Brit, which I reviewed here as well after reading it, this comic has a serious tone (the British take is more humorous, something I enjoyed too). Overall, I found this a good read, interesting, one that made the reader think of different possibilities. And it does make an interesting commentary, if you read closely, about our current world. Now, if only we could get our act together and solve the world's problems. Now there is a thought.