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A review by noirla1939
Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar
4.0
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.