In Review: Absolute Superman (2024-) #15 – The Aftermath

Synopsis: In the shocking aftermath of the Battle of Kansas, Superman wrestles with profound changes to his life, his allies, and even his costume. But more importantly, there’s work to be done, as we experience a day in the life of the world’s busiest superhero–and welcome guest artist Juan Ferreyra (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) to the series!

The Story

In the aftermath of the Siege of Smallville and the fall of Lazarus Corp, Kal-El, now using the name Clark Kent in remembrance of the people who almost raised him, tries to find some sense of normalcy on the Kent farm while figuring out what it truly means to be Superman in this world. He continues to answer every call for help, unable to silence the cries of those in need, from holding a collapsing dam together to confronting wealthy factory owner Winslow Schott, aka Toyman, over deadly sweatshop conditions and demanding he change his ways.

Clark’s relentless compassion pushes him to the brink as he hurtles across the world aiding strangers, even as he mourns the loss of his AI companion Sol and the bottled cities destroyed by Brainiac. Wearing his new blue costume, he wrestles with the constant noise in his head and the emotional weight of his responsibilities. He visits Ra’s al Ghul in a Pakistani prison, reading poems and prayers from children harmed by Ra’s actions in the hope of awakening empathy rather than simply delivering vengeance. Interactions with Lois Lane and Lana Lang show that Clark’s personal life and relationships are evolving, even as the work continues to demand more from him.

Artwork

Guest artist Juan Ferreyra delivers strong, consistent work throughout the issue. The prison scenes, where Superman reads prayers and poems to Ra’s al Ghul, are particularly effective and handled with real care. The unhinged, almost feral expression on Ra’s face as he issues threats toward the children and warns of what he will do once he escapes prison is especially striking and feels completely on point for the character.

I also really enjoyed the final pages of the issue, where we see Brainiac taking a call from Talia al Ghul. Her conversation with him does not go the way she expects, and the closing panels land as a quiet but ominous note to end the story on.

Overall

This is a genuinely enjoyable story that demonstrates that even when he isn’t battling an outright supervillain, Superman still has more than enough on his plate and very little opportunity to enjoy any real downtime. In fact, the issue quietly raises the question of how he manages to maintain anything resembling healthy personal relationships when the needs of the world never seem to stop demanding his attention.