Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son is a 3 issue prestige format Elseworlds story (non-canonical tale freeing the writer to do to whatever they want with well established characters). It mines the simple idea of what would have happened if the rocket from Krypton carrying baby Kal-El had arrived 12 hours earlier and landed in a farming collective in the Urals instead of Smallville USA.
The clever premise quickly proves to have some real legs, benefitting from Mark Millar's usual flair. The backbone of this tale is the reactions of the 'ordinary' people who inhabit this world; the political figures in both the USSR and USA, and the tweaks to Superman's supporting cast that such a change to Supes' origin would arguably cause. The strongest of these is his relationship with Lex Luthor and how one man's megalomaniac is another man's saviour. What makes this tale so brilliant is the questionable choices both men make to elevate their own nation's standing, that seem justifiable to their mother country and monstrous to their opposition. This leads to a Soviet Batman (caused by his parents being victims of the purges), a soviet sympathising Wonder Woman, Mrs. Lois Luthor and a Bizarro Superman being America's answer to this new Soviet threat.
Not all of this works; Agent Jimmy Olsen simply doesn't make much sense beyond giving Superman's Best Pal something to do and Lex Luthor sweeping into the White House to solve all America's ills in a month makes me question why the US hadn't begged him to do something before then.
The biggest issue I have with whole thing is the portrayal of Stalin and the lack of threat that Uncle Joe seems to exude. Even his closest advisors were terrified of him, and if a seemingly normal soviet boy had grown up under his rule, he would have been scared too. This dynamic feels like a bit of a missed opportunity as a result. (For a far superior depiction of life in the USSR during the time, read 'Child 44' by Tom Rob Smith). These are however, minor niggles in a highly enjoyable and, at times, ingenious take on the Man of Steel (Superman not Stalin!) - Brainiac shrinking Stalingrad (a la Kandor) on Lex Luthor's orders springs to mind.
The art by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett is another reason to seek this book out. Their work strongly evokes a sense of the Soviet propoganda posters, with strong lines and powerful images throughout.
Rereading this story a few years after I first picked it up has rekindled my love for it. I don't love everything, but there is so much in here that more than makes up for the minor problems. The concept is so compelling and simple that Mark Millar and team just run away with the prize. Fast becoming a classic, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for something a bit different, proving that superhero comics are much more intelligent than they are often slated to be.
0 comments:
Post a Comment