Superman landed in Ukraine and not Kansas. What can become of the man of steel with Soviet rather than capitalist ideals? The answer in this volume of Superman Red Son. Written by Mark Millar and drawn by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett, Superman Red Son is a comic book published by Urban Comics. It could be part of the collection of "what if…" ? ». What if Krypton had exploded twelve hours later? The young Kryptonian would have landed in Ukraine in full U.A.S.S. and would have been taken in by gentle peasants from a kolkhoz. One can follow the evolution of a uchronic world and the different turn of events if the Man of Steel was Soviet. What if, when Stalin died, he took over the power of the Red Bloc? Which camp would Wonder Woman join? So many questions whose answers are found in Superman red son.
A superman in the colors of the U.A.S.S.
Steeped in communist values, the young superman went to Moscow to assist Stalin. It has the effect of a bomb all over the world, the communists have a more powerful weapon than the nuclear bomb. The Cold War takes a new turn and the United States tries to develop something to stop the man of steel. For this, they call on Lex Luthor, a brilliant American inventor. Lex will do everything to stop this alien from another world. What can a gifted human do in the face of the Man of Steel? But Lex Luthor is not one to let himself down so easily. The comic takes place over several years and is separated into three books. The Advent, which shows the origins and beginnings of Superman. The Ascension, which explores a Superman who has grown older and experienced. The fall, because everything that goes up must one day go down. Each of these three parts tells a period of history, with Superman himself as narrator. We read the evolution of well-known characters, Lex Luthor, Loïs Lane, Wonder Woman or Brainiac. Even Batman is there, he's Russian and he's still fighting for justice, but is Superman fair?
A genius author and two talented cartoonists
Mark Millar, known for the authority, kick-ass or reborn, signs here the script. We recognize the paw of this Scottish author in the detail he gives to the psychology of the characters. They are neither good nor bad, they only have an ideal that they want to achieve. In the construction of his story, he leaves nothing to chance, each event is calculated and serves the plot. He manages enough, and credibly, to project himself into what would be a planet with a communist Superman. Until the end, he holds his story where he slips an unexpected twist into the last pages of the comics. Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett teamed up for this comic, Johnson also took care of the blankets. They manage to draw characters with emotions, something that is not always obvious in comics. The two cartoonists correctly age the protagonists of the story. It's an admirable job they did on Superman Red Son. To conclude, Superman Red Son, is a uchronic comic that any fan of the character should read. In addition, this Black Label version is augmented with bonuses that include a biography of the authors and sketches of the notebooks of the two cartoonists. It is a beautiful version essential and to read urgently.
