Review - Superman Red Son by Mark Millar

Fantasy fiction with no gay content. This review was previously published on my website, and I'm in the process of moving several reviews such as this one to this blog.

Superman – Red Son is a graphic novel by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson, Kilian Plunkett, Andrew Robinson, and Walden Wong published by DC Comics. Here at Obsidianbookshelf.com, I've got to say that I have little or no familiarity with comic books or graphic novels. I picked this one up because the idea sounded so intriguing:

The great American icon ... reimagined as a Soviet hero!

What is the difference between a graphic novel and a comic book? Comic books are those short simple narratives we remember from childhood: Archie, Scooby-Doo, and yes, Superman. Graphic novels are told through panels of art and dialogue like comic books, but have a complex storyline aimed at adults. Superman – Red Son contains no objectionable material and could be appreciated by sophisticated kids on up to adults.

Superman – Red Son takes an unusual departure from the usual Superman mythology, of which even I have some small knowledge. In the usual story, Superman's parents face the destruction of their planet Krypton, which orbits a red-giant star. They put their infant son into a rocket ship and send it into space. It travels far and lands near Smallville, Kansas, USA.

There Superman gets raised as Clark Kent, and imbued with strong moral values. He has a childhood sweetheart named Lana Lang, but he leaves her behind in order to go to Metropolis (New York City) and become a reporter for The Daily Planet newspaper where he falls for reporter Lois Lane.

His great nemesis is Lex Luthor who is sometimes a mad scientist and sometimes a ruthless businessman. Superman frequently crosses paths with fellow superheroes Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batman (of whose vigilantism he disapproves).

Anyway, Superman – Red Son explores the intriguing notion that Superman's original rocket ship entered the Earth's atmosphere at a different point in its orbit, and he crash landed in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Lovingly raised by Soviet parents in a farming collective, he grew up imbued with Marxist values.

Our story opens during the Eisenhower administration when the United States first becomes aware of Superman's existence. Terrified at the thought of his godlike powers, Americans view footage of Superman in his black-and-red costume with the hammer and sickle emblazoned on his chest. He stands beside Comrade Stalin, raising his hand in greeting to the adoring Soviet public.

Needless to say, this doesn't sit well with mad scientist Lex Luthor back in the United States. Luthor, who possesses godlike intelligence, spends a typical hour simultaneously playing chess with several different opponents, teaching himself Urdu, and reading Machiavelli's Il Principe (how fitting!) in the original Italian. Lois Lane is his long-suffering wife.

It cuts no ice with Luthor that Superman is so conscientious that he travels the world, rescuing anyone whether a Soviet citizen or not. However, Lois Lane cherishes a soft spot in her heart for Superman. They first come face-to-face when he pulls off a spectacular rescue of a little boy in the streets of Metropolis. Lois and Superman share a fleeting mutual attraction but both realize that they cannot pursue it as long as she is married and he must return to the U.S.S.R.

Luthor immediately dedicates himself to the "superhero arms race" and starts trying to produce his own superhero. His first attempt looks like a homicidal golem and scares the British public so badly that they implore Superman to save them from it. Eventually Luthor will bring forth the Green Lantern, otherwise known as test pilot Hal Jordan.

Meanwhile Superman back in the Soviet Union tries to deal with the jealousy of Stalin's son Pyotr who will grow up to control the KGB. Pyotr knows that Superman eclipses him in Stalin's eyes.

In fact, Stalin begins enthusiastically to forge a match between Superman and Wonder Woman, also known as Diana of Paradise Island. Wonder Woman is a princess of a race of long-lived Amazon women. Stalin invites a delegation from Paradise Island to the Soviet Union where he angles for a political alliance as well – and perhaps even to spend the night with Queen Hippolyta. The Queen is unimpressed.

In further developments, Pyotr executes two dissidents, a young couple distributing leaflets. He leaves their young son alive though he remains disturbed at the vengeful look the boy turns on him. Could this be the pivotal event that will create – Batmankoff? Batman is even crazier than usual in this universe. He's drawn with a maniacal grin and the beard stubble of an anarchist.

In the sketchbook that serves as an afterword, the artist reveals that he suffered much harassment over his version of Batman's hat. This amazing creation grafts pointed bat ears onto an aviator's leather cap with chin-straps and then manages to include the sheep's wool visor where Soviet soldiers would pin their badges. Of course Batman pins a bat-symbol there. Where can I buy a hat like this?

Anyway, Stalin's unexpected death in 1953 creates a power vacuum in the Soviet Union. Will Superman give in, albeit reluctantly, to the need to take over first the U.S.S.R. and then the entire world to impose perfection upon humanity for its own good? What do you think?

Superman himself narrates this graphic novel from the perspective of centuries of hindsight and it gives the story a dark and epic gravitas. His tragic personality shines through: his heavy conscience, and his overwhelming need to be liked.

Of course the artwork is amazing. One sequence I loved shows Superman levitating just above a sidewalk in Metropolis. Apparently something has jarred loose a huge architectural model of the planet Earth from the rooftop of the skyscraper that houses the Daily Planet newspaper offices. Superman catches this huge globe before it can squash a woman and her little boy.

In his panic, the kid lets go of his helium-filled red balloon. Now Superman floats in place, showing off the Communist emblem on his chest. One hand holds up the huge globe (a nice Atlas Shrugged image). The other hand gives the red balloon back to the delighted kid.

Here at Obsidianbookshelf.com, my favorite sequence involves the city of Stalingrad, which has been shrunk to nearly microscopic size and placed in a test-tube. You see this cityscape in utter chaos as if ravaged by war. Fires burn everywhere in the rubble and citizens stagger through the wreckage of overturned cars. One soldier sternly lectures Superman on "checking the filters" more often.

Superman responds, "I'm so sorry, comrades!" Then you realize that the huge creature over whose corpse the brave citizens stand is in fact a dust-mite that got loose inside Stalingrad and ran amok! It's weird, amazing, and funny all at once. Don't miss Superman – Red Son, a feat of imagination.
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