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Would it have killed you to give a spoiler warning in your review? Or better yet, to not include any spoilers? Thanks a lot.
It has all been leading to this. The final battle against Ra’s Al Ghul, for the fate of Smallville and the soul of Superman!
The first half of the issue all unfolds in only a few minutes, and has a lot of the emotional intensity that makes this series work so well. Read Full Review
Absolute Superman Issue 14 is an epic ending to so much. By the time you stop reading, you're left exhausted, from the emotions and rapid intensity of the action. Read Full Review
Ive said it before, and Ill say it againthis has been my favorite comic book series of the year. What a way to end this story arc and this year with a fantastic issue that brings everything weve learned about the Superman of this Absolute Universe together. The upbringing and spiritual visitations from Supermans Kryptonian family to his brief but impactful time with the Kents struck the heartstrings throughout the series, and especially in the final pages of this issue. Read Full Review
Absolute Superman #14 is an absolute treat and an essential read. A mix of real-world parallels and Supermans fight for freedom is the refreshing take we needed. The narrative is strong, emotional, and filled with timely, relevant themes. If youre not reading Absolute Superman, you are missing out. Read Full Review
Kal El's fight against Ra's Ah Ghul concludes in epic fashion. Arron pens an emotionally charged issue that locks readers in from the start. Sandoval and Arreola offer many amazing visuals to guide through the chaos. The forging of absolute Hope can be found within this incredible chapter. Read Full Review
This is a fantastic ending to what has been a fourteen-issue story arc for the first Absolute Superman. It closes the book on Ra's al Ghul's control while leaving the door wide open for what comes next. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing what this world looks like in a postAl Ghul Absolute Smallville, now that liberation has come at such a high cost. Just as importantly, I hope we don't have to wait too long to see Metropolis re-enter the picture. After everything Superman has endured here, the prospect of watching him step into that city, carrying both trauma and hope, feels like the natural and exciting next chapter. Read Full Review
I've struggled with a lot of parts of Absolute Superman overall, and certainly the last few issues, but the culmination of events here is just fantastic. It hits in a big way, and with such intense and gorgeous visuals for Kal, that it resonates deeply. We get some solid closure for certain events here, and it puts Kal in a place where he really has to decide who he wants to be going forward, even if others like Martha want him to be a certain thing. That's definitely a push on her part, but he still has to make the choice and then embrace it. Right now, he's still in a place where so much feels lost, especially with Sol, that moving in any direction is going to be hard. But he's done right by not just the people he knows, but by himself for not ending Ra's when given the chance, and it'll help define who he is going forward more than most things. Read Full Review
Absolute Superman #14 sees a bloody fight to the death, and justice prevail but not without consequence. It truly feels as though everything has been a prologue, and we are about to get to the main story of Kal El. Read Full Review
Absolute Superman #14 proves this series should be talked about as one of the Absolute line's best as well as one of the premier comics on the shelf. We get an important glimpse into the nature of our hero as Superman remains good in a world that's anything but. Read Full Review
This issue ends with an emotional conclusion setting up what already sounds like it should be a memorable next arc. Read Full Review
Absolute Superman #14 is exactly what this series needs. Read Full Review
A major storyline comes to an end with big, heroic moments and bittersweet emotional beats; everything one could want in a damn good comic. Read Full Review
For readers willing to trade some subtlety for emotional blunt force and excellent art, this is a worthwhile purchase; for everyone else, it is a solid read that might be better grabbed in a discounted bundle or collected edition rather than as a must-have single. Read Full Review
I don't know. I suppose if the fuse has been burning for 14 months, there was always the chance the actual explosion wouldn't live up to the preceding events. It just seemed to end ... I would love to hear what others thought. Were my hopes too high? Did Aaron reach too far? Read Full Review
The landing was indeed stuck.
Very enjoyable finale, though it lacks the thrilling moments of previous chapters, not to mention it pales a bit compared to recent big finales in other titles like Absolute Batman #14. Lots of great emotional beats and character work help elevate the big smackdown moments.
Favorite Absolute series of the bunch. I just love Rafal Sandoval's art for this series, and the coloring as well as shading works. I like how Jason Aaron takes Clark Kent back to his roots as a champion for the oppressors similar to Silver Age and Grant Morrison's Action Comics. I love the action, and the writing for the Al Ghuls. This series hits even harder after re-reading it and it was a gut punch seeing the fate of Martha Kent. I am excited for the future of Absolute DC Universe
Epic conclusion to the 2nd arc. Aaron and Sandoval deliver on a super man made of grit and steel, paving the way for a world he doesn't really know his own place in.
Yet despite (or because of) all his pain and angst, Superman's compassion for his worst enemies creates a domino effect in the Absolute Universe that leads to a brighter tomorrow.
What I love about the past 14 issues is that Superman continues to make tough choices that he's not even fully comfortable with, yet he is strong enough to live with his decisions. He knows what it's like when the most powerful person in the room leads with revenge and apathy. Instead, Superman sets an example for even the weakest souls to follow.
Aaron and Sandoval - more
Art: 4.5/5
Story: 4/5
Total: 8.5/10
I would rate this higher but felt like the sequential story telling, specifically on page 9, didn’t make any sense. The peacemaker in the robotic war suit grabs Superman in battle with Ras. When Ras is about to hit him with the sword. Ras isn’t even in the next panel when he’s grabbed. It looks weird and is confusing.
I can't appreciate killing off Martha. But all in all, it's a good issue.
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