Another month another book checked off the list. I'm typically not a fan of graphic novels, but I decided to a do a pair of them for this challenge to really try to push myself a bit outside my normal likes and dislikes. A friend who is very much into Graphic Novels recommended Superman: Red Son as one of the best pieces in the genre and its well recieved by pretty much everyone that reads it. I found it to be a good story, although with a bit of a weak ending. The art style is very good, which is what typically will pull me off a comic. Its also a good introduction to the genre, since most of the named characters are well known enough to even casual fans and the story is not set in the middle of several other arcs. The rest of the review will contain some spoilers, so I'll put it beyond the jump.
The story gives an alternative timeline in which the prolific Superman crash lands in the Soviet Union, instead of rural America. The story follows Superman from his reveal to the world and the United States' attempts to unseat him and protect capitalism and Democracy in the world. THe first book follows Superman in his early years, as he zips around the USSR saving every peasant he can, while the US attempts over and over again to defeat Superman, being lead by Lex Luthor in devising these plans. Superman however comes out on top, and helps begin world sentiment towards the USSR. This includes the Amazonians, with Wonder Woman falling for the Champion of the USSR. After Stalin's death, Superman decides he must run Soviet Union, and eventually the world, for its own good. The Second book sees the US becoming more desperate to defeat the Soviets, with Luthor garnering more CIA funding. Luthor and Brainiac had combined to shrink and steal Stalingrad, but Superman thwarted Brainiac's escape. Adding to Superman's woes are the constant attempts by the Soviet Batman to destabilize the government. Batman is a pro-freedom anarchist, seeing Superman's constant intercessions as just a form of control. Batman is able to capture Wonder Woman, and entraps Superman under several red sun lamps, causing s powers to drain. Wonder Woman escapes her own lasso of truth to rescue him, but in doing so is wounded deeply by its effects. She turns away form Superman in the future, and Batman blows himself up with a bomb. Superman;s grip tightens and spurs further vigilantes to strike up the cause. In the final chapter, the US is on the brink of collapse. Superman has reprogrammed Brainiac to be his partner in running the world. Luthor becomes President of the United States at this point and rescues it, turning the economy on full boar and beginning his final assault against the USSR. It leads to Superman breaking his plans of pacefully waiting out the US, and he begins his own assault. Superman is thwarted though by a letter Luthor wrote, comparing him to Brainiac and his shrinking of Stalingrad. Superman and Luthor work together then to stop Brainiac from destroying the world, and SUperman disappears. Luthor comments that he couldn't believe his plan had worked so well, having been formulated all those years ago. The story ends far in the future, as Lex Luthor's descendants turn out to be Superman's parents who send him back in time to hopefully keep in check the excesses of the past to save the future.
I really enjoyed quite a few parts of the book. Superman experiences Soviet control and falls down the path that the true timeline Batman always feared he would be tempted to go down. The constant use of brain re-programming all for the greater good is the perfect example of what could have been. This is played well against Luthor's own use of the entire world to provoke the final confrontation to defeat Superman. The introspection of Batman as the son of murdered anti-Superman reactionaries was a master stroke. I was not a fan though of Diana's turn against Superman. It didn't feel very legitimate given what they had been through previously. I also was a bit disappointed the Green Lantern Corps showed up to just get thrashed. The very end of the book as well, recasting JorL was not what I was looking for. I would have preferred it to just end with Superman awaiting the end of the world.
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