ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #20 (DC COMICS)
King Shazam has been awaken and is leaving a trail of violence and death in his wake.
His encounter with Ra’s Al Ghul left the former Demon’s Head deceased. Now his attention has turned to Krypton’s Last Son.
Even with unlikely allies, Kal-El isn’t ready for the fight forthcoming.
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #20 by Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Vicente Cifuentes, Ulises Arreola & Becca Carey sees a fight for the centuries!
Let’s take a closer look at what happens now.
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #20 by Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Vicente Cifuentes, Ulises Arreola & Becca Carey (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Aaron devotes a good majority of time to developing Carter Hall’s story. The confliction and corruption on his soul is evident. It adds more gravity to his present actions involving King Shazam’s attack. The writing delves into his attempts to dismay the powerful figure. Watching the heroes discuss their stance launches into another round of action. Seeing Hawkman’s change of heart leans into the mythos of Superman inspiring hope. This is a perfect time for that to occur.
As the action takes hold, the writing stages it like a cataclysmic time. There is no sense of Superman winning. This leads to a frank conversation of what lines need to be crossed. Readers see how Superman reacts to this notion as the fight takes a drastic turn. It results in a line being drawn in the sand. As events move to Metropolis, pacing speeds up the drama. It pushes events to a fever pitch finish. The final moments cement there is no turning back now. An excellent reading experience.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
The art embraces the assignment as the action is bold and brutal. It is a far cry from the calmer opening flashback. Seeing Carter Hall’s confliction take over makes a loud statement. It assists in selling his decision to help Superman. The action begins will full half panels showcasing the struggle. A fantastic two page spread moves the fight into a new plateau. Every panel keeps raising the stakes higher and higher.
The pain in Shazam’s face is matched by Superman’s grit. Neither show any sign of quitting. A half panel attack unveils the lengths Shazam is willing to cross. This point allows others to jump in for page time. The aftermath forces Superman to take a realistic look at what needs to be done to survive. The shock on his face speaks to readers as its’ tipped where things go from here. Metropolis turns into a battleground with wild action. This all leads to a defining full page finish. The sight seen there indicates the surface hasn’t been scratched yet on where this is heading.
FINAL POINT: 9.5
King Shazam’s brutal attack puts Superman in a dire situation as he’s in a winless fight. Arron crafts a combustible scenario with the writing. The art team keeps pushing higher with every action sequence. The saga of Truth, Justice and an Absolute Tomorrow continues to impress with every issue!
Let me know your thoughts on ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #20 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
