No Happy Endings: Absolute Superman Is the Right Kind of Dark For the Man of Steel

DC writer Jason Aaron recently sat down with CBR for an interview to talk all things Batman: Off-World and Absolute Superman. This article focuses on the latter, particularly Aaron’s approach to reimagining the Man of Steel and his iconic supporting cast, including Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and more.

Notably, Aaron shared the mandate he set for himself when crafting his take on the Absolute Universe—his goal is to place every familiar character Superman meets in a position no one would expect, upending their roles from the regular universe.

“Nobody Is Where They're Supposed To Be." – Jason Aaron on the Characters of Absolute Superman

Main Cover by Rafa Sandoval & Ulises Arreola for Absolute Superman #4 (2025)

For context, when Aaron says “nobody is where they’re supposed to be,” he’s referring to how characters like Lois Lane are now part of the antagonistic, villainous Lazarus Corps—a militarized global police force that enforces labor under the guise of peacekeeping. In other words, Lois being part of a fascist organization is the last place fans of the character would expect her to be. The same goes for Jimmy Olsen, who made his debut in Absolute Superman issue #4, revealed to be a member of the Omega Men—a group of freedom fighters. This reimagines Jimmy’s character as a weapon-clad, battle-worn freedom fighter, a stark contrast to his traditional role.

Similarly, Superman finds himself in a position that sharply contrasts with his Earth-Prime counterpart. This version of the Man of Steel has no home, no family, and no sense of identity—elements that have always defined and grounded Kal-El in the main continuity. Aaron’s point is that his approach leans into the nature of the Absolute Universe and the Darkseid energy infusing it, creating versions of these characters that reflect the brokenness and corruption of their world. As he summarizes, “nobody that we've seen so far has a great happy ending” in the Absolute Universe.

Jason Aaron: As I've said, I think one of my mandates to myself with this Absolute universe, is everyone Superman meets, everyone we meet that we know, characters that we're familiar with from the regular universe, nobody should be where we expect them to be, right? Nobody is where they're "supposed to be." Given the nature of this universe and the darkness, the Darkseid energy that's at the heart of it, this is a broken, corrupted universe. So nobody got the great happy endings. Nobody that we've seen so far has a great happy ending. They're all in the wrong spot.

Are Absolute Lois Lane & Jimmy Olsen Too Far Removed From the Characters We Know and Love?

2nd Printing Cover by Rafa Sandoval & Ulises Arreola for Absolute Superman #1 (2024)

While it’s clear to anyone who’s read Absolute Superman that the Man of Steel and his supporting cast are drastically different from their Earth-Prime counterparts in many ways, the question remains: are they too different from the characters we’ve come to know and love? Right now, Superman, Lois, and Jimmy all find themselves on opposite sides, with Lois, in particular, entrenched in a downright villainous organization. While the word "villain" doesn’t entirely fit Lois in this narrative, she is certainly far removed from the champion of justice and truth that fans are familiar with in Earth-Prime.

Despite Lois’s drastic departure from her typical origins and portrayal, Aaron has still managed to capture the defining spark of her character. Upon meeting Superman, Lois immediately begins questioning whether she is on the right side. To a lesser extent, the same can be said for Jimmy. Kal-El, in essence, ignites a sense of awareness in these characters, prompting them to question: "I thought I was doing the right thing until I met that guy… Am I on the right side?" This shows that the core of what makes Lois and Jimmy who they are still exists, meaning they aren’t too far removed from the characters we know and love in Earth-Prime.

Jason Aaron: It's like you shook the universe and the pieces went in the wrong direction. Then Superman enters the stage. We then see, certainly with Lois Lane, and maybe you get a hint of that with Jimmy in this issue, that when these characters encounter Superman, it's like they start to become aware of that a little bit. "I thought I was doing the right thing until I met that guy." "I know THAT guy's doing the right thing," or those are the questions that I think are starting to bubble to the surface with those characters. Just encountering Superman completely changes everything for them, and they start to get a sense of, "AM I on the right side?"

Aaron Explains the Method to the Madness of the Absolute Universe

Main Cover by Rafa Sandoval & Ulises Arreola for Absolute Superman #1 (2024)

After elaborating on his direction and intent with characters like Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen—particularly in their interactions with Superman—Aaron reiterated the main goal of the Absolute Universe: “We're trying to do new stories here…” He then explained his personal belief that in order to achieve this, it’s crucial to “use [these previously established characters] in a different way than we’ve seen before… put them in unexpected places, and then, with that, build stories that are familiar but also feel wholly new.” While only four issues of Absolute Superman have been released so far, it’s safe to say Aaron has been more than successful in this endeavor.

Source: CBR