Published Oct 5, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT
An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
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DC has long maintained and curated the image of Superman as its symbolic beacon of hope across much of the past century since his creation. He's certainly had his fair share of continuity changes, and while old Golden Age traits such as previous orphanage origins are being revisited in other new series, Superman's not always carried all sides of his former self into the present. This is what makes Jason Aaron's spin with Absolute Superman so deeply fascinating, in that it presents a world far harsher and built upon malice, and despite not growing up on Kent Farm or being raised on Earth's values, Kal-El would still find good and innocence to protect.
One classic population that Superman's consistently been soft on has been that of animals, alien creatures, and anomalous sentient life of all kinds. His Fortress of Solitude has been shown in various iterations to have an Interplanetary or even Intergalactic Zoo like in Action Comics #241 from 1958, but some of this super sweetness hasn't carried over into modern stories. This is what makes Absolute Superman so especially compelling, in that Superman's radical compassion has now presented itself on all three of these fronts, presenting him as the shining example of good attempting to stand against overwhelming evil.
Absolute Superman's Radical Kindness Keeps One Classic Trend Alive
Kal-El's sense of compassion in Absolute Superman has shown that his good heart is as part of his nature as it has been with how he's nurtured in other continuities. In recent arcs, this has included clashes with Parasite, the alien lifeform who, in this universe, was warped into a massive energy-devouring behemoth capable of engulfing Metropolis. But upon breaking down its hold on people's fear, Superman witnessed the diminutive natural state of Parasite. Much like his old Fortress, Superman took Parasite with him, named it "Si", and allowing it to feed off him. It gives off a certain animal rescue parent energy, and this compassion shows through comforting sentient terrestrial entities, too.
The preview for Absolute Superman #24 has prominently featured glimpses at what appears to be Absolute Chemo, typically a sentient mass of toxic chemicals and radioactive waste. Much like Parasite before, who also conspicuously features in this issue, Chemo was warped by Absolute Brainiac into its current state, with no protective humanoid casing, just a writhing mass of sludge, evidently capable of feeling pain. Even though John Henry Irons proposes destroying it due to its dangerous chemical properties, Superman sees a being that's achieved life and roams the Earth after Brainiac's meddling. He merely sees something suffering in need of relief, questioning who would let it live.
It's an interesting situation for which Superman has previously taking unpopular measures to solve. He was called a moron by Hawkman in issue #17 for his idealistic plan to have a city of 3 million let go of their fear, yet ultimately won them over. He took Parasite in, letting it recover using his own energy, until he could find a place for it. Chemo could reasonably be no different, although upcoming Absolute Superman previews suggest this compassion may be pushed to its limit soon.
But from giving an alien creature that took over a city a home, to refusing to kill a creature that for all intents and purposes shouldn't be alive but is, to letting Metallo pulverize him until he remembered his true name, Christopher Smith, Superman's heart is strong until the bitter end.
Superman's Resolve Will Be Directly Challenged By The End Of 2026
Having survived Brainiac's various attempts to break him, Superman will face his biggest test once he finally corners the deranged villain. Absolute Superman #26, in particular, hints at him "abandoning Earth" for however long that may be. Whether it's one last deception or unforgivable act by Brainiac, or any number of heinous criminals Superman has encountered such as Toyman in recent issues, something clearly compels him to leave Earth, his new friends, and surprisingly adorable pet Si, behind. It's mostly a question of whether he leaves behind his sense of self that has endeared him to everyone so far in the story.
Metropolis · Daily Planet Edition
Superman
Trivia Challenge
🌏OriginsLast son
☠VillainsKneel!
⚡PowersInvincible
🎥FilmsBelieve
💫LegacyHope
UP, UP AND AWAY! →
01
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
AThanagar BKrypton CApokolips DOa
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
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02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
ADiana Prince BLana Lang CLois Lane DCat Grant
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
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03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
AKryptonite BVibranium CNth Metal DRed Sun Ore
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
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04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
AHenry Cavill BBrandon Routh CTom Welling DChristopher Reeve
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
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05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
ABrainiac BLex Luthor CDarkseid DDoomsday
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
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06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
AGotham City BMetropolis CSmallville, Kansas DCoast City
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
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07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
ADaily Planet BDaily Bugle CMetropolis Star DGotham Gazette
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
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08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
ABizarro BParasite CMetallo DGeneral Zod
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
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Seeing Kal-El absolutely pass the vibe check with flying colors and be the hero his world so desperately needed has been a real treat so far in Absolute Superman. His heroism has inspired those around him to leave behind darker roles than their Prime Earth counterparts. Sometimes that has involved fun spins on older traits more famously honed back in Superman's Silver Age stories. But it still works, because Aaron and the Absolute Superman creative team continue to understand the core of who Kal-El is, with or without crashing into Smallville, Kansas first. But this particular glimpse hints at a turning point to test the limits of the run so far.
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