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Superman: Red Son (Superman) | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark Millar
Creators: Dave Johnson, Kilian Plunkett
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: £10.99
Buy New: £7.03
You Save: £3.96 (36%)
New (6) Used (4) from £5.53
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 25748
Media: Paperback
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 1840238011
Dewey Decimal Number: 741
EAN: 9781840238013
ASIN: 1840238011
Publication Date: March 26, 2004
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: IN STOCK - BRAND NEW - SENT FIRST CLASS - IMMEDIATE DISPATCH
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully March 8, 2008
Sam Mackley-Ward
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics.
Ambiguity rules November 22, 2007
Mr. N. M. Wordsworth (UK)
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain.
Best Elseworlds in years September 23, 2007
Thor Willy Bakke (Norway)
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas.
 the adventures of Soviet-Man January 12, 2007
H (Ancient kingdom of Northumbria)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read.
A Great What If But..... January 21, 2006
H. R. Trippett (UK)
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
So instead of landing in Smallville USA, Superman finds himself entering the atmosphere hurlterling down towards the Soviet Unions equivelent. Well, well,well you may be thinking so surely Superman won't be the wuss that he is in the normal Superman stories. Hmm well sorry to ruin it for you but he is. It's his good soul you see coming through even when those around him aren't, how should I put it...nice. So you maybe thinking so what we love Superman because he is a "good guy" if he were evil the whole comic wouldn't hold much weight as we'd all be slave. Yep I agree completely. In this strory Superman tries to save the world in a way similar to the warped logic of Terminators Skynet. What else can I say. Its a really good story with really good graphics and text, and a really really corny ending.
Don't take my word for it though. Well worth a read. I may critisise certain things about it I bought it and so should you!!
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