Summary: A reimagined Superman, played out as a Cold War story with Superman landing in the 1950s Soviet Union.As I say in almost all of my posts about graphic novels, this is not my area. I read books that are recommended by people who it is there area, like Seth. It was not Seth that I heard this from first. I heard about it first on a podcast that I do not remember. And then it was in the Christ and Pop Culture best of 2018 series. And there have been others that have recommended it once it was on my radar screen.
I like remakes. I know many people do not, but I like the reimagining of stories. A shot by shot remake is not particularly interesting to me; but a different take, a new character perspective, an alternate timeline, etc., is often interesting.
Complete reimagining like this tends to focus on upsetting our assumptions. Superman in his original conception was the ultimate American, the image of the American Dream. Superman: Red Son imagines Superman as the ultimate communist. One that not only believed in the ideals but tried to enact them and oppose those that were working within communism only for their own power.
I thought the ending was well done and I think really the only option for this type of story. The art was good, but I read this more for the story than the art.
One of the problems with polarization today is that many do not believe that true believers can continue to exist. There is an assumption of only cynical belief, a belief that uses others for their own purposes. Superman here is not a cynical believer, he is a true believer, but one that is not blind to others that are cynical or power hungry, or at least not always blind.
As much as I do think we need to identify mixed motives and motivations, the reality of true belief if something that is important to allow for.
Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar, illustrated by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition