In this review of Absolute Superman #19, two god-like beings duke it out in the skies of Metropolis and the planet. Who comes out on top?
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #19
Written by JASON AARON
Art and Main Cover: RAFA SANDOVAL
Variant Covers: JEFF DEKAL, CHUMA HILL, HAINING
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 5/6/26
This review contains spoilers
At the end of Absolute Superman #18, Black Adam was set free as Superman and Steel (now confirmed to be John Henry Irons) fought Ra’s and Talia Al Ghul. The battle continues in Absolute Superman #19 with King Shazam demonstrating his power by punching Superman, sending him 1100 miles across the country.
With Clark gone, Black Adam attacks Talia. Ra’s pleads with him to let her go while also trying to convince the ancient Egyptian to turn away from darkness, as there is now hope in the world. Black Adam releases Talia, but only to turn his attention to Ra’s, who he believes is full of lies. Within moments, Ra’s is torn apart.
Superman returns at the same time, but is too late to save Ra’s. The two continue to fight in the skies above Metropolis and Clark tries to de-escalate the situation, but Black Adam will have none of it. Steel joins in the fight that then moves at hypersonic speeds across the planet. The three finally crash down on a beach, battered and bruised, but with plenty of fight left in them.
As the issue concludes, Absolute Hawkman arrives on the scene, ready to join in the fight or, perhaps, to help mediate the situation.
Analysis
Even though there’s still no return of deranged Brainiac, there’s a lot of good moments happening in Absolute Superman #19. Jason Aaron gives a little background on John Henry Irons, helping to explain his motivation against the Lazarus Corp. Irons is a resourceful guy who wants to help people and make the world a better place, but when Lazarus Corp takes advantage of one of his inventions, he wants some payback.
Unfortunately, he’s not able to get that because Black Adam takes out Ra’s before John Henry gets a swing at him. That’s one thing I like about the Absolute universe – nobody is safe. Well-established characters are expendable in this universe, so each issue is unpredictable. Granted, Ra’s is not at his most powerful here, but he gets taken out with ease by the supercharged Egyptian.
Clearly, it’s going to take multiple superheroes to stop Black Adam. He’s highly distrustful of pretty much everyone and possesses such tremendous power that not even Superman can stop him alone. It’ll be interesting to see how the arrival of Hawkman impacts the fight. After the events of Absolute Superman #17, will he continue to take the “punch first, ask questions later” approach or will he have learned something from Clark to help settle down Teth-Adam?
The artwork in Absolute Superman #19 from Rafa Sandoval and colors from Ulises Arreola give us plenty of great looks at Black Adam’s excellent suit design. Almost every panel that he’s in is filled with crackling lightning bolts and energy. His cape is similar to Superman’s and flows with ever-changing shadows and shapes. He’s even able to use it for attacks in various ways.
The fights look great throughout Absolute Superman #19. My favorite part comes later in the issue with a spread that shows the fight taking place across the planet and we get a shot of Absolute Batman watching them fly across the skies of Gotham.
Final Thoughts
Absolute Superman #19 ramps up the action and character development in this second part of the “Reign of the Superman” arc. If you want an energetic battle and dialog that moves the story forward, grab this one. Have fun, comic lovers!
