In this review of Absolute Superman #23, Superman must deal with the Toyman’s twisted use of children, but will Kal’s anger at the situation push him too far?
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #23
Written by JASON AARON
Art by JUAN FERREYRA
Main Cover: RAFA SANDOVAL
Variant Covers: CLAY MANN, JUAN FERREYRA, FABRIZIO DE TOMMASO
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 9/2/26
This review contains spoilers
As Kal continues his global search for Brainiac, he must first deal with the Toyman. It seems that Winslow Schott has continued to employ children, even after Superman told him to stop back in Absolute Superman #15. To Superman’s horror, the Toyman has twisted his child labor practices, packaging up children as toys and selling them to the ultra-rich.
When Jimmy Olsen and the Omega Men gain access to the list of Toyman’s clients, Kal goes on a rampage, destroying everything these people own and hold dear. Although he draws the line at ending their lives, he contemplates it.
Once he clears the list of buyers, Superman seeks out Schott. When the Toyman attacks Kal with a sonic weapon, the Man of Steel bleeds from every opening in his face. He allows his rage to win out and spits a superblast of blood at the Toyman, breaking his arms, legs, and ribs.
Kal doesn’t immediately fly the broken criminal to a hospital, though. He waits for a split second and is quickly ashamed of himself. He realizes all of this is the work of Brainiac, attempting to break him.
Absolute Superman #23 closes with Superman resuming his search for Brainiac, listening to the sounds of the planet for signs of the monstrous alien.
Analysis
Although we get another issue with no sighting of Brainiac, Absolute Superman #23 is heavily driven by the alien cyborg. Jason Aaron uses the Toyman as a tool of Brainiac, much as he did with Metallo in Absolute Superman #22. This story is far more terrifying, though, as it deals with the selling of children.
Aaron doesn’t shy away from tackling the weighty issue, allowing us to share in Superman’s rage about Toyman’s operations. It’s a reality of the world we live in and is as vile in Absolute Superman #23 as it is in the real world. I would expect Superman to respond with anger, although his lack of urgency in getting Schott to a hospital is a new twist. This is Absolute Superman, after all, so Aaron has a little flexibility with the character.
I agree with his decision to have Kal pause here. While this version of Superman has many similarities to the one we’ve read for years, I appreciate the exploration of this side of the character. Kal is basically a god. He’s not trying to rule over the world, but he doesn’t mind flexing his powers to get results that make the world a better place.
My main concern at this point is how close he’s getting to the edge. Aaron is using Brainiac to push Kal to the breaking point and it remains to be seen if he’s strong enough to avoid killing someone in a future issue.
There’s plenty of room to grow the character, which is part of the allure to the Absolute line and Aaron is doing a fine job of it.
Juan Ferreyra continues to knock it out of the park with illustrations and colors. His linework is so clean and detailed. As you flip through the pages, your eyes are constantly treated to something different, whether it be the different panel layouts or the wide range of colors. Early in the search for the Toyman, Kal enters a dark building and Ferreyra’s use of highlighting and shading is excellent. Another terrific page comes when Superman is tearing the building apart a short time later. It perfectly conveys Kal’s increasing levels of frustration. If you ignore the word bubbles on the page, you can still feel what’s going on, thanks to Ferreyra’s art telling the story.
Final Thoughts
Absolute Superman #23 remains high on the list of Absolute titles, as it features excellent character exploration and equally excellent artwork. This is a must-read book and should be on everyone’s pull list. Have fun, comic lovers!
