Superman: Red Son

As Hollywood begins to circle the idea of yet another Superman sequel, there has been a lot of debate about how to make the character of the Man of Steel more contemporary; more appealing to a cynical public who scoff at the idea of a virtually invulnerable hero with the “Gosh, darn it” morals of a farm boy. Superman just isn’t cool, and the most common suggestion about how to boost his street cred is to make him a darker character.

In a recent interview Superman Returns star, Brandon Routh argued against turning Superman into a tormented, brooding Batman clone.

“I don't think the character necessarily has to be darker, I think he is kind of dark in a sense, emotional dark, in Superman Returns, and the movie as a whole was slightly dark, they could have had more prowess in it I suppose, and I think that's one thing that can be done in the sequel, so I don't know how much darker you want to make it necessarily. You make the stakes higher, you make the villain darker, I think that's a way to do it. But I don't think Superman himself needs to be darker. He definitely has to struggle, how does Superman be a part of the world? And does he have to make sacrifices to be a part of that world? To fit in and what purpose does he really play in the world? Those are all kind of dark places to explore."

Routh is right. There are ways to darken Superman without changing the character’s very essence and outlook. One of these ways, which Mark (The Ultimates, Wanted) Millar presents in his Elseworlds graphic novel Superman: Red Son, is to politicise Superman. Although he is an American icon, and often comes to the rescue of the US government, Superman doesn’t officially work for them (although the likes of Frank Miller often propose otherwise). However, put the Man of Steel at the service of a government and he becomes something potentially sinister – a genuine, unstoppable Big Brother watching over us all.


Superman: Red Son theorises what would have happened if, in the 1930s, Superman’s rocket ship had crash-landed in a Soviet farm collective in the Ukraine, instead of Kansas’s cornfields. Superman is still raised by simple farm folk, but he grows up as a staunch Communist, committed to Marxist ideals. Presenting himself to Stalin in Moscow as a Party servant, Superman completely throws the Cold War in Russia’s favour, striking terror into the hearts of the American people and government. As Soviet propaganda declares in Red Son’s first chapter, “There is only one Superpower now!”


Superman: Red Son isn’t the first limited series or graphic novel to re-imagine Superman. However, unlike the relatively recent Superman: True Brit, which was played for laughs, and was far stronger in concept than actual execution, Red Son has a surprising amount of depth. It’s also beautifully pencilled by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett, inked by Andrew Robinson and Walden Wong, and coloured by Paul Mounts, which makes each panel a pleasure to look at.

Of course, all the Superman series regulars, including Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Lana Lang appear in Red Son, even if in modified forms. Several of DC’s greatest heroes, including Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern and a very anarchistic Batman, pop up as well. Where Red Son is especially good character-wise though is establishing a strong sense of why Lex Luthor, the most intelligent man on earth, hates Superman so much. This isn’t a Lex Luthor obsessed with ridiculous property schemes; it’s a Lex Luthor out to humiliate Superman, and make a point that human ingenuity is far more powerful than anything the “alien” can devise. Lex is still his crazy, arrogant self, but his motivations in Red Son are largely understandable given his personality.


As for Superman, even though the character wears a darker costume, he remains committed to the protection of all life on Earth, Soviet or not. Superman does not kill or resort to violence to spread his political views. However, so devoted is he to rectifying worldwide problems, like war and famine, that the line between helping and shepherding starts to blur. Although he battles throughout the graphic novel in regards to how much he should interfere in human affairs, for the most part Superman seems to subscribe to the idea that the end justifying the means.


Superman’s internal conflict is continually paralleled with international conflict between the USSR and USA, and events finally culminate with an ending twist that is both intelligent and satisfying.

Superman: Red Son is a very brisk read – I literally finished it in half a day. However, despite the short-ish length, the book is still well worth seeking out, especially if you have a fascination with reimaginings of comic book icons, or are just craving a new, grittier treatment of the Man of Steel.