DC’s Absolute Universe is in full swing, and it’s already clear that Absolute Superman is a prime candidate to be adapted in movie form. The Absolute Universe kicked off as part of DC Comics’ DC All-In story, in which a splinter universe dubbed Earth-Alpha runs parallel to the Earth-Omega universe. In Earth-Alpha’s case, the new universe is created by “Darkseid energy,” with the world a much darker place with darker versions of DC’s classic heroes.
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Absolute Superman is the third book in the Absolute Universe, following Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, with all three presenting wildly divergent versions of DC’s Trinity. In the case of Absolute Superman, the new incarnation of the Man of Steel has already made an especially compelling case to be adapted as a movie. As it turns out, it is a plausible scenario to think that one may eventually be realized.
Absolute Superman Completely Re-Invents Superman’s Backstory
In Absolute Superman, Kal-El arrives on Earth as a young man as a opposed to an infant, and was never raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent (and therefore never given the human name of Clark Kent). Additionally, Absolute Superman grounds Kal-El’s heroic motivations in a much darker parallel he recognizes between Earth and Krypton during its downfall — that being exploitative labor.
On Krypton, the structure of society has gradually taken on a definitive rich vs. poor dichotomy, with Kryptonian manual laborers treated with an attitude of expendability by the planet’s ruling class. Absolute Superman also introduces Jor-El as a Kryptonian miner who discovers the planet’s doom is near, while working with Krypton’s laborers being forced to mine under reckless safety conditions for meager wages.
Upon his arrival on Earth, the young Kal-El immediately sees the corporations of Earth exploiting their own workers for maximum profit with the same callous indifference as he once saw on Krypton. This leads Kal-El to become a stealthy crusader for Earth’s downtrodden and impoverished, with issue #1 of Absolute Superman showing the Last Son of Krypton fighting for the workers in a Brazilian mine against the ruthless Lazarus corporation and their army of Peacemaker enforcers.
Superman also isn’t fighting alone in his endeavor, with the the Man of Steel’s suit powered by a Kryptonian A.I. that alerts him to danger and enhances his abilities on Earth, including emitting a protective material known as Sunstone Dust. Absolute Superman throws another major twist into the mix, with Superman being arrested by none other than Lois Lane, who works as an enforcer for Lazarus, though she later comes to view Superman more favorably after his Sunstone Dust rescue in Absolute Superman #2. When it comes to Elseworlds DC stories, Absolute Superman is perhaps the most radical re-invention of the Man of Steel in decades.
[Related: Is DC’s Absolute Universe Based on a Classic Superman Story?]
Absolute Superman Has Huge Cinematic Potential
Absolute Superman is prime for an extended comic book run in DC’s Absolute Universe, and the potential for a cinematic adaptation lies in how much Superman’s new backstory throws readers for a loop. Superman has been portrayed as a somewhat reclusive outsider before in the comics, such as in DC’s Superman: Earth One graphic novel series, but Absolute Superman turns the Man of Steel into a Kryptonian Robin Hood. With the politics of labor exploitation and workers being treated as disposable canon fodder for runaway capitalism, an Absolute Superman movie could tackle Superman from an angle he’s never been shown in before cinematically.
Superman’s A.I.-enhanced Kryptonian suit is also a superb added touch in Absolute Superman. The rise of artificial intelligence has become increasingly prominent in many facets of modern life, including filmmaking. An Absolute Superman movie could be one of the most subversive Superman adaptations yet, with a Kryptonian A.I. suit as an important character, tackling the theme of A.I. and technology going too far head on.
Additionally, the introduction of Lois Lane in any new Superman story is always one of its most essential pillars. Absolute Superman re-invents Lois as much as it does Superman himself, not only making Lois a player in the labor exploitation that Superman is opposing, but starting the two of them off as enemies. In a Superman film where Kal-El and Lois Lane begin under adversarial terms, all bets are off, as would surely be the case in an Absolute Superman movie.
How An Absolute Superman Movie Could Happen
While an Absolute Superman movie or TV adaptation is very likely out of the question for James Gunn’s upcoming DCU, the Elseworlds wing of DC Studios is a different story. What’s more, Gunn has recently affirmed his commitment to Elseworlds DC movies and shows. Speaking to Josh Horowitz on the podcast Happy Sad Confused, Gunn revealed that he had, at one point, considered integrating Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise into the DCU, but decided against it, stating, “I’m committed to both telling stories in the DCU and Elseworlds stories.“
Gunn’s affirmation of Elseworlds projects co-existing alongside the mainline DCU should be welcome news to DC fans. The concept of the multiverse and Elseworlds storytelling is intrinsically in DC’s DNA, and has long enabled many different kinds of re-inventions of its most iconic heroes. Absolute Superman, and indeed all of DC’s Absolute Universe line, would thrive under the DC Studios Elseworlds silo.
Gunn’s commitment to the Elseworlds side of DC makes something like an adaptation of Absolute Superman, either in live-action or animation, a distinct possibility. With DC’s new Absolute Universe still in its early days with only its re-interpretations of Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman revealed thus far, ancillary tie-ins like merchandising, action figures, and the like are sure to follow. The world might well see an Absolute Superman movie follow as the next stepping stone of DC expanding its Absolute Universe into every form of media possible.
