Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Absolute Superman #14
Just when we thought he couldn’t get any cooler, DC’s Absolute Universe just found a way to make Superman even more epic. While we already knew he had a cape unlike any other Man of Steel, I doubt anyone was prepared for the major upgrade the cape received in the most recent chapter of Absolute Superman.
Coming from Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, DC’s Absolute Superman has completely reimagined Kal-El’s iconic red cape. Existing as a living symbol of Krypton even more than it is in the primary DC Universe, it’s recently been revealed in the pages of Absolute Superman #14 that Superman’s versatile cape can also become a major weapon.
Absolute Superman’s Cape Is Like Nothing We’ve Ever Seen Before From The Man of Steel
In the Absolute Universe, Kal-El’s “cape” is not really a cloth cape at all, but instead living red Kryptonian dust known as sunstone. Controlled by his hybrid suit and ship’s AI named Sol, the cape can form shields, generate dust storms, restrain enemies, and even lift civilians to safety, one of the best and most unique parts of Absolute Superman’s major visual overhaul.
However, the cape transforms yet again in this new issue, shortly after Sol sacrifices itself to prevent the Lazarus Corporation’s Brainiac from weaponizing the red dust against Superman’s friends. This all happens while Superman is still fighting Director Ra’s al Ghul, who wants to make Kal-El his dark heir, the “Son of the Demon.”
Now, Superman’s Cape Just Became The Most Epic Kryptonian Blade
Reformed by Kal-El himself, Superman fashions the dust into a massive red sword he uses to gain a major advantage over Ra’s and his own blade made from Kryptonite. Refusing to retreat and determined to protect Smallville, Kal-El’s sword, forged from the ashes of Krypton itself, is a visual and symbolic masterpiece, especially after he ultimately shatters al Ghul’s blade.
Defeating Ra’s al Ghul and saving the entire town from destruction, we’re now headed into a brand-new era for Absolute Superman. With Sol gone, it’s hard to know what comes next for Superman and his dynamic cape, though most will argue this was one of the most epic things The Man of Steel could have done with the more hopeful remnants of his homeworld.
Absolute Superman #14 is now on sale from DC Comics.
Created By
Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
First Appearance
Action Comics
Alias
Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
Alliance
Justice League, Superman Family
Race
Kryptonian
Franchise
D.C.