HipsterZOMBIEJoint Movie Review: Superman Red Son
HipsterZOMBIEJoint Experience
2 min read
The DC animated Elseworlds films are seriously the best offerings to come out of Warner Animation lately. I can’t stand the anime inspired animation in the Justice League or Batman films. If you were a fan of the Bruce Timm era of animation and story telling (Batman The Animated Series; Justice League Unlimited) then this is a film you can’t afford to miss.
Superman: Red Son is based on a three-issue prestige format comic book mini-seriespublished by DC Comics that was released under their Elseworlds imprint in 2003. Author Mark Millar created the comic with the premise “what if Superman had been raised in the Soviet Union?” It received critical acclaim and was nominated for the 2004 Eisner Award for best limited series.
The story mixes alternate versions of DC super-heroes with alternate-reality versions of real political figures such as Joseph Stalinand John F. Kennedy. The series spans approximately 1953-2001, save for a futuristic epilogue.
The alternate setting also changes the origins of familiar DC Heroes. Bruce Wayne grows up a child in Russia forced to work underground. His hatred for Superman not helping his family leads him to becoming the Soviet terrorist, Batman. Wonder Woman is a communist advocating lesbian. And the Green Lantern Corp is established as a Superman deterrent by America’s savior, Lex Luthor.
The story starts with Superman fully supporting his Marxist government but he quickly realizes the Russians are just as corrupt as the Americans. Superman is left with the question, should he be the hero his government wants him to be or be the hero the people needs.
This is not only one of the best Elseworlds titles ever written (you can buy it now at your local comic book store or the ComiXology app) but it’s also one of the best animated adaptations.
With that said, HipsterZOMBIEJoint Experience highly recommends Superman: Red Sun.
