Superman: Red Son

[The Grey Blur]

'Strange visitor from another world who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands...and who, as the champion of the common worker, fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, Socialism and he international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.

In this DC Comics Elseworlds tale, a familiar rocketship crash-lands on Earth carrying an infant who will one day become the most powerful being on the planet. But his ship doesn't land in America. He is not raised in Samllville, Kansas. Instead he makes his new home on a collective in the Soviet Union.'

Written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Dave Johnson and Killian Plunkett

Despite my preference for Marvel comics and my dislike or Superman I decided to pick this GN up and well, what can I say but...wow! This book is one of the deepest commentaries on socialism vs capatalism I have ever read, quite a lot for what is essentially a comicbook.

Not only is it a challenging read it is simply a brilliant comic. Millar seems to have every single nook and cranny of the DC universe planned out, from Green Lantern emerging as an American army captain to Batman's rebellion against Superman's totalitarian rule, the plot and attention to detail is excellent. (Plus Batman has a cool furry hat!)

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone on these messageboards. Weather you are a communista or maybe just a sci-fi junkie, this book is for you.

P.S I know there are manga fans so it's only likely that there are comic fans like myself on the forums. If you have read this give me your ideas about the book.
;)

[symtoms_of_humanity]

Well Stalin killed alot of people, and many were innocents so I don't quite agree with that statement he had, but do you have any links where it has a full comic?

[symtoms_of_humanity]

My mistake, I thought it said Stalin is here to protect you, but I mean Stalin did to much bad for him to be ok in my book (he did do alot of good I will give credit for that)

[Red Sky Revolution]

I read that about 2 weeks ago. Very awsome comic. It should of been a little earlier with Lenin instead of Stalin though.

[Amusing Scrotum]

Sounds good.
Would be better if it was in Cuba and Superman, Che and Fidel all stood there smoking cigars and discussing world revolution.

[Hiero]

i have read this book too. I originally bought it because of the novelty of it being a comic about Communist Superman, but i was surprised how much of a good read it was. Very colourfull, lots of action.

[TheReadMenace]

Haha, that's awesome.

Too bad he also works for Reagan later on and gets his ass kicked by Batman. :lol:


Andrew

[bed_of_nails]

Now does he save the hungry workers by crapping out loafs of bread or what?

[Fidelbrand]

a related Link:
http://theages.superman.ws/History/redson/

[EneME]

I like this one...

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2005, 09:31 PM
Haha, that's awesome.

Too bad he also works for Reagan later on and gets his ass kicked by Batman. :lol:


Andrew
I appreciate the feedback but he doesn't work for Reagan, Reagan isn't in it at all, Kennedy is the American president for the majority of the book(after Nixon's assasination). :lol:

[RABBIT - THE - CUBAN - MILITANT]

seems like a good read ... anyone wanna hook me up with a copy ? :D

[TheReadMenace]

Originally posted by Rage Against The Machine+Aug 28 2005, 10:57 AM--> (Rage Against The Machine @ Aug 28 2005, 10:57 AM)
[email protected] 26 2005, 09:31 PM
Haha, that's awesome.

Too bad he also works for Reagan later on and gets his ass kicked by Batman. :lol:


Andrew
I appreciate the feedback but he doesn't work for Reagan, Reagan isn't in it at all, Kennedy is the American president for the majority of the book(after Nixon's assasination). :lol: [/b]
Yeah, I've read this comic. It's really good.

Actually, I was making reference to The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.

In the Dark Knight Returns, he works for Reagan (at least I think it was Reagan; it was a name similar, for sure), and he gets his ass kicked by Batman :lol:

But it's pretty cool, because in this comic, Superman develops regenerating powers - he gets nuked, and heals himself using Mother Earth.

Gods, I'm a geek :(



Andrew

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by TheReadMenace+Sep 1 2005, 09:08 PM--> (TheReadMenace @ Sep 1 2005, 09:08 PM)
Originally posted by Rage Against The [email protected] 28 2005, 10:57 AM

[email protected] 26 2005, 09:31 PM
Haha, that's awesome.

Too bad he also works for Reagan later on and gets his ass kicked by Batman. :lol:


Andrew
I appreciate the feedback but he doesn't work for Reagan, Reagan isn't in it at all, Kennedy is the American president for the majority of the book(after Nixon's assasination). :lol:
Yeah, I've read this comic. It's really good.

Actually, I was making reference to The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again.

In the Dark Knight Returns, he works for Reagan (at least I think it was Reagan; it was a name similar, for sure), and he gets his ass kicked by Batman :lol:

But it's pretty cool, because in this comic, Superman develops regenerating powers - he gets nuked, and heals himself using Mother Earth.

Gods, I'm a geek :(



Andrew [/b]
:lol: Yeah I've heard of the DKR, haven't got it though, Year One is next on my DC list.

BTW, I just finished Bullseye: Greatest Hits & The Ultimates Vol. 2, both class

[Clarksist]

Holy shit, that's pretty cool... except that its for Stalin.

Maybe Lenin, or better yet Superman helps Trotsky to power, and then democracy takes hold and the world is filled with Socialist nations.

Maybe Che is fighting in Bolivia, but instead of dying, he falls into nuclear waste and gains superpowers...

Or maybe not.

[bed_of_nails]

I am trying to imagine Che in tights, and it makes me laugh.

I dont think the moustache goes very well with red tights.

[Clarksist]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/acacia1/therevolutionary.gif

That's the superhero I would have made for the Communist cause.


I dont think the moustache goes very well with red tights.


But a cigar sure does.

[praxis1966]

I'd actually rather see Fidel in tights, and not the young dashing Fidel. I'm talking about the crusty old Fidel of today.

[Xvall]

This looks cool as hell I wanna find it. I didn't really like American comics until recently, for some reason. Any read the one where Joker is emperor of the world?

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4830/emperorjoker7df.jpg

[Hiero]

Clarkist, the idea was to show the alternative of Supermans life. So he has to overcome errors of modern Communism to achieve the Utopia he desires.

It would be boring and pointless if Superman just teamed up with Trotsky and created a Utopia.

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by Drake [email protected] 5 2005, 10:45 PM
This looks cool as hell I wanna find it. I didn't really like American comics until recently, for some reason. Any read the one where Joker is emperor of the world?

http://www.comiccovers.com/comiccovers-280/Superman-%20Emperor%20Joker%20[DC]%20OS1/0001.jpg
It is cool as hell. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone but the ending!?!?... Mind-blowing! :lol:

[comradesteele]

i've oredered it today should arrive soon.

[The Grey Blur]

How about Marvel? Anyone? (no spoilers about Dissassembled; I live in Belfast so I collect English collector's editions - approximately 4-5 months being US comics.)

[TheReadMenace]

Rage, what about Marvel?

I was debating on starting a new thread, but since this is a comic thread, I guess it goes here, too, even if it isn't about Superman.

I don't know if any of you guys are into Hellblazer, but it seems like all the writers are either Communist or extremely left. It's great. One of the issues has a splash page of Constantine standing in front of a sign that has a picture of Thatcher, except someone spraypainted fangs and evil looking eyes. In another issue, there was a poster on a wall that said: 'Vote Conservative and Put the Pound Back in Your Pocket.' Someone spraypainted below it: '...by taking it out of mine' and put a hammer and sickle.

I strongly recommend Hellblazer, though. With Superman, he is fighting to overcome the errors of modern communism; with Hellblazer, Constantine is stuck within a society that doesn't give a damn about anyone, and every 'demon' or monster he faces is actually a critique of that society. It's brilliant.

Andrew

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Spoilers in the quote box; highlight to view



Originally posted by MAJOR SPOILERS!
In the Dark Knight Returns, Batman doesn't actually work for the president - at first people think he's merely an urban legend, but as Batman decides to get back into action people question his crime-fighting prerogative and he is labeled "fascist" etc for his vigilante actions, and later the government sends in Superman to arrest Batman.
Also I think DKR serves as an interesting polemic against psychology and "touchy-feely" liberalism.

[TheReadMenace]

Hehehe. I love Frank Miller.

[comradesteele]

i've read it now, however while not saying straight out "communism is evil" it kinda of implies that it will always lead to no freedom , authroitarian , dictatorship. that even with superman helping it its still evil.

plus i think the ending was a bit crap.

though i loved these lines
"the USA and chile where the only captilists countrys left"
and
"Superman has eliminate poverty, crime and ignorance from the USSR"

[TheReadMenace]

Yeah, I wasn't too keen on everyone being completely dependent on Superman. It kind of left out self-determination, you know?

But it could swing both ways, I suppose. Perhaps it was a critique of human ignorance?

It was a good comic, though, regardless.

Andrew

[The Grey Blur]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2005, 02:35 AM
Rage, what about Marvel?

I was debating on starting a new thread, but since this is a comic thread, I guess it goes here, too, even if it isn't about Superman.

I don't know if any of you guys are into Hellblazer, but it seems like all the writers are either Communist or extremely left. It's great. One of the issues has a splash page of Constantine standing in front of a sign that has a picture of Thatcher, except someone spraypainted fangs and evil looking eyes. In another issue, there was a poster on a wall that said: 'Vote Conservative and Put the Pound Back in Your Pocket.' Someone spraypainted below it: '...by taking it out of mine' and put a hammer and sickle.

I strongly recommend Hellblazer, though. With Superman, he is fighting to overcome the errors of modern communism; with Hellblazer, Constantine is stuck within a society that doesn't give a damn about anyone, and every 'demon' or monster he faces is actually a critique of that society. It's brilliant.

Andrew
I've never read 'Hellblazer' (I thought it was DC?) but it sounds good, anyone read the Punisher that culminates with him threatening Dubya? :lol: