Absolute Kingdom Come

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:	Mark Waid and Alex Ross

He should always be there. You know the line… up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman! But there was a time when he just stopped. The Man of Steel left Metropolis and nobody knew where he went. This isn’t the plot of the latest Superman movie. It’s the premise behind Absolute Kingdom Come.

Kingdom Come was a momentous comic event when it was first released in 1996. The combination of Alex Ross’ photorealistic art and Mark Waid’s ominous script had comic fans of all ages stand up and take notice. “How could Superman ever leave Metropolis?” “What do you mean Batman has turned Gotham City into a police state?” “A new generation of heroes is abusing their power?” “How did Captain Marvel turn into a bad guy?” Such statements were a mere sampling of the reactions to Kingdom Come. Now, 10 years after the mini-series was released, DC Comics has published an oversized hardcover slipcase edition in Absolute Kingdom Come.

In a possible future, Superman has left Metropolis and most of humanity behind. Batman’s secret identity has been found out, and he rules over Gotham with an army of Bat-robots. Meanwhile, a new generation of metahumans has been abusing their gifts. As a result of their carelessness, a nuclear explosion wipes out a portion of the USA and public distrust is at an all-time high. Entangled in all of this is Pastor Norman McCay. Norman sees visions of conflict and destruction, and is approached by the entity known as The Spectre. The Spectre enlists Norman to bear witness to the developing crisis, and eventually judge if humanity and our so-called heroes will survive.

When the original Kingdom Come came out a decade ago, its powerful message and breathtaking art caused mainstream media to take notice. Waid and Ross examined the role of superheroes and the incredible responsibilities we have put on these “imaginary” characters. When they did that, they also ended up showing the all too human frailties of larger-than-life characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, etc.

In their sad view of the future, humanity has pushed the heroes we grew up with to the sidelines due to what was perceived as their being too “nice” and not issuing the vigilante justice that has been associated with other comic characters like The Punisher or Wolverine. Yet when the world faces its greatest crisis and when all the chips are down, it is those same heroes, the first heroes to ever see print in comics, who come to the rescue. However, it is a rescue that comes at a price.

The characterization of the characters stays true to both their origin stories, as well as what writers have shaped them to become in the past six decades. Ever the farmer's son, Superman honestly thinks he can save everybody and change things by just being somewhere. Batman's cynicism and callousness since his parents' death extends to even his friends like Superman. The Amazon princess in Wonder Woman shuns her role as envoy of peace, instead becoming a vengeful warrior who will do things others might fear to do.

Absolute Kingdom Come comes replete with Ross’ sketches, creator notes and annotations, as well as an extensive image gallery. This edition is bigger and is a feast that is guaranteed to satisfy old fans while enticing new fans to witness what is undoubtedly one of the most important comics ever published. You'll see how some of Ross' designs from his childhood found their way onto the Kingdom Come stage. You'll also see the detail and dedication he put into this project. This was a true labor f love, something both creators affectionately call their "love letter" to these superheroes.