Absolute Superman Just Reinvented a Comics Staple, And It’s Awesome

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The hero Absolute has provided Smallville with an upgraded version of his fortress, offering the town even greater protection.

A preview of DC Comics’ Absolute Superman #13 (from Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, and Becca Carey) shows Superman battling a massive army of Peacemakers from the Lazarus Corporation in the middle of the Battle of Kansas. While the Lazarus Corporation throws soldiers, tanks, and drones at him, they can’t overcome the incredible power of Superman’s suit and its AI, Sol. Sol not only helps Superman fight off the attackers, but also allows him to create a new, crimson Fortress of Solitude rising from the ground, effectively creating a boundary the Peacemakers can’t cross.

Absolute Superman #13

  • Written by JASON AARON
  • Art by RAFA SANDOVAL
  • Colors by ULISES ARREOLA
  • Letters by BECCA CAREY
  • Main cover art by RAFA SANDOVAL & ULISES ARREOLA
  • Variant covers by BENGAL; DAVID TALASKI; and MIKEL JANÍN

The Fortress of Solitude first appeared in the 1942 Superman #17 story, “Muscles for Sale.” Originally called Superman’s Secret Sanctuary, it’s a crystal fortress hidden in the frozen Antarctic. Superman uses it as a safe place to work on Kryptonian artifacts and potentially dangerous technologies, away from the more public aspects of his hero work.

Created by Superman’s mother, Lara-El, Sol is a powerful artificial intelligence built into his suit. It can analyze situations much quicker than Superman and controls the suit’s abilities, including releasing Sunstone Dust – the material that makes up his cape. Sol can use this dust to create anything from blinding storms to even construct buildings, like Superman’s new Fortress of Solitude.

Smallville Is An Important Part Of Absolute Superman

As a huge Superman fan, I always knew Smallville was special, not just as Clark’s hometown, but as a place that drew in other iconic DC characters too! I was reading Absolute Evil #1, and it was wild seeing some of the biggest bad guys – Hector Hammond, Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, and even the Joker – team up to form their own messed-up Justice League. Absolute Brainiac pointed out they were still missing something crucial, and guess who was conveniently chilling at his farm in Smallville? He made one phone call, and boom, the team was complete!

Absolute Superman #13 goes on sale Nov. 5., 2025 from DC Comics.

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2025-11-04 22:36