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Written by: Jason Aaron
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Art by: Rafa Sandoval
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Colors by: Ulises Arreola
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Letters by: Becca Carey
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Cover art by: Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola (cover A)
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Cover price: $4.99
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Release date: November 5, 2025
Absolute Superman #13, by DC Comics on 11/5/25, begins the Battle for Smallville when Lazarus Corp lays siege to a small Kansas town.
First Impressions
Smallville doesn’t waste a breath. Lazarus tanks and attack helicopters roll in, and the creative team wastes no time digging into the trauma and grit of its defenders: from prairie pride to the weary determination of Superman, this opening is less a soft welcome and more a slap awake. Right off the bat, the execution feels urgent, unflinching, and stubbornly Midwestern.
Plot Analysis
The issue kicks off six weeks after Lazarus first rolled its tanks down Smallville’s Main Street, gutting the town’s communications and taking siege warfare to a rural extreme. Residents stand armed, referencing a history of resistance dating back to the Border Wars, as Lazarus swarms the heartland with power outages, drones, and carpet-bombings. Superman is simultaneously weakened, recovering from previous encounters, and pressed into action, commanding his AI companion Sol to fortify the town and make tactical decisions to maximize their limited resources.
Lazarus escalates quickly, building a concentration camp and illegally detaining citizens, while the radio and covert broadcasts struggle to get the word out before the next wave hits. Under constant assault, the townspeople rely on tunnels dug by Superman himself, seeking refuge far below Smallville’s senior living homes and farmland, but remain at risk as internal anxieties and distrust simmer beneath the surface. Personal betrayals sting, as former friends confess they turned Superman in out of manipulated fear, forcing hard questions on loyalty, identity, and making amends.
Meanwhile, Ra’s al Ghul and Talia develop new superweapons infused with the sinister “Father Box,” seeking to neutralize Superman with enhanced mech suits and weaponized Kryptonite. The threat grows more acute, as Brainiac’s psychic sabotage disables Sol, pushing Superman closer to isolation and self-doubt while Lana, Lois, and Jimmy hold down scattered fronts. The climax centers on desperate evacuations, as an empowered Ra’s al Ghul promises a reckoning and Superman faces a town that may never truly accept him, even if he saves it.
Writing
Jason Aaron keeps the narrative moving with breakneck urgency, trading slow build-up for immediate immersion. Dialogue snaps with trauma and resolve, grounding even the most operatic moments with colloquial grit, and never losing sight of Smallville’s unique cultural cadence. Scene transitions track the siege’s escalation with tactical precision and zero filler: every conversation and action scene serves the battle’s rapidly tightening noose.
Art
Rafa Sandoval’s compositions pack kinetic energy, balancing widescreen destruction with panels focused on tight facial expressions and claustrophobic bunkers. Colorist Ulises Arreola swings between the sepia tones of Kansas flashbacks and violent, oversaturated reds of warfare, underscoring the emotional volatility. Visual clarity never slips, even amidst minefields, mechs, and literal tunnels: each page is instantly readable and habitually striking.
Character Development
Superman’s rootlessness is on full display, torn between responsibility to the strangers around him and sneering reminders that he’s still seen as an outsider. Lois, Lana, and Jimmy Olsen serve as moral barometers, each wrestling with their own history and guilt. The blend of confession and forgiveness with unresolved tension makes the cast relatable and, occasionally, unpredictable, offering evolutions without easy answers.
Originality & Concept Execution
The siege-of-Smallville concept leverages Kansas culture and history into a narrative far grittier and more personal than standard superhero bombast. Aaron delivers a fresh spin on Superman’s outsider anxieties, mining the premise for social and political commentary while forcing the hero into constant moral and tactical dilemmas. The integration of sci-fi AI and corporate warfare feels both topical and inventive, even if some genre conventions remain comfortably familiar.
Positives
Absolute Superman #13 generates memorable scenes from every corner of its premise: prehistoric Kansas grit, mechs powered by the “Father Box,” and a community broadcasting under siege. The success lies in raw pacing – no wasted panels, no redundant dialogue – with effective use of setting and tension. Lois and Lana’s leadership in crisis, Superman’s tactical maneuvers, and Sandoval’s page layouts drive the emotional and visual stakes to standout heights, fulfilling the criteria for sharp, investment-worthy entertainment.
Negatives
The issue’s relentless pace may leave some readers disoriented, with some character beats and plot twists introduced and resolved almost too quickly. Emotional revelations occasionally skirt genuine reflection in favor of getting back to the battle, and the siege’s complexity can dilute the impact of any single twist, especially for readers unfamiliar with the broader arc or supporting cast. While innovative, some AI and tech elements could feel too convenient, resolving problems with super-science rather than character ingenuity.
The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [4/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]
8/10
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