Superman/Batman Vol 03: Absolute Power

Loeb really pulls it out for this one. What if Superman and Batman weren't raised by the Kents and Alfred, what if they viewed themselves as God and went to rule the world. Here is what happens and how their true selves, the heroes, save the day.

The bad news is that this is not as good as volumes one and two of the Superman/Batman series. There is a considerable dropoff here from what came before it. The good news is that this is still a really good read. It's darker than the "Public Enemies" or "Supergirl" storylines due to the theme, but not drab or dreary by any means. The chemistry between Clark and Bruce is still there in Loeb's writing. The premise here makes for some confusing moments, but nothing too weird. The art is better than just good, though not outright great. Overall, this is still better than most trade paperbacks out there by a long shot. Like volumes one and two, this is fun, fast-paced, and easy to read.

This is the third hardcover edition of the "Batman/Superman" series and I must say that I am not disappointed. It's a great cautionary tale of "What If Supes and Bats ruled the world?" What would the world be like if the Justice League or any other hero were not around to oppose them? In a word: SCARY!! Especially when they've been influenced by "parents" from the future who teach them values like "Obey or Die" and "Be brutal and swift in taking your revenge". The story reveals that some heros are still around to form a resistance and rise up against Supes and Bats. The conflict sends them hurling through time and various realities with the goal of setting things to "The way things ought to be". Supes and Bats finally get to the reaity where they are supposed to be; where all the heroes are alive and well; but the price they pay is that they remember everything they've done (including all of the heroes they've killed throughout time). Great Story. Excellent Art. Looking forward to the next edition.

Absolute Power, the third storyarc from Jeph Loeb's run on Superman/Batman, finds the DC icons in a different light. Through a time traveling sabotage, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne still grow up to become their respective alter-egos, but they take a far less heroic route, and become rulers of the world. It's interesting, seeing how things could have been different if Johnathan and Martha Kent didn't raise young Kal-El to believe in truth, justice, and the American way, and if someone would have been there to tell young Bruce Wayne that his parents' death wasn't his fault. In this alternate world, we see other DC icons, including Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and even Uncle Sam, face off against Superman and Batman, and the surprisingly grisly deaths that Loeb and artist Carlos Pacheco orchestrate are reason enough to check Public Enemies out. There's even cameos from Jonah Hex and a final battle with Ra's Al Ghul, and luckily this arc ends before it's premise wears even thinner. All in all, if you enjoyed Loeb's two previous volumes, this is worth checking out as well.

What would happen if Batman and Superman ruled the world? "Absolute Power" gives us a glimps of what the DC world would be like if 2 of the big 3's lives were altered and they ruled the world with iron fists. But it doesn't end there, what would the DC world be like if Bruce Wayne's parents hadn't died that night in the alley? This terrific hardcover collection weaves a fabulous tale no fan can afford to miss.