Warning! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Superman #1!DC Comics' newest Superman has officially debuted and ing him in the dark Absolute Universe is a brand-new J.A.R.V.I.S.-like assistant. This new Man of Steel doesn't have much to remind him of his home planet, except for an AI that wants nothing more than to keep him safe.

But Absolute Superman isn't alone as he's got a companion determined to help him survive this world.

Absolute Superman is ed by Sol, an Artificial Intelligence

Absolute Superman's New Costume Comes with a Partner

In Absolute Superman #1 by Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Ulises Arreola, and Becca Carey, a corporate entity known as the Lazarus Corporation has seized control of a mine in Brazil and is exploiting the local population to get the mine's resources. However, unbeknownst to Lazarus' guards, the Peacemakers, an alien known as Kal-El has taken to living in the area and labors in secret to ease the workers' burden. Though Superman is welcomed by the locals, he remains distant to keep them and himself safe.

Don't miss DC All In Special #1 (2024) to see how the Absolute Universe was created!

The Peacemakers wise up to what's going on and storm the workers' camp, looking for Kal-El. Kal-El is in a small dwelling and is woken up by a voice coming from within his costume. Superman springs into action against the Peacemakers while the voice provides commentary and insights to Kal-El. The voice belongs to an artificial intelligence within Superman's costume and is known as Sol. Not only does Sol advise Kal-El on battle techniques and keep him abreast of his energy levels, Sol also tries to convince Superman to flee for his own good.

...Sol reveals its true mission: to safeguard the last member of the House of El.

However, Superman defies Sol and keeps fighting the Peacemakers, only for Lazarus to send its elite guard, the Phenomena Field Team, to apprehend Kal-El. Superman unleashes his heat vision on the soldiers as Sol reveals its true mission: to safeguard the last member of the House of El. Sol reminds Superman that some worlds cannot be saved, especially by their own people. Unfortunately, Superman doesn't take Sol's advice to run seriously until it's too late and Kal-El is taken by Agent Lois Lane.

Sol is Here to Protect Absolute Superman, But at What Cost?

Is Kal-El's New Partner Truly Helpful?

Unlike the Prime Universe Superman, who came to Earth as a baby and was adopted by the Kents, this version of the Man of Steel was a full-grown adult when he arrived. This Superman is far more connected to his Kryptonian heritage than most other variants, and that's no doubt due to the influence of Sol, who's there to remind Kal-El about where he came from and the dangers that ultimately dragged Krypton down. While Sol is a highly-intelligent program, its preoccupation with Superman's safety could ultimately be doing more harm than good.

Of course, Sol really comes in hand when analyzing the fight Kal-El gets into and helps him combat the Peacemakers. But Sol's outlook is wildly pessimistic and is doing its best to make sure Kal-El only thinks about himself and not others. Thankfully, Superman's true spirit can be seen during the fight as he tells Sol he's responsible for the safety of the exploited workers. But towards the end, it appears that Kal-El is starting to take Sol's advice seriously, which only serves to kill the hope that Superman needs to bring to the Absolute Universe.

...Sol's outlook is wildly pessimistic and is doing its best to make sure Kal-El only thinks about himself and not others.

Thanks to Darkseid's energy permeating through the world, the Absolute Universe is a dark world and hope needs to be encouraged, not downplayed. Granted, Sol was created to make sure that Kal-El is safe (undoubtedly a gift from his parents to protect him in their absence). But Superman isn't the one who needs protection in this world. It's people like the workers suffering at the hands of Lazarus Corporation that need to be protected. Sol may just be doing its job, but if Superman wants to truly help, he's going to have to go against his new partner.

Sol Will Help Absolute Superman Grow into a True Hero

Kal-El Will Come to Understand His Purpose

Right now, Superman is alone and unsure of himself. It's understandable that Sol would have some influence, given that this Kal-El saw Krypton's destruction firsthand. However, there's already a spark of the real Superman deep inside this Absolute variant. As much as Sol wishes to keep Kal-El safe, Superman knows that someone like him has the ability to save people and prevent what happened on Krypton from happening again. Despite this AI's best intentions, Absolute Superman is going to have to outgrow Sol to become the hero he's destined to be.

Absolute Superman #1 is available now from DC Comics.