{"id":28206,"date":"2013-12-09T03:00:18","date_gmt":"2013-12-09T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=28206"},"modified":"2013-12-09T03:32:24","modified_gmt":"2013-12-09T11:32:24","slug":"superman-red-son-soviet-version-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2013\/12\/superman-red-son-soviet-version-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The Soviet Superman: Red Son"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"superman\"<\/a>If you’ve ever sat around thinking, “What if Superman was a communist?”\u00a0 (Who hasn’t, right?) Well, wonder no more. The answer was masterfully provided in Superman: Red Son<\/em><\/a> written by famed comic book writer and member of the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, Mark Millar.<\/p>\n

The specific comic book in question was a mini-series (3 issues) published by DC Comics in 2003 and is a true gem of comic art. For this mini-series, Millar came up with a unique and brilliant concept. In his own words,<\/p>\n

Instead of landing in Kansas as a child, I’ve decided to explore what could have happened if his rocket would have landed on a collective farm in the Soviet Union. Instead of working for the Daily Planet, he’ll be a reporter for Pravda. There’s a reversal of the current situation, this time it’s the U.S.A. that’s splitting up with Georgia and Louisiana demanding independence – tanks rolling through the streets of New Orleans. I’ll be including a whole bunch of DC characters, like Batman and Green Lantern – who you’ll see in a new light.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What inspired Millar to write such a version of Superman\u2019s history?<\/p>\n

Red Son is based on a thought that flitted through my head when I read Superman #300 as a six year old. It was an imaginary story where Superman’s rocket landed in neutral waters between the USA and the USSR and both sides were rushing to claim the baby. As a kid growing up in the shadow of the Cold War, the notion of what might have happened if the Soviets had reached him first just seemed fascinating to me. As I got older, I started putting everything together and I first pitched something to DC when I was thirteen, I think – although it was in a much cruder form, of course, and my drawings weren’t quite up to scratch.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With time and a lot of hard work, Millar gained significant experience , which allowed him to, after a decade in the business, finally publish Superman: Red Son<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Reading the comic book today, one can tell that Millar never varied (significantly) from his original idea for the story. In the story, Superman indeed lands in the Ukraine and not in Kansas.\u00a0 He was raised as a proud Soviet, who was taught to love and serve the communist principals of the Soviet Union, but he\u2019s still the same compassionate, fair, courageous and fearless superhero who loves humanity more than anything. He still obeys his super hearing and responds to every call for help. His favorite \u201chabit\u201d remains saving lives.<\/p>\n

Despite the similarities, however, there are significant differences that can\u2019t go unnoticed.\u00a0 For example, he is not the geeky journalist that we expect him to be. Instead, he becomes a high ranking officer of the Communist Army. His identity is not simply a private secret he hides, but a state secret that the government of\u00a0his country helps him hide. His uniform doesn\u2019t carry the popular Superman shield and, instead, carries the symbol of the communist Soviet Union: The hammer and sickle<\/a>. Superman is not fighting for \u201ctruth, justice, and the American Way” and, instead, is \u201cthe champion of the common worker who fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, socialism and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.”<\/p>\n

Indeed, at a certain point during the story, Superman becomes\u00a0 the undisputed leader of the Soviet Union and then the world.<\/p>\n

Another relevant difference is Lois Luthor -yes Luthor- the first lady of the United States, married to Lex Luthor, who is still an amoral genius and remains Superman\u2019s #1 enemy.<\/p>\n

As for the end of the story? I recommend you read it<\/a> because it’s fantastic.\u00a0 But if you just want the gist of it instead of hours of entertainment, major spoiler alert ahead.<\/p>\n

Briefly, eventually Superman realizes his world conquest is wrong and tries to turn back, but is attacked by one he thought was his ally.\u00a0 This supervillain is defeated by Luthor.\u00a0 In the meantime,\u00a0 Superman ends up saving the world by taking said supervillain’s ship, which is powered by singularities that are about to collapse, out into space where the singularities do, indeed, collapse.\u00a0 At this point, it would seem Superman is dead.<\/p>\n

Luthor takes back over creating a world-wide United States and our planet is at peace.\u00a0 Thanks to medical advancements, Luthor is able to live for many centuries.\u00a0 When he does die, Superman in the guise of a more traditional Clark Kent attends Luthor’s funeral.<\/p>\n

Here’s the twist.\u00a0 Fast-forward billions of years and the Earth is being destroyed by the Sun in its Red Giant phase.\u00a0 That’s when one of Lex Luthor’s descendents, Jor-L, puts his son in a rocket.\u00a0 After his journey, his son, Kal-L, ends up landing in the Ukraine in 1938.<\/p>\n

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, Google Play Music<\/a>, Feed<\/a>), as well as:<\/p>\n