520 books
—
876 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Superman/Batman, Vol. 3: Absolute Power” as Want to Read:
Superman/Batman, Vol. 3: Absolute Power
(Superman/Batman: Edizioni Italiana #3)
by
A new softcover collecting the blockbuster story "Absolute Power," originally presented in SUPERMAN/BATMAN #14-18! In this reality-bending tale, Superman and Batman rule Earth with an iron fist. Before long, the World's Finest Duo is sent careening through a series of bizarre alternate earths, facing an assortment of classic DC characters including Kamandi, Sgt. Rock, Haun
...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
November 8th 2006
by DC Comics
(first published December 31st 2004)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Superman/Batman, Vol. 3,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Superman/Batman, Vol. 3
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Superman/Batman, Vol. 3: Absolute Power
It stared off strong, so I thought I would really end up liking it. Sadly, not so much. I usually enjoy the Superman/Batman graphic novels, but this one just didn't do it for me.
Shockingly this story revolves around a 'what if' time-travel plot. Naturally, because it's DC, it disintegrates into Crazy-Land.
To ...more
Shockingly this story revolves around a 'what if' time-travel plot. Naturally, because it's DC, it disintegrates into Crazy-Land.
To ...more
2 1/2
I thought the story had a lot more promise than what it actually ended up being. I didn't like some of the premises/psychological implications of certain aspects of the story - i.e. (view spoiler) ...more
I thought the story had a lot more promise than what it actually ended up being. I didn't like some of the premises/psychological implications of certain aspects of the story - i.e. (view spoiler) ...more
Jeph Loeb's third arc on Superman/Batman is ambitious but not anywhere near as good -- still not bad, though -- as his previous two efforts. It's a world that shows us several alternate timelines where changes in events have lead our heroes on different life paths, but some of them are just... ludicrous. Cowboys and indians. Planet of the Apes. Etc. I can't see monkeys taking over the earth just because Bruce's parents weren't shot in an alley... Anyway. There are some puppet masters behind the
...more
Great premise, awful depiction.
Three beings from the future, jump back in time to kidnap Batman and Superman as children to raise them as their own. Sounds fucking ridiculous and you'd be right.
It only get's worse, but it has it's moments. I get the feeling this must be linked to a DC event? Infinite Crisis? I'm not sure as i've not read it, but there was the old Superman from the future in it, like the Supes from Kingdom come.
Overall a complete mess and to be avoided. ...more
Three beings from the future, jump back in time to kidnap Batman and Superman as children to raise them as their own. Sounds fucking ridiculous and you'd be right.
It only get's worse, but it has it's moments. I get the feeling this must be linked to a DC event? Infinite Crisis? I'm not sure as i've not read it, but there was the old Superman from the future in it, like the Supes from Kingdom come.
Overall a complete mess and to be avoided. ...more
Superman and Batman as supreme rulers of the Earth! Heroes dead and buried! Could this be true? Apparently so, because of some time travel shenanigans by a trio of villains from the future. Now I don't know if it's the novel idea (to me, at least) of seeing the DCU's top 2 male heroes in such roles and the alternate-reality around it, Carlos Pacheco's incredible art, or something else I can't put my finger on, but this book - far from being the best thing I've read - was actually a lot of fun to
...more
I have no idea what just happened.
everything seemed too easy and simple and fast; without proper story.
There should be more than five stars. This is at least an eight-star book. It is very nearly a perfect tour through the greater DC universe, and at high-speed, with alternate time lines, angst and grief, and a solid Superman-Batman team.
Jun 27, 2010
Jerry Daniels
rated it
liked it
Recommended to Jerry by:
jerry_daniels_jr@hotmail.com
Shelves:
books-with-reviews,
graphic-novels
In this graphic novel from DC Comics, one of a number featuring the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel, Superman and Batman fight with their respective foes, Darkseid and Ra's Al Gul, as well as three futuristic villains to restore the time line. The graphic novel also features other DC Comics super heroes who wind up at odds with the law in the alternative time line. One of them, Wonder Woman, tries to get Superman to remember.
Not a bad story. It just took a while before one could realize who ...more
Not a bad story. It just took a while before one could realize who ...more
So far the best of the Superman/Batman series. Really shows how close of a bond there is between Batman and Superman as well as what causes this bond. The story showcases how important the pair is to Earth as well as time itself. Also shows various connections to past comics such as "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" and "Kingdom Comes". I giggled slightly because I have recently read these two before reading Absolute Power and it just made it that much better. Overall, definitely worth
...more
Some of the Legions of Superheroes (or their villains... I confess to not knowing anything about the 30th century) travel back in time to raise Batman and Superman. Their plan goes awry, and our heroes get shunted through different dimensions revealing different bits of the DC Universe.
While I love time travel, it gets far too confusing after the third issue.
Carlos Pacheco's art is just great. ...more
While I love time travel, it gets far too confusing after the third issue.
Carlos Pacheco's art is just great. ...more
I didn't enjoy this at all. Its a basic what-if time travel story that isn't very exciting because it all goes back to normal or whatever. Or they are haunted. In my opinion, not very interesting.
...more
Weee alternate universes that all blur into an incomprehensible mess.
So the first page went on with the usual monologue about the kid who witnessed his parents murder in some dark ally and the baby arriving at earth in a small space capsule. After reading hundreds of Batman and Superman comics, you can't help but say: come on, people, does every new writer have to lead with that outdated shit? I was mistaken to say that, however (this time, anyway), for today, this introduction was serving a very different purpose.
As it turned out, a group of time-travelers from ...more
As it turned out, a group of time-travelers from ...more
The trigger events in the life of Clark Kent (Superman) and Bruce Wayne (Batman) were when baby Kal-el landed on Earth and was found by the Kent’s and when Bruce’s parents were murdered in front of him. They were the triggers for their lives being devoted to the fight against crime and injustice. In this graphic novel, powerful people from the future travel back to those moments in time and dramatically alter the lives of Clark and Bruce. They grow up as brothers and in their roles as Superman
...more
This “what if?” story begins with an interesting premise: what if Superman and Batman ended up being dictators instead of heroes? We might imagine something like a cross between Man in the High Castle and the alt-Superman Red Son. Instead, the story avoids explaining how S/B dictatorship came to be, why Batman is considered a powerful hero (and not Wonder Woman) to recast as villain, and why we’re suddenly mucking around with time travel, with no logic at all! while avoiding political themes. Th
...more
One of the more memorable storylines for me concerning alternate realities. Cosmic King, Saturn Queen, and Lightning Lord hatch a daring plan to rule the world - travel back in time, kill the Kents just as Superman's rocket crashes and slay the killer who just killed Bruce's parents. Thus Superman and Batman rule the world with the harsh edict - Obey or Die. When heroes rise up and force them to realize that this is all wrong, things get worse. Both Clark and Bruce witness other realities, ones
...more
A fun addition to the Superman/Batman run by Joeph Loeb. Not a character defining story for the ages, but a cool concept made better by Carlos Pacheco's illustration, that gives a serious, and high stake vibe to this story. Not essencial, but pretty fun arc.
...more
This trade collects Superman/Batman (2003) issues #14-18.
Brave visionaries have risked much to go back set the world on it's proper path. One governed by the only beings fit to rule - Superman and Batman. Absolute Power has a wonderful premise and does some great things with it. The new status quo, reasons behind it and the twist it gives to the dual internal narrations Loeb established in the first two volumes are all very compelling and well done. It also ends strongly, building in the last tw ...more
Brave visionaries have risked much to go back set the world on it's proper path. One governed by the only beings fit to rule - Superman and Batman. Absolute Power has a wonderful premise and does some great things with it. The new status quo, reasons behind it and the twist it gives to the dual internal narrations Loeb established in the first two volumes are all very compelling and well done. It also ends strongly, building in the last tw ...more
Although it had an interesting premise and wasn't a bad read as far as the standard time-travel-causing-alternate-histories goes, but I wish the art could've been much better, and the credibility of how much of an extent that Supes and Bats basic decency and innate heroism could've been changed just based on the circumstances of how and by whom they were raised sort of strained it a bit for me (which was also my sticking point with the whole "Flashpoint" story-- as good as it was in some ways, I
...more
The World's Finest duo become the world's deadliest in this third collection of the Superman/Batman title. A trio of villains from the 31st century decide that the best way to shape their future is by altering the past. Going back to a Kansas space landing and a fateful Gotham alley, Saturn Queen, Cosmic King, and Lightning Lord decide to adopt Kal-El and Bruce Wayne as their own children. Murdering other potential heroes before their time, the trio succeed in molding Batman and Superman into al
...more
A really interesting look at how things might have been if Superman and Batman were taken away from their Earth parents and raised by a trio of time-traveling "superheroes" to become the absolute rulers of Earth. It also talks about the consequences of trying to alter a timeline, and reminds us of how easy it would be for these two to "turn to the dark side," as it were. So much hinges on Superman's adoption and Batman's loss...it's rather heartbreaking. Fans of this duo may also really enjoy th
...more
This was a disappointing story, as although I didn't expect Jeph Loeb to keep the level of quality of the previous volumes forever, I never expected the quality to drop this far. Now before I go any further the story isn't terrible, as it was very interesting, with a brilliant concept. At the same time I don't think the concept was executed right, as it just didn't feel right to me, feeling too false and a bit forced. Loeb did however do a good job of keeping the suspense and drama up in the sto
...more
I am usually a big fan of alternate universes but this one, or series of them, mostly made me sad. It's been too long since I read the first volume, I can't recall the issue with the old Superman, but I'm glad things got cleared up for him. Overall the story was okay but it didn't really hold my interest. If I wasn't reading it as a graphic novel from the library I might not have bothered to get the issues because the characters weren't quite right (as to be expected in an AU) and not in a way I
...more
Basically, this is an Elseworlds story in which Superman (before the Kents find him) and Batman (from the Crime Alley right after his parents are killed) are taken by some villains from the future and raised as absolute rulers of Earth. Unlike other DC's Elseworlds stories, this one is set in the canon comics continuity. The art is great, but I found the story itself not very interesting.
If you're interested in more Elseworlds stories where Superman isn't raised by the Kents, I recommend 'Super ...more
If you're interested in more Elseworlds stories where Superman isn't raised by the Kents, I recommend 'Super ...more
This graphic novel was a little bit different, at least to me, because it explored the concept of nature vs. nurture in superheroes. Essentially the story revolves around the concept of Both Batman and Superman being raised as brothers from children by a couple of time travelers. While it sounds cheesy the plot is excellent in the way it displays the character of both superheroes as iron clad. They’d choose to do what is right no matter what, which in this case involves sacrificing their own hap
...more
Jeph Loeb has always had really big ideas when it came to comics. Here he offers many different "Elseworlds" where we get to see what would happen if certain events never happened. While the story doesn't actually have any ramifications it was fun to follow. As enjoyable as the story was, the art by Carlos Pacheco, was incredible. I have always been a big fan of his and this reads like the DC version of his work in Avengers Forever. Overall, while the story itself is clichéd, the book was a good
...more
Time paradox
Think " what if " certain key points in your life that you knew that because of it, you are the person you are today. But what if you could change at least one if them, how would your life be different? And would you change it if it bettered your situation? But you do you would be someone different.
This story grabs all previous books and finishes it with a great ending. Thought I would not like it, but amazingly I did. The illustrations were not of my taste, but it did the job. ...more
Think " what if " certain key points in your life that you knew that because of it, you are the person you are today. But what if you could change at least one if them, how would your life be different? And would you change it if it bettered your situation? But you do you would be someone different.
This story grabs all previous books and finishes it with a great ending. Thought I would not like it, but amazingly I did. The illustrations were not of my taste, but it did the job. ...more
superman and batman go back in time and change an significant event then in the future the whole world has been changed and the ruler darkseid (an enemy of superman) has control of the world.
i would compare this book to, the girl who owned the city because they both obvoiusly "owned something." i would rate this book 5 stars because it is a book of classic heroes and action i would recomend this book to comic book lovers and others who love action. ...more
i would compare this book to, the girl who owned the city because they both obvoiusly "owned something." i would rate this book 5 stars because it is a book of classic heroes and action i would recomend this book to comic book lovers and others who love action. ...more
I wasn't really a fan of this one. It didn't grab me in the same way that Batman/Superman crossovers typically do. I felt that the story was weak and could have been a lot better. I found the story quite boring for the most part and I really didn't care what was going to happen to any of the characters, including Batman, who I typically love. I hope the next volume in this graphic novel series will be better.
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an Emmy and WGA nominated American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a Co-Executive Producer on the NBC hit show Heroes, and formerly a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost.
A four-time Eisner Award winner and five-time Wizard Fan Awards winner (see below), Loeb's comic book career includes work on many major ...more
A four-time Eisner Award winner and five-time Wizard Fan Awards winner (see below), Loeb's comic book career includes work on many major ...more
Other books in the series
Superman/Batman: Edizioni Italiana
(10 books)
Related Articles
Author and illustrator Alice Oseman is known to her long-time fans for her young adult novels about—as she calls them—"teenage disasters,"...
318 likes · 23 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
