I just read Absolute Superman #21 (released 7/22/26). This one picks up right where the last issue left off, with Superman taking the fight against King Shazam to the Moon. He’s carrying John Henry Irons’ hammer and Hawkman’s mace, and the issue serves as the big finale of the “Reign of the Superman” arc (titled Moonfall).
The Setup
On the way up, Superman is talking with Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, giving them a list of things to handle if something happens to him. It’s a nice character beat — a list of smaller, quieter good deeds like helping a blind woman with her garden, delivering medicine, feeding stray dogs, and cleaning up trash in the ocean. It grounds him even as the scale of the fight is about to get enormous.
Meanwhile on Earth, Lois is dealing with Talia al Ghul (who has broken free), and Absolute Hawkman makes a brief appearance before disappearing with what looks like the Father Box.
Highlights
The moon fight is the clear centerpiece of the issue, and the visuals are strong. Superman’s red and blue contrast nicely against King Shazam’s black and yellow lightning. The action is big and constant — tornadoes on the Moon, massive hits, and a back-and-forth that keeps escalating.
At one point King Shazam powers up into a more armored form that has a medieval/Sauron-like feel (black and gold with a sharp crown and mask). He takes Absolute Hawkman’s mace and smashes Superman straight through the Moon. It’s one of the bigger visual moments in the series so far.
Superman spends a good portion of the fight trying to get through to Shazam rather than simply trying to finish him. He’s still attempting to reach the person underneath the power, even while getting beaten down. That tracks with who this version of Superman has been mostly throughout the run. He really wouldn’t be Superman otherwise, but I think this is an aspect I would have liked to see more struggle with as part of the ‘Absolute’ title.
If there’s one complaint I have with this issue specifically, it’s that some of the fight panels get a little hard to follow. There’s so much movement and action packed into the pages that a few sequences take an extra second to parse. It’s not a deal-breaker, especially since the overall energy is high, but it does slow the reading in a couple of spots.
The resolution of the fight involves Absolute Hawkman in a key way, and the issue does a nice job of wrapping up this particular conflict while clearly setting up the next phase (Brainiac looks to be next, and there’s a possible Doomsday reference as well).
On the supporting cast side, Jimmy Olsen steps up in a meaningful way helping Lois, and it looks like he’s leaving the Daily Planet. Lois appears to be heading toward a job at the Smallville Gazette. Those character beats give the issue some quieter texture alongside all the cosmic-scale fighting.
Final Verdict
Absolute Superman #21 is a solid, action-heavy finale to the Reign of the Superman arc. The Moon fight delivers the big moments and strong visuals you’d hope for, even if a few panels get a bit messy with how much is happening. Superman’s refusal to simply destroy King Shazam fits the character work the series has been doing, and the supporting cast gets a few meaningful beats as well.
It feels like a proper close to this chapter while opening multiple doors to what may come next. Another strong, action oriented, entry in what continues to be a very good Absolute title.
What did you think of the Moon fight and the way they wrapped up the King Shazam conflict? Tag me on X @NostalgicNestEg!
Originally posted as a thread on X — check out the original conversation here:
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