Superman: Red and Blue 2025 Special #1 review

When Superman: Red and Blue was a regular series, I didn’t buy it often. I love Superman and his world, but to me it’s a realm of glorious colour. The idea that Superman’s signature hues are blue and red doesn’t actually ring true to me – yellow isn’t as prominent, but it’s vital. The only point of colour restriction is if it’s central to the story, as with Dan Watters and Dani’s lovely tale Human Colors in the first issue, but you can’t do this sort of thing too often.

Superman: Red and Blue was a favourite book of many, though, so here it is, back for a special and, as it’s a particularly barren fifth week, I decided to have a look. The inclusion of a story written by the excellent Dan Abnett had me rather optimistic, so let’s take a look behind Chris Samnee’s nifty cover which, I think, refers to the first story. And that is:

‘Priceless’ sees Superman on an alien world, summoned by Supergirl, who looks to have got herself in trouble.

The price of freedom? A Calid crystal.. part of a living being.

Regeneration or not, I hated Superman using his heat vision on an innocent living creature, and a baby one at that. I also loathed the idea of Supergirl as the 2025 film-style party animal, causing chaos throughout the universe.

Happily, Dini has a surprise in store.

One good thing here is that Dini shows Superman struggling to achieve his aims, something rare in his adventures. Plus, he gives us a theme without overworking it.

I rather like Andolfo’s Superman, and the art overall, but his loosey-goosey Supergirl isn’t to my taste – that nose!

Overall, not a bad story to kick off the issue.

Superman has a very busy day, leaving little time to spend time with Lois or in his life as Clark. Walsh’s art is lovely, and he does a great job laying out the demands on Superman’s time.

While we see Mr and Mrs Superman have a great relationship, this tale left me feeling a tad sad.

The Man of Steel saves a Canadian hamlet from antagonistic extraterrestrials and a plucky young reporter persuades him to grant an interview.

Her name’s Ellie Hollins – double-L x 2, of course he’s going to be up for a chat – and she gets her exclusive. And that’s the story. It’s nicely told, Abnett’s script is naturalistic, and Yarsky’s visual storytelling is top-notch – I like such details as Peekaboo Kid and the curious diners – but there’s nothing novel here. The script uses colour by having Superman be the most visually vibrant character in the sequence – no one else has a touch of red – but the conceit would have worked better had our hero been in his full pomp.

The final story brings us back to a Daily Planet in which Lois beavers away while her husband gets down to some serious Supermannery. Having left his reminder-filled smartwatch at the office, Clark forgets his anniversary is the following day, but after a 24-hour adventure with Batman, he teams up with his wife.

It’s great that, as in All the Time in the World, Planet editor Lois is cool, rather than irritated, that her husband is just a part-time newshound, and good to be reminded that when he does have a chance he’s as able a reporter as his lauded wife.

Rowell and Tormey’s story is simply but superbly presented, it’s never less than entertaining. I particularly enjoyed Tormey’s storytelling, there’s one page that’s especially inventive in its construction – maybe that was in Rowell’s script, so let’s have a ‘well done’ all round.

I enjoyed this comic, the art was pretty decent, the scripts were diverting… but nothing knocked my socks off. The red and blue gimmick was barely used, and none of the stories saw Superman in particular danger – supervillain battles were absent. The ‘Special’ felt like inventory, back-ups waiting for a home. Colour me disappointed.