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All-Star Superman #3 [Review]

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Great
Title: Sweet Dreams, Superwoman…

Having been given Superman’s powers for a day, Lois makes the most of it–inserting herself firmly into a lifestyle she’s been stuck watching from the outside for far too long…

allstarsuperman003Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Frank Quitely
Digitally Inked & Colored by: Jamie Grant
Letters: Phil Balsman
Asst. Editor: Brandon Montclare
Editor: Bob Schreck
Cover Art: Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant
Publisher: DC Comics

Several days ago, I watched the first new episode of House in three weeks. It’s a show that I enjoy, and so waiting several times the usual time between installments wasn’t my choice, but watching the episode made me realize that sure, had a couple weeks without the show–but that just made it that much better when the new episode came out. And that’s what this title feels like. It’s that show that you enjoy, but there’s quite awhile between issues…but when you get each issue it’s well worth the time in-between…and you can look back and be a bit surprised at how fast that time’s passed. This is already issue 3, and it feels like the series just started a couple months ago.

You don’t really need to know much coming into this issue. Morrison gives you what you need contextually as you go along. Having read the first couple issues, one will pick up a few subtle bits that enhance the story.

The story here–Superman giving Lois a serum that will grant her all of his super-powers for a day (a gift for her birthday, no less)–is at once silly and farfetched. But darned if it doesn’t actually work. This reminds me quite a bit of the type of story found in some of the old silver age Superman books, and yet it’s got a lot more depth and well…story to it.

We’re introduced to Samson and Atlas here–a couple of "rivals" to Superman–and get the feeling that this is by no means the first time they’ve crossed paths. This is only the third issue of this series, of this "take" on the character…and yet this sense of history adds to a feeling this version of Superman very certainly differs from the regular DCU character but has just as rich a background and all that.

Quitely‘s art is impressive, to be sure–there’s just a "feeling" he conveys throughout the issue. The imagery is on the surface a bit simplistic–certainly nothing hyper-detailed. And yet there’s enough detail to see the annoyance in Superman’s face or the excitement or playfulness in Lois’. The style lends itself to the story very well, having a sort of simplicity of older stories in appearance, but an attitude rooted in the present.

Putting the story and art together, we have yet another very strong issue of this new title.

You don’t need to have read #s 1 or 2 to "get" and enjoy this issue. Though elements are beginning to build a bit, you get an entire story here in this one issue. You get a timeless episode in the life of a Superman that isn’t silver age, isn’t modern-day mainstream DCU, but that takes the best of both and shows him in this title.

If you’ve never cared for the character or didn’t "get" the character, or just felt put off by the continuity and other such…this is the title for you. Superman doesn’t get much better than this.

Ratings:

Story: 4.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Filed under: All-Star Superman, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Misc. | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

All-Star Superman #2 [Review]

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Superman’s Forbidden Room

Wondering what the punchline is, Lois plays along with Superman’s sudden claim to being Clark Kent, as he takes her for a visit to his Fortress of Solitude.

allstarsuperman002Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Frank Quitely
Digitally Inked & Colored by: Jamie Grant
Letters: Phil Balsman
Asst. Editor: Brandon Montclare
Editor: Bob Schreck
Cover Art: Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant
Publisher: DC Comics

Some time has passed since the end of the previous issue, where we left Superman telling Lois that he had something to tell her. This issue opens with her taking the revelation of Superman and Clark being one-and-the-same in stride. In fact, after spending years trying to prove that fact, and constantly being proven wrong, Lois assumes there’s some punch line she’s not quite getting–that Superman’s playing some trick on her, so she determines to cautiously play along. When he gives her free reign over his fortress except for one specific room, she grows suspicious, and wonders at what other changes Superman’s visit to the sun (last issue) may have had on him.

Quitely‘s art here is top-notch. Certainly a change in style from other interpretations of Superman recently–this is no Jim Lee, Dan Jurgens, or John Byrne art. This Superman is not all rippling/bulging muscles, nor is he some scrawny guy in a costume. He’s just a normal, average-looking man in a costume with super-powers. For lack of better phrasing, I’d describe it as a "simpler" tone. The art is focused on serving the story, conveying the visual imagery to go along with the story, rather than trying to be so detailed as to speak for the text. The only sequence that I’d take issue with is a rather graphic–"PG-13" level, perhaps–sequence as Lois reflects on things as she showers and changes.

Morrison again leaves us with a quality Superman story that combines a bit of the "silver age" feel of the characters with contemporary sensibilities. The new key to the Fortress is just one randomly amusing part to the issue. The opening page re-casts the feel of a movie, and the issue’s credits are given in movie style layout, further lending the feel of this being some Superman movie (or at the least, tv show).

While I would not be thrilled with this being the only available ongoing interpretation of Superman, this second issue certainly continues the quality of the first issue, and leaves no doubt that this is truly an "All-Star" book. If you don’t care about–or are actively avoiding–Infinite Crisis; if you have never read Superman before this series; if you don’t care about years-deep continuity, and so on…this is certainly the book for you.

This is only the second issue–the first should still be fairly easy to track down. I’d highly recommend checking this series out. You can even get away with just reading this issue without the previous–a subplot carries over, but this issue stands well by itself. Definitely recommended-reading!

Ratings:

Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Filed under: All-Star Superman, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Misc. | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

52 Week #10 [Review]

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Walt

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Stop the Press

Black Adam’s conference is interrupted, Clark Kent is on Perry White’s bad side, a new superhero shows up, Booster’s ticked off at events unfolding contrary to Skeets’ historical records, while Will Magnus and Professor Morrow converse…

52week10Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
Art Breakdowns: Keith Giffen
Pencils: Chris Batista
Inks: Jimmy Palmiotti & Jack Jadson
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Assitant Editors: Jann Jones & Harvey Richards
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: J.G. Jones & Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC Comics

This series seems to be hit or miss for a lot of people, and while many seem to be losing interest entirely, that’s definitely not the case with me. Things are taking awhile to develop, and the overall story seems to be moving pretty slowly…but overall, I’m liking things pretty much as they are–though if we get in deep, I can find plenty of faults.

This is the tenth issue–and tenth week–of this series. For as slow as things seem to be, enough has happened already that I believe I would just have to dig out the previous issues to make sure I could list ’em all, if I were to attempt to do get into that. At the same time, as far as "big" or "major" stuff…not so much.

But that’s part of the fun of this title–and why I’m enjoying it so far. While it’s just over three times the price of a regular issue, it’s roughly four times the size of a regular issue. And rather than get a chunk of story and have to wait 4-X? weeks for another chapter, we get a new chapter each week. Despite the old/tired comparison…it’s really like following a tv show with a large cast, where there are characters you love and hate, and even when you’re most interested in a certain character, they may not even show up in a given episode, and then be the focus of another episode, or anything in-between.

This issue takes us back to Black Adam, who has gathered together Kahndaq’s allies. While he speaks to them, he is intrrupted by a woman who slipped past guards–a woman who disagrees very much with Adam’s gathering of allies, apparently to rival the U.S.

Meanwhile, Clark Kent has made Perry’s list, and not in a good way, prompting Clark to take some rather drastic action–quite at risk to himself–to re-prove himself to the editor (and possibly begin the setup for where things were at the start of the recently-concluded Up, Up and Away! arc). This ties into what looks to be a developing arc on a new superhero: Supernova–a character I am as much in the dark about as the characters themselves.

Booster Gold is understandably frustrated, as his plans from recent weeks have completely fallen apart on him, and events around him unfold very differently from what he expected. In fact, Skeets doesn’t even have record of certain events, which leads to some curiosity as to their place in all this.

Finally, Magnus and Morrow discuss a recent development, leaving me ready and interested in the next issue.
My favorite part of this issue is the segments devoted to Clark and Perry, and Clark’s developing status-quo in this pre-One-Year-Later world. Reading the issue after this week’s Superman issue felt like a real treat: an extra helping of Clark.

Though I know virtually nothing of the characters–and other than them being part of any large-scale stories/crossovers, I don’t think I’ve read anything with them before this series–I find myself looking forward to whatever it is that’s developing, that Magnus and Morrow are finding themselves involved in.

The story overall is good, though the further into this series we get, the more "continuity-heavy" it seems to be growing. We already know the basic outcome, as we’re into the 5th month of books that take place after this series, so some of that initial "wow, what happened in the missing year?!?" factor has worn off. Of course, that means that the story is going to have to carry itself all the more, and really be a story in and of itself, and not just "hey, this happened during the ‘missing year’!"

Not much to say about the art…it doesn’t blow me away, by any means…but it serves the story, and clearly at that. It’s not bad by any means…just fits the story, gets the job done, and elicits no real complaints from me.

The largest hurdle I see to this issue is really the price–that is, collectively for this series, given the weekly nature.

If you’ve been following these, though…I would argue that it’s worth keeping with the series. We’re about 1/5th into it, and I suspect due for some decent payoff in the near future.

And if you’ve been enjoying the recent Superman stuff, you may want to check in on this issue, for the segment with Clark, pre-One Year Later.

History of the DCU
Writer/Layouts: Dan Jurgens
Finishes: Andy Lanning
Letters: Nick J. Napolitano
Colors: Jeromy Cox & Guy Major
Editors: Berganza, Cohen and Schaefer

What can I say about this? This backup feature–which, as recently as two and a half months ago, I was really looking forward to–is an absolute disappointment.

So far, it seems like it would have been FAR more appropriate to serve as its own special issue, perhaps a 52 # 0 or prelude. This 9th chapter basically brings us up to last September (2005) heading into the actual Infinite Crisis series. As far as I can tell, we’ve learned nothing "new" about the New Earth that resulted from that series.

A better "bonus" to these issues would be to save an extra twenty-five cents and cap the issue off with the main story at an even lower cover price…

Ratings:

Story: 4/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Filed under: 52, Classic Reviews, DC, DC Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Superman: Secret Origin #4 [Review]

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Walt

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Covers: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson
Asst. Editor: Wil Moss
Edior: Matt Idelson

Lex Luthor has a lottery. Each day, he’ll pick one person from the assembled crowd outside his building, and attempt to make their dreams come true, putting his expansive resources to full use. The latest “winner,” Rudy Jones, has already been shown to be a bit of a parasite, leeching off those around him. Thanks to his disgusting disregard for things better left to common sense, he finds himself victim of a chemical spill that transforms him into the being that will become known as The Parasite. Amidst this, Luthor has summoned Lois and Clark to question them about the “flying man” spotted around Metropolis. As The Parasite’s threat escalates, Clark bows out and the “flying man” returns, saving many and yet winding up looking questionable to the city as Luthor hurls accusations at him. When he takes some time for himself atop the Daily Planet building, he finds he’s not alone–young Jimmy Olsen is there, saying goodbye to the city he’s failed to become a part of…not realizing what an important friendship he’s about to enter into with another necomer to the city…and reaps the reward of taking a chance and asking a favor.

There’s something that’s lost by this being an origin tale in years-old continuity where much has already been questioned. We’ve already seen much of the change this origin would essentially set up, losing any real discovery, revelation, or chance to follow a huge, unfolding story. While Byrne‘s Man of Steel significantly altered the details of Superman’s beginnings in the mid 1980s, it was also the opening chapter, the actual foundation, of the official Superman story. This series, while altering the details of Superman’s beginnings yet again, feels like more of a plug-up-the-holes sort of thing than a foundation.

This issue doesn’t feel quite like the earlier issues. We have some origin-like stuff in terms of The Parasite, but there’s not much character development. Parasite’s an unlikable, uninteresting character to me–rather two-dimensional, really–and seems to serve little more here than plot device to give Superman something to fight, to punch…and to be more directly “outed” as existing to the public of Metropolis.

The art by Gary Frank, of course, is stellar…on the whole, I really enjoy his art, and it brings a great look to this series and this issue. My primary gripe is the seemingly obvious use of Christopher Reeve as a “model” for this depiction of Clark/Superman…there are panels–such as on page 7 where Clark suggests to Perry’s question of the man actually flying “Um, up, up and–away”–where the imagery just SCREAMS Christopher Reeve. On the one hand, a fitting tribute, and acknowledgment of the man’s legacy and impact on this character, especially in the eyes of the public in and outside of comics. On the other hand…it seems another sign of Superman being “stuck” and unable to really grow and develop beyond a decades-old image that’s clung to, returned to, after decades of actually growing and developing the character beyond simplistic and hokey stories/concepts.

If I were a new fan of Superman, or at least new to the comics, I suspect I would find this a great, thrilling issue and enjoy it very much. As it is, as a longtime DC reader watching the character I’ve grown up on over the past two decades being phased into something of an amalgamation of every possible version of the character…it’s frustrating and discouraging. Johns is a great writer, and obviously has a knowledge of much that is Superman–from the comics, from tv, from the movies–and I can appreciate that effort’s being put forth to reconcile many versions into one cohesive whole.

Usually for me it’s the story that makes the issue…but in this case, the art’s the primary draw for me. I don’t like where the Superman books are headed, nor the revamping and loss of “my” Superman–but this is at the very least the best-looking Superman book out there these days.

Story: 7/10
Art: 9/10
Overall Enjoyment of the issue: 6/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2010, DC, DC Universe, Superman: Secret Origin | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Superman: Secret Origin #3 [Review]

Posted on November 28, 2009 by Walt

Mild-Mannered Reporter

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Assoc. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Covers: Frank w/ Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

While I generally enjoy stuff Johns does, my feelings toward this series have been trending toward the negative. Initially, I thought it was sorta cool that elements from the various versions of Superman were being incorporated into this. But as this series has progressed and I consider it further, it seems more of an amalgamation than something definitive. It’s like a “PC” version of Superman intended to offer these little bones to as many readers as possible, without giving any one group a clear Superman.

This issue picks up with Clark’s (or should I say Kal’s?) early days in Metropolis, with a sinking Daily Planet where he’s been hired to replace someone else. From the country-boy-in-the-city bit to getting his briefcase stuck in the door to sliding into the parasitic elevator man, this is a Clark Kent far too much like the silver age “Clark-is-the-mask” persona put forth than I care for. There’s also a distinct feeling of Christopher Reeve’s presence here…it’s easy to hear his voice in the character.

Arriving in the office itself of the Daily Planet, Clark meets Jimmy, Ron, Steve, Perry, and of course Lois. Cat Grant is present, looking very much like she does in the current “present-day” story, which seems to do away with all the great characterization from her introduction through the mid/late 1990s–as if that version of the character never even existed.

Lois takes to clark just fine from the get-go…just another reporter for her to break in. The two head to a Lexcorp technology demonstration, where Lois uses Clark as “bait” to distract the guards while she slips by (apparently anyone from the Daily Planet are expressly not welcome around Lexcorp). Lois winds up falling of the building in an attempt to avoid getting squished by a helicopter that malfunctions, leading to a duplication of that scene from 1978’s Superman film in which Superman arrives on the scene, catching the falling Lois and a helicopter as his first public act. (Though people surrounding him and Lois demanding favors and askins salvation is kept, to give him something to go home and think about).

The art, truly, is the best part of this book. It’s just a bit much, though, that it’s so easy to see Christopher Reeve…that’s the primary problem I have with the visuals. It’s not that one shouldn’t be able to see Reeve, but that this Superman is then tied to that vision of the character, anchored in a past rather than freed to grow into the future.

The writing in and of itself is not bad, by any means. Johns certainly knows his stuff, working in subtle elements of the various Superman origins/backstory through the years–the films, the silver age comics, Byrne’s revamp, and presumably a bit of Birthright and Smallville (though if so, the latter two are over my head at present). It’s great that recognition is given to all the different visions…but it’d be better if there’s just one definitive version, rather than this bastardization of so many takes on the character.

Ultimately, this is a good issue in and of itself…just that the reworking of the character to bring so much of the silver age and films into the comics seem to rob the character of so much development that was accomplished over the past 20-some years.

Story: 7/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 8/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Superman: Secret Origin | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Superman: Secret Origin #2 [Review]

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Walt

The Boy of Steel

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Assoc. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Covers: Frank w/ Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

The silver age is apparently back. This issue–while including smaller moments of Clark and his parents, and of Luthor and his own life, as well as some of LUthor’s interaction with Clark (establishing them as acquaintances if not exactly best buds)–primarily focuses on the Legion of Super-Heroes and their first meeting with Clark, and allowing him to tag along “back to the future” with them. While in the future, recently-introduced elements (I believe from Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes) are established as being present from the get-go of things. It’s also pretty easy to fit the original silver age story of the characters’ first meeting between the pages here. The issue’s finale introduces another character whose presence means the current Superman is all the more NOT the character I grew up on.

The story itself isn’t bad–Johns has a great handle on things. However, I’ve bristled for years now at elements being “snuck” back into the Superman mythos that I’ve thought make him too much “super” and not enough “man” and this story really puts aside any sneaking and is quite overt at putting things back into the mythos. At the same time, I imagine that going back to re-read Superman and the Legion will reveal references to what is shown in these pages.

I’ve been curious as to exactly what is and is not official cannon in the Superman books of late, so I’m glad to see his secret-since-Infinite-Crisis origin revealed at last. The execution seems to be working quite well, even if I don’t like the content all that much.

The art team provides fantastic visuals. Even Clark as “Superboy” comes across as pretty realistic–he looks rather awkward in the costume and it’s easy to see that he’s not entirely comfortable in it yet. At this point, Frank is pretty much my favorite Superman artist, and very certainly in the ranks of Dan Jurgens, Jim Lee, and Alex Ross.

Again, while far from enamored at the undoing of so much of the Superman I grew up with from 1989 to present…I can’t deny that in and of itself, the story and art are both of high quality, and taken apart from my preferred continuity, this issue has some of the best Superman work of the last decade.

Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 8.5/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Superman: Secret Origin | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Superman: Secret Origin #1 [Review]

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Walt

The Boy of Steel

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Assoc. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Covers: Frank w/ Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

I don’t know how to describe it, really…but there’s something special just about the look of this issue. The cover’s fantastic–Gary Frank is by far one of my favorite Superman artists. The logo on the gradient-blue sky background stands out very nicely (and yet does not look out of place). This is the first issue of a mini-series…the Secret Origin part tells us we’re going back to the “beginning,” and seeing a young Clark on the cover, happy and with his parents, also both looking happy–speaks volumes to the characters. Perhaps it’s that this really gives credence to that saying about a picture being worth a thousand words–a thousand words to the positive thus hit before one’s even looked inside the issue.

Then again, perhaps it’s none of that, and simply the anticipation for this issue–after it was announced last year, and I thought it would be out by early summer and had to wait these extra months for it, and I just so enjoy finally getting to begin reading a definitive origin for the character since the Byrne stuff was chucked awhile back.

The story begins with Clark playing football in answer to challenge from classmates. Peter Ross breaks his arm tackling Clark, and guilty as Clark feels for that, he’s guilted further by facing Pa (in a scene that somehow put me VERY much in mind of that scene with Peter and Uncle Ben in the Spidey film as Uncle Ben lectures Peter on Responsibility). We see other elements introduced–Lana, and the school, Ma and Pa, Smallville itself, Lex Luthor, to name a few. These all come together as the issue progresses and we see first the discovery and solution to some newly-developed/discovered powers on Clark’s part (and how his parents play a strong role in that) and then the implementing of his powers as disaster strikes Smallville. Finally, we see the development of the costume.

The art–as I said above about the cover–is just fantastic. There’s a detail and realism to the visuals that works so well with the story and getting things across…and yet, it doesn’t feel like it’s being overtly realistic. It just captures a level of detail that makes it easy for the mind to fill in the blanks and set these static images to motion as you read.

For newer readers, this is simply an “origin” story–telling the beginnings and background/motivation to things we’re seeing play out in the current issues of the Superman books.

For long-time readers, it may be much more. This seems set to be THE origin, the definitive story of Superman’s background in the books’ current incarnations. Forget Man of Steel and Byrne…forget Birthright and Waid…for that matter, forget Smallville. This is none of those…and yet, it seems to be quite respectful to them all, acknowledging them subtlely and taking key elements from them as the story requires.

Though I’ve looked forward to this series–and yes, delivered extremely well, meeting (and maybe exceeding) my anticipation/expectation–I remained skeptical. I grew up on the 90s Superman, beginning while the “Byrne revamp” was yet FRESH…and there are several key moments to that interpretation of the character that have been done away with in recent years that I’ve greatly disliked. While this fails to RESTORE them…something about Johns’ crafting of the story puts other things in a light that begins to redeem the changes, making them sit much better with me.

The return of what I consider “silver age elements” is handled nicely, and in a modern way that makes things quite plausible in the present.

I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better opening chapter of this mini.

Even if you’re not following the current New Krypton stuff in the ongoing titles, or any Superman comic at all…this is a book to pick up. The writing, the art, the story as provided by the blending of both…makes for a great read, and I’m already eager for not just the entirety of the story, but to see this thing put into a single volume.

Highly, highly recommended.

Story: 8.5/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 9.5/10

Filed under: Comic Reviews 2009, DC, DC Universe, Superman: Secret Origin | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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