Status
Available
Call number
Publication
DC Comics (2009), Edition: First Edition, 160 pages
Description
"Topsy-turvy madness on the backwards Bizarro planet. A bottled city that proves you can never go home again. A living sun hell-bent on destroying humanity. A world without the Man of Steel. Twelve impossible labors and mere moments to save the Earth. You've never seen this before. And you'll never see its like again. The multiple-award-winning All-Star Superman concludes only after taking the timeless icon to all-time heights of excitement and acclaim. An eternal story true to the greatest character from the golden age of comics and crafted by a team of comics creators reminding us that there still are living legends" -- dust jacket flap.
User reviews
LibraryThing member paradoxosalpha
The two volumes of All-Star Superman collect a 12-issue series of comics that are the best Superman stories I've ever read. These honor the canon of Superman lore, while redeeming its corniest features, and facing down its perennial difficulties. Unsurprisingly, Morrison emphasizes certain elements
Much of the story arc, which includes the "Twelve Labors of Superman," concerns his foreknowledge of his impending death. As a result of that anticipation, he builds a simulacrum "Earth Q" to explore the consequences of an Earth without Superman. I adore the metafictional/metaphysical conceit that our world is actually Earth Q! And here on Earth Q, Superman is just a story, but a story that is obviously important to Morrison and many of his readers.
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to elevate half-baked science-fictional aspects of the character into mythic tropes, most significantly the yellow solar energy (radiant golden sun of Tiphareth) associated with Superman's power, and the various super-others of Krypton and Bizzarro-world. Quitely's art is clean and spacious, never busy, and really suits the mood of the narrative. Much of the story arc, which includes the "Twelve Labors of Superman," concerns his foreknowledge of his impending death. As a result of that anticipation, he builds a simulacrum "Earth Q" to explore the consequences of an Earth without Superman. I adore the metafictional/metaphysical conceit that our world is actually Earth Q! And here on Earth Q, Superman is just a story, but a story that is obviously important to Morrison and many of his readers.
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LibraryThing member TomWaitsTables
"And to Clark Kent . . . I leave the headline of the century." From Supe's last will and testament. Grant Morrison has made me fall in love with the Superman mythology all over again.
LibraryThing member schatzi
This trade collects the second half of Morrison's All Star Superman, a story outside of DC continuity while remaining true to Superman's origins and beliefs. And what a story! I haven't read many Superman stories yet, but I don't think I'll easily - if ever - find one that tops this.
He spends much
This story showcases everything that is good in Superman's character, and there's a lot of it. The ending is beautiful, definitely a fitting end to the story, although I was sad to see the story finish. This was one of those comics that I just wanted to read forever. It's rare for me to give a five star rating, but this work deserved it. I can't think of one little thing that I would want changed; it's perfect the way it is, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
He spends much
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of the story performing the "Twelve Labors of Superman" in an effort to complete them before his death. These take him all over the galaxy - Earth, Bizarro world, the sun, etc. And in spite of the numerous tasks he's trying to complete before the end, he still has time for the common person. He still visits sick children in the hospital, saves a suicidal girl from leaping off a building, and reads a man's poetry (on Bizarro world, even as his own life is threatened). This story showcases everything that is good in Superman's character, and there's a lot of it. The ending is beautiful, definitely a fitting end to the story, although I was sad to see the story finish. This was one of those comics that I just wanted to read forever. It's rare for me to give a five star rating, but this work deserved it. I can't think of one little thing that I would want changed; it's perfect the way it is, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
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LibraryThing member Stevil2001
I didn't like the second volume of All-Star Superman as much as the first. It's got some great stuff, but unfortunately, it starts a bit slow, with a two-issue story about Superman venturing into the Underverse to meet Zibarro, who is the Bizarro version of Clark Kent. I've never found the Bizarro
"Neverending," though, is where things get great again, as Superman writes his last will a testament. This is just chock full of great moments, but my favorite is Superman flying a bus full of terminally ill kids to Egypt to see the Pyramids. I smiled so big at that one. That's why Superman's great. (Unlike Mark Waid in the introduction, though, the scene where Superman stops a girl from committing suicide did nothing for me, probably because she was goth. It was a little stereotypical.)
And as for the two-part finale, where Superman battle Lex Luthor under the red glow of the tyrant sun after Earth's own sun has been extinguished... well, of course it's good.
This volume isn't quite the near-perfect Superman story of the first volume, but overall, All-Star Superman is a twelve-part explanation of everything that makes Superman my favorite superhero.
(I'm sure Frank Quitely's excellent art has received lots of praise-- he does a great Clark, especially-- but I just want to mention that his Lois has amazing legs.)
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concept interesting, and this spin on it didn't do a lot for me either. The replacement Superman story is competent, but a little weak too-- Superman is conveniently saved from his dilemma. Which is par for the course for the crappy Silver Age stories this tale is emulating, but not necessarily something I want to see here."Neverending," though, is where things get great again, as Superman writes his last will a testament. This is just chock full of great moments, but my favorite is Superman flying a bus full of terminally ill kids to Egypt to see the Pyramids. I smiled so big at that one. That's why Superman's great. (Unlike Mark Waid in the introduction, though, the scene where Superman stops a girl from committing suicide did nothing for me, probably because she was goth. It was a little stereotypical.)
And as for the two-part finale, where Superman battle Lex Luthor under the red glow of the tyrant sun after Earth's own sun has been extinguished... well, of course it's good.
This volume isn't quite the near-perfect Superman story of the first volume, but overall, All-Star Superman is a twelve-part explanation of everything that makes Superman my favorite superhero.
(I'm sure Frank Quitely's excellent art has received lots of praise-- he does a great Clark, especially-- but I just want to mention that his Lois has amazing legs.)
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LibraryThing member drewandlori
Excellent conclusion to one of the best Superman stories of all time. I liked this volume even more than the first half. I've never been a big fan of Grant Morrison or Frank Quitely, but both did an amazing job in this case.
LibraryThing member DEDEDE
AWSOME MUST READ
LibraryThing member atia
If I could, I would give this ten stars. It's one of those books - those rare gems that I wish I could have read a long time ago only because that way I could have known it longer. It's absolutely wonderful.
LibraryThing member KidDork
The best Superman stories of the last ten years.
LibraryThing member burnit99
The sequel to "All-Star Superman: Volume 1", in which Lex Luthor has doomed Superman to a slow death by overloading his cells with solar radiation. Superman faces some literally bizarre (Bizarro) foes here, and the storyline jumps around without a whole lot of toeholds. But there are some nice
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glimpses into what makes Superman what he is. It's not his powers so much as his optimism, his conviction that we are better than we give ourselves credit for. The final conflict with Luthor also has its moments, but the whole book could really have used some tighter editing. Frank Quitely's artwork is different from most and quite intriguing. It's too bad the story was more ambitious than it was able to deliver. Show Less
LibraryThing member hazzabamboo
As with Vol. 1, the comic spasms and fascination with the fringes of Superman lore detract from the core that makes Superman great (Luthor needs more depth and villainous edge than he is given here, for example), but it looks great and the last issue in particular is a classic.
LibraryThing member BrynDahlquis
All I can say is, I really, really wish there were more than just two volumes.
LibraryThing member Disquiet
(See review of previous volume in this two-issue series.)
LibraryThing member rodhilton
(Note, this review refers to the entire run of 12 All-Star Superman issues, but Volume 2 is only issues 7-12)
This book is... weird.
All-Star Superman is something of a "reboot" intended to be self-contained, but pulling from the great history of Superman mythos. The book contains re-imagined and
By pulling in so much material to work with, the book can get really damn weird sometimes. It involved characters I'm not even familiar with as a casual Superman fan, which made some of the book quite confusing. And when Superman went to Bizarro world and met Zibarro, a smart Bizarro-superman in a world of idiot Supermen, the book kind of went full retard.
This book did a lot of stuff right. Lex Luthor is fascinating and evil as all hell, as an example. My favorite thing is the overall concept; in the infamous Death and Return of Superman story arc, where Superman fought Doomsday, it was page after page of Superman and Doomsday smashing into each other. Completely brainless, and utterly missing the point of Superman dying. Superman is invincible, so having a giant monster show up and kill him was a missed opportunity to have Kal-El face his own death. All-Star Superman fixes this, as the entire arc is Superman selflessly cleaning up loose ends before what he believes to be his own death. This story is fascinating and, at times, touching. Really well done stuff. I also really enjoyed the slight nod at explaining why nobody mistakes Clark for Superman - the extremely large man wears loose-fitting suits and uses his posture to basically make himself look like a doofy fat man, and the way it's drawn completely works.
The book also did a lot wrong. First of all, Lois Lane is far, far too sexualized - almost every frame she's in has her drawn suggestively for no good reason, and it makes the entire book come off as immature. Her stint as Super-woman (don't ask) goes virtually nowhere, and fails to really explore any of the interesting points it raises. Additionally, Jimmy Olsen might be more annoying in this book than any other version of Olsen I know of, the guy is just grating.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I think it brought a lot to the table in terms of Superman mythos. I was wary of the All-Star moniker after Frank Miller's Batman abortion, but this was worth a read and pretty enjoyable, even if it did occasionally go off the rails.
Volume 2 is a noticable improvement over Volume 1, without as much of the Lois silliness, and with the added bonus of a surprisingly deep-and thought-provoking trip to the Bizarro world.
This book is... weird.
All-Star Superman is something of a "reboot" intended to be self-contained, but pulling from the great history of Superman mythos. The book contains re-imagined and
Show More
repurposed versions of Superman, Lois, and Luthor, as well as new versions of Bizarro, Doomsday, and, most interestingly, a completely rethought Mr. Mkzyplk (no I'm not going to bother looking up the spelling). By pulling in so much material to work with, the book can get really damn weird sometimes. It involved characters I'm not even familiar with as a casual Superman fan, which made some of the book quite confusing. And when Superman went to Bizarro world and met Zibarro, a smart Bizarro-superman in a world of idiot Supermen, the book kind of went full retard.
This book did a lot of stuff right. Lex Luthor is fascinating and evil as all hell, as an example. My favorite thing is the overall concept; in the infamous Death and Return of Superman story arc, where Superman fought Doomsday, it was page after page of Superman and Doomsday smashing into each other. Completely brainless, and utterly missing the point of Superman dying. Superman is invincible, so having a giant monster show up and kill him was a missed opportunity to have Kal-El face his own death. All-Star Superman fixes this, as the entire arc is Superman selflessly cleaning up loose ends before what he believes to be his own death. This story is fascinating and, at times, touching. Really well done stuff. I also really enjoyed the slight nod at explaining why nobody mistakes Clark for Superman - the extremely large man wears loose-fitting suits and uses his posture to basically make himself look like a doofy fat man, and the way it's drawn completely works.
The book also did a lot wrong. First of all, Lois Lane is far, far too sexualized - almost every frame she's in has her drawn suggestively for no good reason, and it makes the entire book come off as immature. Her stint as Super-woman (don't ask) goes virtually nowhere, and fails to really explore any of the interesting points it raises. Additionally, Jimmy Olsen might be more annoying in this book than any other version of Olsen I know of, the guy is just grating.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I think it brought a lot to the table in terms of Superman mythos. I was wary of the All-Star moniker after Frank Miller's Batman abortion, but this was worth a read and pretty enjoyable, even if it did occasionally go off the rails.
Volume 2 is a noticable improvement over Volume 1, without as much of the Lois silliness, and with the added bonus of a surprisingly deep-and thought-provoking trip to the Bizarro world.
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LibraryThing member quinton.baran
A satisfying finish to the volume. Each story is a bit disjointed, but then as I read on, I found that they were more connected then I originally perceived. Very nice ending to the story.
LibraryThing member bdgamer
This is hands-down the best Superman story I've ever read. It's exactly how I'd imagine Superman going out, not in a big but ultimately lame fist fight with Doomsday but as a savior of life.
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
154 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
1401218377 / 9781401218379