Customer Reviews

Absolute All Star Superman

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I regard this series as probably the best comic series of the past decade, and perhaps the best Superman series ever. It must be said, I'm not normally that much of a Superman fan, not, because the character is a goody, goody, boy scout type character, something which most critics of the character seem to constantly bemoan, but rather because I think most everything that can be done with the oldest and most recognisable superhero in all of fiction, has been done. Grant Morrison proves however, that there is life in the old dog yet!

Morrison gives us a refreshing view on Superman for the new millenium, a character who has a universal philosophy and lives by it, spinning a story that draws from classic myth, modern philosophy as well as the superhero Gold and Silver Comic Ages. Just as Jesus was an inspiration for an entire religion, the Superman in this book is meant as a modern day, non-religious, messianic inspiration, the ideal human, perfect in philosophy and action, and something we should all aspire to.

This actual absolute edition, is beautifully packaged with a new cover by Quietly, in an oversized format, I've fallen in love with this work all over again. I'm not one to spend money repeatedly on the same piece of work, but the fact that I own all of the original comics as well as the two hardbound volumes and now this Absolute edition, perhaps indicates just how much I care for this work.

While an oversized representation of the original material would have been enough for me, the true treasure, perhaps as per all Absolute editions, is the additional sketches, anecdotes and write-ups that Morrison and Quitely offer us at the back of the book. Through these, the reader is given a more holistic understanding of what Morrison was trying to achieve here, and while not everything is spelled out for us, the additional background material only enhances the enjoyment of this tragic tale.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

STORY: Rightly considered to be among the best Superman stories ever published, "All-Star Superman" manages to be self-contained, yet open-ended...making for a very satisfying experience. Grant Morrison's writing almost always overflows with creativity, yet sometimes falls into the trap of being incoherent; "All-Star Superman" deftly avoids that trap, all the while bursting with cool ideas. The only downside: such a bombardment of concepts may bewilder newcomers and casual fans, and the story assumes at least a basic foreknowledge of Superman and his traditions.

ART: Frank Quitely (enhanced by Jamie Grant) is a master of capturing moments of action while never feeling static. His work conveys a magnificent sense of motion, which makes this comic fun and exciting to read. Quitely also builds in tons of background detail, rewarding close attention and future reading. His faces are sometimes inconsistent, but never to the point of making it difficult to identify characters. And his sense of pacing perfectly complements Morrison's story, rocketing along while allowing the reader to linger as necessary. Top-notch art, to be sure.

PRESENTATION: The "Absolute" format is perfect for this material. The expansive trim-size and stout, coated paper-stock practically suck the reader into the artwork. Sewn-signature binding allows the hefty book to lay relatively flat, ensuring that nothing important is hidden in the spine-edge (the iconic double-page introductory shot of Superman flying near the Sun looks SPECTACULAR).

A snazzy dust-jacket features new art from Quitely, while the paper-over-board casebinding showcases the well-known Superman-resting-on-a-cloud over Metropolis cover from issue one (the Neil Adams variant is included inside). My only minor complaint is that the spine-design of the slipcase is somewhat boring.

The collection is rounded out by a bonus-features section, with sketchbook work from both Morrison and Quitely, and text-pieces which serve to flesh out the characters and concepts (some of which are merely fascinating background details). This shows just how much material Morrison bakes into his storytelling, though admittedly some of these ideas get lost in the story itself.

BOTTOM LINE: This format has breathed new life into "All-Star Superman," already a great comic. The Absolute edition of this story has already become one of my prized possessions. Even if you already have the individual issues (or even the smaller hardcovers), this collection is worth every penny.

Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman quite simply may be the greatest Superman story ever told, period. Created under DC's continuity-free All-Star bannar (which also produced Frank Miller's craptastic All-Star Batman & Robin), All-Star Superman presents a tale of the Man of Steel as his greatest enemy Lex Luthor has finally found a way to do the previously unthinkable: kill him. Now, Superman's time is running out and he knows it, but that doesn't stop him from admitting his love and identity to Lois Lane, interacting with the Supermen of the distant future, and concluding with a final showdown with a super-powered Lex. What makes All-Star Superman so good is the fact that Morrison is free to tell a truly fantastical story featuring a truly fantastical character, and the story as a whole carries a sense of awe and wonder unlike any Superman story has in decades. This is made all the better thanks to the stunning artwork of the great Frank Quitely, whose cinematic renderings are an amazing sight to behold. Finally collected in a beautiful Absolute edition, All-Star Superman may very well be the best thing to come out of DC this decade, and saying that it's a Superman story for the ages is a massive understatement indeed.

There really was no rational reason for me to purchase this. I already owned the story and read it through at least half a dozen times. Still, I was intrigued by the new artwork that graces the book jacket. I was interested in seeing what the extras in the book would provide.

So this review is tailored for the people who have already read the story (which I do consider to be the best Superman has had). My opinion of the story in a nutshell is all thriller, no filler.

This is my first Absolute book. The artwork is splendid. I was impressed with Quitely's work beforehand but the larger format really brings it to life. It was like looking at the stuff for the first time again. The details are more fleshed out and vibrant. I'd recommend it on what the "oversized" format does for the artwork alone.

I love the presentation of the book. The slipcase is a blown up and split graphic of the 10th issue cover where Superman benevolently gazes down on a basketball-sized Earth. The book jacket cover is the image displayed as the default here on Amazon, the back is the full page shot of Lois kissing Superman on the moon. And the hardback cover itself is the cover of the first issue with Superman lounging in the clouds over Metropolis, while the back is one of the panels in the book with Lois and Superman flying with a dot matrix look. As far as the interior goes I had no issues seeing spread shots that could've easily (and carelessly) been buried in the spine of the book.

And then the extras. There's background information on major and minor characters. There are some details I would have had no idea of their place in the story without this addition. Which makes me wonder what more was left out. I was a little disappointed after reading an online 10 part interview with the writer, Grant Morrison, where he'd talked at length about things he skims over in this content. I was hoping for as thorough an examination and his personal insight on the character and importance of events in the story. There are some really great sketches included.

It's a great story in the gold standard format of comic book collections. Highly recommended even if it isn't your first go round.

A 12 issue run that took years to complete, DC allowed Frank Quietly the time to illustrate in his detailed fashion. As many great comic stories are, this is an out-of-continuity tale that has all the flavor of the Silver Age with just enough darkness of the Modern Age to make it palpable and compelling.

Thanks to a turn of events orchestrated by Lex Luthor (who else?) Superman discovers he is dying. What follows over the next 12 issues are his attempts at tying up all the loose ends of his life, while dealing with the outrageous everyday life of comics' greatest superhero. Grant Morrison delivers a Superman before he was dumbed down to allow room for a Batman.

This Kal-El is a real SUPER-man, in strength, intelligence, ingenuity, and moral fiber. It took 70 years for DC to publish the first real look at this character as he should be, the best in all of us. Superman confronts his relationship with Lois Lane, wherein we see the Man of Steel as human, alien, and at times near frightening. Morrison also provides a fascinating new spin on Doomsday and the hands down best Bizarro ever written.

Morrison's ideas are so off-the-wall, so imaginative, so "Silver Age," that I often found myself laughing out loud at the boldness of the story. It's a crime more couldn't have been made from this brilliant series, but the best runs are the shortest, most concise, most focused stories. It's why I've given up on the monthly books, with their soap opera-like redundancy.

After finally getting my last issue, I had a subscription, I felt a sense of relief and release. I never have to read another Superman story again. I've already read the best. In my opinion, All-Star Superman is the unsurpassable benchmark.

The best Superman story....ever.

This is the best Superman story every written. Superman is the kind of character that his greatness depends on who is writing the character. I really enjoyed this story. I don't buy Absolute editions often and when I do, it has to be something I really enjoy. This is a great story. I highly recommend it.

Excellent story. 1st issue alone is one of the best all-time single-issue stories of all time. The slipcase and Quitely art design are fantastic, and complement the book. While the product is well-made, I think $100 is WAY overpriced. If you're a fan like me, the money isn't as important i suppose....but this should have been $50.

As I have grown older, I have a harder time justifying my continuation of my lifelong habit of collecting comic books. As I walk out of the comic book store I might glance at my receipt and reflect of how I might have outgrown superheroes, and how I have less time to read (for the pleasure of it, since there is always another document or report at work to look forward to).
But every now and again there might be a story so powerful that my faith in the medium is renewed, my doubts are erased and I can proudly pronounce that piece of comic book as honest to goodness ART. (Not surprisingly, this mostly happens to me with my favorite character; Superman)
This is one of those stories.
Grant Morrison has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and while in his beginnings in the mainstream (his superb JLA run) he was viewed by me as "Vertigo guy", he has slowly taken his sophisticated approach to storytelling over to the DC Universe, to the point where I consider him and Geoff Johns to be the primary creative forces of the company, sort of the Lennon and McCartney, with vastly different approach to their craft but resulting in some of the most exciting comic book stories of the last decade.
This is, without question, his Magnus Opus.
This is the most classical & timeless Superman story ever, where all the main ingredients of his mythos are presented in their most essential form but still maintain amazingly approachable to any person with the slightest interest and familiarity with Superman and his universe.
Morrison's Superman, and for that matter any of the characters presented in this story, is an amalgam of over 75 years of history, somehow becoming the most timeless and yet refreshingly new version of the characters presented here; Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Ma & Pa Kent, Bizarro & Lex Luthor (who steals the show BTW); all in all a veritable cornucopia of everything that has made Superman the global icon he is.
The story starts simply enough (well in Superman stories at least) with Superman going into the Sun to save an expedition of scientists threatened by Lex Luthor's latest scheme, only to find out that Luthor has finally succeeded in doing the unthinkable; by over exposing him to solar radiation which will end up killing Superman. From here on out the story focuses on what the Man of Steel will do to try to set things right before times runs out, facing some of his hardest trials (just like the gods of ancient Greece did to justify their place in Olympus) before facing once more Lex Luthor in a desperate attempt to save the world.
Frank Quietly brings a decidedly classical approach to every single art panel and image, and the coloring is simply breathtaking in this extra sized version, which brings out the level of detail to an even better level. Some people have commented on his face work, but I say that everything looks topnotch to me.
The advantages of this Absolute version is not only having the story in a single volume and the extra size of the art (plus the quality of paper is excellent) but by having a great set of extras for diehard fans like the series proposal, sketches, and creator notes.
That is a decidedly brief taste of where this magnificent Absolute version is about, and I do believe that anybody with the slightest interest in Superman should check out this out.
Believe me you won't regret it...any maybe it will make you (like me)fall in love with comic books all over again

This is hands down, one of the most beautiful, moving, and loving tributes to Superman ever written. The stories in All Star Superman are lyrical, beautiful science fiction tales that really resonate. Morrison's treatment of Superman is respectful, fun, emotionally true without being insipid, and filled with a sense of wonder and awe. The Superman here is the quintessence of the character, in that, somehow, Morrison manages to distill what everyone subconsciously responds to about the fictional character into his twelve part story. These stories, and the entire All Star Superman run, also suffers from none of Morrison's usual weaknesses, which tend to be his penchant for overloading his writing with throwaway abstract concepts that can distract from his main narrative and a stubborn unwillingness to sacrifice complexity at the altar of clarity. He avoids this terrible habit here, and tells straightforward, though by no means simplistic or trite stories.

What really makes all this worth it though, is the unbelievably dynamic, beautiful, moving, amazing pencils by Frank Quitely, unquestionably a genius craftsman. I guarantee if this volume had been drawn by anyone else, people would talk far less about it. I can't say enough about his work, and would have highly recommended the volume for his art alone, even if it wasn't the perfect compliment for Morrison's science-fiction-pop-fantasy take on the Man of Steel.

The Absolute format is the perfect showcase for this incredible piece of comic fiction, and with its large pages, the sense of wonder I felt when I first read an issue was magically renewed.

My only regret is that, given how successful this initial Morrison and Quitely love letter to Superman was, it's amazing that the people at Dumb Company haven't managed to insist that they do a sequel. Then again, this is DC comics, so that might be asking a lot.

Buy this. Spend the money. You will never regret it.

Grant Morrison crafts Superman as the ultimate figure for, not "truth, justice and the American way," but for pure unbridled optimism. The result is the greatest comic book story ever told. Gone are the grim and gritty tropes of the Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen, this book is better than both of them. The art is fantastic and Morrison excels in writing emotional pieces and larger than life pop super-science. Buy this book, your life will be better because of it. And now, a beautiful quote from Morrison that sums up his feelings on Superman:

"In the end, I saw Superman not as a superhero or even a science fiction character, but as a story of Everyman. We're all Superman in our own adventures. We have our own Fortresses of Solitude we retreat to, with our own special collections of valued stuff, our own super-pets, our own "Bottle Cities" that we feel guilty for neglecting. We have our own peers and rivals and bizarre emotional or moral tangles to deal with. I felt I'd really grasped the concept when I saw him as Everyman, or rather as the dreamself of Everyman. That "S" is the radiant emblem of divinity we reveal when we rip off our stuffy shirts, our social masks, our neuroses, our constructed selves, and become who we truly are."