Customer Reviews

Superman for All Seasons

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When Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale come together, they create magic. Both creators have callaborated time and time again and every time they do so, the work becomes legendary in the comic book hallowed mythos. Though most of their work has been with the Batman character, this Superman story shines like nothing else.

The poignant story showcases Supes in the four seasons of the year,with each one season narrated by one of the many supporting characters. The differing perespective is not only seen with the style of writing, but also the lettering, the coloring and the art. Superman's origin has always been very well established and has been revisited many many times. With this work, however, Loeb revisits Supes and makes us look at his upbringing through the years and how he established the values that makes him the man he is today. For the first time, we look at Supes during his teen years and feel the angst when his powers slowly start to come through. We fall in love when he does the same, and feel our heart break when his heart is broken. Loeb can be funny and he deals with that side of the character truthfully. It was after this rendition of Supes that Loeb was finally given the helm of the monthly Superman comic.

When it comes to art, Tim Sale is the man you would want to feast your eyes on his work. His basic pencils and inks flourish even more when you look into how the way he draws human emotion. His work can be sexy, especially noticed with the introduction of one hot Lois Lane. No wonder Superman falls in love with her and eventually gets married to the woman. She really is a presence.

Through it all, Superman for All Seasons is one heckuva good read. The hardcover format give it an even richer, more hansome feel to it. Loeb and Sale are the dream team. Working so well together that comic publishers just can't get enough of them. Which is a good thing, really. It leaves us readers feel great, truly enjoying the story and all its contents.

While I am not a tremendous fan of the man in blue, I was taken aback by this tale of how Superman first started out (through the eyes of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale). Unlike their earlier collaborations in the Batman mythos (The Long Halloween, Dark Victory) which further perpetuated the dark isolation of Dark Knight's dedicated vigil, this story actually gives Superman a sprawling landscape and a sense of humanity that was not normally found in the regular series. Loeb, now writing for one of Superman's regular titles, showed great care in handling a pop icon and allowing him to show his faults (awkwardness, naivete, even brooding). Loeb also gives the inklings of a little romance for the Man of Steel. Tim Sale's work fits Loeb's words like hand in glove as he exhibits an adaptive quality. The scenery is beautiful and the characters look friendlier versus the dark claustrophobic view of Gotham and the sinister scowls of the Batman cast. If you haven't read it, give this funny book a try. You might like it, even if you're not a Superman fan.

"Superman for All Seasons" is a comic book as directed by Frank Capra. Smallville is an easy swap for Bedford Falls, and the Kents could easily be the steadfast Bailys. (In a direct homage, Pete Ross says "I wish I had a million dollars!" at the soda fountain.)

It's a good fit. Jeph Loeb captures the 1940's idealistic dream of the 1930's perfectly, while still managing to set the series in modern times. Lex Luthor makes a nice glowering Mr. Potter, greedily lusting after the only thing his money can't buy. This optimistic writing style comes as quite a surprise from the pen of a writer most known for giving us the darkest side of Batman.

Keeping with the theme, Tim Sale borrows heavily from the Fleischer Superman cartoons of the early 1940's including a brilliant adaptation of the Fleischer's flying effect for Superman. The art is very stylized, and suits the story. Superman is huge, in the way that a big brother is huge to a small child. His size is comforting, rather than intimidating.

There are few comics that deserve the hardback format. "Superman for All Seasons" is one of them.

If you're looking for the traditional Superman graphic novel, with The One Who Wears Tights splitting asteroids in two, or having to contend with some superbaddie who for a hundred or so pages slams Soopey's big red ess through half of Metropolis, stop now. To be sure, there's the requisite lifesaving and feats of strength; you can't have a Superman story without it. But it's not the focus of this book. This graphic novel is a thoughtful examination of why Superman does the hero bit.

Now this question has been asked and answered before, but "Superman for All Seasons" takes a look at Superman from adolescence to manhood. Each "season" is narrated by a different person in his life. Jonathan Kent, his father, narrates Spring, Lois Lane-Summer, Lex Luthor-Fall, and Lana Lang narrates Winter.

The graphic novel is drawn in a definite homage to the Superman of the late 30's and 40's, a style that I've always liked. Part of artist Tim Sale's dedication reads, "For Norman Rockwell and his love of a vision of Americana that resonates through its limitations..." It's clear that he drew upon the illustrations of Rockwell for inspiration in this book. For the first time that I know of, young Clark Kent is drawn as a big, pudgy, Midwestern kid. It's appealing, mainly because I was a big, pudgy, Midwestern kid (okay, perhaps a little more than pudgy). Nevertheless, as I looked at Clark I got the feeling that Martha Kent and my grandmother both bought our clothes from the Sears catalog. I half expected Clark to bend over and see the old Sears "Toughskins" brand label that they put on jeans for "husky" boys. It made Clark seem a little more familiar. You're thinking, "I could play Playstation with this kid." If Playstation had been invented in 1938, that is.

So, why does Superman do what he does? Why does he spend his time saving lives? Why not use his abilities to take over the world? One concludes from "Superman for All Seasons" that inside the Kryptonian we call the Man of Steel is a little boy raised in the cornfields of Kansas. A regular guy, just like you and me. He saves lives for the same reason that cops and firemen and paramedics do. They see that people everywhere need help and feel a responsibility to try to do something about it. Okay, so there's nothing earthshatteringly new here, but the story and the way it's told is enjoyable, and so is the art. If you're a die-hard Superman fan, I can think of worse ways to spend 24.95. If, however, your tastes lean toward knock-down drag-outs, the price and the subject matter might not appeal to you.

This is the finest work on Superman I have ever come across. True, I am a Batman fan first and foremost, and with the exception of Kingdom Come, I am used to seeing Superman portrayed more or less as an antagonistic character (Dark Knight Returns and Dark Knight Strikes Again). In those comics you understand his motives, the likes of which can sometimes be frustrating, but you never get a look into what makes Superman tick, a look into what makes him want to do right no matter the cost.

In For All Seasons, we get that look. I wish I could personally thank the creators of this venture for what they have accomplished, for making a larger than life character into someone we can all understand, someone we can appreciate as a human being despite his origins. The story is told in four chapters. If you haven't read this, and want the narrators to be a surprise, then I recommend you skip this review and order this book right away. Come back to it once you've read it and see if you agree with my critique.

The first, narrated by Jonathan Kent (Superman's father), is the story of an innocent boy who is becoming a man, a different man, and his struggle to accept what is happening to him. The father's perspective on a super hero's beginnings is especially touching, as he views Superman not as something indestructable, but as a child who is to be worried over as any parent worries over their child. This angle, this look at Superman, is something I could never have appreciated as a child or a teenager, but now as I grow more mature (and comic stories seem to be doing so as well, thankfully), I am touched by this intimate and very different and moving look at Superman as a boy who is coming of age.

The second, told by up and coming reporter Lois Lane, gives a romantic portrayal of the arrival of Superman. She is hard here, a journalist looking for a story, and Superman is her front page, her mystery, her knight in shining armor. The scene where she wonders where this knight goes, if his "fortress of solitude" has a drawbridge, is perhaps the most powerful scene in the book, where we see Clark go home to his family because he is so lonely in Metropolis. We get a glimpse into what it must be really be like to feel all powerful with nobody to share it with, and we can all relate to how cold a new city can be once we cut the cord and move on from our childhood homes.

The third, told by Lex Luthor, is a story of jealousy and revenge. Luthor, fallen king of the city, has been embarrassed by Superman and vows revenge. His lame efforts to one-up Superman have fallen short every time, and he sets out to shame him. He instills feelings of doubt into our hero, and finds Superman's soft spot and plays on it. What is a hero without his public, and their cheers of appreciation? This makes you think about actions of valor, and how a man feels when they go unrequited. What happens when you can't save them all?

The fourth, told by Lana Lang, Superman's childhood love, seals the story. Superman has returned to Smallville, confused and unsettled after his last encounter with Luthor. Lang is a beautiful counterpart for Lois Lane. In this part, Superman's father delivers a "you can't save them all" speech which is very subtle and extremely effective. To see Superman surrounded by the people who love him as a person is very touching, and the finale is something you can't miss. One should never underestimate the power of a single action.

I hope to see more like this with Superman in the future. To understand the man of steel and get this kind of look into his heart and mind is a rare treat, one that will be appreciated by any comic fan, or any fan of a well told, cinematic story. This would make a wonderful movie. I wish they could all be this good.

I should say here that I am not a comic book reader on a regular basis.

This book took me by surprise. It made me realize what I loved about the Man of Steel when I was six years old and spent every penny I could beg from my dad on buying Superman comics. It made me realize, also, what Superman means to me now, thirty some-odd years later, and how there is still resonance and life for this great literary creation (and I'll back that up with detailed arguments if I have to) all these years since his creation.

Superman, here, is a man, and a man of conscience. His greatest power has never been his strength or his speed or his invulnerability. It has always been his conscience, his need to set things right, to save lives, to basically "do the right thing." In "Superman for All Seasons," his humanity and his conscience are brought out and emphasized. It is easy to lose sight of those two attributes, and even DC has lost sight of them before. Not here. They are front and center, for your attention. And you should pay attention.

Loeb, Sale and Hanson put Superman/Clark Kent back in his roots, showing his life on the farm, his first love, and the tragedies and triumphs that make him who he is. He is not simply a "big blue boy scout" here. He is a man of conscience, and someone who broods a lot, and someone who doesn't have all the answers. But what he does have, he gives freely, and he does his absolute best at all times. Other readers have commented on the differences between Batman and Superman, but they all come down to this: Batman is motivated by vengeance. Superman is motivated by responsibility. Responsibility is underrated. Vengeance is more sexy, but what quality would you rather have in a fireman?

This is a "corny" story. It's about responsibility, and caring for people, and doing the right thing. And yes, there's even a dog. I hate to use the word "values," since it has been co-opted by people who have no interest in the true matters of the heart, but this story has them. It's worth reading if you're six or if you're forty-six, regardless of whether you care about comics or not, simply because it finds the heart - the essence - of this hero, and it reflects the heart of what is good about Superman. And by extension it shows what is good about the society that created Superman as a literary figure.

I cannot recommend "Superman for All Seasons" more highly; it is essential for students of American culture, for people who still dream, and for people who want a good story well told.

Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb have produced one of the best Superman tales written in this decade. The book follows Superman's first year in Metropolis through the four seasons. The art is visually stunning and is reminiscence of Norman Rockwell. Loeb's writing is majestic and vividly portrays a humble, human reaction to the introduction of Superman. If you enjoyed Batman: The Long Halloween or want to read a moving, tale of true integrity definitely pick this up. You will not be dissapointed this is truly one of the best stories DC Comics has published in a long time.

I grew up thinking Superman was the best. Truth, Justice,and the American way and all that. He was an icon that represented our best qualities: Courage, Strength, Honesty, Kindness, etc. As I started to collect comics as a teenager, I discovered that Superman was rarely written well.

With few exceptions (Kingdom Come), Superman was completely uninteresing to read. His comics were plagued with 2nd rate writers and artists and a fairly lame rogues gallery. Nowadays its worse. His recent comics are these hard-edged adult oriented stories that even go so far as to get into the man of steel's sex life!

Loeb and Sale get it. Superman is the boy scout. That's what makes him special. In a world where everything is becoming darker and grittier, he doesn't change. That's the essence of his character.

Loeb and Sale have written a timeless classic that appeals to, and is appropriate for, all ages. Its a character driven story about a young man trying to find his place and figure out how to be good in a world that's often bad.

Too often "dark and gritty" are equated with quality. This comic proves otherwise. Comics don't have to be dark, violent, and sexual to be good or appealing.

SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS is one of the finest Superman stories ever told.

Appearing in 1998 as a four-issue prestige format mini-series, SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS was produced by the team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale -- also responsible for BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN and the Marvel "colors" graphic novels (e.g. DAREDEVIL: YELLOW), among others.

The story's most influential portion is its first, beautifully depicting Clark Kent's life on the farm in Kansas, growing up with good old-fashioned Midwestern American values under the tutelage of Ma and Pa Kent. Here is his perception of his difference from others while still very much the human being. Here is his simply joy at his powers, flying with Lana Lang in a scene reminiscent of his flight with Lois Lane in the classic 1978 movie Superman. An idyllic pastoral more than a traditional Superman story, this chapter would go on to exercise great influence on SMALLVILLE, the TV series featuring a super-powered Clark Kent growing up in Smallville without a costume.

Worth reading, and mandatory for Superman fans.

-- Julian Darius, Sequart.com (for the sophisticated study of comic books and graphic novels)

I've never been much of a Superman fan. I've always thought he was too good to be true. He seemed to have no failings at all, and that made him a hard character to relate to. I gave this book a try based on what this incredible creative team had done with Batman (Long Halloween and Dark Victory). It also didn't hurt that it had some truly amazing coloring. I wasn't expecting to be thrilled, but that's exactly what happened. Superman for all Seasons gets right to the heart and soul of this hero and shows his humanity. Loeb focuses on Superman's early years in Smallville, his adoptive parents, and his journey to Metropolis. We get a rare treat in seeing Clark grow up, learn about his abilities, and struggle to find his place in the world. Superman is still the same uncompromising champion of truth and justice, that much never changes, but now we have a greater understanding of why he is that champion. We can now see the man in Superman. It's hard to put into words just how wonderful this book is. I heartily recommend it for any and all fans of Superman, comic books, or just a good story.