Customer Reviews

Superman & Batman: Generations, An Imaginary Tale (Elseworlds)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Wow. The wait was worth it. Originally published as a 4-issue series, DC did the right thing by collecting this in trade format. "Generations" is a very enjoyable story which deals with Batman and Superman in real-time: in other words, they were introduced in 1939 and age accordingly over the next century. So, instead of Bruce Wayne continuously being Batman, as he has for over 60 years (through retcons, Crisis, etc.), he ages, and the mantle is passed to others. Superman has to deal with a similar situation, for even if he doesn't age as a human does, Clark Kent has to. The best feature of the book is following these two heroes throughout the 20th century, and seeing their secret identities play a greater role in shaping their lives. They behave more like normal people.

It amazes me that John Byrne was able to cover a staggering amount of material in just 4-issues, but he pulls it off very smoothly. Also, the story is loaded with Golden/Silver-Age references, and each decade manages to capture the atmosphere of what comics were like at that time, so if you enjoyed the pre-Crisis versions of these heroes, this is the book for you.

I am not the biggest fan of John Byrne, because of his casual lack of modern continuity and numerous other reasons, but when he is at the top of his form I really love his work. In Generations, Byrne asks the question, "What if the first meeting Superman and Batman really did take place in 1939 and they both character aged in real time?" As the story infolds, Byrne separates the issues into two chapters with each chapter set in a specific decade and the story styled to that decades comic style (i.e. the campiness of the 50s, the dark 80s). What starts off being a story about two men slowly becomes a story about generations that circles back to the story of two men again. I recommend this to anyone looking for a nostaglic look at good storytelling and any John Byrne fan, because this is his best work in years.

This was really interesting and it is great to see what would happen if they grew old! It's a very clever graphic novel which starts in 1938 when they are both there normal age but as time goes by they get children and their families grow old around them. Superman looks like he does in the Seigel/Shuster comics but gradually changes to the Superman we know. His daughter is a brown haired supergirl with half his powers and Lex Luthor isn't the same Lex Luthor that Superboy knows!

This explains why Lex doesn't realise that Superman is Clark. Lex worked for this criminal boss but there was an accident where Luthor lost his brain but the boss lost the use of his body. They had an operation to swop and the boss became Lex.

Another cool thing is that as everyone grows around Superman, he has to wear face make up because he doesn't grow old! When he is Superman he just wipes it all off!

Batman grows old though so Dick Grayson becomes Batman and Bruce's son becomes Robin.

It's a really interesting Elseworlds comic book that I think all Superman and Batman fans should have a look at!

I love John Byrne's take on the possible progression of the Batman/Superman legacy. It was interesting to see the different time periods and the children of the 2 icons. I found it amusing that we never see the face of Batman's spouse, which leaves us to speculate which woman finally got Bruce to settle down.

A good, fun read.

This is an imaginary tale. One set in a different sort of comic universe. One where the characters age at a normal rate. Central to the story are two classic heroes, Superman and the Batman.

Skipping ahead through time in ten-year increments (with a final chapter taking place earlier than the rest), we follow the careers of Superman and Batman as well as their personal lives; spouses and children. There are some classic villains thrown into the mix but this is really the story of lives and not individual adventures.

Byrne does a very good job of capturing the look and feel of the comics' eras the stories are set in. He even includes the original inconsistencies in the universe (i.e. Superman originally could not fly (leaping in single bounds) but Superboy could). Unfortunately, information like this that was included in the original introductions were cut from this collected edition thus causing some confusion.

Some of the book is very dark as with aging comes dying. There are arguments, strife, separations and mysteries. Who did Bruce Wayne marry? We don't know as her face is never shown. But the effect of these generational glimpses is one of a complete story that is entertaining all the way.

Superman and Batman are more than just another couple of superhero comic book charecters. They are icons of American popular culture. John Byrne is a master writer and illustrator in the field of comics and graphic novels who has turned his imagination and talents to creating a modern graphic novel masterpiece in Superman & Batman: Generations. Set in an "alternate reality" (a concept very familiar to comic book readers) Byrne takes the first meeting of Superman (Clark Kent) and Batman (Bruce Wayne) in 1939) and then follows their life stories for a spectrum of a thousand years. Here are all the familiar supporting characters such as Lois Lane, Robin, Jimmy Olsen, Alfred, Perry White, Lex Luthor, the Joker, and Raz a' Ghul, but positioned in new roles and relationships showing "what if" alternatives if things had turned out differently from the traditional canon of Superman and Batman tales. Everything is thrown in to these interconnecting stories (each laid in chapters dedicated to succeeding decades) and include everything from robots to immortality. Superman & Batman: Generations is a "must" for anyone who has ever thrilled to the stories of the caped crusader masquerading as a playboy millionaire, or the man of steel to be found behind the disguise of a mild mannered reporter.

Despite having an excellent premise, this series fell flat due to the poor exectution by John Byrne. Is it just me, or does his current lackluster style of art show how lazy he's become? His original Superman work is far superior in quality of both story and art. This series had many good concepts but Byrne's corny dialogue, poor character design, and hokey storylines within the series left it feeling a bit too "cutesy" and childish. However, there are some fun moments but they aren't enough to outweigh the glaring flaws in this book. however, the series was well-recieved so you be the judge.

Being a long time fan of DC comics, the Big, Red S, and the Batman (I'm into my sixth! decade, now), I found this piece to be a nostalgic tour-de-force! It was great to see Superman and The Bat-man in the days of the vigilantes and I reveled in the way that they aged "normally" through the ensuing decades. The story did have the feel of being a little cut-up as we dropped in for a single episode every ten years, but something had to be sacrificed to cover the panorama of the Heroes' lives as they stretched out over nearly a millenium. By reading other reviews, after my purchase by the way, I get the idea that there may be a follow-on (may already be a follow-on). This book recommends itself so well, that I will try to latch onto any sequels!

I will never get tired of a good, old-fashioned John Byrne story. He is always able to take and insignificant book/character and give it cosmic importance. Where many writers and/or artists have failed to craft an interesting story--John Byrne consistently SUCCEEDS! When you read a John Byrne story, you never want it to end. Thank you, Mr. Byrne for all the years you put into the industry elevating your craft.

Since the 1930s popular heroes like Superman and Batman have appeared monthly but somehow time never really passes. There are changes over time but the basic concepts remain the same and the characters never age.

In the late 90s John Byrne asked what if time did pass? What if Superman and Batman aged normally? What if they were near retirement age in the 60s and their heirs had to take over.

This book has 8 chapters running from the 30s to the 90s and beyond, each set 10 years apart. Readers watch Dick Grayson replace Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne Jr (BJ) replace him in turn.

Since each chapter tried to copy the style of the time not all of them work for modern audiences but overall this is a strong work with an interesting take on two iconic heroes.