Superman: Escape from Bizarro World [Hardcover]

Geoff Johns (Author), Richard Donner (Author), John Byrne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2008

Bizarro, the twisted, imperfect duplicate of Superman, has taken Pa Kent to Bizarro World -- and only Superman has a chance of rescuing him!

On this cubic world, populated by Bizarro versions of the Justice League of America, Lois Lane and more, Superman must stop Bizarro's tormented, Frankenstein-like rampage long enough to get away -- but will Bizarro versions of Doomsday and other evildoers prove to be too much for Superman? This volume also includes several classic tales of Bizarro that served as inspiration for modern stories of that doomed world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Donner is the director of the classic original Superman movie, as well as blockbusters Lethal Weapon and The Omen. This is his first comics work. Geoff Johns has written scores of comics including Infinite Crisis, Green Lantern, All Star Batgirl, Teen Titans, X-Men, The Avengers, The Flash, JSA and Superman. Eric Powell is an acclaimed independent comics artist, and the creator of the award-winning series The Goon. He has also illustrated Hellboy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140121794X
• ISBN-13: 978-1401217945
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.5 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,091,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Imperfect, but excellent Bizarro story, July 5, 2008

By 

Moonwalker (Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Superman: Escape from Bizarro World (Hardcover)

Escape from Bizarro World isn't perfect, but is certainly the greatest Bizarro story ever told. Using the silver-age concept of Bizarro World as a backdrop, writers Geoff Johns (Infinite Crisis) & Richard Donner (Superman: The Movie), tell a story about acceptance and misunderstanding that is excellently illustrated by noir artist Eric Powell (The Goon). Here they portray Bizarro at his best: misunderstood, but not evil.

Under normal circumstances Powell's work would not lend itself to a superhero story, but since this is a horror/comedy, it works perfectly for the darker style.

Highlights include glimpses into young Clark's past, the Bizarro JLA and Bizarro Mxyzptlk. Bizarro Lex Luthor is truly a treat, every bit as manipulating in his need for attention and praise as the real one.

The book is not perfect though, at three issues for the main story, it is rather short for a graphic novel (although this does tighten up the story well enough to eliminate the need for any filler). Vernacular for the Bizarros switches back and forth between toddler speak and Bizarro backward speak, which can occasionally be confusing, and at least once there is an instance of Jonathan Kent asking Superman the same question twice simply to remind readers of the individual issues what happened last time.

However, these are all nit-picks that don't take away from the overall story. After all, what would a story about imperfect Bizarros be if it were perfect?

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Found Appreciation for Bizarro, June 9, 2008

By 

Hugs_Trees - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Superman: Escape from Bizarro World (Hardcover)

I've always loved Superman, but like every fan, I have my personal favorites among the Superman universe cast of friends and villains.

Bizarro has never been one of my favorite Superman villains. What can I say? I'm a big Lex Luthor fan. (In case you should wonder, I had pre-ordered this because of the list of names associated with it -- Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, and John Byrne). But this book got me interested in Bizarro and made me appreciate the character in a way that I hadn't before.

The older comics included in this collection along with the small essays on Bizarro were interesting, but it was the main story that I really got into. I liked Pa Kent having such a large role. The story of Clark's childhood relationship with Pa Kent, and child Clark's desire for friendships were effectively interwoven into the Bizarro World storyline. I was moved by Bizarro's yearnings for attachment and his bewilderment about where he'd gone wrong in his attempts to find it.

I've gone from not particularly caring about Bizarro to hoping that the authors will write more stories featuring him.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to the Fun House, January 27, 2009

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Superman: Escape from Bizarro World (Hardcover)

With a nod to the marvelous Silver Age of Comic Books, the kidnapping of Jonathan Kent to Bizarro World is the story line that drives the three-part mini-series, with Superman in quite a quandary when Bizarro Luthor enters the scene.

Geoff Johns, Richard Donner and John Byrne keep the pace solid, as Bizarro is depicted as a highly-misunderstood being and one whose actions - though not evil - can easily be twisted by those who have devious plots aimed directly against the Man of Steel. The Bizarro Justice League gets into the fracas, as Jonathan Kent's life hangs perilously in the balance. Other tales of Bizarro - Superman #140, DC Comics Presents #71, Man of Steel #5 - are also included.

The book won't convert those who feel the Bizarro World is...well, too bizarre, though this is solid writing from the misty corners of the fun house.