Superman: For Tomorrow, Vol. 1 [Hardcover]

Brian Azzarello (Author), Jim Lee (Author)

Book Description

Series: Superman Limited Gns (DC Comics R) | Publication Date: April 1, 2005

A cataclysmic event has struck the Earth. Millions of people have vanished without a trace. No one is left unaffected--not even Superman. A year has passed, and Superman is left with many questions and very few answers. For a hero who tries to have all the answers, it's torture. And, just as the action hearts up and the stakes are raised, one huge questions emerges: just how far is Superman willing to go "For Tomorrow"?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Fresh from an acclaimed stint on DC's flagship, Batman (see Broken City, 2004), artist Jim Lee, a fan favorite, takes on the company's other big gun, Superman, with rather less success. The story begins a year after a million people, including Superman's wife, Lois Lane, mysteriously vanish from the face of the earth. As the Man of Steel tries to solve the puzzle while dealing with his personal loss as well as guilt over failing to prevent the disaster, a parallel story line concerns a priest questioning his faith and serving as Superman's confessor. Unfortunately, this intriguing setup gives way to a denouement featuring a megalomaniac bent on interplanetary conquest, which at least gives Lee the chance to draw the superpowered slugfest his fans demand. The attempt to portray an emotionally vulnerable Superman is admirable, but rather than humanizing the character, Lee's overwrought approach--the series' main selling point, however--makes him appear even more godlike than usual. Meanwhile, Azzarello's forte is dark crime stories populated with flawed characters (he made his bones with the modern noir 100 Bullets); he's just not cut out for larger-than-life. Nevertheless, artist's and writer's fans will clamor for these two volumes collecting their 12-issue Superman run. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Jim Lee is a comics legend. After an extraordinary run drawing X-Men, he co-founded Image studios, and after creating WildStorm Productions he developed and illustrated smash-hit titles like WildC.A.T.S. and StormWatch. Brian Azzarello is one of the hottest names in comics after his work on the crime noir 100 Bullets and Batman catapulted him to the forefront of the ranks of contemporary comics writers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics; 1ST edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401203515
• ISBN-13: 978-1401203511
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great art, a bit weak story, April 14, 2005

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Superman: For Tomorrow, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

Collecting the first half of the year long run by all star artist Jim Lee and 100 Bullets writer Brian Azzarello, For Tomorrow is definitely worth checking out for Lee's art alone. That said though, those who aren't very familiar with the previous storyline to take place on Superman before both took over will be incredibly confused by Azzarello's story. An event called the Vanishing has taken place on Earth, causing millions of people to disappear, including Lois Lane. Beginning with a conversation between Supes and a cancer stricken priest, the reader is introduced to various conspirators, including the mysterious Mr. Orr who may hold the key to it all. Despite a slow moving story, Lee's art is at his awe-inspiring best. While he offered a few glimpses of his dominating looking Superman in his acclaimed Hush run on Batman with Jeph Loeb, the look he gives him here is the best and most intimidating look the classic super hero has ever had. Not to mention that his rendition of the JLA is simply eye popping (maybe he'll do a run on JLA with Grant Morrison next, now that would really be something), and his art alone saves For Tomorrow from being a comic bottom feeder. All in all, if you've missed the single issues, For Tommor is worth a look for Jim Lee's art alone, but you may want to wait for the eventual softcover to come out before laying down your hard earned cash for this overly expensive hardcover.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Confusing, but ultimately worth it, December 8, 2006

By 

CConn (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Superman: For Tomorrow, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

When For Tomorrow first started hitting the comic book store shelves in single issue form, it was met with a decidedly mixed reaction from readers. Some felt it to be utterly confusing and intirely boring, while others saw it as a deep, introspective graphic novel (mistakenly) published in serial form. A story that would best be enjoyed when read in a single sitting. Now with For Tomorrow finally printed as two trade paperbacks, we can finally have that experience.


So, the question is, is it really that deep, introspective graphic novel? Does reading it in one sitting make it any better? If, I had to give you a definitive answer, it would be yes, For Tomorrow's purpose and point is much more clear when digested over an afternoon than it ever was over the 12 months when I first read it as a monthly.

That said, it isn't perfect. And it isn't a story that plays out like your standard comic. The narrative is non-linear. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, that means the story's timeline jumps to and fro from past and present. And maybe even future. Think Gulliver's Travels. Or maybe even the first half of Batman Begins.

This non-linear story is obviously what confused readers originally - god knows, it confused me. The opening chapters raise many questions that are never fully answered until the story's closing pages. This, I won't lie, is a failling. Probably the biggest failing of the book. In my opinion, at least. The plot is so oddly told and unfolded, that the actual story seems not to matter. As if it's only a secondary concern next to the main purpose of the book; philosophy, faith, Superman, and everything in between.

This is where the book shines. The story doesn't matter. The plot is unimportant. What you're getting here is - in my mind, at least - a first class look - no, journey - into Superman's mind, and soul. We examine his faith. His belief in both humanity and himself. And see that even someone as "perfect" as Superman can make a mistake. Maybe that's cliche, maybe some of the more macho readers out there will complain about an overly emotional Superman, but for me - and hopefully you - it gave me a look into the character that I had honestly not seen before.

Aside from the introspective on Superman, there's also pretty prominent philosophical wonderings on faith, religion, and how Superman relates to those two things. I won't try to give any interpretations of those wonderings myself, but for those who love subtext, and a little remarks that can leave you pondering them well after you've finished reading the book, For Tomorrow will certainly be very welcomed.

While it's not as prominent point as other things in the book, I also found the expression of Superman's love for Lois to be very wonderfully done as well. From describing her heartbeat as "his rhythem" to live, to his passionate reunion with her later in the book, it's romantic, but not overpowering, and never distracting.

And, of course, to top all of that off, we have a knockdown, drag out fight with one of Superman's most powerful and sinister villains; Zod. While I think the effectiveness of the fight is diminished slightly by the rather confusing events leading up to it, I must admit, it makes for a really fun read - thanks largely to Jim Lee's fantastic art.

Which brings us to possibly the best thing about the book; the art. Jim Lee is - to me and manly - simply one of the best there is. He's the superstar artist in the comics industry at the moment, and while that may overrate him a bit, I still believe him to be one of the absolute best.

So, in closing, For Tomorrow is a mixed bag. It can very well be overly confusing and seemingly pointless. And it can also be very deep and beautifully introspective. I won't try to predict whether or not you personally will like the book, all I can say is I certainly consider myself all the better for having read it.

[Please note, this review is for both Vol. 1 and 2 of For Tomorrow]

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is My Kind Of Superman!, April 24, 2006

By 

Scott William Foley (Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Superman: For Tomorrow, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

I like Superman. Who doesn't like Superman? But, let's be honest. Superman is by nature a little boring. He's too powerful. He's virtually unbeatable, and that takes a great deal of tension out of most Superman storylines. I've always felt the best way to write Superman is to explore that aspect of him that makes him no more powerful than anyone-his humanity. In fact, because of Superman's strong moral character, his intrinsic sense of right and wrong, he's actually more at risk of exploitation than most heroes. But, most of Superman's writers have chosen to go the alien invasion, giant monkey route with him.

Having said that, it was with trepidation when a friend loaned me Superman: For Tomorrow (Volume I) to read. I immediately thumbed through it and realized that this book demanded ownership for its art alone. The artists? None other than the unconquerable Jim Lee and Scott Williams. Truly a delight to behold.

However, within the first few pages, I realized that writer Brian Azzarello knew how to deliver a charismatic Superman story. I've heard the Superman purists out there panning Azzarello's Superman, but I thought it was an edgy, fresh take on the Man of Steel. This Superman is heroic, iconic, powerful, and more than a little intimidating. This Superman has a chip on his shoulder related to the storyline (which I won't spoil), and it's nice to see him struggling with that part of him that makes him (more or less) human.

Sure, it's not the typical Superman, and that's why I loved it.

~Scott William Foley, author of Souls Triumphant