Customer Reviews

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (Deluxe Edition)

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2 star:		(1)
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As someone who still has the original issues of the two part "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?", I was a little surprised to see this reprinted in a hardcover edition. The original issues were intended to be the final stories of the "Silver Age" Superman before the comic was rebooted with the six part (which I have also) "Man of Steel" mini-series. Besides this, the hardcover includes two other Superman issues:

Superman Annual #11: "For The Man Who Has Everything"
DC Comics Presents #84 - Superman & Swamp Thing: "The Jungle Line"

I still have the DC Comics Presents #84 issue around the house. I never read the Superman Annual #11. However, the comic was adapted into an episode for the Justice League Unlimited comic series on Cartoon Network.

The main appeal of this release may be for readers like me who read the original releases but may not have the issues around anymore. Newer readers should also find the comics good reads but older readers will likely get much more nostalgia out of this collection.

As someone who has read most of the material, the mix of issues is a little unusual. The only thing tying these issues together is that writer Alan Moore penned these issues. In fact, all of the comics in this release are available in another DC Trade paperback entitled: "DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore". This collection includes other NON-Superman stories that Moore wrote during the 1980's including a Green Lantern tale "Tygers". "Tygers" (among other work by Moore) has been used by current Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns as a spring board for the current Green Lantern mini-series "The Blackest Night".

Despite the fact that none of the stories really have anything to do with each other, the hardcover release of "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" is solid. The preface gives good insight into how and why "Whatever Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" was written and help newer readers understand the significance of those two particular issues. I recommend checking it out!

Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" story was an instant classic when it was first published. Finally it's given the deluxe hardcover treatment. This is a gem of a story by Moore and artist Curt Swan. Wonderfully illustrated and lavishly written. Man of Tomorrow is easily among my top-10 favorite super-hero comic stories of all time. The bonus stories that round out this tale are nothing shy of perfect. Moore and Gibbons shine in a story originally presented in a DC annual, whilst the Swamp Thing-Superman tale is from the long-running series DC Comics Presents. Can't recommend this book highly enough for Moore and Superman fans alike.

This is one of my favorite storylines of all time, and having a hardcover extra sized edition PLUS two more Moore penned Superman stories (one of them drawn by the incredible Dave Gibbons) really closed the deal for me, although I must admit even with Amazon's discount it's still a bit overpriced.
The first part of this compilations is the titular "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" which is in my opinion the best Superman story of all time (although All Star Superman is a close second) and if you grew up before John Byrne's reboot in 1986 this is the last story of the classic silver age Superman. This is truly an EPIC storyline with all the best elements of the Superman mythos at their best, and the image of Krypto's ultimate sacrifice still sends shivers down my spine after 25 years of having read the story for the first time. The recolored artwork had already been released on a soft cover edition a few years ago but the bigger size of the current edition really brings out the amazing detail of George Perez inking over Curt Swans' gorgeous pencils on the first part.
It's a must read for any comic book fan.
The second part of the book is a bit disappointing, both stories are pretty good, but I was really expecting them to have recolored artwork too, instead they are exactly the same as when they first appeared in print. It's especially disappointing in "For The Man Who Has Everything" because I was really looking forward to it being recolored (especially since Brian Boland recolored the current anniversary hardcover release of "The Killing Joke") but alas it was not meant to be.
As a side note, I've noticed that as I grow older the more this classic stories stand out in my mind as the best comic books have to offer, I don't think it has much to do with nostalgia but perhaps with the quality of what's being published today.
All in all it's a must have for Superman fans, and anybody the slightest bit interested in the character.

Everything has a beginning, and everything has an end...generally speaking. Comic fans are well aware of Superman's beginnings. He was believed to be the sole survivor of a planet facing doom, whose parents sent him off in a last-ditch effort to give him a chance to live and do good with his life. He landed on Earth and was adopted by a human family. His species had attributes like superpowers on our planet, and he dedicated his life to using those powers to protect the people of Earth.

But Alan Moore was tasked in 1986 with writing an "imaginary story," the "last" story of Superman, unofficially moving forward in time and giving Superman an end. The two-part story Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? is collected for the first time in the hardcover edition to coincide with the release of Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?

Moore created the "last" Superman story not by directly telling of his demise in the present, but moving forward to a point where the world has already become one without a Superman. A statue stands in memorial to his service on Earth, and things seem to be getting along okay following his legacy. A journalist named Tim Crane, from The Daily Planet, arrives at the home of Lois Lane...or Mrs. Lois Elliot, as she is now married to a middle-aged guy graying around the sides. Crane is writing a story called "The Last Days of Superman" and asks Lois to recount the end of Superman's story.

In the flashback tale, Superman returns from a mission in outer space to find pure carnage on Earth, seemingly carried out by Bizarro Superman. Others are involved, though. Clark Kent is exposed as Superman, and loved ones pay a big price due to the revelation. This unfolds into a much larger plot featuring a veritable who's who of Superman's friends and foes. The legendary hero is forced into making a decision that isn't characteristic of Superman and seemingly walks off into the sunset for good. That's it as far as the reporter knows, but Moore leaves the readers with a little something extra, a wink.

Moore handles the entire story with respect for the Superman franchise and fills it out with plenty of references to the character's history. With his skillful writing, it becomes not only an interesting "what if" finale for the Man of Tomorrow, but a walk down memory lane of Superman history, a testament to the character and a great farewell that lets readers in on something special.

This is enhanced by the fact that if anyone's interpretation of Superman was the one for the history books, it would be that of Curt Swan. Every character and every scene is incredibly detailed by Swan. The action is dynamic and engaging, but all the while it has a classic feel to it, thanks in part to the traditional color palette and also because this Deluxe Edition is reprinted on the old style of paper and ink, rather than the modern glossy pages.

The Deluxe Edition includes two more stories by Moore--"The Jungle Line" and "For the Man Who Has Everything." The first takes another character Moore was famous for resurrecting, Swamp Thing, and puts Superman in his realm. An alien spore actually inflicts Superman with an illness that could kill him, and it's up to Swamp Thing to aid him in his time of need. In the latter, several other DC characters come to visit Kal-El on his birthday, only to find him incapacitated by some sort of plant attachment. Both stories are entertaining reads.

It's a nice collection, produced in the same manner as its Batman counterpart, so the two will look quite good on the shelf together. Under the dust cover, the hardcover book is done with a nice black cover with an imprint of the Superman "S" in the center. For old fans or new, Moore's story still resonates today, and even the most skeptical of Superman fans will find a few entertaining stories to read in this collection.
-- William Jones

This was the way I hoped the last fight of Superman would go. It was written a few decades ago, so we've had some more modern, better Supes stories since then, but this is was just great. A little short, but worthy, none-the-less. The 2nd tale was quite good too.

...get the Deluxe Edition. Wonderfully bound and designed. The other Moore stories here are among the greatest Moore has ever written for a pre-existing franchise. Superb.

The story "For the Man Who Has Everything" is a well written, interesting take on what might have been. It is enclosed in a standard adventure tale. The Superman Swamp Thing teamup will appeal to those who like Moore's recreation of Swamp Thing. I don't. The Swamp Thing is Dr. Alec Holland. I did not appreciate Moore's changing Swamp Thing history.

The main story - a two part imaginary tale featuring the Earth One Superman's last adventure will appeal to those who love Alan Moore's writing. I find his stories to be variable. He does best with his own characters. His love of heavy handed drama and destruction doesn't work with Superman (at least this version). To justify the story, logic had to be stood on its head. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Mr. Mxyzptlk, instead of being a mortal pest is shown as being both immortal and insane. It seems to me that Moore wanted to write a story where most of the characters would be hurt or killed and used a cheap trick (his recreation of Mxyzptlk ) to acccomplish this. We see the Legion of Super Villians getting into the act (even though they would know that they were doomed to failure). (By the way, Cosmic King's power would not work on Lana's bloodstream because she had become super.) (if Krypto wanted to kill, he'd do it long distance - avoiding the Kryptonite.) While there are some touching scenes like Superman's reaction to Supergirl, for the most part, this is actually insulting to the characters. Clark Kent's clothes in the trash can is very telling of Moore's real take on the character. We see things that make no sense throughout the story, if one stops to think. Moore's appeal is an emotional bombardment. This is the antithesis of the logic in the Mort Weisinger tales I grew up with.

In closing, no one will agree with me, but The Emperor Has No Clothes.

As someone who still has the original issues of the two part "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?", I was a little surprised to see this reprinted in a hardcover edition

This is a good story, but honestly doesnt hold up as some other more well known books. While i like this perspective on the character, Moore's Superman feels more like something from a time capsule, unlike many other more timless stories. Worth picking up if you are a big Superman fan.

I must say I loved this. I am not really the biggest Dave Gibbons fan (Watchmen was great but I like the art to look more crisp). Anyway, Alan Moore's story is fantastic. It really resonated and showed the toll it took on Superman personally. Also, the Swamp Thing and For the Man Who Has Everything are fantastic tie-in pieces included in this volume. I highly recommend this book.