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 Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer.
A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics.
Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain.
Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas.
the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read.
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All Star Superman: v. 1
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Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer.
A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics.
Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain.
Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas.
the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read.
The Best Stand Alone Superman Graphic Novel for Ages - read on to find out why!, 08 Oct 2008
This is a graphic novel that has kind of slipped underneath the radar; I have seen it advertised but have always had other purchases to make. And now i regret that i left it so long!
The main selling point of this graphic novel is the fact that Richard Donner is one of the writers on this project, and he is the director of the original Superman: The Movie - the man who got the Man of Steel so spot on for the silver screen. For those of you who haven't seen Superman II : The Donner Cut, you really need to buy it this very minute and watch it. His cut of the film that he was never allowed to finish is utterly awesome, despite the fact that he has had to edit in unfinished scenes, and even screen tests in to it! Why am i prattling on about Richard Donner's films when i am supposed to be reviewing this graphic novel. Well, that it is simple ; this man captures everything 'Superman' perfectly. His storylines, his humour, the way Superman and Clark Kent were portrayed and of course, choosing the unknown Christopher Reeve to play the lead role are all proof that he understands the mythos of Superman, his place in the world, his origins etc.....
And so onto the graphic novel. This is a story that deals with another last son of Krypton - a Kryptonian survivor who arrives in Metropolis when Superman is the great hero of the city. There is only one problem, he has been followed from the Phantom Zone by General Zod, Ursa and Non. What follows is mayhem in Metropolis in which Lex Luthor is enlisted to help rid the Kryptonian criminals from the world.
That is a really brief summary of the plot, and i don't want to spoil all the hidden revelations, surprises and twists but considering this is a one volume story, there is lots packed into it!Some of the more recent graphic novels have been part of a series and they have lost their punch and impact for it. The Last Son does not suffer from this at all. It has a great idea for a storyline and really runs with it and produces all the nice touches from the original and best Superman film. It's all here for you - Jor-El, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, funny interplay with Perry White and Jimmy, a tough but caring Lois Lane (with more drive akin to the Margot Kidder incarnation than the Kate Bosworth portrayal in Superman Returns), a nice scene with Jonathan and Martha Kent etc... The pace is pretty hectic, and you can tell it has been edited well to keep you interested, but more important than that; wanting more!
The big thing for me is that Superman is just like the Reeve version of the Man of Steel. It is very much paying homage to Reeve - the Kryptonian boy even gets called Christopher Kent, which is a really nice touch.
As you can tell, i loved this from the very start to the very end and i can really imagine this being made as a film and with there being talk of a Superman reboot at Warner Brothers in Hollywood, they could do a lot worse than looking at this graphic novel. But, maybe the solution to the silver screen dilemma could be solved by giving Richard Donner the chance to be the director again. Think about it - he is the only director to have a classic Superman film that everyone recognises from the opening credits, and music, the best Superman (Christopher Reeve), the famous helicopter rescue and so much more!
This graphic novel perfectly catches the spirit of the first Richard Donner Superman film and really surprised me by how much i loved it. With a nice introduction by Marc McLure (the Jimmy Olsen from the Reeve films) this graphic novel is a perfect addition to a collection for any fan of the films, and Superman, the comic book character.
Buy this as soon as you can and you really won't regret it! Utterly brilliant!
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Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer. A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics. Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain. Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas. the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read. The Best Stand Alone Superman Graphic Novel for Ages - read on to find out why!, 08 Oct 2008
This is a graphic novel that has kind of slipped underneath the radar; I have seen it advertised but have always had other purchases to make. And now i regret that i left it so long!
The main selling point of this graphic novel is the fact that Richard Donner is one of the writers on this project, and he is the director of the original Superman: The Movie - the man who got the Man of Steel so spot on for the silver screen. For those of you who haven't seen Superman II : The Donner Cut, you really need to buy it this very minute and watch it. His cut of the film that he was never allowed to finish is utterly awesome, despite the fact that he has had to edit in unfinished scenes, and even screen tests in to it! Why am i prattling on about Richard Donner's films when i am supposed to be reviewing this graphic novel. Well, that it is simple ; this man captures everything 'Superman' perfectly. His storylines, his humour, the way Superman and Clark Kent were portrayed and of course, choosing the unknown Christopher Reeve to play the lead role are all proof that he understands the mythos of Superman, his place in the world, his origins etc.....
And so onto the graphic novel. This is a story that deals with another last son of Krypton - a Kryptonian survivor who arrives in Metropolis when Superman is the great hero of the city. There is only one problem, he has been followed from the Phantom Zone by General Zod, Ursa and Non. What follows is mayhem in Metropolis in which Lex Luthor is enlisted to help rid the Kryptonian criminals from the world.
That is a really brief summary of the plot, and i don't want to spoil all the hidden revelations, surprises and twists but considering this is a one volume story, there is lots packed into it!Some of the more recent graphic novels have been part of a series and they have lost their punch and impact for it. The Last Son does not suffer from this at all. It has a great idea for a storyline and really runs with it and produces all the nice touches from the original and best Superman film. It's all here for you - Jor-El, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, funny interplay with Perry White and Jimmy, a tough but caring Lois Lane (with more drive akin to the Margot Kidder incarnation than the Kate Bosworth portrayal in Superman Returns), a nice scene with Jonathan and Martha Kent etc... The pace is pretty hectic, and you can tell it has been edited well to keep you interested, but more important than that; wanting more!
The big thing for me is that Superman is just like the Reeve version of the Man of Steel. It is very much paying homage to Reeve - the Kryptonian boy even gets called Christopher Kent, which is a really nice touch.
As you can tell, i loved this from the very start to the very end and i can really imagine this being made as a film and with there being talk of a Superman reboot at Warner Brothers in Hollywood, they could do a lot worse than looking at this graphic novel. But, maybe the solution to the silver screen dilemma could be solved by giving Richard Donner the chance to be the director again. Think about it - he is the only director to have a classic Superman film that everyone recognises from the opening credits, and music, the best Superman (Christopher Reeve), the famous helicopter rescue and so much more!
This graphic novel perfectly catches the spirit of the first Richard Donner Superman film and really surprised me by how much i loved it. With a nice introduction by Marc McLure (the Jimmy Olsen from the Reeve films) this graphic novel is a perfect addition to a collection for any fan of the films, and Superman, the comic book character.
Buy this as soon as you can and you really won't regret it! Utterly brilliant! Proper faulty and no mistake Guv!, 15 Oct 2007
I can live with the cliché's, I can live with the patronising ex pat, 'ollywood cockernee type characterisation's, I can even forgive John Byrne (once a legend in this business), but what I cannot forgive is that this is very poor and worst of all NOT FUNNY! It is simply short of the mark and way off target and desperately tries to capture a long dead zeitgeist that probably only ever existed in the minds of Americans watching "The Avengers" re-runs on TV as kids and in the long since dried up comedy brain of John Cleese who clearly spends way to much time in La La Land and out of England to recognise this for the poor excuse of a parody that it fails to be...shame
Superman: True Brilliance!, 21 Sep 2005
This book was fantastic!, The humour in it was very british and i enjoyed it greatly. The appearance of Batman in it wasn't the best idea and i thought even though it was slightly funny how he became Batman, it was a rubbish character. The costume was brilliant and the joke about the british tabloids was very funny too. 'British' in an Austin Powers sort of way, 21 Sep 2005
First, the good points: It's got lovely artwork. 1980's fan favourite (and the man entrusted with the late 80's reboot of the Superman mythos) John Byrne inked over by long-time Alan Davis collaborator Mark Farmer, famed for his 'clean' style. It looks great. The story is good as well - an opportunity to parody the S** and the rest of the British tabloid press, with Colin (Superman) Clark's newspaper editor boss clearly modelled on a certain fictional Torquay hotelier. There are some lovely twists on the long-familiar Superman stories, including some lovely cartoony moments (how does a teenage Clark stop himself from looking in the girls' changing rooms with X Ray vision?; what if young Clark switched on heat vision whilst looking at a 'hot' girl? etc) Indeed, Clark's parents are more caricatures than 'real' people to keep in with the 'just for laughs' style. Where I have an issue is with the use of John Cleese as a co-author of the book. I suspect that he's had very little to do with this. True, there are numerous in-jokes hidden away for the fans covering both Python and Fawlty Towers, but would Cleese really have allowed a conversation between Clark and his earthly dad to have allowed the use of the term 'sidewalk' instead of 'pavement'? (Just how British is the writing team?) This has all the hallmarks of one of those Chris Claremont X-Men stories where Britain consists of the Houses of Parliament, Beefeaters, and little else. Austin Powers would feel at home here. Overall, disposable fun, but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library - it's written as much with one eye on pandering to the preconceptions of the US market as it is on giving us Brits 'our own' Superman story. For a quality alternative in a non-comedy vein, I'd recommend Batman: The Scottish Connection by the all-Scots team of Grant & Quitely. They'd even included Rosslyn Chapel years before the Da Vinci code got there...
And Now for Something Completely Different!!, 04 Mar 2005
This is a refreshing change to the Man of Steel! With the combined talents of Messrs. Johnson, Cleese, Byrne and Farmer, it answers the seemingly bizarre question, "What if??". Kal-El grows up in the English countryside suburb of Weston-Super-Mare, adopted by the kindly Clarks. They christen him Colin and his powers soon become more of a hindrance than anything else. While his alter-ego in Metropolis had the almost stereotypical, All-American, story-book upbringing, Colin doesn't have it so good, even working for the Daily Smear under the anarchic Perry Whyte-Badger. I won't give too much away, only to say that it's a hilarious send-up of the Superman legend, that takes a swipe at the notorious image of the British press. It's the first superhero story that had me giggling at the misfortunes of Colin Clark, as he comes to terms with his new-found image. The humour is satirical, very English, and if you're a fan of the off-the-wall Pythonesque humour, you'll enjoy this different take on Superman. The artwork by Alex Bleyaert, displaying all things that are typically British, is bright and outstandingly funny, from the dreary weather to bad teeth....and fish slapping! This book is set to be a comedy classic and would make the perfect gift for any comic-book fan.
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Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer. A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics. Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain. Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas. the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read. The Best Stand Alone Superman Graphic Novel for Ages - read on to find out why!, 08 Oct 2008
This is a graphic novel that has kind of slipped underneath the radar; I have seen it advertised but have always had other purchases to make. And now i regret that i left it so long!
The main selling point of this graphic novel is the fact that Richard Donner is one of the writers on this project, and he is the director of the original Superman: The Movie - the man who got the Man of Steel so spot on for the silver screen. For those of you who haven't seen Superman II : The Donner Cut, you really need to buy it this very minute and watch it. His cut of the film that he was never allowed to finish is utterly awesome, despite the fact that he has had to edit in unfinished scenes, and even screen tests in to it! Why am i prattling on about Richard Donner's films when i am supposed to be reviewing this graphic novel. Well, that it is simple ; this man captures everything 'Superman' perfectly. His storylines, his humour, the way Superman and Clark Kent were portrayed and of course, choosing the unknown Christopher Reeve to play the lead role are all proof that he understands the mythos of Superman, his place in the world, his origins etc.....
And so onto the graphic novel. This is a story that deals with another last son of Krypton - a Kryptonian survivor who arrives in Metropolis when Superman is the great hero of the city. There is only one problem, he has been followed from the Phantom Zone by General Zod, Ursa and Non. What follows is mayhem in Metropolis in which Lex Luthor is enlisted to help rid the Kryptonian criminals from the world.
That is a really brief summary of the plot, and i don't want to spoil all the hidden revelations, surprises and twists but considering this is a one volume story, there is lots packed into it!Some of the more recent graphic novels have been part of a series and they have lost their punch and impact for it. The Last Son does not suffer from this at all. It has a great idea for a storyline and really runs with it and produces all the nice touches from the original and best Superman film. It's all here for you - Jor-El, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, funny interplay with Perry White and Jimmy, a tough but caring Lois Lane (with more drive akin to the Margot Kidder incarnation than the Kate Bosworth portrayal in Superman Returns), a nice scene with Jonathan and Martha Kent etc... The pace is pretty hectic, and you can tell it has been edited well to keep you interested, but more important than that; wanting more!
The big thing for me is that Superman is just like the Reeve version of the Man of Steel. It is very much paying homage to Reeve - the Kryptonian boy even gets called Christopher Kent, which is a really nice touch.
As you can tell, i loved this from the very start to the very end and i can really imagine this being made as a film and with there being talk of a Superman reboot at Warner Brothers in Hollywood, they could do a lot worse than looking at this graphic novel. But, maybe the solution to the silver screen dilemma could be solved by giving Richard Donner the chance to be the director again. Think about it - he is the only director to have a classic Superman film that everyone recognises from the opening credits, and music, the best Superman (Christopher Reeve), the famous helicopter rescue and so much more!
This graphic novel perfectly catches the spirit of the first Richard Donner Superman film and really surprised me by how much i loved it. With a nice introduction by Marc McLure (the Jimmy Olsen from the Reeve films) this graphic novel is a perfect addition to a collection for any fan of the films, and Superman, the comic book character.
Buy this as soon as you can and you really won't regret it! Utterly brilliant! Proper faulty and no mistake Guv!, 15 Oct 2007
I can live with the cliché's, I can live with the patronising ex pat, 'ollywood cockernee type characterisation's, I can even forgive John Byrne (once a legend in this business), but what I cannot forgive is that this is very poor and worst of all NOT FUNNY! It is simply short of the mark and way off target and desperately tries to capture a long dead zeitgeist that probably only ever existed in the minds of Americans watching "The Avengers" re-runs on TV as kids and in the long since dried up comedy brain of John Cleese who clearly spends way to much time in La La Land and out of England to recognise this for the poor excuse of a parody that it fails to be...shame
Superman: True Brilliance!, 21 Sep 2005
This book was fantastic!, The humour in it was very british and i enjoyed it greatly. The appearance of Batman in it wasn't the best idea and i thought even though it was slightly funny how he became Batman, it was a rubbish character. The costume was brilliant and the joke about the british tabloids was very funny too. 'British' in an Austin Powers sort of way, 21 Sep 2005
First, the good points: It's got lovely artwork. 1980's fan favourite (and the man entrusted with the late 80's reboot of the Superman mythos) John Byrne inked over by long-time Alan Davis collaborator Mark Farmer, famed for his 'clean' style. It looks great. The story is good as well - an opportunity to parody the S** and the rest of the British tabloid press, with Colin (Superman) Clark's newspaper editor boss clearly modelled on a certain fictional Torquay hotelier. There are some lovely twists on the long-familiar Superman stories, including some lovely cartoony moments (how does a teenage Clark stop himself from looking in the girls' changing rooms with X Ray vision?; what if young Clark switched on heat vision whilst looking at a 'hot' girl? etc) Indeed, Clark's parents are more caricatures than 'real' people to keep in with the 'just for laughs' style. Where I have an issue is with the use of John Cleese as a co-author of the book. I suspect that he's had very little to do with this. True, there are numerous in-jokes hidden away for the fans covering both Python and Fawlty Towers, but would Cleese really have allowed a conversation between Clark and his earthly dad to have allowed the use of the term 'sidewalk' instead of 'pavement'? (Just how British is the writing team?) This has all the hallmarks of one of those Chris Claremont X-Men stories where Britain consists of the Houses of Parliament, Beefeaters, and little else. Austin Powers would feel at home here. Overall, disposable fun, but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library - it's written as much with one eye on pandering to the preconceptions of the US market as it is on giving us Brits 'our own' Superman story. For a quality alternative in a non-comedy vein, I'd recommend Batman: The Scottish Connection by the all-Scots team of Grant & Quitely. They'd even included Rosslyn Chapel years before the Da Vinci code got there...
And Now for Something Completely Different!!, 04 Mar 2005
This is a refreshing change to the Man of Steel! With the combined talents of Messrs. Johnson, Cleese, Byrne and Farmer, it answers the seemingly bizarre question, "What if??". Kal-El grows up in the English countryside suburb of Weston-Super-Mare, adopted by the kindly Clarks. They christen him Colin and his powers soon become more of a hindrance than anything else. While his alter-ego in Metropolis had the almost stereotypical, All-American, story-book upbringing, Colin doesn't have it so good, even working for the Daily Smear under the anarchic Perry Whyte-Badger. I won't give too much away, only to say that it's a hilarious send-up of the Superman legend, that takes a swipe at the notorious image of the British press. It's the first superhero story that had me giggling at the misfortunes of Colin Clark, as he comes to terms with his new-found image. The humour is satirical, very English, and if you're a fan of the off-the-wall Pythonesque humour, you'll enjoy this different take on Superman. The artwork by Alex Bleyaert, displaying all things that are typically British, is bright and outstandingly funny, from the dreary weather to bad teeth....and fish slapping! This book is set to be a comedy classic and would make the perfect gift for any comic-book fan.
Crisis on infinite timelines, 12 Jan 2007
If you love the various versions of the DC Universe, you'll love this as the Legion of Super Villans from the 31st Century pervert time and turn Kal-El and Bruce Wayne into their obedient 'children'
lots of different paths - a must for Legion lovers plus Kamandi and a host of others such as the Alam Moore (Earth 1) and Kingdom Come versions of Superman.
The story is well written and well drawn with two niggles. 1 Superman looks awful and 2 would he really have acquiesced to three villans' teachings and done some of the things he did? But that aside Loeb's script is great.
Chop-socky brilliance, but what actually happens?, 22 Nov 2004
I love this book, don't get me wrong. I love the art, adore the superior way in which Superman and Batman think about EVERYTHING differently, but what has always bugged me about Jeph Loeb is his inability to tell an awesome story. He has the dialogue spot-on, but I'm always curious about his endings. You'll see what I mean.
However, with that out of the way, this is a great exploration of characters who may not possibly be able to support their own title, like Katana and Captain Atom. As I said, the Bats/Supes is worth the price is worth it alone. The thoughts of both characters, is for me, what comics are about. Batman is such a rich character. Superman, although he is struggling and needs a reinvention, how do you do that? Its impossible to reinvent Superman. Let him be, and give him some decent villains instead!
But anyhow, buy this book, I love it. Its a lot of fun. Try getting the monthly Batman/Superman comic too.
Good but not great, 07 Nov 2004
"Batman and Superman - Public enemies" is a good addition to the DC universe but the book is not without its problems but lets deal with the positive first.
Public enemies teams both Superman and Batman together for a story which perfectly captures the dynamic between the two characters. Some of the narrative comments made by Batman and Superman are excellent. The best thing about this book is the way that both Superman and Batman sound, the dialogue between them is so natural and the mutual respect and friction between them is spot on. The story itself centres around a Kryptonite meteor heading for earth and Lex Luthor blaming Supes for this and declaring both him and Bats "Public Enemies". From this point you will find a very action packed story with Supes and Bats fleeing capture. The action scenes are fantastic and a high point of the stories mid section.
But sadly there are a few minor things that pull the book down form being five stars. Although superbly written by Jeph Loeb I did find the art of Ed McGuiness quite underwhelming. Despite being very nicely coloured the actual characters all looked to similar and Superman for some reason sports a huge jaw at points.
Secondly, the first five parts of the story appear to have a sense of urgency and keep building toward what you hope will be a satisfying climax, unfortunately in the final chapter everything gets wrapped up in quite a silly way and after seeing Bats and Supes taken on by the JLA and others in earlier parts the ending seems to be a bit too easily solved. But, this book is a worthy addition to any Superman or Batman collection but for the casual reader there are a lot better titles. e.g "Batman- Hush" or "Superman for all seasons."
BELIEVE IT, 08 Sep 2004
As an avid Batman comics reader I read this title when sold as the separate issues, and could certainly not wait for the next continuing issue. I do not agree with the review offered previously. For a long time Batman and Superman were allies, very good friends even. Right up to the 70s and early 80s. However during the Dark Knight Returns period, Superman was cast as an adversary of Batman's. Although I am the no. 1 Batman fan, and agree heartfelt with Bruce that Clark can be sloppy and undisciplined, nonetheless I did not always like seeing how every artist and writer since had continued with the adversarial feelings. THEN along comes this book, and while thankfully not being as cheesily chummy as the older stories were, it certainly shows how these 'World's Finest' heroes should feel and view each other. There will even be moments that will grip you emotionally, unintentionally or not. If you have never read it, then read it, you do not know what you are missing. As I said, it has been far too long for these two to get along. Thank DC that some astute writer finally put it right. Certainly as good as the relationship between the two on the 'Justice League' cartoon series.
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Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer. A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics. Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain. Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas. the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read. The Best Stand Alone Superman Graphic Novel for Ages - read on to find out why!, 08 Oct 2008
This is a graphic novel that has kind of slipped underneath the radar; I have seen it advertised but have always had other purchases to make. And now i regret that i left it so long!
The main selling point of this graphic novel is the fact that Richard Donner is one of the writers on this project, and he is the director of the original Superman: The Movie - the man who got the Man of Steel so spot on for the silver screen. For those of you who haven't seen Superman II : The Donner Cut, you really need to buy it this very minute and watch it. His cut of the film that he was never allowed to finish is utterly awesome, despite the fact that he has had to edit in unfinished scenes, and even screen tests in to it! Why am i prattling on about Richard Donner's films when i am supposed to be reviewing this graphic novel. Well, that it is simple ; this man captures everything 'Superman' perfectly. His storylines, his humour, the way Superman and Clark Kent were portrayed and of course, choosing the unknown Christopher Reeve to play the lead role are all proof that he understands the mythos of Superman, his place in the world, his origins etc.....
And so onto the graphic novel. This is a story that deals with another last son of Krypton - a Kryptonian survivor who arrives in Metropolis when Superman is the great hero of the city. There is only one problem, he has been followed from the Phantom Zone by General Zod, Ursa and Non. What follows is mayhem in Metropolis in which Lex Luthor is enlisted to help rid the Kryptonian criminals from the world.
That is a really brief summary of the plot, and i don't want to spoil all the hidden revelations, surprises and twists but considering this is a one volume story, there is lots packed into it!Some of the more recent graphic novels have been part of a series and they have lost their punch and impact for it. The Last Son does not suffer from this at all. It has a great idea for a storyline and really runs with it and produces all the nice touches from the original and best Superman film. It's all here for you - Jor-El, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, funny interplay with Perry White and Jimmy, a tough but caring Lois Lane (with more drive akin to the Margot Kidder incarnation than the Kate Bosworth portrayal in Superman Returns), a nice scene with Jonathan and Martha Kent etc... The pace is pretty hectic, and you can tell it has been edited well to keep you interested, but more important than that; wanting more!
The big thing for me is that Superman is just like the Reeve version of the Man of Steel. It is very much paying homage to Reeve - the Kryptonian boy even gets called Christopher Kent, which is a really nice touch.
As you can tell, i loved this from the very start to the very end and i can really imagine this being made as a film and with there being talk of a Superman reboot at Warner Brothers in Hollywood, they could do a lot worse than looking at this graphic novel. But, maybe the solution to the silver screen dilemma could be solved by giving Richard Donner the chance to be the director again. Think about it - he is the only director to have a classic Superman film that everyone recognises from the opening credits, and music, the best Superman (Christopher Reeve), the famous helicopter rescue and so much more!
This graphic novel perfectly catches the spirit of the first Richard Donner Superman film and really surprised me by how much i loved it. With a nice introduction by Marc McLure (the Jimmy Olsen from the Reeve films) this graphic novel is a perfect addition to a collection for any fan of the films, and Superman, the comic book character.
Buy this as soon as you can and you really won't regret it! Utterly brilliant! Proper faulty and no mistake Guv!, 15 Oct 2007
I can live with the cliché's, I can live with the patronising ex pat, 'ollywood cockernee type characterisation's, I can even forgive John Byrne (once a legend in this business), but what I cannot forgive is that this is very poor and worst of all NOT FUNNY! It is simply short of the mark and way off target and desperately tries to capture a long dead zeitgeist that probably only ever existed in the minds of Americans watching "The Avengers" re-runs on TV as kids and in the long since dried up comedy brain of John Cleese who clearly spends way to much time in La La Land and out of England to recognise this for the poor excuse of a parody that it fails to be...shame
Superman: True Brilliance!, 21 Sep 2005
This book was fantastic!, The humour in it was very british and i enjoyed it greatly. The appearance of Batman in it wasn't the best idea and i thought even though it was slightly funny how he became Batman, it was a rubbish character. The costume was brilliant and the joke about the british tabloids was very funny too. 'British' in an Austin Powers sort of way, 21 Sep 2005
First, the good points: It's got lovely artwork. 1980's fan favourite (and the man entrusted with the late 80's reboot of the Superman mythos) John Byrne inked over by long-time Alan Davis collaborator Mark Farmer, famed for his 'clean' style. It looks great. The story is good as well - an opportunity to parody the S** and the rest of the British tabloid press, with Colin (Superman) Clark's newspaper editor boss clearly modelled on a certain fictional Torquay hotelier. There are some lovely twists on the long-familiar Superman stories, including some lovely cartoony moments (how does a teenage Clark stop himself from looking in the girls' changing rooms with X Ray vision?; what if young Clark switched on heat vision whilst looking at a 'hot' girl? etc) Indeed, Clark's parents are more caricatures than 'real' people to keep in with the 'just for laughs' style. Where I have an issue is with the use of John Cleese as a co-author of the book. I suspect that he's had very little to do with this. True, there are numerous in-jokes hidden away for the fans covering both Python and Fawlty Towers, but would Cleese really have allowed a conversation between Clark and his earthly dad to have allowed the use of the term 'sidewalk' instead of 'pavement'? (Just how British is the writing team?) This has all the hallmarks of one of those Chris Claremont X-Men stories where Britain consists of the Houses of Parliament, Beefeaters, and little else. Austin Powers would feel at home here. Overall, disposable fun, but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library - it's written as much with one eye on pandering to the preconceptions of the US market as it is on giving us Brits 'our own' Superman story. For a quality alternative in a non-comedy vein, I'd recommend Batman: The Scottish Connection by the all-Scots team of Grant & Quitely. They'd even included Rosslyn Chapel years before the Da Vinci code got there...
And Now for Something Completely Different!!, 04 Mar 2005
This is a refreshing change to the Man of Steel! With the combined talents of Messrs. Johnson, Cleese, Byrne and Farmer, it answers the seemingly bizarre question, "What if??". Kal-El grows up in the English countryside suburb of Weston-Super-Mare, adopted by the kindly Clarks. They christen him Colin and his powers soon become more of a hindrance than anything else. While his alter-ego in Metropolis had the almost stereotypical, All-American, story-book upbringing, Colin doesn't have it so good, even working for the Daily Smear under the anarchic Perry Whyte-Badger. I won't give too much away, only to say that it's a hilarious send-up of the Superman legend, that takes a swipe at the notorious image of the British press. It's the first superhero story that had me giggling at the misfortunes of Colin Clark, as he comes to terms with his new-found image. The humour is satirical, very English, and if you're a fan of the off-the-wall Pythonesque humour, you'll enjoy this different take on Superman. The artwork by Alex Bleyaert, displaying all things that are typically British, is bright and outstandingly funny, from the dreary weather to bad teeth....and fish slapping! This book is set to be a comedy classic and would make the perfect gift for any comic-book fan.
Crisis on infinite timelines, 12 Jan 2007
If you love the various versions of the DC Universe, you'll love this as the Legion of Super Villans from the 31st Century pervert time and turn Kal-El and Bruce Wayne into their obedient 'children'
lots of different paths - a must for Legion lovers plus Kamandi and a host of others such as the Alam Moore (Earth 1) and Kingdom Come versions of Superman.
The story is well written and well drawn with two niggles. 1 Superman looks awful and 2 would he really have acquiesced to three villans' teachings and done some of the things he did? But that aside Loeb's script is great.
Chop-socky brilliance, but what actually happens?, 22 Nov 2004
I love this book, don't get me wrong. I love the art, adore the superior way in which Superman and Batman think about EVERYTHING differently, but what has always bugged me about Jeph Loeb is his inability to tell an awesome story. He has the dialogue spot-on, but I'm always curious about his endings. You'll see what I mean.
However, with that out of the way, this is a great exploration of characters who may not possibly be able to support their own title, like Katana and Captain Atom. As I said, the Bats/Supes is worth the price is worth it alone. The thoughts of both characters, is for me, what comics are about. Batman is such a rich character. Superman, although he is struggling and needs a reinvention, how do you do that? Its impossible to reinvent Superman. Let him be, and give him some decent villains instead!
But anyhow, buy this book, I love it. Its a lot of fun. Try getting the monthly Batman/Superman comic too.
Good but not great, 07 Nov 2004
"Batman and Superman - Public enemies" is a good addition to the DC universe but the book is not without its problems but lets deal with the positive first.
Public enemies teams both Superman and Batman together for a story which perfectly captures the dynamic between the two characters. Some of the narrative comments made by Batman and Superman are excellent. The best thing about this book is the way that both Superman and Batman sound, the dialogue between them is so natural and the mutual respect and friction between them is spot on. The story itself centres around a Kryptonite meteor heading for earth and Lex Luthor blaming Supes for this and declaring both him and Bats "Public Enemies". From this point you will find a very action packed story with Supes and Bats fleeing capture. The action scenes are fantastic and a high point of the stories mid section.
But sadly there are a few minor things that pull the book down form being five stars. Although superbly written by Jeph Loeb I did find the art of Ed McGuiness quite underwhelming. Despite being very nicely coloured the actual characters all looked to similar and Superman for some reason sports a huge jaw at points.
Secondly, the first five parts of the story appear to have a sense of urgency and keep building toward what you hope will be a satisfying climax, unfortunately in the final chapter everything gets wrapped up in quite a silly way and after seeing Bats and Supes taken on by the JLA and others in earlier parts the ending seems to be a bit too easily solved. But, this book is a worthy addition to any Superman or Batman collection but for the casual reader there are a lot better titles. e.g "Batman- Hush" or "Superman for all seasons."
BELIEVE IT, 08 Sep 2004
As an avid Batman comics reader I read this title when sold as the separate issues, and could certainly not wait for the next continuing issue. I do not agree with the review offered previously. For a long time Batman and Superman were allies, very good friends even. Right up to the 70s and early 80s. However during the Dark Knight Returns period, Superman was cast as an adversary of Batman's. Although I am the no. 1 Batman fan, and agree heartfelt with Bruce that Clark can be sloppy and undisciplined, nonetheless I did not always like seeing how every artist and writer since had continued with the adversarial feelings. THEN along comes this book, and while thankfully not being as cheesily chummy as the older stories were, it certainly shows how these 'World's Finest' heroes should feel and view each other. There will even be moments that will grip you emotionally, unintentionally or not. If you have never read it, then read it, you do not know what you are missing. As I said, it has been far too long for these two to get along. Thank DC that some astute writer finally put it right. Certainly as good as the relationship between the two on the 'Justice League' cartoon series.
Second coming? Or godlike delusions?, 31 Jan 2006
The return of superman was never going to carry the same blow as the death of him. As Steven T. Seagle said, there’s only one story that could ever have a successful return from the dead, and Superman is certainly no Jesus.... However, having said that "The Return of Superman" is a solid piece of fiction that flows elegantly and highlights why the figure of superman is so enduring through his erroneous doppelgangers: the four false supermen. This novel questions and forces the limits of Superman, (and indeed Clark Kent in the memorable story "Prove It")with the four false supermen trying to fill his boots, each succeeding in some area's but never fully understanding, nor achieving what Superman did. "There's only one Superman" and this tale certainly drive's that point home. This graphic novel is relevant today, covering issues of religious fanaticism and false hopes diverging in violent counterpoint to the death of an ideal, a hero if our times that is wholly part of the 20th centaury. Set against the angst ridden streets of metropolis, where clinical depression is rising as fast as the gun crime, “The Return of Superman” attempts very bravely to resolve the good in the world against the seedy underside of the criminal world. The four false supermen, therefore take upon themselves the guilt, anger and frustration of the times, displaying the iconic “S” as a reminder that even the dirtiest of past’s can be redeemed through the ideal’s of which Superman embodies.
The writing never gets stale, leaping from one narrative thread to the next without disorientation or confusion. It is a clearly written, neat narrative, cross referencing other D.C characters and past Superman tales. Art work is clean and at times inventive and powerfully imaginative. However, with the loss of superman’s power, you can’t help but think that the inclusion of the Green Lantern was a little overwhelming and took away from the heroics that Superman took upon himself later in the book. Coupled with slightly gaudy angles and poses the characters perform, helps to detract from the realism “The Return of Superman” tries to establish. Between the media coverage this book generated and the hype of Superman’s return it is no wonder that the writers fought an uphill battle trying to resurrect the man in blue. While not a tale of ingenuity and cutting edge human drama (like The Watchmen), “The Return of Superman” is a solid work, and comes highly recommended, buy it, it’s worth it even if you are not a Superman fan. It will not change your life, but it will satisfy your escapist side for an afternoon.
Second coming? Or godlike delusions?, 31 Jan 2006
The return of superman was never going to carry the same blow as the death of him. As Steven T. Seagle said, there’s only one story that could ever have a successful return from the dead, and Superman is certainly no Jesus.... However, having said that "The Return of Superman" is a solid piece of fiction that flows elegantly and highlights why the figure of superman is so enduring through his erroneous doppelgangers: the four false supermen. This novel questions and forces the limits of Superman, (and indeed Clark Kent in the memorable story "Prove It")with the four false supermen trying to fill his boots, each succeeding in some area's but never fully understanding, nor achieving what Superman did. "There's only one Superman" and this tale certainly drive's that point home. This graphic novel is relevant today, covering issues of religious fanaticism and false hopes diverging in violent counterpoint to the death of an ideal, a hero if our times that is wholly part of the 20th century. Set against the angst ridden streets of metropolis, where clinical depression is rising as fast as the gun crime, “The Return of Superman” attempts very bravely to resolve the good in the world against the seedy underside of the criminal world. The four false supermen, therefore take upon themselves the guilt, anger and frustration of the times, displaying the iconic “S” as a reminder that even the dirtiest of past’s can be redeemed through the ideal’s of which Superman embodies.
The writing never gets stale, leaping from one narrative thread to the next without disorientation or confusion. It is a clearly written, neat narrative, cross referencing other D.C characters and past Superman tales. Art work is clean and at times inventive and powerfully imaginative. However, with the loss of superman’s power, you can’t help but think that the inclusion of the Green Lantern was a little overwhelming and took away from the heroics that Superman took upon himself later in the book. Coupled with slightly gaudy angles and poses the characters perform, helps to detract from the realism “The Return of Superman” tries to establish. Between the media coverage this book generated and the hype of Superman’s return it is no wonder that the writers fought an uphill battle trying to resurrect the man in blue. While not a tale of ingenuity and cutting edge human drama (like The Watchmen), “The Return of Superman” is a solid work, and comes highly recommended, buy it, it’s worth it even if you are not a Superman fan. It will not change your life, but it will satisfy your escapist side for an afternoon.
One of the best books in years, 11 Jun 2005
This has to be the best of the three(others being death of superman and world without superman)and one of the best superman stories ever(fact)do yourself a favour buy all three books and get ready for a great saga of which many fans have said has yet to be bettered
Another Good Superman Book..., 17 Jul 1999
If you like this, read "The Death and Life of Superman" by Roger Stern. It is a 400 page novel that includes Reign of the Supermen, Funeral For a Freind, and the battle with Doomsday and a whole ton of back-story the first few chapters. It has info the comics don't, and a must read for any Superman fan. The way he describes the charecters is awsome! Pick it up today, and no, I am not Roger Stern's press agent!
Wow! I never was so compelled to finish a book., 07 Feb 1999
I brought this book to conclude the death of Superman saga and I was not disapointed.The illstrations are some of the best I have seen but,pale in complexion to the sublime story line. The book almost pushes the reader to turn the page.WARNING-Do not buy this book if you need an early night!
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Superman: Escape from Bizarro World
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Geoff JohnsRichard DonnerEric Powell;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £8.74
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Superman: Birthright
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Mark WaidLeinil Francis Yu;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £6.44
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Customer Reviews
To date, the best I have ever read, 04 Nov 2008
This is my favourite graphic novel to date. I read it about 2 years ago and have found nothing to beat it - I hope that isn't the case for much longer. A Red Son Rises... never to set, hopefully, 08 Mar 2008
I have read this book over ten times so far and am still finding layers I had not seen before. I cannot recommend it enough. Red Son takes Kal-L (note spelling old school Superman fans) and places him in Soviet Russia at the height of Stalin's power. It shows how the world would be if Superman had ultimate power but communist ideals.
The story begins in 1953, continues up to the modern day and far beyond. Superman remains the same kind hearted hero he has always been portrayed as but now his actions have as much political impact as physical particularly with Stalin's influence. As time moves on his responsibility grows and he must decide what to do for the best. America fears this new Soviet weapon and so commission their greatest mind Lex Luthor to come up with a solution. Luthor is portrayed brilliantly here, his genius pouring out of every word and action. When he is first introduced he is learning Urdu from a tape recorder he designed in the washroom, reading Machiavelli's Il principe and playing fourteen games of chess at once, all in his coffee break.
Millar does a good job of making extraordinary things like this seem simple and relatable to the reader. The Superman presented here is massively powerful but also very human. When he meets Luthor's first but by no means only plan to remove him, a bizzaro-esqe clone, and his true blue spirit is shown as well as his awesome power. He says, in perfect English "Pardon me if my English isn't perfect but I only learned the language ten minutes ago and I'm still having trouble with the grammar but... these shores are off limits comrade." He wants to help everyone but finds that the more responsibility he has the more control he must exert over the people bringing the point that absolute power corrupts, not nessaceraly the man but his ideals. He laments later "Life was so simple in those days: deflecting meteorites, welding tectonic plates, managing a global economy single handedly."
The writing is immensely clever and the art reflects both the idealistic and darker elements of the narritive. Other Dc characters are placed in the story subtly while various political viewpoints both old and contemporary are discussed. The narrative twists and turns and the ending comes as a complete surprise...something very rare in comics. Ambiguity rules, 22 Nov 2007
Another alternate Superman, this time in an alternate history... Landing 12 hours early, the rocketed alien(?) infant is found and raised in Ukraine instead of Kansas. Growing up to be the Comrade of Steel (successor to Stalin, both in title and in position as Soviet Premier), he upholds the communist philosphy of absolute state control, seeking to create a global utopia with no crime, no poverty, no hunger, no unemployment - and no choice. His noble intentions shine through as always, whatever the outcome.
Why Batman and Wonder Woman also had to be emerge in Russia (whilst Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and Hal Jordan remain Americans) is never quite justified... but it makes for a fascinating story. Casting Batman as terrorist instead of crimefighter may be actually more suited to his forbidding image, although he is still a hero and an inspiration in his setting. Luthor, a misanthropic and selfish genius, departs from his usual villainy, yet remains Superman's nemesis as always - representing the Land of the Free, later becoming President and saving America from economic collapse, ultimately the creator of an Earthly paradise. The twist at the end, although corny, completes the inversion of the classic Superman concept.
The defining characteristic of this graphic novel is that one can never define who is hero and who is villain. Best Elseworlds in years, 23 Sep 2007
I don't care much for the Elseworlds-titles. Most of them can be classified as complete nonsense, and I rarely pick up any. But the drawings in this one attracted me, so I gave it a try.
Simple the best Elseworlds-title since Gotham by Gaslight (which started the whole thing). It's got marvellous artwork, an exciting and entertaining story, some great plot-twists and a ironic and surprising ending. For once, old familiar heroes really were taken in new directions. Heartily recommended to grown-up-fans. It may be a mite to dark for the youngest fans, besides, the more you know about history, the funnier it gets. Like, president Nixon got shot in 1983 and JFK married Marilyn... And this was just a throw-away joke from a team boiling over with ideas. the adventures of Soviet-Man, 12 Jan 2007
A simple premise:- Kal-El lands in rural USSR instead of Kansas. Well written up to a frankly rushed and cliched ending.
That as a young man Kal-El could turn a blind eye to some of the less savoury behaviour of the Soviet leaders did not ring true either.
Still worth the price and more than one read. The Best Stand Alone Superman Graphic Novel for Ages - read on to find out why!, 08 Oct 2008
This is a graphic novel that has kind of slipped underneath the radar; I have seen it advertised but have always had other purchases to make. And now i regret that i left it so long!
The main selling point of this graphic novel is the fact that Richard Donner is one of the writers on this project, and he is the director of the original Superman: The Movie - the man who got the Man of Steel so spot on for the silver screen. For those of you who haven't seen Superman II : The Donner Cut, you really need to buy it this very minute and watch it. His cut of the film that he was never allowed to finish is utterly awesome, despite the fact that he has had to edit in unfinished scenes, and even screen tests in to it! Why am i prattling on about Richard Donner's films when i am supposed to be reviewing this graphic novel. Well, that it is simple ; this man captures everything 'Superman' perfectly. His storylines, his humour, the way Superman and Clark Kent were portrayed and of course, choosing the unknown Christopher Reeve to play the lead role are all proof that he understands the mythos of Superman, his place in the world, his origins etc.....
And so onto the graphic novel. This is a story that deals with another last son of Krypton - a Kryptonian survivor who arrives in Metropolis when Superman is the great hero of the city. There is only one problem, he has been followed from the Phantom Zone by General Zod, Ursa and Non. What follows is mayhem in Metropolis in which Lex Luthor is enlisted to help rid the Kryptonian criminals from the world.
That is a really brief summary of the plot, and i don't want to spoil all the hidden revelations, surprises and twists but considering this is a one volume story, there is lots packed into it!Some of the more recent graphic novels have been part of a series and they have lost their punch and impact for it. The Last Son does not suffer from this at all. It has a great idea for a storyline and really runs with it and produces all the nice touches from the original and best Superman film. It's all here for you - Jor-El, the Fortress of Solitude, the Phantom Zone, funny interplay with Perry White and Jimmy, a tough but caring Lois Lane (with more drive akin to the Margot Kidder incarnation than the Kate Bosworth portrayal in Superman Returns), a nice scene with Jonathan and Martha Kent etc... The pace is pretty hectic, and you can tell it has been edited well to keep you interested, but more important than that; wanting more!
The big thing for me is that Superman is just like the Reeve version of the Man of Steel. It is very much paying homage to Reeve - the Kryptonian boy even gets called Christopher Kent, which is a really nice touch.
As you can tell, i loved this from the very start to the very end and i can really imagine this being made as a film and with there being talk of a Superman reboot at Warner Brothers in Hollywood, they could do a lot worse than looking at this graphic novel. But, maybe the solution to the silver screen dilemma could be solved by giving Richard Donner the chance to be the director again. Think about it - he is the only director to have a classic Superman film that everyone recognises from the opening credits, and music, the best Superman (Christopher Reeve), the famous helicopter rescue and so much more!
This graphic novel perfectly catches the spirit of the first Richard Donner Superman film and really surprised me by how much i loved it. With a nice introduction by Marc McLure (the Jimmy Olsen from the Reeve films) this graphic novel is a perfect addition to a collection for any fan of the films, and Superman, the comic book character.
Buy this as soon as you can and you really won't regret it! Utterly brilliant! Proper faulty and no mistake Guv!, 15 Oct 2007
I can live with the cliché's, I can live with the patronising ex pat, 'ollywood cockernee type characterisation's, I can even forgive John Byrne (once a legend in this business), but what I cannot forgive is that this is very poor and worst of all NOT FUNNY! It is simply short of the mark and way off target and desperately tries to capture a long dead zeitgeist that probably only ever existed in the minds of Americans watching "The Avengers" re-runs on TV as kids and in the long since dried up comedy brain of John Cleese who clearly spends way to much time in La La Land and out of England to recognise this for the poor excuse of a parody that it fails to be...shame
Superman: True Brilliance!, 21 Sep 2005
This book was fantastic!, The humour in it was very british and i enjoyed it greatly. The appearance of Batman in it wasn't the best idea and i thought even though it was slightly funny how he became Batman, it was a rubbish character. The costume was brilliant and the joke about the british tabloids was very funny too. 'British' in an Austin Powers sort of way, 21 Sep 2005
First, the good points: It's got lovely artwork. 1980's fan favourite (and the man entrusted with the late 80's reboot of the Superman mythos) John Byrne inked over by long-time Alan Davis collaborator Mark Farmer, famed for his 'clean' style. It looks great. The story is good as well - an opportunity to parody the S** and the rest of the British tabloid press, with Colin (Superman) Clark's newspaper editor boss clearly modelled on a certain fictional Torquay hotelier. There are some lovely twists on the long-familiar Superman stories, including some lovely cartoony moments (how does a teenage Clark stop himself from looking in the girls' changing rooms with X Ray vision?; what if young Clark switched on heat vision whilst looking at a 'hot' girl? etc) Indeed, Clark's parents are more caricatures than 'real' people to keep in with the 'just for laughs' style. Where I have an issue is with the use of John Cleese as a co-author of the book. I suspect that he's had very little to do with this. True, there are numerous in-jokes hidden away for the fans covering both Python and Fawlty Towers, but would Cleese really have allowed a conversation between Clark and his earthly dad to have allowed the use of the term 'sidewalk' instead of 'pavement'? (Just how British is the writing team?) This has all the hallmarks of one of those Chris Claremont X-Men stories where Britain consists of the Houses of Parliament, Beefeaters, and little else. Austin Powers would feel at home here. Overall, disposable fun, but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library - it's written as much with one eye on pandering to the preconceptions of the US market as it is on giving us Brits 'our own' Superman story. For a quality alternative in a non-comedy vein, I'd recommend Batman: The Scottish Connection by the all-Scots team of Grant & Quitely. They'd even included Rosslyn Chapel years before the Da Vinci code got there...
And Now for Something Completely Different!!, 04 Mar 2005
This is a refreshing change to the Man of Steel! With the combined talents of Messrs. Johnson, Cleese, Byrne and Farmer, it answers the seemingly bizarre question, "What if??". Kal-El grows up in the English countryside suburb of Weston-Super-Mare, adopted by the kindly Clarks. They christen him Colin and his powers soon become more of a hindrance than anything else. While his alter-ego in Metropolis had the almost stereotypical, All-American, story-book upbringing, Colin doesn't have it so good, even working for the Daily Smear under the anarchic Perry Whyte-Badger. I won't give too much away, only to say that it's a hilarious send-up of the Superman legend, that takes a swipe at the notorious image of the British press. It's the first superhero story that had me giggling at the misfortunes of Colin Clark, as he comes to terms with his new-found image. The humour is satirical, very English, and if you're a fan of the off-the-wall Pythonesque humour, you'll enjoy this different take on Superman. The artwork by Alex Bleyaert, displaying all things that are typically British, is bright and outstandingly funny, from the dreary weather to bad teeth....and fish slapping! This book is set to be a comedy classic and would make the perfect gift for any comic-book fan.
Crisis on infinite timelines, 12 Jan 2007
If you love the various versions of the DC Universe, you'll love this as the Legion of Super Villans from the 31st Century pervert time and turn Kal-El and Bruce Wayne into their obedient 'children'
lots of different paths - a must for Legion lovers plus Kamandi and a host of others such as the Alam Moore (Earth 1) and Kingdom Come versions of Superman.
The story is well written and well drawn with two niggles. 1 Superman looks awful and 2 would he really have acquiesced to three villans' teachings and done some of the things he did? But that aside Loeb's script is great.
Chop-socky brilliance, but what actually happens?, 22 Nov 2004
I love this book, don't get me wrong. I love the art, adore the superior way in which Superman and Batman think about EVERYTHING differently, but what has a | | |