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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
This is pretty much the origin story as usual, with more about his teens than some; I really enjoyed the Kents and the Smallville cast. The Lois here is still Clark's rival, not his friend or love interest yet, and Lex is totes evil. It was a neat touch to have each section (season) narrated by a different person--Pa Kent, Lois, Lex, Lana Lang.
Only three stars because I was more in the mood for Superman having adventures, but it's very good at what it does.
Only three stars because I was more in the mood for Superman having adventures, but it's very good at what it does.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not an action/adventure epic, which is different for a superman title, but beautifully told nonetheless. The story concerns the struggles of clark kent to suppress his desires for an ordinary life and learning to deal with his limitations (yes superman his limitations too). The result is a heart-warming tale that fleshes out the relationship he has with his parents and with Lana Lang and focuses on the sacrifices superman makes every day that we may not even think about. Typically, people spend most of the time reading superman comics wishing they could do the things he did, but after reading Superman for All Seasons, they may think twice.
The best part of it all is the portrayal of superman as a lonely and solitary figure-downtrodden from his inability to save everyone and everything. It's a great characterization that treads a fine line between heroism and being too emo, very well.
The best part of it all is the portrayal of superman as a lonely and solitary figure-downtrodden from his inability to save everyone and everything. It's a great characterization that treads a fine line between heroism and being too emo, very well.
Me ha gustado mucho pero el arte de Tim Sale... uff definitivamente no es para mi
I always love how it's so gentle and kind, and how heartsore Clark is off and on throughout the story. To me this is just one of those beautiful Superman stories where he's really struggling to find himself and who he is in all of this.
It's not really even about being Superman, it's about who is Clark. His relationship with Lana as a friend, how the people around him see him -it's their voices seeing him and how they describe what's happening and his reactions more than it's about what's going on with him and it's a fun way for him to be on the bulk of the pages but not tell the story from his perspective.
So while it's about him, it's more about how people see him and react to him. And it's so beautiful and there's this heartache and sort of nostalgia coming of age story to it, and this genuine sweetness, too. I can't really find the word I'm looking for, but it's one of those stories I can keep re-reading over and over.
It's not really even about being Superman, it's about who is Clark. His relationship with Lana as a friend, how the people around him see him -it's their voices seeing him and how they describe what's happening and his reactions more than it's about what's going on with him and it's a fun way for him to be on the bulk of the pages but not tell the story from his perspective.
So while it's about him, it's more about how people see him and react to him. And it's so beautiful and there's this heartache and sort of nostalgia coming of age story to it, and this genuine sweetness, too. I can't really find the word I'm looking for, but it's one of those stories I can keep re-reading over and over.
One of the best Superman stories ever written. The art is brilliantly done in the style of Normal Rockwell to really drive that whole "small town old-timey American values" feeling home. It's character centric and takes Superman in a direction that he (surprisingly) is rarely taken.
One of the best takes on the origin I've ever read. Loeb and Sale are a powerhouse duo, exemplifying Clark Kent's roots and motivations better than most while keeping to the core values. A great companion-piece and parallel to John Byrne's Man of Steel.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After being a little disappointed by some recent Superman movies, I decided to keep an eye out for the best Superman comics. Superman's never been one of my go-to's. I don't know why. Something about him was just a little...boring, I guess.
But on the other hand, there HAS to be some great stuff out there. You can't keep a character going this long without some damn good stories. And hell, you can do good runs of Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and LEGION. There HAS to be some good Superman stuff.
And I remember reading the Death of Superman when I was a kid. It was a big deal. I was a kid, and therefore I really thought this was the end of Superman. World Without A Superman, if you will. Superman: The End (For Real). And so on.
I'm happy to say, the search for good Superman comics is going well so far. This is one of the great ones.
Okay, okay. It's origin-focused, which isn't my favorite thing. There's very little Superman-ing, which is something I usually dislike in comics.
But I feel like, better than most, this comic really explains who Superman is, how he was raised, and why he makes the choices he does.
Because Superman, like most good superheroes, has two origins. How he got his powers, but then also how he decided to use those powers.
And I think a lot of the difference between a good and bad Superman story is respecting that dual origin. In a bad movie, he gets powers, and therefore is a good guy. In a good movie, he develops powers, but it's his life up to that point that informs how he uses those powers.
I think if you contrast this story with Mark Waid's Irredeemable, which is a story about a Superman-like character who does not have the emotional base that Clark Kent has, you can see why this is so important.
This is what Man of Steel should have been.
The complaints about the newest Superman usually run around the darkness. The killing, the cynical view of things. And I think that can be summed up by the fact that in Superman, we want a hero who's genuinely kind. I feel like that's his great power. He can do anything, and he could do it however he wants, but his best moments display his kindness and his generosity.
The newer movies seem to have a Superman who does the great things, and he saves lives, but he doesn't seem to actually rescue anyone or save people and have concern for their safety. Not like he does in Superman For All Seasons when he rescues a woman from a burning building, takes her to an ambulance and tells the crew that she's inhaled a lot of smoke and please take good care of her.
That's the difference, as I see it, between a Superman and most other characters. I like Daredevil, but he's not doing that shit. I like Thor, but he's arrogant and has to learn to be more humble. Iron Man, same deal.
I think what's missing from a lot of the newer superhero movies, it's not about them being too dark or too much spectacle. It's about never seeing that side. That generous, giving side of the superheroes. It's not for all superheroes. But I think it's right in a Superman.
But on the other hand, there HAS to be some great stuff out there. You can't keep a character going this long without some damn good stories. And hell, you can do good runs of Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and LEGION. There HAS to be some good Superman stuff.
And I remember reading the Death of Superman when I was a kid. It was a big deal. I was a kid, and therefore I really thought this was the end of Superman. World Without A Superman, if you will. Superman: The End (For Real). And so on.
I'm happy to say, the search for good Superman comics is going well so far. This is one of the great ones.
Okay, okay. It's origin-focused, which isn't my favorite thing. There's very little Superman-ing, which is something I usually dislike in comics.
But I feel like, better than most, this comic really explains who Superman is, how he was raised, and why he makes the choices he does.
Because Superman, like most good superheroes, has two origins. How he got his powers, but then also how he decided to use those powers.
And I think a lot of the difference between a good and bad Superman story is respecting that dual origin. In a bad movie, he gets powers, and therefore is a good guy. In a good movie, he develops powers, but it's his life up to that point that informs how he uses those powers.
I think if you contrast this story with Mark Waid's Irredeemable, which is a story about a Superman-like character who does not have the emotional base that Clark Kent has, you can see why this is so important.
This is what Man of Steel should have been.
The complaints about the newest Superman usually run around the darkness. The killing, the cynical view of things. And I think that can be summed up by the fact that in Superman, we want a hero who's genuinely kind. I feel like that's his great power. He can do anything, and he could do it however he wants, but his best moments display his kindness and his generosity.
The newer movies seem to have a Superman who does the great things, and he saves lives, but he doesn't seem to actually rescue anyone or save people and have concern for their safety. Not like he does in Superman For All Seasons when he rescues a woman from a burning building, takes her to an ambulance and tells the crew that she's inhaled a lot of smoke and please take good care of her.
That's the difference, as I see it, between a Superman and most other characters. I like Daredevil, but he's not doing that shit. I like Thor, but he's arrogant and has to learn to be more humble. Iron Man, same deal.
I think what's missing from a lot of the newer superhero movies, it's not about them being too dark or too much spectacle. It's about never seeing that side. That generous, giving side of the superheroes. It's not for all superheroes. But I think it's right in a Superman.