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Superman has been eclipsed by other, darker superheroes in recent years (Spiderman and Batman, especially) and there has been much talk in Hollywood about finding a way to make the Man of Steel relevant for audiences that like darker, edgier heroes. They need look no further than Kingdom Come. By portraying Superman as a father figure whose commitment to values like truth and justice (and never using lethal force) now seem corny and out-dated, Kingdom Come makes Superman current while staying true to his character.
I don't normally read comics books or graphic novels, so I won't pretend to be any kind of expert. I did grow up worshipping Superman: the old George Reeves Superman movies/serials at first, then the Christopher Reeve films (the first of which came out when I was five). So, I was quickly drawn in by the depiction in Kindgom Come of an older, self-exiled Superman who has become disillusioned with a world that has abandoned the values he championed.
There are more superheroes in this book than I can count and many of them were new to me. Occasionally, I got lost in the action but I'm sure this is mostly because I missed visual cues. On the whole, however, I was sucked in by the story, the incredible artwork, and the sheer pleasure of revisiting a childhood icon as re-imagined for adults living in a complex and frustrating world.
Kingdom Come è di fatto una delle più importanti graphic novel del genere dei supereroi, e le ragioni sono molteplici. Inanzitutto, partendo da una definizione data dal Zack Snyder, regista del tiepido Uomo d'Acciaio dell'anno scorso, i supereroi sono di fatto la mitologia americana e i fumettisti diventano i poeti di questa moderna mitologia. Kingdom Come, sebbene sarà il tempo a decidere se sarà un Iliade o se entrerà nel limbo dei fumetti, è tra i potenziali candidanti. Partiamo dai disegni: Alex Ross, uno dei più apprezzati disegnatori e scrittori di fumetti degli ultimi 20 anni ha dato vita a un Pantheon in maniera realistica. Alcuni critici trovano il disegno di Ross troppo "barocco", Io onestamente lo trovo denso, realistico e espressivo, i volti di superman e co. sembrano realistici quasi umani. Considerando la trama ci troviamo di fronte a uno di quei fumetti che non si leggono solo per un oretta e due e basta. Se la mettiamo sotto un punto di vista solo di divertimento in realtà KC non offre molto, non fa ridere mai e i personaggi non scherzano mai, eccetto Bruce Wayne in un paio di occassioni. .Assolutamente particolare è il look di ogni eroe della "vecchia" generazione di supereroi, molto invecchiati, alcuni come batman, quasi paraplitici, altri come superman hanno rughe e alcuni capelli bianchi. La trama in breve è piuttosto semplice : i vecchi supereroi si sono ritirati quasi tutti, e sono stati sostituiti dai nuovi paladini, molto più violenti e tracotanti. Quando un eroe di nome Magog fa, per errore, esplodere l'intero Kansas(la seconda patria di Superman), i vecchi eroi capeggiati da Superman e Wonder Woman cercheranno di riportare l'ordine. Nel frattempo il gruppo di vecchi villain, guidati da Lex Luthor (ovviamente) e il governo cercano di eliminare, per il bene dei normali umani, i metaumani. Nonostante la trama, che può sembrare banale, la trama regge totalmente e non annoia mai. Cosa vuole dirci questa storia? Che noi, poveri umani, siamo sottomessi a delle semidivinità le quali, se ci va bene, ci salvano, e se ci va male, fanno molti più danni e causano molte più tragedie di quanto un terrorista dei giorni nostri riesce a fare.
Pesante e poco adatta ai neofiti, insegna molto invece a una persona che come me, legge di supereroi da veramente tanto tempo.
Pesante e poco adatta ai neofiti, insegna molto invece a una persona che come me, legge di supereroi da veramente tanto tempo.
As a deep and rather philosophical tale of the dangers inherent in living in a world where Supers (heroes and villains) make the world both easier and harder to live in, Kingdom Come is classic graphic novel that is pretty much mandatory reading for any DC fan.
What is both a pro and a con for the story is that it’s set so into the “future” that the characters we all know and love are changed and slightly unrecognizable. If you like your heroes to be beyond human limitations, this might not be the story for you. If you like to see how time and pressure shape them and their views, you will love this book.
Another important thing to know before reading is that you will be expected to have a deep knowledge of the DC pantheon. Characters get thrown at you with little to no introduction and you’re expected to know who they are or at least what they represent. I admit to getting a bit confused in some panels.
The art is out of this world. It’s unbelievable that such artistry could be contained within the pages of a comic book in a time before computers made it all so much easier. Each panel is a small painting full of detail and nuance. Any other story and it might have overpowered it, but it fits seamlessly with the serious plotline. It gives it an extra bit of gravitas that the seriousness of the story definitely deserves.
What is both a pro and a con for the story is that it’s set so into the “future” that the characters we all know and love are changed and slightly unrecognizable. If you like your heroes to be beyond human limitations, this might not be the story for you. If you like to see how time and pressure shape them and their views, you will love this book.
Another important thing to know before reading is that you will be expected to have a deep knowledge of the DC pantheon. Characters get thrown at you with little to no introduction and you’re expected to know who they are or at least what they represent. I admit to getting a bit confused in some panels.
The art is out of this world. It’s unbelievable that such artistry could be contained within the pages of a comic book in a time before computers made it all so much easier. Each panel is a small painting full of detail and nuance. Any other story and it might have overpowered it, but it fits seamlessly with the serious plotline. It gives it an extra bit of gravitas that the seriousness of the story definitely deserves.
i am by no means a huge superhero comics fan. i enjoyed this book, both the art and the story, but don't have much context to place it in. for example, i had no idea that Captain Marvel is both god and man, and that his magic word is "shazam". it was definitely a good read, although i found some of the battle imagery too chaotic.
This was a pretty weak story, especially as a follow up to Kingdom Come.
I read Kingdom Come cover-to-cover in one sitting and enjoyed every minute. The illustration alone is so enthralling that you want to keep flipping the pages just to gawk at every little detail. Combine that with a compelling story of fallen heroes and broken ideals that actually asks the reader to think for a moment (in a way that DC’s cinematic universe has utterly failed to do time and again).
This would be 5 stars if it kept me interested.
Again, I kinda hate reading books that are generally regarded as "fantastic must reads" because I always end up being kind of "meh" about them.
I can totally see why so many people love this story. It's epic, the stakes are high, the art is gorgeous and for once biblical references were earned.
It uses the characters pretty well and it's told through the eyes of an outsider named Norman. I get the attraction but it's just not my kind of story.
I adore Diana and I just didn't love the way she was used here. I was intrigued by the story about her being exiled and I wanted a lot more of that. I get that they wanted to focus on the main 3 but this was mostly just a tale about Superman. Also, the end didn't help me. I was glad Diana got her post back but Superwonder is not something I think I'll ever like.
Batman was actually my favorite here. His way of going about the war was smart, complex and he never lost sight of everyone else's motives. In my opinion, he was crucial to saving the world. Yet, they didn't do enough with him either. It wasn't until Supes mentioned it at the end that I remembered Robin could have died. I enjoyed his fight with Superman though.
Superman went through a lot here. You really get a feel for the conflicts he's dealing with and his struggle. He comes across kind of flat in the beginning but when he's forced to fight for his worldview, he gets some depth.
Anyway, I definitely recommend this book by it's just not quite my cup of tea.
Again, I kinda hate reading books that are generally regarded as "fantastic must reads" because I always end up being kind of "meh" about them.
I can totally see why so many people love this story. It's epic, the stakes are high, the art is gorgeous and for once biblical references were earned.
It uses the characters pretty well and it's told through the eyes of an outsider named Norman. I get the attraction but it's just not my kind of story.
I adore Diana and I just didn't love the way she was used here. I was intrigued by the story about her being exiled and I wanted a lot more of that. I get that they wanted to focus on the main 3 but this was mostly just a tale about Superman. Also, the end didn't help me. I was glad Diana got her post back but Superwonder is not something I think I'll ever like.
Batman was actually my favorite here. His way of going about the war was smart, complex and he never lost sight of everyone else's motives. In my opinion, he was crucial to saving the world. Yet, they didn't do enough with him either. It wasn't until Supes mentioned it at the end that I remembered Robin could have died. I enjoyed his fight with Superman though.
Superman went through a lot here. You really get a feel for the conflicts he's dealing with and his struggle. He comes across kind of flat in the beginning but when he's forced to fight for his worldview, he gets some depth.
Anyway, I definitely recommend this book by it's just not quite my cup of tea.
I liked a lot about this book, how Superman is determined to do good and reform, the cleverness of Batman, that an elderly pastor was given a gift and also has the ability to touch the most powerful being on the planet.
I also disliked quite a bit as well. Nearly all of the Wonder Woman stuff, doesn't read like her at all. The story, for how big it is, needed probably two more issues to flesh this out a bit more. And the art, though extremely ultra realistic, just isn't my style. I appreciate the level of detail, but just didn't vibe with me.
All that being said, I will read this again at some point. Because the story is interesting, and I think I could get more out of it.
Also epologue, 5/5. Great stuff.
I also disliked quite a bit as well. Nearly all of the Wonder Woman stuff, doesn't read like her at all. The story, for how big it is, needed probably two more issues to flesh this out a bit more. And the art, though extremely ultra realistic, just isn't my style. I appreciate the level of detail, but just didn't vibe with me.
All that being said, I will read this again at some point. Because the story is interesting, and I think I could get more out of it.
Also epologue, 5/5. Great stuff.