All-Star Superman (Review)

While I know that All-Star Superman is highly considered one of the greatest Superman stories ever written, I only just made my way around to this 12-issue limited series. All-Star Superman written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely, is the winner of at least two Eisner Awards: Best New Series in 2006 and Best Ongiong Series in 2007. With this sort of reputation, I came into this series with high expectations and high hopes for one of my favorite characters of all time. And, for the most part, Morrison and Quitely pulled through. This series, like All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, was created to exist outside DC continuity. They wanted Morrison to be able to tell the story he wanted to tell, without having to worry about what was happening in Superman’s world in the regular series. And this is part of the reason that Morrison was able to tell the story he told.

There is a lot to love about All-Star Superman. The premise of the story, that Superman has received an overdose of radiation from the sun when he rescued Dr. Leo Quintum and his team, is much different than anything I could ever expect. Superman is dying because of overexposure to the source of all his powers. Talk about irony. But it isn’t really. Because we find out early on that certain businessman and scientist, Lex Luthor, is behind Quintum’s trip to the sun and Superman’s subsequent rescue and overexposure.

Thus, here we have a Superman story wherein the Man of Steel is staring down the barrell of the one gun he probably thought he’d never have to face: mortality. And the musings and decisions of Superman following this revelation of his constant cellular degeneration provides a great backdrop for this book. It is in the moments when Superman stares down his own mortality that it becomes evident that Earth is his home, and always will be. He faces the prospect and idea of death in much the same way that you or I would, and he becomes more human in light of that experience.

Morrison’s writing in this series, overall, is phenomenal. There were a few small places that I thought sounded a little forced. Even so, the dialogue and occasional inner monologue is what pushes this series forward, and it does so without making the whole idea seem too forced. The one set back I found arose with Superman on Bizarrotropolis. It seemed a little too much out of left field and I couldn’t really find a way to connect to the story. It was all just a little too much outside the scope for the story that was being told. At least, it felt that way to me.

Quitely’s art is phenomenal, as expected. He really is a great artist doing great work, especially in this series. I really have nothing bad to say about that aspect of the book.

Overall, I would definitely suggest reading this series. I understand the love the series has received and continues to receive. It is a Superman story outside the realm of any I’ve read thus far. And I very much enjoyed it (minus the small qualms I had with plot and dialogue). I give this entire series a 4/5, and highly recommend everyone read it.