By Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely with Jamie Grant (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-854-4
The worst part of this gig is those moments when you’re holding something that defies your best-words: something utterly self evident, if only you could but see it yourself…
The long-awaited second and concluding volume of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s quirkily reverential and innovatively nostalgic interpretation of the legend of Superman (reprinting issues #7-12 of the award-winning mini-series) wraps up the saga in inimitable manner to the general delight of all fans and occasional dilettantes everywhere.
Superman is dying. Poisoned by Lex Luthor and the Tyrant Sun Solaris, the Man of Tomorrow rushes desperately to finish a shopping list of impossible tasks before his inevitable end, aware that the precious Earth and his greatest friends must be kept safe and happy, even after his demise…
Revisiting such unforgettable Silver Age motifs as the Planet of the Bizarros, being replaced by (even) more competent Kryptonians, liberating the citizens of the Bottle City of Kandor and all those cataclysmic battles with Luthor, not to mention curing cancer and the last Will and Testament of Superman, these gently thrilling glimpses of finer worlds shine with charm and Sense-of-Wonder, leavened with dark, knowing humour and subtle wistfulness. And action. Lots and lots of spectacular, mind-boggling action…
Older readers of the Man of Steel look back on an age of weirdness, mystery, hope and above all, unparalleled imagination. Morrison and the uniquely stylish Quitely (aided and abetted by the digital wizardry of inker/colourist Jamie Grant) obviously remember them too, and must miss them as much as we do.
However this is not just a pastiche of lost grandeur. Kids of all ages are better informed than we were, and the strong narrative thread and sharp, witty dialogue, backed up by the best 21st century technobabble should ensure that even the worldliest young cynic feels a rush of mind-expanding, goose-bump awe.
All-Star Superman: One of the very few superhero collections that literally anybody can – and should – enjoy…
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