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Probably more than any other country in the world, America spawns many fictional characters recognized the world over.  Of these characters, Superman remains one of the most enduring icons of the last century.  In 70 years of publishing Superman comics, the Man of Steel has seen and done it all.  His list of accomplishments range from dying and returning to life, helping restart the universe, saving the Earth more times than possible to count, saving Lois Lane even more times than that and generally being the very epitome of the word superhero.  Within the gamut of Superman stories, relatively, we have seen it all.  At least we thought that, until someone granted Grant Morrison a Superman comic and gave him the power to write whatever he wanted.

Superman without much continuity.  A Superman comic where the normal DC comic universe really does not matter to the happenings of his book.  Considering Grant Morrison’s previous works, I would have thought DC would be too afraid to let him touch an icon like that.  Morrison’s writing spans the gauntlet of arguably amazing (JLA, New X-Men), ultra-political (The Invisibles) and downright strange (We3 anyone?).  You just never know what you are going end up with; you just know the ride tosses you around quite a bit. 

All-Star Superman tells a story of a Superman that receives a massive overdose of solar radiation and while making him more powerful than ever, he now only has one year left to live.  The end of that year fast approaches and this issue Superman tackles writing his will, trying to decide what will happen with Kandor, how the Earth can protect itself without him and generally trying not to talk to Lois.  At the same time, Superman creates a pocket universe so he can see how a world without a Superman will fare. 

Grant Morrison takes us on his typical bouncy ride through a comic.  The unique, non-linear writing tends to scare away younger crowds but generally pulls in the more mature audience.  Those of us with a much better working knowledge of Superman tend to delight in the little recreations that Morrison pulls out of his hat with characters and concepts that have not existed since Crisis.  The book feels like a conglomeration of the cheesy Superman stories of the 60s mixed with a writer’s flair for such ridiculous super-science that you actually believe the techno-babble.  I often find myself jumping back and forth between laughing and scratching my head.  Morrison seems to craft an almost childlike look at a story to mature and bizarre to make sense to children.  Superman spends less time hitting things and more time talking through problems. 

On the other hand, I doubt any child could find fault in Frank Quitely’s art and Jamie Grant’s coloring.  Bright and bold, the comic really brings out the styling of Superman.  Quitely draws Superman a bit more muscle bound and, perhaps, oafish than I would prefer, but it also works for him in a way.  It clearly resonates more to the original 1938 Superman and perhaps a bit to the actor George Reeves who played Superman in the first Superman TV show.  Detail shines through where needed and then backs away when the art wants to remind you to focus on the story. 

All-StarSuperman drinks from a different cup than most of the books on DC’s shelf right now.  It provides a fun, alternative look into a universe where Superman seems to be the only superhero.  At least the only one who matters.  If you are a continuity nut, you should probably avoid All-Star altogether, continuity ended up tossed out long before pen-hit paper here. 

All-Star Superman #10
“Neverending”
Written by: Grant Morrison
Pencilled by: Frank Quitely
Digitally Inked & Colored by: Jamie Grant
Lettered by: Travis Lanham

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