All-Star Superman
{4/5} “I know I promised I wouldn’t waste my intellect on kryptonite robots and elaborate super-death traps… But three months ago, I looked in the mirror at those nasty little spiderwebs of lines around my eyes, and I realized something… I’m getting older and… and he isn’t… So, if I want to die happy, it’s time to get serious about killing Superman.”
A team is exploring the sun and Lex Luther arranges for them to have the sort of trouble that only Superman can save them from. But Superman was exposed to critical levels of radiation and now he’s going to die. That’s all Luther ever wanted, so he’s happy. But how can Superman tell Lois, and what will happen when he’s gone?
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison was published as a graphic novel in 2011. It originally appeared as individual comic books from 2006-08.
The artwork by Frank Quitely (pencils) and Jamie Grant (ink and colour) suits the story. There’s more of a difference than usual between Clark Kent and Superman (as explained at the back of the book), which is good because the usual glasses-no glasses trick is silly.
Previous adventures that I don’t know about are referred to, which slowed the story down a bit. Tough guys Samson and Atlas show up — that part was a bit silly. Because he gets in trouble so often, Jimmy Olsen has a watch that signals Superman.
While Superman tries to deal with his impending death, he deals with a bizarre place called the Underverse and a couple of people from his home planet of Krypton.
I often find comic books a bit confusing, and that’s true of this one. It was recommended but I have a feeling that it’s more for people who read Superman on an ongoing basis.
On the whole I liked the book. Some parts grabbed me more than others, but it shows you what Superman’s about.