All Star Superman!!!

morrison has this really jerky, start-stop way of plotting stuff sometimes, doesn't he?

he also tends to assume we'll know exactly what that genetically engineered fat human suicide bomb thing is!

(and why it's ok for superman to kill him?)

Surprised that it was "OK for Superman to kill" the human suicide bomb thing--Morrison has said repeatedly that his one cardinal rule is that Superman NEVER solves problems by killing anyone, which makes it odd that he appears to do that a few pages into the first issue...

x-x-x-post: Yeah, I noticed that about the preview too-- the Lex stuff worked better with the pages removed; yeah, GM's always had narrative hiccups that sometimes work but sometimes don't-- his treatment of the bomb thing was perfunctory and the weakest part of the issue but he's just being metapop and eliding over the boring conventional stuff that doesn't matter anyway; I was less delighted because of hiccups but there's room for good stuff ahead, I understand why he's doing the hypercompression but I don't know if it's as elegant as he thinks it is, and yeah, that was a moment that was wildly out of character (that was more a move that Aztek or the JLA Batman would have made!) but maybe this is supposed to be the new "tough on terrorism" Superman to go with GM's anti-terrorist "Magneto is boring" message from X-Men-- though I agree that Mr. "there's always a way" should have found a way to save that guy from being a suicide bomber.

Seems a very persnickety point to focus on. This gave me a thrill I've not had since JLA!

I loved the first page because apart from what it says, it's also saying "It's Superman. You know, Superman." Has he killed Brainiacs and Metallos in the past?

Is Leo Quintum a new character (apart from being Willy Wonka with an atom smasher)?

Is that Oracle on page 5?

Goddammit there are a lot of ads in comics these days.

"It's your turn now... SIR! Feel... A ROBOT'S PAIN!"

The pain is SO INTENSE that the human guy lifts off the floor and flies through the air while he dies of PURE PAIN! Result!

So anyway, yeah, I never liked Supes killing robots. But this one seems to actually want to blow up as a form of self-expression.

The "I'M A GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FAT HUMAN SUICIDE BOMB, SUCKAZZZZ!" line kinda got the message across!

The reveal on the last panel (and resolution in the "next issue" box! fuck you DC!) was my biggest disappointment; such an upset of the applecart is a bit pointless when the applecart was bought out by a fruit&veg chainstore 15 years ago in regular DC. keep it classique, Grant!

Flex Mentallo! But on another note, how is the suicide bomb thing not really obvious? The issue starts out with you assuming everyone in the ship is normal until one of them mentions being engineered to not have fear. Then, one of them starts claiming to be a bomb while swelling up and the next page has Luthor saying the EXACT SAME WORDS while wearing some sort of virtual reality/remote control rig! The bomb doesn't want to be stopped, and it's doubtful Superman would be able to determine how to stop it that quickly, so he chucks the guy outside.

I also saw the female character as probably another genetically engineered person, so she's less Quintum's partner than she is part of the lab. Quintum is like some ultimate Willy Wonka/Quentin Quire (from New X-Men)/supergenius. It'll be interesting if he gets played against Luthor in more than the studious scientist role (i.e. he's not just reactive by doing things like finding a cure for Superman after Luthor sabotaged him).

Luthor's set-up was great: the bomb was just bait to get Superman close to the sun! Attacking him with his source of power puts adds to the dynamic.

In my memory it was like this in the preview that was online, but the actual issue stuck a few pages inbetween the bomb's speech and Luthor's appearance.

Still, it's kind of frustrating that the normal in-continuity title can't be this good, or so cared after. I'm sure this would have worked just as well if useless DC hack had drawn it instead of Quitely.

The idea that Frank Quitely can't draw faces seems a little bizarre. There were a lot of faces, all totally distinct. And I see what they mean about him really selling the Superman/Kent divide.

http://www.newsarama.com/DC/AS/VinSupes.jpg

http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/d/despdan1.jpg

This happens in Showcase Presents Superman, I recall.

"Surfeit" was one of those words that I always use in the totally wrong way. Hell, I'm still unclear what it actually means.

It's rec.arts.comics all over again!

RE: PENULTIMATE PAGE TO THE PENULTIMATE PAGE (YOU READ THAT RIGHT):

W. Blake ref.? I can't recall the exact image but it certain "Swedenbourg influenced artist" bells. To free-associate further, fun to see what are at-bottom Swedenbourg-ian afterlife theories promulgated by Jor-El.

QUITE LAME:

should read: "it rang certain 'Swedenbourg influenced artist' bells."

Not as dizzyingly high a note as I'd hoped for. A lot left open for the reader to work with, and more that I hope would get revisited.

I did notice that Jimmy Olsen got his jetpack from a future that never was, though. Nice touch.

I need to reread this one straight through, as I'd imagine a lot of people are doing since it's released over the span of years. Morrison and Quitely's narrative cohesiveness is pretty much summed up in Leee's posting upthread with the Clark Kent posture sketch.

I don't keep up with publishers' news like I should -- anyone know if DC is going to put this out complete in one volume?

Considering the critical reception, I'd bet an Absolute Edition isn't too far in the future.

There will certainly be a one-volume edition. Now, whether they opt for the cheap route or spendy route is anyone's guess. I'd go with spendy, as they'll probably release a second hardcover of issues 7-12 that will get the whole story for a pretty decent (as measured these days) price.

I'd guess spendy. Sixty bucks or up.

According to Amazon, the Vol 2 hardcover will come out next February. Maybe I'll get the two HCs instead of one big spendy volume.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the image of the golden Superman inside the sun in ASS #12 imply that it is the ASS Superman who returns from the sun in the finale of DC One Million? Which would mean that One Million provides the conclusion to the story of ASS, even though they're nominally in different continuities? Note that Kal Kent, the Superman of AD 85,250 appears in both series too. This would also explain the leader of Superman Squad's (who is also golden) lines in the end of ASS #6. Clark asks the golden Superman which descendant of his he is, but the golden Superman doesn't answer that question. His rather cryptic comment would make perfect sense if he's not any descendant of Clark's, rather than Clark himself from the far future of One Million.

For lack of better words, yes, quite possible or likely what you are saying is true - this is Morrison!

It's been ages since I read One Million, I do remember it mentioned Superman had spent a really, really long time inside the Sun, but was it ever explained why he went there in the first place? Though of course, these being alternate universes and all, the reader is free to interpret the ending of ASS either way: either Superman returns from the Sun in the near future, and she and Lois will have kids, or alternately Superman will remain there until One Million, and all of Superman's and Lois's descendants will come from the genetic material he gave to Quintum. (The latter alternative would also explain The Unknown's Superman's peculiar answer to Lois's question in ASS #2.)

In a way I think Morrison is kinda cheating, because ASS is otherwise such a self-contained work (though the bits about Qwewq and Solaris become more significant if you've read his other DC stuff), but on the other hand I think it's kinda cool the finale to this series can be found in another one that came out years earlier. Only in comics!

I think he also has a particular love for continuity, while at the same time doesn't care about shoving aside or recasting things if they don't fit exactly - it's more about mining the lore to however he wants to use it, whatever point he wants to make (see also: his Batman run). Also it helps that he himself wrote DC1M, so he could make explicit references to the characters he created there in ASS, so it fits a personal canon of his, the same way the Miller Batman works do as well.

In a way, the "cheating" is what Morrison sets out to do all the time, he loves that sort of trickery - what is the multiverse, Moore-esque "it's all an imaginary story", etc. I haven't even read Doom Patrol or Animal Man but I hear there are similar concepts. I should totally reread this series again someday.

Nhex otm on lore vs continuity.

The spendy version.

$99.99 cover, $67.49 Amazon.

I know what I want for Christmas.

me too.

yessss

A hundred bucks for 12 issues of comics that you can already get in several different formats that will set you back no more than $40 is retarded, no matter how good the comics are. IMHO.

So I guess you won't be buying this?

c'mon, US$99 is insane - didn't these leap from $75 for no reason whatsoever? and the cost has been amortised through FIVE separate editions already. it's completely extortionate.

would looooove a copy myself, but that doesn't mean the price point is uncriticisable

Well Amazon has it for $67.

What does the deluxe edition have in extra that justifies the price, considering you can get ASS as two hardcover volumes for 20 bucks a piece?

I believe it's oversized -- 13" x 9" or something like that -- but beyond that I don't know.

Just for comparison's sake, the oversized hardcovers that Marvel puts out for some of their titles, collecting pretty much the same amount of material as Absolute ASS, retail for $35.

Mind you, this instance isn't as egregious as the recently released Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth, which collects 6 issues for $75. But it's still pretty much insane and devoid of any logic or context, as many marketing decisions in the comics world seem to be. They get away with it because they know a lot people will buy it no matter what it costs or how little sense it makes. But I'm the one shelling out $4 a pop for a lot of Marvel's comics these days, so I guess that shuts me up.

I'm only missing the last 3 issues of Vol 2, I feel like I should just find the back issues somewhere or something

I, uh, have managed to read this without shelling out $$ for it yet, so this will be a) pretty much worth it at Amazon prices and b) not feel so much like getting my pocket picked by package/repackage/repackage industry s.o.p.

Except (and I really, seriously am not trying to make a thing of this) the more people who give in and buy stuff like this, the more stuff like this becomes s.o.p. See this week's example: Marvel letting their Essential Tomb of Dracula trades go out of print so that they can start putting out trades (in full-color, granted) of half as much material at almost twice the price. Which will be the third time in six years they're reprinting the same material.

that's a good point but otoh I have never (and will never) buy any b&w reprints cuz I've always thought they were terrible, cheap-looking ripoffs. So if full-color trades come out, even if they cost a little more, I'm for it.

Yeah, I have to agree there - always hated the idea of those black and white reprints. At least they won't stop printing the softcover collections of ASS, though the hardcover collections are already out of print.

like if the choice is between those shitty b&w New Gods reprints for $15 and the full-color Kirby Fourth World Omnibus hardbacks for $50, I'm happily choosing the latter, no question.

(that being said the Tomb of Dracula b&w trade I was thumbing through was really fun/funny)

I love love love the existence of the b&w reprints, not because they're ideal but because you can read huge amounts of hard-to-find stuff for cheap. And on the occasion that a deserving title gets a high-quality reprint (like the forthcoming Mighty Thor Omnibus), I will happily shell out the ducats like a motherfucker. But (to bring it back on-topic) we're talking about 700+ pages of comics for the same price as the Absolute ASS book.

And, yeah, the New Gods "dilemma" (as with any classic Kirby) is a no-brainer.

TS: incredible value for money black and white Essentials volume that allow you to look more closely at the linework of eg Joe Sinnott vs. overpriced and often horribly recoloured full colour reprint ripoffs (tho' yes, the black and white New Gods volumes put out by DC did feature the addition of inappropriate new tones)

(like the forthcoming Mighty Thor Omnibus)

― SNEEZED GOING DOWN STEPS, PAIN WHEN PUTTING SOCKS ON (Deric W. Haircare)

What Thor Omnibus? What era?

eh I already have all the Marvel Masterworks for the Kirby era, except for the last one. they are great, so fun. so many stupid endless fight sequences.

The Thor Omnibus is listed in Marvel's September solicitations. Kirby-era, everything up through Journey Into Mystery 120. I literally read about it the day that I received Essential Thor v2 in the mail (after holding out hope for forever that an omnibus would be released). Fuckers.

Credit where credit is due, I'm glad that Marvel is finally starting to put out affordable softcover Masterworks volumes. I'd love to own pretty much all of the Masterworks, but that's just yet another reprint series that is (for my budget) waaaay overpriced. Although the selection of reprint material is often baffling (Acts Of Vengeance? Secret Wars II? Really?), the Omnibi are a pretty good value. Until a month and a half after the release date, when the entire 200-count print run has sold out.

cool beans. Will definitely keep an eye out for it this fall. I hope they do a Simonson set someday.

I would assume Tomb Of Dracula looks MUCH BETTER in b&w, am I wrong?

Well Amazon has it for $67.

Amazon charged $90 for postage on Kramer's #7, that's a false economy

I've only read ToD in B&W, but it does indeed look awesome, can't imagine it looking any better with 70s Marvel colouring. With most other comics I'd prefer to read the original coloured versions though. (Most of the comics I read I borrow from the library, so price is not an issue for me, as long as the Helsinki city library keeps buying this stuff.)

I'm a big fan of the black and white phone book reprints and I do agree with that you get a different appreciation for the line art seeing in in black and white. I think they 'could' do the same sized books in 4 color and similar paper stockfor maybe 8-10 bucks more, but the world is based on the 6 issue trade at 2.50 to 4 bucks an issue so they won't go that way.

If you have decades of material that is possible to reprint, 6 issues a pop one or two books a year really isn't putting much of the back catalog in print.

I've pretty much used the Marvel Essentials to fill out the early part of runs on a title to read, where buying the back issues are cost prohibitive. I'd love to have Amazing Spider-man 1-150 (or further) in full color trade, but at the point they are putting out the Marvel Masterworks in paper back, it will never happen. The hardcover are freaking crazy expensive, like 50 bucks for a half dozen issues (and a reprint at that).

Would not enjoy 500 pages of Jimmy Olsen as much if I paid more than $17/$19, colour or no.

Jimmy Olsen also got a color reprint separate from hhe New Gods b/w reprints. Track those down if you don't want to shell out for the recent editions of the New Gods material. I give the JO stuff my highest recommendation for comic book insanity.

Hah, poor example on part! I meant the non-Kirby Jimmy Olsen in Showcase Presents. The Kirby stuff is indeed total insanity even by 70s Kirby standards. But re the Weisinger Superman (inc. JO) stuff, a premium high quality colour reprint would almost do violence to its meaning. Its power is in its volume. One crazy story about Jimmy's fan club discovering an ancient Olsen-esque statue in Roman ruins is one thing, but seeing that in the context of an entire decade of jungle-brides, transvestism, etc

Sounds like I know what my next SHOWCASE purchase is.

bump to fix bookmarks. And buy Showcase Metamorpho if you find it!

Already gots it.

Dwayne McDuffie adapting for cartoon http://dwaynemcduffie.com.lamphost.net/wordpress/?p=900