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Author Topic: ALL-STAR SUPERMAN in the newest WIZARD  (Read 7791 times)
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King Krypton
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« on: February 26, 2005, 07:03:06 AM »

I picked up the new Wizard today while I was out buying take-out burgers. Great jam cover of Superman and Batman, by the way (even though Jim Lee's art is going to be wasted on Frank Miller's recycled "Batman is a one-note jerk" shtick).

The article on All-Star Superman is on p. 48. My impressions so far:

1. Morrison and Quitely indicate that it's 12 issues and they're gone. So is this a miniseries or a regular book? If it's the former, it's going to face the same fate as Trinity and Birthright, neglected and ultimately of no help to the malaise Superman's in. If it's the latter, DC better have top-shelf talent primed and ready to take over if they expect this to keep going.

2. I actually don't mind the revised S-shield design for this series. I think it has a certain flair to it.

3. Quitely's got an unusual take on the Clark/Superman transformation...when Superman slouches into the Clark posture, he does so in a way that makes him look paunchy and possessed of what Morrison calls "three chins." (He reveals he's really fit and muscular when he stands up straight in full Superman mode.) I'd like to withhold the final judgment until I see the issues, but Quitely's early sketches of Clark in the faux-fat stage look like Gerard Depardieu with glasses. And speaking from personal preference, I would never want to see Gerard Depardieu anywhere near the Superman/Clark role.

4. It's obvious that Superman won't die at the end of this story arc (as well he shouldn't), but it sounds like it'll be a fun ride all the same. The Bizarros reproduce by spreading a Bizarro plague whereever they go. Lois is going find out Clark is Superman, with some pretty big repercussions. And Lex Luthor's in prison, cooking up some major trouble. And I do wonder how Superman's going to find a way out of this solar overload mess. This should be fun.

5. Jonathan Kent is dead, Martha's apparently still alive...good. Following the Reeves/Reeve/Routh template is a good way to make it accessible to folks who've never read a comic before.

6. Morrison gets what makes a good Superman story: "You've got to make Superman about a few things. It's got to be about big emotions and big human feelings like death and loss and bereavement and joy. Then you weave these weird sci-fi stories around those themes. I think those are the best Superman stories--the ones about human feelings but on a huge, cosmic, ridiculous superhero canvas." Are you listening, DC?

Overall impression? I want to be optimistic about the series, as the story itself sounds terrific. But if this is just going to be another year-long miniseries, then DC's shooting itself in the foot again. And if it is meant to be an ongoing, then DC better have a first-rank creative team primed and ready to succeed Morrison and Quitely. They've dropped the ball enough times already; it's well past time they got it right for once.
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Kuuga
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« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2005, 11:09:59 AM »

1. My understanding of the concept behind the All Star line is to let top creative teams tell iconic stories accessible to a general audience and free from mainline baggage. (Which is why the choice of Frank Miller for the Batman title eludes me because there is no way in hades this man is going to write a version of Batman that is iconic and enjoyable to young and old alike.  He's even touted it as being part of his Millerverse.  :roll: )

2. I've actually seen two \S/ designs. One being the knobless version that has been floating around since Birthright which I personally enjoy and now the double-knobbed version seen on the cover art which is not horrible, but ok.  Maybe it'll grow on me.

3.  Fat Kent. This has me VERY worried..

4.  I'm totally ok with this except for the Lois finds out he's Superman part.  I was kinda hoping for an alternative to the mainline that had the classic love triangle in place.

5. Agreed.  He sends a check every week to his sweet grey haired (actually she's silver haired) old mother.  :wink:

6. As long as Morrison keeps it lucid I have no problem with this.  He's talked more than once about comics being way too self-concious so I look foward to someone who doesn't scoff at the notion of fun superhero stories because they're wanking to "change the superhero paradigm" or create "Watchmen for the next generation".

My overall impression, I want to be optimisic as well but I have some reservations based on what has been released so far. I'm not entirely pleased with the choice of artist on Superman and am quite frustrated with the choice of writer on Batman.

It'd have been really nice to see Ed McGuiness on this one or even float some more DC work to Alan Davis.  But then again with All Star that may happen yet.
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King Krypton
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« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2005, 04:03:32 PM »

Quote from: "Kuuga"
1. My understanding of the concept behind the All Star line is to let top creative teams tell iconic stories accessible to a general audience and free from mainline baggage. (Which is why the choice of Frank Miller for the Batman title eludes me because there is no way in hades this man is going to write a version of Batman that is iconic and enjoyable to young and old alike.  He's even touted it as being part of his Millerverse.  :roll: )


Worse yet, Jim Lee's been bragging that Miller's going to be writing Batman as "more of an SOB than your traditional Batman, less of a detective and more of a force of nature." Is this something to be proud of? Every Batman story Miller's ever written has been an atrocity of epic proportions, and it's ruined the character. I don't see how cementing Batman as a borderline-evil psychopath is going to appeal to anyone but the most hard-core Miller fanboys.

No, check that. Miller's Batman is just plain evil. As Miller says, "he's a terrorist, only he fights criminals." Yeah, that's someone to look up, all right.
:roll:

Quote
3. Fat Kent. This has me VERY worried..


I hope it looks better than the sketches. If the execution looks OK, I can buy the idea. If it looks silly (and the sketches are exactly that), there's going to be a problem.

Quote
It'd have been really nice to see Ed McGuiness on this one or even float some more DC work to Alan Davis. But then again with All Star that may happen yet.


We can hope, assuming this book flies. All-Star Batman, on the other hand, is already dead in the water, so there's no hope for that book. Once again, it looks like it's up to Superman to save the day.  :wink:
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Kuuga
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« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2005, 01:06:47 AM »

Finally saw the issue of Wizard you're talking about.  I'm still not sold on Quietlys art. On Fat Kent, if he goes with just the slouch look thats shown on the larger photo in the two page spread I could maybe hang with it, but in those other pics where he's pointedly fat and has that matted hair is just awful.

and Millers view on Batman once again show me that not only is the guy a putz, but he does not get Batman because the only way he can wrap his small mind around the character is to justify the characters existance through insanity.
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King Krypton
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« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2005, 03:44:37 AM »

Quote from: "Kuuga"
Finally saw the issue of Wizard you're talking about.  I'm still not sold on Quietlys art. On Fat Kent, if he goes with just the slouch look thats shown on the larger photo in the two page spread I could maybe hang with it, but in those other pics where he's pointedly fat and has that matted hair is just awful.


That was my reaction, too. Hence the Depardieu comments I made.

Quote
and Millers view on Batman once again show me that not only is the guy a putz, but he does not get Batman because the only way he can wrap his small mind around the character is to justify the characters existance through insanity.


Miller's never understood Batman. He keeps depicting him as the Punisher in a cape, which drives me nuts. That's certainly not how Kane and Finger conceived Batman, even in the earliest days when Batman occasionally killed his enemies in combat. Their Batman was still a good and noble person, unlike the Arkham-wannabe crazy Miller rehashes over and over again.
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PatrickG
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« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2005, 07:51:32 AM »

BTW, Morrison announced recently that he has 8 more stories plotted if DC is willing to continue the series to issue 20...

Based on interviews, I think one's a Batman team-up and one's an LSH team-up assuming he hasn't incoporated either into the initial twelve.

Not sure who the artist for the second eight issues would be. I think Quitely would be willing but he'd probably need a break by then.

If they're stand alone stories, I'd kinda like to see a variety of artists tackle the book. Y'Know... Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway on art for an issue. Ian Churchill for another. Maybe one of the ABC Tom Strong artists. George Perez. Ed McGuiness.

Kindof sample all the big artists who defined the look of the character and are still in the business.
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ShinDangaioh
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« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2005, 07:10:05 PM »

Quote from: "King Krypton"
Quote from: "Kuuga"


Quote
and Millers view on Batman once again show me that not only is the guy a putz, but he does not get Batman because the only way he can wrap his small mind around the character is to justify the characters existance through insanity.


Miller's never understood Batman. He keeps depicting him as the Punisher in a cape, which drives me nuts. That's certainly not how Kane and Finger conceived Batman, even in the earliest days when Batman occasionally killed his enemies in combat. Their Batman was still a good and noble person, unlike the Arkham-wannabe crazy Miller rehashes over and over again.

And the current Batman is a terroist to everybody.  Omac,  War Games, Tower of Babel  :?   And now, he's going to be the GOOD to the evil of Superman and the JLA.

I REALLY hope the All-Stars line does good for Superman.  This entire Infinite Crisis/Identiy Crisis/Countdown BS is nauseating.   I want to read about a great hero, not about Batman's wipping boy.  :cry:
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King Krypton
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« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2005, 02:40:55 AM »

Quote from: "ShinDangaioh"
Quote from: "King Krypton"
Quote from: "Kuuga"


Quote
and Millers view on Batman once again show me that not only is the guy a putz, but he does not get Batman because the only way he can wrap his small mind around the character is to justify the characters existance through insanity.


Miller's never understood Batman. He keeps depicting him as the Punisher in a cape, which drives me nuts. That's certainly not how Kane and Finger conceived Batman, even in the earliest days when Batman occasionally killed his enemies in combat. Their Batman was still a good and noble person, unlike the Arkham-wannabe crazy Miller rehashes over and over again.

And the current Batman is a terroist to everybody.  Omac,  War Games, Tower of Babel  :?   And now, he's going to be the GOOD to the evil of Superman and the JLA.

I REALLY hope the All-Stars line does good for Superman.  This entire Infinite Crisis/Identiy Crisis/Countdown BS is nauseating.   I want to read about a great hero, not about Batman's wipping boy.  :cry:


I'd like to see Batman be a great hero again, too, not a jerk. Maybe make him a little stand-offish, but that's it.

I don't think Crisis and its follow-ups did the DC heroes any favors.
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