I (HEART) Kurt Busiek's Superman!

[JulianPerez]

I do wish DC would rediscover the beauty that is the single issue story.

Busiek did three single-issue stories. The Prankster story, the Wonder Woman team-up, and the issue he did with Fabian Niceza.

When I think of great Superman stories, I think of ones that went over multiple issues: Maggin/Bates's "Who Took the Super Out of Superman?" Martin Pasko's Amalak tale, Superman infiltrating the Superman Revenge Squad, and classic Legion stories like Jim Shooter's Sun-Eater and Adult Legion, and Levitz's Earthwar and Great Darkness.

I honestly don't find single-issue stories enjoyable. Well, I can, but they're like a dancing bear: cute for about five minutes.

What makes me CARE about a book and what goes on, are the running subplots: not just the character subplots and love triangles, but the recurring mysteries. These keep me coming back, these keep me interested. And there's something classic and grandiose and "big" about stories like AVENGERS/DEFENDERS WAR.

That's why I'm really loving Busiek's Superman: the subplots. The Third Kryptonian; Subjekt-17; Sirocco; Arion; Superman wondering if he does too much.

Let me put it another way: I can watch an episode of LAW & ORDER if I'm bored in a hotelroom or something. But I won't care about it. I won't think about it when it isn't on. In fact, right now, I'm trying to picture the cast of L&O, and I can get Sam Watterson and Angie Harmon and Ice-T, and...nobody else. I've seen 15 or so episodes, but I don't know their character's names.

On the other hand, the stuff I really love is ALIAS and LOST. Which are almost entirely serialized, almost entirely build on other episodes. It turns the entire series into one big episode, which has scope and depth that is absolutely unbelievable, which makes old-fashoined one-hour dramas like HAWAII 5-0 look old-fashoined.

[MatterEaterLad]

On the other hand, the stuff I really love is ALIAS and LOST. Which are almost entirely serialized, almost entirely build on other episodes. It turns the entire series into one big episode, which has scope and depth that is absolutely unbelievable, which makes old-fashoined one-hour dramas like HAWAII 5-0 look old-fashoined.

Why did I have a feeling I would think exactly the opposite? 

I have the highest respect for writers that can bring in a believable "Hawaii Five-O" story in an hour. See seasons 2's "The Singapore File".

On the other hand, it can be bad (try to figure out how "Star Trek's" McCoy either fell in love or out of love in "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky").

I hate the bloated never ending stories that span forever, I HATE "Lost" and "Alias"...LOL...

[Uncle Mxy]

Busiek really hadn't impressed me with his run until Action 853-854.

I like his Action fill-ins even better than his Superman runs, but Superman #666 and Walt Simonson and killing the "is Supes a killer" in a killer way (and a one-issue story, no less) was worthwhile. 

Too many decompressed arcs make me think of what Mark Twain said:

“I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

[Super Monkey]

Superman 666, yes of course

1st time Superman become old nick : http://superman.nu/wiki/index.php/Satan

and here we go again

Check out this cool Video of Walt Simonson talking about his devilish issue:


http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/005516888.cfm

[carmine]

Walts Art seems off in this issue. Still enjoyed Supes superspit though.

[Great Rao]

I liked Walt's artwork.  I felt like I was reading an old issue of The Mighty Thor or a Manhunter story.

SPOILERS

I was left wondering whether or not the Rakkar demon was a swipe at Johnny Redbeard; with the whole thing about how Rakkar kept telling Superman that he had murdered, but how the real Superman had no clue what he was talking about.   Only the false, perverted imposter Superman seemed to know what Rakkar was referring to.

Just a thought.

[JulianPerez]

SUPERMAN 660:

First, let me say something right off the bat that I love about Busiek's Superman: he's "casually cosmic." There's a grandiosity about him. For instance, he's walking on the ocean floor just to get his thoughts together, and, just as an aside, he talks about taking his adopted son to visit Jupiter.

It isn't thrown out in some cartoony, Otto Binderesque manner...it's done casually, as if this is just Superman's day-to-day life. That's something I always liked about Superman: there's a sense normal limitations don't apply to him, that he can pretty much do anything.

I enjoyed very much the various single issue stuff. The Prankster issue in particular was "corkin'," like my buddies in the U.K. say. But THIS issue was great because it's weaving in all the threads and mysteries you read the book for.

Remember the X-FILES, back when it was good? Occasionally they'd do one stand-alone episode where they'd look for Bigfoot or a Fluke Man or whatever, but then...THEN they did the "mythology" shows that advanced the broader storyline.

First, there was the Sirocco/Khyber mystery, and the first appearance of Sirocco in "reality." The plot thickens, because...it turns out Khyber, the villain Arion prophesized would end the human race...is DEAD! Da-dum! Didn't see that coming. But if Khyber's dead, how come Sirocco is alive?

Then the book reminds us of the Third Kryptonian mystery, and takes time to tell us one clue: it isn't Power Girl. It was great to see her guest-star, and I wish she stayed around.

You have several brief mentions of Superman and Lois's adopted kid. This is something Johns is mostly doing, but it's great to see some tight issue-to-issue connectivity. The ACTION COMICS/SUPERMAN relationship here is very ideal: they aren't "compartmentalized," which always stretched disbelief, but then again you can read one without the other, unlike in the bad old days of the "triangle numbering."

There's also the mystery of the unaccounted for villains, briefly mentioned in the Fortress. You get a feeling that before Busiek's run is done, there's going to be a reckoning. I love it when writers do this; turn their whole "run" into one big story in and of itself and plan accordingly. My favorite story, however, is Subjekt-17, now hiding out in Tibet. I repeat my speculation in the previous thread: Subjekt-17 has some kind of relationship to Krypton or Kryptonians. You get a feeling there's something crucial in the character's backstory.

You have also the subplot of Superman wondering if he does too much for the world, which is his fundamental conflict since Maggin. I read this, I go, "yes! Yes! THAT is what Superman is about!" My favorite part about this is not just you get a rare glimpse of what Clark Kent thinks about Superman (!), but also you see Jimmy Olsen, even more than Lois, believes in Superman and refuses to take his friendship with him for granted. I've come out of the Busiek run with a lot of respect for Jimmy.

Single issue stories are great and all, but I read something like this, and I can't WAIT to pick up the next one.

[carmine]

Cant wait for kurts Insect Queen Story Line (with lana lang)

hopefully its the orignal insect queen. (or close enough)