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Superman:Whatever Happend to the Man of Tomorrow

Superman:Whatever Happend to the Man of Tomorrow

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The End For The Earth 1 Superman
Review: A fantastic story and tribute to the Earth 1 Superman written by one of the great writers in comics Alan Moore and drawn by Mr Superman himself Curt Swan. This incorporates a lot of the characters associated with Superman at the time and it illustrates what a grand mythos he has left with us (before Man Of Steel came out). Even though Alan Moore has not written many Superman stories, he has a wonderful grip on the character and this is one of the finest Superman stories ever written.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Sad, Beautiful End to the "Original" Superman
Review: Alan Moore has the amazing ability to infiltrate an existing universe and recast it from within while never straying from the original framework. He did it with 19th century victorian literature in "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", with the Doc Savage/Tarzan hybrid archetype in "Tom Strong", and he does it here with the old-school Superman-Universe in "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow".

By outward appearances, this story seems interchangable with any of the generic Superman stories of the 50s and 60s. But Moore injects a dark edge to the story without leaving the bright, shiny DC universe that Frank Miller so brilliantly deconstructs in "The Dark Knight Returns".

The story seems so understated, in part due to the fact that the art is nowhere near as radical as the story, and its possible, that without an understanding of, or a nostalgia for the old Superman comics, the story might not pack the same punch. But even though I grew up a diehard Marvel fan, I loved it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Sad, Beautiful End to the "Original" Superman
Review: Alan Moore has the amazing ability to infiltrate an existing universe and recast it from within while never straying from the original framework. He did it with 19th century victorian literature in "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", with the Doc Savage/Tarzan hybrid archetype in "Tom Strong", and he does it here with the old-school Superman-Universe in "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow".

By outward appearances, this story seems interchangable with any of the generic Superman stories of the 50s and 60s. But Moore injects a dark edge to the story without leaving the bright, shiny DC universe that Frank Miller so brilliantly deconstructs in "The Dark Knight Returns".

The story seems so understated, in part due to the fact that the art is nowhere near as radical as the story, and its possible, that without an understanding of, or a nostalgia for the old Superman comics, the story might not pack the same punch. But even though I grew up a diehard Marvel fan, I loved it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The real end of an era
Review: Before the infamous Death of Superman hit, legendary writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) was enlisted to write this final tale of the original pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is a mroe satisfying, fitting, and touching end of Superman as we see the hero pushed to his limits when the whole world is seemingly against him. He faces off against a plethora of his old enemies including Bizarro, Brainiac, Lex Luthor, and a surprise villian who is pulling all the strings. The art by Curt Swan and George Perez is superb, and Moore's writing is some of the best that ever hit the Man of Tomorrow. All in all, even though it is a bit short, I strongly suggest tracking this down; you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Oz no Moore
Review: Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't comics pretend? Like wrestling, it's fake.
Now, somewhere along the lines, kids who read comics in the 70's and 80's realized one day they were adults, with wives and children and mortgage payments. Suddenly, they thought comics had to "grow up" for them to like them, like they were ashamed to admit that they still liked reading Superman and Spider-Man stories now that their in their 30's and 40's. I disagree with this notion, in fact I believe the opposite...I continue to read and collect comics and graphic novels because they are entertainment.
However,I resist the idea that comics must "grow up"...why do I need the LAST Superman story? It's not the last, nor will it ever be the last...he's a character, a two-dimensional ideal.
With that said, I hated this book for that very reason. Why does Krypto need to die? Why does the bad guys have to be so "real"? Sure, we know that villians in the real world (serial killers, mass murderes, et al) are much scarier because of the fact that they actually exist. Why invade the comics kingdom with the same thing? I want to escape, get away from this decaying world for a few minutes/hours, forget that things are bad all over, and enjoy reading about a man who can fly.
The argument that comics need to be more "real" is a stupid one, it's like saying James Bond movies need to be more factual...if that was the case, they wouldn't be made. Besides, what the heck is so real about an alien from a dead world who has god-like powers and uses to them serve us according to our own laws of morality? That's pretend, and that's what a comic book is...an homage to the dime novels of Wild Bill Hickcock and pulp novels of The Shadow and Doc Savage, where the good guys always won and the bad guys always lost.
I see enough realism in my everyday life,and I see it all too clearly. I want to escape for a short time where life is what it should be like...Alan Moore did not provide that, and in fact left me feeling worse after I had read it. Other than "Watchmen" (another Alan Moore yarn), this is the only comic to have done that.


Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Last Days of Superman.
Review: Even people who have never read a comic book have heard of the Death of Superman series where Superman fights Doomsday and wins, but dies and of course, several months later, is brought back to life. However, few have heard of this "death of Superman" story. This is the story of the Superman that no longer existed after Crisis; this is the story of the original Superman, the Man of Tomorrow and how he died. The illustrations are a par above the norm and contain within them the melancholy of the tale. The writing is superb, carrying with it a ton of emotion that swells and builds until the unexpected conclusion at the end. Many characters are brought into play and all loose ends are tied up. It's a great story and a fitting final tribute to the original Superman.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A superman story beyond all others...
Review: I admit that I'm not the biggest superman fan in the world. But this story is probably going to make me one. Alan Moore writes one hell of a story. Superman is pushed to his limits, played with. We get to see so many things that we could never usually see. Basically, it's a great cheap book, make sure you read it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I have to admit, I really liked it
Review: I grew up on the 1970's Superman and it all seems very nostalgic now. He seemed so good and all powerful. Compared to the more 'down to Earth' Marvel characters, he appeared quite boring to most of my friends. To me, though, he was always my favorite. This final story is a touching look at what might have happened. It is a final bow for the Superman up til that time, a fitting tribute to the great mythical character of America, as intriguing and wondrous as any in Greek or Roman mythology. It is very inexpensive and worth the cost. If you can get a copy, read it and enjoy it. You wont regret a moment.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could have been a better final Superman story.
Review: I only found this book to be average. Maybe if I would have read more "Superman" back in my comic book days I would have enjoyed it more. The story was moderately interesting. The art was above par. For a final "imaginary" Superman story I believe more could have been done. Not bad, but nothing great either. I'll rate it a straight down the middle three stars out of five. Some will think less, others more.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's all right, but why the English guy?
Review: In the introduction, editor Julie Schwartz is quoted as saying that he tried to get Superman's co-creator Jerry Siegel to write this "final" Superman story, but for some reason he went with Alan Moore instead.

Now, Moore has certainly written some great comics, and I'm not really criticizing his work here, but it strikes me as somehow unfair that Schwartz selected the popular British writer over Cary Bates and Elliot Maggin, the two writers who pretty much defined the unique style of the Superman stories of the Julie Schwartz period (1971 - 1986). Those two wrote dozens, perhaps several dozens, of terrific Superman stories; and they should have been given the honor of this final two-parter. Moore did a good job, but Bates and Maggin could easily have done as well.

At least DC commissioned Curt Swan to draw the thing, before shuffling the great Superman artist off into some depressing comicbook limbo.


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