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Superman for All Seasons

Superman for All Seasons

List Price: $24.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Superman as he was meant to be!
Review: Jeph Loeb, in his current monthly writing gig on DC Comics' SUPERMAN, demonstrates an innate understanding of Superman, and who he should be. Fans who can't get enough of his fine work on SUPERMAN would be well-advised to check out S: FAS, his first work on the character. The magic found in his present Superman material is overflowing in this early story. Taking place during the first year of Clark Kent's adventures in superheroing, Loeb gives us a gentle, epic fantasy with a charming hero, slimy enemies (his Lex Luthor is flawless), and rich human drama. The book evokes the feel of another brilliant Superman story--the beloved Richard Donner/Christopher Reeve film from 1978. Not surprising, given that Loeb is a screenwriter/film producer himself. (Would that he was making the next Superman movie!) This book is a must for any Superman lover, young or old.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Everything you could want from Superman and more
Review: Loeb and Sale show they know more than just Batman (see Long Dark Halloween and Dark Victory by them). This is all about a "young" Superman, and shows where the real strengths of the character lie. Superman is a character who is concerned about his moral core, and Jeff Loeb knows where to go with that. Tim Sale's artwork shows that aspect very well. Illustrating Superman having a talk with the parents about how to handle things, Loeb and Sale show the "man" in Superman.

The bad guys are bad, the events are big, it's everything you expect a Superman story to have, but it has more than that. This is a wonderful work in primary colors. It doesn't have the grand adventure of the Kirby years, but it easily one of the very finest Superman stories in over 30 years.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best Superman stories ever
Review: Okay let me clear this up from the beginning, I'm not a superman fan. I always considered him to be a rather one-dimensional character who always seems to fight super-beings of intergalactic origin w/ powers equal or rivaling his own. Oh yeah, and he always wins. To sum it up, I always saw him as a character with little substance and he pertains to mainly slugging it out w/ other super-beings page after page. His dillemas seem larger than life and quite frankly is very difficult to identify with. But my perception totally changed after I read SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS. This graphic novel shows clark's humble but nonethless very poignant upbringing in Smallville. It shows you that Clark Kent defines Superman, not the other way around. Loeb also shows you the very vulnerable side of Superman. It is true he is the world's most powerful man, yes, he can change the course of mighty rivers and bend steel with his bare hands but behind all that, he is still a man with the usual doubts, feelings of vulnerability and fear. John Bryne told the same story of Superman's origin over a decade ago and he created a masterpiece. Loeb and Sale did the same thing and they have also created a masterpiece (although I like the art and story a little better in the Loeb/Sale version). If you are a Superman fan get this book, even if you are not a Superman fan but want to read a good story, get this book, and if you are just a comic book fan, get this book. Just get this book, you won't be sorry.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Refreshing Look at Superman
Review: Over the years, my interest in Superman has basically become non-existent. I was a fan of the films as a kid and, while I briefly read the comics, was turned off by most of the recent story lines released since the Return of Superman in 1993. However, Smallville has since reignited an interest in Supes that I didn't realize I had. As a fan of Jeph & Tim's work on Daredevil: Yellow, and the strength in the reviews that I read, I decided to pick up Superman for All Seasons. What a great read! It was refreshing to be reading a 'back to basics' Superman story that didn't have to deal with army's of aliens and supervillians trying to take over the world. It was a great look at Clark's relationship with his family, with Lana Lang, and his introduction (as well as Superman's introduction) to Metropolis. While the Smallville TV show doesn't completely follow the original storyline written for the Man of Steel, I do feel that it waves the flag quite well, in a modern age. I do hope that the fans of Smallville check out this book... there are a few differences you will notice, but overall, it's a fabulous look at the early comic life of Superman.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE definative Superman
Review: Superman at his BEST. Perhaps one of the greatest Superman stories I've ever read. I mean, I'm not a Superman comic book fan nor am I a devoted comic book collector. I buy and read graphic novels for the story and perhaps the art. This magnificent piece of work is supurb. Excellent story that combines God-like superhuman powers with a human-like tenderness. I was amazed how much I missed stories like this and the Superman I can sympathize with. He's not battling robots or supervillians, he's battling his own inner conscience and the evils men do. This beautiful piece of work also includes visually stunning art by Sale. He's excellent. The art is clean and enjoyable. The human emotions are there along with captivating movements. I thought I was watching a movie! In all, I'd recommend this great book for anyone who loves or loved Superman. If you like heros with a heart and soul, this is for you. This great graphic novel makes Superman the American Hero, fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Excellent Superman "Year One" story
Review: This book is a perfect companion piece to Batman: Year One. Perfectly written and illustrated by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, authors of Batman: the Long Halloween. A definite must for Superman fans as well as anyone who loves good comic stories. Each of the four stories included takes place during a different season of Superman's first year in Metroplis. It shows how he (and those around him) came to accept his role as Metroplois's protector. A great read that can be read again and again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS ROCKS
Review: This book is the greatest. It tells tons about Clark Kent's (aka Superman)life story. BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Superman for All Seasons
Review: This is a great comic book that shows the line between superhero (Superman) and human (Clark Kent) is quite thin. It's a must read for any fan of comic books, even if you have been dissapointed with other Superman comic books. Superman for All Seasons is one of the best comics I have read, and it is very likely you will read it in one sitting. It is divided into seasons like chapters, and each season shows the viewpoint of a different character.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A New View of Superman
Review: This is the finest work on Superman I have ever come across. True, I am a Batman fan first and foremost, and with the exception of Kingdom Come, I am used to seeing Superman portrayed more or less as an antagonistic character (Dark Knight Returns and Dark Knight Strikes Again). In those comics you understand his motives, the likes of which can sometimes be frustrating, but you never get a look into what makes Superman tick, a look into what makes him want to do right no matter the cost.

In For All Seasons, we get that look. I wish I could personally thank the creators of this venture for what they have accomplished, for making a larger than life character into someone we can all understand, someone we can appreciate as a human being despite his origins. The story is told in four chapters. If you haven't read this, and want the narrators to be a surprise, then I recommend you skip this review and order this book right away. Come back to it once you've read it and see if you agree with my critique.

The first, narrated by Jonathan Kent (Superman's father), is the story of an innocent boy who is becoming a man, a different man, and his struggle to accept what is happening to him. The father's perspective on a super hero's beginnings is especially touching, as he views Superman not as something indestructable, but as a child who is to be worried over as any parent worries over their child. This angle, this look at Superman, is something I could never have appreciated as a child or a teenager, but now as I grow more mature (and comic stories seem to be doing so as well, thankfully), I am touched by this intimate and very different and moving look at Superman as a boy who is coming of age.

The second, told by up and coming reporter Lois Lane, gives a romantic portrayal of the arrival of Superman. She is hard here, a journalist looking for a story, and Superman is her front page, her mystery, her knight in shining armor. The scene where she wonders where this knight goes, if his "fortress of solitude" has a drawbridge, is perhaps the most powerful scene in the book, where we see Clark go home to his family because he is so lonely in Metropolis. We get a glimpse into what it must be really be like to feel all powerful with nobody to share it with, and we can all relate to how cold a new city can be once we cut the cord and move on from our childhood homes.

The third, told by Lex Luthor, is a story of jealousy and revenge. Luthor, fallen king of the city, has been embarrassed by Superman and vows revenge. His lame efforts to one-up Superman have fallen short every time, and he sets out to shame him. He instills feelings of doubt into our hero, and finds Superman's soft spot and plays on it. What is a hero without his public, and their cheers of appreciation? This makes you think about actions of valor, and how a man feels when they go unrequited. What happens when you can't save them all?

The fourth, told by Lana Lang, Superman's childhood love, seals the story. Superman has returned to Smallville, confused and unsettled after his last encounter with Luthor. Lang is a beautiful counterpart for Lois Lane. In this part, Superman's father delivers a "you can't save them all" speech which is very subtle and extremely effective. To see Superman surrounded by the people who love him as a person is very touching, and the finale is something you can't miss. One should never underestimate the power of a single action.

I hope to see more like this with Superman in the future. To understand the man of steel and get this kind of look into his heart and mind is a rare treat, one that will be appreciated by any comic fan, or any fan of a well told, cinematic story. This would make a wonderful movie. I wish they could all be this good.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Superman In Full
Review: This story is really about what makes Superman Superman; his hopes, his fears, his strengths and his shortcomings. Jeph Loeb seems to truly understand the characters.


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