In the eighty-six years since Superman’s creation, the Man of Tomorrow has been featured in hundreds of mythic stories, influenced countless characters and creating the Modern Age of Superheroes. So, it’s not surprising that every now and then, the fear that every Superman story that can be told has been told arises. After all, what else is there to say about him?
Enter Grant Morrison, the acclaimed Scottish writer who in the mid-2000s reinvigorated the storied hero with an out-of-continuity title that’s served as a blueprint on all that Superman stands for ever since. Morrison’s approach in presenting Superman was surprisingly straightforward: include all of the classical elements throughout the Man of Steel’s long history, but present them through a simple and disarming series of grand adventures. Along with another award-winning Scotsman, artist Frank Quitely, Morrison scripted twelve heartfelt and amazing issues that have since been collected and republished as a single definitive masterwork.
What makes All-Star Superman so great? Let’s talk about it!
THE PREMISE:
While rescuing a group of space explorers near the earth’s sun, Superman is exposed to huge amounts of solar radiation, which triples his strength, increases his invulnerability and gives him the ability to extend his electromagnetic field. But it turns out it’s all a trap! Unbeknownst to him, the whole thing was a plot enacted by Lex Luthor to expose Superman’s solar-absorbing cells to a toxic amount of radiation, causing his cellular structure to break down and kill him from within in approximately a year. Learning of this, Superman resolves to use what little time he has left to accomplish great feats with his super-abilities, confess his feelings to Lois Lane, and seek to make the impossible possible by conquering invincible foes and traveling through time.
LET’S TALK TALENT:
Grant Morrison’s legend looms large at DC Comics. Along with their acclaimed work on titles such as Animal Man, Doom Patrol and Final Crisis, they’ve also written long runs on The Flash and JLA. In those runs, Morrison presented a keen eye for scientific fantasy and detail which granted the stories a more intense, epic quality. That same aspect can be found in All-Star Superman. The large weight of Superman’s world is felt in delicate scenes such as Pete Ross and Lana Lang talking with young Clark Kent at a Smallville diner. Lois Lane’s constant fascination and curious reporter mindset keeps her asking the right questions when confronted with how it’s like to live as Superman for a day. Writers are often unable or uninterested in getting into the felt reality of Superman’s world. In All-Star, that is the key ingredient Morrison employs.
Of course, such an experience couldn’t be fully appreciated without the sublime talents of Frank Quitely. His unique approach to the various Superman characters stands alone, at once thoughtful and unique but still all-encompassing of classic myth. Right away, the differences depicted between his clumsy, off-kilter Clark Kent and his gentle but large Superman sells the idea of a secret identity kept intact with messy clothes and a pair of glasses. Clark is presented as lumpy and out of shape, while Superman stands tall and strong. This thought process of how design follows function is reflected in other characters as well. Luthor is drawn as lithe, powerful and athletic…but still small in comparison to Superman. This is the work of a thoughtful, excited artist who thrills with each chapter as new characters and worlds are presented.
A FEW REASONS TO READ:
- Morrison’s love for the Silver Age of Superman shines in each chapter. From the presentation of the Superman Squad (represented by different Supermen throughout time), to references of Superman being able to appear next to Clark Kent thanks to robots and a disguised Batman, the matter-of-fact approach to presenting the best of Superman’s wildest era keeps the stories feeling both epic and enjoyable in their flamboyant imagination.
- Other classic concepts such as the Bizarro World are taken to the extreme with Bizarro versions of the Justice League, featuring a super-slow Flash, a Wonder Woman made of clay, and a Batman killed by his own parents. Issues #7 and #8 are quite the mind-bending two-parter!
- Morrison and Quitely never fail to keep Clark’s gentle decency at the forefront of his character. From saving the Dino-Czar Krull after he’s tossed into the upper atmosphere by Samson, to rescuing a suffering young girl about to take her own life in one of the single most powerful and most quoted Superman pages ever written, the very best of Superman is on display here.
- Have you ever wondered what Lois Lane might be like if she had Superman’s powers? Morrison explores this question brilliantly in an emotional and surprisingly cheeky issue where the Daily Planet reporter becomes a superhero for a day.
WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME:
Simply put, this story is what Superman is all about. In twelve action-packed issues, Morrison and Quitely compile a quintessential tome that encapsulates not only what it means to read the very best of Superman, but what’s great about the superhero genre at large. It’s effect on the fandom has been replicated in kind, remaining one of the most read and most recommended Superman series ever written. Entirely accessible for new fans, All-Star Superman is a timeless classic that, when returning to it, reminds us how the world of superheroes is the most exciting world of all.
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant is available as a graphic novel collection in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Donovan Morgan Grant writes about comics, graphic novels and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on X at @donoDMG1.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Donovan Morgan Grant and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
