All Star Superman is a Masterpiece

The great thing about Superman is that even if he can juggle stars, Lois Lane can undermine that with a single cruel word. And that was what was powerful about it for me, that’s why we made him more powerful than ever, because everybody kept saying ‘Well, you can’t make a Superman story, cause if he can do anything, what conflicts are there?’ Emotional conflicts! The biggest ones, the things we all understand!

Grant Morrison

Over the course of his eighty-plus year history, Superman has had all kinds of adventures. He’s boxed Muhammad Ali. Smashed the KKK. Gone toe-to-toe with Godzilla (more than once). The Man of Steel has died, saved the multiverse multiple times, traveled through time, and so much more.

Yet there is one that stands out above all the rest. A story as profound and heartfelt as it is zany and silly. One comic that perfectly encapsulates everything that makes Superman so beloved. Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s masterpiece.

You’ve read the title, you know what I’m talking about.

‘All Star Superman‘ is widely regarded as the best Superman comic ever penned. Everyone has their favorites, of course; I’m more of a ‘Superman for All Seasons‘ guy myself. But no one can deny the level of heart and artistry behind this one. If you want to understand why people love this character, this is the comic to read. And I’m going to tell you why.

Our story begins when an expedition to the sun (ah, comic books) is sabotaged by Lex Luthor. Luckily for the colorfully dressed scientists, Superman is there to save the day. Without breaking a sweat, the Man of Steel eliminates the threat and escorts the team safely back to their lab.

But this was all according to Lex’s plan. When he drew too close to the sun, Superman absorbed more radiation than even he could handle. As a result, our beloved hero is now vastly more powerful than ever. But his cells have begun to deteriorate. Essentially: Lex turned Superman’s source of power against him, giving him super-cancer. There is no hope of a cure; Superman is doomed to die.

This premise strikes very close to home for me. As someone who has lost several family members to cancer, seeing Superman’s reaction to the diagnosis hits like a freight train. His silent shock hurts more than a river of tears ever could. It’s a powerful moment that almost anyone can relate to, and flawlessly sets the stage for the journey to come.

Yet for as emotionally impactful as this comic is, it can still be unabashedly silly. The tone strikes a perfect balance between comic book wackiness, heartfelt character moments, and dramatic action beats. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll whoop for joy. Sometimes within the same chapter.

‘All Star Superman‘ is divided into twelve issues. Twelve hours in a day, twelve months in a year. Throughout each one, we see Superman settling his affairs as he marches inexorably towards the end, from his relationships to his responsibilities. Connecting them all are the Twelve Labors of Superman, the final monumental achievements of his life.

These trials are each essentially a final test of Superman’s abilities. Tests of his strength, his wisdom, and most importantly: his morality. He solves an insolvable riddle, defeats a time-devouring eldritch horror, created an entire universe, cracks the impossible code of Kryptonian DNA, and more. Every issue is wildly different from the one that came before it, which makes the story a joy to read from start to end.

Even while doing all of these incredible feats, Superman is still Superman. He still makes time for everyone who needs him. From suicidal teens to children with cancer. The Superman we see here is at the peak of his power and wisdom. A truly enlightened being using the last days he has helping anyone and everyone. All with a relaxed and gentle demeanor.

Superman’s various adventures through this story are all a delight. But for me, it’s his relationships that make him so interesting. And this comic explores those relationships brilliantly. Several issues are devoted entirely to Superman’s friends, family, and enemies. My favorites being those concerning Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and of course: Lex Luthor.

Knowing that his time is running out, Clark decides to finally tell Lois his secret identity. Just one problem: she doesn’t believe him. Superman calmly answers her every question, explains every detail, but Lois won’t believe a word of it. A fact which crushes the Man of Steel; if he can’t even tell her his secret, how will he tell her he’s dying?

Even then, Supes gives her the best birthday gift in the world: a serum that gives her his powers for one day. The perfect setup for a perfect date. At least, until a pair of actual gods show up to try and woe Lois. This annoys Superman greatly, which in turn entertains Lois to no end. Comic book shenanigans ensue. It’s a fun story that perfectly encapsulates the romance between Clark and Lois.

Side note: I love how badass Lois is in this comic. The instant Superman explains what the serum does, she downs it like a shot. When they spot a rampaging monster, she wants to charge right in and get her hands dirty. Absolute queen behavior.

Jimmy Olsen’s story is the goofiest of the lot. So much so it becomes a borderline parody of itself. But that’s what makes it so endearing, and so perfect for the character of Jimmy. He’s the every-man of the Superman mythos, inspired by the Man of Steel to rise to greater – and goofier – heights.

There is a surprisingly powerful twist to this silly tale. When Superman is driven mad by black Kryptonite, Jimmy has to take the Doomsday serum to subdue his friend. It’s a silly parody of the Death of Superman, but it uses that framing to explore the fear our hero is hiding. He knows he’s going to die, and that terrifies him. Luckily, good ol’ Jimmy is there to pick him up again.

But my favorite storyline, by far, has to be with our leading villain: Lex Luthor.

After sabotaging the sun expedition, Lex turns himself in without resistance. Even when the court sentences him to death for crimes against humanity, he’s as cool as a cucumber. So Clark goes to interview him for the Daily Planet and to see if maybe, just maybe, he can find some redemption in his oldest enemy.

During the interview, Lex constantly derails Clark’s questions, hyper-fixating on his hatred of Superman. While he doesn’t hide his egomania – in fact, he brags about it – he tries to sway Clark to his way of thinking. He acts sympathetic, using Clark’s obvious affection for Lois to make his point; compared to Superman, every man, humble as Clark or mighty as Lex, is inadequate.

As they talk, Lex walks Clark through the prison. Which, of course, Lex has already taken over. The entire facility has been reduced to a lawless jungle. A nightmare devoid of compassion or kindness, where only the strongest survive. Lex’s ideal paradise.

What I find especially interesting about this is how Lex treats Clark. He openly admits to liking the bumbling reporter. According to Lex, he is everything that Superman is not. The man is staring his arch enemy right in the face, completely oblivious of the fact, and praises him.

But when Superman goes to visit him…

All of this comes to a head in what I consider to be the perfect Superman ending. A beautiful finale that concludes the storylines of both Superman himself and Lex, along with just about every other character. It is a sad ending, but brimming with hope and optimism. The kind of ending that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay.

Grant Morrison’s writing is nothing short of masterful. But what really takes it to another level is the artwork. Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant are a real-life dynamic duo when it comes to comic books. Every single drawing is a work of art, and the panel work flows smoothly across every page. It is a treat on the eyes from beginning to end.

There’s so much more I want to talk about. But I don’t want to spoil everything. Besides, if I did, we’d be here until the new movies comes out. If any of what I’ve discussed today piques your interest, then I’d encourage reading it for yourself. Trust me: you won’t regret it.

‘All Star Superman‘ more than lives up to its reputation. This is the gold standard of Superman comics, a perfect blueprint for all these characters and their world. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. The perfect comic to read while you wait for July 11th.

God, please let the new movie be good. I physically cannot handle another bad Superman movie.