ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #10(2008).
© DC

Mania Grade: A
Comic Series: All-Star Superman
Issue: 10
Authors: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
Pu: DC
Price: $2.99

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All-Star Superman #10

In this tenth issue of All-Star Superman, Grant Morrison treats the impending death of the Man of Steel—suggested at the start of the series—with a gravity missing from the in-continuity death of the character 16 years ago. Finally poisoned by the very solar radiation that gives him his powers, Superman knows that he must complete 12 labors before he can conclude his time on Earth. He pursues both the spectacular and the mundane. He assists the bottled city of Kandor in its transition to the outside world, and he stops a friendless teenage girl from killing herself. But, Grant Morrison never lets the Silver Age thrills get too far away. Superman takes time to stop a giant robot and save Lois Lane in the process, too. Morrison deftly combines the personal and the bombastically nostalgic. A moment where Superman confronts Lex Luthor in prison is both funny and sad, as it reinforces the same relationship that keeps readers hooked. Though Superman appeals to Luthor’s better nature, readers know that the oldest of enemies stay are that way for a good reason. 

The most touching subplot deals with Superman’s decision to almost literally play God, as he builds a microscopic world—Earth Q—that mirrors our own: one without him. He uses the new planet to understand how the world would have evolved in his absence. Superman’s plight suggests that the life of a god must be the loneliest one of all. While the Man of Steel can’t help but save the Earth time and time again, he wonders if the world really needs him. Morrison even goes so far as to suggest that the world’s super-villainous ills may be a reaction to Superman himself. But by the end of the issue, we know that if Superman is to die, he will do so with the same nobility and bravery that he lived. Given the out-of-continuity standing of All-Star Superman, it is not entirely out of the question. Morrison knows how to at once embrace the child-like qualities of the Superman mythos and turn them on their head. For every been-there-done-that-moment, the writer rolls a hand grenade of insight into the scene. After Superman beats down a giant robot that has Lois in its fist, the two have a short confrontation on the ground, in which the Man of Steel’s vulnerability shows clearly. In writing a character that borders on messianic in his powers and intentions, Morrison never loses sight of the man inside.

Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant’s art continues to impress in this series. The soft edges of Quitely’s line-work bring a serenity to the super-heroic proceedings, evoking more of a dramatic film than a heavy metal video. While All-Star Superman has its share of hero-villain beat-downs, it emphasizes its characters over action. Quitely’s art complements that tone perfectly, showing his mastery of a range of expressions and situations. Jamie Grant’s digital coloring and inking gives the story a soft, dark pall that practically asks the reader to listen for the story amidst the action. 

All-Star Superman continues to be one of the best superhero titles out there. Pick this one up.

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