Editorial Review

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Reviews (53)

Mourning Superman
This is a great graphic novel for those that want to know what occured to kill Superman.Many may not get the whole idea of Superman dying but this is one great compendium of action, drama, heroes, and loss.It is one of those graphic novels that everyone needs to read.If you like Superman or if you don't you may find yourself moved by this well crafted short series.

Metropolis Marvel Killed in Action
I have just started getting back into comics.Honestly, as a child, I was never really that into them, but as the world has changed and those heroes of light have slowly mutated into much darker figures, I have found myself compelled to pick up a story or two.This comic I found at a local Book Fair for an unbeatable price.I remember, back in 1993, when my friends were all talking about the inevitable death of the man that we thought could never die, Superman.It was what pulled DC comics out of a possible bankruptcy and inevitable downfall (and what television programs now use today to boost ratings), they killed their most prized hero.Alas, what they did not do was plausibly do this.Again, I am not a huge comic book follower and while I did enjoy this storyline merely for posterity, there were huge gaping holes that DC desperately needed to plug to ensure a cult story.
Good idea, but...
The Greatest superhero ever finally meets his match.As a kid we love Superman, but as we get older we turn to more realistic heroes like Batman or Spiderman.We all deep down want a hero that can swoop in, save us from danger without any real trouble.In reality, this could never happen.With the DEATH OF SUPERMAN however Superman became a little more beleiveable, more human.With his popularity waining at the start of the 90's, it was about time that Superman died.
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Subjects:  1. Comic books, strips, etc    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Fantasy    4. Graphic Novels    5. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    6. Superman (Comic strip)    7. Superman (Fictitious character    8. Superman (Fictitious character)    9. Fiction / Graphic Novels   

Reviews (10)

One of my favorite trade paperbacks
I got this collection when it came out. It was one of the first trade paperbacks I purchased when I started collecting comics just after the publication of "The Death of Superman." Growing up, even after I stopped regularly buying and reading comics, I would occassionally reread the death of superman issues and this collection. This is easily one of my favorites, it's the only comic I can think of off hand that ever brought tears to my eyes.

SUPERMAN: In Memoriam
The middle entry of the epic saga of the Man of Steel's death and resurrection, "World Without a Superman" is a roller-coaster ride both emotionally and physically. As the world cope's with the death of their favorite superhero, the realization that crime and violence will still continue becomes apparent. The hole that Superman's death left is felt by all, from the kids who roam the streets, to the reporters who write about him. But there are sinister things at work, including an attempt to steal Superman's body for the purposes of cloning him; and the fight for Superman also continues in the hereafter.
execellent
This was a way better comic book then "the death of superman" garbage.this story will evoke emotions as it probes the feelings of the millions who love the greatest superhero of all time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comics & Graphic Novels    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Fantasy    4. Graphic Novels    5. Graphic Novels - General    6. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    7. Fiction / Graphic Novels   

Reviews (25)

great twist on the superman story
I heard about this book a while ago and decided to get it to see what could be done to make the superman story different. It is really well done with an excellent story with a great ending. All the people from the normal superman universe are there just changed roles to suit the story. highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in superman, you don't have to be a huge comic fan to enjoy this book. only bad thing is i thought it was a bit short, could have added more i thought and thats why it gets 4 instead of 5 outa 5.

A Non-Superman fan falls for Red Son
An excellent read for anyone, Superman fan or not.I fall into the latter catagory, not a big Superman fan, but this book was great fun to read.It rarely falls into cliche, the characters are adequately changed in demeamor and story, and the artwork is fantastic.

I hate superman comics...
I am not a fan of superman.I think he is ridiculously overpowered and since his creation he gets a new ridiculous power every 3-5 years.
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Subjects:  1. Comics & Graphic Novels    2. Fantasy    3. Graphic Novels    4. Graphic Novels - General    5. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    6. Fiction / Graphic Novels   

Reviews (2)

A little help here, DC?
Think back to the end of DC's 1985 series Crisis on Infinite Earths: Alexander Luthor led the Earth-2 Superman and Lois Lane, and the Earth-Prime Superboy, to a heavenly dimension in order to escape the effects of the Crisis.There, these characters would supposedly live out their days in happiness.Well, now we find that since COIE, heaven isn't exactly what they thought it'd be, and they've watched helplessly as events such as the death of Superman and the coming of Parallax, have made the DC Universe a darker place.So Earth-2 Superman decides to do something about it, bringing about... the Infinite Crisis.
Other reviews on this page are MISPLACED!
They refer to "Day of Doom" (published in 2003), not "Superman: Infinite Crisis". While I have not read the latter yet (just published at the time of this review), I was exposed to some of it and it is actually pretty good. Apparently this was some sort of glitch on Amazon's review system -- we'll have to wait for other reviews to get a better understanding of how good this work really is. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Comics & Graphic Novels - Superheroes    3. Graphic Novels    4. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    5. Juvenile Fiction   

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Reviews (5)

Methinks Jeph Loeb Needs A Vacation
Don't get me wrong: Jeph Loeb, chief writer on DC's terrific "Superman/Batman" series, has done outstanding work with these two players -- the rock solid foundation of the DC Universe ... but VENGEANCE -- by its bitter anticlimax -- feels very much like a conglomeration of ideas instead of one masterful story from start to finish.
Much better than previous reviews describe
Lately I've been disappointed more often than not by the newer graphic novels and compendiums that have hit the store shelves but in the case of Vengeance I have to say this is really good stuff. Jeff Loeb introduces an all new team of superheroes called the Maximums that seem oddly familiar. The team is an extremely blatant homage to the Avengers/Ultimates including a mythical Viking, a super soldier, a giant man named skyscraper and so on and so forth. The team even includes doppelgangers of Spider Man and Wolverine. This is not an Avengers rip off but a playful imitation of Marvel's super team and it's pretty clear that this is likely a one time appearance for the Maximums. Late in the story there is a nod to fans of The Ultimates when the Maximums are merged into a single being called The `Ultimate' Warrior (or is it a nod to fans of the worst pro-wrestler ever). Meanwhile Batman and Superman are merged into a single being called the Composite Superman and believe me I'm old enough to remember the original Composite Superman. It's these kinds of nods and winks running through the story that made it so enjoyable.
I Don't Think I Recommend It
I am reading it for the second time now to make sure that I don't recommend it.I WANT to recommmend it because the first three were so good, but this one is just too unbelievable.I mean, it is a comic book granted, and we know it isn't real... but putting in an additional Superman and Batman from an alternative universe, Bizzaro, and now "Batzarro", and Mr. Mxyzptlk talking about how some Superman/Batman stories haven't been put in graphic novel form yet, AND the Joker with godlike powers... Lex Luthor.. a bunch of supergirls.. a bunch of batmen... a bunch of supermen.. new "justice league".. Darkseid... Tim Drake from Batman Beyond... a kryptonite monster that keeps changing forms... Batman and Superman combined into a BatSuper Creature... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Comic books, strips, etc    3. Comics & Graphic Novels - Superheroes    4. Graphic Novels    5. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    6. Juvenile Fiction   

Reviews (19)

Highly recommended even for those who don't like Superman
You don't have to be a Superman fan to appreciate this gorgeous piece of fiction. I've greatly enjoyed Busiek's work on Astro City, and I feel he reaches an even higher level with this masterpiece. Immonen is the perfect illustrator for this work, deftly capturing the range of mood and expression as the story progresses.
The best Superman story ever!!
What can I say about this story that hasn't been said a million times before? I'm a fan more of Superman's neighbor in Gotham City, but I LOVE this book. It really captures the heart and soul of Clark Kent and his family and friends. You learn to care for this guy and his supporting cast. You learn to love him, and when the series ends, you feel like you've lost a best friend. Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen have created a masterpiece for the ages. It really made me think how Superman would act and what he would do if he were real. He wouldn't knock around supervillans (they wouldn't exist): he would be more of a world-wide savior. And, if you think about it, that's what Big Blue really is.
A New Superman for the 21st Century
Who else but Kurt Busiek can take a character as iconic, as immortal, as familiar as Superman and turn into a literary character that is fresh, new and entirely relevant and fascinating today? After all, Kurt had long ago made it his main interest to study the different relationships so-called "super-heroes" could have with the real world and with real people, in his Astro City series and in his timeless masterpiece Marvels, and while other great authors, such as Alan Moore, Frank Miller and Grant Morrison, who toyed with these ideas in the late 80's when they were still trendy, moved on to explore new areas the graphic novel medium could be applied to, he is still fascinated with a genre that is as old as the medium itself, and keeps finding ways to make it new and fresh. It's only natural that he finally deals with the one character that started it all.
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Reviews (11)

Superman died and came back with a MULLET!
Yes, it's true kids!Buy it and see for yourselves!
Pretty good story
Pretty interessting ideas overall.kept me anticipating throughout the book. creative, in a preteen kinda way.

Exciting but Drawn Out
In 1992, DC Comics made national headlines when it announced its intention to kill Superman. The year-long storyline spanned over three dozen comic books in more than half a dozen titles, including all four monthly Superman titles (ACTION COMICS, SUPERMAN, THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL). It left the Superman mythos with two new villains (the Cyborg and Doomsday) and three new allies (Superboy, Steel and the Eradicator), all of whom had their own titles for a while. It began an era of Superman's publishing history which would last for the remainder of the decade, in which the titles were treated not as individual titles, each with its own identity, but as parts of one continuing storyline, a weekly Superman comic book with four or more creative teams rotating chapters. As a result, the 1990s Superman comics would be marked by long, convoluted storylines with protracted resolutions, a billowing supporting cast populated by two-dimensional characters who existed more as plot devices, and a sense of excess and disjointedness in almost all of the stories.Read more

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Reviews (11)

Much better than the first two!
Jeph Loeb is hit or miss for me. Usually, his stuff is either great or just competent. The competent stuff is good, but it's nothing that sticks with me days or even months later. It doesn't bounce around in my head like Watchmen or Return of the Dark Night or Runaways. It's just good.
A Superman/Batman book oughtta have superman and batman in it...
The reason I've read the other books in this series is because I enjoy the interplay of Batman and Superman, two very different characters.THIS enstalment, however, does not star Batman and Superman, but two brainwashed guys wearing their costumes.Reading this I kept thinking, "Man, Batman and Superman are jerks."
Let's do the Time Warp again!
So: Batman & the Big Blue Boyscout have been sidelined by a nasty little power-hungry triumvirate from the 31st century, or some danged thing: the aliens show up at the critical juncture in our superheroes' lives (Bruce Wayne watching his parents cut down in a Gotham alleyway, Supes discovered by the Kents in a Kansas cornfield)---and intervene.
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Reviews (8)

Fits in well with the Infinite Crisis stuff
I thought this book filled in a lot of spaces as I read the Infinite Crisis stories.If you like Superman, definitely pick this book up!

Eh
Like the previous volumes in the Ruin trilogy, this story has problems all over the place. For one thing, it's inaccessible to people who aren't long-time Superman readers. I've been reading comics for years, but no effort is made to explain Ruin's identity when he is unmasked - you're just supposed to know. Then there's the way the story jumps all around the place, in part because of Infinite Crisis and in part because like the previous volumes, DC keeps shifting writing duties around. So Superman will be worried about Ruin one moment, and the next - bam! - he decides to chase down Toyman.
Fitting, if not average, end to the trilogy
Why people are reviewing this item as Superman: The Journey and Superman: Sacrifice, I have no idea, but Superman: Ruin Revealed is a good read, and worth reviewing in its own right as well.
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Reviews (2)

More definitive Silver Age classics!
When people think of the silver age, these Superman stories are the first things to come to mind for a lot of people.Literally millions of American kids grew up on a steady diet of these stories, supplemented and fortified with George Reeves on TV.That's why for many people, this is "the" Superman and will always be.
Silver Age Superman Bonanza
Showcase Presents: Superman-Volume 2 is a treasure trove for us guys that grew up in the 60's. It collects stories from ACTION and SUPERMAN comics from November 1959 - April 1961. Artists Wayne Boring, Al Plastino, Kurt Schaffenberger, and Curt Swan (in my opinion Superman's best draftsman) are all featured. These are science fiction and fantasy stories that are optimistic and imaginative. You cannot buy one of the original comicbooks featured here for less than these 575 pages will cost you. This book is a bargain. Volume 3, please, DC! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Comic books, strips, etc    3. Comics & Graphic Novels - Superheroes    4. Graphic Novels    5. Graphic Novels - Superheroes    6. Juvenile Fiction   

Reviews (28)

Excellent Artwork, Decent Story
This book is packed with eye candy courtesy of Michael Turner, and worth a read just for that reason. But I had some major issues with Loeb's Superman and his almost pathetic desperation to connect with another surviving Kryptonian. His resultant behavior was out of character and foolish. He's married to Lois Lane, experiencing something life altering, and she's not even in the story except tangentally. Buy it used.

Corny character made cool
This comic has excellent art, and is well written. I have never been a fan of any other super other than Superman. I'm still not a fan of the Supergirl character but this story is pretty decent, and like I said the art is excellent. If you are a fan of Batman/Superman you will still like this book. Batman looks awesome in this book.

A shame
This was a shame. I think supergirl is a cool character and can be done well, but this just makes clear that DC has no idea what to do with her. There is no characterization, no back up characters and the story can only loosely be called a "story." The art is cool and it seems that is all this book has to offer. It's a real disappointment, especially after Peter David's run on the previous Supergirl (linda danvers) which was excellent. Stick with Many Happy Returns, possibly the best supergirl story ever (along with Crisis on Infinite Earths). ... Read more

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Reviews (24)

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... yawn
If anything shows how tired the comic book version of Superman has become, this is it. Waid, a talented and prolific writer, simply doesn't do much of anything with this retelling of Superman's origins. The redesign of Krypton is superfluous, as is the de-aging of the Kents. The mid-80s reimagining of Superman had its faults, but it also had a lot of character; twenty years later we're stuck with a new origin that could just as easily have been of any other superhero. Clark has very little character, except for his continuous feelings of displacement, and he seems to only to adopt his superhero identity as a way of fitting in (he ends up with dual roles, one as a distanced protector, and the other as an unremarkable Everyman--are either of these really fulfilling?). Also, the opening bits of Clark pursuing both heroics and journalism in Africa smack of political "relevance."
Super Retelling of the Origin
I have always wondered about the 'missing years' in Superman's life. You know, that period between being a boy growing up in Smallville, and the time when he mysteriously appears in Metropolis. This book elegantly fills in the gap, and the story is quite well written. Over the course of this book Superman learns some very valuable lessons. Like the fact that he can't save everyone, but that saving everyone isn't what's important. What is important is that you don't give up, and Superman is a hero because he stays in the fight, even when it seems impossible to win.
Finally, Mr. Goody Two Shoes Gets Some Soul!
Growing up, I was never a big fan of Superman - he was always too perfect, too dull, too infallible.It had been a couple of decades since I'd been exposed to the "big blue Boy Scout".I picked this up on a whim after being wowed by the changes in comics over the years when I saw some collections of the JSA relaunch and the brilliant Jack Knight Starman series.I was definitely not disappointed.The complexity of plot, the subtleties of character, the emphasis on alien heritage - this is definitely not your father's (or grandfather's) Superman.
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Reviews (23)

The Man of Steel gets a reboot
In 1986, DC Comics commissioned writers to create "reboot" stories for their three largest properties: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.Two of those reboots became some of the most famous comics ever written: Frank Miller's BATMAN: YEAR ONE, and John Byrne's SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL.
Awsome, a fun book to read
This is worth it just to see a the first post-crisis Batman Superman meeting.

Empy and Over-rated
By all means this series should have worked. It's John Byrne and it's in the 1980s. He's at his peak. I wanted it to work but frankly, this is a terrible story.
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Reviews (21)

A Blast of Comic Book Fun
This is just a good old-fashioned action comic which benefits greatly from Jeph Loeb's solid writing. There is dual narration from the perspective of both Superman and Batman. This is a really cool device, as it it gives us some interesting insights into their thoughts on one another. The chemistry between the two is developed well by Loeb. But as I wrote above, this is mostly about the action. And the action is good.
The best of a series of books!
This is my favorite arc/TPB of the Superman/Batman series.
Over the top story which falls flat in the end...
Joseph Loeb has been known for his writing talents for a long time, since he teamed up with Tim Sale to do Batman: The Long Halloween, Haunted Knight, Dark Victory and Superman For All Seasons.
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Reviews (1)

Great Book
This book gives all the Sunday classics from the first four years of this popular comic strip! The book is hardcover with a great rap around dustcover with great interior art on the inside covers. It printed on high quality paper and all strips are in full color!!A great book for a low price.A must for any Superman Fan!!!! ... Read more

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Editorial Review

While comic books trace their origins to the late 19th century, Superman, who debuted in 1938's Read more

Reviews (18)

Beautiful visuals, company-approved history
As with Daniels's other comics histories, this is a beautiful coffee table book, thoroughly illustrated and full of much fascinating trivia about the medium.When reading it, though, it's important to remember that the book was fully approved and virtually coproduced by DC Comics, and so basically represents DC's PR department view of its history.For example, it mostly rationalizes or dismisses the company's appalling treatment of Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.For history, there are non-corporate approved books that do a much more realistic job.But for beautiful pictures and an overview of the comics themselves, this is great.

COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE GREATEST HERO EVER!
He's the first, and greatest superhero ever, the man who not only was faster than a speeding bullet, but more importantly the man who was able to survive the golden age fallout of superhero comics and continue to thrive almost 70 years later.Les Daniels' magnificent book traces the history of Superman from his humble beginnings, to the major marketing franchise it is today. It's the story of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, a couple of young men from Cleveland who putting the ideas for this new and fantastic character down on paper as early as 1933, and then struggled for years to get the feature sold.We see a rare cover, the only page surviving from 1933, after Joe Shuster burned the rest of the pages in frustration.The spotlight reviewer contends that Daniels does not give credit to Siegel and Shuster and even takes stabs at the pair.Nothing could be further from the truth.The book details the pairs drive to get the character sold, and their diligence is well documented by Daniels.It's a tribute to their persistence that Superman is around today.Had they thrown in the towel after their many rejections Superman would never have seen the light of day.I think that pays them high tribute.There's no doubt that DC comics made millions...no billions off Superman and that Siegel and Shuster did not benefit much from this.Unfortunately, the pair, so desperate to get the idea in print, signed away their rights to the character.It may have been cheap on DCs part, no doubt, but creators simply did not own their characters back then.
Good overview of Superman's history
This is a great book for anyone who is interested in reading about the history of The Man Of Steel in all of his media incarnations (it's a few years old, so misses out on any info on the tv series Smallville). Well written and illustrated, it's a must-have for any fan of Superman. ... Read more

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