[Comics] All Star Superman

Talk about a great book!

In the past few years, comics have gone away from quality storytelling and have yielded to the multipart crossover story du'jour, be it "Civil War," "Secret Invasion," or Crises both "Infinite" and "Final."

But "All Star Superman," a limited series which came to an end last week with #12, was a departure from the unfortunate norm. Written by Grant Morrison (the same Morrison who looks like Christopher Daniels and is making a fine fucked up mess of "Final Crisis" as we speak) and drawn by Frank Quitely, the story deals primarily in issues of Superman's mortality, as it follows the Man of Steel during his final days of life. This character study focuses on a lot of Superman's last wishes, regrets, last acts, and ultimately his acceptance of his fate. Consider it the superhuman answer to Kubler-Ross and her stages of dying.

But before you think this is all morose belly button gazing, be advised that there are plenty of storytelling ledges that Morrison is more than happy to leap from; dare I say that he crams some concepts in this storyline that Warren Ellis would even say, "Man, what the fuck?" Black kryptonite, that makes Superman evil? Check. Lex Luthor sentenced to death in the electric chair? Check. An "imperfect" clone of Bizarro (the imperfect clone of Superman), that happens to be a perfect clone of Superman? Check. There are even enough concepts that could easily fill years worth of Superman stories, yet are relegated to throwaway ideas to drive the story forward & ramp up the details.

A great read, and a finer limited series you would be hard pressed to find. This is the Grant Morrison that is fun to read, when he's not going writing all tripped-out, fill-in-your-own-blanks obtuse stories like he was guilty of in his run on "JLA."

A solid three count (yeah, the creator of the three count rating system is taking that one back ... be original, for god's sakes, you know who you are).