Resonant, trite, referential, fun, overly complicated and, ultimately, a near perfect Superman story. Loved the Bizarro plot, the love story, all the mundane details. Some parts were so tethered to past continuities that they were hard to understand fully, and the ending was somewhat convoluted though optimistic and resonant. Jimmy Olsen was my favorite character throughout. Lois is drawn like a 19 year old girl though..which doesn't fit. It does make him relatable but also establishes him as utterly legendary in moral aptitude and physical strength. It's ending is voth sweet, stereotypical and surprisingly dark...Superman 2? Sounds like Superboynis on the way, and we know that doesn't end well. Still, this was lovely sweet and accessible and will stand up as a reread. The best issues were the jimmy as doomsday chapter, Lois and superman a date, and the issue where his earth father dies I've always found Superman stories to be somewhat cheesier than most others regarding superheroes, and this one is really no different. Random monsters are constantly invading the earth from outer space, or from the core of the earth, at the drop of a hat with relatively little lead-in or backstory. Same with all of his human companions: it seems that everyone is given no backstory at all, which might be confusing for readers without a lot of background knowledge. For me, this was the one thing that disappointed/confused me about All-Star Superman.Beyond that, I thought the overall arc of the story was intriguing, and I thought his struggle with Lex was one of the better ones I've read. Not to mention the art is awesome. Bottom line: a great take on Superman, if you're already a Superman fan. If not, it might be beneficial to get some more background on him and his world before jumping into this.
What do You think about Absolute All-Star Superman (2011)?
This was amazing. The depth is crazy - I feel like I need to read it again to fully capture it all.
—Maria
A great Superman story full of heroism, Silver Age craziness, fun, and powerful moments.
—Mish
Too campy for me but I recognize it's excellent at what it does.
—Nick
