NickRocks
11-18-2011, 07:59 PM
I don't think it's any secret that I don't think too highly of Grant Morrison's writing; he has always come off to me as a pretentious dude who likes to make drastic changes in an attempt to leave some sort of lasting legacy on established characters, with (seemingly, at least to me) no real reason or motivation behind it. Batman: R.I.P. is my least favorite batman story of all time, his "reinvented" Joker and batman in purple and yellow was terrible. I didn't care much for his X-Men either.
However, Morrison writes a very plain, simple Superman, and it works. All-Star Superman had the benefit of Frank Quietly's rather...unique style, which worked it's charm (kissy faces and all). Morrison is back at the helm of Superman again, this time with DC's New 52 Action Comics, with Rags Morales as his penciller.
Now, I missed issue 1, so my review is going to have to start with issues 2 and 3. When I first saw the tshirt and jeans design, I thought it was incredibly lame, but as I thought about it, it made alot of sense, at least more so than some random kid from Kansas having a godlike tailor for a mother who made a circus costume that never breaks or tears. Jeans that could be bought anywhere and work boots adds a more earthly feeling to the Kryptonian, as does the fact that this Superman is depowered. He doesn't fly, he runs real fast, jumps far, and overall has the classic 50s Superman powerset, which I am very happy about. I always loved that Superman.
The story (i remind you I picked this ups with issue 2) picks up with Superman being tortured by Lex Luthor in some shady government base. They are elctrocuting him to see how much he can take. Luthor demands on calling Superman "it" not "him". A military person barges in, says he will have no part of torture, storms out. Superman breaks out and leaves. Nice little bit about his cape being indestructible which I like. Luthor is talking to some alien being (Brainiac).
Issue 3 starts with a dream/flashback of how Brainiac bottled Kandor. The rest of the issue focuses on clark, being messy and confronted by cops and being hated by people (as superman) and then in the end we get a hint of Metallo.
I haven't followed Morales as an artist in a long time, the last thing I read by him was Identity Crisis I believe)?). I remember his art being pretty good, but it is hit or miss here. He draws a FANTASTIC Superman, I mean he nails the mannerisms and charms of Supes...but his clark is a shoddy, weird looking little boy. He also overdraws alot, so many unnecessary lines. He can't draw attractive women it seems, his Lois lane is a 3. However, there's a little panel where Superman saves a cat and stops a truck from hitting a little girl, and it's so perfect it almost made the 4 I wasted on this issue worth it.
Morrison's writing is alright, although some things bother me, like how when the experiment at the end of issue 3 goes wrong, Lex Luthor just pops up and basically goes "oh hi braniac I'm the guy that's set this whole thing up for you" and no one says anything.
I want to like this book, so I'm going to give it another chance, but Morrison needs to write moar SUPERMAN! and Rags needs to stop drawing everybody like they are in a movie parody in MAD magazine. ill be generous and give this book a 5 out of 10, because of that aforementioned cat-saving panel
However, Morrison writes a very plain, simple Superman, and it works. All-Star Superman had the benefit of Frank Quietly's rather...unique style, which worked it's charm (kissy faces and all). Morrison is back at the helm of Superman again, this time with DC's New 52 Action Comics, with Rags Morales as his penciller.
Now, I missed issue 1, so my review is going to have to start with issues 2 and 3. When I first saw the tshirt and jeans design, I thought it was incredibly lame, but as I thought about it, it made alot of sense, at least more so than some random kid from Kansas having a godlike tailor for a mother who made a circus costume that never breaks or tears. Jeans that could be bought anywhere and work boots adds a more earthly feeling to the Kryptonian, as does the fact that this Superman is depowered. He doesn't fly, he runs real fast, jumps far, and overall has the classic 50s Superman powerset, which I am very happy about. I always loved that Superman.
The story (i remind you I picked this ups with issue 2) picks up with Superman being tortured by Lex Luthor in some shady government base. They are elctrocuting him to see how much he can take. Luthor demands on calling Superman "it" not "him". A military person barges in, says he will have no part of torture, storms out. Superman breaks out and leaves. Nice little bit about his cape being indestructible which I like. Luthor is talking to some alien being (Brainiac).
Issue 3 starts with a dream/flashback of how Brainiac bottled Kandor. The rest of the issue focuses on clark, being messy and confronted by cops and being hated by people (as superman) and then in the end we get a hint of Metallo.
I haven't followed Morales as an artist in a long time, the last thing I read by him was Identity Crisis I believe)?). I remember his art being pretty good, but it is hit or miss here. He draws a FANTASTIC Superman, I mean he nails the mannerisms and charms of Supes...but his clark is a shoddy, weird looking little boy. He also overdraws alot, so many unnecessary lines. He can't draw attractive women it seems, his Lois lane is a 3. However, there's a little panel where Superman saves a cat and stops a truck from hitting a little girl, and it's so perfect it almost made the 4 I wasted on this issue worth it.
Morrison's writing is alright, although some things bother me, like how when the experiment at the end of issue 3 goes wrong, Lex Luthor just pops up and basically goes "oh hi braniac I'm the guy that's set this whole thing up for you" and no one says anything.
I want to like this book, so I'm going to give it another chance, but Morrison needs to write moar SUPERMAN! and Rags needs to stop drawing everybody like they are in a movie parody in MAD magazine. ill be generous and give this book a 5 out of 10, because of that aforementioned cat-saving panel