Batman: Under the Red Hood was an amazing retelling of the return of Jason Todd (spoiler! He’s alive!) and managed to reach epic proportions due to the emotion involving all the characters involved. It really worked and had me hooked. But like all the others, due to the fact there was the obligatory “everyone lives to fight another day” it doesn’t have quite the finality to it that All Star Superman has. Finally there’s Justice League: New Frontier. This movie surprisingly is the only other movie that is based on a self contained graphic novel. Elseworlds, or whatever you like to call it. Darwin Cooke’s novel was supremely enjoyable and his art and style translated well to the screen. Or Blu-ray as it were. The changes were negligible and remains the finest adaptation Timmco has done.Until now.All-Star Superman, the novel, is probably one of the best Superman stories ever told in any medium. If not the best. Grant Morrison has had his ups and downs (can anyone figure out what the fuck went on in Final Crisis without consulting Wikipedia?) and Frank Quietly’s art has always had a rumpled quality that I generally find messy. But the two of them together created a Superman story that topped nearly everything that came before. They captured the essence of the different ages of Superman and distilled them down to twelve issues of Super-goodness that works in every way. The silliness of silver age. The love between Clark and Lois. The complete change of personality and look of Clark Kent. And Superman’s tireless work to keep us all safe. It all works.
