Like the titular Man of Steel, All Star Superman is utterly bullet-proof. I can’t believe that any Super-Hero fan could find fault with it. Every word and pencil-line of the book exudes quality the likes of which almost nothing else is managing to replicate, and that is Fact with a capital F. Morrison is using this book to prove that he is clearly the Next Alan Moore that the industry has been looking for, but far more than that - he’s the First Grant Morrison.

Frank Quitely’s art is the most common vector for people to have a go at the book. Quitely’s idiosyncratic approach to anatomy and, in particular, faces, cause idiots the planet over to shout poorly-considered accusations of “potato-head!” and use the phrase “worse than Liefeld!” These people are not just wrong, they are actually, genuinely stupid. Quitely may be stylised, but beyond that, he’s fantastically expressive and detail-oriented. He draws the moon blowing up with as much grace and panache as he draws an embarrassed look on Clark Kent’s face. In fact, Quitely may well be one of the few artists who can truly, completely make you believe that Clark and Superman are both different people as well as being the same.

But enough gushing about the creators. This issue, Superman returns from his 2-issue excursion to Bizarro-Earth to find that 2 other Kryptonians with a dangerous belief in their own superiority have moved in and taken his place. Superman teaches them the value of humanity, and that’s more or less it, except there’s so much more to it than that. It’s been said a hundred times before, but I’m going to say it anyway: Morrison combines Silver-Age weirdness with his particular brand of futurism perfectly and effortlessly. Nothing short of a must-buy.

Tags: Frank Quitely, Grant Morrison, Superman
Publisher: DC