100th Post!!! All-Star Superman DVD

If you traveled back in time to last November, you would find me making my first post. At that time, you couldn't tell me that my 100th post would be something DC related without being laughed off. I would say "Begone future-person, and leave me without your lies tainting these ears of mine! HAHAHA!"

Well let's talk about a movie I watched today by the title of All-Star Superman!

I rented this DVD from the Blockbuster Express kiosk at the grocery store near my humble abode. I was actually hoping to find Batman: Year One, but I had heard that All-Star Superman was good. I don't know if this is the same story as the comic story arc of the same name, but I wanted to give it a try.

The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't Bruce Timm animation. I have a love-hate relationship with Bruce Timm. I hate his male characters with gigantic shoulders and teeny-tiny legs. They look like tops. That being said, I can't deny his contributions to the animated comic-book medium. This movie, was not Bruce-Timmy, however. The animation was pretty good in the main action sequences, and wasn't terrible in the in-between scenes. If you've watched many comic-book related animated films or anime in general, you've probably taken note of the fact that animators are told to spend more time on the key action scenes and less on the talky scenes. This movie suffers from that ailment, but not as badly as I've seen before. I would say that the visual quality of this film is pretty above-average.

The story was enjoyable and I feel like there were alot of sequences to keep me entertained throughout. It felt like several short episodes put together, which kept it from a hazard of action based movies that have a main story and only two or three big action scenes. We have Superman saving scientists from burning up in the sun, then it moves to Superman and Lois in the Fortress of Solitude,  then it's about fighting Lizard people, then it's about the center of the Earth and riddles, then it's arm wrestling with other superheroes, then it's Clark having to save security guards from some energy absorbing monster at a high-security prison while protecting his identity, then etc...

It just keeps going, and every part was pretty fun.

I haven't read alot of Superman, but I understand the key points of his lore and the movie doesn't insult it's lay audience by trying to explain all the backstory. We can fill in the blanks and still enjoy it.

Overall I really liked it.

I give All-Star Superman two arrogant Kryptonians up and one Red Sun for all the world to enjoy.

Superman #1

*SPOILERS*

We get our main Superman title in the last batch of new 52's. The grand opening of the all new, all different Daily Planet. We get a burly Perry White complaining to Lois Lane about the lack of integrity of an all-online news publisher, and Lois, of course, wondering where Clark is. Pan over to Superman hovering above the ruins of the freshly demolished all old, all the same Daily Planet. Then a fire monster shows up, then Superman fights it, then he wins, then he goes to Lois's apartment, then he finds a dude there, then some other shit happens. I will go on record saying that this thing is one wordy sonofabitch. I don't think the bulk of the text was unnecessary, however. There wasn't very much campy dialogue, either. The narrative were not done in a point-of-view way. Instead they were exactly what they are supposed to be, narrative.
There was no;
      [I realized the fire wasn't igniting the metal]
It was more like;
      [Superman discovered that the metal was becoming fire]
It's not that big of a deal, but I liked the way they were done from a third person perspective.
      [Superman realized that because of the unfreezing process, he had no inner monologue]

 So, in regards to the writing and dialogue duties, I think George Perez handled them well. There was alot of action and alot of story. By the time I was done, it felt like I had just watched a season premiere, and that is why I liked this book. Good way to use a #1.

The art by Jesus Merino is well done. It's reminiscent of the actiony art of the late 80s mixed with the photoshop colors of the mid 90s. That may or may not make any sense. I thought it was good. Not my favorite style of art, but it suits a Superman book just fine.

I picked up Superman #1 expecting to be indifferent, and I put it down two hours later being excited for the next issue. There was plenty of setup and story. It successfully communicates the status quo of the characters involved. The art is comic-booky and exciting. It's all-in-all a decently rewarding read. I wasn't blown away in the same way I was with Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but I certainly put it in my 'buy the next issue' pile.

I do think the Super Manties need to come back.

I give Superman #1 two flaming Daily Planets to the face up.