I saw Man of Steel last weekend and really liked it. Sure, there were inconsistencies in the story, and things that were just too convenient or silly to ever “really” happen… and maybe a little over the top with the violence and destruction (but maybe not. That’s what happens when two Kroptonians throw down). All-in-all I thought they did a fantastic job.
Its pretty clear not everyone likes this movie, and maybe with good reason. Mark Waid, one of my favorite comic and sometimes Superman writer, hated it. I can understand why, but I never liked Superman for the same reasons he did.
Even though I do have a soft spot for Superman, I am usually one of those people who thinks he is just too powerful to be interesting. But when he is duking it out with someone like Darkseid, fighting along side the New Gods, battling Braniac or General Zod… well that kind of stuff just can’t be beat. But I love that cosmic stuff, and prefer a good sci-fi story over almost any other kind. To me, that’s what a good comic and movie need to deliver.
I don’t read a lot of Superman comics, but I have read a few that I really like. One of my favorites is All Star Superman
, written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quietly. There are a total of 12 issues in this series, and each one has a fun and nostalgic feel to them and is clearly a nod to the silver age of comics. That isn’t a bad thing at all. If you’re like me, that 50 & 60s Silver-Age comic goofiness is often a bit of a turn-off. But in All-Star Superman, with the way it is handled, I enjoyed it.
This comic was made into an animated movie not too long ago. I still prefer the comic, but the movie isn’t bad at all. Check that out too: amazon.com | All-Star Superman
Other Superman comics you might want to check out would include Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright and John Byrne‘s Superman: The Man of Steel.
