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Underground > Comic Books >

Morrison's All-Star Superman

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06:39 / 25.02.05

god, i swore to myself i would stop beating this dead horse, but...

John Byrne on Frank Quitely's All-Star Superman cover:

While I don't agree with the "sitting on a cloud" concept -- that's Peter Pan, not Superman - whether or not I would call the piece "lazy" would come down to one thing: who colored it? If Quietly "painted" it himself, as some have suggested, then I have no problem with the artistic execution. Well done, in fact. If someone else colored it -- then I think it might be time for M***** and DC to come up with special reduced rates for the pencilers who leave 90% of the work to the colorists!

13:23 / 25.02.05

>> But... SEPTEMBER????????

I second that emotion.

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

13:57 / 25.02.05

Good Lord.

I also loved the cavalcade of AWESOME ACTION covers trotted out. You can almost here the shovel digging the grave for the direct market as they speak.

Such a distressing cabal of people so relentlessly devoted to cutting any potential for growth and evolution of the medium at the knees.

Thankfully, in the grand scheme of things, they're so tiny! But Ethan totally saved the day in there. Go, E!

15:14 / 25.02.05

>> But... SEPTEMBER????????

I second that emotion.

until then... Seven Soldiers!

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

15:15 / 25.02.05

I wish this thread hadn't tempted me in to looking at that forum. I blame you all.

16:43 / 25.02.05

OMFG... talk about Brian being Slurried...

Big Props for Ethan. But some of those responces "Ethan, I love you're work on GL:R but you're wrong" or something to that effect.

16:46 / 25.02.05

One thing for sure, Byrne's cover for his first issue of ACTION sure looks like crap. Thick lines, sketchy drawing, Supes looks like he's about 5'2" in that cover.

21:39 / 25.02.05

Not to mention, Finder, that it's so very, very, *very* turquoise. But then, I guess Byrne's not to blame for that. But yes, the cover is just horrid.

16:45 / 26.02.05

Well, I want to defend the cover, but I just asked my brother, who doesn't read comics, if he thought the picture would make a good cover. "Yeah, if it's a story about the time Superman experimented with homosexuality in his junior year in college." Crap.

Regrettable Juvenilia

16:53 / 26.02.05

Oh no, that proves he is a gay!

18:32 / 26.02.05

I was showing an example of outside opinion on the cover, since this series in intended to draw in people who don't normally read comics. I just thought it was particularly amusing that instead of "Looks like a comic cover" or "Looks boring" or "Looks pretty damn cool", I got the response of "Looks kinda gay". Granted, I only have a sample size of one on my hands, but it could be a bad sign for how the comic will do as far as outsider sales go.

(Hooray 300th post - Now I'm a real boy!)

18:52 / 26.02.05

Nnnggnn.

Granted, I only have a sample size of one on my hands

So, it’s worthless and brainless, well done. Still, I'm sure his opinion would receive a much more sympathetic hearing on the JBF. There’s a proper place for everyone on the internet these days. Gosh, who'd have ever thunk the JBF would be so in tune with yer average man on the street?

18:59 / 26.02.05

By ‘average man on the street,’ I mean ‘idiot brother with a head full of gormless opinions,’ obviously. Granted, I only have one of his opinions to base that judgement on, but that one could well be a bad sign for how he’d come across on barbelith if you keep telling us what he thinks.

Meanwhile, I like the cover.

19:24 / 26.02.05

I too like the cover. I never said I didn't. My brother actually likes the art of the cover, but just doesn't think it's the best choice. I was partly trying to show that people other than rabid Byrne fanatics have low opinions of the cover, and occasionally get the same impression of it.

idiot brother with a head full of gormless opinions
Perhaps we could limit insults to people who post here, or at the very least, read the forum at all? The same should extend to all the JBF bashing that goes on around here; I agree with most of it, but I still don't think it's right to be slinging insults about people who have no knowledge of it or a chance to reply.

21:32 / 26.02.05

I looove FQ, but this cover just doesn't do it for me. Superman looks high, or at least sleepy, and the whole thing is way too passive for a number one issue of DC's flagship character by two of the best comics pros alive today. Superman is the first and (arguably) best superhero, why not something more powerful and dynamic for a #1 cover? I wouldn't be complaining if Neil Gaiman were writing this series, but the Dreaming this ain't. It would make a nice back cover image for the hardcover though.

21:37 / 26.02.05

Well, my girlfriend said it was a very nice picture.

'Oh, I like that.', she said, when she saw it on the screensaver.

She didn't notice it was Superman though. Nor did she say 'Is he trying to sex me up?' Girls, eh?

21:53 / 26.02.05

Superman looks high

Yes. High. Do you see? I think it was Hector who said it first. That’s yer actual Silver Age influence right there. Sitting on a cloud, chilling out, watching the sunrise. Man. I’m a little surprised to see Morrison and Quietly picking up the psyche revival vibe, just because it's a bit last year. But that’s *it*, and who knows, maybe the almighty DC business plan projections say that'll be teh mainstream by September. And there'll be a free 'hippie wig' with the first issue, too.

A beautiful tunnel of ghosts

10:22 / 27.02.05

My wife interpreted Superman's expression as "Get to fuck": Superman as the defender of Metropolis. She liked everything about the cover except Superman's exaggerated chin, but as one of the posters on the JBF noted as well, Quitely is influenced by Dudley D. Watkins, creator of Desperate Dan and the Broons, which Quitely parodied in some of his earliest work as the Greens in Electric Soup.

As well as the artwork itself, I like the cover for its intentional subversion of the overexposed iconic cover illustrations that have dominated the market for the last 30 years.

The concept wouldn't have been my suggestion as the cover for a first issue, but for me its deliberate contrast easily distinguishes from most comics on the stand, as well as from the rest of the Superman range. In addition, when the first issue's pastoral cover is taken in context with its hyperkinetic storyline, a more traditionally heroic illustration might fail to contribute anything more to the comic as a whole, other than another derivative illustration that is subsumed amongst every Superman cover over the last 60 years.

Haus of Mystery

11:42 / 27.02.05

My cat showed little interest when I showed it the proposed cover, but it did turn around, show me it's bum, and walk out of the room.

04:31 / 28.02.05

Goood enough!

miss wonderstarr

11:36 / 28.02.05

My cat said IS SUPER MMAN ? ST!NNK CHIN !

15:10 / 28.02.05

This thread is making me laugh quite a bit.

The chin is a bit big, but I'm ok with that.

15:24 / 28.02.05

know nothing about art really but, isn't there like a 'special effect' in the picture? when i look at it i keep thinking there's something in the shading between chin and eyebrow that suggest movement, not like 'he's turned with his eyebrow raised', but 'he is turning round and raising an eyebrow'. eyes keep being drawn from chin to eye and back again, and as they do it's like the whole facial expression is occuring before me. dead magic.

and, y'know, who wouldn't shag superman a bit?

NOTTHATI@MGAYMIND!!!!!!11111

15:57 / 28.02.05

That's no special effect, Gumbitch, that's merely the genius of Frank Quitely to be able to capture a moment that makes his drawings seem uncannily alive. There's plenty of panels I've seen of his that make me stop and stare because I can almost feel them "move."

God, he is such an unbelievably incredible artist. Reading that Byrne thread with those idiots calling him overrated and - the best part - "overpaid" just had me shaking with anger.

16:02 / 28.02.05

Talking of that thread, I just love the part when Byrne suggests that most of the money should have gone to the colourist because the Quitely drawing is so sparse, then someone with sense posts Byrne's old all-white "Snowblind" Alpha Flight cover...and Byrne utterly ignores it.

The Natural Way

17:40 / 28.02.05

Mr Tulpa, it's the lack of dynamism that I dig so much. The flying-fist-punch is a little too obvious. This cover explores a different aspect to supes, something that, IMO, bodes well for the series.

19:18 / 28.02.05

There need not be any "flying-fist-punches" or "more traditional heroic poses" for the cover to be more active and dynamic. And I'm not trying to convince anybody that the cover sucks either. For my taste though, it just doesn't work. It's boring. It's nice, sure, but it's soooo relaxed I find it hard to get excited about it. As a back-cover image I say it works great. If GM & FQ's run is about chronicling the new age adventures of the contemplative Superman, then hey it is perfect and hopefully will come pollybagged with a coupon for some free crisps or brownies. Whatever the case, I am really looking forward to it.

03:44 / 01.03.05

I can understand the case against the cover. This All-Star line is meant to do the whole "Draw in new readers who're familiar with the characters but have never picked up a comic before" thing, right? Older, more mature readers who think that Superman is a silly kid's cartoon might have their beliefs challenged and actually be able to respect the introspective, subtle portrait of Superman on the cover. I myself love it. It's just such a magic moment caught on paper; it's certainly one of the most moving renditions of Superman I've ever seen.

On the other hand, actual kids (and DC and Marvel are forever trying to find the way to get young'uns buying comics again) might find the cover boring. Those gosh darn kids these days are raised on hyper-frentic videogames and anime, and apparently can't even handle proper Looney Tunes characters.

Maybe I'm not giving the chilluns enough respect, but will they want to pick up an action book that features the protagonist having a nice sit-down on the cover? Or d'you think the mindset is to forget trying to tap into a youth-audience for comics that might not even exist anymore and go straight for the older market?

And, um, no offense if you're an older, mature audience member and didn't like the cover anyway. *koff*

09:04 / 01.03.05

That's no special effect, Gumbitch, that's merely the genius of Frank Quitely to be able to capture a moment that makes his drawings seem uncannily alive. There's plenty of panels I've seen of his that make me stop and stare because I can almost feel them "move."

i often feel like i could step inside a Quitely panel, if only i could figure out how.

aside from the chin issue, i like this cover image. however, i do worry that it's something that appeals primarily to existing comics readers, in that it's a conscious reaction to an overdose of stale, generic action covers. as an existing comics reader, that's OK for me, but i'm not sure how it works with the stated goal of appealing to non-comics readers.

also, i think it's going to look really weird with a big logo across the top and the DC masthead and that crap cluttering it up.

Haus of Mystery

10:42 / 01.03.05

'the chin issue' indeed... it's sooperman fer christsakes! That's a chin of righteousness!

10:54 / 01.03.05

>>>This All-Star line is meant to do the whole "Draw in new readers who're familiar with the characters but have never picked up a comic before" thing, right?<<<

But this simply isn't going to happen. Is it going to be advertised on television, or radio, or print, or anywhere other than the Diamond catalogue or the walls of direct-market comic shops? No, probably not. Is it going to be available on every street corner, in every newsagent and bookshop, in supermarket checkout aisles? Again, no.

Think for a moment, try and envision your friends, co-workers, and family, the people you see on the bus on the way to work...can anyone seriously expect that all of them are suddenly all going to be going out and buying SUPERMAN on a regular basis? Big chin or not, homoerotic smirks or not, quiet contemplative covers or slam-bang-in-your-face action covers....it's not going to make any difference. All-Star Superman will sell to the same fanboy market as always.

We're going to get 12 months of, in all likelihood, incredible Superman stories, but I don't think it's going to set the world on fire with Super-fever.

11:17 / 01.03.05

Shame, but true.

12:46 / 01.03.05

ALL-STAR SUPES is more likely to hop in the Super-bandwagon lead by the movie in 2006 when the first trade is likely to appear. if the movie ever turns into a Pop Event at all - which is almost totally up to Warner's Marketing Dept.

although we're in for a small surprise, it's not 1989 anymore.

13:17 / 01.03.05

As Joe Quesada has rightly said, it's kind of crime that DC/AOL/TimeWarner doesn't do more to get comics out to the public with their huge media empire (as per what Cam just said).

Haus of Mystery

14:17 / 01.03.05

Know what? I don't give a monkeys if anyone new reads this, as long as I get to. Anyone who doesn't already read comics, or needs explaining as to why they're good is stupid.

So there.

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