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All-Star Superman

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15:18 / 30.03.06

>> Incidentally, the design for the Super-Signal Watch is the greatest thing ever. So utterly a Happy Meal toy and a haute couture accessory.

Yes yes YES!

15:21 / 30.03.06

Fucking spot-on, Papers.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

15:33 / 30.03.06

I just pictured this glamourous, electro-consumerist world where Grant Morrison comics are used to sell toys.

16:33 / 30.03.06

One day...

17:12 / 30.03.06

Oh this issue was just beautiful.

18:02 / 30.03.06

THE KISS!

Man, that page is beautiful. Look at the SHADOWS OF THE MOON DUST at their feet!

But...

Has anyone ever read "Walking on Glass" by Iain Banks? This novel features that same unstoppable force/immovable object question, as well a similar punchline, with one character finding the answer on a matchbow (remember those brain teasers?).

However, Bank's answer/solution is different: "the unstoppable force stops, the immovable object moves."

That's the only other place I've come across this riddle, but is it common at all? I'm wondering if anyone thinks he might have ripped it off?

(Not really GM's style though, is it? Or have I just failed to notice until now?)

Anyway, I'm thinking this and Bulleteer (issue 4 in particular) are the first outtings for the "mature solutions" to the typical superhero problems GM was talking about recently regarding upcoming Wildstorm stuff. You know, with Supes' (and Morrison's) answer being a compromise: "They surrender".

18:13 / 30.03.06

Um... that should say matchBOX...

18:20 / 30.03.06

That's the only other place I've come across this riddle, but is it common at all? I'm wondering if anyone thinks he might have ripped it off?

Oh no... that riddle is a classic bit of logic. I believe the technical solution is that both cannot exist in a logically consistent universe (because the existence of an immovable object implies that there cannot be an irresistable force, and vice versa)

There's even a fanboy version, involving Juggernaut and The Blob (although Juggs usually wins, since he's powered by magic)

In any case, I doubt Grant ripped it off from anywhere.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

18:44 / 30.03.06

Optimistic:

THE KISS!

Man, that page is beautiful. Look at the SHADOWS OF THE MOON DUST at their feet!

Yes, that is a brilliant page.

I love Kal's frustration that Lois thanks him for bringing her into "his world" for a day (although, they're all in his world all the time, based on Cat's dialogue earlier), and he keeps trying to articulate that he can do more than just be Superman (and here, I think, is the "source" of that final byline). Huh. "More" than just be Superman.

19:25 / 30.03.06

"Moore" ?

19:28 / 30.03.06

Because all local comic shops in my area only get new shipments once a week (sometimes every other), I have yet to read the new issue - the wait is killing me, and this thread is only making it worse.

In the meantime, while watching the movie "Out Of Sight," it surprised me how much Lois, as drawn by Quitely, resembles Jennifer Lopez. Has this been mentioned previously here (couldn't find anything about it)? It wouldn't surprise me if they had based Lois on J.Lo, which might help explain that joke from issue #2.

Again, apologies if this is old news...

21:14 / 30.03.06

In the #1 I had thought already that she looked a bit like JLo (only pretty). But in the meanwhile I've seen already in her Gardner, Aniston etc... But don't know if there's any relation to the question of Unknow Supes, unless A-S-S gets really meta somewhere on the road.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

03:47 / 31.03.06

A thought I had, upon my walk home this eve: anyone else think that the 12 Labours of Superman will end with the tyrant sun Solaris, and that Solaris will be the focus of #12? Just to have symmetry with the Golden Apples of #1. The sun's the source of Kal's powers, his illness, and possibly the cure as well? Maybe he has to surrender to Solaris to be healed?

11:15 / 31.03.06

Well, let's see.

*pulls up list of 12 Labors*

The first issue is clearly the Garden of the Hesperides.

The second _could_ be the girdle of Hippolyte, since that's the only labor that centers on a woman.

Issue #3 feels most like the Nemean Lion, since he overcame it mostly by force of strength, although one could make a connection to Cerberos, (three main opponents, underworld connection).

Based on this model, I'd guess that #4 will be a Hydra riff (with Jimmy taking the Iolaus role) and #5 will be the Augean stables (clearing out the muck

)

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

15:32 / 31.03.06

I'm betting Cerebrus falls into the "underverse" mentioned in #3, so he's still to come. What about creating life? Think that has something to do with the Bizarro plague?

16:15 / 31.03.06

Creating life... hmmm.

Hercules wasn't much on the creating side, more destroying.

Could be a Hydra riff (cut one down, two take it's place), or the Stymphalian birds.

16:21 / 31.03.06

Not so sure Herc's 12 match onto Clark's. Maybe there's a hidden pattern under Hercs that Grant's using to template. In what order does Herc accomplish what tasks? Keep going guys.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

16:30 / 31.03.06

According to the wikipedia:

1. Slay the Nemean Lion and bring back its skin.
2. Slay the Lernaean Hydra.
3. Capture the Ceryneian Hind.
4. Capture the Erymanthian Boar.
5. Clean the Augean stables in one day.
6. Slay the Stymphalian Birds.
7. Capture the Cretan Bull.
8. Steal the Mares of Diomedes.
9. Obtain the Girdle of Hippolyte.
10. Obtain the Cows of Geryon.
11. Steal the Apples of the Hesperides.
12. Capture Cerberus.

I tend to agree with you, Cass, that GM's not following the labours specifically. Merely that Kal has twelve super-feats to accomplish. I tend to more like the idea that the various issues have different myth patterns in them (#1- Hesperides & Prometheus; #2- Bluebeard, Eros & Psyche; #3- The footraces for Helen, Oedipus & the Sphinx, Phaethon riding the golden chariot) mashed together and often made positive and life-affirming. It doesn't strictly stick to the labours and it doesn't even stick to one myth per ish, but more just riffs on Superman as Modern Argonaut. Is there going to be a JLA appearance at all in this, do we know? Might be an Argonauts riff.

16:38 / 31.03.06

Ha! yeah. So I'm wondering if Morrison will have Superman head to Mars to capture the flesh-eating mares that Frankenstein found there.

My favorite bits were Atlas's complaints of discomfort.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

16:42 / 31.03.06

I liked the quiet implication of Kal's heroism compared to Samson's callous & selfish adventuring; the boys are peacocking for Lois and Kal bothers to (a) notice that Krull's lungs have burst and (b) zip up there at super-speed and save him, even though he's a bad monster from below. He even takes Krull back home to daddy and performs a super-feat of super-diplomacy (SHOCK! You mean there are other kinds of super-strength?) to ensure there are no further invasions.

16:55 / 31.03.06

I was thinking maybe 'creating life' will happen in relation to a Bizarro story (Supes somehow creates a new Bizarro that's less messed up than the others?) ...or maybe the Sun-Eater introduced in issue 2 does something that creates a new entity, intentionally or unintentionally helped along by Kal...?

17:02 / 31.03.06

Or, at the rate of Silver Age crazies, Superman will give birth. Who knows, right?

17:13 / 31.03.06

In reference to ASS GM would often site an old silver age story were Superman sprouts a miniature version of himself that's as good if not better and only a few inches tall. Perhaps he plans to revisit that story concept.

17:28 / 31.03.06

Pygmalion and Galatea x Pinnochio

18:01 / 31.03.06

That was a very good comic. It's nice to have something like this to look forward to.

That's the only other place I've come across this riddle, but is it common at all? I'm wondering if anyone thinks he might have ripped it off?

There was always the episode of Knight Rider where KITT went up against KARR and KARR kept spouting that line. The way KITT won? Play chicken and lose. Sounds like a surrender to me. I wouldn't say it was a rip-off as it's such an old saw.

One of my favourite bits was when the rock falls on Lois' head and cracks. I had forgotten about her powers and, apparently, so had she.

Also, that underwater bit, is that the Supes taking their friends to Poseidonis?

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

20:59 / 31.03.06

I think it's them returning from Poseidonis after the party - presumably Cat, Jimmy, and Steve took a submersible while Lois and Kal went for a "quiet stroll."

I'd forgotten about the mini-Superman. Possibly called "Superman, Jr?"

16:28 / 01.04.06

Note the writer of the Superman Dead article... one Clark Kent.

Robot? Depowered Superman? Batman?

19:02 / 01.04.06

Or, possibly, Supes is cured, but has finally found someone who can take over his role, and lets the "Superman" person fade way.

19:44 / 01.04.06

His powers are what's killing him. What if he gives away his solar rads? To a hungry Sun? Superman "dies", Clark lives. At least until the next adventure.

23:23 / 01.04.06

Maybe we'll see the baby sun-eater from issue#2 play a part in getting rid of Kal's excess power, or in defeating the sun tyrant Solaris?

04:03 / 03.04.06

also notice: ad inserted in the Daily Planet from the future: "What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovabe object? SURRENDER to the new Luxus Samaritan" and a pic of a sports car speeding up to a wall.

did Supes see this prior to facing Atom-Hotep, who sported a [Shrödinger] cat tail? super-clever as always. lovely issue, with everything you guys have mentioned. still not thrilled about the colors, though - sorry, Jamie Grant, WE3 was da bomb.

the bit from the ARTHUR mag gathering that not everybody picked then was: Morrison said the Unknown Superman is most likely himself...

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

04:44 / 03.04.06

Hector: did Supes see this prior to facing Atom-Hotep, who sported a [Shrödinger] cat tail? super-clever as always.

I went back and looked at the page where Samson shows off the Obituary of Steel and Kal's pupil does look clear in the last panel; that suggests he was speed-reading the future newspaper with X-ray vision. It would explain the laughter at realizing how he should answer the Ultrasphinx.

yawn - thing's buddy

08:06 / 03.04.06

it's a really dumb advert though.

-------------------

loved the pace of this comic and the scene jumping.

that blue sky in . . . the pacific? I could hear the rumbling rocks during the arm wrestle.

sphinx sequence was top level sci-fi.

goading by heroes was weird - created a really strange atmosphere on the page.

loved it.

(although relevance of it being lois' birthday was lost on me)

12:59 / 03.04.06

Bring on the fantastic fourth issue. Jimmy Olsen, Agent of P.R.O.J.E.C.T!

Haus of Mystery

14:21 / 03.04.06

Been reading some Silver Age Superman recently, and I've gotta say Mozzer & Quitely are vibing off that stuff perfectly. Superman is constantly hitting the laboratory in that stuff, and the stories move like quicksilver. Take the classic 'Superman Red/Blue' story: In 20 odd pages, Superman
- splits into two, equally powerful supermen
- restores Kandor to full size, builds a New Krypton for them to live on
- Builds an anti-evil ray that reverses crime, turns Luthor into a benevolent super-scientist (which in turn makes his ginger mane grow back!)
- Help the entirety of Atlantis to evacuate earth to live on the replica Krypton
- Marry both Lana and Lois, living alternatively on Earth and Krypton
-enable Supergirl to lead the reformed Phantom Zone criminals back to new Krypton to live peacefully

and feature a guest appearance from nearly every supporting cast, including The Superman Robots, Lori Lemaris, Braniac and the Revenge squad, Krypto, The Legion, and the fucking Superhorse.

20 pages.

Anyway, it's this sheer spirit of unbridled creativity and positivity that radiates out of Morrison's superworld. It feels fresh and modern, but it's totally part of the Silver Age gonzo-superheroics. Even down to the lovely bright palette.

Pure comics nutrition.

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