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All Star Superman is a twelve-issue comic book series featuring Superman that ran from November 2005 to October 2008. The series was written by Grant Morrison, drawn by Frank Quitely, digitally inked by Jamie Grant and published by DC Comics. DC claimed that this series would "strip down the Man of Steel to his timeless, essential elements".^[1]

The series was the second to be launched in 2005 under DC's All Star imprint, the first being All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. These series are attempts by DC to allow major comics creators a chance to tell stories showcasing these characters without being restricted by DC Universe continuity.

Publication history

Grant Morrison's approach to writing this series was to make the reading as universal as possible. He stated that he wasn't interested in "re-doing origin stories or unpacking classic narratives" but instead wanted to do "a total update, rehaul and refit". However, rather than just creating a "fresh and relevant" update for new readers, Morrison wanted to write a "collection of ‘timeless’ Superman issues".^[2] The origins of this lie in a revamp of Superman, Superman Now, which began when Morrison and editor Dan Raspler were unsuccessfully brainstorming ideas for a new take on the character outside the San Diego Comic Con, when they had a " shamanic" encounter with a man dressed as Superman which helped spark the creative process and inspired the cover to the first issue:^[3]

"He was perched with one knee drawn up, chin resting on his arms. He looked totally relaxed...and I suddenly realized this was how Superman would sit. He wouldn't puff out his chest or posture heroically, he would be totally chilled. If nothing can hurt you, you can afford to be cool. A man like Superman would never have to tense against the cold; never have to flinch in the face of a blow. He would be completely laid back, un-tense. With this image of Superman relaxing on a cloud looking out for us all in my head, I rushed back to my hotel room and filled dozens of pages of my notebook with notes and drawings."

The ideas generated by that meeting were refined and pitched to DC in 1998 by Morrison, Mark Millar, Mark Waid and Tom Peyer.^[4] They picked up on the fifteen-year cycle of reboots to the character, the previous one being John Byrne's The Man of Steel, and suggested a new approach:

The Superman relaunch we’re selling bucks the trend of sweeping aside the work done by those who came immediately before. Unlike the ‘cosmic reset’ revamps all too prevalent in current comics, our New Superman approach is an honest attempt to synthesize the best of all previous eras. Our intention is to honor each of Superman’s various interpretations and to use internal story logic as our launching pad for a re-imagined, streamlined 21st century Man of Steel. The ‘cosmic reset’ notion has been replaced by a policy of ‘include and transcend’ with regard to past continuity.

Our intention is to restore Superman to his pre-eminent place as the greatest super-hero of all^[5]

Although initially greenlit, it was eventually turned down and Morrison said, "I didn’t expect to be doing any further work on Superman" but the chance came as he was finishing his run on New X-Men.^[3] In an interview with Matt Brady from Newsarama, Grant Morrison stated he was contacted by DC Vice President Dan DiDio and asked "if I'd like to come back to DC to work on a Superman project with an artist of my choice". He mentioned it worked out well since he was also planning to return to DC "to do the Seven Soldiers project and the Vertigo books".

Morrison has confirmed that he made use of some of his Superman Now ideas for All Star Superman, like "Luthor’s heart–stopping moment of understanding," as well as drawing on his original proposal for elements later included in the DC One Million storyline.^[3]

In his writing of the character Superman, Morrison identifies different aspects of his personality, stating, "'Superman' is an act. 'Clark Kent' in Metropolis is also an act. There are actually two Kents, at least – one is a disguise, a bumbling, awkward mask for Superman. The other is the confident, strong, good-hearted Clark Kent who was raised by his surrogate Ma and Pa in Kansas and knows how to drive a tractor. I think he's the most 'real' of all."^{[citation needed]}

Specials

As the series drew to a close, writer Grant Morrison brought up his pitch for the All Star Superman Specials.^[6] It would be special one-shot issues on his Superman concepts from the DC Comics All Star imprint line all written by him with a host of artists, though it would be loose in continuity from the main series. The three brought up, or possible first three specials, were:

1. A look at Superman during his first year with a Golden Age powered Superman.
2. An "All Star Superman/Batman" book tribute to the Super-Sons World's Finest team featuring the son of Superman (Superman Secundus, the replacement Superman implied at the end of the series) as well as the son of Batman.
3. A story on the Superman Squad, led by the Superman of the 853rd Century, and featuring the Supermen of the Superman Dynasty.

Didio has said there are no current plans for the specials.^[7]

Plot

Dr. Leo Quintum and his team from P.R.O.J.E.C.T. are exploring the Sun when they are sabotaged by a booby-trapped, genetically enhanced Lex Luthor clone. Superman saves the day, but finds out he has a new power: the ability to project his bioelectric aura. Lex Luthor (used by General Sam Lane to work for the government) has orchestrated this to overwhelm Superman's cells with a massive amount of yellow solar radiation. Dr. Quintum determines that Superman's newly enhanced power is also killing him, and that he has about one year to live. Lex Luthor is arrested, thanks to Clark Kent's article. Superman decides to keep his impending death secret from the public.

However, Superman reveals his secret identity to Lois Lane because he wants to spend his remaining time with her. Lois refuses to believe that Clark and Superman are the same person, and suspected him of playing a birthday trick on her. For her birthday, Superman takes her to the Fortress of Solitude. During this visit Superman's secretive behavior heightens Lois' suspicions. She becomes paranoid after she is exposed to alien chemicals in the air which play on her fears. Her paranoia causes her to attack Superman with a kryptonite laser. Superman learns that his newly enhanced powers have rendered him immune to green kryptonite.

Superman is able to calm her down and reveals that his secret was that he has been preparing her birthday present: superpowers for 24 hours. Now as a Superwoman, she and Superman stop a monster attack in Metropolis just as Samson and Atlas arrive. Flirting with Lois, and showing a newspaper that reads "Superman Dead, by Clark Kent", Samson is revealed to be the one who stole jewels from an Ultra-Sphinx. Kidnapping Lois; the Sphinx demands an answer to the question: What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? and Superman answers: They surrender, Lois is saved. Superman then defeats Atlas and Samson in a double arm-wrestling match for Lois' company. Superman and Lois then go from the ocean depths to the moon and kiss before her powers fade and she falls asleep. Superman flies her home without being able to ask his question.

For his ...For A Day column series, Jimmy Olsen is allowed to "run" P.R.O.J.E.C.T., but the day gets hectic when Superman gets exposed to black kryptonite and becomes evil. In order to save Superman, Jimmy exposes himself to a life-threatening chemical to become a monster called Doomsday. Because evil-Superman becomes weaker the more he commits evil acts, Jimmy uses that to stop and save Superman and himself. As a thank you, P.R.O.J.E.C.T. writes a message from Jimmy on the moon to his girlfriend: Lucy Lane.

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor is found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death. Clark Kent meets Lex Luthor for an exclusive interview at Stryker's Island. As a result of his proximity to Superman, Parasite begins to absorb Superman's power and manages to free himself and causes havoc in the prison. Clark stops him while not revealing his secret identity. Lex Luthor discloses his respect for Clark as a journalist. He then reveals a tunnel from his cell for Clark to escape with the help of Nasthalthia, his delinquent niece from his sister Lena (originally from a 1970 Adventure Comics story^[8]). Luthor states that he has no desire to escape himself so long as he defeats Superman by causing his death. He reveals to Clark that Superman is dying, with the hope that it will be published in the Daily Planet.

In the past, Clark goes out as Young Superman with his dog Krypto and encounters a monster called a Chronovore. Three strangers arrive and reveal themselves to be: Kal Kent, the Superman from 853,500 AD, the Unknown Superman of 4500 AD, and Klyzyzk Klzntplkz, the Superman of the 5th Dimension. As the monster is defeated, the Unknown Superman meets with Pa Kent and tells him that his son will be fine. Then, Pa Kent suffers a fatal heart attack, something Young Superman was warned about, ignored, and now has failed to prevent. During the funeral, the Unknown Superman reveals himself to be actually the Superman of the present. Before he leaves to his own time, he meets Superman-Prime (from DC One Million, also by Grant Morrison) along with two other descendants of the Superman Dynasty and he gives him an indestructible flower from New Krypton. In the present, Superman places the flower on his father's grave.

Dr. Leo Quintum explores the Underverse, a newly discovered layer of reality with extreme gravity fluctuations, and notes that a giant life-form is getting closer: Htrae, aka Bizarro World. Superman releases his pet Sun-Eater into space just as he is attacked by a Bizarro group; one metamorphises him. At the Daily Planet Christmas party, Bizarros attack and imperfectly replicate the people they touch. While the plague is going on, Superman returns to fight Bizarro-Superman and save the Daily Planet staff. Jimmy Olsen figures out sunlight is the Bizarro's weakness and Superman uses his super speed to knock Bizarro World out of the sun's way so it can be reflected on Earth to stop the Bizarros. As Htrae retreats into the Underverse, Superman's powers begin to fade and he is trapped. There, he meets his Bizarro counterpart: Zibarro, a "flawed" Bizarro copy with intelligence and empathy. As Htrae sinks into the Underverse; Superman, with help from Zibarro and the Bizarro version of an undead Jor-El named Le-Roj, builds a rocket to send Superman back home. Lois is with the staff at P.R.O.J.E.C.T., watching the events of Htrae, and learns of Superman's coming death, and there accepts that Clark IS Superman. As the rocket is completed, Superman is tied onto it as it lifts and rockets off Htrae, but from Lois and Quintum's POV, Bizarro World has sunken and there is no sign of Superman. Two months later, Superman finally returns to Earth, but discovers that in his absence, Metropolis has been repaired with Kryptonian architecture, and Earth has been protected by Bar-El and Lilo, Krypton's first astronauts, survivors, and Superman's relatives. But the two have less altruistic goals, as they are preparing Kryptonian dominance on Earth, and in turn, are disgusted at Superman's acceptance of Earth culture. While they overpower Superman, Bar-El and Lilo begin showing signs of illness: the two had passed through a radioactive cloud in space which has saturated them with Kryptonite. Despite Bar-El's initial refusal, and their attitude toward him, Superman helps them by placing the two within the Phantom Zone until a cure can be found. Until then, Bar-El and Lilo are more than happy to handle law and order within the Zone.

As death comes near, Superman accomplishes a variety of tasks: a world tour for terminally-ill children whom he helps cure, creating life in the form of a Superman-less Earth-Q, Leo Quintum assists him to relocate Kandor to Mars without enlarging it, and he gives Quintum (and Lois) the method to combine human and Kryptonian DNA strands. He stops Mechano-Man's rampage and saves a suicidal girl's life when Lois confronts him on his upcoming death. Cutting back to Earth Q: it is revealed that this Earth is actually our Earth as Joe Shuster illustrates Action Comics #1. Superman's last task, his last will and testament, is completed when Lois discovers, at Clark's home, an article headlined: "Superman Dead, by Clark Kent". Luthor acts odd as he is prepares for execution. After the switch is thrown, Luthor is still alive. His last "cocktail" was actually a serum similar to the one Superman made for Lois that gives him powers for a day. Escaping, he meets up with Nasthalthia below one of his lairs to continue his plans. Superman finishes off his final plans in the Fortress of Solitude when he learns of Luthor's secret ally: Solaris, the tyrant star computer, which has tampered with earth's sun. With his robots, Superman engages Solaris in space. All seems lost until the Sun-Eater returns to sacrifice itself to weaken Solaris. Superman brings Solaris to Earth but won't destroy it, because he has learned from the Superman Squad that Solaris will become an ally in the future. Clark returns to the Daily Planet, very ill, to submit his article until he falls dead. As the staff tries to save him, the super-powered Luthor arrives and begins attacking Metropolis.

Imagining he is on Krypton, Kal-El joins Jor-El and Jor-El reveals that they are both dead and Kal-El's body is converting itself to solar radio-consciousness. He offers him a choice: remain or come back to life. Stating that the sun has turned blue thanks to Solaris, and Earth has become endangered, Clark wakes up and fights off Luthor with a gravity gun. Jimmy Olsen (believing Clark is at the Fortress) then hands him a Superman costume to continue the fight. The gravity gun warps time for Luthor, burning out his powers early. As his powers fade, Luthor briefly sees the world as Superman sees it, and weeps as he gains a gleaning of understanding before Superman knocks him out. With Superman's transformation into solar-radio consciousness nearing completion, he and Lois embrace one final time and he proclaims his love once and for all. He takes off, flying into the sun as his solar-radio consciousness begins to overtake his body, and then, he enters the sun and thus repairs it. Superman has saved the day, for one last time. One year later, a memorial service is held for Superman. Lois isn't sad, as she tells Jimmy that Superman will return once he creates an artificial heart for the sun. Inside the sun, Superman, a solar being, is activating and making machinery within the sun. The story concludes with Quintum revealing that if something happens, they'd be ready. Next to him is a large door with the Superman S-Shield, and the "S" has been replaced by a "2".

The Twelve Challenges of Superman

One of the series' subplots is Superman's attempt to complete a series of challenges before he dies. The challenges were first mentioned in issue #2 and Samson enumerated only four. Morrison introduced the twelve challenges to build the mythology of Superman. He has also deliberately kept from making each issue as the completion of each challenge. The challenges are not meant to mirror those of the twelve challenges of Hercules but as a means to present the archetypal hero's journey.

Morrison listed the twelve challenges in chronological order, during an interview with fan site Newsarama. He also indicated that labors take place over a year.^[9]

1. Superman saves the first manned mission to the sun.
2. Superman brews the Super–Elixir.
3. Superman answers the Unanswerable Question.
4. Superman chains the Chronovore.
5. Superman saves Earth from Bizarro–Home.
6. Superman returns from the Underverse.
7. Superman creates Life (a universe in which Earth exists without Superman, possibly our Earth since they show an artist creating Superman on paper).
8. Superman liberates Kandor/cures cancer.
9. Superman defeats Solaris.
10. Superman conquers Death.
11. Superman builds an artificial Heart for the Sun.
12. Superman leaves the recipe/formula to make Superman 2.

References

External links

• Newsarama preview
• All Star Memories: Grant Morrison on All Star Superman, 3, Newsarama, October 23, 2008
• All Star Memories: Grant Morrison on All Star Superman, 4, Newsarama, October 24, 2008
• All Star Memories: Grant Morrison on All Star Superman, 5, Newsarama, October 27, 2008
• All Star Memories: Grant Morrison on All Star Superman, 6, Newsarama, October 28, 2008
• All Star Memories: Grant Morrison on All Star Superman, 10, Newsarama, November 3, 2008