Joey Cavalieri

Superman For All Seasons tells of a shy, unconfident Superman instead of the typical all-American Boy Scout that pervades the understanding of the most famous superhero. Each chapter is a season, starting with Spring and ending in Winter. The first three are fairly average, there’s nothing too special here, but the art is fine and the coloring is unique.

The fourth chapter is where this book shines. Superman, alias Clark Kent, may be the most powerful being on earth, but he’s without confidence. He can’t save everyone, and that depresses him. It’s not just depression, but a sense of being lost in the responsibility of the world that I share with this fictional hero. We never hear the thoughts of Clark in this comic, but we see what his friends and family think about him. The final chapter is told in the voice of Lana, Clark’s childhood sweetheart. She slowly realizes that he can’t love her not because of her, but because Superman has to love everyone. He can’t belong to her. His powers, unasked for, give him a greater responsibility: Superman belongs to the world.… (mehr)

Nearly pure fizzle, with a touch of sizzle near the end.

As the title says, DC superheroes meet versions of the Looney Tunes characters -- usually in a grotesque, more realistic form -- in the DCU. But then in each chapter there is a back-up story that let's the traditional cartoon version of the Looney Tunes characters meet a more cartoonish version of the superhero.

It's all very unfunny, sad, and tiresome until the final pages when Bugs Bunny tries to convince Elmer Fudd that "rabbit season" is actually "bat season."

Mostly it all paled in comparison to the hilarious, raunchy, and very unauthorized crossover Bugs Bunny had with Betty Boop in the [book:Mr. Boop|60106023] graphic novel I read earlier this week.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:

Legion of Super Heroes/Bugs Bunny Special #1
• Cover / Tom Grummett, penciller; Karl Kesel, inker
• Variant Cover / Ty Templeton, artist
• The Impostor Superboy / Sam Humphries, writer; Tom Grummett, penciler; Scott Hanna, inker
• Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes: The Impostor Superboy / Juan Manuel Ortiz, writer and artist

Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian Special #1
• Cover / Aaron Lopresti
• Variant Cover / Stephen DeStefano, artist
• Best Intentions / Steve Orlando and Frank J. Barbiere, writers; Aaron Lopresti, penciller; Jerome Moore, inker
• Marvin the Martian and Martian Manhunter in "The (Next to the) Last Martian" / Jim Fanning, writer; John Loter, artist

Wonder Woman/Tasmanian Devil Special #1
• Cover / Jim Lee, artist
• Variant Cover / Byron Vaughns, artist
• The Devil You Know / Tony Bedard, writer; Barry Kitson penciller; John Floyd, inker
• Trojan Horseplay / Tony Bedard, writer; Ben Caldwell, artist

Lobo/Road Runner Special #1
• Cover / Kelley Jones, artist
• Variant Cover / Bill Morrison, artist
• Fast and Fraggy-ous / Bill Morrison, writer; Kelley Jones, artist
• But Wait, There's More! / Bill Morrison, writer and artist

Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam Special #1
• Cover / Mark Texeira, artist
• Variant Cover / Dave Alvarez, artist
• Comin' in A-Shootin'! / Jimmy Palmiotti, writer; Mark Texeira, artist
• The Road to Bruin / Bill Matheny, writer; Dave Alvarez, artist

Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1
• Cover / Lee Weeks, artist
• Variant Cover / Bob Fingerman, artist
• Pway for Me / Tom King, writer; Lee Weeks, artist
• Rabbit Season / Tom King, writer; Byron Vaughns, artist

Sketchbook / Jim Lee, Mark Texeira, Byron Vaughns, artists… (mehr)

This is the first Superman graphic novel I've read that really delves into his life in Smallville, as a result, it feels distinct, cozy and emotional, moreso than most Superman stories.

I wasn't a fan of the artstyle at first, it's nowhere near as flashy or detailed as Red Son or Kingdom Come, but it ties in so well with the story that it works perfectly. Less is more, and every panel and piece of dialogue feels meaningful.

It's very fresh, despite being an "origin" story, which I'm usually bored of at this point. I like there isn't really a big bad in this one, and Clark seems more like a young man would - capable, but hesitant and confused about his direction in life. Very poignant. Excellent Superman story.… (mehr)