It's Movie Time!
Since yesterday's movie post was about the 1989 Batman film, I decided to stick with the theme of DC super hero movies for today's post.
A few weeks ago, I did a post about an animated movie based on Darwyn Cooke's classic New Frontier comic book. Today we take a look at another animated film based on an iconic comic book project.
From 2011, it's All-Star Superman based on the comic book series of the same name by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.
The screenplay is by the late and very much lamented comics writer Dwayne McDuffie.
Like the comic, the movie is about Superman living under a death sentence and what he chooses to do with his life in his time remaining.
Dr. Leo Quintum and his team are exploring the Sun when they are sabotaged by a booby-trapped genetically-enhanced time-bomb clone made by Lex Luthor.
Superman saves Quintim and his team but he receives an overdose of solar radiation.
Good news: Superman's powers are stronger than ever.
Bad news: the radiation overdose is killing him.
Clark Kent writes an expose that leads to Lex Luthor's arrest and his subsequently being sentenced to death.
Meanwhile, Superman decides to reveal to Lois Lane that he's Clark Kent.
She doesn't believe him. After years of failing to prove Clark and Superman are the same person, she's not falling for Superman's shenanigans now.
Even after Superman gives Lois her birthday present, a serum that gives her super powers for 24 hours.
They spend a wonderful super powered day together.
Meanwhile, Lex has a reprogrammed Fortress of Solitude robot steal the serum which gives Lex the power to not be killed by the electric chair.
Another threat arises, the alien super sun Solaris who is secretly allied with Lex Luthor. Superman flies into space to confront this powerful menace but he is outmatched by the power of Solaris, Only the intervention and sacrifice of Superman's pet Sun-Eater weakens Solaris enough for Superman to defeat the sentient alien sun.
But Superman's encroaching solar radiation poisoning has left him very ill and closer to death.
Clark returns to the Daily Planet and collapses after completing his final article: "SUPERMAN DEAD".
Lex Luthor attacks but a moment of seeing the world with Superman's enhanced senses creates an epiphany of understanding about his long time hated nemesis: Superman was right.
Yeah, that summary leaves out a lot of stuff but the gist is that Superman facing a countdown on his very life still insists on spending that limited time to make the world a better place, to help others.
Basically, it's the classic message that what makes Superman truly powerful has less to do with the "Super" and more with the "Man".
The original All-Star Superman ran for twelve-issues from November 2005 to October 2008 so yeah, it took awhile to complete.
Grant Morrison wanted to write a "timeless" Superman story that was not an origin story or followed a classic narrative.
Grant and Frank do address Superman's origin.... in one single page.
In 2005, DC launched it's All Star imprint with the mission of spotlighting their iconic characters without being constrained by DC Universe continuity. (I suppose in answer to Marvel's Ultimate line of titles.)
The All Star imprint only produced two series: All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder by Frank Miller & Jim Lee. The series sputtered to a close after 8 controversial issues. For things like this panel:
The series never finished due to a lack of time and/or interest from Miller and/or Lee.
All-Star Superman was far more successful although it took 3 years to produce 12 issues. But the series received critical acclaim and is widely seen as one of the greatest Superman stories ever written and one of the best comic books of all time.
As assessment I happen to agree with.
Writer/director James Gunn cited All-Star Superman as an inspiration for his Superman film that came out last summer.
The film All-Star Superman is a very good distillation of the book's themes, emotional narrative and artistic style.
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