Superman

Nov 13, 2012 Sam Quixote rated it 1 of 5 stars

Bad guy gets caught in a weird machine which zaps him and rather than killing him, warps him into a monster called Parasite. Superman worries about getting involved in developing nations’ politics and having sex with a human woman. Then Superman and Parasite fight – guess who wins? That’s pretty much the whole book.

There is a super-ton of stuff I didn’t like about this book. Probably the worst by far is the dialogue. J. Michael Stracynzski has a tin ear for how people, especially young people, s...more Bad guy gets caught in a weird machine which zaps him and rather than killing him, warps him into a monster called Parasite. Superman worries about getting involved in developing nations’ politics and having sex with a human woman. Then Superman and Parasite fight – guess who wins? That’s pretty much the whole book.

There is a super-ton of stuff I didn’t like about this book. Probably the worst by far is the dialogue. J. Michael Stracynzski has a tin ear for how people, especially young people, speak. On the first page Perry is talking to Clark who immediately sounds like an annoying dweeb, punctuating Perry’s “wise words” soliloquy with feeble attempts at humour. Jimmy Olson thinks a haircut, putting his feet up on his desk and a blog make him cool and utterly fails to convince, while a new character, Clark’s sexy neighbour, doesn’t sound at all like a semi-real, semi-intelligent woman and more like a nearly 60 year old man trying awkwardly to write dialogue for a twentysomething woman.

And then there’s Lois. On a night in, Lois and her boyfriend (unnamed) are sat in front of the TV, Lois is bristling, and they fight. Lois ends the brief argument, dismissing the man with “the only thing you’re supposed to do is smile, look good on the couch, don’t talk and then leave”. Why does she sound like a ‘20s gangster talking to his moll? Her depiction in the book is devoid of charm – new readers coming to this book will wonder why anyone gave a damn about such an angry, irritating character.

Enter the arbitrary bad guy for this book, Parasite. He’s an evil geezer, murdering people left and right, before he even manages to wind up in a government lab, trapping himself in a test chamber, and accidentally blasting himself with experimental stuff, turning him into a monster that looks like he’s trying to break the world record for most tennis balls crammed into his mouth. Everything about this guy is uninspired from the lab/test chamber trope instantly turning the guy into a monstrous villain, to his ridiculous appearance, to the motivations behind everything he does, yelling on every page he's on: “power, more power, unlimited power!!!”. It would have been just as effective if he’d been saying “villain motivation!” over and over. You still don’t care. Also their final battle reads like a Street Fighter 2 fight with a dialogue box in the bottom of each panel indicating how much “power” both combatants have, their power bars decreasing as they trade punches.

(view spoiler)

The myriad storylines in the book are there to show how Superman becomes the morally upright character he's famous for. At least that’s how I think it was supposed to be. Stracynzski muddies the water with his ham-fisted handling of the story strands. Clark moves into a low-rent building filled with low-lives to meet a charming and beautiful young woman, so we get a flashback to Smallville where an embarrassed young Clark winces as Jonathan Kent talks about intimate relations between men and women and how it’s going to be very different for him because of who he is. I only mention this because I re-watched it recently but “Mallrats” has a scene where Brodie talks about Superman hypothetically having sex with a human woman, saying the only way would be with a Kryptonite condom. I wondered if Stracynzski would explain this conundrum but instead he just tapers off, leaving the reader uncertain whether Clark would ever be able to have sex with a human woman (or man if he swung that way - hey, this is a re-imagining right?). So why bring up this flashback in the first place if not to resolve it? And why is Jonathan Kent referring to his teenage son as the "Man of Steel"?

There’s a limp side story about a junkie that’s just crassly sentimental and shoe-horned in for no reason except to make you feel something the writer hasn’t earned through his writing, and a weird non-romantic story with his sexy neighbour. Then later he has Superman rather questionably impose himself upon a developing nation’s political system, thus altering that country’s destiny (for the better – maybe, the liberators still hang onto the guns – but I still think it’s not up to Superman to decide these things).

I like the potential that the “Earth One” series has. Geoff Johns’ “Batman Earth One” was definitely one of the best comic books I read all year but Stracynzski’s a far less talented writer and whose version of “Superman Earth One” is noticeably poorer and uninspired. An alternate take on a familiar character should shed new light and reveal something about that character we didn’t know before but this reboot doesn’t have anything to distinguish itself from the range of Superman books already out there. It’s so bland and pointless, I don’t know why DC bothered with this at all. Compared to a superior Superman title like Grant Morrison’s “Action Comics”, both volumes of “Earth One” are shown up as the weaker efforts they are. And why does Clark look Chinese, Shane Davis?(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Rod Hilton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Disappointing followup to the excellent Earth One Volume 1. Whereas the previous volume was an interesting modern-day take on Superman that had a lot in the way of exploring the character of Clark Kent, this was mostly just a bad guy shows up and Superman is no match for him. And the villain, by the way, is drawn in such an absurdist manner it completely clashes with the "modern day mythos" style of the Earth One series in general.

I read this book last week and honestly, I can't remember much of...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Bookworm Amir rated it 3 of 5 stars

Who knew Clark Kent actually had a cat when he was young?

This is the 'sequel' from the first Volume and I'd say I prefer this one over the first one.

Now you can really see Clark in....different situations. Him and this girl dating? And when the girl was trying to get him to bed? That was funny. He deals with more 'normal' emotions that we go through everyday - there was this scene when his uncle was talking to him about "You know son, sometimes when you really like a woman, there'll be some.......more

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Mar 03, 2013 Nicholas rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is another hit from Straczynski and crew. In spite of all the negative "emo" blowback, I rather like this characterization of Clark. This second volume confirms the fact that it's really nothing like what critics have been panning it for. Instead, it's a rather clever, subtle and faithful modern reboot of the Superman franchise that I think is leaps and bounds above the New 52 reboot under the guidance of Grant Morrison.

The format of the Earth One series has much to recommend it. Delivered...more This is another hit from Straczynski and crew. In spite of all the negative "emo" blowback, I rather like this characterization of Clark. This second volume confirms the fact that it's really nothing like what critics have been panning it for. Instead, it's a rather clever, subtle and faithful modern reboot of the Superman franchise that I think is leaps and bounds above the New 52 reboot under the guidance of Grant Morrison.

The format of the Earth One series has much to recommend it. Delivered in graphic novel format rather than as individual issue trade paper backs, the stories just seem much more closed and developed. Straczynski presents a much more mature Clark Kent: aloof, a trifle lost and trying to figure his way in a very dangerous and morally ambiguous world . The approach is far more realistic and Clark is forced to confront the unsavory aspects of the world on a regular basis that he's been shielded from in all but the best of the shorter story arcs in the main continuity. Here, dictators, heroine addicts, prostitutes and over-zealous privacy infringing reporters take center stage while the "big baddies" provide context and the obligatory fist-fest we all really want to see at some point. In the foreground, however, we see fights of a different nature. Fights for self-realization, recognition and self-worth that resound with humanity for all of Clark's alienness.

This volume focuses on the Parasite, a great choice of villain that again shows Straczynski's class as a writer. The Parasite provides the physical reflection of the moral struggle - the parasites - that the characters focus on. The epilogue has some great cameos and twists that show what Straczynski has in store for the long haul and there's much to look forward to. Like the rest of the best in the Superman franchise, the Earth One series uses the immortal and god-like first among heroes to reveal all that is quintessential about the human condition. Superman is the outside observer among us and at the same time, like an observer in a quantum universe, part of the system all the same, and when he acts you're often left with stunning realizations about your own life that leave you standing in the shower thinking about your life for hours. This is why he's the best and still the most recognizable hero in the world, regardless of how much in vogue dark and morally ambiguous characters become. (less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Dani rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not as good as the first installment but certainly had its moments. I'll definitely read volume 3. Clark is still settling into Metropolis. People still don't know what to make of Superman (friend for now? foe in disguise?). Clark really has a thing for the letter "L" and alliterative chicks whose first and last names start with it. New "super-friendly" apartment neighbor happens to be a woman who hooks for extra cash, which is in keeping with DC's darker renderings of heroic tales in recent yea...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Rugg Ruggedo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Like Marvel has done with their Ultimate series, DC is doing with this Earth 1 series. There is one volume in the Batman stories and this is the second Superman story.
What Staczynski has done here, and in the previous volume, is take the skeleton that the Superman mythos is built on and flesh it out in a whole new way. A Superman with a re-invented history,not unfamiliar but with a new world twist. Modern in every way,but also not so far from the original that an old fan cant find things to lov...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Jays rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beach-reads, just-for-the-pictures, orphan-lit

This is how you write a sequel, my friends. I didn't love the first volume of this story, even though I was completely taken in by the world that it was creating and the version of Superman that starred in it. As I said before, and still feel, this is the first time I've ever read a Superman story where I actually wanted to get to know Superman. He's usually the iconic boy scout that I just can't see my way toward. These stories have made him a lot more interesting to me and this volume was sign...more This is how you write a sequel, my friends. I didn't love the first volume of this story, even though I was completely taken in by the world that it was creating and the version of Superman that starred in it. As I said before, and still feel, this is the first time I've ever read a Superman story where I actually wanted to get to know Superman. He's usually the iconic boy scout that I just can't see my way toward. These stories have made him a lot more interesting to me and this volume was significantly more interesting to read.

Less a continuation of a plot and more a development of a character, Volume 2 here further explores Clark Kent in Metropolis as a young man, including his relationships with the people around him and his emotional disconnects to everyone. The usual suspects are all there, if they're not playing their usual roles. Lois Lane, for example, is barely more than a bit part - she and Clark have as much of a relationship as you do with that girl in the Accounting department at work that you sometimes give a form to. Lex Luther also finally turns up, albeit in a way that's, if not novel, at least interesting.

Straczynski is an author that's famous for long-form storytelling and you get an inkling of what he might be working toward here. The simmering story of a US military that doesn't trust Superman and, purely out of self-preservation, has decided that it needs to at least think up what they're going to do if he doesn't turn out to be all saving-kittens-in-trees all the time suggests part of where this is likely going. Likewise, an encounter with a fellow tenant in his building who is also a junkie turns out to be more than Clark was expecting it to be. Meanwhile, Clark's emotional development, including a tendency to always remain in the background and never connect with anyone, takes center stage.

Common wisdom right now says that audiences won't get behind a superhero story where the lead character isn't "dark and gritty." This is a good antidote to that in that Clark isn't dark for the sake of darkness, he's more muted for the sake of character. The gritty story bits reflect more of a grounded style, rather than a particular need to fit the current molds. Superman is still plenty inspirational, although we're given the very natural sense that that inspiration, like all real forms of it, will have to be earned rather than automatically conferred. (less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Josh Quattrone rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh how I love the superman from Earth One. The first volume had a unique take on his origins with a unique, yet ultimately lackluster, villain whom I did find entertaining all things considered. Volume 2 keeps in the same vein but delves differently, instead of building up to the donning of the suit, it shows how Superman is afraid of his potential. There isn't only a conflict with Parasite, but inner turmoil that must be dealt with. I have always been a fan of the "broken" Superman, and the iss...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Hex Dsl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Just last week I posted a somewhat late review/thoughts blog about the stunning Superman Earth One volume 1. In this review I said that felt this work had stunning writing and a unique cinematic feel. I liked it so much that I went out yesterday specifically to buy the next volume. I consumed in to one sitting and was left not stunned but a little disappointed.

The writing was not as poignant as the first book with one of the characters actually scripted in a way that made me instantly dislike he...more Just last week I posted a somewhat late review/thoughts blog about the stunning Superman Earth One volume 1. In this review I said that felt this work had stunning writing and a unique cinematic feel. I liked it so much that I went out yesterday specifically to buy the next volume. I consumed in to one sitting and was left not stunned but a little disappointed.

The writing was not as poignant as the first book with one of the characters actually scripted in a way that made me instantly dislike her when I think I was supposed to find her brand of flirtation cute. This isn't to say that Straczynski's pop culture infused brand of narrative didn't shine through at times. There was a running thread of Bob Dylan lyrics that really hit home (I love Dylan to the point of obsession) to anyone familiar with his work. There was also a nice moment between Clark and his new love interest that had a Rocky Horror theme. None of my problems with the book where about specific scenes but more the story its self.

In the first book we saw a fledgling Superman face off against another similarly powered man (alien) who trashed Metropolis and made the world question Superman's value and alliances, with the Daily planet team getting mixed up in the battle.

In the second book we saw a fledgling Superman face off against another similarly mutant who trashed Metropolis and made the world question Superman's value and alliances, with the Daily planet team getting mixed up in the battle.

You see my problem right? Other than some minor changes in the state of Clark's personal life it's pretty much the same story. Sure there are some moments about half way through when he almost looses his powers (not a spoiler its on the DC preview) that we see a timid and frightened Clark (just for a page or so) and then there is the badly thought out suit of crystal armour that makes an appearance at one point but the basic plot is too similar to the first book.

Straczynski questions Superman's morality during the story using believable scenario's and well thought out moments. We even get a glimpse of a darker side to the character that is fresh and I think needed in modern stories.

It sounds like I'm, praising the book here and in many ways it is a great story however the lack of core originality from a writer of this caliber is just inexcusable to me.

My next issue with the story is how little the Daily Planet team actually appear. They are almost used like set pieces. I can see how Perry White was being set up as a father figure and role model for Clark but this needed more exposition to really show a bond forming between the two men. Louis Lane is almost absent from the plot entirely as she is investigating some fact about Clark's life.

As I closed the last page I realised that I had read a book that was inferior to the fist one in every way. A few of those 'deeper' moments in the story showed that Straczynski was trying to craft a more personal story but fell short to the point that I think these moment may have been written for the first volume and where cut. This book is still worth the cover prize and I'm sure the next one will be back on track but this time it's just inferior to volume one.

this review was pasted here from my blog over at comicnom.com(less)

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Dec 18, 2012 Unai rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Ya hace mas de un año de el anterior tomo de Superman Earth One y como aun siendo una puta mierda, vendió lo que no esta escrito, DC y Straczynski se han puesto manos a la obra para sacar unos cuantos duros con otra historia de este Superman version pardillo y virgen. Si la primera parte era mas bien mala, esta se queda en prescindible. Ni aporta nada, ni hacia falta y lo único que hace un poco de “gracia” es lo de Lex2.

No hay mucho que contar. Clark tiene que espabilar en el periódico porque ya...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Ben rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

I want to like this book. I really do. I want to like the series. They just make it so difficult. I disagree with a lot of the decisions the writer made. The art is good but it is a step or two from being great. The series has so much promise and, at least in my case, disappoints.

A few flaws I see in the writing... I don't like how Clark Kent spends part of the first graphic novel looking for a very lucrative job. He uses his powers to tryout at a pro football team, a pro baseball team, a very a...more I want to like this book. I really do. I want to like the series. They just make it so difficult. I disagree with a lot of the decisions the writer made. The art is good but it is a step or two from being great. The series has so much promise and, at least in my case, disappoints.

A few flaws I see in the writing... I don't like how Clark Kent spends part of the first graphic novel looking for a very lucrative job. He uses his powers to tryout at a pro football team, a pro baseball team, a very advanced research laboratory, etc. It goes completely against the character. I get it, he's young, but I still think the whole beauty of Superman is that he doesn't want to use his gifts to get rich. It cheapens the character. Superman's adopted parents actually push him towards being a costumed superhero. They've spent 20-some years protecting him, hiding his gifts so he doesn't become a government lab rat and then they just push him into being the most recognizable figure on the planet. It makes no sense. A parent's most important responsibility is protecting their child. The dictator on the island... That's the solution Superman comes up to fix the issue (I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it.) but that's not how Superman fixes problems. He's the Big Blue Boy Scout. Again, I get it. Writing Superman is difficult because he's got such a rigid moral code. This just seemed like a cheat. Lois is written really poorly. Don't even get me started on Lex Luthor. The author's take on him is just ridiculous and will be hard to sustain. Finally, the guy beating up Clark Kent's neighbor girl, Superman flies him to the Alaskan tundra and just drops him off, tells him to start walking. Again, that's not how Superman solves problems. Maybe that's just not how my Superman solves problems.

I will give the author credit for the drug dealer story. A problem that Superman, with all his powers, can't solve and he still feels responsible. That's my Superman. Parasite sucking Superman's powers away so he's left like a vulnerable human is a little overdone.

The art sways between good to really blah. Even at it's best, it just feels like it's missing something. It could be better. The art seems to sterile to me if that makes sense. And I couldn't stand how Parasite was drawn and colored. It looked like a joke.

Reading this one actually made me rethink and further analyze the first one, lowering its rating. It's difficult because I've heard good things about the author's Thor collection and contemplating picking it up. I hope he handles Thor better. I'm not quite as attached to Thor anyways so maybe he'll have better luck with him.(less)

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Nov 21, 2012 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 11, 2012 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

DC's Earth One books were designed to be the companies' attempt at making stories in graphic novels for their respected characters, as opposed to making individual comics. These stories exist outside of the main continuity as to let writers have more leeway in writing about aspects that haven't been written about before, without interfering with overlapping details. And it all started with 2010's Superman: Earth One. Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis made a cinematic reimaging...more DC's Earth One books were designed to be the companies' attempt at making stories in graphic novels for their respected characters, as opposed to making individual comics. These stories exist outside of the main continuity as to let writers have more leeway in writing about aspects that haven't been written about before, without interfering with overlapping details. And it all started with 2010's Superman: Earth One. Writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis made a cinematic reimaging of Clark Kent becoming Superman, that became a huge seller overnight. DC made JMS drop all of his projects at the time of release to get to work on a volume 2. After 2 years, does it proceed or trump Vol.1? I think so.

SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE VOL.2 picks up right after the end of Vol.1, where we see Clark settling into his new persona of glasses and keeping to himself. He finally gets his own apartment with some new neighbors, including a flirtatious woman named Lisa Lasalle. Lois Lane, questioning how a young nobody like Clark Kent could get Superman's story, starts an investigation into Clark's background. And Raymond Maxwell Jensen, homicidal killer, accidently becomes the Parasite, a metahuman who can suck living beings powers and essence. How will Superman fight a creature who can steal his powers away? You'll have to find out.

After reading both Earth One books of Superman Vol.1 and Batman, I've come to the conclusion the EO books are more about humanizing our protagonist and changing some aspects of the mythos, while stretching some of the taboos of the character. Batman: Earth One did this exceptionally well, with making a Bruce Wayne who never left Gotham, as well as being angst-ridden and making human errors. Superman Vol.1 did some subtle changes, but it played safe to the overall mythos. Vol.2 on the other hand, actually takes more risks on dealing with Clark Kent, the human side of Superman, including the subject of the 70+ year old question regarding sex for The Man of Steel, and I find it commendable. It's different to read about and is handled fairly well, which I'll talk about in a bit.

There are two over-arching themes here: Superman represents power and Clark Kent represents isolation. Of the two, Clark Kent takes majority of the screen time and for someone like me who doesn't see a lot of stories on Clark, this is fresh perspective. The theme of being alone is so prevalent that a good majority of the interactions Clark has throughout the story are brief. Lois looks up Clarks background and finds out his whole life has been about keeping away from others due to his power and origins, and to the point that Clark had straight C-grades in school to stay under the radar. Lois, Jimmy, and Perry White are rarely seen for this intention as well to further this theme. It's handled well and you actually care for Clark being an outcast because of who he is. It makes his turmoil that much acceptable to the reader--especially a sad and lovely story about Clarks first pet.

But this theme gets challenged by the only friend Clark gets (and love interest) Lisa Lasalle. Lisa pushes Clark into new territories, being a voluptuous redhead with tattoos immediately coming on to Clark from page one. The interaction of this one and only friend, as well as pushing Clark's boundaries in intimacy, gives Clark human qualities we all feel and sympathize with. And the taboo with dealing with sex for Superman (and the awkward and funny scene with Jonathan Kent and Clark over sex) is something that works out well, and adds those qualities never talked about before. I know JMS gets a lot of heat for shaking things up for characters, but I applaud him for trying.

The other theme is power; power to rule, corrupt, and lust for. Power of Superman doing just about anything he wishes, and because of it, the world views him from both perspectives: a savior of a god or a destructive weapon ready to go off. This is shown when Superman goes to a foreign land and tries to help, only to be threatened about "guns are the power". The Parasite represents greed and monstrosity of what power can do. Even Superman has an edgy persona about him that drool's power. And even when Superman loses majority of his power, he finds something more about those who don't have it. It's a good metaphor and theme about where Superman stands in this world and universe, and it offsets the more somberness of the book with action. The theme isn't handled as well as the theme of isolation, but it works.

As for art, Shane Davis is up there with some of the more underrated artist. He puts on the same level of detail and cinematic feel about it here like he did in Vol.1, but even more so. His detail to human expressions are key here. They go well with Straczynski's writing. 80% of the book is in the expressions, with only 20% in the action. So you'll do well to take your time and really take in the panels.

As for complaints, it lies in the character usage of Lisa, Lois, and the Parasite. The Parasite is written somewhat one-dimensional. He plays a great monstrosity of a character, but lacks some polish on his background. As for Lisa, she is and will probably be the biggest lighting rod for debate, due to the nature of her. For one, JMS writes some horribly cheesy lines for her. She immediately slathers her way onto Clark from page one, which is something most people would never do. JMS could have at least eased into her coming on to Clark, but it feels way to fast and ridiculous to believe. The other is her being the new love interest over Lois. Lois and Clark barely have anything to do with one another in Earth One, so this will feel uneasy with readers who feel Lois should be the love interest. And the other...well sorry if this feels like spoiler, but...Lisa is a prostitute (occasionally). This little nugget of information has already made people up-in-arms over feminist as seeing Lisa as stereotypical. People might see this as Clark being around a women who is "impure" to someone like himself. I don't mind this take, but some people out there might really go nuts over this.

SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE VOL.2 does everything Vol.1 does, but ups it up greatly. This is a great character study on Clark Kent, and using the Earth One title to deal with such forbidden discussion to great effect. If you're one who didn't enjoy Vol.1, then this book probably won't change your mind. But if you did enjoy Vol.1 and want to take it further, Vol.2 shouldn't disappoint. And if your one who wants a different take on the Clark Kent/Superman mythos, then this too is worth checking out. The big teases and set-ups for the inevitable Vol.3, I'm looking forward on what JMS and Davis do in the future.(less)

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Nov 10, 2012 William rated it 3 of 5 stars

Just something i liked.
I'm not a comic book buff, i know a lot of the characters and a good amount of the stories, but that comes from film, tv, and games mostly. I don't know this particular story's arc but I slipped into it with ease, i think that's one mark of a good storyteller, either that or comic books are easy to pick up. Whatever the case i liked it, i still prefer novels and using imagination, but my own mental aesthetic would never have come of with some of the beautiful depictions in...more Just something i liked.
I'm not a comic book buff, i know a lot of the characters and a good amount of the stories, but that comes from film, tv, and games mostly. I don't know this particular story's arc but I slipped into it with ease, i think that's one mark of a good storyteller, either that or comic books are easy to pick up. Whatever the case i liked it, i still prefer novels and using imagination, but my own mental aesthetic would never have come of with some of the beautiful depictions in the scenes of this one. The characters weren't incredibly deep, and superman does have a pretty standard attitude for a hero, but i liked each of the concepts as they came up. I can liken it to an action movie, it's big, it's epic, it's loud and you'll probably have fun, it only took an hour or so to read so i never put it down, so that must say something about it's value.
The dialogue wasn't natural, but i think that's a hazard of a story that has to tell itself in this way, overly expository or thinly veiled space filler; plenty of real world conversations are like that so it wasn't a major problem. All in all it's better than bad, but not astounding, and being that i don't know if it's above or below average for a comic book I can't speak to it's strengths as much as i'd like. The things i liked were very much what comic books offer, but this one did keep me interested the whole way through with some depth in back story and great artwork, something none of the half dozen other comic books i've tried in my life have done.
I'm sure if you love Superman you'll love this slightly thoughtful early story (he's just gotten his daily planet job), and if you haven't tried comics much before i'd recommend this (or perhaps the first volume would make more sense) as a good place to start, i imagine it's nothing groundbreaking and wasn't supremely complex to turn away newcomers. I'm sure some won't enjoy it, comic book fans and critics alike, but there's just something to this one, that i simply liked.(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 ***Dave Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: illustrated

Even as DC rewrites the Superman mythos for their New 52 reboot, Straczynski continues his Earth One variation off the original. While still intriguing, innovative, and excellent at working with Clark's alone-ness as he steps onto the world stage, this volume feels less of a sequel than a bridge to a third act.

The main villain -- the Parasite (a fairly grotesque version of same) -- isn't all that much of a threat. The introduction of supporting cast, both old and new, is done well, but not with...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Nicholas rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the 2nd volume of the modern retelling of Superman's mythos Superman Earth One Volume 2 finds a hero dealing with a life that he knows is not his and a people he honestly can never truly relate to. That is till he is touched by a being who literally feeds on the death of others.

Superman Earth One volume one impressed me with the honesty it took in finding a being who could do anything he wanted in the world struggling with the simple values of his adopted parents. This story picks up with the...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Nick rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

When JMS came to DC a few years ago, it was inevitable that he would work on the Man of Steel. He was coming off a very successful run on Marvel's Thor and his writing style and voice lend itself to what Supes ultimately stands for. After the successful Earth One, JMS attempted to tackle the monthly format with Superman in the Grounded storyline that eventually became just that. DC pitched his premature dismissal from that book as a way to allow him to focus full time on the sequel to Earth One,...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, i-love-my-library

SUPERMAN!!!!

Okey dokey!!

I really enjoyed this version of Superman: Earth One. Much better than the first one. This Superman is really growing on me. He reminds me of the one from the tv show "Smallville". Not too big and not too small... he's just like Baby Bear. JUST RIGHT!

And how can you not love this Superman? He had a cat growing up!! Just that right there gives him super golden bonus points in my superhero books.

I haven't read many Superman books but like I said, this one kept my attention...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Shara (Calico Reaction) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

The premise: ganked form BN.com: Following the events of the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling graphic novel by acclaimed writer Michael J. Straczynski and superstar artist Shane Davis, comes the long awaited sequel SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE VOL. 2!

Young Clark Kent continues his journey toward becoming the World's Greatest Super Hero, but finds dealing with humanity to be a bigger challenge than he ever imagined! From a ruthless dictator to a new love interest who's NOT Lois Lane, things are never easy for t...more

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Dec 28, 2012 M rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Earth Two Universe continues to be a nice divergence from the slightly skewed DCnU. Continuing from the first fantastic volume, Clark Kent has to deal with the ramifications of being superhuman. Overseas military conflicts are using nationalism to keep Superman out. A frisky girl in the apartment complex has set her sights on Clark, while he flashes back to "the talk" about his physiology. Topping it off, a new villain is created with an appetite for energy - the Earth One version of the Par...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Joel rated it 5 of 5 stars

After 70 years of twisted continuity and an array of revamps, retcons, and retoolings--DC Comics' line of Earth One graphic novels are giving readers new and old clean experiences with some of their enduring characters. Both Batman and Superman had volumes released last year and both sold quite well.
There were more realistic takes on the franchises. The word realistic should not be confused with the grittier take on the characters in their respective movie series.

With Superman: Earth One, Volum...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Tristan Angeles rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm giving this a 5 because I like Superman so this a biased and not so credible review.:) What I like about this book is that it focuses more on the choices superman has to make as a person and not as a superhero(yet). Being someone with great power(and I'm taking this from Spiderman) also comes with great responsibility, and with that comes more difficult choices. Perhaps the thing that best describes what I love about the series is what that junkie wrote in the walls of his room before commit...more

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Dec 04, 2012 B.E.Love rated it 4 of 5 stars

Superman: Earth One Volume two picks up right were Volume one left off. Clark is learning more and more each day about his powers and growing into them as well. While learning more about his powers Clark is quickly realizing that learning about being human is much harder than he though and might be harder than being Superman himself, We also get a new heroine Lisa Lasalle in this volume. In this issue Superman fights Parasite who gets his powers from stealing energy from cars, and electronics an...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Abhinav rated it 5 of 5 stars

You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/...

Shadowhawk reviews J. Michael Straczynski’s latest installment of his excellent Superman: Earth One graphic novel series.

“Amazing, simply amazing. A real vision, a real depth, and a real hero with real conflicts.” ~Shadowhawk

I’m a huge Superman fan. Movies or comics or television, I grew up with Superman featuring prominently in my childhood, right alongside Batman. The old Warner Bros animated serie...more You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/12/...

Shadowhawk reviews J. Michael Straczynski’s latest installment of his excellent Superman: Earth One graphic novel series.

“Amazing, simply amazing. A real vision, a real depth, and a real hero with real conflicts.” ~Shadowhawk

I’m a huge Superman fan. Movies or comics or television, I grew up with Superman featuring prominently in my childhood, right alongside Batman. The old Warner Bros animated series, where he was voiced by Tim Daly, was simply amazing in its presentation of the entire Superman mythology and setting. The Justice League series cemented my love for the character even further. And of course, I’ve seen the Christopher Reeve films several times and am a big fan of Smallville, even though the later seasons didn’t really grab me all that much. Comics played a smaller role for me, but getting back into the swing of things recently on that front, I was really excited to dig into this old-but-gold character. Only thing was that George Perez and Dan Jurgens absolutely failed to live up to my expectations. The 12 issues these guys wrote (six each) were just plain terrible, with big changes to the character, and the complete downplay of Lois Lane in Clarke’s life. I was so put off by all this that I’ve dropped the series off my monthly pull-lists, since I’ve lost faith in DC’s ongoing vision of Superman. Plus, when a title changes creative teams THREE times within 12 months, something is clearly wrong at the high level.

But along came J. Michael Straczynski, and my faith has been restored. Not much, mind you, but a little. I’ve enjoyed JMS’ Before Watchmen run with Dr. Manhattan and Nite Owl so far, and his name, plus the fact that he was writing Superman, my childhood hero, made me pick up this title. I had high expectations of the title, since Superman: Earth One Volume 1 is practically universally raved about in the blogger circles I follow. This is highly presumptuous of me to say this, but I feel compelled to say that JMS proved worthy of my expectations. He gave me an experience that is right about on par with my previous superb experiences with the character.

At the meta level, the story is pretty simple: Clark became the next big thing with his article on Superman but Perry warns him not to rest on his laurels and deliver another piece that can show that Clark Kent is not a one-trick pony, essentially. Lois, understandably miffed that a new guy like Clarke got such a big story, has suspicions about him and begins to probe into his background in Smallville. Meanwhile, a shifty guy named Raymond blows up another guy who betrayed him and sets to cleaning up after him, accidentally turning into the super-villain Parasite, who feeds off on all kinds of energy. Superman, having barely taken big steps into the superhero deal, now faces an important task ahead of him, because Parasite can just about kill him, if he isn’t careful. The story is not that different from most such Superman stories. Where JMS shines however, is in the details, and how he structures the script to show Superman wins the day, not just by brawn, but with brains, and makes him go through a collective experience that ends up changing him for the better.

Clark Kent/Superman’s characterisation in this book is just amazing. The mild-mannered reporter is still getting his feet wet. He is on the lookobut for his next byline, and is moving into Metropolis for good. He is still enjoying the beginnings of his new life. And he’s being global in his identity as Superman. He doesn’t limit himself to American problems, and he truly is interested in saving people everywhere. This of course brings him in contention with various governments since they all see him as American. When Clark goes to help the survivors of a flood in a small Asian country, he is forced off by threat of civilians being murdered in retaliation since the authorities don’t want his help. This raises more uncertainty in Clark about where his priorities actually are and where they should be. JMS excels in providing the hero with so many challenges, big and small, to contend with. Yes, he succeeds in thes e tasks, but the road to that success is incredibly rocky and dangerous.

I loved all the little touches in the story. Lois calls up one of Clark’s school teachers to get the rundown on him. The teacher tells her how Clark was once a bright, promising student with top grades, and then how he began to get worse, just so people would stop noticing him, and pick on him as a kid. That whole exchange is really heart-warming, and it makes the story just that tiny bit more one of human interest, as that would apply to Clark. A penniless bum who lives on the street right outside Clark’s building ends up having much more of an effect on him than is readily apparent. The mortality of life, that’s the theme there, and JMS makes Clark confront that theme at a very emotional level. When Clark turns in a story to Perry, the editor gives him a straight honest talk on how the piece is good material for the newspaper to publish, but is not front-page stuff, which is what Perry wants out of him. Its not just Clark pushing himself to be better, but Perry too wants him to do much more than Clark thinks he can. It was a very different side of Perry White than the usual, sort of like a J. Jonah Jameson, except with less bile and less need to have a tantrum at everything. Another would be when Clark talks about his pet cat he had as a kid. A very touching snippet of his life, that one. JMS keeps hitting these small beats in the script really well.(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

(From my blog, Misprinted Pages.)

Leave it to one of the best modern writers in comics to make Superman relevant again. The second volume of Earth One (on sale November 6) is a literal investigation into the man and legend: his personal life and why he refuses to let anyone get too close, his work persona and how he makes himself appear to the public, and also his budding career as the Man of Steel — whom the U.S. government is studying in case the world’s alien miracle ever turns on them.

As Clar...more (From my blog, Misprinted Pages.)

Leave it to one of the best modern writers in comics to make Superman relevant again. The second volume of Earth One (on sale November 6) is a literal investigation into the man and legend: his personal life and why he refuses to let anyone get too close, his work persona and how he makes himself appear to the public, and also his budding career as the Man of Steel — whom the U.S. government is studying in case the world’s alien miracle ever turns on them.

As Clark Kent grapples with maintaining these identities, so does he struggle to find peace among them. The beautiful girl in the apartment next door wants to seduce him, but he won’t allow it: The risk of hurting her is too great. And as an up-and-coming reporter, he’s still learning how to balance hard journalism with the compassion that drives his stories. He finds similar conflict in his doings as Superman. This book tests his abilities to both help people and do what’s right for them; sometimes those two things can’t always be reconciled.

And to stop his newest enemy, the Parasite, who drains him of his energy and powers, Superman must walk as a mortal — helpless to the greater forces working against humanity. The experience is humbling, and it gives him a reason to fight harder. The world needs someone who can make it feel safe, even if it’s not.

Just as Superman is an alien in a human visage, the Parasite is a human in monster’s form. We see this kind of parallel of unbridled rage and strength in both characters, but it’s Superman who prevails: Not because he isn’t tempted to loose control, but because he is afraid to. That concern for the well-being of the people around him is what makes him a hero — and able to carry on where Parasite fails. At the same time, it cripples him, isolating him from the people he saves when he’s not wearing the suit. He keeps people at a distance, terrified that they’ll discover his secrets or come to harm because of them. These difficulties will continue to be a major part of Clark’s development as a superhero and as a person, and Straczynski ends the book with a sense of the growth ahead of him.

Shane Davis (the comic’s penciller) deserves accolades, too, for showing us the many conflicting sides of Superman: the vulnerable young boy, struggling in a world that can never truly accept him; the timid reporter and tenant, who keeps to himself to prevent others from learning the truth; and the dangerous, confident hero, carving his place in a world that needs him.

Straczynski ends the volume with uncertainties: two new figures are about to enter Superman’s life, and we already recognize their last names. But their roles are different — reversed from what we expect them to be. That air of mystery is what makes the book so irresistible. This is the Superman we know, but it feels like we’re only just starting to understand him.

Bottom line: The Superman you’ve wanted for years.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Hamza rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first GN I've read in a very long time & it's such a good read. It had the villain that I wanted & it's a big step up from the 1st book. My only complaints are that: 1. The epilogue was a bit too long. 2. Didn't like how a certain character was portrayed. 3. We are in the 21st century people, why is Superman still wearing his underwear over his suit?! Fix it people! That was an occurring in the 1st book as well, though to be fair, the 1st was released before the 52 redesigns...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have said it before and chances are i will say it again Superman Earth one is the greatest envision of the man of steel i have read in a long time. This next installment of the graphic novel takes place a few weeks after volume one left off and introduces many new charcters both good and bad. i am going to be honest here when i tell you there were parts of this book that tugged at my emotions. like the last installment of the novels the atcion, art, charcter development and story was AMAZING....more

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Nov 10, 2012 Jared Millet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, superheroes

For Christmas I want a Superman TV show written by JMS. Seriously, is that too much to ask ? I really love his take on the Big Blue Boy Scout, but I hate having to wait so long between installments. This one wasn't as epic as Vol. 1 and felt more like an episode in an ongoing story than a big, blockbuster movie (which seems to be how DC is treating these Earth One novels). Still, if Straczynski can take the Parasite - lamest villain in Superman's rogues gallery - and make him interesting, he can...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Chris Dugan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Gave this a go after enjoying the first book. Unfortunately Straczynski's modern day take on a young Clark Kent growing up in the big city has been made largely irrelevant by Grant Morrison's current Action Comics efforts.

Not a lot actually happens here and one particular flashback to Clark's Smallville years reminded me of the Mallrats "Kryptonite condom" conversation so much that I nearly lost all interest and gave up then.

Do yourself a favour and read the first volume of the new 52 Action Co...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Gaurav Vartak rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Santan Fernandes

Follows up on Superman: Earth One and traces the events immediately following the 'discovery' of Superman. Introduces Parasite to the readers, but it's not as good as the prequel. Luthor makes an appearance towards the end of the novel. Very different from how he is eventually shown. It definitely left me curious enough to follow up on this series to find out how Lex Luthor becomes Superman's ultimate nemesis.

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title link	preview: Superman: Earth One, Vol. 2
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13532176-superman?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333579936l/13532176.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13532176-superman?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Superman: Earth One, Vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski[/url]

Superman: Earth One, Vol. 2 (Superman Earth One #2)

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