Linkara recommended the All Star Superman stories as a great way to introduce the character to those new to Superman and for those who don’t understand why we like him so much. I did get to owning and reading both novels eventually, what instead got me to jump on the boyscout bandwagon was the story of his death. I had heard of it early in the nineties when it first happened because it was such a big story it literally leaked into real life as real newspapers and television news stations covered the event. It would take me ten years later to read up on the tale as my interest grew on the advent of the animated movie: “Superman: Doomsday.”
While at a comics shop I asked the current clerk and a store groupie why everyone had such a beef with the last son of Krypton. It came down to his messiah complex and clean record. Coincidentally this why some of his greatest villains dislike him so much. After the conversation I picked up the soft cover collection of “The Death of Superman.”
Sharing the first part of this article relates to the story itself. During the first quarter of the story Superman is doing his thing, saving lives and rescuing reporters out of dangerous mine shafts filled with citizens of the underground. Superman is also attending a television interview in Ohio to let the people get to know the superhero the world adores. Meanwhile, buried beneath miles of soil and rock is a rubber and tube clad beast that punches his way to the surface and begins rampaging across the country.
Instead of Superman, the Justice League of America heed’s the call of distress that the creature, dubbed “Doomsday” based on his unstoppable and insatiable rampage, wrecks across several states. The combined forces of the Justice League of America is no match for the relatively unknown assailant and are all swiftly defeated with serious and near fatal injuries within a few pages.
It is important to note how the public feels about Superman. Much like the opinions of the clerks and the majority of people today that know of comics, Superman isn’t cool and he’s not that great at what he does. This is summed up through a young high school student, Mitchell, who does nothing but chastise the blue and red blur throughout the first act of the story. The student relates more to Guy Gardner, a former Green Lantern, because Guy Gardner is much more a product of 90’s attitude and rebelliousness. However when the battle of Doomsday reaches his home and not only himself but his mother and baby sister are threatened to be killed by the rampaging beast.
The only members of the Justice League of America that are able to fight after the first encounter are Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, Bloodwynd, and Guy Gardner (whose face is so swollen from the first attack he is blind.” It is also notable to know that Doomsday is still wrapped up in his rubber and tube like binding and has done massive damage and beaten superheros to a pulp with one hand binded to his back the entire time.
Mitchell’s house is totally destroyed and his mother and baby sister’s life is put at high risk as the Justice League of America are barely able to slow down and distract the beast. Another defeat and Booster Gold is sent flying through the air and is stopped by none other than Superman himself who immediately took flight to battlefield to put an end to the fight once and for all.
To everyone’s amazement, everyone who is still conscious, Superman takes the first punch to the chest like a wad of paper to a brick wall. The second hit, a swift kick to the midsection, puts Superman through the remains of the family’s home and a very thick tree. The Justice League of America all concentrate their efforts with energy beam attacks at the highest level in attempt to reduce the monster to smoldering heap. This attack does not work, but does remove the rest of Doomsday’s restraints to reveal that he is a grey and muscular heap of power and instinct complete with sharp bony jagged edges across his body and eyes.
The attack leaves the Justice League of America exhausted of it’s powers and everyone buy Superman is defeated in the incurring battle. The family is left in the remains of their broken property which is now a large blaze of broken timber and rubble. The bodies of the unconscious and seriously injured superheroes and lain astray and Superman is in hot pursuit of Doomsday, not letting the monster get any further in his wave of destruction.
The rest of the story journey’s through most of the United States that eventually to the front doors on the streets of the Daily Planet in Metropolis. The fights are brutal and every punch looks to hurt every bit. The final brawl at the Daily Planet cracks the streets and shatters every window for miles. Superman does technically win as Doomsday falls first, but at the cost of his own life as the 30 years of solar energy he has stored in his body is exhausted and he dies from battle fatigue and injuries.
If you have not read this I highly recommend it. It may read like I have cut the summary short, but the battle does rage on for the rest of the book that is definitely a sight to be seen. The battles were spectacular and sometimes the classic Toonami Dragonball Z background score would play in my head. It wasn’t just the massive fight alone that made me a fan, it was the reaction of everyone around him that made me place Superman as my superhero.
When Mitchell’s life and family is completely turned upside down by the Doomsday rampage. Every super hero, including his idol Guy Gardner, are laid to waste and risk burning to death along with himself, mother, and baby sister. When all is lost he cries out to Superman to help him. The young man who several times throughout the comic who has bad mouthed the boy scout for almost half an issue asks that man for help. Superman, who has been ridiculed and pushed aside by people and his peers alike for just being himself, turns back to help Mitchell, family, and what remains of the Justice League of America.
Starting from this point, Superman is the only one who can stop Doomsday from destroying the very world that openly criticizes, chastises, and is against him. To me this resembles a lot of the fans and my peers of today when I tell them that I read and watch Superman. They say that he is too good and that he’s invincible. In this story, he made lots of sacrifices to do the right thing and even died achieving it. The internal dialogue alone bundled with the imminent danger of Doomsday reaching a major city knowing full well that every other superhero is injured, in a coma, are too far away to lend assistance when Metropolis is minutes away. The tension and story structure is so well done that no matter who reads it, they would want Superman to hurry and bury the beast before it can do more harm. It is a great tale of someone so great and powerful, the ultimate force of good, meets the unstoppable force of mindless destruction that puts both sides to the test and reveals a lot of the title character.
After the dust settles, the story continues in “A world with a Superman” where minutes after his death we see the wide spread effects of what his death means to the world. In a way, it’s like an important politician, artist, a martyr that dies and the legend of that person has suddenly reached this point of symbolism that the individual could not achieve in it’s lifetime. The rest of the world’s heroes figure out how to pick up the enormous slack that is left over and there is even a heart touching story where in the most popular DC heroes pick through Superman’s fan mail and answer the call to many of the letter’s writers for aide. The majority of Metropolis is in a depression and a cult even springs up that preaches sermons at the foot of Superman’s massive grave statue. Of course, after the reign of Supermen that attempt to fill the void, and in some cases, violently attempt to replace the original Man of Steel, Kal-El makes his return and makes things right.
It is also unsettling to know that Doomsday also awakened from his slumber and drifts through space awaiting to be set free.
I, until that point of reading the story, had been like many others who placed Batman as the end all hero of the DC comics. Batman himself is even parodied of this on youtube mock mac vs. pc commercials where he says “I’m Batman” instead of “I’m a DC.” Superman had been somewhat of a hit and miss with me as like most people in life and in the story, never really bothered with a goody two shoes in a red cape who has no fear of being defeated.
Ironically it took his death to make me really understand the character and become a loyal fan. It is a theme that is certainly echoed through the large arc of death, world without, and the return of Superman.
No comments:
Post a Comment