Reviews (3)

The comic book that started it all with The Man Of Steel!
Superman made his debut in Action Comics #1 in June, 1938. He became an instant sensation with readers, and started the superhero trend.

Superman: The Action Comics Archives volume 1 reprints only the Superman stories from Action Comics #1, and #7-20 (issues 2 thru 6 were reprinted in early issues of Superman). These stories featured a Man of Steel who did anything to get justice done, including escaping from Police whenever they get on his trail! He didn't have all the superpowers that his modern version has today, or that modern version's sense of justice.

Superman fought normal criminals in his early years, before getting a regular rogues gallery like arch mastermind Lex Luthor, the alien Brainiac, Bizarro, The Prankster, etc. One villain who became Superman's first recurring foe in this book was the Ultra-Humanite. A sinister villain who was thwarted by the Man of Steel many times.

Read the classic stories from comics' Golden Age that started it all in Superman: The Action Comics Archives!

The Man of Tomorrow!
When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two teenage kids from the slums, first read Philip Wylie's Gladiator they were shocked. Its premise was that even a superhero couldn't really do much to correct the injustice within society. The Superman they created not only disproved Wylie's premise, but also took the fight to the bad guys in violent and irresistible ways. A bad guy wouldn't rat out his boss; Superman tossed him out a skyscraper window and played catch with him all the way down. Nobody said no to Superman for very long. This pre-World War II Superman is very different than his modern cousin. He was the culmination of the mythic hero (think Samson) set in an economically depressed society that had a powerful faith that the future would be better. (The modern Superman comes from a very different place: Jor-el the father gave Kal-el, his only begotten son (think Jesus), so the world might be a better place.) The stories in this book show the world's first and best superhero. I've been reading and collecting Superman since the fifties, and this book thrills me. There is no greater high in comics than the genesis of Superman!

This is not the Superman you expect.
This Superman isn't as powerful as the one we are use to, yet that makes him all the more amazing. He isn't buddy buddy with the police. In fact, he defies them. This Superman is not afraid to put Justice before the law. The stories are great. The art is great. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After all the hype about the "death" of Superman, here's a much more fitting end to the Superman legend. Described as an "imaginary story," it begins 10 years after Superman has died and recounts the events that led up to his final stand. Alan Moore is a master of this kind of superhero story, and this edition is a great opportunity for those who may have missed it the first time around. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The real end of an era
Before the infamous Death of Superman hit, legendary writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) was enlisted to write this final tale of the original pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is a mroe satisfying, fitting, and touching end of Superman as we see the hero pushed to his limits when the whole world is seemingly against him. He faces off against a plethora of his old enemies including Bizarro, Brainiac, Lex Luthor, and a surprise villian who is pulling all the strings. The art by Curt Swan and George Perez is superb, and Moore's writing is some of the best that ever hit the Man of Tomorrow. All in all, even though it is a bit short, I strongly suggest tracking this down; you won't be disappointed.

A Sad, Beautiful End to the "Original" Superman
Alan Moore has the amazing ability to infiltrate an existing universe and recast it from within while never straying from the original framework. He did it with 19th century victorian literature in "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", with the Doc Savage/Tarzan hybrid archetype in "Tom Strong", and he does it here with the old-school Superman-Universe in "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow".

By outward appearances, this story seems interchangable with any of the generic Superman stories of the 50s and 60s. But Moore injects a dark edge to the story without leaving the bright, shiny DC universe that Frank Miller so brilliantly deconstructs in "The Dark Knight Returns".

The story seems so understated, in part due to the fact that the art is nowhere near as radical as the story, and its possible, that without an understanding of, or a nostalgia for the old Superman comics, the story might not pack the same punch. But even though I grew up a diehard Marvel fan, I loved it!

Requiem for an age past
So, I gave this book five stars, but I have a very important stipulation to go with that rating: Be sure which Superman you are a fan of. Here's the deal - Alan Moore is my favorite author of all time, heck, my favorite artist of all time - in any medium. That's quite an accomplishment. Moreover, this is a story that Moore felt so impassioned about that when he first heard the concept, he (or so I'm told) lept up and demanded that he be the one to write it. Again quite impressive. And while this is not his greatest work (go read Watchmen or Promethea for that) it definately is Moore quality writing. However, if you are not a fan of that age of comics, you will not fully appreciate this story no matter how fantastic the writing is. An example: as I described this book to a friend of mine he grew very excited about reading it - until I got to the part about Krypto the Superdog (who does make an apperance). At the mention of Krypto, my friend adamantly refused to read this book, and honestly I can't blame him. Krypto is from a different age of comics which, if you can't appreciate, you can't appreciate. That being said, this book works as an incredible eulogy for an age of comics now forever gone. If you miss that age, this book is for you. If you're glad it is gone and wish it had never existed - you will not like this book. Personally, I loved it :)

Superman Silver Ages
Perhaps the most wonderful period of Superman stories were in the silver ages (1971-1986), very fine arts, classic stories, and piece of greatness.
Julius Schvarts editing was the best, the modern arts and stories that came after were less beauty.
This novel,maybe the best "imagining" story ever published, for me, the best story for me was "the final days of Lois and Lana". I remember that i was so sad in the end of this story, almost pay a tear,and that's for two things, the story itself, and knowing that DC comics will stop publishing the silver age books, and start their what they called "Modern books".
It, for me, looked like that Superman really dead, reviewing all the wonderful stories were told in the seventies and the first part of the eighties, any way, Every golden period has an end.
Enjoy reading that book, a Novel believe me, under the editing of the greatest, Julius Schvartes.

Final Pre-Crisis Superman Story
This is a collection of the final Pre-Crisis issues of "Action Comics" and "Superman". It's an "imaginary story" (meaning it wasn't canon) that takes place after the Crisis on Infinite Earths but without the revamp by John Byrne. It includes many of Superman's friends and enemies. I won't spoil the plot, but it's a very moving story, and a few good guys and bad guys get killed. Remember, though, it's not an official story. There's a very touching scene between Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes when the Legion arrives in the present with Kara (Supergirl), who had died in the Crisis. The covers are included, and there's a nice written introduction. Even though it never was canon, it's a very nice story and should be in every Superman fan's collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Tale Of Two Heroes And How A "Team-Up" Came To Be
Super hero team ups and crossovers are a staple of the comic book medium. One of the best ideas of this little sub genre, has always been, when writers would find a way to bring two of my all time favorites icons--Superman and Batman--together. One reason I think the idea has worked so well, is the fact that, these men have vastly different ways of doing things and divergent influences that helped shaped them. And yet, they still have to find a way to work together. The trade paperback collection of the maxi-series, World's Finest, takes a look at how this working friendship first came to be and evolved over a ten year period. The script, written by Karl Kesel is ambitious in scope, and ends up as a solid if wanning effort at times.

The first time our heroes met focuses on a man named Harrison Grey, and what happens to him, as a result of that historic partnership. As you might imagine, Batman and Superman didn't exactly see eye to eye, at first. The two decide to meet on the day of the equinox to commemorate the anniversary. It's interesting to see how Kesel weaves history of both of these men in the story. The death of Jason Tood (the teen who replaced Dick Grayson as Robin) and when when 4 men took over for the Man of Steel after his death are just two examples of what I mean...supporting charaters friends and foes alike pop in and out as well. Most of this can be quite fun and all but there are times when the story gets bogged down under it's own weight. It seems to meander and the through line isn't always as taut as it could be. There's plenty of action sustained...The surpise ending though, I saw coming miles away, and I could have done without as much sentimentality as it had.

The art from Dave Taylor, Peter Doherty, Graham Nolan, and Tom Morgan, like the story, has highs and lows, good and bad points depending who's doing what. Acting as a fill in for Taylor, Nolan's work isn't as streamlined and has striking differences. The original series' covers are reprinted as well. Karl Kesel pens an introduction for the 288 page tome.

Not bad...could have had a tighter plot and been a little shorter...I still can recommend World's Finest though...just not as much as I would have liked to...***and a half stars

I am a huge Batman and Superman fan
Even though I also like superhero characters by Marvel, I must admit that Batman and Superman always spring to my mind as my two favorites. Of course, the fact that I'm in my forties might have something to do with it. Still, I would recommend this and any other graphic novel with these two ultimate DC superheroes to any and all. If for no other reason, because no collection is complete without them.

Not the best World's Finest book I've ever read.
First let me say that this is not a standalone book. If you don't know the history of Batman and Superman there will be places where you'll stop and go "huh?" I felt Mr. Kessel could have done a much better job referencing this history rather than just expecting the reader to know it. That said, I thought the book started off very well. The first four years (the book covers a ten year period) was well written and very enjoyable. The fifth year, which dealt with Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, was fun. Unfortunatly, the book goes down hill from there. I found the ending to be silly and completely unsatisfying. Which pretty well sums up the last half of the book.

It has its highs and lows.
First off, the reason I got this book is because of the new Superman/Batman monthly series. I really enjoyed the issues and decided to get the World's Finest to see more Batman/Superman team-ups.

World's Finest chronicles the first ten-years of Batman and Superman's relationship. It starts off w/ Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent attending a charity function of a mutual friend who is kidnapped and held hostage. The two heroes arrive at the scene but due to their inability to work together, they are unable to save his life. From that point on, they decide to remmeber that day by meeting every year and working to improve their group dynamics. In my opinion, not the strongest reason for teaming up....but I'll buy it. End of year one.

The next stories, follow the contrasting nature of Batman and Superman. For example, Superman works hard to smile for the public and earn the people's trust whereas Batman is content sticking to the shadows and letting people think he is an urban legend. He even explains the madness in his methods. The personal nature of the conversations between the two characters is the book's high point. Another high point of the book is the way that Karl Kesel ties in the different events into a common timeline for the two heroes.

The low point of the book is in its art, in some areas it gets rather sloppy (esp. at the end). Another low point is the rather cliched dialogues that the chracters spout when fighting villains. It takes away from the seriousness of the story and makes it seem dated. But since the book had more high points than low points, I have given it four stars. For me personally, I enjoyed the story where Superman takes Batman into Smallville after Jason's (Robin II) death. And also, where Superman returns from death to confront a new man under the mask.

In addition to this graphic novel I'd like to recommend...
THE ADVENTURES OF DARKEYE: CYBER HUNTER...a fun, fast-paced Sci-Fi, that reads like a graphic novel, written by myself, Dan Bivens, and my partner, Gerald James Seward. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

best superman book i've read
i picked up this book to get some background on "the big boyscout"as batman refers to him,vs doomsday.i was very shocked how strong the story was.superman knows first hand how dangerous this foe can be.he is torn between doing what he should do and saving an old friends child.the story kept me at the edge of my seat.i have read it over 3 times.some say that this book is too soft,i say it is full of action and makes you think.you will not be disapointed.

the ultimate mind in the ultimate body...
{MAJOR SPOILERS} this is a cool book. due to "Zero hour" A lackey of brainiac was able to save doomsday from the end of time. brainiac's body was damaged in a battle with superman and now he wants to get into doomsday's body. lana lang was in a car accident and her baby was born premarturely with injuries, and superman is trying to get the baby to a hospital that can heal him. brainiac wants to use tissue from the baby to clone a new doomsday body that he can control without problems.

p.s. superman puts doomsday into four transport tubes on the moon which divides him 25 percent and if anyone tires to take him it will send him to a place only superman knows about. green lantern says the the batteries will last centuries. well what will happen when they run out!?

heros: superman, wonder woman, green lantern, flash, orion martian manhunter, plastic man, huntress, lois lane, jimmy olsen, cat grant, turpin, pete ross, lana lang, perry white, the kents.
heros in zero hour flashblack.

villans: doomsday, brainiac, toyman {mentioned}.

a women's comic Book
I my self am a Doomsday fan , but there is a lot to be said about Doomsday coming back in here , after superman death and come back , and doomsday complete and ultimate Arase of space & time , it?s hard to swallow doomsday with Brainiac brain , also the fabric of an infant and 40 cows mixed on this story is less then I could care for .

however the graphics are fine , the story line is amusing ( even if it?s a more a mushy mushy women?s comic book then men?s) and that only disserve 2 stars in my book .

Doomsday Minus One
Doomsday is a character who should not have had an origin. Jurgens should have left well enough alone with the original oomsday story. Instead we have a contrived tale that is very awkward and uninteresting. Try the Death Of Superman, World Without A Superman, and Return Of Superman first.

A good sub-plot cannot save this book.
This book probably has the worse Superman/Doomsday battle ever fought. Although the beginning was strong, this book does not live up to Superman standards. The only good thing about this book was the interesting story about a blizzard that hit the Kent farm when Clark was just barely beginning to develope his powers. Only get this book if you are either a Superman collector, or if you enjoy looking at pretty pictures. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A bit jumbled, but great nonetheless!
This book is a collection of wonderful Superman comics from the 1970s, the Superman that I grew up with. The comics were apparently selected to give a cross-section of Superman's activities in the 70s, and include comics from Superman #276 (6/74), DC Comics Presents #14 (10/79), Superman #248 (2/72), #271 (1/74), #249 (3/72), #286 (4/75), Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (10/70), Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #106 (11/70), Superman #287 (5/75), #233 (1/71), #247 (1/72), #270 (12/73), and Action Comics #484 (6/78).

OK, as you can tell from that list, the comics seem somewhat jumbled or randomized. And, as several of the stories were multi-issue, it is rather sad that you can't keep reading to find out how the Man of Steel overcomes the bad guy. But, in spite of all that, this book is really great! The stories included are all very interesting, and it is great to look back to the Superman of a different era.

An added little bonus to this book is the introduction, which was written by Christopher Reeve, Hollywood's Superman, and a bit of a hero in his own right. This is a really good book, and I highly recommend it.

Gives you a flavor of pre-Crisis Superman stories
As I've mentioned in my review for "Batman in the 70s", the problem faced by all such compilations is that everyone will have an opinion of what other stories should be included and what should have been left out. I feel that this is a decent collection of Superman stories in the 70s, as all the key artists and characters are represented here. The TPB contains classics like "Superman Breaks Free" which is Dennis O'Neil's attempt at revamping the Superman; Elloit S! Maggin's classic "Must there be a Superman?", somewhat overhyped but still an interesting story; a Jimmy Olsen story by Jack 'King' Kirby; a story about Krypto; and other stories featuring Lex Luthor, Brainiac etc. Of course, it would have been even better if the TPB collects more stories about the Fortress of Solitude, bottled city of Kandor etc.

Some shortcomings of this collection: It would probably have been more fun to read some of the stories in the entire run (like Marvel Essentials) than on a single-issue basis as they are presented in this TPB. E.g. "Superman breaks free" is actually the first book of O'Neil's Sandman saga; the Jimmy Olsen story is the first of around 20 (?) issues which Kirby wrote. It is a shame that DC has decided not to reprint these classic runs anywhere, since it will cost a bomb for anyone to try to collect the original copies of these comics. Another omission that everyone complains is the story arc in Superman #296-299 "Who took the Super out of Superman?"

In spite of all the shortcomings, I feel that this collection will give the reader a good sampling of pre-crisis superman stories. There are many classic moments in this TPB: Superman eating Kryptonite (!); Superman playing billards with planets; plus time-travel, aliens, inter-galactic travel all thrown in for good measure. In my opinoin, the biggest attraction of this TPB is the great artwork by Curt Swan, viewed by many fans as the greatest Superman artist of all time. Conclusion: Even though this TPB is not really the most ideal 70s collection possible, it will be a welcome addition to your collection, unless you are fortunate enough to own many original Superman comics from the 70s. Enjoy!!

This volume deserves the bad reviews you're seeing!
I thought the reviews for this book were harsh. Then I got the book. They're right on the money. I grew up reading the Superman of the 1970s. These are the stories that shaped my viewpoints of Superman, but this book is wanting. None of the great Superman chronicles I remember are here. "The Double or Nothing Life of Superman" is a series I just purchased on eBay. It should be included in this volume. I also recall an outstanding, well-written series in which, among other things, the Bottled City of Kandor was smashed, as Superman again had issues with his Kryptonian past. And the greatest Superman story of the 1970s, "Superman Vs. Spider-Man," while mentioned, is woefully missing. The Superman of the 1970s brought about characters like Steve Lombard, Morgan Edge, and a few others, who participated in some great tales. You'll find the characters here, but not the good stories. Really, save your money on this book. Go to eBay and try and win some of the actual issues themselves from the 1970s.

Not Representative Of Superman In The Seventies
This collection could have been a great one but it is decidedly mediocre. Seems to try to focus on too many things such as villains, supporting casts, and battles. Should have concentrated on classic tales, such as the "Kryptonite Nevermore" story arc by Denny O'Neil or the "Clark Kent-Get Out Of My Life" or some Leo Dorfman Action Comics stories. Some of the below average stories in this volume include a very convoluted Superman-Superboy battle and a tale where Lois Lane becomes a black woman for a day. These are reasons why he has to be revamped in the 80s and killed in the 90s.

nothing much
I have to say I didn't expect much , but this is less then that , though some where good starters & some where good end, there is a lot to noticed in between, as if they wonted the bring you some samples of the superman version in the seventies but not at his best , you can say almost as if it was a low design time capsule that was buried too long for it sake .

But of course my review are mush influenced by me being an old seventies superman fan and already have seen half of the stories in the comic book , and with that in mind 2 stars is the best I can give. ... Read more

Book Description

BATMAN/SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN: TRINITY tells the remarkable tale of the turbulent first encounter of the world’s most iconic heroes. When Batman’s greatest nemesis, Ra’s al Ghul, recruits Bizarro and an Amazon warrior to aid him in his plan to create global chaos, the Darknight Detective suddenly finds himself working with the Man of Steel and the Amazon Princess. Looking to thwart the madman’s plot to simultaneously destroy all satellite communications as well as all of the world’s oil reserves, Earth’s greatest heroes reluctantly band together. But if Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are to have any hope of stopping Ra’s’ nuclear missile assault, they will first need to overcome their own biases and reconcile their differing philosophies. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Fresh Breath Of Familiar Characters
Back before superpowered heroes and villains started appearing all over the world, there was just Superman and Batman, polar heroes with an undeniable respect for each other. When Ra's Al Ghul, Bizzaro, and the teenage Artemis threaten the Amazon's home on Paradise Island, Wonder Woman sets out into the world to seek answers, meeting Superman and Batman for the first time.

Trinity is an excellent tale that perfectly captures the individual natures of its three dynamic characters during their first meeting. From Batman's awe of paradise, to Wonder Woman's view of Superman as a kind of Greek god, the writing is thoughtful and the art is superb. It does perfect justice to each of the characters, giving us a fresh view on old heroes in familiar conditions. I can't recommend this book enough. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Companion piece for this great graphic novel
As great as this graphic novel was by itself, I know of one helluva great companion piece in the form of a book entitled "The Adventures of Darkeye: Cyber Hunter" whose odd manner of having log-entries over chapters seems almost like the script for a graphic novel, even though it is in the science fiction/high-tech and cyberpunk genre along with books like "Cryptonomicon", "Snow Crash", "Prey", and "Altered Carbon". Very fast-paced and visual as well as being very exciting due to its action-packed pages.

Fortress Of Solitude
Superman Exile is a solid multipart story from the late 90's that originally spanned the whole line of the hero's books. The trade paperback collects the entire 13 part saga and includes a cover gallery.

The story from Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, and George Perez examines what happens when a hero's emotional state leads to a drastic decision. After Superman is unable to prevent a devastating loss by his hand, he is consumed by overwhelming guilt and remorse. Convinced that his adopted planet would be better off without him as Earth's protector--he sees no alternative, but to leave forever. At first the story may seem like a hard sell. However, it all comes off much better than you might think. Superman's actions seem quite plausable, considering what the character stands for. Of course in his travels, there's plenty of action throughout the story. The man of steel encounters both Eradicator and Mongul, as he decides what's next for him.

The art is pretty good and features work from one of my favorites from the industry--Curt Swan--his stuff helped define my comic book reading in the 80's Most of the work from Swan and the other artists on the book is bold, bright, and well defined, thanks to superior stock paper used for this trade paperback.

Superman Exile is a good example of what happens when Supes is done right. It is worth your time and better realized than say The Trial Of Superman, or The Death Of Clark Kent. Recomended. The book has 291 pages.

One of the best Post-Crisis Superman stories out there.
Superman: Exile is the story of Superman's grief after the first time he ever had to kill anyone. He has decided that the only way Earth can remain safe is for him to leave, so he dons a gasmask and portable teleportation unit and disappears into deep space. Features the first appearance of the Eradicator, Mongul, and War Planet. I really liked the Exile story-line, and I've re-read it at least once. I would highly recommend it to any Superman fan. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not the most coherent trade paperback out there...
I am not a regular reader of Superman comics, nor have I been a regular reader of comics in general the last few years, so I was very curious in learning the story behind Lex Luthor becoming president as soon as I heard about it. This book is supposed to provide that story, but instead it offers something less than that; I slightly incoherent, inconsistent, and hard to follow story made up of bits and pieces of various issues of the Superman titles. When so many different artists and writers are involved, the differences in tone and style quickly become distracting and annoying, particularly when the artist and writer would often change after just 2 or 3 pages. Viewpoints and characters also would change abruptly. There is no consistent flow at all. Overall this book is average, but the strong points include a short section featuring a meeting between Batman and Luthor.

DC Comics' U.S. President is...
Lex Luthor.

Superman's arch-nemesis is now his Commander-In-Chief!

Unbelievable? Believe it.

This TPB collects different Superman issues from 2000 to 2001, which chronicles how Lex Luthor, the Man of Steel's most implacable foe, decides to run for President of the United States.

Intriguing? Very! But does it deliver? Well, yes and no. The strong part of this TPB is the artwork. I know some would definitely argue that some of the illustrations in this collection are mediocre at best (since it varies from one chapter to another), but some of the book's shining moments include Ed McGuinness' and Tony Harris' take on our intrepid hero. Yes, McGuinness' work is a bit cartoony and all, but when you look on the bright side, he does give Superman an entirely crisp and vibrant new look. Tony Harris' pencils are dark and moody; I think he's more suited for Batman and Daredevil, but his Lex Luthor sure looks diabolical enough for me, so kudos to him as well.

For the resounding "no," well, the story lacks a certain build-up, since it definitely has no clear climax (with none of the characters showing any intent on achieving one). Story coherence and direction went zilch after the Aquaman chapter, leaving behind a few fisticuffs and some very boring action scenes. Although the "Batman-talking-to-Luthor" chapter was one of the clear-cut highpoints of this TPB, it still fell short of granting the book an overall bearing.

Anyway, kudos to Jeph Loeb and Greg Rucka since they breathe into Superman/Luthor the human element readers can easily relate to (especially the Christmas episode and WHY Luthor decides to run for president). I guess for most parts, the story just wanders off here and there with so much references to Superman back issues [which you HAVE TO READ in order to comprehend the full impact of this particular storyline on the DC Universe].

Still, if you're a die-hard Superman fan, this book is worth taking a look at. But, if you're just a casual Man of Steel reader, I greatly recommend reading something else. =) ... Read more

Book Description

Superman: he can bend steel, leap tall buildings, and is faster than speeding bullets...but can he save the future?! The sentient computer known as Skynet has been sending Terminators into our present to find and destroy a boy named John Connor. Not just any boy, he will grow to lead a resistance force against a massive robot army that has brought mankind to the brink of extinction. Now the Terminators are hunting for young Connor in Metropolis. But Skynet didn`t plan on the Man of Steel coming to the rescue...or did it? As the battle to save mankind rages in the Metropolis of the present and the future, will the combined might of Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, and Steel be enough to stop the deadly killing machines -- and their new ally, the Cyborg-Superman -- from terminating John Connor? And will Lex Luthor lend a helping hand...or does he have something more sinister in mind for the Terminators? The ultimate battle for the future ends here -- and the results will shock you! Co-published with DC Comics. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Less than mediocre crossover
With all the countless DC/Dark Horse crossovers over the years, Superman VS The Terminator, as the previous reviewer had stated, was practically inevitable. The storyline picks up after the events of the Terminator 2 film, with Sarah and John Connor in Metropolis on the run from the Skynet sent time traveling terminators. Eventually, Superman is on the scene, protecting Sarah and John, and he is joined by Supergirl, Suberboy, and Steel. Lex Luthor is on the scene as well, with his own ulterior motives of course, leading up to a twist ending. Alan Grant's script has plenty of plot holes and some real bad cheesy dialogue (especially at the end between Supes, Sarah, and Lois Lane), but the plot twists and solid art save this book from being a total stinker. All in all, this is worth a look for crossover fans, but it's far from being anything special.

Nice concept, but could'v ebeen much better.
Superman vs. Terminator was an inevitable crossover...what with Batman vs. Predator, which was probably the greatest DC/Dark Horse cross over ever, and other similar crossovers, Superman was bound to end up going head to head with the Terminator eventually...so was it good? Well, yes and no.

Superman vs Terminator is just a bit too over the top...taking place presumably after the events of Terminator 2, the story begins with Sarah and John fleeing into Metropolis, being chased by Terminators. Superman is on the scene right away, and he soon realizes that he's not dealing with any ordinary foes. The story is decent enough, with some very nice art work. Many of Superman's allies show up, including Supergirl, Steel and some others. Of course, Dark Horse and DC, despite excellent crossovers in the past, have really managed to screw up their stories as of late.

Completely out of the blue, hundreds of Terminators start coming in from the future, and out of nowhere begin to get Jet-Pack upgrades, elastic body parts, multiple arms...presumably attempting to put an interesting spin on the story, but only succeeding in making it a little too silly. Superman is then transported into the future to put a stop to it, while Supergirl, and even Lex Luthor, protect John and Sarah in the past...though Lex as usual has his ulterior motives. While in the Future Superman runs into old allies, as well as a familiar enemy from the past serving as a powerful ally to the Terminators.

The overall concept is very interesting...but its just a little poorly executed. While not anywhere near as good as the Batman Vs. Predator crossover, or Superman vs. Aliens, it definitely isn't anywhere near as bad as Aliens vs. Predator vs. Terminator, which was undoubtedly one of the worst crossovers ever. Superman vs Terminator sits nicely in the mediocre range...it has very good artwork, very nice twists (especially at the end), and though it suffers from some silly additions, its overall a good read and a welcome addition to any collection. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume collects the four-issue Superman/Aliens II: Godwar mini-series, in which Superman faces the ferocity of the Aliens combined with the godlike might of the evil Darkseid! Will even the Man of Steel and his super-powered allies be enough to stop Darkseid's Apokolips-Aliens hybrids? And what will be the final fate of Orion, victimized by an alien face-hugger? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Decent, but doesn't live up to the first crossover
Most crossover sequels never do live up to their predecessors, but as far as most DC/Dark Horse Crossovers have been as of late (completely abysmal), Superman/Aliens 2 is rather good.

Superman visits old friends on New Genesis, but a shadow of a threat looms in the form of Apokolips. Darkseid has somehow managed to get a hold of Aliens, and he sees the creatures as a means of permanently wiping out New Genesis. Testing the creatures on his own people first, Darkseid is satisfied with the results and launches a massive attack on New Genesis that fails miserably...or does it? Soon, the thousands of beaten Apokolips soldiers have Aliens rip from their chests, to Superman's familiar horror. Chaos ensues and the fate of New Genesis is in the hands of Superman and the New Gods.

This is a pretty good crossover...there are no ridiculous mutations or hybrids like in recent books. Unfortunately, the Aliens are made a mockery of by the New Gods...the Aliens do not really get the respect they deserve, as they are easily fended off and beaten in most encounters. The overall story itself serves as more development in the Apokolips vs. New Genesis storyline, but overall the Aliens factor in almost as a minor inconvenience rather than a horrifying threat.

It can't be expected of a sequel to live up to the predecessor in most crossovers, but Superman/Aliens 2 isn't a bad attempt. The first crossover is one of the best DC/DH ever pulled off, and it would be hard to top it. I enjoyed this comic and recommend it to any Superman/Alien fan, just don't expect the Aliens to do much. ... Read more

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Me hate Bizarro Superman. Him worst idea DC comics ever have. Himstupid! Talk funny! Him live by Bizarro code:

• Us do opposite of all Earthly things!
• Us hate beauty!
• Us love ugliness!
• Is big crime to make anything perfect on BIZARRO WORLD!

From his very first appearance in the 1950s Superman newspaper strip to theepisode of Seinfeld devoted to him, Bizarro has flown (backwards andupside down) into comic fans' hearts. Tales of the Bizarro World is apurist's delight, collecting 15 full-length stories of Bizarro and friends(Bizarro Lois, Stuporwoman, Bizarro Krypto, and hordes of copies of BizarroNumber 1). It's full of great episodes like "Bizarro's Secret Identity" (he's areporter at the Daily Htrae--"Earth" spelled backwards) and "Bizarro GoesSane!"

What's most pleasing, and most irritating, about the whole Bizarro thing is thatsometimes Bizarro World is opposite Earth, and sometimes it's just... well,bizarre. Writer Jerry Siegel and artists John Fort, Wayne Boring, and Curt Swanwere clearly having fun when they created Bizarro, and fans can't get enough ofthe weirdest guy ever to wear a red cape.

Don't buy Tales of the Bizarro World! It stupid comic. It not make youlaugh! --Bizarro Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Me hate this, make me so mad.
This book am so awful. Sometime me read and feel very mad at universe. Me read to me 4 year old son. Most comics am not violent enough for he. This am 'cause made long time ago when comics having more blood. Now we talk bizarro all over house. Make us sad sad sad.

Pure, delightful sillyness
You know, as much as I appreciate the plethora of "Bizarro" reviews for this book, I feel there should be at least ONE straight review for people who aren't in on the joke. So in case you don't quite get it -- Bizarro is Superman's imperfect duplicate. Everything he does is the opposite of Superman. That's pretty much the gist of it.

This book collects the "Tales From Bizarro World" series from the old Adventure Comics title -- stories about a whole planet of Bizarros, including Bizarro-Lois Lane, Bizarro-Jimmy Olsen, Bizarro-Lex Luthor, Bizarro-Supergirl and even Bizarro-Krypto the Superdog.

Amazingly, these stories were written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel himself. They're pretty simple, pretty light, and some of them make absolutely no sense even in BIZARRO logic. It's fluff, but it's enjoyable fluff. It's pure, beautiful Silver Age wackiness, and it's well worth the read for any fan of Superman or goofy comic books in general. Pick it up.

THIS AM BAD BOOK OR ELSE!
Me am thinking you not like this book because it not about Bizarros. It am about Bizarros. Bizzaro code: Us do opposite of earthly things. You am not going to read this book. IT AM BAD. :o)

Me hate this book!
This am bad book. It am full of stories about Bizarro World, home of Bizarro, the handsome duplicate of Superman. Every story start with Bizarro Code: "Us do opposite of all earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!" Me cry every time me read this book. Me hate it so much, me give it to all my friends. Since book is so bad, you should buy lots of copies.

Hello! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It shows the origin of Supergirl and Introduces Maxima
Supergirl's decision to stay in her human form is introduced and Maxima turns "good". The story drags thus my 4 star rating. Nevertheless, makes a good weekend read. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

they did it for the money, what else?
If you want to see what's wrong with comics then Dan Jurgens' work is a good place to start, and if you want to know what's wrong with Jurgens' work this is a great place to start. Over the course of the last few years Jurgens' et al have managed to once again make Superman into the comic everyone reads and no one likes. How? Shameless manipulation of plot to sell comics, which is one of the things that's ruined comics. The other being some authors willingness to make comics "dark," which usually amounts to little more than creating violence porn. Jurgen's is somewhat guilty of this too, he made the Toyman darker (actually he Jurgens' Toyman is a Lifetime network psycho so I don't know how much dark that is and how much pathetic)making him a murderer rather than the goofy but enjoyable villain we knew, but at least he hasn't made Superman himself "dark." Supes doesn't kill and he doesn't brood too much.
Oh but wait he does both here. Traumatized by dying Superman decides to hunt down Doomsday's corpse to make sure he's definitely dead, and since Superman desecrating a body wouldn't really sell that many comics, Doomsday comes back to life. Superman sports the derided Supermullet here, so that kind of makes it entertaining, but not really. Much stuff is messed up and another motivationless force of badness is brought back to life. Terrible comic the art isn't even that great, and it is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the stuff Jurgens' had done to D.C.'s premier hero. Supes deserves better. Maybe Waid's new series will fix some of what he's broken.

The Rematch: Did It Have To Happen At All?
When The Death Of Superman saga arrived in the early 90's, one of the complaints heard among fans, was the fact that the man of steel's nemesis in the story, had no origin. Doomsday sort of came out of nowhere and just wanted to fight Superman to the death. For the record, I thought, (and still do) this was a good idea. In almost every other superhero comic book I have ever read, the villian's motivations are spelled out from the start. Doomsday was different. Without getting too technical, there are lots of things in the real world that go uexplained, not every problem is solved easily, and not every solution is spelled out to be tied in a bow

Having said that though..

In response to fandom's outcry for Doomsday's origin and a rematch with Superman, the mastemind behind The Death Of Superman gave us Superman/Doomsday: Hunter Prey. The story has our hero traveling to a planet called Apokolips. Once he arrives, he enlists the help of the time traveler known as Waverider, to help him discover the truth behind Doomsday. Having read the book I still feel the same about things the origin kinda lessons the impact and ruins the mystery. Still author Dan Jurgens gives readers plenty to like about the story. Considering what he came up with-it wasn't bad. There's a few surprises along the way as well.

Since Jurgens and Brett Breeding did the BEST art on the original story, the team continues that trend here, and this time, they're all there is, which is even better. The artwork offers a clearly defined style, that is made even better, thanks to the use of glossy paper, rather than the standard stuff normally used. The colors stand out more and the battle sequences are as stunning as ever. The story may not have been all that it could have been (or should have). But the art in the book makes up for that. I can (almost) recommend the sequel on that alone

Jurgens provides the Why and How reasons for the book in an introduction. Those pages also have a few early design sketches for Doomsday on them. All three original issues of the Hunter Prey mini seied are reprinted, along with their covers. The book has 158 pages

The Rematch that Every one knew would happen
This is a follow up to the death and rebirth of Superman. FOr those who read that tale the Creature Doomsday slayed the MAn of Steel in one of COmics greatest Battles. Later an impostor known as the Cyborg took Doomsdays corpse (it died at the same time) and strapped it to an asteroid and threw it into the depths of space. In this tale it starts of with Superman still ahving Nightmares about the creature. Dead set on setting his fears aside he travels into the depths of space in search of the creature. Meanwhile a cargo ship picks up teh asteroid that Doomsday was on. It reawakens and slaughters all on the ship. As it turns out the ship is on it's way towards Apokolips. From there Doomsday wreaks havoc. Meanwhile Superman with the help of the Linear Men, more specifically Waverider discover the secret ORigion of the monster. In the end Superman and Doomsday have a rematch that is not as great as the first time, but the climatic end makes the story well worth owning.

Krypton Safety Net
When is someone going to write Superman so that it does not sound like the same writers that were writing for him in the 1930's? This book is full of the same cornball dialogue that has become a plague throughout Superman's career. Superman grew up human - why not make him sound like it? This book does allow us to see a more human side to Superman - one with fears and an eroding self-confidence. The problem is that this unique storyline is overshadowed by the grade school, dumb it down writing. The story also uses the old fail safe, when it doubt make it Kryptonian safety net. The greatest challenge in a story about Superman is finding something that can challenge him, Krypton is too easy and this reader is anxiously anticipating something else. Superman is the greatest superhero of all time, but his future is endanger with these tired run of the mill storylines.

Uhh-pok-lipzz?
So might say Doomsday, if he knew, or cared, where he was in this story which could be titled The Birth and Death of Doomsday. The art is flawless, and the story very good, with only a little bit of retconning. Or would that be ret-disconning? Whatever. The story has some ham-handed exposition, however. When Superman and Henshaw talk to their silent partners, they might as well be talking to themselves. This just really annoys me for some reason -- comic writers realized back in the thirties that characters can't talk to themselves every time the reader needs to know what's on their minds, couldn't we have come up with a better solution by now? Ah, well.

Read this is you like the Boyscout and/or Doomsday, and if you don't mind the autolocution I've mentioned above, and if you're not a stickler for scientific accuracy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Decent Compilation of the Superman Legacy
I found "The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told" much more effective...Why?
Maybe it was the stories by the likes of Byrne, Moore and Kirby...
Maybe it was the multi-part stories from the 60's...
Maybe it was the 'imaginary' stories that helped convolute the DC Universe so badly that only by destroying it could it be saved (in 'Crisis on Infinite Earths')...
Whatever the reason, these stories (though rarely great) are consitently good and entertaining. They hold up well enough to still honor the pre-death Man of Steel and the impressive legacy he wields.

If you can find a copy, you may not be dazzled but you probably won't be dissapointed either.

Good overview
I have no way of knowing if these REALLY are the the greatest Superman stories ever told, but it's certainly a good overview of the career of the Man of Steel. For anyone interested in a scholarly history of Superman, the two introductions are invaluable: giving us Superman's history, his revisions, and the people who made him. The stories here are samplings from the entire history of Superman. We see that, in the beginning, Superman couldn't fly (he could just jump really high) and that Lex Luthor had hair. To me, the stories get much better in the later years. There's a superman adventure by comic-legend Jack Kirby and, my favorite, a little story by Alan Moore about what to get Kal-El for his birthday.

"Faster than a speeding bullet..."
I began reading comics right at the end of their Golden Age, and they were instrumental in fostering my life-long love of reading. That's why I would never denigrate them, and I always encouraged my children to read them. One of my favorites was, of course, Superman, not only the comic, but the television series. I had a very large collection of all types of comics from the 50s and early 60s, but they were sold (except for my complete set of Classics Illustrated) several years ago, to help pay for home remodeling. I'm sorry they're gone, so when I saw this book on a bargain table at Borders, I knew that I would buy it, and I'm glad that I did. Several of the early stories were from books I had as a youngster, and even the ones with which I was not familiar were very interesting. This is a good collection to have, as there are some interesting written articles, and the stories themselves give a good chronology of Superman's evolution through the years. It's a great nostalgic work for the aging Baby Boomer!

Great
Another great collection of Superman stories. This collection offers a wide variety of tales, ranging from early stories to those told during the Superman re-launch in the mid-80's. All were great, and really show the quality of the character and creators who have made the character such an icon. When read in one volume you can really see how the character has evolved yet still maintained the qualities of heroism over the years. Highly recommended.

Highly recommended.

Not the best Superman stories, but certainly not the worst
This is one of those collections that proves 'old' comics (40's-60's) don't necesarilly have to be corny. The stories told in this collection are nice stand-alone reads. Nothing spectacular but also nothing that isn't worth your time. There's even an Alan Moore story in here. If I compare the stories in here to a lot of other stuff from "those days" these come of very positive in 90% of the cases and you'll get to see some fun surprising things (like a Lex Luthor WITH hair). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Some of the worst superman stories ever
reprints ACTION COMICS #814-819, plus backups from #812-813

Keep in mind the writer of this book has been fired from both major comic companies because of how badly his books sell, and any critics of his are in his own words "40 year old virgins" or "12 trolls", he thinks he is a god amogn writer.

now about the story, he turns superman into a cocky guy who will endanger people, a wisecracker who is not even funny, he tries to turn him into Spider-man, his clark kent side is so whimpy Woody Alan would come off like clint eastwood compared to him.

and how about ruining great villains? Darksied is one of the most feared villains in the history of DC comics, he can wipe out people with a single blast of omega vision, he is almost a god, him and superman have had epic battles..and austin writes him and his vast army of very powerful creatures, and his son kalibrak who is also powerful..all being defeated in the space of ho 10 seconds by superman..alone, yeah great writing there chuck!

now for the clark kent side, he is also the hard luck kid, his wife and boss can't even tell him he's been demoted, makes no sense of course, i mean your own wife can't tell you? or the boss? but hey austen writes lois as being a witch anyway, he said in interviews he hated her and loved Lana, so all of a sudden she's mean, lana is a stalker who leaves her husband for clark, and clarks parents, who love lois now don't care for her, they tell Lana we never cared for her really, we always liked you..yeah that's the way to write ma kent.


and it just continues, the villain Gog? badly written as are all the rest, doomsday shows up, people don't act right, austen gets an idea anr runs with it, he admits he can't wait to make changes so he just does it.

so please look to some other great superman books, Superman: Unconventional Warfare by Greg Rucka is a great new book and worth checking out. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Superman: The Action Comics Archives vol. 2 is a classic!!!
Superman: The Action Comics Archives vol. 2 reprints the Superman stories from Action Comics #21 thru #36, classic stories from the early days of comic books' Golden Age. DC Comics continues their presentation of early comic book stories with their award-winning Archive Editions series.

Again, this is not the Superman of today. He truly was the Man of Tomorrow, with thrilling adventures of the early 1940s. Fun, simple stories from a different time.

To all Superman fans, and/or fans of early Golden Age comic book classics, get this book!!! ... Read more