Reviews (1)

Highly recommended!
This delightful little graphic novel (Superman Adventures - Volume 1: Up, Up and Away!) is actually a collection of four stories from SUPERMAN ADVENTURES 16, 19 and 22-24. The storylines of these four adventures are quite exciting, and the illustrations came out quite striking. My ten-year-old son loved this book, and highly recommends it to you. So do I!

Incase you are interested, the four stories are:

"Clark Kent, You're a Nobody," in which Clark Kent suddenly finds that he is not Superman, and never was. While Clark goes about trying to figure out what has happened, Superman is flying around on his normal duties: rescuing people and fighting crime. What's going on here?

In "The Bodyguard of Steel," Superman must protect the President of the United States (who looks suspiciously like Bill Clinton) against a super-assassin. But, there's more here than meets the eye.

In "War Games" (actually a two-part story), all of Metropolis seems to be going wrong, as computers everywhere start to go haywire. Who is behind this evil plan, and what are they hoping to accomplish?

"Power Corrupts, Super Power Corrupts Absolutely," sees Superman's powers stolen by the super-villain Parasite. What can Superman do to stop him?
... Read more

Amazon.com

Can you imagine a Superman comic book in which another superhero, while sitting on a swing in a park, asks Superman if he believes in God? If you can, you might think it would be very difficult to pull off without being entirely silly (in a bad way). Well, give Mike Allred a great big prize for his wonderfully enjoyable and off-center comic book The Superman Madman Hullabaloo! Not only is there a conversation about the existence of God, this story features mutant underground street beatniks, a super zombie, a health-food food fight, and a skyscraper with legs. That Allred could get away with writing and drawing such a subversive take on one of the most tightly controlled characters in comics is, as Matt Wagner says in his introduction, a testament to the "Allred chutzpah." Perhaps you are wondering what sort of hullabaloo this is. Mike Allred's lovable hero, Madman--a chap whose real identity is unknown even to himself, and who has no real superpowers--runs into Superman. Literally, in a cross-dimensional vehicle, he runs into Superman. That collision leaves them both a bit mixed up, and they're going to have to go from Snap City to Metropolis and back to solve this one. It's no wonder the back cover proclaims this book is "more bizarre than Bizarro." --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Any chance of Allred writing Superman again...
...either in the monthly Superman comics on a regular basis or even writing the screenplay for the next SUPERMAN movie, since he's dabbled in independent filmmaking? I'm serious. This book has a light, easy feel to the scripting that fits the character of Superman perfectly. I agree with the previous reviewer that Allred's portrayal of Superman as a confident, wise figure is on target. This is more or less what Superman should be (although the current writers on the Superman books seem to be steering Superman more in this direction--surely a good sign). Everything in the story, from the rampaging building to the health food fight to the zombie beatniks, ends up having a energetic charm instead of coming off as ridiculous (which would have been the case in the hands of a lesser writer). And the conversation Superman and Madman have about God is great. What a lovely insight into Superman's character. This was also my first exposure to Madman...and I have say, I like him. He's a cool guy. And the art is fine, too. Classic and quirky all at once, it fits the tale perfectly.

All in all, a great introduction to the Madman continuity, and a worthy addition to the Superman canon. Now if only we could get that proposed meeting of Superman and Madman's pals as hinted at on the last page....

Great Fun!
Superhero Comics the way they were meant to be. Allred'scharming writing and art make this one of the funner books of the 90'sera when every superhero had to be nastier and more bad...than all the rest. Allred's Madman character is one the most original superheroes in a long time, mostly due to the fact that Allred doesn't write him as a superhero character but as a real person. Madman's naive nature and sweetness is what makes him so charming and his bold visual is what makes him so memorable. Allred's handle on Superman is also well-done. Rather than the 90's version of the characetr which is unsure and unknowing, Allred hits Superman right on the head--confident, wise, and inteligent with a strong compassionate nature. The characters come to life because each has his own distinct personality rather than a team of tough guys. The book is delivered without a hint of cynicism and Allred has captured what makes Superheroes so fun--that wide-eyed, innocent, and uplifting feeling you got when you were a kid. END ... Read more

Reviews (2)

low action with a lot of drama
low action with a lot of drama I have to say , a lot was given to this comic book both in art & in plot , as the truth of the Erica inhumanity revealed as her son Luce awaken from his 100 years sleep to seek the death of all humans and why he became this way .

All interesting of curse , but why did they cal it superman story I have no Idea , after all superman only appeared in fifth of this comic book while most of the addition was toward luther & his wife the Contessa del Portaza , so they might as will have called it Luther & Erica: the end of the century , & for them 3 stars is all the book deserve.

Pretty good !
This was a great reading experience, the story was very nice, and so was artwork! ... Read more

Book Description

Relive the adventures of Krypton's favorite son inside and outside the comic book world in Superman: The Complete History. This book is filled with enough archival comic book art, photographs, and in-depth history to satisfy the most demanding fan -- and is now priced to appeal to the most casual reader. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

ALMOST the complete history
Faiz Rehman (faiz79@hotmail.com) from Wales welcome look at the history of the man of steel Heavy on the pictures, this book is an excellent look at 60 years of Superman. Don't miss the covers - the dust jacket has original art work from the past, while the cover of the book proper has modern versions of the same art by the one and only Alex Ross. It overs the origins, the merchandise, and the adaptations. Although not as detailed as you may hope for, there are still plenty of facts to discover. The book does not gush over all aspects of the legend - it is critical of some aspects of, for example, the Dean Cain series. The books is not complete - for example, it does not mention the excellent radio series produce by Dirk Maggs in the BBC which is probably the closest adaptation of the comics stories. It does look gorgeous, though, and is much better than the majority of books of this type.

Entertaining history of the rise of the Man of Steel
Need to know something about how Superman changed over the years? Need to find out how the character evolved from comic books, to radio, to television, to motion picture, to TV again? This is the book to answer all those questions. Plus it has lots of nice photos of Superman toys and merchandise over the years. (The only thing missing is Superman Spinball Pinball, an amazingly fun toy that Mattell churned out to coincide with Christopher Reeve's first Superman film.) Tells you how the characters evolved, and more importantly, why they did, as the behind the scenes activities at DC Comics changed. A nice book for superhero fans of all ages.

Good overview of Superman's history
This is a great book for anyone who is interested in reading about the history of The Man Of Steel in all of his media incarnations (it's a few years old, so misses out on any info on the tv series Smallville). Well written and illustrated, it's a must-have for any fan of Superman.

Hardly the True Story of Superman
There is no doubt the comic book industry owes a great debt to Superman, or rather, to Siegel and Shuster who created him, but in his book, Les Daniels frequently looks for ways to minimize, rather than credit, their contribution. DC Comics made millions of dollars on the movies, TV Shows, cartoons, and other merchanising over the decades, while Siegel and Shuster shared in hardly any of it. The most shocking thing now is, this book, written with the cooperation of DC - rather than apologize to the two men, or even express any kind of gratitude, it actually takes stabs at Sigel and Shuster. Rather than simply state the facts regarding to Superman's history, Daniels frequently assails the characters of the two men, claims they took most of their ideas from other places, assigns poor motives to both men, even mentions extra-marital affairs they may or may not have had. The book is supposed to be about Superman, who cares about any of that? Of course Daniels would never turn a critical eye towards DC, who seem to have hired him, it's surprising they still seem to be bitter about two men that made them so much money for the last sixty years. There is no doubt, DC has been the best comic book company when it comes to promoting their characters, but they have also been very lucky in the courts. Not only did they force Superman's creators to relinquish all rights to the character, their lawsuits also managed to force Captain Marvel, a character more popular than Superman at the time, out of business. They claimed they were too much alike, but anyone who knows comics could see their differences. Later, DC took over Captain Marvel and actually began publishing him themselves (!). This story is only touched on briefly here. I give the book two stars because the illustrations are good, but the text deserves one, if even that. Everyone is entitled their opinion, but, in a book like this, people don't want to hear about it, they expect a decent read about the character of Superman. The true history of Superman is really not told here, it actually involves greedy businessmen sitting back and counting their money, while the creators that were the ones to make these characters, end up dying peniless.

A great history of the greatest superhero.
Superman is, without a doubt, one of the most recognizable characters in the world. But how did he reach that point? Les Daniels excellent history of Superman tells that story, and is packed with great pictures and photos as well. A perfect book for comic or pop culture fans. Highly Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful for us poor folk
This is absolutly the best way to get the old comics from the 40's! They are here in color and on beautiful pages that make the comics come to life. They are meant for kids of the 40's and seem kind of hokey by todays standards, but these are the classics! I love each and every one that DC Comics puts out.

Contents
Foreword by Michael Uslan. Stories reprinted from Action Comics #37 (Jun 41)-#52 (Sep 42). All stories written by Jerry Siegel. Art by Fred Ray, Paul Cassidy, Jack Burnley, Ray Burnley, Leo Nowak, John Sikela, and Ed Dobrotka.

Good Collection
Some great old superman stories. By this time supes was starting to square off against super-villains a bit more often. Action #42 was probably my favorite, and has an interesting plot twist. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A disappointment
I dearly loved Dan Jurgens' run on the "Superman" comic books -- he wrote and drew some of my favorite Superman stories of all time, not the least of which was the infamous "Death of Superman" storyline. This is not that storyline, however -- it's a rehash of the story years down the line filtered through the perceptions of a stereotypical comic book "crusading journalist" type. The new characters are dull and the old characters don't really add much to the story that we didn't get ten years ago when it was printed the first time.

If anyone gets this paperback, it'll be Superman completists. People looking for a good Superman story -- get the original Death & Return saga... I'm afraid you won't find it here.

DOOMed from the Start?
If SUPERMAN: DAY OF DOOM -- a narrative penned by Dan Jurgens, the genius behind "The Death of Superman" storyline -- should be remembered for anything, it's in igniting the desire to go back and reread (and relive) the events of the entire "Death" series. Certainly, it's hard to compete with one of the most revered stories to come out of comics in the past twenty years, but Jurgens does a respectable job only trying to give a nod to the events now in Supe's ever-growing history. While the perspective of "looking back" is a nice touch, I found the character of 'Remnant' to be little more than formulaic. Still, DAY OF DOOM is a quick read, and it deserves a place on any Superman fan's bookshelf. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Read the graphic novels instead
I am an avid Superman fan and received this book for Christmas. This is a prose adaptation of the Death of Superman, World Without a Superman, and Return of Superman arcs which appeared in the comics. Normally, when authors adapt comic books into prose, they expand upon what the characters are thinking, allowing the reader to peer into their innermost thoughts. Unfortunately, this adaptation falls far short, choosing instead to stay faithful to the superficial story.

However, this book might be appropriate for a younger child who lacks the patience to read all three graphic novels. This book does an excellent job of condensing all three graphic novels into one story, but unfortunately that's all it does.

Preview of Superman V
The great tradition of the heroic Man of Steel continues. Superman has finally met his match. Hey, if your a Superman fan, you gotta read this one

its the best
its grea ... 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

Reviews (2)

Classic Superman
I just cannot recomend these books enough. The quality is fantastic and you will not be disappointed at any of the DC Archives. You could spend hundreds or even thousands for a single copy of these comics or buy the stories from several of them here at a fraction of the cost. I am very impressed with ALL of the Archives so far.

Contents
Collects the following stories, all written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by Leo Nowak and/or John Sikela as noted (credits from the Grand Comic-Book Database, not from the Archive):

Foreward by Leonard Maltin

Superman #13 (Nov-Dec 41) (cover by Fred Ray)
[The Light] (Nowak (Shuster layouts))
[Attack of the Archer] (Nowak)
[Baby on the Doorstep] (Nowak)
[The City Beneath the Earth] (Sikela)

Superman #14 (Jan-Feb 42) (cover by Fred Ray)
[Concerts of Doom] (Nowak)
[The Invention Thief] (Nowak)
The Undersea City (Nowak(p)/Dobrotka?(i))
(Archive credits inks to Sikela)
The Lightning Master (Nowak)

Superman #15 (Mar-Apr 42) (cover by Fred Ray)
[The Cop Who Was Ruined] (Nowak)
[Saboteurs from Napkan] (Nowak(p)/Sikela(i))
[Superman in Oxnalia] (Sikela)
The Evolution King (Nowak(p)/Sikela(i))

Superman #16 (May-Jun 42) (cover by Fred Ray)
World's Meanest Man (Nowak&Sikela(p)/Dobrotka(i))
[Terror from the Stars] (Sikela(p)/Dobrotka?(i))
Case of the Runaway Skyscrapers (Shuster?&Sikela(p)/Sikela(i))
Racket on Delivery (Sikela(p)/Dobrotka?(i)) ... Read more

Book Description

Flip through these pages to find in-depth profiles of Superman's friends and foes, annotated illustrations of key weapons and places, "Episode Panels" to help place each character in specific storylines, and "Super Data" panels featuring vital stats for all the major players.

Superman: The Animated Series Guide is based on the popular television series, which stayed true to the original Superman story while updating the characters and settings with stunning visuals and animation techniques. DK and DC Comics team up to bring these same classic storylines and new, exciting styling to the page. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Superman Rulz!
Just like I said reviewing the BATMAN book By Scott Beatty. This book is cool! NO 1!

Superman Guide --great intro for series.
Being a fan of the Superman animated series, I was thrilled to see some a new book come out on this well-written show.

Regrettably, after a measly 52 episodes, WB decided not to produce any more episodes, and just last year DC also decided not to produce any more comics written in the Superman--Animated Series style.

This text is much more kid friendly than Mr. McCloud's other DC Books on the regular DC DK books (Batman, having a few strong illustrations that might be a bit much for the younger crowd).

I was rather surprised at the smaller size of the text, but loved the well-chosen illustrations and text, culled from both the series and short-lived comic book.

An excellent guide to the series, which hopefully can get some more kids and viewers into the show which will be replayed on the Cartoon Network.

I hope Mr. McCloud can continue to do books on Batman Beyond and in a few years, the Justice League (when that particular series has accumulated more episodes).

Still, I wish a few more pages could have included an episode guide to the series, and to the comic book done in that style

Heartily recommend.

Sincerely,

JThree

carolyn@dia.net ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fix the listing
The listing for this title appears this way when viewed April 28, 2004: "Superman: Adventure of Man of Steel (D C Comic Graphic Novl by Paul Scott/Dinni McCloud (Author)"

The title of the book is "Superman: Adventures of the Man of Steel "

DC Comics is the publisher.

a "graphic novel" is a description of the kind of book it is and the kind of means of communication (some would say "the language", some "the medium") it uses.

the "Authors" are Paul Dini (not "Dinni") and Scott McCloud. They were the writers of the script and dialogue of different issues collected in this book. The artists, as best as I am able to determine without having the issue in front of me (I'm not at the moment where my comics are kept) are Terry Austin, Rick Burchett & Bret Blevins. Together, artists and writers (who sometimes are one and the same) are the creator of the story, based on characters other people created and which owned owned by the corporation TimeWarner, in Superman's / DC Comic's case.

And, yes, I think Superman creators Siegel, Shuster, several of the writers and artists who came after them (whenever relevant), and the corporation all ought to be credited, for posterity's sake.

But my primary reason for writing is to get Amazon.com to hire people who know enough about what they're doing to be able to catch the more than 8 errors in this listing. Most importantly, fix the listing so that McCloud & Dini are correctly credited. They deserve the respect.

Scott McCloud Understands Comics!
This is Superman written by the man who wrote "Understanding Comics". Scott McCloud's storytelling is so clear and beautiful in this volume. It's almost like a real application of the principles he outlined in his book. And he does it all almost effortlessly to the envy of many comic creators.

The stories are set in Paul Dini's Animated continuity and it expands on many of the characters that we've previously encountered in the TV show (Metallo, Brainiac, etc.). The artwork by Rick Burchett, Ty Templeton, Terry Austin and Bret Blevins capture the dynamism and movement of the Animated Series. Almost like you were holding a "cartoon" on paper.

Read this volume to rediscover the charm of the Man of Steel. Then rush down to your local video store and rent all the Superman cartoons you can find!

Top-of-the-line Superman Stories
As with the Batman Adventures books, this is one of the clearest and most charming depictions of the Man of Steel around. The stories are inventive and well-told, with neither the continuity clutter of the mainstream books nor the uneven artwork that plagues the larger titles from issue to issue. All the stories here are self-contained, and the excellent introductory issue by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm is topped again and again by the legendary Scott McCloud, whose clear writing style belies some of the cleverest plotlines in any Superman comic. The sure-footed and simple line art is the work of Rick Burchett from issue 2 onward, perfectly complementary to McCloud's scripts. The book itself is a pretty no-frills presentation on newsprint, but it does the job.

The best of the stories is the last - "Seonimod," a time-running-backwards story with Mr. Mxyzptlk, but then they're all pretty great.

Overall, an excellent choice for anyone who likes a good read, and a kid-friendly and clever introduction to The Man of Steel.

Man of Steel
Great book. Pretty well done. Too short to cover much of Supermans adventures. Superman has looked better. Overall, well put together. ... Read more

Book Description

On his way home from school one day, Clark Kent encounters a terrible traffic accident. Without thinking, he leaps into the flames to rescue the passengers and comes away unharmed! When he tells his parents his amazing tale, they reveal to him the long-held secret of his heritage... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Ideal for its target audience
We are home schooling a 7 year old who had a tough time getting started on reading last year. He's progressing very well now, though, so I've been looking for books that are a bit more advanced, closer to third grade level than what he's been reading. This book turned out to be perfect on that score.

The vocabulary is simple enough that my son could read most of it without help, but it introduced several words that he needed some coaching on. As a result, it served both as a way to increase his confidence in his own ability to read and as a way to teach him a few new words. Also, any book about Superman is bound to be of interest to a 7 year old boy, so he really wanted to read it.

The artwork in the book reminds me of the early-mid '90s animated TV series. The plot, while not entirely consistent with most of the other "Superman coming into his powers" stories, was not so different as to bother any but the most die hard detail-oriented Superman fan. The main difference from other versions of the story is that young (teenage) Clark has no idea that he has any super powers at all, and suddenly comes into most of them all at once.

A common bond - Highlighting adoption
Anytime I can pick up a book about Superman and have a positive message about adoption in it, I will read it to my kids. I have used Superman as an example to my two kids who are adopted. I would like to see more of this type of writing. I have also used the book to increase my child's reading ability. It is easier to learn when there is a common bond. ===> robertkohlmanjr@prodigy.net ... Read more

Reviews (5)

this is never going to happen.
judgeing by thir personalitys this is never going to happen
What happend to the other super heros? and where is pete and lana's son?
seeing john kick luthor's butt really made me feel good. and superman too. he has broken down supes dna so now luthor has gotten superman's powers.

P.S. we get to see wonder woman in a night gown.

heros: john, superman, lois lane, green lantern, flash, martian manhunter, wonder woman, aquaman, batman, lana lang, pete ross.

villans: lex luthor, morgan edge {mentioned.}

Ultra Good book
The book "Son of Superman" was one of the most awesomest books I have ever read. Although it has the same proablems all Graphic novels has, Shortness, it is still a good buy. the takes place in the future where an evil martian manhunter got superman and the world has become place where order is more than justice. The JLA become surrenders to the man and works on a payroll, not even a justice team anymore they're justice a symbol to help the goverment keep control.

I wanted more out of this story
I loved the concept. With his father presumed dead for the past fifteen years, a government for the haves and not the have-nots, and the Justice League of America with a rent-a-cop attitude, Superman's son awakens to his powers and his true identity.

Is his father still alive? What was behind Superman's disappearance? How will the world deal with the Son of Superman?

I liked how these questions were answered, but I left wanting more--maybe that's a good thing. However, I would have liked to have seen more detail on the changes in the world, more of the oppression that the terrorists were fighting against. I also wanted the battle at the end of the book to be a little longer.

Beyond those comments, this is a good story. It's worth buying. Like one of the other reviewers had mentioned, I would also like a sequel.

Excellent Elseworlds tale with intrigue and action
This was a great read, not entirely flawless but well worth the money. The art is well rendered (think Dan Jurgens and Kevin Nowlan from Superman Vs Aliens, also a great read). The story focuses on semi-rebellious Jon Kent, son of Superman who grew up not knowing who his father was thanks to Luthor's scheme. Luthor took control of the Fortress of Solitude, and engineered the capture of Superman on foreign soil, one year after Jon was born. It is now 15 years later, and the world has changed. The JLA (whose new logo has shades of facist overtones) is now akin to the first Youngblood team back in '92: a government sanctioned and paid superteam. Wonder Woman has become haughty and devious, Batman has become more human and less dark, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) is just older and less idealistic, Flash has become more arrogant, Aquaman is weary but continues, and the team leader, the Martian Manhunter, has become evil and manipulative. They collect their paychecks and save people only from 9-5. Plus, they all wear black. If you want hints of Jon Kent's personality, look no further than Terry McGuinness on Batman Beyond. Same attitude and problems. Thanks to a recent solar flare up, his latent powers, about 60% of what Superman has, have surfaced and he learns the truth from his mother, a well-ageing, movie scripting Lois Lane. After the initial set up of the story, we follow Superman and his son as they attempt to communicate and become a family again. Luthor however, has other plans...

With re-birth, betrayal, surprises and a dysfunctional super-family, you can't go wrong with this book!

The apple does fall far from the tree
Howard Chaykin is a talented writer. Check out the Shadow mini-series he wrote in 1986. Unfortunately, this is his not best work, though it is comforting to see a non-Batman Elseworlds. Though it does show a great contrast between Jon(Superman's son) and Clark. Their arguments are pretty enjoyable. Lois still maintains that old attitude. I'm not very fond at how the JLA has changed but fight at the end was pretty cool. Though this was not the best Superman story ever it is rather enjoyable and I hope for a sequel with the new Lex Luthor. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Beautiful Presentation Of This Historic Material
When comics publishers want their material presented just right, they go to Denis Kitchen, and that's what DC has done here. Jerry Siegel's and Joe Shuster's early "Superman" work was not terribly sophisticated, but it is historically important for its cultural impact and for the genre it created. It's also fun to read, and in this very attractive slipcased, hardcover edition, fun to own. The early newspaper version of Superman may have been superior to the contemporary comic book version- there is an excellent, very funny lookalike story in which Superman trades places with an even meeker and milder Clark Kent type for a day and makes trouble for various bullies.

The presentation here gets an A plus, with extra material, informative commentary, and another beautiful cover (and interior) design by the ever-excellent Peter Poplaski. This book, as well as the Sundays volume, perfectly compliments a similar treatment afforded to the "Batman" dailies and Sundays of the same period. Marvel should go this route with the early "Spider-Man" strips by Stan Lee and John Romita.

Superman the Superchauvanist!
These comic strips are a document of their times. Violent and chauvanistic. Superman terrorizes one criminal into having a heart attack, which doesn't stop him from giving the same treatment to another criminal. Lois Lane strives to get off the LoveLorn page - "Stay there, it's safer." Makes you want to grit your teeth. Doesn't mean these strips should be censored or made 'politically correct.' Not at all. Read, and realize how far we've come. But - how far have we come??

A really good read!
This wonderful book is a collection of Superman comics from the newspapers. (You know, one horizontal strip of three or four black-and-white frames.) There are nine *complete* episodes here: Episode 11 (1/8/40-2/8/40) through Episode 19 (12/2/40-3/8/41). Episodes 11 and 12 entangle America and Superman in a European war. (The dictator of Rutland has a funny uniform and sports a small moustache, looking vaguely familiar.) But my favorite is definitely the last, where Superman decides to help a meek, downtrodden man find his confidence, rise to his true level of competence, and marry the woman he loves.

This is a very nice collection of cartoons. Superman is not as "super" as in later stories: the newest Superman has biceps bigger than this one's head, and his flying isn't always 100%. However, the stories are interesting and fun to read. I like the comic-strip format, which makes the book easy to put down and pick up again. Most of all, though, I enjoyed a really good read! If you like Superman, or super-heroes in general, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Great Stuff!
The Superman Dailies of the 40's were not the most enthralling comic strips ever written but this book presents them in their best light. My only complaint and thus the 4 stars, was they stopped the book in the middle (?) of a storyline just one episode into 1940. I think they could've finished the storyline then went onto the next book which I hope will be released soon. The intro materials were short but absolutely interesting.

All in all this is a great companion to any comic book collection and a nice addition to the Batman Dailies Kitchen Sink published years ago. I can't wait for the Sunday Strips or the rest of the dailies. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

World's Finest?
On the whole, I would say this is a book that fails to live up to its potential.

For someone new to DC comics it is a decent introduction to the main characters associated with Superman and Batman, and in parts succeeds in capturing the simplistic attitude that saturated the fifties team-up comics to which the book pays tribute. This is spliced together with a more modern, and strangely less captivating story telling of the many shades of grey that exist between absolute good and evil.

Steve Rude and Karl Kessel's artwork more than lived up to my expectations but, in my copy at least, is seriously let down by some sloppy colour printing. If you can get past the annoying overspill of the colours into black areas then you'll be getting your money's worth.

But it isn't a 'World's Finest'. The superheroes come across as ineffectual in the face of real world injustice, which in turn leads to a somewhat unsatisfied feel to the ending. The book certainly has some good moments, particularly the interactions of Luthor and the Joker, but it wont stay in your mind for long after you've finished it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Highly recommended!
This delightful little graphic novel is actually a collection of four stories from SUPERMAN ADVENTURES 25-24. The storylines of these four adventures are quite exciting, and the illustrations came out quite striking. My ten-year-old son loved this book, and highly recommends it to you. So do I!

Incase you are interested, the four stories are:

"(Almost) The World's Finest Team," finds Bruce Wayne in the clutches of the Mad Hatter, who promises to shoot him if Batman doesn't turn over his cowl to him before midnight. Who should answer the Bat Signal, but the Man of Steel. But, things work differently in Gotham City than they do in Metropolis. Can Superman put things to right, or will he make them worse?

In "Yesterday's Man of Tomorrow," Mr. Mxyzptlk decides to defeat Superman by going back in the past, and convincing young Clark Kent to exile himself to the moon. Has he found the perfect way to defeat Superman?

"How Much Can One Man Hate?" sees Lex Luthor come up with a plot to rid himself of Superman by replacing him with an even greater superhero. Watch out, things are about to get quite complicated!

In "Jimmy Olsen Versus Darkseid," Kalibak seeks to switch bodies with Superman, but only succeeds in switching the bodies of Superman and Jimmy Olsen. Can Superman Jimmy save the day, and rescue Superman Olsen? Wow, this is going to be really complicated!

Finally, "Bride of Bizarro," sees Bizarro rescued by the evil Lobo. Bizarro wants a bride, his own Lois Lane, and Lobo is more than happy to see that he gets her. Can Superman save Lois from being turned into a Bizarro version of herself?
... Read more