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zglotz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lewis_fishman's review against another edition
4.0
every so often i find myself coming back to this comic, and i have no idea why. good tho innit
jammasterjamie's review against another edition
5.0
The only comic that ever made me cry, the story is told superbly, the art is incredible, and the emotion is palpable. The final fight with Doomsday is amazingly captured, and I truly enjoyed the expanding panels throughout the series until that final issue where every page was a splash-page (which means a full-sized drawing for those who don't know). The story was just that big and the expanding of the art helped to reflect that. If you've ever been a Superman fan then this is a must-read.
----2021 UPDATE----
I stand by everything I said above - This is the pinnacle of 1990s superhero comics and the first real comic-book event that justifiably became world-wide headline news, and changed the form and shape of the industry in ways that are still impacting how these publishers tell their stories to this very day. If you've got comic-book-event-fatigue, you can pretty much blame this story. Yes, Crisis was the first, but this is where the publishers really saw what a money-maker events can be.
I've seen some of the criticism below that there was no lead-up to this story and Doomsday just sort of came out of nowhere and the entire thing was just a prolonged fist-fight. You're right, but for me, that worked for what the story was trying to do - Sometimes the greatest challenges we face come from out of the blue and do their best to beat the ever-living hell out of us, and this story is a good parable for those types of events. Of course, they're not usually in the form of a monster like Doomsday, but I would say a sudden cancer or heart-condition diagnoses probably has the same impact as a surprise punch from an unknown creature who arose unexpectedly, and that's why it works for me.
----2021 UPDATE----
I stand by everything I said above - This is the pinnacle of 1990s superhero comics and the first real comic-book event that justifiably became world-wide headline news, and changed the form and shape of the industry in ways that are still impacting how these publishers tell their stories to this very day. If you've got comic-book-event-fatigue, you can pretty much blame this story. Yes, Crisis was the first, but this is where the publishers really saw what a money-maker events can be.
I've seen some of the criticism below that there was no lead-up to this story and Doomsday just sort of came out of nowhere and the entire thing was just a prolonged fist-fight. You're right, but for me, that worked for what the story was trying to do - Sometimes the greatest challenges we face come from out of the blue and do their best to beat the ever-living hell out of us, and this story is a good parable for those types of events. Of course, they're not usually in the form of a monster like Doomsday, but I would say a sudden cancer or heart-condition diagnoses probably has the same impact as a surprise punch from an unknown creature who arose unexpectedly, and that's why it works for me.
nyx255's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
standardman's review against another edition
2.0
A landmark but not really a good read.
Doomsday isn’t interesting and it’s far too tied to stories around it. There are some nice touches though - the splash page issue is so daft it works and the ‘magazine’ is fun, if too long.
Doomsday isn’t interesting and it’s far too tied to stories around it. There are some nice touches though - the splash page issue is so daft it works and the ‘magazine’ is fun, if too long.
ashlylynne's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 Stars
Today I’m talking about a comic that was meant to be the end of Superman, but, as it’s now over 20 years down the road, we know that wasn’t the case. The time was 1993, the sales of Superman comics were down, and DC was convinced that it was time to pull the plug. So, I’m going to go a bit Lemony Snicket on you here and advise you not to read this comic if you’re expecting a happy story. You won’t find it. Doomsday has broken free and he’s out for blood. Will Superman be able to stop him destroying Metropolis? What will it cost him to defeat this embodiment of evil?
The reviews I was reading discussing this Graphic Novel has proved that, once again, I seem to be an oddball in my opinion. Many of them said how much the reader disliked this book, but I, on the hand, really liked it. I would honestly consider reading this again.
Now, confession time. This is the first Superman comic I’ve ever read. As crazy as that sounds, it’s 100% true. I’ve always been a fan of the guy, but I was never a big comic reader when I was younger. [insert comics and feminism rant here.] So, I don’t have much to compare this book to, but I know plenty about this alien from outer space, so I can say I went into this comic with expectations and knowing what’s what.
So, what is what here? I liked this plot. I thought it had some cool guest appearances from other superheroes and I thought there was enough to drive the story forward. Sure, could the plot have been more developed and in depth? Probably. But, we have to keep in mind that, at the time, Superman was going under. I imagine the writers and illustrators (and wowza there are a lot of them!) wanted to get this done as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Even so, given the circumstances, I still found I enjoyed the tension and was constantly hoping that there was going to be some loophole to save our beloved hero. Alas, I was a blubbering mess at the end of this story. It was a bit surreal to think that this could have actually been the end. I’m very glad it wasn’t.
Shall I say a little something about the characters? Why yes. Yes I shall. I thought the characters were well developed and enjoyable to read about with the likeness to the normal selves we’ve all grown so fond of. Louis Lane shines in this one, as do a few other strong females. However, everyone shines in this volume. I honestly don’t really have anything bad to say about these characters.
OMG, side note: Having not read a Superman comic before what’s this business that Lex Luthor has red hair and a beard? How strange to see!
Okay, so there is one little nit-picky thing I can say about the characters. Well, one character, at least. Doomsday could have used more development. On one hand, we know virtually nothing about this guy. Where did he come from? Why is he the way he is? Why does he crave nothing other than death and destruction? On the other hand, I think that makes him even more horrifying. We don’t know anything about him so there’s nothing to analyze. This proves quite the test for our beloved Clark Kent. In my opinion, it was very unsettling for such a powerful man to die at the hands of something so unknowable.
Anyway, this isn’t psyche class, so I guess I’ll move on.
*THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS BVS MOVIE SPOILERS*
The last thing I want to say is an attestant to the mysterious ways in which the universe works. I read this book one week before seeing the new Batman V Superman movie. What a crazy coincidence that the one Superman comic I’ve read played such a crazy significant role in the new movie. I was watching the movie and squealed in the theater when it hit me what storyline was unfolding. Like, no, I physically squealed. People looked at me with concern. It’s just so cool how it worked out, and I will never be over the mysterious way it all unfolded.
So, do I recommend this comic? Yes, yes I do. It’s definitely worth the read, especially for DC and Superman fans. This will most definitely not be my only Superman comic. I’m eager to read more, maybe starting with the sequel to this story, since I’m sure it’s going to crop up if I get my new Justice League movie series that has been promised.
Review originally published on my Wordpress blog Dreaming Through Literature.
Today I’m talking about a comic that was meant to be the end of Superman, but, as it’s now over 20 years down the road, we know that wasn’t the case. The time was 1993, the sales of Superman comics were down, and DC was convinced that it was time to pull the plug. So, I’m going to go a bit Lemony Snicket on you here and advise you not to read this comic if you’re expecting a happy story. You won’t find it. Doomsday has broken free and he’s out for blood. Will Superman be able to stop him destroying Metropolis? What will it cost him to defeat this embodiment of evil?
The reviews I was reading discussing this Graphic Novel has proved that, once again, I seem to be an oddball in my opinion. Many of them said how much the reader disliked this book, but I, on the hand, really liked it. I would honestly consider reading this again.
Now, confession time. This is the first Superman comic I’ve ever read. As crazy as that sounds, it’s 100% true. I’ve always been a fan of the guy, but I was never a big comic reader when I was younger. [insert comics and feminism rant here.] So, I don’t have much to compare this book to, but I know plenty about this alien from outer space, so I can say I went into this comic with expectations and knowing what’s what.
So, what is what here? I liked this plot. I thought it had some cool guest appearances from other superheroes and I thought there was enough to drive the story forward. Sure, could the plot have been more developed and in depth? Probably. But, we have to keep in mind that, at the time, Superman was going under. I imagine the writers and illustrators (and wowza there are a lot of them!) wanted to get this done as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Even so, given the circumstances, I still found I enjoyed the tension and was constantly hoping that there was going to be some loophole to save our beloved hero. Alas, I was a blubbering mess at the end of this story. It was a bit surreal to think that this could have actually been the end. I’m very glad it wasn’t.
Shall I say a little something about the characters? Why yes. Yes I shall. I thought the characters were well developed and enjoyable to read about with the likeness to the normal selves we’ve all grown so fond of. Louis Lane shines in this one, as do a few other strong females. However, everyone shines in this volume. I honestly don’t really have anything bad to say about these characters.
OMG, side note: Having not read a Superman comic before what’s this business that Lex Luthor has red hair and a beard? How strange to see!
Okay, so there is one little nit-picky thing I can say about the characters. Well, one character, at least. Doomsday could have used more development. On one hand, we know virtually nothing about this guy. Where did he come from? Why is he the way he is? Why does he crave nothing other than death and destruction? On the other hand, I think that makes him even more horrifying. We don’t know anything about him so there’s nothing to analyze. This proves quite the test for our beloved Clark Kent. In my opinion, it was very unsettling for such a powerful man to die at the hands of something so unknowable.
Anyway, this isn’t psyche class, so I guess I’ll move on.
*THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS BVS MOVIE SPOILERS*
The last thing I want to say is an attestant to the mysterious ways in which the universe works. I read this book one week before seeing the new Batman V Superman movie. What a crazy coincidence that the one Superman comic I’ve read played such a crazy significant role in the new movie. I was watching the movie and squealed in the theater when it hit me what storyline was unfolding. Like, no, I physically squealed. People looked at me with concern. It’s just so cool how it worked out, and I will never be over the mysterious way it all unfolded.
So, do I recommend this comic? Yes, yes I do. It’s definitely worth the read, especially for DC and Superman fans. This will most definitely not be my only Superman comic. I’m eager to read more, maybe starting with the sequel to this story, since I’m sure it’s going to crop up if I get my new Justice League movie series that has been promised.
Review originally published on my Wordpress blog Dreaming Through Literature.
hskey's review against another edition
4.0
I'd read this 100 years ago, but I'm pretty sure I skimmed it and I definitely didn't remember any of the details. I really liked this, largely because of the visual storytelling. A lot of the dialogue still reeks of 80s/90s exclamations, very comic-booky in that sense, but some panels are fantastic - one of the Justice League members getting thrown through a family's window, Superman getting more desperate and pissed off in the final few pages were great to look at. I think this could have been longer and more fleshed out, and definitely would've liked to see a more varied strategy from Supes other than kicky punchy, but overall one of my favorite Supermans to date. Loved the epilogue told through the Metropolis Newspapers and Magazines, with quotes from fictional and non-fictional characters (Shaq, John Goodman, Dan Rather).