For Tomorrow (2004, FROM SUPERMAN #204-215)

I certainly remember this as being better the first time I read it. Perhaps I was (and still am) wowed by Lee and Williams' art - which, for me, is how I envisage a modern Superman looking. Brian Azzarello's story, however, is a real clunker. I'm not sure why this was called "For Tomorrow". Was it an attempt to suggest that this version of Superman is how the creators saw him developing? Is it that it's about Kal-El's concerns about how he wakes up to the prospect of being Superman every day and how he manages to remain optimistic and up-beat?

The premise - in which a million people across the Earth including Lois Lane disappeared mysteriously a year earlier - is great. The problem is that the execution of the story is agonisingly convoluted and, ultimately, becomes pretty boring. What is central is a highly contrived narrative about Superman modifying a Phantom Zone projector to send people to a paradise and then mind-wiping himself so he fails to know where all the millions of people have gone. There's also various sub-plots, including involving a villainous OMAC prototype called Equus, who actually looks like a 1990s Wildstorm character.


Incredibly introspective and broody, it has the feeling that a four-issue story is stretched out beyond all proportions with lots of odd elements added that make it an unsatisfying read. Azzerello creates a morally ambiguous world for Superman to inhabit. All the way through it's impossible to know who the bad guys are because the good guys aren't really much better. Equally, some of the dialogue is pretty awful (there's one sequence between Batman and Superman that made me feel awkward - almost like reading a Hollywood scriptwriter's attempt who just doesn't "get" the idea of DC Universe).

Like I said, I remember this being better when I read it about 5 years ago but I think that the single thing that really doesn't work here is the character of Superman. He's far too introspective and angst-ridden (ok, I realise he's literally lost his wife and, somehow, he's responsible but he lacks the dogged, boy scout-ness that makes Superman Superman). The first half of the story has a pretty passive Superman who spends his time visiting a priest (although he does go into space to save Green Lantern - who, uncharacteristically, seems to shout "Save me!").

Much of the narrative is actually heavy-handed moral dilemmas: Superman musing about his role in the world, warfare, a priest dying of cancer and so on... To me they feel artificially forced and out of keeping with the sort of thing a Superman comic should be. I can see how DC could look at a comic like this and think it was time for a re-boot. It is, however, Jim Lee's art that I think is stunning. Whenever he draws members of the Justice League they look epic. Here, we get Batman and Wonder Woman in particular looking awesome.

I'm hoping that this "darker" angst-ridden Superman isn't the character we get in the Man of Steel movie. Personally, I don't think we need an intense, Batman-type personality. Or an intense, autistic character concerned about his discomforting alien-ness. Or an average joe who reflects on his desire to be ordinary when putting on the cape. I'm hoping he's the "Big Blue", the up-beat, inspirational symbol who saves the day because he is a super man. When Superman gets complicated we end up with a story like For Tomorrow.

#1 - From Out of the Green Dawn

Issue one is the origin story. It seems to draw on the 1978 movie a great deal. The prologue is Jor-El and Lara sending Kal-El to Earth. I like the designs of the Kryptonian costumes and that Kal-El is grown in, effectively, a test tube. There's no Superboy in this continuity, rather Clark is a star footballer but Pa Kent (who doesn't die) reveals he's an adopted alien. Clark is involved in a major super-deed by saving a space plane with Lois on board (dramatically portrayed in the Superman Returns movie). The Kents make Clark his costume and the final panel has Clark assuming his Superman identity.

#2 - The Story of the Century

Next, the supporting cast are introduced. Lois Lane spends the issue chasing after Superman in order to get an interview. Clark Kent gets a job at the Daily Planet (on the basis of interviewing himself as Superman). The portrayal of Lois is straight from the movie - she even looks very much like a more elegant Margot Kidder. The rivalry between Clark and Lois is established in this issue.

#3 - One Night in Gotham City...

#4 - Enemy Mine...

#5 - The Mirror, Crack'd

#6 - The Haunting

THE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SUPERMAN AND LUTHOR (1963, FROM SUPERMAN #164 REPRINTED INSHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMANVOL. 4)

Today's re-read is a single 1963 issue of Superman. There are a number of Silver Age stories of the Man of Steel that I love - particularly those involving the variously crazy effects of Superman. They tend to be very weird indeed but often have plots that don't really stand up. It's a short 17 story written by the science fiction author, Edmond Hamilton with art by Curt Swan and George Klein. It's a classic story where the roles of hero and villain become reversed and Luthor shows himself to have a sense of humanity and sacrifices the possibility of defeating Superman in order to save the population of a desert planet.

Superman worries about people losing faith in him

Essentially, this is a Lex Luthor story. He challenges Superman to a fight on a world - "man-to-man" - where Superman's powers would be removed. Clark Kent decides to accept the challenge, believing that people would lose faith in him if he didn't. It's all very gentlemanly: Luthor and Superman meet to agree terms, take a rocket to a desert world and strip off to engage in bare-knuckled boxing. In the fight, Superman takes a black eye but decks Luthor who then disappears leaving Superman to cope with a fast-growing cacti forest. Superman has flashbacks to life on Krypton and gets disoriented in a sandstorm.

Luthor discovers a city under attack by giant birds and acts to save the city's population. The people see Luthor then as their saviour and convince him to help them search for water (they are on the brink of extinction). They see Superman as the villain and Luthor - in a role reversal - ensures that Superman is treated fairly.

Superman and Luthor strip down and grapple with each other

The portrayal of Luthor by Hamilton is far more nuanced than we come to expect from this period. He's no moustache-twisting flat character, instead he's more a proud scientist who simply wants to receive recognition for helping people. Luthor's villainy is shown as a product of being in Superman's shadow. Throughout, we read Luthor's thoughts in speech bubbles where he tries to convince himself that he's simply acting to win over the people of the desert planet in order to defeat Superman. The duel continues with Luthor using the ancient forgotten technology of the planet - an anti-gravity tornado and an automaton bloodhound - until Luthor actually fakes his defeat in order for Superman to travel to an ice planet in order to send water to the desert planet. When Superman calls Luthor out about taking the fall, Luthor denies it - but thinks: "He huessed my motive in losing the duel... but I'll never admit to him I went soft!" (Interestingly, there's a panel where Superman is shown to behave churlishly when he tells Luthor he would help the desert people "...even if they did think me a villain.").

A confused Superman thinks he's home

Superman appears in this far less one-dimensional than he appears in a lot of Silver Age adventures. He almost seems neurotic in much of the narrative: acutely worried what others think of him, pretty useless at fighting, completely disoriented for much of the time, pre-occupied with his loss of his home planet and distressed when he is considered the villain. I'll skip over the homoerotic overtones of the topless fight with Luthor. It's interesting to consider what sort of character Kal-El/Clark Kent would be long term without his powers. Certainly, he's pretty smug when he's invulnerable.

Even though this could be seen as a slight Superman story, it has all the elements of a classic tale: the rivalry with Luthor, the trope of a weakened hero, space action plus the presence of Krypton hanging over Superman's life.

Luthor can't open up to Superman

The artwork retains the fifties, George Reeves, physical depiction of Superman. To me he looks like he's a broad, well-built man about 45. He looks like a beefy John Hamm here. Panelling and artwork - which I do like a great deal - is conventional and really of the period. There's no sense yet of anything edgy or weird.

Friday 14th June is the opening of the new Superman movie, Man of Steel, directed by Zack Synder. I've already booked my ticket for an opening day performance and I'm pretty hyped about seeing it. I've always been a fan of Superman right back to my childhood: I can remember going to see the epic Richard Donner Superman the Movie in 1978 and watching the old George Reeves tv episodes on Saturday mornings. It may be that Superman the Movie was responsible for my life-long love of comic books. Certainly, it was randomly picking up the hardback version of Brainiac by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank in 2009 that got me back into reading comics in a big way. Plus I love Synder's films for their powerful visual sense.

So, to get myself ready for the movie, I'm going to revisit my favourite Superman stories and blog about them every day up until next Friday. I've had to be selective - as there are tons of Superman stories and issues I could re-read this week. Quite often, the best Superman stories for me have been collaborations between tremendously engaging writers and amazing artwork - for its success a Superman adventure needs to look good and read good (other heroes - like Batman can seem to get away with not requiring both). I also suspect that if the story of the Man of Steel isn't up to the quality of the cinematography then the movie will disappoint (shades of Superman Returns).

The Showdown Between Superman and Luthor (1963, from Superman #164 reprinted in Showcase Presents Superman vol. 4)

For me, this is a classic Silver Age story where Luthor and Superman go one-on-one in a situation where Superman has no powers. It's the sort of silliness that certainly won't appear in the new movie, but was at the heart of the 70s cinematic adventures.

The Man of Steel (1986)

John Byrne's divisive re-boot of Superman for the Eighties. This was one of the last things I read when I was into comics as a kid. I was a massive Byrne fan - particularly because of his work on Alpha Flight. I still consider him to be among the greatest of comic book artists.

Superman for Tomorrow (2004, from Superman #204-215)

Jim Lee. Drawing. Superman. That is all!

All-star Superman (2006)

Morrison and Quitely. This has to be among my favourite of Superman stories. It's a love letter to Silver Age Superman adventures by Morrison plus anything drawn by Quitely is impossible to resist.

Superman for All Seasons (1998)

Beautiful and touching, this is a short, evocative take on a "traditional" Superman. It's breathtaking to look at and Loeb's use of each issue being told from a different narrative voice I remember working really well when I originally read it.

Superman the Movie (1978)

Although I prefer the sequel, with Terrance Stamp as General Zod, this film stood out - along with Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark - as one of my childhood favourites. I've not seen it for a number of years now so I'm looking forward to watching it before Man of Steel. Christopher Reeves manages to wear the costume so he looked like he stepped out the pages of a comic book (just look at the pop colouring) but made it believable. "You'll believe a man can fiy!" And I did.

Warlock's appearances in the second half of the 1970s are fewer and - once more - take place in a range of other, more popular, titles. His 70s adventures end in the Starlin-plotted and drawn Avengers Annual 7 and Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2. Warlock gets a bittersweet ending, surrounded by friends - but does, finally, deal with Thanos. It's a shame that Warlock ended at this point. Although a "cosmic" character, he is perfectly at home with The Avengers and it's interesting to consider how much more successful he would have been if involved in the regular Marvel Universe earlier rather than artificially separating him through devices like Counter-Earth or sending him to the other side of the galaxy (and making him physically the size of the solar system).

Much obliged, Goldy: Marvel Team-Up #55

Six months after the termination of the Warlock title, the great John Byrne gets a chance to draw Adam Warlock in a bizarre team-up with Spider-man on the Moon! Byrne draws Warlock superbly, giving him a tougher, heroic demeanour - but Bill Mantlo's plot is pretty thin. Following an issue involving the Hulk and a faun-like character called Woodgod, Spider-man is blasted in a rocket into space and finds himself quickly running out of air. Luckily enough, Warlock is passing by - though careful readers would have remembered that he'd abandoned Earth for the depths of space due to his increased size and might be scratching their heads about why he's back in this part of the universe (see Warlock #14 for details). It's ok, though: Warlock has found a remedy for this cosmic affliction: "It seems that warping through space has gradually reversed the process. I have grown smaller." Luckily, Warlock had done enough "warping" to return to his original proportions. (Although this is a dumb solution - it's really no dumber than making Warlock the size of a solar system anyhow.) Warlock detects air in the "Blue Area" on the Moon and sends the rocket there.

The Stranger covets Warlock's soul gem!

Unfortunately, in the "Blue Area" is The Stranger, a gigantic alien who had been knocking around the Marvel Universe since Uncanny X-men #16. The Stranger already has one of the Infinity Gems (though we don't know them as that yet) and desires Warlock's to enhance his power. There's also another character on the Moon called The Gardener who is... well... a gardener. Warlock gets beaten unconscious and strapped to "stasis arcs" so that The Stranger can take the soul gem. Eventually - after a great deal of Spider-man spraying webbing at The Stranger, Warlock and The Gardener team up to drive The Stranger off. The battle, however, corrupts The Gardener's gem and he realises that it has become a weapon. The issue ends with Warlock explaining to Spider-man that he is on his way to Counter-Earth... but, as Warlock's next appearance suggests, whatever was supposed to happen on Counter-Earth is forgotten as the threat of Thanos becomes the focus for Warlock's final story.

...in this oneness there can only be love: The Avengers Annual 07

You can tell it's going to be a dark story when the opening pages have Warlock finding Gamora dying and using his soul gem to put her out of her misery. She had been attacked by the Destroyer and survived in order to make a failed assassination attempt on Thanos. The opening pages are shadowy and sombre and creates a tone that continues throughout this issue and its conclusion in Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2. Gamora's death sets Warlock off on a course of revenge - recruiting the current team of Avengers on the way (there's a neat scene where Thor recognises Warlock as Him). Using his soul gem on Gamora enables Warlock to recount the history of Thanos to the Avengers and we get an account of where all six Infinity Gems are located. Thanos' wicked plan is to transfer all the powers of the different gems into a single large synthetic gem and plans to blow every star out of existence as a love offering for Death. The Avengers take to space to battle Thanos' army and, during the battle, Warlock and Captain Marvel find what's left of Pip - Thanos had destroyed the troll's mind. After sucking Pip's soul into his gem, Warlock fights Thanos only to be mortally wounded. (Warlock is a bit pathetic, really. For all his talk of god-like powers and the fact he has the soul gem, Thanos flattens him instantaneously.) The Avengers destroy the synthetic gem and Thanos teleports himself away.

Captain Marvel sees time-travelling Warlock kill himself.

Warloc... happy at last.

Rather than that being the end of things, Warlock finds himself inside the soul gem in some sort of heavenly afterlife. He is greeted by Gamora and Pip who also still exist as well as all the beings Warlock has killed with the soul gem (we even see Kray-tor, the egg-like six-armed judge of the Universal Church waving merrily). Now, they all share a collective existence of peace and harmony. For the first time Warlock looks happy and Warlock concludes that "They're... we're all here together... truly together, for our hearts are open books and this atmosphere breeds understanding and mutes the ego. Here we are all one and in this oneness there can only be... love." The final panel is 100% bittersweet Hollywood ending: Warlock embracing Pip and Gamora as the walk into the distance with all his former enemies greeting him. The End. Well... no, Warlock isn't finished yet. He makes one more appearance before he's put to rest.

Inside the heavenly interior of the soul gem.

Destined to spend infinity trapped within the petrified form of his own corruption: Marvel Two-In-One Annual 02

So, Warlock's happily living out his afterlife inside the vampiric soul gem that's on the forehead of his younger self. I have trouble actually understanding how this works. What happens to the soul gem of the dead Warlock? Is the dead Warlock inside the living (younger) Warlock's soul gem - and, if so, how come Warlock isn't aware of this in the same way that he's aware of all the other people he kills? It's certainly a conundrum that doesn't satisfactorily make sense (maybe in later issues when Warlock gets resurrected it'll become clear). In Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2, The Avengers have been captured by Thanos and Moondragon (the bald C-list Avenger) sends out a "mental call" to Spider-man. Thanos takes the soul gem to continue with his plan to destroy the sun. Spidey recruits The Thing to take him into space to Thanos' ark. Meanwhile some cosmic entities (fates? - one called "Lord Chaos") debate the situation and explain that Spider-man and The Thing's role was to release Warlock from the soul gem. We get a view of Warlock's idyllic post-death existence: a rural scene where his former enemies sit on rock or wander about happily. The Thing attempts to fight Thanos and Spidey - quite out of character - runs away in blind panic. He does, however, return to release The Avengers and there's a tremedous battle that Thanos wins once more. Warlock is called back to reality by the cosmic entities and released by Spidey.

Warlock gets mean!

Warlock, the Ultimate Avenger.

Captain Marvel, despite only having recently met Warlock, provides the eulogy: pointing out that Warlock felt out of place on Earth and preferred wandering the universe, that he was naive, haunted by cynicism and "Finally, he found light, life and truth to be his only values, and so became misunderstood and alone." How Captain Marvel knew all this, I don't know. (It's interesting that he also mentions that everyone dies and hopes he will die as honourably as Warlock - foreshadowing his own illness and death a few years later.) Equally, Spidey - who also only met Warlock once - is quite upset by the death and it takes Ben Grimm to comfort him with an ironic comment about Warlock having "a new and better beginning somewhere else". We get one final glimpse of Warlock: telling Gamora that "it looks like we'll just have to get used to living here in paradise without any strife, problemsor pain." It is the Hollywood ending at last. His murderer, Thanos, is set to spend infinity "trapped within the petrified form of his own corruption".

Warlock's headstone.

Glowing man was smart: The Incredible Hulk Annual 06

Warlock's appearances in subsequent comics of the 1970s are flashbacks that utilise characters introduced in the run. In the Hulk Annual 6, Doctor Strange is forced to work for the Beehive (in a manner very much like Alicia Masters in FF #66-67) in order to work on their second version of Him. Strange is brought in for his surgeon's skills and he works on the brain of the new Him inside its cocoon. While the Hulk fights his way across the world to the Beehive's base to rescue Strange, an artificial human called Paragon emerges from the cocoon and more or less repeats what Him did ten years earlier: refusing to obey the Beehive scientists and fighting anyone he encounters. The Beehive, who seemed to have been destroyed by Him as he left Earth at the end of FF #67, were actually moved to another dimension rather than killed (Paragon says "banished").

The Paragon (aka Him 2... though he becomes Her!)

I do not fear death, Inbetweener: Doctor Strange #27

In this February 1978 issue of Doctor Strange, Roger Stern brings The Inbetweener, the entity that Magus summoned to send Warlock insane, into the regular Marvel Universe. In an amazing-looking issue pencilled by Tom Sutton and inked by Ernie Chan, Inbetweener presents himself to Strange in order to explain his role of maintaining balance in the universe. There's a flashback where he recounts his relationship with Warlock and explains that he has been searching for other "projects" to bring balance to things. Typically, it's a trippy issue which mostly involves a prolonged battle with Stygyro, prince of sorcerers. Warlock only actually appears in a couple of panels:

The Inbetweener recalls his role in creating Magus

Life ending for Warlock

The wreckage is still smokin', Spidey: The Spectacular Spider-Man #15

Warlock's final posthumous appearance in the 1970s is in a Bill Mantlo scripted issue of Spectacular Spider-man where Man-Beast has escaped Counter-Earth and arrived on (real) Earth to lead a religious sect (Mantlo had also written the Spider-man/Warlock team-up). Spidey defeats Man-Beast's "hate amplifiers" to save the day. Warlock is remembered in a flashback sequence where Man-Beast relates his origins. Warlock is described as "the more-than-man". Man-Beast simply re-evolved from a dog after Warlock had left Counter Earth for deep space. Probably, for the average Marvel reader, this final presentation of Warlock - as some sort of weird golden superhero who was the enemy of a rubbish dog-villain - is the one that endured.

Man-Beast survived Warlock's de-evolution