Review by Frank Plowright
At which point can even a slipcased hardcover transcend the idea of being just another collection of Superman stories? DC certainly frequently celebrates anniversaries of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s creation with anthologies, yet can turning their baby over to the Folio Society with their legendary production values result in a collection worth £70?
What you’re getting for the money is a treasury-sized hardcover within a sturdy slipcase accompanied by a facsimile of Superman 1 within its own distinctive sleeve. Marjorie Liu writes an introduction, a 1934 letter from Siegel outlining a Superman strip is reproduced and the idea of the comics themselves is important. There’s no digital restoration here, with the stoties celebrated on pages browning with age and with the faded, but visible echoes of the printing on the reverse. As seen on the sample art, the comics have been set on black pages, perhaps appropriate for the section dealing with Superman’s death, yet otherwise a design frippery meaning a significant amount of what you’re paying for is border.
A dozen tales are selected, all from the 20th century, and half from 1984 to 1993, while 1962 to 1983 are ignored. However, the selection is far from predictable. In addition to Superman’s death there’s another outing for Alan Moore’s ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?’, while the ‘Peace on Earth’ closer of Paul Dini and Alex Ross has also become a compilation staple. Both deserve their place. The remaining content, though, is far from obvious, although shaped by an editorial decision to ignore the greatly imaginative, but sometimes silly Superman of the 1950s and 1960s.
Those decades are instead represented by two uncharacteristic stories. Bill Finger and Wayne Boring’s ‘The Girl Who Didn’t Believe in Superman’ concerns Superman’s attempts to convince a blind girl he exists. It’s the Superman template of persistence and dedication overcoming cynicism, but avoids undue sentimentality. 1961’s ‘The Death of Superman’ by Siegel and Curt Swan is an “imaginary” story quite shocking in places about Lex Luthor reforming. Does he really? More representative of the 1950s Superman is Don Cameron and Ira Yarbrough’s 1944 introduction of Mr. Mxyztplk. It’s madcap absurdism and still fun.
In some content the idea of Superman outweighs his actual presence. In the 25th century he inspires a homeless man to begin a revolution in Elliot Maggin and Marshall Rogers’ short story, while neither of John Byrne’s two contributions maximise Superman. The longer concerns Luthor attempting to uncover Superman’s secret identity, Byrne applying logic to the decades long trope of Lois Lane attempting the same. Superman does eventually appear, but he’s absent from Byrne’s second inclusion, a puzzling selection altogether about a misunderstanding among Metropolis police.
Perhaps another puzzling selection is ‘Homeless for the Holidays’ by Roger Stern, with notable art by Dan Jurgens. That it’s here allows for re-evaluation, and recognition of excellence. Stern includes the Daily Planet staff, and takes a while to arrive at his title point, but it’s a real tearjerker when he does.
Superman’s 1990s death may have been a sales blockbuster, but it’s a creative wasteland, and if the silly Superman could be ignored, why not the poorly drawn brutality from Jurgens (layouts) and Brett Breeding (finishes)?
For all the unconventional story choices and a great looking package in the slipcase, the internal design choices will surely alienate as many as they impress. With clean, restored versions of most stories surely available somewhere and far cheaper, this is not a collection aimed at fans. It’s not available on Amazon either, only directly from the Folio Society.
