
Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

All Star Superman #7
Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 11, 2007Cover date: June 2007
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Frank Quitely
Inker: Jamie Grant
"Being Bizarro: Part 1 of 2"
Reviewed by: Neal Bailey
In the Underverse, something goes wrong with the Bizarro workers.
Superman, taking care of a strange beast near Jupiter, returns to Earth, only to be slammed by crazed white figures that adopt the appearance of whomever they touch, with one taking Superman's appearance.
A square planet appears in Earth's atmosphere, startling Superman.
The beings begin to rain down on Earth, turning people at a party with Jimmy Olsen and Perry White in attendance into Bizarros. Only Lombard, who is touched by one of the Bizarros, seems immune. Ron, Jimmy, Cat and Perry barely escape.
Superman lands, doing battle with one of the Bizarros, one that looks like him (there is a difference in this story, note... Neal). Superman notes that he's not like previous Bizarros.
Jimmy boards a blimp he calls with his signal watch, and calls P.R.O.J.E.C.T. to see what's going on. They inform him that a planet-eater (the square planet) is trying to appear less hostile by looking like Earth, and has corrupted the Bizarros into attempting to replicate. The Bizarros are staying on Earth's dark side, because, of course, sunlight weakens a Bizarro.
The square planet begins to alter the tides, causing massive tidal waves. Superman finds that Lombard's blood is immune because he takes "performance enhancing" drugs. Which performance remains unspoken.
He scribbles an anti-Bizarro serum on a card for Lois, then blasts into the square planet, sending it retreating back to the underverse.
Superman, weakened by the opposite society, cannot fly, and soon weakens. One of the Bizarros explains that some Bizarros are born flawed, and introduces Superman to Zibarro, a Bizarro that speaks like Superman does, with opposite clothing.
Story - 5: This one actually took two reads to get my head around. I had no idea how that planet was suddenly there, or the connection between it and the Underverse. Mostly I confused the fact that Superman was returning a sun-eater to... Jupiter (huh? Isn't that a dumb move?) and then a PLANET-eater was attacking Earth. I thought they were connected, and failed to make the connection. That was one awkward moment.
I was also disturbed to see Superman making kissy-face with Lois as a tidal wave ripped through a major city causing untold deaths. It's out of character, and the kind of thing Morrison occasionally indulges in with his vision of the character, much to my own bristling.
Beyond that, however, top to bottom this story is crazy, intelligent, strong, and Superman at his best. Zibarro is awesome, the idea of sunlight weakening Bizarro is something I fully plan on stealing and using if I ever get to write Superman comics, because it's so incredibly awesome, and the idea that Bizarros would have a Bizarro is so logical and obvious I'm surprised it hasn't been done like this before. Awesome.
Everything in this universe is unique. Sometimes that's bad and annoying, mostly it's astonishing. I will gladly sacrifice the fact that the tides should have changed after Superman talked to Lois for all of the creativity that markedly makes this the best among comics.
I am STILL, however, fervently, passionately, and almost to the point of boycotting this book upset with the release schedule. I ask myself, would I have waited four months for each issue of the Death of Superman? The answer is probably yes. Would it make me happy? NO. This is ridiculous. Professionals should be professional enough to release books in a timely manner. Or, if not, at least own up to that and wait until there's enough backlogged books to release things in a timely manner.
They will continue to do this until we stop buying books that are late. You guys are far too forgiving. Heck, I'm too forgiving. But this is unfair to both the fans and professional standard. Maybe someone will have a solution in the comics, but it's just a flat-out tragedy that such an awesome book has to be mired with this specter.
Yeah, they said it would be bimonthly, after first announcing it as a monthly, and now we have seven issues in almost two years? The first issue arrived in November of 2005. It is now April of 2007 and we have 7 issues. $#%@ing ridiculous.
Art - 5: Amazing. Really, truly amazing. I love his work, and would love to buy it any time I get the chance and enjoy the subject matter. Zibarro, the humanity of all the characters involved... Frank really grows on you, and this issue is another in a strong of long hits.
That said, cough, I would rather see him do an arc a year from now, an arc that is finished and timely, and have another arc with another penciller, even if it's not as good as Quitely.
Cover Art - 5: Covers the subject matter contained in the book, has an awesome symmetry with the cross-eyed vision, involves an incredible, dynamic pose, and just screams at you to buy the book. Awesome.
Mild Mannered Reviews
2007
Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2007
- Action Comics #845
- Superman #658
- Superman/Batman #31
- Superman Confidential #1
- Supergirl #12
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24
- 52: Week 26
- 52: Week 27
- 52: Week 28
- 52: Week 29
- 52: Week 30
- Justice League of America #4
- JLA Classified #29
- Justice League Unlimited #27
- Krypto The Superdog #3
- Action Comics #846
- Superman #659
- Superman/Batman #32
- Superman Confidential #2
- Supergirl #13
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #25
- 52: Week 31
- 52: Week 32
- 52: Week 33
- 52: Week 34
- Justice League of America #5
- JLA Classified #30
- Infinite Holiday Special #1
- Justice #9
- Justice Society of America #1
- Justice League Unlimited #28
- Krypto The Superdog #4
- Superman #660
- Superman/Batman #33
- Superman Confidential #3
- All Star Superman #6
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26
- 52: Week 35
- 52: Week 36
- 52: Week 37
- 52: Week 38
- 52: Week 39
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #1
- JLA Classified #31
- JLA Classified #32
- JLA Classified #33
- Justice Society of America #2
- Justice League Unlimited #29
- Krypto The Superdog #5
- Action Comics #847
- Superman #661
- Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman Confidential #4
- Supergirl #14
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27
- 52: Week 40
- 52: Week 41
- 52: Week 42
- 52: Week 43
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #2
- Justice League of America #6
- JLA Classified #34
- JLA Classified #35
- Justice #10
- Justice Society of America #3
- Justice League Unlimited #30
- Krypto The Superdog #6
- Action Comics #848
- Superman #662
- Superman/Batman #34
- Supergirl #15
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28
- 52: Week 44
- 52: Week 45
- 52: Week 46
- 52: Week 47
- Justice League of America #7
- JLA Classified #36
- Justice Society of America #4
- Justice League Unlimited #31
- Superman Confidential #5
- All Star Superman #7
- Supergirl #16
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29
- 52: Week 48
- 52: Week 49
- 52: Week 50
- 52: Week 51
- World War III - Book One: A Call to Arms
- World War III - Book Two: The Valiant
- World War III - Book Three: Hell is for Heroes
- World War III - Book Four: United We Stand
- Justice League of America #8
- JLA Classified #37
- Justice #11
- Justice Society of America #5
- Justice League Unlimited #32
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #1
- Action Comics #849
- Action Comics #850
- Superman #663
- Superman/Batman #35
- Supergirl #17
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30
- 52: Week 52
- Countdown 51
- Countdown 50
- Countdown 49
- Countdown 48
- Justice League of America #9
- JLA Classified #38
- Justice Society of America #6
- Justice League Unlimited #33
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #2
- Action Comics #851
- Superman #664
- Superman/Batman #36
- Superman/Batman #37
- All Star Superman #8
- Supergirl #18
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31
- Countdown 47
- Countdown 46
- Countdown 45
- Countdown 44
- Justice League of America #10
- JLA Classified #39
- Justice #12
- Justice League Unlimited #34
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3
- Action Comics #852
- Superman #665
- Superman/Batman #38
- Supergirl #19
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32
- Countdown 43
- Countdown 42
- Countdown 41
- Countdown 40
- Justice League of America #11
- JLA Classified #40
- Justice Society of America #7
- Justice League Unlimited #35
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #4
- Action Comics #853
- Action Comics #854
- Action Comics #855
- Superman #666
- Superman/Batman #39
- Supergirl #20
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33
- Countdown 39
- Countdown 38
- Countdown 37
- Countdown 36
- Countdown 35
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #1
- Justice League of America #12
- JLA Classified #41
- Justice Society of America #8
- Justice League Unlimited #36
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
- Action Comics #856
- Superman #667
- Superman/Batman #40
- Superman Confidential #6
- Supergirl #21
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #34
- Countdown 34
- Countdown 33
- Countdown 32
- Countdown 31
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2
- JLA Wedding Special #1
- Justice League of America #13
- JLA Classified #42
- JLA Classified #43
- JLA/Hitman #1
- Infinity Inc. #1
- Justice Society of America #9
- Justice League Unlimited #37
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #6
- Action Comics #857
- Action Comics #858
- Superman #668
- Superman #669
- Superman/Batman #41
- Superman Confidential #7
- Superman Confidential #8
- All Star Superman #9
- Supergirl #22
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35
- Teen Titans #52
- Countdown 30
- Countdown 29
- Countdown 28
- Countdown 27
- Countdown 26
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #3
- Justice League of America #14
- JLA Classified #44
- JLA Classified #45
- JLA/Hitman #2
- Infinity Inc. #2
- Justice Society of America #10
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Cyborg Superman #1
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Superman Prime #1
- Infinite Halloween Special #1
- Justice League Unlimited #38
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #7
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.