Superman: Red Son (Soviet Superman)

[ZoCrowes]

I have not read comic books in YEARS. When I was a kid I loved them and about 9 years I stopped reading them. Since then I've never been much of a sci-fi fan or comic fan. I've seen the Spider-man and X-Men movies and enjoyed them and that's about it.

Anyway, a friend of mine just let me borrow Superman: Red Son saying I had to read it and that it was right up my alley and damn was he right.

The premise of the story is that Superman's rocket lands on a commune in the Ukraine instead of America and he is raised as a Communist. He is taken into the Soviet system where he becomes Stalin second-in-command and eventually, with hesitation, the leader of the Soviet Union. I'm not going to ruin the story but I just want to say that the book is brilliant! The writer (Mark Miller) presents an evenhanded view of the Cold War with Superman still doing what he believes is right. At the same time he is doing things that are bad for the individual but in the end adds to the "common good." Safety in exchange for security. It's a great commentary on the current world political climate as well. This ain't your daddy's Superman story.

[Kid_A]

1. You're right. It is great.

I love the circular ending.

If you dug RED SON, you should also check these out:

PREACHER
TRANSMETROPOLITIAN
Y: THE LAST MAN
SUPREME POWER

They're not all that similar to RED SON in their stories, but they do destroy the notion that comics are just for kids...

[ZoCrowes]

2. I've heard of Preacher

They're making a movie of it aren't they?

Thanks for the list. I'll have to take a look at those next time I go to a book store.

[Kid_A]

6. Unfortunately, yes they are making a PREACHER movie...

And it's going to be terrible. Which sucks because PREACHER is hands-down my favorite comic of all time. It has better characterization than most prose writing, and it's more absurdist moments (like a hugely obese man falling out of a helicopter and crushing two people) fit in perfectly with the more serious theological themes in the series. It's an absolutely amazing, perfectly told story that does not need to be tarnished by some crappy Hollywood adaptation.

[ZoCrowes]

8. Yeah most comic movies suck

Hell, most adaptions suck. Why does everything have to be adapted into a movie? Can't Hollywood have one fucking original thought and let film stand on it's own as its own form of art?

That being said I fucking loved the Spiderman movies but do they have to make a movie of every comic under the sun?

[PleadTheFirst]

4. I'll add to that list ...

with an off the top of my head "comics aren't for kids" reading list:

MAUS by Art Spiegelman
A Holocaust survivor tells his tale to his adult son - a cartoonist who relates the tale with the Nazis as Cats and the Jews as Mice. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1992.

A CONTRACT WITH GOD by Will Eisner
Hell, read ANYTHING by Eisner. The man is one of the originators of the artform. This is one of his best, tho.

CEREBUS by Dave Sim
Get one of the collected graphic novels. I recommend Church & State.

WATCHMEN by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Possibly the last word in super hero comics.

FROM HELL by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
Historical fiction of Jack the Ripper. The Johnny Depp movie adaptation of this was a farce, but this comic is masterfully done.

WHY I HATE SATURN by Kyle Baker
Just a cool, funny, New York kinda graphic novel. Great read.



I could go on and on, but those are some great comics, IMHO. All should be available as self contained graphic novels at any decent comic book shop.

Enjoy! :)

[AZCat]

10. There are a few that are hard to get...

I have been reading Bill Siekiewicz lately, and I had to get "Stray Toasters" off of the internet (Amazon had it through a used-book seller). I scored volumes one and two of "Big Numbers" by Sienkiewicz and Alan Moore through a friend of mine - there are only a couple thousand copies of each and he didn't want them to go unread.

"Big Numbers" almost made me cry when I finished the second volume and realized Moore will never finish the series.

[tigerbeat]

5. i'll give out a "hell ya" for "supreme power"

also straczinski's stuff on spider-man these days is pretty awesome. he's going all slash and burn with the fond memories of gwen stacy.

[bloodyjack]

7. Y: THE LAST MAN is terrific.

I can't find a single thing wrong with it. Excellent writing and story arcs, interesting characters, and good artwork, to boot.

One of the best comic books on the market, I think, along with Ex Machina

[Liberal Veteran]

9. Identity Crisis has been very very good.

It's basically a Justice League story at heart, but with a nasty touch of harshness.

[jus_the_facts]

3. I really enjoyed Spiderman 2.....much to my surprise.........

....but never was a fan of comic books....gotta admit I DO like Smallville...well I've still only seen the first season on DVD...hopefully....somebody will be gettin' the second and third season for X-mas so I can see what all else has happened in the last two years....my aversion to buyin' TV and no local WB...DAMMIT!! :D

:hi: good to see ya back here m'Man!!! :)

[Abelman]

11. Good one

I remember reading it, it was great.

I've been out of comics for about two years, I just couldn't afford it. But I still read the trades every once in a while. When I stopped buying, they were undergoing a rennaissance of sorts, and still on the way up up up!

[lakemonster11]

12. That sounds amazing.

I love Superman.