Alan Moore's Super-Stories!

[lonewolf23k]

Just as a sidenote, I think the JLU Animated series episode based on that comic might've done the near-impossible task of actually improving it..  It does shorten the story a lot more, but that just intensifies the feeling of loss when Kal-El comes to realize this world that he's come to love is, in fact, just a dream from which he must wake up..

...And one neat bit I liked was that the animated version of Lyla came off as a mixture of Lana Lang (red hair) and Lois Lane (the voice, being a reporter), and thus a mixture of Clark's loves into a single ideal woman..

[MatterEaterLad]

...And one neat bit I liked was that the animated version of Lyla came off as a mixture of Lana Lang (red hair) and Lois Lane (the voice, being a reporter), and thus a mixture of Clark's loves into a single ideal woman..

Yep, a good extra bit that shows some thinking and was just enough to tweak the informed viewer but not ruin the ep...

And yes, the idea of waking from a dream where things seem settled is something sad that hits home with all of us..

[dto]

As an aside, I rather liked how Moore portrayed Robin in "For the Man Who Has Everything".

For those not familiar with the Pre-Crisis Bat Family, this Robin was Jason Todd.  No, not THE Jason Todd who once tried to steal the wheels off the Batmobile, was blown up and apparently killed in "A Death in the Family", and has recently made a comeback as the Red Hood (so they say).  No, the Earth-1 Jason Todd was a nice kid, though he was such a Dick Grayson "clone" (ANOTHER orphaned circus acrobat?) that after Batman #400 DC decided to remake Jay as a street punk with a bad attitude.  See http://www.titanstower.com/source/whoswho/robin2.html#bat1 for details on both Jason Todds.

Even though this was the 1995 Annual, "For the Man Who Has Everything" has to take place on February 29, 1984.  At that point, Jason Todd had barely taken on the Robin mantle (bestowed by Dick Grayson himself, who was NOT "fired" by Bruce in Earth-1 continuity).  So Jason is depicted as clearly out of his depth amid the heroes and Mongul -- and KEENLY aware of it.  He worries about possibly messing up and failing Bruce, but in the end Jason delivers a most satisfying final blow.

The Earth-1 Jason Todd had a short career, and is now forgotten in comic book Limbo.  But he had his shining moment in this story -- how many heroes can rightfully claim that they once knocked out MONGUL with a POTTED PLANT?   :wink:

[Captain Kal]

In responding to "For the Man Who Has Everything" I just realized that Moore was making a much more sweeping message than I originally thought.

He's saying that the destruction of Krypton is what is key and gives meaning to the heroism of all recent members of the House of El.  Without that explosion, Jor goes from heroic martyr to a crank doomsday-sayer.  Kara Zor-El goes from super-hero and champion of others to a mere victim of mindless violence.  Kara's parents are no longer heroic in saving her at the possible risk of their own lives.  Kal-El had no inspiration to become the universally-acclaimed Superman and is even moved to avoid his father's scientific career to avoid the shame of being associated with the crank.  Though not mentioned, Kal's lookalike cousins in Kandor (Van-Zee and Don-El) clearly derive their heroism from Superman himself who derives his motivations from Krypton's End (Van-Zee became Nightwing, Don-El became head of the Superman Emergency Squad -- both are derivate of Kal's career).

No Krypton explosion = No heroism for the current generations of the House of El.

[Captain Kal]

Gangbuster Thorul, I've read Moore's "Twilight" story proposal, too.

While it has the Moore disturbing trademark, I'm glad DC passed on this project.  It's too disturbing, IMHO.  And it does a great disservice to both Superman's character and his power-levels.  Even if it had seen print, I believe DC Editorial would have nixed the idea of Moore's pet creation, Sodom Yat (the Daxamite GL) murdering Superman like that.  Moore might have been forced to allow some kryptonite and/or red sun weaponry into the mix instead of a straight-up killing.

But I still think DC was right to nix this project.  It's too dark for the mainstream DCU and does a disservice not only to Superman but the rest of the super-heroes.

[Defender]

Yeah, that was back during Moore's Superhero Deconstruction period, where he was tearing things down with Watchmen and Miracleman. Mind boggling and daring stuff, but I don't think the Twilight stuff would have really worked. I prefer the Supreme-era renaissance, as well as his stuff on Tom Strong myself. Intensely cool stuff, as is his work as co-plotter on Terra Obscura, where a group of Golden Age science-heroes find themselves returned to their modern Earth, an Earth in an identical solar system across the galaxy from Tom Strong's own, whom he dubbed Terra Obscura. It's mightily awesome.

 -Def.

[Gangbuster]

I haven't read Tom Strong...is that like Superman of Earth-2 stuff?

[Super Monkey]

I haven't read Tom Strong...is that like Superman of Earth-2 stuff?

Kind of.

Tom Strong himself is like Doc Savage who was one of the big influences for the Golden Age Superman.

You should read it, it's just great stuff. It's not pure retro but rather a refined version of what he did with Supreme.