Superman For All Seasons

Superman: For All Seasons #1-4

by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale (Illustrator)

What turns a country boy into the world's greatest hero?

Told through the course of four seasons in the Man of Steel's adolescent life, this collection illustrates that it is the person, not the powers, that makes Superman a hero.

The catalyst for the "Smallville" television program, SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS is emotional and insightful, humanizing the alien from another planet so that he is not only realistic but also relatable. It also features in-depth characterizations of Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane and the Kents.

Superman for All Seasons collects the entirety of Superman for All Seasons #1-4.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superman, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an Emmy and WGA nominated American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a Co-Executive Producer on the NBC hit show Heroes, and formerly a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost.

A four-time Eisner Award winner and five-time Wizard Fan Awards winner (see below), Loeb's comic book career includes work on many major characters, including Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Hulk, Captain America, Cable, Iron Man, Daredevil, Supergirl, the Avengers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, much of which he has produced in collaboration with artist Tim Sale, who provides the comic art seen on Heroes.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic.



But it's still not my favorite. I've read this twice 3 times now and feel pretty much the same way I did 13 years ago. It's really sweet & I like it well enough, but there's just that something indefinable that is missing here. <--for me
And part of the reason might be that Tim Sale's art doesn't always hit with me.
I know! Sacrilege. But there it is.
The chubby-faced Superman is incredibly off-putting, and while I understand that this is a style, he just looks like a thumb to me.



Even having said that, it is one of the iconic Superman origin stories and any fan of his should try to read this at least once. The concept is quite good in that Loeb tells each season of Clark's life starting with Spring and ending with Winter.



Each season is narrated by someone important in Clark's life. Pa Kent starts it off with Spring, Lois with Summer, Lex Luthor is Fall, and Lana Lang wraps it up with Winter. Each perspective shows not only a different side of Superman but a different pivotal moment in his life.



It's a very well-done story, and even though I said I didn't love-love it, it did make me sniffle a bit at the end. Ok, fine. Upon the 3rd reading of this thing, I sniffled all the way through it.
Recommended.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Believe none of what you hear. Half of what you see. And everything you write."

Why did I wait so many years to read this? Seriously. I loved this. This is in my top two with All Star Superman.

While this isn't the first Superman retelling, it's certainly one of the greatest. Jeph Loeb tells the tale of Superman's coming of age and coming into his own, skipping Kryptonian lore and going right to Kansas. The writing is tender, nostalgic, and simple. I yearned for the down home and loving parents that are Jonathan and Martha Kent and all the corny platitudes they say. Clark himself is so very likable and human: naive, erroneous, shy, lost. And Superman is written true to his Golden Age self, pure-hearted and saving the day. Although nothing groundbreaking happens in terms of story, the restraint and maturity and realism, the lack of giant explosions and space wars, is what makes this so enjoyable. It's about the super-man himself, not his villains and feats, and how he maintains and finds balance between a personal and super life.

The classic characters are all present: Jonathan and Martha Kent, Lana Lang, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen. (I never noticed all those alliterative Ls before.)

I also really enjoyed the seasonal-themed chapters and how Clark/Superman never narrates. Spring is narrated by Jonathan Kent. Summer by Lois Lane. Fall by Lex Luthor. Winter by Lana Lang. It's comforting that the story ends in winter because of the mythical fortress of solitude mentioned and the peace it's supposed to provide.

Last but not least, the artwork. Tim Sale dedicated this book to Norman Rockwell, and the influence is obvious. Bjarne Hansen's soft coloring is like watercolor. Sale's fine, sketchy lines remind me of Frank Quitely with that vintage rough comic feel. I was hesitant at first, then really got into it, especially the splash pages. The artwork just perfectly complements the Golden Age tone of the comic. Few reads send me off scrambling to get my own copy, but this is one of them.

I will admit, however, that the cover was off-putting every time I saw it and is not accurately representative of what's inside. I really hope DC does a cover redesign for the trade paperback like the Deluxe HC, which I plan on snatching up.

So yeah, this was incredible. I've read a lot of Superman hyperbole like Crisis, Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, The Return, Unchained, Red Son. And those are all magnificent stories in their own right. But they're macroscopic, heavy with numerous plots and subplots and villains and conspiracies, always taking away from the quiet life of Clark Kent. And similar to All Star, but even more reductionist, Superman For All Seasons is Supes at his most humble.

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

8.2/10
Folks call him Superman! But for some people he will always be Clark.

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale are a great team and here we have just another proof.
This is a lovely story full of heart. It shows not only who Superman is but also who is the person when he is not wearing the tights and the cape.
I always liked Sale's unique style and this is not an exception.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very touching character study which wonderfully captures who Superman is. There's a perfect balance between Clark Kent and the Boy in Blue, with Loeb dedicating just the right about of pages to each. Watching Clark's arc of overcoming self doubt and becoming the alien man he was born to be really sells him as true hero. You'll be hard pressed to find a Superman story with as much heart as this one.

[Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read (2025): 4 stars

This is just so darn wholesome. I love how small this story feels. How every season has a different narrator. I love how prominent Smallville is here, how this is the story of the boy who left for the big city instead of the alien who escaped the destruction of his planet. I love how Superman came back multiple times to the farm when times were rough in Metropolis. How his parents were his refuge and support system. I love how Pa Kent was such an important character throughout the whole volume and I really love Lana being the last narrator. It's just such a good and positive story of a Superman that is struggling to find his place, yet he tries his best to help people with the teachings he learnt by the people who love him.

Original review (2016):
3.5 Stars
Superman: For All Seasons is a tender story that reflects perfectly the core of this character. It is not the tale of heroic actions and big spectacles, of violent fights and villains, it is the story of a boy loved by his family, growing up and trying to do good, trying to be better. It is sweet and strangely nostalgic. It's a bit cheesy, but enough for you to care, to connect with Clark. It's a story divided in four seasons paralleling Clark's life and every season has a different narrator, through their eyes we'll see his journey.

Spring is the first chapter and it is the loving story of a father watching his son grow up, of trusting him enough to let him go. The book starts as a photo album with beautiful pictures of Clark as a baby and then growing up with the Kents. It's a fitting beginning for this story and one that sets the tone. In Spring, Clark is learning and experiencing his power for the first time and it's a hard revelation for Jonathan, our narrator, but for Clark too. This chapter has some of the most beautiful moments of the whole book. ''Pa, I'm scared.'' It is intimate and personal and we see beautiful scenes between Jonathan and Martha Kent and their young son.

Summer is the second chapter and it's narrated by Lois Lane. In her words, as someone who has seen the real nature of humanity, we are introduced to Superman. This powerful man that against all odds works for the good of the people. It's a great counterbalance against the sweetness of Spring. Especially, because in here we see Clark struggling being by himself in Metropolis. The tough words of Lois and the encounters with Luthor are the perfect contrast for the boy that yearns for Smallville, for his fortress of solitude.

Fall told by Lex Luthor. After feeling wronged and betrayed, Luthor finds a way to show Superman a lesson he won't forget.
''Long before you appeared on the scene, I was here. I built Metropolis up from an ordinary ''town'' into the most powerful city in the world. Enjoy the public's little infatuation with their new Mascot while you can, Fame's fleeting... But Lex Luthor is forever.''

Winter.The last chapter in this story is told by Lana Lang and starts with a Metropolis without Superman and The Daily Planet without Clark Kent. It's, for him, the difficult time of accepting hard realities, but surviving them and growing stronger still. And Clark's development is beautifully explained by Lana, who, at the core, is not that different from him, both orphans, both children from Smallville. It all ends in a hopeful note, because it is Superman and because there's always the next season.

This was the first Superman book I read and all in all I think it was a great first choice. It is not the fantastic story of the boy who escaped Krypton, in fact, Loeb skips all Kryptonian story and focuses on the boy raised in Smallville, which I loved, it gave this book an unexpected tone and made me enjoy the story on a much personal level and strangely, seeing Clark and his parents made me yearn for mine, my home and my childhood.
I had some issues with the artwork by Tim Sale, but in the end it grew on me and there are some pretty emotional illustrations that go perfect with the story.

[Balu · Rating 5 out of 5]

una de las historias más bellas de superman, pero sobre todo de clark kent.

lo único que hubiera cambiado hubiera sido el foco de clana a clois

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite being a massive Superman fan, it’s taken me a while to get to this book – which many readers put forward as one of the “must-read” Superman books – because it’s written by Jeph Loeb. I really don’t like Loeb’s writing and his Batman stuff is among the most overrated garbage I’ve ever read. That said, I felt compelled to read this if only to say I have and can say with authority that it too is terrible – which is why I was pleasantly surprised with what I found with Superman For All Seasons. It’s still not an amazing Superman read but, considering that I was expecting far worse from Loeb, this turned out to be a decent Superman book.

Right away the book is structured in a gimmicky four-part/four-seasons fashion for no real reason except that Loeb has some weird fascination with this kind of symmetry with time as seen in his most famous book, Batman: The Long Halloween, which is based around public holidays. Each of the four chapters are narrated by an important person in Superman’s life though never by Superman himself – Jonathan Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Lana Lang (lotta LL’s in Superman’s life).

First thing you’re going to notice as it’s on the cover is Superman’s character design. Tim Sale’s a decent artist but I’m sorry, this character design is just ridiculous. His face is too small for such a massive head, he looks by turns a cartoon character – in a comic! – or like Down’s Syndrome Superman. I just don’t understand his design, his body is too balloon-like, especially once he puts on the costume, to take seriously.

Like so many of Superman’s books, this one is also concerned with retelling the character’s origins: how he slowly discovered his powers, moved from Smallville to Metropolis, met Lois and Lex and became Superman. It’s a well-worn story done numerous times in the 75 years the character’s been around (by the way, Happy 75th Birthday, Superman!), but a fascinating one nonetheless, hence it’s endless repetition. But I would argue it’s not nearly as good as other origin stories like John Byrne’s Man of Steel or Mark Waid’s Birthright.

The first part in Smallville is pretty good as we see a young Clark discovering his abilities and there’s a nice visual reference to the first Chris Reeve Superman movie when Clark races a train (and of course beats it). But there’s a scene between Clark and Jonathan that summed up the book for me. Clark is afraid of his powers, standing in a field looking lost and Jonathan walks out to talk to his son. Martha stands on the porch, along with the reader, as we see, in the distance, two specks, one Jonathan the other Clark, standing, then move together at the end in a hug. That distance seemed unnecessary – why couldn’t we have seen Jonathan and Clark, father and son, up close? Why couldn’t we hear their conversation? Waid does something similar in Birthright but doesn’t keep the reader at a distance, instead drawing them in right into the conversation and we see the two interact up close in real time. Loeb’s choice to keep the reader well away from Jonathan and Clark not only makes reading this book a less personable experience but also sums up the book’s coldness. Everything is narrated in the past tense for some reason and makes reading it feel less immediate and urgent.

But Loeb does get the characters right, and most importantly gets Superman right. At the end of the Smallville sequence, a twister devastates the small town and is also the first time Clark behaves like Superman sans costume. After saving several peoples’ lives, he looks troubled and has this great look in his eyes as he surveys the destruction and murmurs “I could have done more…” which is Superman in a nutshell. Later in Lex’s sequence, Lex says “Fame is fleeting… but Lex Luthor is forever!” which also sums up that character nicely (it’s also worth noting that this is still John Byrne’s Lex, ie. middle-aged, paunchy, with red hair and a constant cigar poking out of his mouth rather than the lean, bald figure that will emerge shortly after). Lois behaves true to form, independently, strongly, and only once as the damsel in distress, and even Jimmy has his classic bow-tie! Also, and this is a very minor point, but Shelby, Clark’s dog, is in this one which I loved seeing (I’m a dog person).

I felt it was an inferior origin story because Loeb doesn’t really explain much. Clark moves to Metropolis from Smallville, but why does he get a job at a newspaper? Where did his Superman outfit come from? How did he meet Lois and when did he fall in love with her? Is he in love with her? When did he make the choice to become Superman? How long as he been Superman – literally just a season? Where did his personal philosophy come from? Where did the Superman/Lex rivalry spring from? These are things that are addressed better in Birthright where we see the formation of a character – in All Seasons we see Superman fully formed. He literally transitions from Clark Kent from Smallville one minute and then Clark Kent, superstar reporter and Superman the next. It’s too quick and almost lazy because his origin story is so well known, that Loeb doesn’t even try telling it properly. But most importantly this shows that Loeb doesn’t have anything new to say about the character, or have anything interesting to add to Superman’s story – no new angles are explored, it’s like watching a jigsaw come together: flat and predictable.

Also the Jenny Vaughn/Toxin scene was very weird. Superman saves Jenny from a burning building and she becomes obsessed with him. Lex uses this brief connection to Superman in a convoluted plan to infect the city with an airborne virus only he has the antidote for, and then gives to Jenny – who is now conditioned as a hero of sorts, stupidly called Toxin – so that Superman can lift her up as she sprays the antidote over the city. Except through another arbitrary twist of fate, Jenny dies and Superman is unable to stop her, sending him into a deep depression where he stops being Superman temporarily. Wha…? There are just too many questions over this bizarre sequence to convince me that it’s a positive addition to the book.

Sale’s art is pretty good, I guess, I’m not a big fan though his stuff here looks better than his Batman art thanks in large part to colourist Bjarne Hansen who really brings the images to life. Sale often uses splash pages in his comics and there are lots of them in this book, though unlike splash pages in most superhero comics, Sale’s are often focused on landscape imagery and the ones here, in particular the sunset on the Kent farm, are very beautiful with Hansen’s colours giving the scene a natural majesty. But I also really liked Sale’s depiction of Smallville, it’s streets, it’s malt shop (really!), and the splash page of Superman stopping a train was really eye-catching too.

Superman For All Seasons is an ok origin story. Loeb crucially gets the characters and their voices right but doesn’t do anything different with his version of Superman’s story to help readers understand the character. The story isn’t spectacular or especially original, but Sale’s art is the best I’ve seen it thanks to Hansen’s colours. Considering I was dreading this, I was pleasantly surprised with what I found – Loeb’s best book! Which is still only average. Read Byrne’s Man of Steel and Waid’s Birthright for better Superman origin stories and you’ll see where I’m coming from.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The graphic novel that returned my love of comic books. As a newly minted college graduate, I had seen no reason to embrace comics again outside of a research capacity for my plays. This novel, however, made me remember everything I loved about comics as a kid: the almost "morality play" storylines, the majesty of the characters as they move across panels, the comedy that can easily be found in running around in tights, the hardbitten women unwilling to sit on the sidelines while the boys have all the fun.

I knew I was in for a treat the minute I picked up Superman for All Seasons. The stunning visual work of Tim Sale is easily matched by Jeph Loeb's monumental tone--something that persists through all his writing, but never appears so alluring and based in a character's humanity as when he works with Sale. One of the group of their origin/color series, they tackle Superman's early career in this work. I wouldn't really call it an origin story; it is more an impressionist piece, showing Clark going through all the trials and tribulations any young adult experiences as they attempt to define their own lives. His existence is just a bit more complicated by the fact that he's a superhero.

A nice twist here is that Loeb doesn't write in Clark's voice at all. He leaves Pa Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor and Lana Lang to narrate the story through the seasons of one year. Each has a unique voice, particularly Lois, and by discussing their feelings about Superman, they create the mythic stature that will surround him in coming years. Only on one of the last pages, when you watch Supes play with a dog he's rescued from a flood in Smallville do you realize how human Clark is. A truly great Rockwellian-like piece, in its humane voices and picturesque visuals, Loeb and Sale manage to capture all that the 1980s reboot revealed about Superman, while still maintaining the nostalgic rhythms of the Max Fleisher cartoons.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025: Well I enjoyed this a heck of a lot more this time around. Each issue builds upon Superman learning his place in the world. The seasons help build a feel of growing in a world that has many different people, and in that sense, many seasons that change people. By the end I really liked the message, that we can't control everything, but as long as we have someone like Superman in our lives we might be able to bounce back.

The hope, the dream, and to help each other. A 4 out of 5.

2017 Review: I feel like I could copy and paste my review of Birthright and put it on here. Jeph Loeb is a mixed writer for me. I thought Spider-man blue was good but overrated. Ultimatum but the biggest fuck you ever to comic fans. However, I LOVE Hush and put it as top 10 Batman stories of all time. So when I picked up Superman For All Seasons I came in with a open mind.

This is basically 4 part story of Superman's early days. We start off with Clark finishing High School, his first few months of being Superman, his withdrawal from it all back to Smallville and his rise back to Superman. No spoilers really because it's what you'd expect from a Superman story. Maybe that's why it came off a little meh. Because I read this before, and better.

What I liked: I enjoyed the light hearted feel of it all. Very old school supes. I enjoyed most of the dialog and never came across as trying too hard. The art was a mixed bag. I love some shots, while others not so much. Also enjoyed his relationship with Lana a lot in this story.

What I disliked: The art could sometimes make characters weird. I really disliked Superman's design here. I thought the villain Lex storyline was bad (Fall?) and I was bored throughout. It was only thanks to Winter I began liking it again.

Really it's not amazing, but it's solid. A good introduction to Superman. However, I can offer better stories to read on the Man of Steel. This sits at a 2.5/3 out of 5 for me.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

If there’s one superhero that everyone and their mother knows about, it’s Superman. From his hair curl to his red trunks, this icon has established himself as the prime example for all things heroic. Throughout the years, countless writers and illustrators have tackled his lore and expanded his impact on a scale as little as Kansas to as big as the multiverse. While his earlier stories focused on his exploits within the frontiers of Metropolis, his backstory grew in every horizon and explored the dark corners of Krypton to the point of introducing countless alien creatures to the mix. Nonetheless, underneath the red cape and heroism lies Clark Kent. Even as an alien, he has shown us the very purity of humanity that no man was ever able to grasp. But Clark Kent’s journey to becoming Superman is what truly justifies the reasons why this being was gifted by fate the greatest powers ever, and the biggest heart in the universe.

Superman for All Seasons is a four-part story conceived right around the time Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale embraced great success with Batman: The Long Halloween. Instead of following the holidays, this story focuses on our four favourite seasons, starting with Spring and ending with Winter. With a different key character narrating each season, the story explores Clark Kent’s coming-to-age. While focusing on his struggle and exploits that lead him to go beyond his parent’s farm and into the big city, the story also focuses on Clark Kent coming to terms with his powers. In a nearly-perfect retelling of Superman’s early life, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale delivers one of the most intimate story of a character that holds a burden far too huge for anyone to carry around.

It’s easy to think that Superman is a hero with no flaws and who has it easy with the powers he possesses. Being able to bend metal with his bare hands and to run faster than a speeding bullet sure does give us plenty of ideas on how to make the most of our lives. In fact, plenty of people would surely want to do things that will solely benefit themselves alone, but Clark Kent is a man who sees in his powers an opportunity to serve a greater good. In his realization, he however crumbles under the weight of such a duty and finds himself feeling alone in the world. His journey will however bring him to understand things that will lift the veil of sorrow that hinders his own happiness. What Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale accomplish is a truly stunning tale that comprises a very powerful, mythical and majestic tone that only this dynamic duo of a creative team could have ever achieved.

The artwork is also incredible, although it will take a couple of pages before adjusting to it, and believe me when I say the adjustment will be quick, smooth and unconditional. I personally had a hard time accepting Superman’s bulkier and bubblier design, with a very minimal and small facial design, but as he grows in the story, his character becomes much more fabled and conveys his grandeur with ease and grace. The watercolour is also exquisite and stunning thanks to colourist Bjarne Hansen. The two-page panels are always impossible to resist and portrays Superman in such an epic scope that you just have to take a couple of seconds to admire his splendor.

What Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale accomplish is truly admirable and easily falls into the domain of classics. To take Superman and give life to the hero through his secret identity, Clark Kent, could never have been done better than in Superman for All Seasons. The softness of the artwork, with the brilliant analogies between Clark Kent’s life in the cornfields and his struggles with his powers and the pressures of modern society, this story simply transcends the very comic book medium and illustrates hope and virtue through love and understanding.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Time passes . . . the country mouse leaves Smallville and becomes a city mouse." - Jonathan Kent

In a nutshell, that is exactly what is gently depicted in this first rate book. The seasons are divided between Jonathan Kent (winter), Lois Lane (summer), Lex Luthor (fall), and Lana Lang (spring) with their respective first-person narration detailing the struggling young adult days of Clark Kent / Superman.

The style of artwork is unique (our title character could pass as 'Bob's Big Boy' twin brother on occasion) but after awhile it does not really detract from the presentation. Calling on the tired phrase "It takes a village . . . " the story sensitively shows how family, friends, long-time acquaintances, and trusted co-workers influenced the uncertain but well-meaning young man who would become the 'Man of Steel.'

[Matthew Marsili · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ Just wow. This comics is just perfect. Each panel is breathtaking and might just be one of the late Tim Sale’s best work yet. The pacing was great and I never found myself getting bored and just trying to finish it. The Jeph Loeb rights Superman is just incredible. I loved every single page of this. I highly recommend this comic to anyone.

Rip Tim Sale

[Subham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the greatest Superman stories ever told, I remember waking in morning and reading this and it brought a smile to my face because this is what Superman is about, it tells the tales of Superman like his origin revisited in such great way! It picks with him as a young boy and how he grows up and with Lana and in Smallville with his friends, moves to the big city after discovering his power, first meeting with Lois and all and then going to becoming Superman and saving the city and his encounter with Lex and a fun face off with him that makes him give up being Superman for a while until his hope is reawakened by the winter of Smallville and getting his groove back and accepting his destiny as the Man of Tomorrow!

Its one of those tales that makes you smile because it just shows with changing seasons, people change, life has challenges but that doesn't mean we give up, we give our best and try as hard as we can to fight through the difficulties and the same happens with Superman here. The memorabilia and nostalgia here of Small towns and going to big cities to try and make a name for yourself and the themes of that play a factor here and it plays on the romance between Lana and Clark a bit and shows how she was instrumental in him growing up and Sale's artwork compliments the story so well!

[L. McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I must say I didn’t expect this to be as good as it is.

What’s it about?
This story is pretty much the origin story of Superman told from the perspective of other characters and through seeing a year in his life, the year he officially became Superman.

Pros:
The story is interesting. What’s interesting here is despite being a comic about the most iconic and well known superhero ever, it’s not your standard superhero story. Yes, it’s about the title character becoming a superhero but it’s mostly about the people around him and how Clark becoming Superman changed their lives.
The art is hit and miss, I’ll give it a point for the good parts of the art, there are some panels that are amazing.
The characters are interesting and well written. A few are particularly noteworthy, one of them would be how well written Superman is. I personally just see him as a guy who flies around and punches bad guys most of the time so seeing the character get more depth is cool. Lex Luthor is fantastic in this, I consider him a more interesting villain than many give him credit for. Lois is very interesting and well written (not to mention hot as fuck!).

This book is a bit more suspenseful than I would expect a Superman comic to be, that’s nice.
Even though this book doesn’t focus on action as much as other superhero comics, there are some exciting moments.
The narrative... holy shit, this might be the highlight of this book. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective. It’s not only well written but also one of the things that gives these characters that much more depth, I love this book’s narrative.

Cons:
I said the art is hit and miss. Yeah, okay, some of these panels are just... no.
The relationship between Clark Kent and Lana Lang is so poorly written. At first it’s well done but then in the Summer chapter Clark asks Lois Lane out even though he hasn’t broken up with Lana. Kinda douchey. It also ends in a stupid way in the final chapter.

Overall:
Even as someone who isn’t a huge Superman fan, this is a great book. Sure it has a couple of flaws but as a whole the story, depth to the characters and fantastic narrative make this one worth reading for sure. I think that this would be ideal for someone who isn’t familiar with Superman comics but wants to try some out. If you want a good comic that is different from other superhero stories this is a very good choice.
Highly recommended!

4/5

[The Lion's Share · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic story from Loeb and Sale. I love the way he puts a calm and meaningful spin on some of the biggest comic characters out there. My favourite was Daredevil yellow and Spider-Man blue, but this is up there too.

The story is told in four different seasons by four different people in Supermans' life and shows how he matures throughout his teenage years leaving smallville to becoming superman and working in Metropolis.

I thought it had great artwork and a different insight into Superman and Lex Luthor.

[Vinicius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superman as Quatro Estações está longe de ser um quadrinho épico de ação com lutinhas de heróis. É um gibi com uma pegada mais Slice of Life, sendo uma leitura que proporciona conforto e “aquece o coração” dos leitores. Nessa obra escrita por Jeph Loeb e desenhada Tim Sale, vemos uma abordagem mais esperançosa do Superman, focando no seu desenvolvimento enquanto “humano” e buscando responder a pergunta: se o Superman é o ser mais forte e que, em teoria, poderia fazer tudo, por que ele utiliza seu poder para ajudar as pessoas?

Esse aspecto altruísta do personagem é abordado ao longo de quatro capítulos, os quais são demarcados pelas 4 estações: primavera, verão, outono e inverno. Além disso, cada capitulo é narrado a partir do ponto de vista de alguma pessoa da vida do Superman, sendo respectivamente: Jonathan Kent (pai do Clark), Lois Lane, Lex Luthor e Lana Lang. Cada qual com um ponto de vista interessante, partindo do sentimento que eles nutrem pelo Superman.

A história, apesar de começar pela sua infância, não aborda sua já conhecida origem, e começa com Clark garoto, indo até seu começo como Superman em Metropolis, dando ênfase em seu lado humano enquanto ainda estava em Smalville e possuía diversas incertezas sobre quem ele é e o que ele deveria fazer da vida.

Esse questionamento que o Clark possui desde quando é um jovem adulto, é resultado de sua pureza como humano que fora criado por um casal simples e bondoso do interior dos Estados Unidos, que não enxergavam Clark como um alienígena, mas sim o filho deles, criado com os aspectos éticos e morais que eles acreditavam ser o certo, sempre com o ensejo de fazer o bem e ajudar as pessoas.

Além do mais, a trama acerta ao mostrar Clark se deparando com desafios que nem mesmo o Superman consegue vencer, por exemplo desastres naturais. É muito tocante ver o Superman ficando sem reação ao ver uma enchente e todo o desastre que a mesma causa por onde passa.

O quadrinho nos mostra toda a humanidade presente na figurinha do Superman, e destaca que antes do Homem de Aço ser esse super herói indestrutível, ele é Clark Kent, um homem criado em Smalville que se importa com as pessoas.

[OmniBen · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
Hands down, now my favourite Superman story of all time. But then again, when you put Loeb and Sale on a book, the quality is going to be as bankable as death and taxes.
More important than getting Clarke, or Superman, or Metropolis or Smallville right, is to get Lois right. Maybe one day DC will give us that hardcover collection of silver age Lois Lane books, but until then, I'll subsist on Sale's sublime artistic interpretation of Lois.
That said, every single character is true to form, even if the likes of Jimmy and Perry don't much feature.
Luthor, who I find very hit and miss, is great here. The cold and calculating billionaire is as ruthless as ever, yet far more relatable than I have often found him to be. I would love to see this more grounded take on him more, and less of the more cartoonish aspects of the character.
I don't need Superman to take on galatcic level threats. In fact, I usually prefer it when he isn't. Superman punching the biggest thing the hardest he can is the least interesting thing about the character. In Superman for all Seasons, there is precious little punching, but lots of sentiment, a smattering of action, but action rooted in meaningful narrative and wonderful characterisation. Loeb and Sale on top form. Essential reading. 4.5/5


OmniBen.

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the change in narration, each season has a slightly different tone. Spring is Jonathon Kent, Summer is Lois Lane, Fall is Lex Luthor, and lastly Winter is Lana Lang.

This is basically Superman: Year One. It is drawn in a very colorful romantic, watercolor way that is very Norman Rockwell America.

Due to the narration, the reader has some distance from Clark and gets to see him through the eyes of those around. It is a great way to add new life to a very old, sometimes boring, character.

This one is all about tone and atmosphere and emotion and less about the actually plot. A great read!

[Erica David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to have a problem with Supes. Being a fan of the Bat, Superman was a little too squeaky clean for me. I’m not saying that all of our modern heroes need to be dark, tortured antiheroes, but the whole Midwestern farm boy turned reporter thing never really interested me. Then I read Superman For All Seasons and something happened. I can only describe it as a warming of the cockles of my tiny Grinch heart. Loeb and Sale have given us a beautiful and elegant exploration of the origins of Superman, from his beginnings as a boy growing up in Smallville, to his days as a man and superman in Metropolis. The graphic novel bears a dedication to Norman Rockwell and it’s easy to see why when taking Sales’s careful pencils and Bjarne Hansen’s delicate colors into account. But perhaps the biggest debt it owes to Rockwell is its particular vision of America, a vision which—even if you’ve never known it or can’t possibly believe in it—makes you mourn it, yearn for it and wish that it could be.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful re-telling of Superman's early years, narrated by 4 familiar character's widely different perspectives: Pa Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Lana Lang each take turns providing their insights on the Big Blue Boyscout during a different "season" of his early career.

Please note: Sales' artwork is unconventional, but if you give it and its purposefully toned-down colour palette a chance you'll find it suits the gentle storytelling of Loeb to an absolute T.

[Darcofi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por historias como esta, Superman es de mis favoritos. Con The Boys, Invencible y el auge de las subversiones del héroe clásico en general, está ganando fuerza la idea de "¿y si Superman fuera malo?". Como si ese debate no se hubiera superado hace décadas y no residiera precisamente ahí el encanto del héroe de Smallville: un dios que decide vivir para los demás y nunca actuar por su propio beneficio. Quien no vea aquí una idea más interesante que "hagamos a Superman pero en hijo de puta", que se lo revise.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clark Kent is lonely, facing up to all the problems in the world, and the need to juggle his dual identity.

How does the reporter Clark Kent always know where Superman will be? wonders the star journalist, Lois Lane.

So many L.L. initials here: Lois Lane, childhood crush Lana Lang, and the typical evil billionaire, Lex Luther.

This storyline focuses on Clark's emotional conflicts and his idyllic family life on the farm. Supposedly "a truly original approach" but to me it seemed to be more of the same.

[Sam Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars!

This was required reading for my Epic Hero unit in Communication and Literacy class. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, including the beautiful illustrations, and look forward to reading more graphic novels in the future!

[Adrià · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeph Loeb. Tim Sale. La madre que los parió.

Loeb y Sale regalan viñetas de página entera y a doble página con ricas explosiones de colores que me dejan con los ojos al revés 👀. Es un dibujo sencillo pero, a la vez, único y vistoso��.

[Machiavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I found a Superman I liked! This is such a gentle, heartfelt take on the Man of Steel—it’s less about big action and more about who Clark Kent is at his core. It’s told in four seasons, each from a different character’s POV (Lois, Lex, Pa, Lana), which gives it a really personal, grounded feel that I loved. To me this really feels nostalgic without being sappy, and I appreciate the narrative throughout…. You really get the sense of Superman as a symbol and a man just trying to do the right thing. It’s not flashy, but I think it will stick with me in a quiet, meaningful way.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good read, really enjoyed this!

I found this to basically be a superman year one and with it being a Loeb and Sale book you know it’s going to be a treat. It’s an exploration of the character told through different people in his life set in different seasons of the year and while each part was nice the whole arc through the seasons is a satisfying read.

Overall I highly recommend this book!

[Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this graphic novel that I borrowed from the hubby. I liked how each season was from a different POV- Pa, Lois, Lex, and Lana. The story started with Clark learning how he was found by Pa, discovering his powers, dealing with the ethics of them, and coming into his purpose. I appreciated the more soft visual feel to this graphic novel.

“It’s not nearly as hard learning you have limitations as it is learning how to work with them.”

[Mizuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been a Superman fan but...just look at the lineup for this comic! Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale who gave us Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory! I'm totally sold!

Turns out, Superman's story is a lot less complicated than Batman's. While Batman's story offers up murder mysteries, crime-noir, a huge bunch of colorful crazy villains, childhood tramaus, battles with criminals and crime families; what Superman has to offer is a big dude flying around in his underpants and a cape and a straight forward coming-of-age tale.

Don't get me wrong, Jeph Loeb's story about Superman might be a lot simpler than B-man's, yet it isn't any less worthy than B-man's stories. It is a fun read, this story is fast-paced, with likable and understandable characters, heart-warming moments, we got to hear the voices of different characters (Clark's foster father, Clark, Lana Lang and even Lois Lane) and a few set of good moral messages. Still, after reading Mr. Loeb's gothic and gritty Batman's tale of crime, madness and violence, the nearly 180 degree chance of coloring, tune and mood in Superman for All Seasons is almost stunning.

Plus, a Lux Luthor who has hair also needs some getting used to as well.

Anyway, Jeph Loeb is great in story telling, characters' development and emotional depth and Tim Sale is still as masterful as before with his artwork (who would have guessed 'a big dude flying around town' can be such a funny but kind-of awesome sight to behold?). Great job!

My review for Batman: The Long Halloween: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este cómic nos cuenta por enésima vez la historia de origen de Superman, pero lo hace de una forma peculiar, con una sensibilidad muy especial. A lo largo de un año separado por las cuatro estaciones, se nos va mostrando el momento en el que Clark Kent empezó a desarrollar sus poderes, su viaje a metrópolis dejando atrás a sus padres y a una enamorada Lana Lang, sus primeros pasos como periodista y como superhéroe, el inicio de su relación con personajes clave como Lois Lane y Lex Luthor...

El cómic está dividido en cuatro partes, cada una corresponde a una de las estaciones, comenzando por la primavera. En cada una de estas partes nos encontramos con un narrador que nos muestra su visión de Superman, así nos encontramos con los testimonios de Jonathan Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor y Lana Lang, esta curiosa estructura hace que podamos ver distintas perspectivas de lo que significa el héroe y la persona para algunas de las personas más importantes de su vida.

Este es un cómic tranquilo, sin demasiada acción, en el que prima la atmósfera y un sentimiento nostálgico sobre la acción y la aventura... el dibujo de Tim Sale, muy personal y de una calidad excepcional en mi opinión aporta mucho a estas sensaciones, una cantidad de detalle tremenda en las escenas cotidianas y un minimalismo exquisito en las escenas que se salen de lo ordinario nos subrayan dónde está puesto el foco en esta ocasión.

Un gran cómic, una lectura rápida y satisfactoria que puede disfrutar cualquiera aunque nunca haya leído ningún cómic de Dc o de superman.

[Britton]

There are a lot of people, and I used to be among them, who think that Superman is a hard character to write for. He's too much of a good guy, some people say. Others say because he's so powerful, it's hard to make him relatable to audiences. But as I've grown and read Superman's comics over the years, I've realized that this is complete nonsense. The allure of Superman as a character is that, despite his incredible abilities, he's just a regular guy who wants to do good. As Grant Morrison put it, Superman's a regular person like the rest of us, it's just that his average problems tend to have a bigger scale than our problems do. With that in mind, it becomes much easier to write Superman.

To be fair, it can certainly be daunting to write an iconic character such as Superman. He's so big, so famous. What can you add on to The Man of Steel that hasn't already been said or done? To do a really good Superman story is a miracle. To do a great one is astounding. To do a masterful one...well you have to be Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. But from what I've noticed, the people who get Superman are the ones who return to his core values: Truth, justice, and doing the right thing no matter what and it's this very thing that creates the best Superman stories.

But coming back to the story at hand, I've always enjoyed Jeph Loeb's work. He may not have the finesse and great skill of some comics' best practitioners, but he's always been a dependable and most importantly sincere writer. Generally he's at his best when he does miniseries like this one and when he teamed with the late, great Tim Sale, magic happened. With him, he penned one of the greatest Batman stories, one of the greatest Spider-Man stories as well as a deeply moving meditation on grief, and the best retelling of Daredevil's origin story that isn't Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. But out of their much lauded miniseries', I'd never gotten around to reading their much loved take on The Man of Steel and, considering that the new Superman movie is coming out this year, I thought now would be as good of a time as ever to cover it.

So what did I think? I'm happy to say that For All Seasons is yet another great collaboration between Loeb and Sale. Loeb is generally at his best when he does contained stories such as this one and here he shows that despite working in a world of gods, paragons, and vigilantes, he really gets average people. Even with my limited exposure to small towns in America, Loeb gets the atmosphere completely right. Where everyone knows each other and the community has each other's backs no matter what. It becomes clear why Superman became the paragon that we know and love, because he was taught to love and value everyone who's around him. Loeb moves the story with a leisurely pace and grounds it in genuine pathos over theatrical superheroics. The emotional beats of the story are done exceptionally too, particularly with Toxin's story and Loeb never tries to overreach with the story and themes that he employs here. It all unfolds naturally, without much fluff or superfluousness.

Like the best Superman creators, Loeb cuts right to the core of who Superman is as a character, and why we always want him to save us. But wisely, he doesn't attempt to get into the head of Clark himself. He surrounds Clark with a compelling supporting cast including his parents, Lana Lang, and the crew at The Daily Planet. We see Superman through the eyes of the people who most matter to him and it gives us one of the most human depictions of The Man of Steel that I've yet seen. Loeb follows Morrison's template for what makes a compelling Superman story, as many of the threats that Superman faces are mundane, yet he faces them using his unique abilities. There is certainly the superheroics, but once again, the story works because of the emotional core and raw humanity that pushes the story forward.

The real winner here is Tim Sale. He churns out some of the finest artwork of his career, accompanied by the great colors of one Bjarne Hansen. Some of Sale's depictions of the landscapes of Kansas and Metropolis are just flawless. It's the most consistently good artwork that Sale has put out and his setbacks are minimized. There's not much of the strange anatomical choices that sometimes plagues his work, just pure humanity. His depictions of the characters are so distinct here too, particularly Lex Luthor, who Sale depicts as more like a sleazy salesman, though that outside appearance hides the intellect and drive that he's known for. Sale and Hansen create a world right out of Norman Rockwell's paintings. It's not quite to the level of Alex Ross, but Sale is absolutely peerless here.

Also to be mentioned is Sam's Story, Loeb's tribute to his late son of the same name. As good as For All Seasons was, I actually found Sam's Story to be just as, if not more, powerful than the book that it's a side story in. Much like with Spider-Man: Blue, Loeb combines quiet tragedy with a discharge of raw emotion. It was hard not to feel a pit in my stomach as I read the story of Clark Kent's best friend. It reminded me of the original Donner Superman film when Pa Kent dies, as Clark learns that he can't save everyone and sometimes life just isn't fair.

While I don't put For All Seasons in the same league as All-Star Superman, it definitely is in the league of fantastic Superman stories such as Tom King's recent Up in The Sky or What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way that speak to the core of who Superman is. It's reminder that despite how iconic he is, Superman is just another person who wants to help. Sometimes it takes an alien from the planet Krypton to show us what it means to be human and it takes a very good writer to smash the boring criticisms that people have lobbed against him. For All Seasons is the real deal and once again shows Loeb and Sale at the height of their respective creative peak.

When you read Superman: For All Seasons, you realize Superman isn't that hard to write at all. In the end, he's not much different from the rest of us. As he would put it, Clark Kent is who he is, Superman is what he can do.