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Superman: One-Shots
Superman: At Earth's End
PERFECT BIND SUPERMAN SPECIAL
48 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Tom Veitch
161 books50 followersTom Veitch was an American writer, known for his work in the comic book industry. He was also a novelist and a poet. He was the brother of comics writer and artist Rick Veitch.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 18, 2010
I'll be honest: this book is terrible. But it's one of those things that's just so terrible that it's wonderful. It's something of a private joke among my friends. It's set in the distant future when Superman is really old and looks like Santa on steroids. The world is in ruins and someone has stolen Batman's bones. You will seriously not believe who is responsible. Seriously. It's RETARDED. And that's part of why it's so brilliant. My favorite part is just one panel where Superman is walking through Wayne Manor and in a hallway decorated with portraits of Batman's greatest villains we see a gun on display with a placard leaning against it which simply says "THE GUN THAT KILLED MY PARENTS." Why would he or anyone put that on display? The man who wrote this is a GENIUS.
February 20, 2015
It is very possible that this is the most gloriously stupid comic book I have ever read or will ever read. It is completely terrible, but in the best way imaginable. I hate it and love it in equal measure.
March 21, 2020
Loved this comic for years. It is bonkers but makes me smile. Story is weak, but I dig the art. How can Superman fighting Nazis not be anything but wonderful??
July 9, 2023
Too many haters out there. This story was fun. Nothing like some good nazi stomping.
May 9, 2022
This comic is divisive, but I loved it. Yes, loved. Do I have bad taste? Maybe, but I'm not ashamed of that!
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "fun."
What I liked
The comic is edgy and weird. But that's exactly why I liked it. Some would say that Superman using guns is out of character and stupid, but I thought the guns were awesome. Besides - contrary to what some believe - Superman has killed his enemies before (he's not a pacifist) and he's even used guns and other weapons on rare occasions. Additionally, since this is an Elseworlds story, it isn't cannon, so his behavior can be divergent from what we expect.
art
The art is very good: detailed, colorful, and dynamic. You've probably seen the iconic image of Superman holding the gigantic gun. I also like seeing Superman as somewhat world-weary old guy.
length
At less than 50 pages, this comic dives right into the action and doesn't waste your time. If it was much longer, I'm sure the silliness of the plot would have overtaken the fun.
plot
The plot is kind of thin (it is only 48 pages after all) but it manages to craft an interesting story.
Set a hundred or so years into the future, it starts off with Superman attempting to save Gotham from annihilation at the hands of androids that don't see anything redeemable in the city. Their battle is half-hearted and as Superman leaves, one of the androids says that the Man of Steel will "soon realize that the old ways are gone forever" and that he will "learn the only law is the power of the gun!"
From there, with the help of a gang of orphans, Superman uncovers a dark plot to clone a mutant army. All kinds of people - including the long-deceased Batman - are used in twisted medical experiments to help the Third Reich's plan of world domination.
Superman resists the idea of using weapons, saying that his incredible strength meant that he never needed them. Nonetheless, he accepts that sometimes weapons are necessary by pointing out that the orphans probably could not have survived if they adhered to a strict "no guns" policy. Later on in the story, he is weakened and riddled with injuries. The pragmatic idea about weapons is echoed when he says, "My powers gone! I've lost my invulnerability! Now I'm no different from the ordinary men who faced Nazi weapons and died."
Many people critique the plot, but for me, I thought it was fun if a bit cheesy at times.
What I did NOT like
Superman kills himself at the end. He claims he was dying anyway and that his internal organs were full of bullet holes. I don't buy it.
Conclusion
This story worked for me because it was entertaining. Let comics be weird.
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "fun."
What I liked
The comic is edgy and weird. But that's exactly why I liked it. Some would say that Superman using guns is out of character and stupid, but I thought the guns were awesome. Besides - contrary to what some believe - Superman has killed his enemies before (he's not a pacifist) and he's even used guns and other weapons on rare occasions. Additionally, since this is an Elseworlds story, it isn't cannon, so his behavior can be divergent from what we expect.
art
The art is very good: detailed, colorful, and dynamic. You've probably seen the iconic image of Superman holding the gigantic gun. I also like seeing Superman as somewhat world-weary old guy.
length
At less than 50 pages, this comic dives right into the action and doesn't waste your time. If it was much longer, I'm sure the silliness of the plot would have overtaken the fun.
plot
The plot is kind of thin (it is only 48 pages after all) but it manages to craft an interesting story.
Set a hundred or so years into the future, it starts off with Superman attempting to save Gotham from annihilation at the hands of androids that don't see anything redeemable in the city. Their battle is half-hearted and as Superman leaves, one of the androids says that the Man of Steel will "soon realize that the old ways are gone forever" and that he will "learn the only law is the power of the gun!"
From there, with the help of a gang of orphans, Superman uncovers a dark plot to clone a mutant army. All kinds of people - including the long-deceased Batman - are used in twisted medical experiments to help the Third Reich's plan of world domination.
Superman resists the idea of using weapons, saying that his incredible strength meant that he never needed them. Nonetheless, he accepts that sometimes weapons are necessary by pointing out that the orphans probably could not have survived if they adhered to a strict "no guns" policy. Later on in the story, he is weakened and riddled with injuries. The pragmatic idea about weapons is echoed when he says, "My powers gone! I've lost my invulnerability! Now I'm no different from the ordinary men who faced Nazi weapons and died."
Many people critique the plot, but for me, I thought it was fun if a bit cheesy at times.
What I did NOT like
Superman kills himself at the end. He claims he was dying anyway and that his internal organs were full of bullet holes. I don't buy it.
Conclusion
This story worked for me because it was entertaining. Let comics be weird.
December 22, 2022
An Elseworlds story.
In the year 2102, after two apocalypses, the only person who remembers the world that was is Superman, aged and weakened. When he learns that the mysterious DNA Diktators are kidnapping survivors and subjecting them to genetic experiments, as well as stealing the bones of his long-dead friend Bruce Wayne, Superman sets out to defeat them.
In a post-apocalyptic world where most (all) other heroes are dead and the main character is older and more world-weary than we know them, this could easily have read like 'Old Man Kal-El' and been something genuinely interesting.
Unfortunately, every possible opportunity to do something interesting and innovative with the setting of this book is studiously avoided and instead something unfathomably dumb is put in its place. And just when you think the book couldn't be any dumber, it introduces twin Hitler clones.
Literally everything in this book is the worst it could possibly be, from a gun-toting Superman (the gun was built by Batman, incidentally, famous for his hatred of guns), to the gang of children riding miniature motorbikes, to the aforementioned Hitler clones, to the fact that Batman's resurrected body appears for about five seconds before being written out.
I've really enjoyed Tom Veitch's Star Wars comics, so I find it baffling that he also wrote this utter garbage.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
In the year 2102, after two apocalypses, the only person who remembers the world that was is Superman, aged and weakened. When he learns that the mysterious DNA Diktators are kidnapping survivors and subjecting them to genetic experiments, as well as stealing the bones of his long-dead friend Bruce Wayne, Superman sets out to defeat them.
In a post-apocalyptic world where most (all) other heroes are dead and the main character is older and more world-weary than we know them, this could easily have read like 'Old Man Kal-El' and been something genuinely interesting.
Unfortunately, every possible opportunity to do something interesting and innovative with the setting of this book is studiously avoided and instead something unfathomably dumb is put in its place. And just when you think the book couldn't be any dumber, it introduces twin Hitler clones.
Literally everything in this book is the worst it could possibly be, from a gun-toting Superman (the gun was built by Batman, incidentally, famous for his hatred of guns), to the gang of children riding miniature motorbikes, to the aforementioned Hitler clones, to the fact that Batman's resurrected body appears for about five seconds before being written out.
I've really enjoyed Tom Veitch's Star Wars comics, so I find it baffling that he also wrote this utter garbage.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
July 13, 2019
Esta é uma história muito bizarra, especialmente no contexto de uma personagem tão limpa quanto esta. Estamos num futuro distante pós-apocalíptico, e um Super-Homem envelhecido e enfraquecido recusa-se a juntar-se a uma civilização de bio-andróides que se assume como a sucessora da humanidade. Vai até às ruínas de Gotham, cidade assolada por clones mutantes de Batman criados por cientistas loucos a mando de um par de clones de Hitler. Cruza-se com um bando de rapazes semi-selvagens que lutam contra os clones de homem-morcego pela supremacia nas ruas em ruínas. Depressa assume numa nova missão: travar os clones, e resgatar os restos mortais de Bruce Wayne, que estão a servir aos cientistas para replicar o ADN para os seus clones mutantes. Cumprida a missão, imola-se, sentindo que a humanidade que sempre defendeu deixou de existir. É assim que esta bizarra série termina, com um super-homem envelhecido e barbudo a segurar no cadáver de Batman, rodeado por chamas num funeral de todos os heróis.
January 31, 2022
At this point this comic is so infamous you should already know what you are coming for.
This is a so bad it is good/ hilarious comic. I doubt Tom Veitch wasn't laughing while he wrote this.
It is great for its absurdity and laughs like any trash movie on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and you will find plenty of stuff to make jokes about with friends but if you try to watch this seriously, trying to account all the ways that Superman is out of character ( guns for crying out loud! ) and the story makes no sense it will only drive you nuts.
This is pretty much the Plan 9 From Outer Space of Superman comics.
This is a so bad it is good/ hilarious comic. I doubt Tom Veitch wasn't laughing while he wrote this.
It is great for its absurdity and laughs like any trash movie on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and you will find plenty of stuff to make jokes about with friends but if you try to watch this seriously, trying to account all the ways that Superman is out of character ( guns for crying out loud! ) and the story makes no sense it will only drive you nuts.
This is pretty much the Plan 9 From Outer Space of Superman comics.
February 12, 2023
Tra i tanti elseworlds DC questo è decisamente uno dei peggiori e dei più insulsi.
Il peggio degli anni '90 applicato a Superman: armi enormi alla Cable, anatomie improbabili alla Liefeld, una trama risibile e stupida.
1 stella
Il peggio degli anni '90 applicato a Superman: armi enormi alla Cable, anatomie improbabili alla Liefeld, una trama risibile e stupida.
1 stella
November 26, 2024
This might be the stupidest comic I’ve ever read. It has incompetent writing, inexplicable character choices and utterly peculiar world building. This is a comic so bad that it has to be read to be believed.
November 8, 2017
This Elseworlds tale actually started pretty strong, but then quickly degenerated into silliness and nonsensical lunacy. The art was really good, though, so bonus star for that.
March 14, 2021
What a mess.
My hopes weren't high, as the Kamandi mini-series this spun off of was also a dreary mess, but I thought older Superman, going out to help rebuild a world, post-WW3 had potential.
Interesting idea, bad story and crazy uneven art.
My hopes weren't high, as the Kamandi mini-series this spun off of was also a dreary mess, but I thought older Superman, going out to help rebuild a world, post-WW3 had potential.
Interesting idea, bad story and crazy uneven art.
August 19, 2023
I AM A MAN YES I AM AND I CAN'T HELP BUY LOVE YOU SO
May 21, 2025
not the batcoffin
March 14, 2018
I am not a big superman fan. I do however love the stories Kingdom Come and
Superman Red Son. So I have a good idea of how the character of Superman is
supposed to be. I also know the reputation of this book. The best way I can
describe this book is: The Dark Knight Strikes Again for Superman fans. (That’s
bad. REALLY BAD) This is a 48 page joke of a comic with bad art and one of the
lamest most idiotic executions to a good concept. For one Superman of course looks like a retarded Santa Claus with a stupid looking outfit. Plus this doesn't feel like the Superman we love. This is week-ass grandpa Superman that preaches to a young group of goonies that you shouldn't use guns to then later brutally murder creatures and people with the biggest gun known to man kind. (Wait that didn't come out right) On page 35 there is an OHH SHIIIT hero rising up moment. Page 35. That’s just sad. The ending is crap with Superman killing
himself in a fire. That’s right he burns himself to death.
This brings me to the dialogue. This is some of the worst I’ve ever read in a book. It is almost identical in the cheesiness of the dialogue as a after school
special for fucking scooby doo or some shit. It’s so awkward. The characters
speak everything they are thinking. Everything. It’s so terrible. I’m not going to
go into detail about how they destroyed Batman. (It’s not worth typing) In the
end this has got to be the worst Superman story ever written. It has to be.
Superman fights Nazis and Clones of Hitler all the while slaughtering people
with guns, which goes against everything he believes. Nuclear Fail!!!!!! Letter Grade: (F)
Superman Red Son. So I have a good idea of how the character of Superman is
supposed to be. I also know the reputation of this book. The best way I can
describe this book is: The Dark Knight Strikes Again for Superman fans. (That’s
bad. REALLY BAD) This is a 48 page joke of a comic with bad art and one of the
lamest most idiotic executions to a good concept. For one Superman of course looks like a retarded Santa Claus with a stupid looking outfit. Plus this doesn't feel like the Superman we love. This is week-ass grandpa Superman that preaches to a young group of goonies that you shouldn't use guns to then later brutally murder creatures and people with the biggest gun known to man kind. (Wait that didn't come out right) On page 35 there is an OHH SHIIIT hero rising up moment. Page 35. That’s just sad. The ending is crap with Superman killing
himself in a fire. That’s right he burns himself to death.
This brings me to the dialogue. This is some of the worst I’ve ever read in a book. It is almost identical in the cheesiness of the dialogue as a after school
special for fucking scooby doo or some shit. It’s so awkward. The characters
speak everything they are thinking. Everything. It’s so terrible. I’m not going to
go into detail about how they destroyed Batman. (It’s not worth typing) In the
end this has got to be the worst Superman story ever written. It has to be.
Superman fights Nazis and Clones of Hitler all the while slaughtering people
with guns, which goes against everything he believes. Nuclear Fail!!!!!! Letter Grade: (F)
December 11, 2015
Yeah, it's that bad. The reviews don't lie. Weird concept with Terrible art and way to many guns.... All that was missing was some pouches, a backwards cap for it to have all that was wrong with 90's comics.
July 22, 2012
This is honestly so bad it's funny. Seriously.
May 25, 2015
Probably the most 90s, idiotic story I've ever read. I feel like this must be a joke I'm not getting because it's so stupid.
February 13, 2016
An interesting futuristic Superman story. Recommended
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews