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Superman & Batman: Generations #1
Superman/Batman: Generations
In this century spanning tale, we witness the villains and circumstances that bring the world's two greatest heroes, Batman and Superman together throughout the years. And in these battles, these polar opposite heroes are not only defined but also portrayed as they were actually depicted by writers and artists throughout the different decades. From their first meeting to the their confrontations with the Joker, Lex Luthor, and Mxyzptlk, their personal relationship continually evolves from best friends to bitter partners and finally respected peers.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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542 people want to read
About the author
John Byrne
2,960 books360 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 6, 2015
One of the best Superman/Batman stories ever told
Writer & Illustrator: John Byrne
THE BRIGHTEST OF TIMES, THE DARKEST OF TIMES
When I bought this TPB (I wished to be able to get the original single issues), I did it basically because it was some story about Superman & Batman, the World’s Finest, so I thought: “Cool!”
I wasn’t expecting anything deep, just good old comic book entertainment.
Oh, my God!!!
Superman/Batman: Generations is one of the best storylines that I ever read and certainly one that shocked me so much. Out of writers like Alan Moore and Frank Miller, I wasn’t used to read something so dark, so sad, so shocking like this and certainly convinced me to have John Byrne in a top status as storyteller.
Superman/Batman: Generations is a story told with a “jump” between decades, starting in 1939 and reaching even 1999, while you will meet also additional “jumps” in 1929 and 2129. Part of the premise was the eternal presentation where the comic book heroes never get old, they never age, and each certain time they got “rebooted”, so they get young again, but even more important, they hardly evolve in the sense of getting families and therefore sons, grandsons, etc...
So, this story was developed to present a logical passing of times where Superman (Clark Kent) got married with Lois Lane, having kids, and also Batman (Bruce Wayne) got married and having a kid, and how those families were getting old during the decades, presenting changes on each decade, and how two powerful families are meant to be united against the forces of evil.
Superman/Batman: Generations is a rollercoaster of emotions. You will be able to smile with sweet moments of good old campiness, but also you will get shocked with bitter moments of harsh malevolence. In a moment, you heart will be full of joy, and another your heart will be left with a big hole of sadness. There is a pivotal moment in the storyline that if you don’t get sad and shocked, well, then it’d be better to check with a doctor because maybe you don’t have warm blood in your veins anymore or you lost your skill of empathy at all.
THE PASSING OF TIME, THE PASSING OF TORCHES
Superman/Batman: Generations since one of the angles for the story is the passing of time, you will get to see your heroes getting old, and therefore, at certain moments, they pass the “torch” so younger generations will keep on their mantles as forces of good.
Family is one of the strongest topics in any story, and certainly this storyline is based on that.
Two friends families where they tried their best to fight against evil, but also, they were humans, they took decisions, and not always there were the best decisions, having unpredictable repercussions.
Fighting against evil isn’t a game, because the villains aren’t playing, and you will get to watch a very dark side of that here.
THE WEIGHT OF SUCCESS, THE WEIGHT OF SEQUELS
As you can imagine, this storyline was so successful (while oddly enough this story never got a deserved reputation as many other popular comic book storylines) that it was ordered sequels from it. That I was able to get them in their single issues, but they weren’t that good as the original tale, but hardly to be called bad ones.
I will do reviews about them in these days.
Writer & Illustrator: John Byrne
THE BRIGHTEST OF TIMES, THE DARKEST OF TIMES
When I bought this TPB (I wished to be able to get the original single issues), I did it basically because it was some story about Superman & Batman, the World’s Finest, so I thought: “Cool!”
I wasn’t expecting anything deep, just good old comic book entertainment.
Oh, my God!!!
Superman/Batman: Generations is one of the best storylines that I ever read and certainly one that shocked me so much. Out of writers like Alan Moore and Frank Miller, I wasn’t used to read something so dark, so sad, so shocking like this and certainly convinced me to have John Byrne in a top status as storyteller.
Superman/Batman: Generations is a story told with a “jump” between decades, starting in 1939 and reaching even 1999, while you will meet also additional “jumps” in 1929 and 2129. Part of the premise was the eternal presentation where the comic book heroes never get old, they never age, and each certain time they got “rebooted”, so they get young again, but even more important, they hardly evolve in the sense of getting families and therefore sons, grandsons, etc...
So, this story was developed to present a logical passing of times where Superman (Clark Kent) got married with Lois Lane, having kids, and also Batman (Bruce Wayne) got married and having a kid, and how those families were getting old during the decades, presenting changes on each decade, and how two powerful families are meant to be united against the forces of evil.
Superman/Batman: Generations is a rollercoaster of emotions. You will be able to smile with sweet moments of good old campiness, but also you will get shocked with bitter moments of harsh malevolence. In a moment, you heart will be full of joy, and another your heart will be left with a big hole of sadness. There is a pivotal moment in the storyline that if you don’t get sad and shocked, well, then it’d be better to check with a doctor because maybe you don’t have warm blood in your veins anymore or you lost your skill of empathy at all.
THE PASSING OF TIME, THE PASSING OF TORCHES
Superman/Batman: Generations since one of the angles for the story is the passing of time, you will get to see your heroes getting old, and therefore, at certain moments, they pass the “torch” so younger generations will keep on their mantles as forces of good.
Family is one of the strongest topics in any story, and certainly this storyline is based on that.
Two friends families where they tried their best to fight against evil, but also, they were humans, they took decisions, and not always there were the best decisions, having unpredictable repercussions.
Fighting against evil isn’t a game, because the villains aren’t playing, and you will get to watch a very dark side of that here.
THE WEIGHT OF SUCCESS, THE WEIGHT OF SEQUELS
As you can imagine, this storyline was so successful (while oddly enough this story never got a deserved reputation as many other popular comic book storylines) that it was ordered sequels from it. That I was able to get them in their single issues, but they weren’t that good as the original tale, but hardly to be called bad ones.
I will do reviews about them in these days.
August 9, 2024
Very clever premise by John Byrne, among his best latter DC work.
One of the first "real-time" comics ever, and the idea is that Superman and Batman deputed in the late 1930s and had been active since then throughout the decades as the world changed around them. Many references to comics of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s etc. as well as new ideas about how the children of these iconic heroes might react to the real world's politics around them.
And it's surprisingly dark. Overall, the execution is flawed as so much ground is covered swiftly, but that's what these kind of stories have to do. Byrne gets a lot of points simply for coming up with this.
Marvel would do their own Life Story books years later, but Generations was first...
One of the first "real-time" comics ever, and the idea is that Superman and Batman deputed in the late 1930s and had been active since then throughout the decades as the world changed around them. Many references to comics of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s etc. as well as new ideas about how the children of these iconic heroes might react to the real world's politics around them.
And it's surprisingly dark. Overall, the execution is flawed as so much ground is covered swiftly, but that's what these kind of stories have to do. Byrne gets a lot of points simply for coming up with this.
Marvel would do their own Life Story books years later, but Generations was first...
February 28, 2021
Wanted to like this more than I did. I'm a sucker for the Mad Men 20th century thing but there wasn't enough here to keep me hooked. Likewise, I always enjoy alternative history/futures of superheroes, but giving Batman and Superman biological children and conventional families always felt a bit boring. That said, Joker getting sent to a Soviet gulag was inspired and Lois suffering the long term consequences of cigarettes was good.
March 7, 2016
The plot arch across the volume is many times more interesting than the (sometimes hokey) plots of the individual chapters. With that in mind, the first half moves slow because it takes a while for the plot arch to reveal itself fully. The volume isn't especially profound, there isn't a big payoff and the title characters lack inner conflict, but the volume is a fun, heartwarming story to imagine happening in the DC Universe.
July 31, 2014
I wasn't too sure what to expect from this. I really do like my books to be part of the official chronology but don't mind a bit of fun outside that, though at first glance I thought this might be cheesey. Boy, did I have the wrong idea there! Quite impressed actually. This takes Batman and Superman as they meet over the years from 1929 to 2919, though the main time frame is set every ten years from 1939 to 1999. This is set within an "Elseworlds" where time passes normally for our heroes and they age, get married, have children, grandchildren, etc. I especially enjoyed the 30s and 40s stories which were fantastically written and illustrated true to genuine comics from that time period but with more emphasis on character and a continuing plot. As time passes each story's art style reflects that era's. As I said I was quite impressed with the story and was not expecting such an emotional, well-written plot. This centres on Bruce and Clark's characters along with their alter ego's giving us a rare glimpse inside these two that isn't just heavily filled with brooding but with a real empathy full of pathos and joy. We meet up with the descendents of these two superheroes, some of which have dropped out of canon, such as Commissioner Gordon's son "Anthony Gordon", Superman's son "Joel Kent" and Batman's son "Bruce Wayne, Jr.". Plus we get guest appearances by Ultra-Humanite, Brainiac, Joker, Lex Luthor, Supergirl, various Robins, Nightwing and others. But the story always focuses on Batman & Superman and that is what holds this all together, what makes it work and frankly this is especially good for an "imaginary tale".
April 4, 2014
I had this at 5 stars, but then I read the last section. I don't think there are spoilers here when I say that Robin's costume exists because Dick Grayson was a Flying Grayson. THE END.
The range of emotions I felt when reading this collection were crazy. I went from going, "Oh, it's this weird story...Superman had this entire family I never knew about, and Bruce Jr has blonde hair..." to "Kara is my favorite and oh my god all of this makes some weird kind of sense and my heart is breaking." I was all smiling and enjoying one page and then--BAM--there's a Flying Graysons poster on the next page--instant frown. Your favorite characters will die and the story just keeps going. It's like watching the writers play through everyone's life in a Sims game...
There's a lot of classic stuff going down here--like we never find out who Bruce married--her face stays obscured just like in the Super Sons tales. A handful of classic villains and--is it my birthday--no Doomsday/Darkseid/Desaad nonsense. We've also got the lightest sprinkle of Justice Leaguers--in old school costuming. Half the fun in this thing is stretching your brain as everyone grows up and has kids that then sneak into the story--President Harold Jordan, you say? Any relation to Hal Jordan??? Who's Lucy again? Also Whirlybat, Bat-mite, Kryptonite of various colors and more.
Why not take a break from sorting out everything you thought you knew and everything that's going on in New 52 and let the characters grow on you for once?
The range of emotions I felt when reading this collection were crazy. I went from going, "Oh, it's this weird story...Superman had this entire family I never knew about, and Bruce Jr has blonde hair..." to "Kara is my favorite and oh my god all of this makes some weird kind of sense and my heart is breaking." I was all smiling and enjoying one page and then--BAM--there's a Flying Graysons poster on the next page--instant frown. Your favorite characters will die and the story just keeps going. It's like watching the writers play through everyone's life in a Sims game...
There's a lot of classic stuff going down here--like we never find out who Bruce married--her face stays obscured just like in the Super Sons tales. A handful of classic villains and--is it my birthday--no Doomsday/Darkseid/Desaad nonsense. We've also got the lightest sprinkle of Justice Leaguers--in old school costuming. Half the fun in this thing is stretching your brain as everyone grows up and has kids that then sneak into the story--President Harold Jordan, you say? Any relation to Hal Jordan??? Who's Lucy again? Also Whirlybat, Bat-mite, Kryptonite of various colors and more.
Why not take a break from sorting out everything you thought you knew and everything that's going on in New 52 and let the characters grow on you for once?
January 14, 2026
Mission 2026: Binge reviewing all previous Reads, I was too slothful to review back when I read them
Generations is John Byrne’s audacious thought experiment: what if these characters aged, changed, and carried history the way real people do? Reading it felt like watching myth surrender to time. The immortality of superheroes is quietly revoked, replaced by inheritance, legacy, and erosion. What fascinated me was how aging transforms heroism into memory. Superman and Batman become less about action and more about consequence. Their choices echo across decades, shaping successors who live with both gratitude and resentment. Byrne’s approach is uneven at times, but its ambition is undeniable. Some moments feel rushed, others hauntingly reflective. I remember being struck by how mortality reframes power—not as permanence, but as responsibility passed on. Generations doesn’t ask whether heroes can save the world. It asks whether they can live with what they’ve already done.
Most recommended.
Generations is John Byrne’s audacious thought experiment: what if these characters aged, changed, and carried history the way real people do? Reading it felt like watching myth surrender to time. The immortality of superheroes is quietly revoked, replaced by inheritance, legacy, and erosion. What fascinated me was how aging transforms heroism into memory. Superman and Batman become less about action and more about consequence. Their choices echo across decades, shaping successors who live with both gratitude and resentment. Byrne’s approach is uneven at times, but its ambition is undeniable. Some moments feel rushed, others hauntingly reflective. I remember being struck by how mortality reframes power—not as permanence, but as responsibility passed on. Generations doesn’t ask whether heroes can save the world. It asks whether they can live with what they’ve already done.
Most recommended.
February 24, 2020
I'd forgotten how dark this one gets (a commentary on aging itself?). I particularly enjoyed the earlier chapters, despite a little too much (intentional?) hokiness. But the entire story is well done, except maybe the epilogue - the flashback to 1929 added nothing for me and finding Lana with Superman felt tacked on, as she literally hadn't appeared in a panel until the final few pages.
July 30, 2012
It was an imaginary tale that quite honestly should never have been published.
June 9, 2015
The story itself was fine. I just found the art so...boring.
February 13, 2016
Incredible art and story by John Byrne make this one of my favorite Elseworlds books. Highly recommended
January 24, 2020
Námět je super, ale asi nejsem dostatečně velký Superman/Batman fanboy, abych ho ocenil. Některé klíčové věci se děly až příliš rychle a zdálo se mi, že ani nezanechaly následky.
3,5*
3,5*
April 23, 2018
This is another Elseworlds title where DC writers created new and different visions of the DC characters. This Elseworlds follows specifically Batman and Superman and their generational families. Each part of the story is told at a different time period, 1939, 1949, 1959, etc. at a point in time where the two heroes come together, usually to stop a villain but often also to work through some family drama.
The new characters, the children of Batman and Superman, and the different Robins, are all good additions to the story and keep the story fresh. I especially liked the Superman side of the domestics. What is it like growing up the son or daughter of Superman, with all those expectations and that very high bar? In the currently running "Supersons" title, it is accepted that Superman's son is as powerful and good-natured as his dad. Not so in Generations, but I won't say more and give out any spoilers. It gets complicated, and there is great payoff. Like "A Superman for All Seasons," this books takes a while to get to the payoff, but it is worth the read.
My big complaint is that this story doesn't have enough Superman and Batman, and that's weird to say of a Batman/Superman book. Also, the battles aren't the most exciting, and the logic for some of their actions has some real acrobatics. That makes sense because this story is told in an older style with lots of exposition to describe how Superman and Batman can do the things they do. That side of the story I didn't care for as much as I did the family dramas and repercussions of living in a super hero home.
The new characters, the children of Batman and Superman, and the different Robins, are all good additions to the story and keep the story fresh. I especially liked the Superman side of the domestics. What is it like growing up the son or daughter of Superman, with all those expectations and that very high bar? In the currently running "Supersons" title, it is accepted that Superman's son is as powerful and good-natured as his dad. Not so in Generations, but I won't say more and give out any spoilers. It gets complicated, and there is great payoff. Like "A Superman for All Seasons," this books takes a while to get to the payoff, but it is worth the read.
My big complaint is that this story doesn't have enough Superman and Batman, and that's weird to say of a Batman/Superman book. Also, the battles aren't the most exciting, and the logic for some of their actions has some real acrobatics. That makes sense because this story is told in an older style with lots of exposition to describe how Superman and Batman can do the things they do. That side of the story I didn't care for as much as I did the family dramas and repercussions of living in a super hero home.
September 6, 2017
This was one of the first comics I read as a kid. I can still say its one of my favourite stories of all time. I've always loved the idea of introducing real-time into superhero comics since it gives the reader a sense of a single, fluid continuity. Obviously if the major comics companies did that almost all of the non-immortal superheroes would be dead by now, but I still find it an appealing concept. Batman and Superman are the pillars of the DC universe (Wonder Woman being the third) and I love how Byrne takes us through the decades of ups-and-downs of the Wayne and Kent families' lives. I've always been particularly fascinated by the romance between Bruce Wayne Jr. and Kara Kent. Their saga alone I think would make for a great film adaptation. I also think BJ is one of the most underrated alternate versions of Batman. I've always loved his Darth Vader-esque version of the costume and the transformation his character undergoes as the story progresses. A fantastic graphic novel and one that should be read side by side with the second volume to fill in the gaps between decades so you get even more of the story.
February 22, 2022
I remembered this as a clever pastiche that a)shows Superman and Batman debuting in the 1930s and aging in real time and b)mimicked the changing styles of superhero stories (grim and gritty, light and silly, realistic, etc.) as it moved through the decades. Right on the first, largely wrong on the second (other than little details like wacky stuff in the 1950s).
Superman and Batman meet in their early twenties in 1939, then cope with epic battles, marriage, death, tragedy as they move along through the decades. It's enjoyable but a bit too downbeat at times (all those deaths) and a little unsatisfying. The ending in particular — having an immortal Lana Lang show up with very little foreshadowing feels pointless. So overall not as clever as I remembered it.
Superman and Batman meet in their early twenties in 1939, then cope with epic battles, marriage, death, tragedy as they move along through the decades. It's enjoyable but a bit too downbeat at times (all those deaths) and a little unsatisfying. The ending in particular — having an immortal Lana Lang show up with very little foreshadowing feels pointless. So overall not as clever as I remembered it.
February 16, 2021
Superman & Batman: Generations is incredibly well-written as it emulates what made the respective periods the book encapsulates what they were. The story is intricate with a nice, overarching story but enough smaller stories to enjoy. It seems to mostly focus on Superman’s villains, with but a few classic Batman baddies involved. The book does turn dark around 1979 and some of the twists are strange, but all does function to highlight the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. A good read!
August 30, 2017
This is the first comic I ever read, and I had hoped it would hold up to any modern scrutiny. Turns out this is still a really engaging story, following Superman and Batman from 1939-1999 and beyond as if they aged in real time and the time periods reflect the change in tone. It's inventive and very well drawn, and what may seem gimmicky ends up separating it from the pack.
July 17, 2019
Esta es una historia que siempre me ha encantado y en la que creo que John Byrne logró hacer un gran trabajo. Eso sí, es para buenos conocedores del Universo DC, ya que juega con personajes, fechas y referencias (incluso a su cruce de Batman y el Capitán América). Se puede disfrutar aunque no se sea habitual lector de esta editorial, solo que perderá parte de su atractivo.
August 8, 2024
Nice set of Superman and Batman stories! It started off very well for me, slightly lost me in the middle but picked up a bit at the end. There were a few times I was a bit confused as to who was who (Batman and Superman) but overall a good book. Would recommend!
January 7, 2019
Wonderful book that captures these two characters in the traditional approach, they are indeed the World's Finest. Good art and story from John Byrne, strongly recommend.
January 12, 2019
Really fun storyline
April 11, 2020
Byrne doesn’t pull punches in this big scope, real time story. His art continues to deliver several iconic, poster-type shots per chapter, and I love every part of it.
November 10, 2020
John Byrne allowed to play in his own sandbox never fails to deliver great comics, and this is no exception, as he spins possible tales of Bruce, Kal, and their families over the decades.
December 10, 2020
Really enjoyable all the way through! Writing and art are both classic Byrne. My only complaint is there’s a twist at the end that’s kind of unearned.
September 18, 2023
Elseworlds sempre trazendo boas historias.....
May 10, 2024
Great elseworlds take on various versions is
Of the World’s Finest team through the ages.
Of the World’s Finest team through the ages.
October 7, 2013
John Byrne comes up with a truly great concept for an imaginary story: Superman, Batman, and their associated cast aging normally from their origins in the 1930s to the present.
There are eight stories collected in this edition beginning with 1939 and continuing on to 1999 and then taking a jump into the distant future. There's a lot to like about this mini-series particularly in the early going. The 1930s and 1950s tale are the best.
While most modern incarnations of Superman and Batman imagine Superman as good cop and Batman as bad cop. The 1930s Superman was quite as aggressive as Batman and the two hit it off quite well. The 1950s story of Batmite and Mxyzptlk battling to prove whose hero was the best was a classic Silver age pastiche.
The serial began to go downhill with the 1960s story and the injection of anti-war politics as superheroes declined to win the Vietnam War for Richard Nixon because Vietnam was different than World War 2 and less clear cut. However, the heroes hadn't won World War 2 for the U.S. either. Byrne delves deeper by portraying Superman's non-superpowered son as a war criminal.
The 1979-89 serials were the worst as Superman is defeated by the bad guys in a way that's ignominious at best and really dark and depressing. Then the 1999 and 2919 (yep you read that right) basically turns the two into demigods, although a flashback to 1929 showing Bruce Wayne as the first Robin fighting along Superboy in Gotham city was actually pretty good.
Overall, it left a bad taste. The anguish inflicted on Superman was extreme. The success of Luthor against Superman was almost complete vengeance. We get to see the this happen but Byrne fails to create any emotional space for readers to actual feel anything about it one way or another except to feel down about our heroes.
Then the end with Superman and Batman still living and in good health after everyone passed away suggests that the point of a generations story was missed. This type of story should be about the passing of the torch and how the principles that Batman and Superman believe in and the example they set blazes a trail that their descendants follow. Instead, they become the point and live on, but both as compromised heroes. Both survive only because of technology from some of their worst enemies. In the end we're left with an imaginary tale that at best suggests that there's less to the imagination of John Byrne that meets the eye.
In addition to the story elements, his drawing of Lois Lane was horrible. She's never looked worst than in this serial which emphasizes her smoking in a way that is far from attractive for whatever reason.
Byrne's project could have been great, but in the end it fails on an emotional level, it fails to inspire, and instead we're left with a soulless pointless story that never takes enough time or space for its readers to feel anything. The result is a mess.
There are eight stories collected in this edition beginning with 1939 and continuing on to 1999 and then taking a jump into the distant future. There's a lot to like about this mini-series particularly in the early going. The 1930s and 1950s tale are the best.
While most modern incarnations of Superman and Batman imagine Superman as good cop and Batman as bad cop. The 1930s Superman was quite as aggressive as Batman and the two hit it off quite well. The 1950s story of Batmite and Mxyzptlk battling to prove whose hero was the best was a classic Silver age pastiche.
The serial began to go downhill with the 1960s story and the injection of anti-war politics as superheroes declined to win the Vietnam War for Richard Nixon because Vietnam was different than World War 2 and less clear cut. However, the heroes hadn't won World War 2 for the U.S. either. Byrne delves deeper by portraying Superman's non-superpowered son as a war criminal.
The 1979-89 serials were the worst as Superman is defeated by the bad guys in a way that's ignominious at best and really dark and depressing. Then the 1999 and 2919 (yep you read that right) basically turns the two into demigods, although a flashback to 1929 showing Bruce Wayne as the first Robin fighting along Superboy in Gotham city was actually pretty good.
Overall, it left a bad taste. The anguish inflicted on Superman was extreme. The success of Luthor against Superman was almost complete vengeance. We get to see the this happen but Byrne fails to create any emotional space for readers to actual feel anything about it one way or another except to feel down about our heroes.
Then the end with Superman and Batman still living and in good health after everyone passed away suggests that the point of a generations story was missed. This type of story should be about the passing of the torch and how the principles that Batman and Superman believe in and the example they set blazes a trail that their descendants follow. Instead, they become the point and live on, but both as compromised heroes. Both survive only because of technology from some of their worst enemies. In the end we're left with an imaginary tale that at best suggests that there's less to the imagination of John Byrne that meets the eye.
In addition to the story elements, his drawing of Lois Lane was horrible. She's never looked worst than in this serial which emphasizes her smoking in a way that is far from attractive for whatever reason.
Byrne's project could have been great, but in the end it fails on an emotional level, it fails to inspire, and instead we're left with a soulless pointless story that never takes enough time or space for its readers to feel anything. The result is a mess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2024
I first these as they were coming out as individual issues. And, being the Byrne-victim (don’t blame me, I didn’t come up with it) that I am, I loved it. Such a fun concept and executed so well. But then with John Byrne at the helm, chances are pretty good it’s going to be wonderful. This time I’m tackling it in the single volume collection. Superman & Batman: Generations #1-4: Each issues has two stories, each being ten years apart and each issue having the same ten year gap, featuring the iconic Superman and Batman with all their usual supporting characters. Taken individually, these aren’t anything special. They’re rather like the What If…? stories over at Marvel, glorified fan-fiction. It’s taking them a whole that makes them some special. And best of all: the characters are aging. Wonderful concept.
February 26, 2009
Very... interesting. An absolutely fictional retelling of the history of Batman and Superman, starting way back in the golden age of 1939 and continuing on through the far distant future. As an avid fan of this team-up, it's nice to see them working together over decades, and some of the stories - many, in fact - can be downright tragic. Still, there's a slightly unsatisfying after-taste I can't explain to this one... maybe due to the fact that it's not only an Elseworlds (which I usually love) but one close enough to real to be confusing, while different enough to feel wrong? I don't know how to explain it. I enjoyed the stories, but it's not one of my favorites, and that's too bad. I feel as though it should be.
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