What do you think?
Rate this book
Superman: Space Age #1
Superman: Space Age (2022) #1
Meet Clark Kent, a young reporter who just learned that the world will soon come to an end (Crisis on Infinite Earths) and there is nothing he can do to save it. Sounds like a job for his alter ego…Superman! After years of standing idle, the young man from Krypton defies the wishes of his fathers to come out to the world as the first superhero of the Space Age. As each decade passes and each new danger emerges, he wonders if this is the one that will kill him and everyone he loves. Superman realizes that even good intentions are not without their backlash as the world around him transforms into a place as determined to destroy itself as he is to save it. Uniting the critically acclaimed writer Mark Russell (One-Star Squadron and The Flintstones) and Eisner-winner Mike Allred (Silver Surfer and Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams) for the first time, this series promises fans an unforgettable journey through U.S. history and culture starring our beloved characters.
89 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2022
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Mark Russell
435 books385 followersMark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 26, 2022
This was basically just Superman: Life Story and I am so on board. Based on the intro and ending, this series will be Russell showing the life of Superman from his start in the '60s, until his end in the 80’s when the Crisis on Infinite Earths occurs.
Michael Allred's art is wonderful, though I will admit I found it to be a bit stiff in some scenes. Russell’s writing is witty and thought-provoking, but I can see some being annoyed by how he writes certain side characters.
The 80-page prestige format makes the book worth the $10 cover price though and I’d recommend this to any Superman or Mark Russell fans. I doubt this will win you over if you dislike him already, but I had a good time with this and will be adding the rest of the series to my pull list.
Michael Allred's art is wonderful, though I will admit I found it to be a bit stiff in some scenes. Russell’s writing is witty and thought-provoking, but I can see some being annoyed by how he writes certain side characters.
The 80-page prestige format makes the book worth the $10 cover price though and I’d recommend this to any Superman or Mark Russell fans. I doubt this will win you over if you dislike him already, but I had a good time with this and will be adding the rest of the series to my pull list.
February 22, 2023
Notes for Superman: Space Age TPB 1
A retailing of the superman origin story that takes place in the 1960s, specifically during the cold war. Amidst increasing tension between Russia and America, it's apparent a nuclear war will soon be engaged. With this in mind, Clark Kent takes it upon himself to dawn his suit and cape and attempt to stop an all-out catastrophe. An elegant and fairly unique retelling of the superman origin, this story managed to change just enough to keep things fresh without going too off-script.
-Batman is seen developing technology for the government highly akin to what would later become the Bat Suit & Bat Mobile. Very fun little detail added in about his origin here.
-Clark Kent goes off to become a reporter with the intent of learning more about the humans on earth threw journalism. I thought this was a rather nice touch giving some motive to his career choice.
If you like superman comics and don't mind reading another origin story retailing, I'd say this might be worth a peek.
A retailing of the superman origin story that takes place in the 1960s, specifically during the cold war. Amidst increasing tension between Russia and America, it's apparent a nuclear war will soon be engaged. With this in mind, Clark Kent takes it upon himself to dawn his suit and cape and attempt to stop an all-out catastrophe. An elegant and fairly unique retelling of the superman origin, this story managed to change just enough to keep things fresh without going too off-script.
-Batman is seen developing technology for the government highly akin to what would later become the Bat Suit & Bat Mobile. Very fun little detail added in about his origin here.
-Clark Kent goes off to become a reporter with the intent of learning more about the humans on earth threw journalism. I thought this was a rather nice touch giving some motive to his career choice.
If you like superman comics and don't mind reading another origin story retailing, I'd say this might be worth a peek.
September 4, 2022
I like it a lot! I will withhold any definitive judgement for the series' completion, but I very much enjoyed this comic! Superman: Space Age Book One borrows from several sources and predecessors, including Superman: The Motion Picture and Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it goes a long way toward scratching that Silver Age itch that I often have!
August 5, 2022
I pre-ordered this 80-page comic book sight-unseen based on the synopsis, and I could not love this more.
It's Part 1 of a new series, set mainly in the 1960s. With yet another origin story, Superman has been on the farm with his earthly parents until the 1960s and wants to make a difference, but doesn't know how. With some advice from his earthly father, who was a soldier in WWII; and newly-discovered information from his biological father via a hologram in the Fortress of Solitude, it might just be time for Superman to spread his wings. But he realises he'll need help to do it.
Although the story is mainly based in the 1960s, it does jump back and forth a bit. We see Clark Kent's father in WWII as well as General Lane's war experiences (i.e., Lois Lane's father). The US and Russia are on the brink of WWIII and Hal Jordan (soon to be Green Lantern) is in the thick of it. Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor both have very different ideas of what to do about nuclear threat. Lois Lane is on the spot in Dallas when President Kennedy is shot, and has her first scoop at a major news story. She's also thrown in jail overnight with freedom riders.
Mark Russell has done a great job with the writing. I haven't read any of his work before, but I'll be looking for more. This quote sums up why I love it:
'As Americans, we talk about being American as if we all agree on what that means ... but the truth is that some judge truth and justice by how well they support the American way, while others judge the American way by how well it stands up for truth and justice. For some, freedom is simply the name they've given to their way of life. But for others, freedom is what they call their struggle to survive.'
You could easily replace 'America' with Australia, or probably most Western countries.
The art by Michael and Laura Allred has a great retro feel. I also loved the way that Lois isn't antagonistic towards Clark, as she is in some other incarnations. Wonder Woman pops into the last two pages, and I assume she will feature more prominently in Book 2, as will the Flash (going by the cover for #2 out in September). According to comic geeks that I've googled, this is like a prequel to 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', which I haven't read. But if you know anything about DC continuity, it's 'don't worry about DC continuity' - LOL Just enjoy! Really looking forward to the next installment in this three-part series.
It's Part 1 of a new series, set mainly in the 1960s. With yet another origin story, Superman has been on the farm with his earthly parents until the 1960s and wants to make a difference, but doesn't know how. With some advice from his earthly father, who was a soldier in WWII; and newly-discovered information from his biological father via a hologram in the Fortress of Solitude, it might just be time for Superman to spread his wings. But he realises he'll need help to do it.
Although the story is mainly based in the 1960s, it does jump back and forth a bit. We see Clark Kent's father in WWII as well as General Lane's war experiences (i.e., Lois Lane's father). The US and Russia are on the brink of WWIII and Hal Jordan (soon to be Green Lantern) is in the thick of it. Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor both have very different ideas of what to do about nuclear threat. Lois Lane is on the spot in Dallas when President Kennedy is shot, and has her first scoop at a major news story. She's also thrown in jail overnight with freedom riders.
Mark Russell has done a great job with the writing. I haven't read any of his work before, but I'll be looking for more. This quote sums up why I love it:
'As Americans, we talk about being American as if we all agree on what that means ... but the truth is that some judge truth and justice by how well they support the American way, while others judge the American way by how well it stands up for truth and justice. For some, freedom is simply the name they've given to their way of life. But for others, freedom is what they call their struggle to survive.'
You could easily replace 'America' with Australia, or probably most Western countries.
The art by Michael and Laura Allred has a great retro feel. I also loved the way that Lois isn't antagonistic towards Clark, as she is in some other incarnations. Wonder Woman pops into the last two pages, and I assume she will feature more prominently in Book 2, as will the Flash (going by the cover for #2 out in September). According to comic geeks that I've googled, this is like a prequel to 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', which I haven't read. But if you know anything about DC continuity, it's 'don't worry about DC continuity' - LOL Just enjoy! Really looking forward to the next installment in this three-part series.
November 28, 2022
A bit worried this book was doing too much of the Watchmen thing until I got to the end. And that's all I'll say about the plot. It was clearly influenced by both Watchmen and New Frontier but does enough to challenge our expectations and play with the history of superheroes existing in the cold war. Some ideas I loved, others I wasn't crazy about. But I'm digging it.
October 9, 2023
Awesome. Really great Superman stories are tough to write, but this is shaping up to possibly be my favorite Superman story of all time. It really is that good.
April 10, 2025
As part of the DC comics official discord book club, I read this issue and completed these questions:
1. Superman: Space Age is set against the backdrop of the Space Race and the Cold War. How does the political and technological climate of the '60s and '70s influence Superman's identity and role as a hero? Do you think Superman’s actions would have been different if this story took place in a different era?
With the backdrop of the cold war, and considering what stories we usually see from superman’s origin, I absolutely think that his actions would have been different in a different era. Additionally, I think the actions of others would have been different. In this story due to the era this is set against, Superman is forced to take a step back and to fully grow into his role and make sure he knows everything he possibly could before he dares step into the boots and become superman. The first time he tried he was shot out of the sky by Hal Jordan and almost led to mutual assured destruction. We only see after that tension is broken and the warheads start flying does he finally step in, but even then he still doesn’t reveal himself and hides the warheads on the moon. He has to take every step even more delicately than before, and unlike other stories he is not the first public superhuman. Wonder Woman is the first to take the public stage.
2. In this first issue, we see Clark Kent wrestling with the idea of how to best serve humanity in a world that's rapidly changing. How does this version of Superman view his responsibility to Earth, especially when faced with complex global issues? Do you think his approach to heroism is more human or more Kryptonian?
Superman’s approach is definitely more human in this story, and that is exemplified by his conversations with the hologram of his Kryptonian father. Clark believes that the best people in this world are the ones who simply show up. It doesn’t matter if you believe you are ready or not, because the world will not wait for it. This is strikingly different from his Kryptonian side, who believes he should have already mastered his powers and grown in intellect towering over everyone else to truly be ready to be the guardian of Earth.
3. This comic reimagines Superman in a different historical context. How does the artwork and writing in the first issue reflect this shift in tone? What new layers or dimensions do you see in Superman’s mythos that weren't as prominent in earlier depictions?
The writing and artwork make me feel like superman is secondary to this entire world, that he is something much smaller. The artwork is a lot calmer and focuses on facial expressions and what the characters are feeling in that moment vs blockbuster action and the writing focuses so much more on how the driving forces in the world affect people. This different historical context allows for a new layer to character backgrounds and experiences to help influence Clark’s decisions. We are able to hear about experiences from both Clark and Lois’s fathers during the war, each offering a completely new perspective for Clark to think about as he continues his journey and interacts in this world.
4. Lois Lane is a key figure in Superman’s life and a prominent part of his story. How is Lois presented in this issue? Does this version of Lois represent something different from other iterations you’ve seen?
Lois is presented as the Pulitzer prize winning voice of reason muckraking reporter that pulled herself from the bottom of the daily planet to write stories and go where there can be real change. Most of the time when we see Lois she is the reporter throwing herself into a dramatic superhero-esque danger to get the scoop, but in this issue she is right there on the front lines for the civil rights movement and for nuclear annihilation not backing down from anyone. It represents everything we have always known about Lois, but by putting her in this time period we are able to attribute her work to real world events that end up resonating so much more.
5. Throughout this book, Lex Luthor is quite prominent. Did any of the actions that Lex made in this issue shock you?
There was one big event that shocked me from Lex. I can’t quite remember what it was…oh that’s right…WHEN HE BLEW UP COAST CITY TO SPARK THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD?! I had 0 clue when it first happened, I was looking at the page with the giant explosion and thinking, “oh that’s cool, so I guess the test was successful? Wait, are those ships? Is this some fake naval base for the test?” And then as I continued to read and realized he pulled a full FALLOUT (tv/game series) level twist of being the evil millionaire who started the war so he could survive, I was completely dumbfounded. It is interesting to see what opportunities Lex would grasp onto under a different political climate.
6. While the first issue focuses mainly on Superman’s internal struggle, we also get glimpses of how he interacts with other heroes or figures of power. How will these other heroes fit into the narrative? What does Superman’s relationship with the other characters in the issue say about his role in the larger superhero community?
Near the end of this issue we get quite the tease with Superman meeting up with the other members of the justice league for the first time, but I don’t think that was the most important or most powerful character he interacted with. I think his most important conversation came when he talked to that nutcase in the bar…Pariah. Especially with how he treats Pariah, how he sees the deep fear in his eyes and feels a chill in his own body. It’s crazy to believe, but with how close they are to destruction every day, could it not be true? He can only be minimally aware of the crisis looming, and now with the JLA forming they will no doubt try and work together to stop it. With all of them rallying behind superman as shown when he introduces everyone in the hall of justice. But as the destruction, and acceptance of this destruction show at the start of this issue, I am not sure they will stand much of a chance.
Additional Notes about the issue:
This was a very interesting way to go about adapting superman and the world of the dc universe, and based on the questions and answers above...I definitely think it payed off and I can't wait to keep reading. It did catch me off guard that crisis on infinite Earths would be directly included in this story, I can't wait to see how that plays out. If the tease at the beginning of this issue of the world falling into ruin and superman fully accepting it are any indication...it will not play out well. But what I especially appreciate is the different perspectives this allows for in the superman mythos, being able to immediately explore Pa Kent's past serving in the military during the war to directly influence his decision to keep Clark closed off from the rest of the world provides for some pretty horrifying imagery to pair immediately with the wonder of Johnathan finding Clark. It also definitely helps contribute to the mindset Clark has for the rest of the world, causing him to try and go out in the middle of the cold war to try and change things...only to get shot out of the sky by Hal Jordan before he can spark nuclear annihilation. This paired with Clark finding the fortress of solitude and finding out that his Kryptonian father has a bit higher expectations for where he should be...causes Clark to take a step back, become a reporter and learn more about the world before showing up to save it.
Aside from Clark, this story also follows Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne in a bidding war for defense contracts, but more importantly it follows Lois Lane. This story truly gives the perspective we always desire for the top tier and rock solid reporter Lois Lane. Being able to put her in real world situations to build her career, stating with the Kennedy assassination is pretty impressive to see. This change ended up leaving Clark on the freaks beat, where he ended up running directly into Pariah. If you know anything about Pariah...you don't ever want to see him. And being on this world means it is doomed, but they still have another 20 years or so. Clark has a hard time believing him, and later Lois helps him to dismiss Pariah's words as insanity, but Clark looked into Pariah's eyes and a shiver of fear went down his own spine...I do hope he remembers back to Pariah when things really start to go down. But one part of the story I especially love about Lois in this issue is her front lines approach to the civil rights movement, which ended up with her locked in a cell with the freedom riders for a first hand interview. That is so insanely cool and important and I am so glad they included this moment.
But Bruce Wayne vs Lex Luthor is another integral part of the story. Bruce Wayne comes in with a front lines proxy war approach to the cold war. When the small battles to win the big one with advanced exo-suits and vehicles for your army. Lex takes a different approach...prepare for the worst. Fallout shelters all the way. And of course Lex being Lex, all he had to do was pay off a few gambling debts to someone on the review board...and Bruce Wayne's tech was in the gutter.
All the while, Clark is training to be superman. using the hologram of his Kryptonian father to help him discover his powers and help him to try and work through his way in this world. Ultimately it is his human side that wins that discussion, especially when the worst comes to pass. The worse being nuclear war of course...a nuclear war sparked by Lex Luthor no less. Once his first fallout shelter was built and he decided to "test" it by being inside the shelter himself when they dropped a borrowed hydrogen bomb on it...he diverted the course at the last minute to destroy Coast City and all the military leaders who knew about the test. Welcome to the new world to everyone in the bunker, now it's time to wait it out. But as the word about the enemy strike goes out, and nukes start flying...there are only a few that realize what it is and that they can help stop it. Bruce Wayne immediately gets on the horn to one of his contacts and realizes that Lex Luthor was also in control of two nuclear weapons, I guess it takes a genius to connect those dots. At the same time Clark realizes that in order to be a hero in this world he doesn't have to spend his time trying to be the best...as the world won't wait for that...he just has to be the one to show up and help. As the same time Hal Jordan is getting visual confirmation on Coast city being gone, and having a run in with the crashed ship of Abin Sur, Superman is flying high and disabling all of the nukes. The government officials got on the horn to talk to each other only after the rockets started flying, without superman to stop them it would have been over...but now everyone has enough time to figure it out and point the finger at the real culprit. But Lex isn't going down that easy, he had 2 nukes...remember? The other one on top of the LexCorp building in Metropolis...but before he can send and intern to head out of the shelter to get a signal to detonate it...batman comes busting down the doors with his advanced tech and takes them down before they can even make it to the stairs.
The issue ends with the world being vastly different, the age of heroes is moving in and Wonder Woman is the first to take the global stage to spark that change. With that comes the formation of the Justice League of America and their entrance into the space age.
1. Superman: Space Age is set against the backdrop of the Space Race and the Cold War. How does the political and technological climate of the '60s and '70s influence Superman's identity and role as a hero? Do you think Superman’s actions would have been different if this story took place in a different era?
With the backdrop of the cold war, and considering what stories we usually see from superman’s origin, I absolutely think that his actions would have been different in a different era. Additionally, I think the actions of others would have been different. In this story due to the era this is set against, Superman is forced to take a step back and to fully grow into his role and make sure he knows everything he possibly could before he dares step into the boots and become superman. The first time he tried he was shot out of the sky by Hal Jordan and almost led to mutual assured destruction. We only see after that tension is broken and the warheads start flying does he finally step in, but even then he still doesn’t reveal himself and hides the warheads on the moon. He has to take every step even more delicately than before, and unlike other stories he is not the first public superhuman. Wonder Woman is the first to take the public stage.
2. In this first issue, we see Clark Kent wrestling with the idea of how to best serve humanity in a world that's rapidly changing. How does this version of Superman view his responsibility to Earth, especially when faced with complex global issues? Do you think his approach to heroism is more human or more Kryptonian?
Superman’s approach is definitely more human in this story, and that is exemplified by his conversations with the hologram of his Kryptonian father. Clark believes that the best people in this world are the ones who simply show up. It doesn’t matter if you believe you are ready or not, because the world will not wait for it. This is strikingly different from his Kryptonian side, who believes he should have already mastered his powers and grown in intellect towering over everyone else to truly be ready to be the guardian of Earth.
3. This comic reimagines Superman in a different historical context. How does the artwork and writing in the first issue reflect this shift in tone? What new layers or dimensions do you see in Superman’s mythos that weren't as prominent in earlier depictions?
The writing and artwork make me feel like superman is secondary to this entire world, that he is something much smaller. The artwork is a lot calmer and focuses on facial expressions and what the characters are feeling in that moment vs blockbuster action and the writing focuses so much more on how the driving forces in the world affect people. This different historical context allows for a new layer to character backgrounds and experiences to help influence Clark’s decisions. We are able to hear about experiences from both Clark and Lois’s fathers during the war, each offering a completely new perspective for Clark to think about as he continues his journey and interacts in this world.
4. Lois Lane is a key figure in Superman’s life and a prominent part of his story. How is Lois presented in this issue? Does this version of Lois represent something different from other iterations you’ve seen?
Lois is presented as the Pulitzer prize winning voice of reason muckraking reporter that pulled herself from the bottom of the daily planet to write stories and go where there can be real change. Most of the time when we see Lois she is the reporter throwing herself into a dramatic superhero-esque danger to get the scoop, but in this issue she is right there on the front lines for the civil rights movement and for nuclear annihilation not backing down from anyone. It represents everything we have always known about Lois, but by putting her in this time period we are able to attribute her work to real world events that end up resonating so much more.
5. Throughout this book, Lex Luthor is quite prominent. Did any of the actions that Lex made in this issue shock you?
There was one big event that shocked me from Lex. I can’t quite remember what it was…oh that’s right…WHEN HE BLEW UP COAST CITY TO SPARK THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD?! I had 0 clue when it first happened, I was looking at the page with the giant explosion and thinking, “oh that’s cool, so I guess the test was successful? Wait, are those ships? Is this some fake naval base for the test?” And then as I continued to read and realized he pulled a full FALLOUT (tv/game series) level twist of being the evil millionaire who started the war so he could survive, I was completely dumbfounded. It is interesting to see what opportunities Lex would grasp onto under a different political climate.
6. While the first issue focuses mainly on Superman’s internal struggle, we also get glimpses of how he interacts with other heroes or figures of power. How will these other heroes fit into the narrative? What does Superman’s relationship with the other characters in the issue say about his role in the larger superhero community?
Near the end of this issue we get quite the tease with Superman meeting up with the other members of the justice league for the first time, but I don’t think that was the most important or most powerful character he interacted with. I think his most important conversation came when he talked to that nutcase in the bar…Pariah. Especially with how he treats Pariah, how he sees the deep fear in his eyes and feels a chill in his own body. It’s crazy to believe, but with how close they are to destruction every day, could it not be true? He can only be minimally aware of the crisis looming, and now with the JLA forming they will no doubt try and work together to stop it. With all of them rallying behind superman as shown when he introduces everyone in the hall of justice. But as the destruction, and acceptance of this destruction show at the start of this issue, I am not sure they will stand much of a chance.
Additional Notes about the issue:
This was a very interesting way to go about adapting superman and the world of the dc universe, and based on the questions and answers above...I definitely think it payed off and I can't wait to keep reading. It did catch me off guard that crisis on infinite Earths would be directly included in this story, I can't wait to see how that plays out. If the tease at the beginning of this issue of the world falling into ruin and superman fully accepting it are any indication...it will not play out well. But what I especially appreciate is the different perspectives this allows for in the superman mythos, being able to immediately explore Pa Kent's past serving in the military during the war to directly influence his decision to keep Clark closed off from the rest of the world provides for some pretty horrifying imagery to pair immediately with the wonder of Johnathan finding Clark. It also definitely helps contribute to the mindset Clark has for the rest of the world, causing him to try and go out in the middle of the cold war to try and change things...only to get shot out of the sky by Hal Jordan before he can spark nuclear annihilation. This paired with Clark finding the fortress of solitude and finding out that his Kryptonian father has a bit higher expectations for where he should be...causes Clark to take a step back, become a reporter and learn more about the world before showing up to save it.
Aside from Clark, this story also follows Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne in a bidding war for defense contracts, but more importantly it follows Lois Lane. This story truly gives the perspective we always desire for the top tier and rock solid reporter Lois Lane. Being able to put her in real world situations to build her career, stating with the Kennedy assassination is pretty impressive to see. This change ended up leaving Clark on the freaks beat, where he ended up running directly into Pariah. If you know anything about Pariah...you don't ever want to see him. And being on this world means it is doomed, but they still have another 20 years or so. Clark has a hard time believing him, and later Lois helps him to dismiss Pariah's words as insanity, but Clark looked into Pariah's eyes and a shiver of fear went down his own spine...I do hope he remembers back to Pariah when things really start to go down. But one part of the story I especially love about Lois in this issue is her front lines approach to the civil rights movement, which ended up with her locked in a cell with the freedom riders for a first hand interview. That is so insanely cool and important and I am so glad they included this moment.
But Bruce Wayne vs Lex Luthor is another integral part of the story. Bruce Wayne comes in with a front lines proxy war approach to the cold war. When the small battles to win the big one with advanced exo-suits and vehicles for your army. Lex takes a different approach...prepare for the worst. Fallout shelters all the way. And of course Lex being Lex, all he had to do was pay off a few gambling debts to someone on the review board...and Bruce Wayne's tech was in the gutter.
All the while, Clark is training to be superman. using the hologram of his Kryptonian father to help him discover his powers and help him to try and work through his way in this world. Ultimately it is his human side that wins that discussion, especially when the worst comes to pass. The worse being nuclear war of course...a nuclear war sparked by Lex Luthor no less. Once his first fallout shelter was built and he decided to "test" it by being inside the shelter himself when they dropped a borrowed hydrogen bomb on it...he diverted the course at the last minute to destroy Coast City and all the military leaders who knew about the test. Welcome to the new world to everyone in the bunker, now it's time to wait it out. But as the word about the enemy strike goes out, and nukes start flying...there are only a few that realize what it is and that they can help stop it. Bruce Wayne immediately gets on the horn to one of his contacts and realizes that Lex Luthor was also in control of two nuclear weapons, I guess it takes a genius to connect those dots. At the same time Clark realizes that in order to be a hero in this world he doesn't have to spend his time trying to be the best...as the world won't wait for that...he just has to be the one to show up and help. As the same time Hal Jordan is getting visual confirmation on Coast city being gone, and having a run in with the crashed ship of Abin Sur, Superman is flying high and disabling all of the nukes. The government officials got on the horn to talk to each other only after the rockets started flying, without superman to stop them it would have been over...but now everyone has enough time to figure it out and point the finger at the real culprit. But Lex isn't going down that easy, he had 2 nukes...remember? The other one on top of the LexCorp building in Metropolis...but before he can send and intern to head out of the shelter to get a signal to detonate it...batman comes busting down the doors with his advanced tech and takes them down before they can even make it to the stairs.
The issue ends with the world being vastly different, the age of heroes is moving in and Wonder Woman is the first to take the global stage to spark that change. With that comes the formation of the Justice League of America and their entrance into the space age.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2022
I really did enjoy the prose of the story, if I'm being honest.
Definitely a Superman for All Seasons feels.
Watching Clark realize that there's a lot more to being a hero than his fists, it's about heart, and people, and just showing up... it was a good story.
Jor El vs Jonathan and how both their philosophies and approaches to life aren't wrong or even all that different and him coming to see this sort of synthesis of it all together was really beautiful. I'm looking forward to the next issue.
Definitely a Superman for All Seasons feels.
Watching Clark realize that there's a lot more to being a hero than his fists, it's about heart, and people, and just showing up... it was a good story.
Jor El vs Jonathan and how both their philosophies and approaches to life aren't wrong or even all that different and him coming to see this sort of synthesis of it all together was really beautiful. I'm looking forward to the next issue.
August 11, 2022
They got the title wrong, this should clearly be called Silver Age as it feels like the DCU’s big guns had they been created in the 60s.
The Allreds’ beautiful art brings this retelling to life brilliantly with art that pops off the page. The plot is slow and deliberate with a slice of life feel and some decent social commentary told through Superman’s eyes. Across 80 pages many other heroes have their origin told as the world is thrown into turmoil by Lex Luther’s scheme.
Russell and team aren’t reinventing the wheel or bringing in anything new or significant but they did deliver a beautiful comic book that’s fun to read.
The Allreds’ beautiful art brings this retelling to life brilliantly with art that pops off the page. The plot is slow and deliberate with a slice of life feel and some decent social commentary told through Superman’s eyes. Across 80 pages many other heroes have their origin told as the world is thrown into turmoil by Lex Luther’s scheme.
Russell and team aren’t reinventing the wheel or bringing in anything new or significant but they did deliver a beautiful comic book that’s fun to read.
August 10, 2022
Picked this up for Allred's art and so far, so good. Looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
January 13, 2023
Not actually a sequel to Absolute DC: The New Frontier, Darwyn Cooke’s magnificent Silver Age opus, though it has spiritual connections with that and John Byrne’s Superman & Batman: Generations, An Imaginary Tale. The focus is narrower, and Russell digs under the surface of Superman and his supporting cast, showing the vulnerabilities in play — including hope.
This first installment is in the 1960s, starting with the Kennedy assassination and eventually revealing Superman. Batman shows up, too, but there’s an interesting shift — this Bruce Wayne isn’t driven by the death of his parents, but by the dangers rising in the course of the 1960s…but he’s over-focused and misses a lot, as does Clark, who nearly starts World War III.
It should be noted that the beginning is set in 1985…at the end of things. The Crisis has come. That established, it’s off into 1963 on the Kent farm.
Russell’s writing is excellent, and he works in social and political elements to shape the story. Sadly, this will be decried by some, but the heck with ‘em. Likewise, Michael Allred’s stylized art will turn off some, as it always does. Somehow, the two of them managed to craft a believable Lois and Clark romance.
On to the next.
This first installment is in the 1960s, starting with the Kennedy assassination and eventually revealing Superman. Batman shows up, too, but there’s an interesting shift — this Bruce Wayne isn’t driven by the death of his parents, but by the dangers rising in the course of the 1960s…but he’s over-focused and misses a lot, as does Clark, who nearly starts World War III.
It should be noted that the beginning is set in 1985…at the end of things. The Crisis has come. That established, it’s off into 1963 on the Kent farm.
Russell’s writing is excellent, and he works in social and political elements to shape the story. Sadly, this will be decried by some, but the heck with ‘em. Likewise, Michael Allred’s stylized art will turn off some, as it always does. Somehow, the two of them managed to craft a believable Lois and Clark romance.
On to the next.
May 2, 2023
Superman: Space Age is a story that starts in 1963 and ages the character in real time, with the imminent end of the universe in 1985. These are key dates. 1963 is the JFK assassination, watershed event that marked the end of America's innocence, or at least the end of that generation's innocence. 1985 refers to the Crisis of Infinite Earths, a storyline that streamlined DC continuity at that time, which led to the literal death of universes, at least in the story.
This era is marked by several close calls to global nuclear destruction, and it can be said that the emergence of Superman and the superheroes is how the universe reacts to the JFK assassination. This story is littered with actual historical figures and grounds this superhero story to real historical events.
It's a Superman comic, but with the presence of other heroes, it looks more to be the assembling of the Justice League, a "dawn of justice" alluded to by the Zach Snyder film, but better executed.
The art is the main draw for me. I've always enjoyed perusing books with Mike Allred's quirky designs. It has that Silver Age flavor that makes it an appropriate fit for a story set in the Silver Age of comic books.
This is a great start to a story with three installments. It tells you everything you need to know about the intentions of the authors, plus a glimpse of the potential ending. There is still enough mystery for it to be interesting.
This era is marked by several close calls to global nuclear destruction, and it can be said that the emergence of Superman and the superheroes is how the universe reacts to the JFK assassination. This story is littered with actual historical figures and grounds this superhero story to real historical events.
It's a Superman comic, but with the presence of other heroes, it looks more to be the assembling of the Justice League, a "dawn of justice" alluded to by the Zach Snyder film, but better executed.
The art is the main draw for me. I've always enjoyed perusing books with Mike Allred's quirky designs. It has that Silver Age flavor that makes it an appropriate fit for a story set in the Silver Age of comic books.
This is a great start to a story with three installments. It tells you everything you need to know about the intentions of the authors, plus a glimpse of the potential ending. There is still enough mystery for it to be interesting.
August 21, 2022
I'm a big Superman fan but 60s comics or Silver Age material would generally not interest me.
This series seems pretty influenced by Richard Donner's Superman The Movie from 1978 and while the origin story is new and probably unnecessary for such a well known character it manages to be told well and blend comic lore with the 78 film story.
Batman gets his origin story here too as does Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
The series reimagines character origins as well as give a solid nod to their classic beginnings.
Ultimately this is done well enough that I would be very tempted to read book two... though this series is probably best suited to those that have little knowledge of the character.
I read this is all set pre Crisis on Infinite Earths as far as continuity goes and that makes sense.
Largely this series is self contained though and isn't likely interest in its foot print in larger DC continuity, which is fine. It makes for a fairly well told self contained story.
The art is very period in style and is well done.
3 stars if I'm being critical but since I will likely read book two, 4 stars cause it was pretty enjoyable and said some beautiful things about heroism and Justice!
This series seems pretty influenced by Richard Donner's Superman The Movie from 1978 and while the origin story is new and probably unnecessary for such a well known character it manages to be told well and blend comic lore with the 78 film story.
Batman gets his origin story here too as does Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
The series reimagines character origins as well as give a solid nod to their classic beginnings.
Ultimately this is done well enough that I would be very tempted to read book two... though this series is probably best suited to those that have little knowledge of the character.
I read this is all set pre Crisis on Infinite Earths as far as continuity goes and that makes sense.
Largely this series is self contained though and isn't likely interest in its foot print in larger DC continuity, which is fine. It makes for a fairly well told self contained story.
The art is very period in style and is well done.
3 stars if I'm being critical but since I will likely read book two, 4 stars cause it was pretty enjoyable and said some beautiful things about heroism and Justice!
August 8, 2025
A very disinteresting first issue of heroes origins in the 60’s. The story begins with Superman dawning the cape and abandoning his farm life after President JFK was assassinated. Not only was he fearful for the state of the country, but of a possible Soviet Union attack. Prior to the beginning of his heroic voyage, John Kent discuss past events that shaped his morality as a character. During the war, Johnathan Kent was ‘forced’ to kill a child, an unfruitful event that needed to happen. It was kind of an unneeded besides to progress Clark’s humanity, but I think this whole series just wanted to use historical events.
Freedom Fighters, segregated restaurants, Cold War…all major events that have little to no effect on Superman or any of the characters. The only characters that were interesting and more compelling for the time period was Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor.
I feel like the wasted too much time with Superman and his humanity more than integrating their story with the 60’s. I sure hope the next issue is much better.
Freedom Fighters, segregated restaurants, Cold War…all major events that have little to no effect on Superman or any of the characters. The only characters that were interesting and more compelling for the time period was Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor.
I feel like the wasted too much time with Superman and his humanity more than integrating their story with the 60’s. I sure hope the next issue is much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2022
This is a smart and biting rewriting of the Justice League’s origin, fully situated in the sociopolitical context of the 1960s. What do superheroes matter if humanity has the capacity to annihilate itself? When some segments of humanity seek to violently and virulently expunge other segments’ from existence based on their race? Russell delivers some relevant, superhero-inflected historical fiction that is clearly made to resonate with our current political moment. And we get to see Michael Allred draw Superman!
August 1, 2022
The Allred art was my biggest hurdle to get over. I'm not a fan of the style. With that said, I tore through this one, not because it was a brief read but because the story is exceptional. This was one of those rare comics where I finished it and then when and read it again. It's that good.
August 2, 2022
"Maybe hope is what we call the stupidity we need."
This easily could've just felt like a tired retreading of a retro style DC origin but it felt fun and original and interesting. And that Allred art is just so good, like always.
This easily could've just felt like a tired retreading of a retro style DC origin but it felt fun and original and interesting. And that Allred art is just so good, like always.
October 24, 2022
Brilliance from Mark Russell, as usual. He concocts an interesting scenario with a good plot that ties together multiple decades, but then he also has a way of dropping some deep insights about humanity right into the superhero story.
March 13, 2023
I need everyone to read this. *ugly cries*
"For some, freedom is simply the name they've given to their own way of life. But for others, freedom is what they call their struggle to survive."
"Heroism is simply the act of where you are needed the most."
"For some, freedom is simply the name they've given to their own way of life. But for others, freedom is what they call their struggle to survive."
"Heroism is simply the act of where you are needed the most."
August 6, 2022
Another awesome Allred production!
January 31, 2023
Una especie de elseworlds pero no tanto. Igual es un gran primer número.
January 22, 2024
Technically this is from the perspective of reading Superman’s journal. Cool concept. Keeps you engaged towards the end. Overall an above average comic book. I do look forward to issue #2 and #3.
April 26, 2024
Wasn't expecting this to tie into different time periods. The art is pleasing to look at, though there were places I couldn't help but imagine Superman with Archer's voice.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews