All-Star Superman (New Edition) [Paperback]

**This review is spoiler-free**
Admittedly, I know of many comic fnas who do not appreciate Morrison's work, be it his highly successful Batman & Robin run or one of his original works, but I find myself in the other camp. The one which loves Morrison's work and are proud of it! So when I saw that his praised work, All-Star Superman was being released as a complete edition, I decided it would definitely be worth my purchase. Having read the book, I can safely say that it is a marvellous piece, particularly if you are enjoying Morrison's current run on Action Comics in DC's New 52 reboot despite this series not being linked to that series in any significant way.
The premise behind DC's, now defunct, All Star imprint was to partner DC Comics' top tier characters with the most popular and acclaimed writers and artists. The creators had access to all elements in the characters' histories to present their interpretation for a modern audience that have not read these DC characters' comics previously, or had not seen them lately. The creative teams were not beholden to any previous and present continuities, and told stories that featured "the most iconic versions of these characters".
So this All Star series combiend the writing talent of Morrison with the artistic touch of Frank Quitely, and it makes for quite the combination.
The premise of the book is simple - Superman gets too close to the sun, thus absorbing more yellow sun rays than his natural Kryptonian cell metabolism can handle, meaning he is going to die. This, with the usual comic book proviso of no cure existing, makes for an interesting read, with Superman trying to accomplish many things before his seemingly inevitable death. But the really good thing about this plot? All Star Superman takes place outside of regular DC Continuity, meaning that if Morrison wants to tell the story, Superman CAN die in the series, something which is well worth remembering as you read.
Now, let's get down to the nitty gritty of the review.
The book is a collection of the complete 12 issue maxi-series, All Star Superman which originally ran from January 2006 through to October 2008. The series has preiviously been collected as two trade paperback volumes, consisting of six issues in each, but this complete edition features all 12 issues along with an enjoyable behind-the-scenes segment penned by Morrison, featuring sketches, production art and alternative covers to some issues.
It is a good book for those who are new to the DC Universe, for example if you have indulged in the New 52 reboot and want to get a handle on Superman's past. It is a story which requires very little prior knowledge regarding Superman, other than the facts that Lex Luthor is obssessed with trying to beat Superman, and that Superman's powers come from Earth's yellow sun. Everything else will be loosely explained within the book.
Finally, the artwork. Frank Quitely did a great job with the art, producing gorgeous characters who showed real expression, but his most impressive feat was the differentiation between Clark Kent and Superman in the book. Most books show Kent and Superman as one and the same, except Kent has slicked back hair and glasses. Quitely takes this a step further, drawing Kent as though he is a totally different character with a slight hunch and a pronounced stomach. This artistic style along with Morrison's bumbling, clumsy Kent makes for an entertaining character who is simultaneously the same as Superman and completely different to Superman. I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of Superman, Morrison or even someone totally new to comics.

The super team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely produce another remarkable book. This is Super-man without the history. A basic tale unhindered by any continuity, it focuses solely on the best bits of Super-man, managing to weave in some of our hero's deadliest foes. Beautifully drawn always by the fabulous Quitely and cleverly plotted, definitely worth a read for fans of Morrison and fans of Superman.