All-Star Superman

By: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Meghan Fitzmartin

Narrated by: Marc Thompson, Kristen Sieh, Christopher Smith, Matthew Amendt, Scott Brick, Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes, Robert Fass, January LaVoy, Saskia Maarleveld, Brandon McInnis, Ray Porter, Full Cast

An exciting audio adaptation of the classic DC comic book series, All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, featuring a full cast, sound effects, and music.

All-Star Superman is a spectacular reimagining of the Superman mythos, from the Man of Steel's origin to his greatest foes and beyond and is considered one of the most iconic storylines in the character’s history. In the audiobook, The Man of Steel goes toe-to-toe with Bizarro, his oddball twin, and the new character Zibarro, also from the Bizarro planet. And Superman faces the final revenge of Lex Luthor in the form of his own death!

Adapted from writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely's brilliant vision of the Man of Steel, this is one of the greatest Superman stories ever imagined.

Truly, a comic series brought to life.

Very episodic, pacing is different from chapter to chapter. Not ideal for bingeing. Overall, a good listen.

Brilliant

This adaptation is amazing — emotional, clear, visual…the writing, voice acting and sound design make it possible to *see* everything in this comic book while you listen.

What a treat to lovers of comics and just great storytelling.

What a compelling performance from all the cast, it was gripping and emotional as the original comic panels. Highly recommend to all fans of great storytelling.

A Great Superman Story Weighed Down By Narration

The original comic of All-Star Superman is a classic for a reason. It’s everything that’s great about the character told across twelve issues, unchained from decades of continuity or any idea of canon while also drawing from the best aspects of it. As both a lifelong Superman fan and a listener of audio dramas since my teens, the idea of it getting adapted for the medium intrigued me. Would it live up to the original in transferring a very visual medium into a sightless one?

The answer, by and large, is yes. The best parts of the comic, including its Superman who faces mortality by trying to do the most good with the time he has left and admitting his identity to Lois Lane, are all here. It’s an episodic story, connected but largely standalone until coming together in the concluding chapters. Not to mention brought to life by a solid cast led by Marc Thompson as one of the purest versions of Superman who’ll ever hear. Kristen Sieh makes a fine Lois Lane and Christopher Smith’s Lex Luthor captures the character’s ego nicely. The sound design and music bring the worlds of Metropolis, Bizzaro World, the P.R.O.J.E.C.T. base, and more to life wonderfully so that the listener can close their eyes and either re-create the comic’s panels or brand new visuals in their head. At it’s best, All-Star Superman is the audio equivalent of a summer blockbuster: bold, energetic, thrilling, and full of heart.

Notice, however, “by and large” in the previous paragraph. Something which is owed to this adaptation using a large crutch in making the leap from the visual to the aural: narration. Some of it is to be expected, especially given aspects of the original comic. Yet Meghan Fitzmartin relies upon it throughout, often picking a different character or two in each chapter to be the point of view character. It becomes somewhat tedious after awhile, especially having action sequences described literally punch by punch in places. Perhaps owed to listening to audio dramas from the BBC and Big Finish which rely more on sound design and dialogue to convey action, All-Star Superman’s reliance on narration felt like both a step backward and as if the medium wasn’t being taken full advantage of.

Even so, for those familiar with the original comic or those hoping to experience the Man of Steel in another medium, this adaptation of All-Star Superman is worth a listen. Despite the over-reliance on narration, the basic story and everything that made it a classic remains in a well-acted and made production. Something which makes it “all-star,” indeed.

Perfection

The perfect execution of adapting a beloved comic book that every movie director should take notes on.