This DC #1 issue certainly lives up to it’s name- it feels like the first half hour of a really good action movie and never lets up the pace. It’s a testament to the sheer craft of the amazing Morrison/Morales creative team, then, that with a heavy emphasis on action this still feels like a really substantial, intelligent offering. If All Star Superman was Scotland’s scribe supreme’s tribute to the much loved silver age stories of his own youth, this is clearly a respectful nod to the character’s golden age roots, and Morrison is ably assisted in this by the timeless, classic feel of Morales’ beautiful artwork.
Morrison’s deft script here brings a lightness of touch that many of the other New 52 books could learn from. Without any excessive exposition, he gives the reader the exact amount of information needed to provide a satisfying reading experience and leave us eager for more. The extra pages here as opposed to the majority of DC’s other New 52 issues give the story room to breathe, setting this up as an early contender for the best book of the whole relaunch.
Roll on issue two!