Superman Unchained - Is it Worth Buying?

[oldschoolfan]

absolutely!
But make sure you read all of it because the sum is greater than its parts.
Some great narrative, superior art and solid storytelling.
Thematically strong as well.

[oldschoolfan]

Nah. It's really not.
The story is bland and forgettable, trying to be a "greatest hits" type of book, only to become a succession of cliched storylines (evil Superman that "challenges" his way of thinking? Check. Luthor has a plan to "destroy" Superman? Check. SPOILERS Alien invasion that come out of nowhere and overtake the plot at the detriment of everything else? ENDOFSPOILERS Check.) that don't mix very well with each other and end up feeling less like a coherent storyline and more like Snyder threw as many stuff as he could to see if something would stick.
Not only that, but the few elements that could have been interesting ( a Superman like creature working for the governement since the 40's being the main one) are unexpoited and lead nowhere, feeling that they were added to build them up as more important than they were.
Superman is irrelevant in his own story, the main bad guy is nowhere near as intriguing as he should have been (and none of the other bad guys manage to do much better) , and several of the plot points litterally lead nowhere or are clumsily tackled back in (Luthor's plot being the most obvious example of this), almost like Snyder suddenly remembered they existed. The book is trying to say big things about war, and mankind, but let's be real: everything it had to say, you probably heard it better elsewhere.
I also happen to find some elements of the ending to be pretty distasteful, but that's probably just me.
On the more positive side of things, well....Lois was decent, and if you like Lee's art, it's fine here. Ultimately, though, the main feeling I got from this was a vague sense of boredom, which is the worst sin a comic could commit in my eyes.

You disappoint me, my friend....

[Auguste Dupin]

You disappoint me, my friend....

As always, I respect our difference of opinion, but I stand by what I'm saying. I gave that story a fair go -more than one actually- and it just doesn't work for me.

[oldschoolfan]

As always, I respect our difference of opinion, but I stand by what I'm saying. I gave that story a fair go -more than one actually- and it just doesn't work for me.

I know somewhere out there is a Superman story we will both like....in the meantime we can talk all day about the ones we don't.

The highlights of what I liked:
My favorite part of Unchained was Snyder's narrative in the last issue. I thought it was a real nice piece about how even Superman doesn't always know where he is going sometimes he is like the rest of us doing the best he can.

Also the ending of issue 7, has a classic Batman moment when Wraith is confronting him.

The other thing I enjoyed was the way Wraith tried to train Superman to use his powers in different ways...the combination of heat vision and blinking made for a very nice graphic touch.

Finally, Snyder had a moment between Lois and Superman that wasn't overly sentimental yet appropriate to the nature of their relationship.

[Auguste Dupin]

I know somewhere out there is a Superman story we will both like....in the meantime we can talk all day about the ones we don't.

I thought you liked Truth. And Greg Pak's run.

My favorite part of Unchained was Snyder's narrative in the last issue. I thought it was a real nice piece about how even Superman doesn't always know where he is going sometimes he is like the rest of us doing the best he can.

I think the theory of the narrative was an interesting thought, but I didn't felt that it was warranted by the narrative, if only because Superman didn't strike me as being experimenting in the comic.
Overall, with this ending, I had issues with Superman basically agreeing instantly on genociding the alien force as the only solution, especially when coupled with the flashback of him as a kid refusing to accept the death of someone as the only solution.. I always wondered what the juxtaposition of these two elements was supposed to mean, and part of me found it....unlike any characterization of Superman I would agree with.

Also the ending of issue 7, has a classic Batman moment when Wraith is confronting him.

Well...I appologize in advance because my answer is gonna sound "smartassish", but I must say that I was hoping for more classic Superman moments and less classic Batman moments in Unchained.

The other thing I enjoyed was the way Wraith tried to train Superman to use his powers in different ways...the combination of heat vision and blinking made for a very nice graphic touch.

See, I always thought that was somewhat ridiculous.
I mean, blinking doesn't make his heat vision shoot any faster (if only because, by account of the heat vision being basically a laser, it's already going at the speed of light). It can't really make him more precise either (I mean, try closing and opening your eyes as fast as you can while doing something. it's fairly disorienting). So I always ended up wondering: what is blinking superfast supposed to do?

Finally, Snyder had a moment between Lois and Superman that wasn't overly sentimental yet appropriate to the nature of their relationship.

Okay, for the sake of fairness, I'll grant you that one.

[Last Son of Krypton]

Scott Snyder should join Max Landis and found a club of people who think they know Superman and what he stands for.

[oldschoolfan]

I thought you liked Truth. And Greg Pak's run.

See, that wasn't so hard. I LOVE TRUTH, JUSTICE, ALIENATION AND LIES!

But, since we are here, let's continue with this:

I think the theory of the narrative was an interesting thought, but I didn't felt that it was warranted by the narrative, if only because Superman didn't strike me as being experimenting in the comic.
Overall, with this ending, I had issues with Superman basically agreeing instantly on genociding the alien force as the only solution, especially when coupled with the flashback of him as a kid refusing to accept the death of someone as the only solution.. I always wondered what the juxtaposition of these two elements was supposed to mean, and part of me found it....unlike any characterization of Superman I would agree with.

Great point, one that I didn't think of. The only thing I have to come back with is Luthor's speech: "You look at him and you see a light leading the way...But instead he is a light lost in the darkness." Skipping some text here and "What I expected to see, looking backwards through time at his efforts, was, as you said, Ms. Lane: Someone who stood for something. I thought a profile would emerge, the profile of someone sure of himself. Someone sure he knew what was best for all of us. But I saw that Superman, whoever he is, is trial and error. He takes down a dictator, a worse one is installed; he doesn't dow it again. He avoids a situation and it worsens; next time, he involves himself. The point that I am making is that Superman doesn't stand for anything. He's just a man, stumbling through life. He's not a great beacon, he's barely a candle, lighting a path for himself the best he can. And as we all know, eventually....candles go out." skip some text " We should never have turned to the stars for guidance. If there is an answer, it's here on Earth with us. For years, I though Superman was trying to be the answer to that infernal equation. And I hated him for it. But I see now what his actions say, there is no answer. Figure it out for yourself how to be better, as he is trying to do...and perhaps, now, at the end, I can admit that in beight the farthest thing from answer to that equation...he migh have been the colsest we'll come to one."

Luthor has his slant, of course, but the nugget of truth in there Superman isn't the one that has all the answers, he's just doing the best he can, trying to be the best example he can be....was just so well put for me.
This, of course is juxtaposed with Superman attempting to save Earth and Wraith's assistance. By the way, if you read this digitally, the way the panels break down is really kind of cool. The comics version is good, but different. People decry this outing for Lee as average...not me, not at all. I say Jim Lee broke through to a greater level of storytelling with Unchained. This last issue was the best example of it all.

I can't say enough about how well this story was laid out.....to me it really is that great.

Well...I appologize in advance because my answer is gonna sound "smartassish", but I must say that I was hoping for more classic Superman moments and less classic Batman moments in Unchained.

LOL. Smartass answers, in the right context, are still funny and worth the laugh. Thanks for the laugh. It painful, but true.

All I have got for that is: I still think its cool when Batman admits he needs Superman, because usually the Bat know it all has it ALL figured out.

See, I always thought that was somewhat ridiculous.
I mean, blinking doesn't make his heat vision shoot any faster (if only because, by account of the heat vision being basically a laser, it's already going at the speed of light). It can't really make him more precise either (I mean, try closing and opening your eyes as fast as you can while doing something. it's fairly disorienting). So I always ended up wondering: what is blinking superfast supposed to do?

It turns the energy into pulses, like bullets and creates a different force effect. Perhaps prolonged heat vision would melt something with high heat but this might have some type of penetrating effect. Add to the fact that it just looked cool on the page to me.

Okay, for the sake of fairness, I'll grant you that one.

C'est vraiment gentil de ta part.

[Auguste Dupin]

See, that wasn't so hard. I LOVE TRUTH, JUSTICE, ALIENATION AND LIES!

Damn straight.

Great point, one that I didn't think of. The only thing I have to come back with is Luthor's speech: "You look at him and you see a light leading the way...But instead he is a light lost in the darkness." Skipping some text here and "What I expected to see, looking backwards through time at his efforts, was, as you said, Ms. Lane: Someone who stood for something. I thought a profile would emerge, the profile of someone sure of himself. Someone sure he knew what was best for all of us. But I saw that Superman, whoever he is, is trial and error. He takes down a dictator, a worse one is installed; he doesn't dow it again. He avoids a situation and it worsens; next time, he involves himself. The point that I am making is that Superman doesn't stand for anything. He's just a man, stumbling through life. He's not a great beacon, he's barely a candle, lighting a path for himself the best he can. And as we all know, eventually....candles go out." skip some text " We should never have turned to the stars for guidance. If there is an answer, it's here on Earth with us. For years, I though Superman was trying to be the answer to that infernal equation. And I hated him for it. But I see now what his actions say, there is no answer. Figure it out for yourself how to be better, as he is trying to do...and perhaps, now, at the end, I can admit that in beight the farthest thing from answer to that equation...he migh have been the colsest we'll come to one."

Luthor has his slant, of course, but the nugget of truth in there Superman isn't the one that has all the answers, he's just doing the best he can, trying to be the best example he can be....was just so well put for me.
This, of course is juxtaposed with Superman attempting to save Earth and Wraith's assistance. By the way, if you read this digitally, the way the panels break down is really kind of cool. The comics version is good, but different. People decry this outing for Lee as average...not me, not at all. I say Jim Lee broke through to a greater level of storytelling with Unchained. This last issue was the best example of it all.

I can't say enough about how well this story was laid out.....to me it really is that great.

I'm never been a big fan of Jim Lee, but his outing here wasn't bad by any mean.
I'm not sure I like the implication of Luthor's speech compared to what we talked about. To me, it's starting to sound as if Superman used to try to save every one, even those who don't "deserve it", but stopped because it didn't work. That would be too cynical for a Superman story.
But in all honesty, my original conclusion was more in the lines of the author deshumanizing the alien forces on the account of them being, well, aliens. Which I felt was a bit distateful, especially with Superman himself being an alien.

LOL. Smartass answers, in the right context, are still funny and worth the laugh. Thanks for the laugh. It painful, but true.

All I have got for that is: I still think its cool when Batman admits he needs Superman, because usually the Bat know it all has it ALL figured out.

I'm glad you take it the right way.

It turns the energy into pulses, like bullets and creates a different force effect. Perhaps prolonged heat vision would melt something with high heat but this might have some type of penetrating effect. Add to the fact that it just looked cool on the page to me.

I dunno.. The coolness was lost on me because I had this mental image of Superman closing and opening his eyes at superspeed and it was actually pretty hilarious.

C'est vraiment gentil de ta part.

I would answer with something in English, but I just realized that's what we've been doing all along.
Damn it.

[oldschoolfan]

Damn straight.
I'm never been a big fan of Jim Lee, but his outing here wasn't bad by any mean.
I'm not sure I like the implication of Luthor's speech compared to what we talked about. To me, it's starting to sound as if Superman used to try to save every one, even those who don't "deserve it", but stopped because it didn't work. That would be too cynical for a Superman story.
But in all honesty, my original conclusion was more in the lines of the author deshumanizing the alien forces on the account of them being, well, aliens. Which I felt was a bit distateful, especially with Superman himself being an alien.

Where I was going with the Luthor speech is that I was trying to point out how this book spoke to me. I think that, in spite of his anti Superman slant, there's a level of respect for Superman that comes out. All this is juxtaposed against how Superman's example even inspires Wraith to turn on the invasion force and save Superman. So part of the discussion was just me pointing out what I thought was exemplary about the story. I don't care much for the Messianic interpretation of Superman, it doesn't fit for me. I much more like what was said here, Superman is a guy doing the best he can, just like the rest of us.

The other thing I was trying to do was focus attention on what I thought the theme of the miniseries was....some minis don't have themes, this one did.

You brought up a really good point which I am still thinking about, it doesn't make me enjoy this any less, but you may have a really good observation. The Mr. Colder backstory, how does it serve the purpose of Clark always finding a different way when he's flying out to sacrifice himself to destroy the invasion fleet? I remember it has worked for me each time I read the story, but right now it's place in the structure of the story is a little odd, especially listening to what you point out.

I'm glad you take it the right way.

I dunno.. The coolness was lost on me because I had this mental image of Superman closing and opening his eyes at superspeed and it was actually pretty hilarious.

That is pretty funny to think of from that perspective....but the way Lee drew it and thinking about the moments of impact at the other end still makes it a win in my book.

Would this redirect be inappropriate? What if you imagined a young Bridgit Bardot blinking really fast, would that make it cool? It works for me every time.

I would answer with something in English, but I just realized that's what we've been doing all along.
Damn it.

It's a good thing its in English....because I would be incomprehensible in French, sheesh I am almost incomprehensible now. It would be the writing equivalent of Matt Damon's speaking French in Monument Men. (Hope you saw it to get the reference. Check back if you didn't and I will elaborate.)

[steeplejack2112]

Nope....very unappealing.

[nepenthes]

I thought it was just fine. It reads as though written by someone from outside comics, for good or ill. It's a greatest hits/head on theme sort of story, where a writer goes in and plays with the supporting cast and deals with what he/she feels is the central conceit of the character. But the construction of it, with the creation of the antagonist and so forth, was fairly middling I think. It was a fun, recognizable Superman story. If you've read a lot of Superman I suspect you'll feel it's 'been done' but that he got a lot of the voices right. If you don't know Superman, I think it will hold the same appeal that something like Superman: TAS often did.

FOR TOMORROW, though, was brilliant, I thought. Challenging and subtle, but really excellent. One of my favorite Superman stories of all time.

This articulates my thoughts. You can definitely see that Snyder is trying to do a Hush type thing encompassing all of Supes history on an epic scale, and I like that even if it doesn't all hang together perfectly. Also similar to Hush is just the sheer energy, though Unchained is even gruntier and not quite as cheesy. It's fun, I'd recommend it to anyone.