"Us Do Opposite"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Frank Quitely (p), Jamie Grant (i & colors)
Publisher: DC Comics
In the concluding issue of All-Star Superman's first two-part story, a gradually weakening Man of Steel struggles to motivate an entire planet of Bizarro creatures to help him escape the underverse - and in doing so, complete one of the twelve Herculean tasks that are a major subplot of the series.
Considering the epic scope of the previous issue, with all the world-threatening implications that a Bizarro-plague on Earth might have entailed, it's interesting to see Morrison change gear here and bring a more humourous, low-key tone to the second half of the story rather than taking things too seriously. Yes, the logic of opposites that underpins All-Star Bizarro-Earth is flawed and inconsistent, and the Bizarro-speak takes a bit of getting used to before it makes sense, but they're minor problems that don't detract from the issue too much - and they allow Morrison the freedom to have as much fun as he likes with the Bizarro concept, including the creation of some twisted opposites of DC favourites. The Bizarro-world incarnation of the JLA is worth the cover price alone (particularly the hilarious antics of the Bizarro-Flash), and the strange and unexpected appearance of a Bizarro Jor-El is justified by his ridiculous, deranged self-sacrifice at the issue's close, accompanied by a hugely enjoyable inversion of the USA's national anthem which must have been a joy to write. Morrison's knack for reducing the Bizarros' language to choice snippets of reversed meaning really helps to keep the joke amusing without it feeling overplayed or laboured: a particular highlight is the succinct mockery of Zibarro and Superman by the Bizarros, followed by Superman's realisation that he can convince them to help him escape the dying planet if he talks to them on their own level.
As with the preceding issue, the story suffers a little for not following the stand-alone format of previous instalments - a particular drawback when the book isn't published on a monthly schedule - and feels a little less efficient and a little more padded than other stories in the series. The "To Be Continued..." tag at the issue's end also suggests that the second half of Morrison and Quitely's run on the book is going to be a lot more contiguous than the first six issues were, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I'm pleased to see Morrison begin to connect the dots here, foreshadowing the next big problem that Superman is going to have to deal with at the same time as he recaps the story so far, revealing the dying Kal-El's plight to Lois Lane in a surprising move that makes me wonder whether Morrison is setting up Doctor Leo Quintum and P.R.O.J.E.C.T. to be the surprise villains in this series. Despite the extended length of this particular story - and the nature last month's cliffhanger - I was surprised to see the exact nature of Zibarro go relatively unexplored here (other than the idea that he's the single one-in-five-billion "flawed" copy that exists on Bizarro-world). However, it soon becomes clear that that isn't really important: Morrison is more concerned with the emotional, character-based elements that can be explored with the character, and his musings on the feelings of isolation and loneliness that come with being the only intelligent, sensitive being on Bizarro-Earth make for a surprisingly touching read.
Frank Quitely again proves why his artwork is worth waiting for here, investing a relatively simple story with a wealth of details which enrich the issue immeasurably. The artist's command of body language is a particular high point: from the laughter of ridicule as the Bizarro hordes witness Superman's use of a round wheel (rather than a square one), to the sinister sideways glance as Zibarro realises there's only room on Superman's rocket for one, to the tearful insanity of Bizarro-Jor-El's death, to the slo-mo stance of the Bizarro-Flash - a perfectly-rendered pose which really makes the joke work (and is reprised in an almost identical form later, showing Quitely's awareness of the importance of visual continuity in making the gag hold water). His Superman is fast becoming the definitive modern take on the character, and the sheer quantity of visual ideas that are packed into every panel make this issue worthy of rereading several times. Jamie Grant's digital inks and colours enhance the storytelling as effectively as ever, bringing a dark mood of foreboding to the receding Bizarro-world and marking clear differences between Superman, Zibarro and Bizarro Nš1 through alterations to the colour schemes - some of them bold, some of them subtle.
Whilst not the most exciting or flashy issue of All-Star Superman, this is another straightforward story, elegantly told, which tips its hat to the conventions of Silver Age comics whilst still managing to be sophisticated enough to be enjoyed by a modern audience. Morrison's ideas are sufficiently simple that they can be easily understood on a first read, but further perusal reveals layers of depth and invention which will reward more perceptive readers, and Quitely's art is gorgeous stuff. If you're not reading this book, you should be.
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