I've been back for a while now, longer than expected actually, and I'll be stepping away again soon too focus on rehab. But before I go, I have a project I've been wanting to do for a while now. It should be done by this time next week and posted here in the Superman Forums. It's about a Superman story that I've read, at the very least, 7 times; Superman: For Tomorrow. This story has frustrated me so much that it's lead me to do this write-up on it. I've going from fanboy gushing, to critical thinker that was disgusted....to more mature critical thinker that thinks this story has a lot to say and, whether we all agree or not and whether we all see the same messages and themes or not, deserves to be discussed.

Azzarello told a story that needs to be critically evaluated to be properly enjoyed. I'm not saying that everyone that doesn't like isn't smart. I would never say such a thing. I am saying that this story is rather disappointing if you don't spend a great deal of time with it. Luckily for me, I love the art so I just kept reading it so I've had a moment of elucidation that gave me the inspiration for this... Let's call it a critique and evaluation.

So be looking for the blog. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on my thoughts.

@sog7dc: I hope your rehab goes well mate. I remember your previous plans when you left here the first time and if your rehabilitation works, you're sure to be fulfilling your desires and dreams :)

As for this blog of yours, I'm very intrigued by it. Despite my love for Azzarello's Wonder Woman run, I didn't like his Superman story For Tomorrow (waits to be called out as a hypocrite and contradictor by the Wonder Woman purists/Azzarello haters.) Granted, Jim Lee's art was AMAZING, definitely superior to his current artwork and among the best of his career. Not to mention in how it defined Superman's look for the modern comic book era. But when it came to the story, I just wasn't that impressed by it. Superman seemed to act quite out of character, was a little rough around the edges and the third act was definitely weaker than the first two acts.

But I'm intrigued by what this blog of yours will be about and will be certain to check it out. I do like your writing and this is a topic that should make for some food for thought.

Exactly. It is my position that Azzarello had something to say and that's why Superman was behaving the way he did. I felt the same way when I started reading it, again, the other day. I was frustrated because, as you said, his Wonder Woman has been, in my honest opinion, the crowning achievement of the New 52 so I just couldn't understand how he'd do such a poor job on Superman. But whenI started to look a little deeper and pay attention to all the story elements and how they connect, I think I see his message. And it's certainly a heavy one.

I'll make my case more thoroughly when the blog is finished. Thank you for the compliment, sir. I really appreciate that.

And yes. Jim Lee's art in For Tomorrow is orders of magnitude better than anything he's done in the new 52.

@sog7dc: So there's a deeper message underneath Azz's take on Superman in your opinion? And did this inspiration come the other day or is it something you've been thinking on for a while?

Which forum will you post it in?

Though I like Unchained and Justice League Jim Lee's art, I admit it isn't as good as his Pre New 52 stuff.

@lvenger:

It's an idea that I've had before but I never gave any real time to it because I just thought it was a bad book. I hated how everyone in the book spoke like they had the weight if the world on their shoulders, I couldn't stand Azzarello's weak attempts at being clever with his bait-and-switch practice of making you think Superman was having an inner monologue when it was really someone else talking, I didn't like how he brought middle eastern conflict into the book...I could go on about the things I disliked about it but once I payed attention to the priest and Superman's "sin to save the world" p, I had an "aha" moment where I gleaned what I believe to be Azzarello's message.

I'll try to post it here. My last blog, "everything wrong with Superman Birthright..." Couldn't be posted here for some reason but if that happens again I'll put it in general discussion.

After reading this latest issue of unchained, it's my opinion that Jim is good and no longer great. Tony Daniels has done much better with new 52 Superman.

I look forward to it!

Superman: For Tomorrow wasn't all it promissed at first to be. It started out great but lost itself in the process.

To me the greatest flaw was how they shown Superman to be less humane that he's been depicted in other stories. He's Superman for chrissakes! The symbol for hope, metaphorically and literally(seeing that his family crest means hope). And he's shown not only confiding to a person that he knew was dying but the entire reason for him to do so was because he knew that. And to top it off, when said person asks him if he can do anything to save him, Superman doesn't say that he can't do it, but rather that he won't do it. He even gives some lame excuse about if people saw him that way, they would seek him out to solve all their problems. That!... Right there, isn't the Superman I know and I'm a fan. To me that point right there ruined the all story.

But when I thought things couldn't get worse, we're shown how quickly he'd throw his life away for a woman. The world could burn but Lois Lane can't! And that pissed me off so much, I actually came to see it has one of the worst Superman stories ever writen. Yes, the artwork was awesome, but that's it. Nothing more is salvageable from Superman For Tomorrow. Because it isn't a story about hope and surpassing one's trials and challenges, but a story of despair and surrender.

@sog7dc: For Tomorrow is good but like grant morrisons run on New 52 action comics you have to read it a few times to really enjoy it.

@z3ro180:

You're right about that. Those last few issues with Mxy were a chore to read, but I appreciate the story now that I have a grip on it.

@sog7dc: why was middle Eastern conflct a bad thing

@bsaa:

That was how I thought before. I'll be explaining why it was good in my upcoming blog.

@sog7dc: Yeah morrisons stuff is great in a self contained story but if you let him loses in a in continuity ongoing it gets pretty loopy :P also good luck with rehab.

Well, it's an ok story for me. At the beginning, I was like, well that sucks but the more I read it, the more I like it but not an amazing story but it's enjoyable. Some parts of it are still dumb to me but I liked the idea, bringing the idea that sometimes, you can't save everyone and showing a human side of Superman and in the same time, not really human. But it's wasted, I think it would've been nice to see Sup' reaction to the cancer of Lerone or to the disparition of Lois...