It's that time again! It's time to join Superman in what looks like his final adventures! Last time, the planet got invaded by Bizarros, this new take on them being more like zombies than in the traditional Silver Age comics. Superman ended up trapped on Bizarro World, and his powers are weakening, only to end up meeting a strange new being called Zibarro. How will Superman get out of this mess? Let's find out in All-Star Superman #8!
The cover is a Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant piece.
"Us Do Opposite"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciler: Frank Quitely
Inker: Jamie Grant
Letterer: Phil Balsman
Editors: Bob Schreck, Brandon Montclare
Executive Editor: Dan DiDio
The story begins on Htrae, aka Bizarro World, where Superman ended up after the events of the last issue. Superman can't escape because Bizarro World is shifting into a place called the "Underverse". It's causing the sunlight to shift in color from yellow to red, and being a Kryptonian, Superman is powerless under a red sun.
Zibarro, the imperfect Bizarro clone we were introduced to in the last issue, starts lamenting how alone he is, the only intelligent being in a world of backwards mindless Bizarros. And it still won't matter in the end, as when the All-Night comes, he'll be subsumed into the sludge like everyone else here. Superman can't possibly understand how lonely his existence can be.
Yeah, that's hilarious. But that's tabled when Superman hears a voice.
Page 4, Panel 1
Yup, that's Le-Roj, the Bizarro version of Jor-El, Superman's biological father. Which makes sense. Bizarros are all about being opposite to Earthlings. Jor-El got blowed up real good, Le-Roj lives. Anyway, Le-Roj grumbles about some blueprints not making sense (In Bizarro terms). Superman exclaims that it can't be hopeless. There has to be a way to escape Bizarro World...and then he gets an idea.
If a spaceship can be built, Superman can escape this place like he escaped Krypton as a baby. Zibarro thinks that is impossible. The Bizarros are idiots, and they'll just be consumed when Bizarro World goes fully back to the Underverse.
Back on Earth, Leo Quintum briefs Lois on the situation. Once Htrae goes back completely into the Underverse, even Superman won't survive there for long. This understandably has Lois rather confused. After all, the Man of Steel seems to have become more powerful than ever in recent months. Leo realizes that Lois isn't aware Superman has actually been dying since the vents of issue #1. Lois puts it together and realizes that Luthor caused that space disaster as a way to finally achieve one of his life goals: Killing Superman...and he used the very thing that gave the Man of Tomorrow his power to do it.
Leo assures her that P.R.O.J.E.C.T has been busting their butts to try and cure Supes. So far, they've failed. Not to mention when they looked at the data from the solar probe that Luthor sabotaged, they discovered that something was hiding in the sun.
Back to Htrae! Superman tries to get the Bizarros to help him, but they won't. Zibarro points out that it's useless, but Superman realizes something: Bizarros think in opposite to humans. For example, a Bizarro will describe something a human finds boring as "interesting". Using this, Superman convinces the Bizarros to help him build the rocket, saying they can be "lazy" and the rocket will be "useless". In Bizarro speak, they can work hard and build the useful rocket!
Bizarro not only agrees to help, but he brought his own help: The Unjustice League!
Page 12, Panels 1-4.
Yeah, the Bizarro JLA is hilarious. Sadly, in the Bizarro tradition, they're as useless as the Justice League is effective. Zibarro notices the plans for the rocket indicate there is only room for one person. Superman explains that the rocket will be subjecting him to some imaginable stresses, and there's no guarantee that he will survive, much less Zibarro. After all, Zibarro seemingly has no powers. Superman does promise him that he'll try and help Zibarro.
Zibarro screams he'll gladly take the risk, as he's desperate to get off Bizarro World. He doesn't fit in. He's a flaw, a failure, an imperfection. But Superman points out that Zibarro is unique. He's special. He's not a freak, or an imperfection. He's a sign. He's proof that Bizarro World can be better. After all, why else would this world make him?
The All-Night is coming. The Bizarros are getting ready to launch the rocket, and they're not willing to wait until Superman is on it. However, Superman has weakened very badly by this point. He's struggling to even stand. Zibarro muses that he wants what Superman has: love. Respect. A home where he belongs. But he muses that maybe in his own way, Superman is as lonely as he is. After all, he's seemingly the last survivor of Krypton on an alien world. He helps Superman to the rocket.
When he's on it, Superman calls Zibarro a friend, which seems to genuinely touch the copy's heart. He isn't able to light the rocket, so Superman insults his Bizarro counterpart, who angrily tosses him off of the planet. Back on Earth, Leo Quintum reports that Htrae has been completely absorbed into the Underverse...and Superman is seemingly gone. The story ends on a hopeful note: Zibarro smiling and waving goodbye as Bizarro World retracts into itself.
I enjoyed this issue. It was an interesting one-off tale. The concept of Zibarro is actually pretty brilliant. A planet of copies upon copies upon copies? One is bound to end up not quite right by Bizarro standards. The idea of a Bizarro that is much saner than his fellow Bizarros is rife with story-telling potential. The ending is bittersweet for Zibarro, but I like to think that it's more sweet than bitter. After all, as Superman said, Zibarro is proof the Bizarros can become better than what they are now. Things can improve for them. There will be bumps and forces will cause stumbles and backtracking, but ultimately, Zibarro is hope the Bizarros can grow beyond their current state.
I did find the Bizarro Justice League hilarious. It also implies that the rest of the JLA does exist. I know issue #2 mentioned Batman, but I like that this implies that the other members of the JLA exist as well. I would have liked to have heard their thoughts about Superman dying. Yeah, I know this is Superman's tale, but I would have been fine with a cameo of them reacting to it in various ways.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again about Frank Quitely's art. I'm not a fan of it. But I think it really works well for the Bizarros and Bizarro World. His tendency to make people look rather "uncanny valley" really helps make the Bizarros look like pale imitations of humans. It works here.
If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2011 trade paperback All-Star Superman. Thanks for reading
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