This reminds me of that speech in Kill Bill, about the nature of Superman. As good as that speech is, I feel it completely misses the mark of the character in the way this story hits it. Clark Kent isn't how Superman views humanity; it's how he views himself. More to the point, Clark the reporter is probably the ideal person he wants to be: humble, hardworking, empathetic, kind, and deeply caring to the people in his life and the community he lives in. Superman really is the mask, and Clark is who we are really seeing shine through (a perfect dichotomy to how Bruce Wayne feels Bruce is the mask to who he really is).
to be fair that speech is more about explaining Bill´s mindset than a take on Superman. Bill is not talking about Superman, he is talking about himself, he is the one that feels superior to everyone and plays a character when he is around people, and because he is so narcissistic he projects all his shit onto Superman. its like a republican saying jesus is a homophobe.
Which makes sense for Bill to think. He’s a man who wants that sorta power to put on a grandiose twisted powerful show, not to be some meek man like Clark Kent. He’s the villain.
I agree with you on this. I know some people have suggested it’s off on purpose to illustrate Bill’s mindset. And perhaps. But I’ve always felt, in those moments, Tarantino is often just speaking directly to the audience in his own voice. I think that’s his take on Superman. Which makes sense, considering the era in which he was actively reading Superman. It was the official take on Superman comics, movies and other media well until roughly the late 80’s/early 90s. Hell, the old TV show used to say “Disguised as a mild mannered reporter at a major metropolitan newspaper.” in the intro. The 90s animated series, I feel, says it best with the line “I am Clark. I need to be Clark. I’d go crazy if I had to be Superman all the time.”
The "mom made it for me" scene in Superman for All Seasons was adapted from the scene in Lois and Clark, which holds up surprisingly well. It's nice to see these relatively new little moments become iconic and get repeated as the mythology grows.
This has always been one of my favorite Superman stories. It cuts right to the heart of "Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am." I've always felt Superman, ironically enough, is the most human hero, especially among the big three of the DC Universe. Wonder Woman was raised among immortal warrior women who regularly commune with the actual Greek gods, and Batman was basically raised in isolation before setting out to be, well, Batman. But Clark, he was raised among ordinary people in a town where neighbors really did know each other well and pulled together in times of need. He's grounded in a way I think a lot of people tend to underestimate since he's an alien. RIP Mr. Sale!
This. I love the contrast of the "normal human" Batman being less human-like than the literal alien who really is just a farmboy raised by the sweetest couple in Kansas. Superman is "Super" because he fully embraces humanity, while Batman can really only be Batman by leaving Bruce in the alley.
I think there is something in the "my mom made it for me" comparison that deserves highlighting. In the comic he is still drawn big, speaking from above while towering over the kid. Here it is a reassuring expression, showing the human side of the mythical god. In the series he is smaller in frame than the kid, with even his eyeline going up. The goofy grin making him out to be just as delighted about the situation as the kid, loving being superman and helping. And being a bit of an unabashed geek. Here it is a relatable expression, showing that there is no 'Kal or Clark', but that 'supes=Clark'. I love that scene. Up until then I accepted Superman as important, but never truely cared for him. That one simple line, and the delivery, made me understand why people love him. I kinda liked him. Now I love him. And I can see why, in that universe, there is no true doubt about his intentions. I paused at 16:16. Look at that goofy grin and tell me that dude could be a threat to anyone who didn't REALLY push him.
My favorite thing about Sale's art is the way *Clark's* size is portrayed as ungainly, almost oafish. He positively dwarfs Ma, hunches as if apologizing for taking up so much space, and it's *not an act* - that's how Clark feels much of the time in his early days. But as Superman, his size is appropriate. He's a gentle giant. And a protector - he doesn't hesitate to use that size to intimidate Lex.
What I love about this comic is the way it ran parallel to John Byrne's "Man of Steel" mini that relaunched Superman after "Crisis", but neither story overwhelmed the other. And while MoS took care of all the important *story* beats of his origin, "Man For All Seasons" fleshed out Superman's *character*. Oh, and that Luthor mug shot from the start of issue 3? He was arrested at the end of "Man of Steel" #2. Neat touch, you ask me. Fits it neatly into the then-current continuity.
Some of my favorite Superman stories: For the Man Who Has Everything, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, Superman for All Seasons, All Star Superman, What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?, and Kingdom Come. I hope to see more of these in the future.
James Gunn just said this mini-series was a massive inspiration on his upcoming movie so I searched this and found this channel and I absolutely love the way you talk about this. Amazing.
The first book of Superman For All Seasons really highlights all the issues I have with the movie Man of Steel when they are contrasted. Superman's only concern in the book is to try to help everyone he can as much as he can. The battle in Smallville is a regret for how much collateral damage he allowed. He knows the grocer, the post office workers, the people he went to school with and grew up with, and they end up suffering. This is actually through no fault of his own, but he feels responsible for every bad thing that happened to every person. In Man of Steel, it's just blown past as acceptable loss, and Superman actually spends time wondering what humanity owes him. The Big Blue Boyscout isn't himself in that movie... in my perspective, he needs to be what humanity should aspire to be, even given all the power in the universe as an ultimate temptation to just do what you want.
The way this superman story is written, seems to be less focused on the events that happen in superman's life, and more focused on how Clark Kent deals with those events. It is easy to see why the CW is taking so much inspiration from this set of comics. As far as Clark himself, I would not have been surprised to see a Spiderman poster on his wall. It honestly reads like he has taken Uncle Ben's words to heart, and realized they don't have to just inspire a comic character.
Superman For All Seasons is a joyful and peaceful retelling of Superman's origin. And it only reaffirms my belief, that the best Superman stories are told through the perspective of the people around him. It's so delightfully profound how this story portrays Impostor Syndrome.
This is my favorite Superman comics run ever because it is about the culture of Smallville, the culture of the Kent household. Sale drew Smallville after the style of a Norman Rockwell painting. It's that cozy myth of the perfectly wholesome small midwestern American town that flavors Superman's goodness in this version of him. I believe that the smalltown Rockwellian wholesomeness is Superman's real superpower, and because I believe in the myth about smalltown America (i.e., I am inspired by it), I love this Superman story best of all.
Sale is the guy that I always point to when people say that Robin is outdated. Or can't work in a modern, serious story. Batman: Dark Victory is the best evidence the Boy Wonder will ever have in fitting into the darker, more grounded takes on Batman. We lost our own Wonder. But at least his work will never be forgotten. The Best Superman. The Best Batman. The Best Robin. What better legacy could any of us have?
I love the team of Loeb and Sale, and this comic is one of my favorites. I have often told friends that I wish they would would use more of this as a blueprint for new Superman films, instead of whatever they were using. It took me a little bit to warm to Tim Sale's art style, but once I did he became one of my favorites. His fantastic compositions, and the deceptively simple line work belying just how detailed his images get. Particular details I love are how often in "The Long Halloween" you can clearly see Harvey Dent's Wedding ring, or how in this Clark's first suit when leaving Smallville looks so loose and poorly tailored, contrasting the suit he wears after he's established at the Daily Planet. RIP Tim Sale.
You always give me comics to go and chase down....thanks! Also, the new TV Superman is perfect. I have been waiting for this kind of Superman to come back. He's absolutely perfect. All we need is him showing up out of nowhere to stop a suicide attempt simply by being there for the person and we will have the best live-action superman ever. Reeves was amazing....but this new one is just so....perfect.
That fear that you can't do enough is something Spiderman has in common with Superman. With Spidey it plays out more often since Spidey doesn't have enough power to protect people the way he wants to.
Great video, and also one of my favorite Superman comics, but I have to correct you about the "My Mother Made It" line. It actually appeared in the pilot episode of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1993. (The clip is on UA-cam if you search for "Lois & Clark: Superman's first save".) I only mention it to give due credit to the writer of that episode, Deborah Joy LeVine (assuming it doesn't go even further back in Superman comics).
I only now realise that for a while I'd confused Sale's Superman with Frank Quietly's depiction - they share many elements (big, but not focused on the muscular development, just a large person; visible elements of the costume like seams; a friendly, open expression, rarely affected by anger and never by contempt), and both SFAS and All-Star are trying to be about both the ideal and the tradition of Superman, without ever slipping into boredom and convention.
My favorite Superman story as well man. Happy to have just gotten the absolute version. I know All star superman has a lot of hype but for me this is the very best.
You are articulately doing good for a hero, The Hero, who is constantly being done wrong in a cynical world. Superman, more specifically Clark Kent, is a hero of all time for he’s is an alien who embodies the best of human character, not built around dark trauma, rightful vengeance, or antihero complexity. He’s just a man raised and committed to doing good, to help, and then go home and live a regular every man’s life after. Thanks!
What a fantastic video Steve, absolutely perfect. I’m largely here for your Trek videos where I generally agree with much of your views. Superheroes as a genre largely leave me cold, but I had to watch this one. Like I said, I’ve never been a big fan of superheroes, much preferring Judge Dredd & predominately British comics (Trek comics aside), but I’ve always had a wee soft spot for Superman, no doubt down to the Christopher Reeve films. I guess sometimes it’s just what you grow up with. Only a few months ago a friend who’s a big Batman/superhero comic fan recommended a few Superman comics to me, namely Secret Identity & For all Seasons, and I was blown away by both of them. I’ll definitely be looking out for a few more books with Tim Sale’s art. His art in this book is beautiful. You’ve summed up so well so much of what makes this a great read. I need to check out All Star Superman next to see what a fellow Glaswegian’s take on Supes looks like. Probably the only artist working in America with an obvious Dudley D Watkins influence, but that’s a whole other DC universe. Loving your work.
I am so happy you've been doing this series. Now, more than ever, Superman is needed. I need to go read the book. Was getting a little emotional about some of the aspects you talked about.
Having recently read the Man of Steel miniseries, this series seems to have been written as something of a companion piece. It takes place not just in Superman's early years but apparently within that same span of time. The appearance, relationships and general timeline of characters seem to fall in line with the events of the earlier story. Which is probably why they feel comfortable setting aside the major beats of Superman's origin, because Man of Steel covers that material in detail. Using that series as background freed them to make this one into more of a character piece.
Interesting that you describe this version of Superman as a 'gentle giant', Steve - I heartily concur, and not least because it reminds me of the story that Transformers voice actor Peter Cullen tells of how he was first auditioning for the role of another benevolent alien giant, Optimus Prime, and was inspired by his brother, an ex-Marine, who told him (and I quote) '..."Well Peter, if you're going to be a hero, be a real hero. Don't be one of those Hollywood heroes pretending they're tough guys. Just be strong and real. Tell the truth. Be strong enough to be gentle....' - I'd say that last sentence in particular fits Superman at his best to a tee, yes...? (Also, Superman For All Seasons may have the most vibrant and vivid use of colour I've ever seen in a comic book, especially that Kansas sunset scene at 13.23 - just awe-inspiring stuff...!!!).
You really understand how to narrate, extracting the core beauty from these stories, eloquently and smoothly. You really captivate the magic that is often overseen by outsiders to the world of comics.
This series definitely hits upon the one thing I loved: Superman's greatest advantage was his upbringing by the Kents to value a life of service, in helping others where he can.
Bloody hell, Clark is HUGE. One thing I never really understood with the typical depiction of Superman by most artists is that they draw hum hulking over everyone. I mean, if his strength is supernatural, then he doesn't actually have to be BIG. This is further compounded by the existence of Supergirl, who is just as strong as Superman, but is the size of an average woman. I get that most fans want Superman (and superheroes in general) to look powerful and imposing, but, personally, I prefer them to look like real people. And don't get me started on the gender bias of male superheroes drawn like statuesque titans while female superheroes are drawn like Sears catalog models. ugh..
Thanks for highlighting this. I am not a fan of Superman. Growing up I found him boring and ,frankly, corny. But your take on this limited series has actually shown me that the character doesn't have to be boring, or a power fantasy for nerds. One of the hardest tricks to pull of in fiction, especially genre fiction, is to make the good guy interesting. Looks like this run pulled it off. Thanks for the video.
I love this video, Steve. It puts into words what makes Superman such a great character and shows that you can tell great stories about him without tarnishing his essential goodness. I'm definitely going to see if I can track down a copy of this mini series.
Absolutely agree. Everything about the construction of the plot and of course Sale's artwork serves the title. The choice of elements from several decades and no specific continuity all support "for all seasons" Grant Morrison's "All Star Superman" reads as much the same treatment of Superman, all be it later in his career. It also has the best description of the origin while getting it out of the way. Four panels, eight words. Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple.
Loved this video! This is probably my favorite run of Superman and I really enjoyed your analysis of the story. I read it sometimes when I'm feeling down and you did a really good job explaining why I love it so much.
I shared these comics on Instagram in tribute to Sale after his death. This is one Superman series that I always recommend to people to read. Thank you for this, Steve.
Love your videos, and the way you emphasize connection and empathy. For all seasons was one of the first trades I ever picked up. I really need to go back and revisit it.
Thanks for the recommend just read so have only just finished your vid. As soon as I saw the art thought gotta read that and both the story and artwork did not disappoint. Only Superman I had read before was "It's a bird" (which I guess won't feature in this series?) and know him more from the 80's films and 90's telly series. So thanks again for pointing this out was well worth the look
This sounds like the best Superman ever to me, having not read it. I love that the strength of the character is found through emotional turmoil, the place where challenge can occur to an immortal character
I think the very first comic he drew which I still have is the four Gambit miniseries for Marvel comics! My favorite comic 📚 that he drew were Batman the long 🎃 Gambit Team 7 from Image comics and Spider-Man blue and finally Superman for all seasons!
15:57 I remember Snyder "fans" complaining about this scene, which is funny because it's more Superman than anything in DCEU - Superman is man, not a God or Jesus or frankly an alien (in spirit). Did Zack make Superman cool again, tbh yeah, but let's hope Gunn does Superman full justice (though I am worried he'll overfill it with jokes, like I don't want the level of jokes like in The Suicide Squad or Guardians of the Galaxy but enough to give it that Superman heart). "Fans" is in air quotes because I'm talking about the ones that call themselves fans but are actually just obsessed weirdos who need to give him a break. I supposed the Snyder Cut, it is amazing. Just adding this part before/if I get a comment going "not all fans" 🙃
Oh nice this story is super underrated, I only found out about it when I watch the movie adaption of A Man For All Seasons and just got the idea about what if they made this but for Superman and looked up Superman for All Seasons and found this and fell in love with it between this and "Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow are probably my favourite superman stories. I like All Star Superman enough but it never stuck with me like these did
I was so glad to hear that this was picked as a source of inspiration for the upcoming James Gunn Superman movie next year. Movie isn't out yet and I'm already convinced that they're gonna do him right. Definitely one of the best stories that you could pick as an influence to write a character who's, in Gunn's own words, "a good man in a world that isn't always so good". And man, does the subplot of Lex unleashing a virus on Metropolis hit all the harder these days. It was already horrible back then, nowadays it just feels _especially_ evil in hindsight.
Sale and Loeb created the ultimate Superman book that would have made Schuster and Siegel proud. I am saddened to hear the passing of immensely creative Mr. Tim Sale.
I have never been a big fan of Superman, specially the pre-Crisis Clark Kent posing as the idiot type, but Steve's love of the character has helped me appreciate it, or at the very least, appreciate why people like Steve love him. Good work, sir, good work indeed. (That was an overly long sentence. I meant every word of it).
A great story by one of the very best teams to ever create comics. Sale and Loeb were great together and Tim Sale is one of my top 5 favorite artists of all time
Superman for All Seasons is genuinely great. I'm not always a huge fan of the post-Crisis takes on the character, at least prior to the restoration of certain Krypton-related things that were present in the Silver Age and Bronze Age, but this is one of the greatest exceptions.
It's sad to hear of Sale's passing. I never read his stuff in my teen years. While I remember all the iconic covers from his and Loeb's various colour character studies, I was too fixated on certain kinds of art styles, like Bagley, McNiven, and Van Sciver (before I found out he's a bit of a piece of shit) to appreciate the storytelling chops of folks like Sale and other artists that had that kind of retro/neo-golden age style of drawing. Now that the zazz of heroic anatomy has worn off for me a bit, I've started to appreciate different kinds of talents and approaches.
If you, like me, read Superman For All Seasons and found that you could no longer imagine Superman’s world as looking any other way than how Tim Sale draws it, then definitely check out Superman: Kryptonite.
This is a very interesting story, but I can’t get over how tiny Clark’s face looks on that giant head! I know you point it out but… it’s so distracting!
The iFanboy podcast did an episode on this about a month ago, which I was thrilled with since I've loved it since it came out in the late 90s. Sadly, it's taken the death of Tim Sale, but I am happy to see this get some attention. The scene of him and Pa in the field contrasted with the landscape of Metropolis on the next page is beyond brilliant. Linkara just reviewed MoS and the reminder of how Snyder did Pa dirty drove me to just stare at the iconic Tim Sale image to cleanse my soul.
As far as the kid, he appears three times. The first is the, "Thanks. My mom made it," scene. The second comes after Superman is driven from Metropolis by Lex. In this scene, it's Lex's troops, who respond almost robotic all, "Citizen. Stay inside. Lexcorp is concerned for your safety." The story ends with the Lexcorp trooper yelling, "Citizen!" impotently as the kid slips and is rescued by a red, yellow, and blue streak. After commanding the trooper to tell Luthor he's back, Superman asks the kid, "Haven't we met before...?" The kid is astonished that Superman remembers and says he's Trevor, but everyone calls him, "Trev." And in reply we get this, "Good to meet you, Trev -- folks call me 'Superman'" on the last page. Contrasted with the trooper, Superman is kind, polite, and warm.
"And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?"
This was what is exactly missing from Man of Steel. The sad fact is Henry Caville has the acting skills to pull that off easily. Missed opportunity by a guy who just didnt get Superman
Clark Kent is who the man really is; he grew up as Clark Kent in Smallville, after all. Superman (or Kal-El) is a front superheroic identity that Clark created to present to the world. And even more then that, there are actually _two_ Clark Kents; the slightly bumbling Clark of Metropolis that Lex Luthor, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and (pre-marriage) Lois Lane know, and then the original, pure Clark Kent, of his home town, football star and brilliant student of Smallville Hugh School, the unfiltered Clark known by Ma, Pa, Lana Lang, and Lois once she and Clark are married. As the man himself has said before: if he had to be Superman all the time, and never had the chance to just be Clack Kent (IE the chance to _just be himself)_ then he'd go crazy. Those aren't the words of someone who thinks of Clark Kent as just a disguise he wears to prevent the rest of the world from knowing that he's actually Superman. That's why the whole Superman scene from Kill Bill vol II is so completely wrong, with Bill saying basically "while Batman is _Bruce Wayne's_ alter ego, a mask he puts on, Clark Kent is _Superman's_ alter ego, a mask he puts on to disguise himself as human, and it represents his view of humanity as weak, unsure of ourselves, and cowardly, being Superman's critique of all of humanity." That is entirely wrong and exactly backwards. The truth is that Clark Kent isn't a disguise that Superman wears to _hide his true identity_ from the world; rather, Superman is a disguise that Clark Kent wears to _present as a fake identity_ to the world, so that he can maintain his anonymity in his _real_ identity as Clark. However, since that entire piece of exposition was delivered by the villain of the movie, I just can't tell if we are meant to take those ideas at face value, or if instead we're meant to understand it all as being an incorrect, twisted interpretation of Superman coming from a villainous man who is essentially espousing the views of Lex Luthor. So basically the entire screed from Bill could be understood as being Luthor 's attitude _if Lex knew that Superman is actually Clark Kent._ What it all boils down to is this: Clark Kent isn't _really Superman;_ Superman is _really Clark Kent._ And finally, this is all why Zack Snyder's Superman is actually a _perverse inversion_ of the actual character of Superman, based on Snyder's Randian Objectivist views. Zack Snyder's Superman seems to only feel put-upon at _having to bother_ to help people, like it some odious burden that he has to undertake, but not one he actually wants to do. And the horrible, morally vacuous childhood "lessons" that Clark was taught by Pa Kent are just horrifying; that despite his great power he doesn't owe the world _anything_ and instead he should hide his abilities away and only use them in ways that will enrich himself... Zack Snyder's twisted facsimile of Superman actually embraces a _complete moral inversion_ of what may be the greatest moral message to from a comic book: Spider-Man's motto of "With Great Power, There Must Also Come Great Responsibility." (And remember everyone, the correct phrase is _not_ "With Great Power, _Comes_ Great Responsibility." Rather, it is "With Great Power, _There Must Also Come_ Great Responsibility." The connection between Power and Responsibility isn't an "IS", it's an "OUGHT" Lots and lots of people in the world have plenty of Great Power without taking _any_ Responsibility. The phrase isn't some kind of statement of fact, it's a _moral imperative_ to follow.) Now, the entire idea of Superman having this kind of selfish, attitude is a complete moral perversion of the character, it actually makes perfect sense once you understand that it's coming from a self-proclaimed follower of Ayn Rand, whose entire "philosophy" of Objectivism is nothing more than a pseudo-philosophical excuse to create a moral justification for pure selfishness and evil. In fact, it's connected to a pretty funny and/or sad detail about Spider-Man, how such a superhero character who embodies one of the greatest moral messages in comic books about he altruistic ideal of the responsibility borne by those with power to help those without power, and how the character was co-created by Steve Ditko, a man who later went on to become a horrible Right Wing monster in his ideology, and embraced the perverse moral inversion ideals Ayn Rand. In fact, if Objectivism is anything, it's the perfect ideology for a super_villain_ to espouse a his "philosophy," but definitely not a superhero. So, sorry to Mr. A, and to Ditko's original portrayal of The Question: even though you were costumed vigilantes, you were _never _*_heroes_* (Although as for The Question, under later writers and especially in his series in the '80s, Vic Sage underwent a significant amount of character growth and moved far beyond the stark black and white "morality" of his shallow Objectivist days, and emerged as something more like a philosopher, or "A Good Question in search of an Answer.")
01:58 "Looking at the devastated town and his family's wrecked farm, he feels guilty that he didn't do more." The obvious comparison to this is the Kal-El-vs.-Kryptonians battle in "Man of Steel" that destroys most of Smallville, and Kal-El doesn't really care about the damage he caused. Notice I call him Kal-El and not Superman, because in that movie he isn't Superman. Especially not the Superman we see here in Superman For All Seasons.
First comment! Maybe, I dunno. Who cares? 😁 Anyway, I was never a fan of heroes and villains with massive strengths and almost no weaknesses. It just seems boring to me. I mean, I get why people love it, but it's not to my tastes. Why I like The Boys so much; regular relatable (albeit pretty terrible) people standing up to superhumans. On the other hand, maybe I'm just a jerk who hates hopeful optimism.
This reminds me of that speech in Kill Bill, about the nature of Superman. As good as that speech is, I feel it completely misses the mark of the character in the way this story hits it. Clark Kent isn't how Superman views humanity; it's how he views himself. More to the point, Clark the reporter is probably the ideal person he wants to be: humble, hardworking, empathetic, kind, and deeply caring to the people in his life and the community he lives in. Superman really is the mask, and Clark is who we are really seeing shine through (a perfect dichotomy to how Bruce Wayne feels Bruce is the mask to who he really is).
to be fair that speech is more about explaining Bill´s mindset than a take on Superman.
Bill is not talking about Superman, he is talking about himself, he is the one that feels superior to everyone and plays a character when he is around people, and because he is so narcissistic he projects all his shit onto Superman.
its like a republican saying jesus is a homophobe.
As others said before… I believe it misses it on purpose
It is just a character saying something for the movie, tarantino maybe projecting some but not that deep
Which makes sense for Bill to think. He’s a man who wants that sorta power to put on a grandiose twisted powerful show, not to be some meek man like Clark Kent. He’s the villain.
I agree with you on this. I know some people have suggested it’s off on purpose to illustrate Bill’s mindset. And perhaps. But I’ve always felt, in those moments, Tarantino is often just speaking directly to the audience in his own voice. I think that’s his take on Superman. Which makes sense, considering the era in which he was actively reading Superman.
It was the official take on Superman comics, movies and other media well until roughly the late 80’s/early 90s. Hell, the old TV show used to say “Disguised as a mild mannered reporter at a major metropolitan newspaper.” in the intro.
The 90s animated series, I feel, says it best with the line “I am Clark. I need to be Clark. I’d go crazy if I had to be Superman all the time.”
The "mom made it for me" scene in Superman for All Seasons was adapted from the scene in Lois and Clark, which holds up surprisingly well. It's nice to see these relatively new little moments become iconic and get repeated as the mythology grows.
This has always been one of my favorite Superman stories. It cuts right to the heart of "Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am." I've always felt Superman, ironically enough, is the most human hero, especially among the big three of the DC Universe. Wonder Woman was raised among immortal warrior women who regularly commune with the actual Greek gods, and Batman was basically raised in isolation before setting out to be, well, Batman. But Clark, he was raised among ordinary people in a town where neighbors really did know each other well and pulled together in times of need. He's grounded in a way I think a lot of people tend to underestimate since he's an alien.
RIP Mr. Sale!
This. I love the contrast of the "normal human" Batman being less human-like than the literal alien who really is just a farmboy raised by the sweetest couple in Kansas. Superman is "Super" because he fully embraces humanity, while Batman can really only be Batman by leaving Bruce in the alley.
I think there is something in the "my mom made it for me" comparison that deserves highlighting.
In the comic he is still drawn big, speaking from above while towering over the kid. Here it is a reassuring expression, showing the human side of the mythical god.
In the series he is smaller in frame than the kid, with even his eyeline going up. The goofy grin making him out to be just as delighted about the situation as the kid, loving being superman and helping. And being a bit of an unabashed geek. Here it is a relatable expression, showing that there is no 'Kal or Clark', but that 'supes=Clark'.
I love that scene. Up until then I accepted Superman as important, but never truely cared for him.
That one simple line, and the delivery, made me understand why people love him. I kinda liked him. Now I love him.
And I can see why, in that universe, there is no true doubt about his intentions.
I paused at 16:16. Look at that goofy grin and tell me that dude could be a threat to anyone who didn't REALLY push him.
My favorite thing about Sale's art is the way *Clark's* size is portrayed as ungainly, almost oafish. He positively dwarfs Ma, hunches as if apologizing for taking up so much space, and it's *not an act* - that's how Clark feels much of the time in his early days. But as Superman, his size is appropriate. He's a gentle giant. And a protector - he doesn't hesitate to use that size to intimidate Lex.
What I love about this comic is the way it ran parallel to John Byrne's "Man of Steel" mini that relaunched Superman after "Crisis", but neither story overwhelmed the other. And while MoS took care of all the important *story* beats of his origin, "Man For All Seasons" fleshed out Superman's *character*.
Oh, and that Luthor mug shot from the start of issue 3? He was arrested at the end of "Man of Steel" #2. Neat touch, you ask me. Fits it neatly into the then-current continuity.
Some of my favorite Superman stories: For the Man Who Has Everything, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, Superman for All Seasons, All Star Superman, What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?, and Kingdom Come. I hope to see more of these in the future.
James Gunn just said this mini-series was a massive inspiration on his upcoming movie so I searched this and found this channel and I absolutely love the way you talk about this. Amazing.
The first book of Superman For All Seasons really highlights all the issues I have with the movie Man of Steel when they are contrasted. Superman's only concern in the book is to try to help everyone he can as much as he can. The battle in Smallville is a regret for how much collateral damage he allowed. He knows the grocer, the post office workers, the people he went to school with and grew up with, and they end up suffering. This is actually through no fault of his own, but he feels responsible for every bad thing that happened to every person. In Man of Steel, it's just blown past as acceptable loss, and Superman actually spends time wondering what humanity owes him. The Big Blue Boyscout isn't himself in that movie... in my perspective, he needs to be what humanity should aspire to be, even given all the power in the universe as an ultimate temptation to just do what you want.
The way this superman story is written, seems to be less focused on the events that happen in superman's life, and more focused on how Clark Kent deals with those events. It is easy to see why the CW is taking so much inspiration from this set of comics. As far as Clark himself, I would not have been surprised to see a Spiderman poster on his wall. It honestly reads like he has taken Uncle Ben's words to heart, and realized they don't have to just inspire a comic character.
Interesting 😏
I don't think he needed Uncle Ben's words. He had Pa Kent.
@@emmamacfarlane8137 lacking Pa Kent, Peter fortunately bad an Uncle Ben.
He understood that a person isn’t in the things that happen to them, they’re in how they react to those things.
I never met Tim, but he was one of my favorite artists.
Rest in peace.
😪😪😪
Superman For All Seasons is a joyful and peaceful retelling of Superman's origin. And it only reaffirms my belief, that the best Superman stories are told through the perspective of the people around him. It's so delightfully profound how this story portrays Impostor Syndrome.
This is my favorite Superman comics run ever because it is about the culture of Smallville, the culture of the Kent household. Sale drew Smallville after the style of a Norman Rockwell painting. It's that cozy myth of the perfectly wholesome small midwestern American town that flavors Superman's goodness in this version of him. I believe that the smalltown Rockwellian wholesomeness is Superman's real superpower, and because I believe in the myth about smalltown America (i.e., I am inspired by it), I love this Superman story best of all.
I'm not a comic book reader as much as I like watching TV shows/movies. I do enjoy these videos though, it's a interesting history.
Superman for all seasons is definitely one of the best Superman stories that gets the character of Superman.
Rest in peace Mr. Sale.
14:40 -- The calendar on the wall alone shows that Clark's more of a regular guy than we often give him credit for.
Sale is the guy that I always point to when people say that Robin is outdated. Or can't work in a modern, serious story.
Batman: Dark Victory is the best evidence the Boy Wonder will ever have in fitting into the darker, more grounded takes on Batman. We lost our own Wonder. But at least his work will never be forgotten. The Best Superman. The Best Batman. The Best Robin.
What better legacy could any of us have?
I’m still in awe of the art from that particular series.
I love the team of Loeb and Sale, and this comic is one of my favorites. I have often told friends that I wish they would would use more of this as a blueprint for new Superman films, instead of whatever they were using. It took me a little bit to warm to Tim Sale's art style, but once I did he became one of my favorites. His fantastic compositions, and the deceptively simple line work belying just how detailed his images get. Particular details I love are how often in "The Long Halloween" you can clearly see Harvey Dent's Wedding ring, or how in this Clark's first suit when leaving Smallville looks so loose and poorly tailored, contrasting the suit he wears after he's established at the Daily Planet. RIP Tim Sale.
You know what you could do an entire video about? The now-famous single page in All-Star Superman where Superman rescues a suicidal girl.
You always give me comics to go and chase down....thanks! Also, the new TV Superman is perfect. I have been waiting for this kind of Superman to come back. He's absolutely perfect. All we need is him showing up out of nowhere to stop a suicide attempt simply by being there for the person and we will have the best live-action superman ever. Reeves was amazing....but this new one is just so....perfect.
That fear that you can't do enough is something Spiderman has in common with Superman. With Spidey it plays out more often since Spidey doesn't have enough power to protect people the way he wants to.
Great video, and also one of my favorite Superman comics, but I have to correct you about the "My Mother Made It" line. It actually appeared in the pilot episode of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1993. (The clip is on UA-cam if you search for "Lois & Clark: Superman's first save".) I only mention it to give due credit to the writer of that episode, Deborah Joy LeVine (assuming it doesn't go even further back in Superman comics).
My favorite! Thanks, Steve!
This is my favorite Superman story. Truly one of the most beautiful comics ever. 🦸
I only now realise that for a while I'd confused Sale's Superman with Frank Quietly's depiction - they share many elements (big, but not focused on the muscular development, just a large person; visible elements of the costume like seams; a friendly, open expression, rarely affected by anger and never by contempt), and both SFAS and All-Star are trying to be about both the ideal and the tradition of Superman, without ever slipping into boredom and convention.
The Adventures of Lois and Clark had Superman say that too "thanks my mother made it for me"
Metropolis reminds me of Faucett City. There is a Captain Marvel vibe here.
My favorite Superman story as well man. Happy to have just gotten the absolute version. I know All star superman has a lot of hype but for me this is the very best.
Someone with a lot of power... who doesn't abuse it? Yeah, I can see the appeal.
You are articulately doing good for a hero, The Hero, who is constantly being done wrong in a cynical world. Superman, more specifically Clark Kent, is a hero of all time for he’s is an alien who embodies the best of human character, not built around dark trauma, rightful vengeance, or antihero complexity. He’s just a man raised and committed to doing good, to help, and then go home and live a regular every man’s life after. Thanks!
What a fantastic video Steve, absolutely perfect.
I’m largely here for your Trek videos where I generally agree with much of your views.
Superheroes as a genre largely leave me cold, but I had to watch this one.
Like I said, I’ve never been a big fan of superheroes, much preferring Judge Dredd & predominately British comics (Trek comics aside), but I’ve always had a wee soft spot for Superman, no doubt down to the Christopher Reeve films.
I guess sometimes it’s just what you grow up with.
Only a few months ago a friend who’s a big Batman/superhero comic fan recommended a few Superman comics to me, namely Secret Identity & For all Seasons, and I was blown away by both of them. I’ll definitely be looking out for a few more books with Tim Sale’s art. His art in this book is beautiful.
You’ve summed up so well so much of what makes this a great read.
I need to check out All Star Superman next to see what a fellow Glaswegian’s take on Supes looks like. Probably the only artist working in America with an obvious Dudley D Watkins influence, but that’s a whole other DC universe.
Loving your work.
I am so happy you've been doing this series. Now, more than ever, Superman is needed. I need to go read the book. Was getting a little emotional about some of the aspects you talked about.
Having recently read the Man of Steel miniseries, this series seems to have been written as something of a companion piece. It takes place not just in Superman's early years but apparently within that same span of time. The appearance, relationships and general timeline of characters seem to fall in line with the events of the earlier story. Which is probably why they feel comfortable setting aside the major beats of Superman's origin, because Man of Steel covers that material in detail. Using that series as background freed them to make this one into more of a character piece.
Great video. By the way, “My mom made it for me,” was first from Lois and Clark’s first episode. 😊
That 'my mom made it for me' line goes back to the '90s TV series 'Lois and Clark'.
pure talent: pen and ink; bold, delicate watercolour on canvas-textured paper; stylized visual references to golden-age american commercial art.
Interesting that you describe this version of Superman as a 'gentle giant', Steve - I heartily concur, and not least because it reminds me of the story that Transformers voice actor Peter Cullen tells of how he was first auditioning for the role of another benevolent alien giant, Optimus Prime, and was inspired by his brother, an ex-Marine, who told him (and I quote) '..."Well Peter, if you're going to be a hero, be a real hero. Don't be one of those Hollywood heroes pretending they're tough guys. Just be strong and real. Tell the truth. Be strong enough to be gentle....' - I'd say that last sentence in particular fits Superman at his best to a tee, yes...?
(Also, Superman For All Seasons may have the most vibrant and vivid use of colour I've ever seen in a comic book, especially that Kansas sunset scene at 13.23 - just awe-inspiring stuff...!!!).
Man, do I ever love this story!
You really understand how to narrate, extracting the core beauty from these stories, eloquently and smoothly. You really captivate the magic that is often overseen by outsiders to the world of comics.
This series definitely hits upon the one thing I loved: Superman's greatest advantage was his upbringing by the Kents to value a life of service, in helping others where he can.
Bloody hell, Clark is HUGE.
One thing I never really understood with the typical depiction of Superman by most artists is that they draw hum hulking over everyone. I mean, if his strength is supernatural, then he doesn't actually have to be BIG. This is further compounded by the existence of Supergirl, who is just as strong as Superman, but is the size of an average woman.
I get that most fans want Superman (and superheroes in general) to look powerful and imposing, but, personally, I prefer them to look like real people.
And don't get me started on the gender bias of male superheroes drawn like statuesque titans while female superheroes are drawn like Sears catalog models. ugh..
I’d love to see a Supergirl who’s drawn more like this… like Zarya from Overwatch but More.
@@kaitlyn__L
Ditto. She looks like she can actually hold her own and get shit done.
Thanks for highlighting this. I am not a fan of Superman. Growing up I found him boring and ,frankly, corny. But your take on this limited series has actually shown me that the character doesn't have to be boring, or a power fantasy for nerds. One of the hardest tricks to pull of in fiction, especially genre fiction, is to make the good guy interesting. Looks like this run pulled it off. Thanks for the video.
I love this video, Steve. It puts into words what makes Superman such a great character and shows that you can tell great stories about him without tarnishing his essential goodness. I'm definitely going to see if I can track down a copy of this mini series.
Absolutely agree. Everything about the construction of the plot and of course Sale's artwork serves the title. The choice of elements from several decades and no specific continuity all support "for all seasons" Grant Morrison's "All Star Superman" reads as much the same treatment of Superman, all be it later in his career. It also has the best description of the origin while getting it out of the way. Four panels, eight words. Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple.
Loved this video! This is probably my favorite run of Superman and I really enjoyed your analysis of the story. I read it sometimes when I'm feeling down and you did a really good job explaining why I love it so much.
I shared these comics on Instagram in tribute to Sale after his death. This is one Superman series that I always recommend to people to read. Thank you for this, Steve.
Love your videos, and the way you emphasize connection and empathy.
For all seasons was one of the first trades I ever picked up. I really need to go back and revisit it.
Heartwarming.
Ooh! I want to read this!
Have you tried “Superman Smashes the Klan?” That’s my favorite, and I think you’d like it.
Yes! I really like that one. It's going to be the subject of a future video in this series for sure.
They also did that one as a radio episode?
Found it. ua-cam.com/video/H29BlTaYZ0U/v-deo.html
Thanks for the recommend just read so have only just finished your vid. As soon as I saw the art thought gotta read that and both the story and artwork did not disappoint. Only Superman I had read before was "It's a bird" (which I guess won't feature in this series?) and know him more from the 80's films and 90's telly series. So thanks again for pointing this out was well worth the look
This sounds like the best Superman ever to me, having not read it. I love that the strength of the character is found through emotional turmoil, the place where challenge can occur to an immortal character
I think the very first comic he drew which I still have is the four Gambit miniseries for Marvel comics! My favorite comic 📚 that he drew were Batman the long 🎃 Gambit Team 7 from Image comics and Spider-Man blue and finally Superman for all seasons!
15:57 I remember Snyder "fans" complaining about this scene, which is funny because it's more Superman than anything in DCEU - Superman is man, not a God or Jesus or frankly an alien (in spirit). Did Zack make Superman cool again, tbh yeah, but let's hope Gunn does Superman full justice (though I am worried he'll overfill it with jokes, like I don't want the level of jokes like in The Suicide Squad or Guardians of the Galaxy but enough to give it that Superman heart).
"Fans" is in air quotes because I'm talking about the ones that call themselves fans but are actually just obsessed weirdos who need to give him a break. I supposed the Snyder Cut, it is amazing. Just adding this part before/if I get a comment going "not all fans" 🙃
Did they actually complain about that scene ???? HOW, that scene is one of the best representation of Superman I’ve seen in life action
Oh nice this story is super underrated, I only found out about it when I watch the movie adaption of A Man For All Seasons and just got the idea about what if they made this but for Superman and looked up Superman for All Seasons and found this and fell in love with it
between this and "Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow are probably my favourite superman stories.
I like All Star Superman enough but it never stuck with me like these did
I always felt Tim Sale's art was a great mix of Frank Quitely and Darwyn Cooke. Not to be reductive, it obviously stands on it's own merits.
Wow Steve! I feel as I did in 10th grade when Mr. Farley explained Beowulf... Enthralled.
I love trusting people who choose to call themselves "Toxin".
I was so glad to hear that this was picked as a source of inspiration for the upcoming James Gunn Superman movie next year. Movie isn't out yet and I'm already convinced that they're gonna do him right. Definitely one of the best stories that you could pick as an influence to write a character who's, in Gunn's own words, "a good man in a world that isn't always so good".
And man, does the subplot of Lex unleashing a virus on Metropolis hit all the harder these days. It was already horrible back then, nowadays it just feels _especially_ evil in hindsight.
Sale and Loeb created the ultimate Superman book that would have made Schuster and Siegel proud. I am saddened to hear the passing of immensely creative Mr. Tim Sale.
I have never been a big fan of Superman, specially the pre-Crisis Clark Kent posing as the idiot type, but Steve's love of the character has helped me appreciate it, or at the very least, appreciate why people like Steve love him. Good work, sir, good work indeed. (That was an overly long sentence. I meant every word of it).
A great story by one of the very best teams to ever create comics. Sale and Loeb were great together and Tim Sale is one of my top 5 favorite artists of all time
i particularly enjoyed the talents of danny dark and tim daly, 2 of my favourite superman voice actors.
Hey Steve, when are you starting your "best ever Aquaman" series?
Superman for All Seasons is genuinely great. I'm not always a huge fan of the post-Crisis takes on the character, at least prior to the restoration of certain Krypton-related things that were present in the Silver Age and Bronze Age, but this is one of the greatest exceptions.
pretty cool
It's sad to hear of Sale's passing. I never read his stuff in my teen years. While I remember all the iconic covers from his and Loeb's various colour character studies, I was too fixated on certain kinds of art styles, like Bagley, McNiven, and Van Sciver (before I found out he's a bit of a piece of shit) to appreciate the storytelling chops of folks like Sale and other artists that had that kind of retro/neo-golden age style of drawing. Now that the zazz of heroic anatomy has worn off for me a bit, I've started to appreciate different kinds of talents and approaches.
At the same time you made the juxtaposition to mythical heroes, I immediately thought of Paul Bunyan, and then you said it...
it's not the "super" cloaked in the cape that makes superman great, it's the "man" behind the glasses
His head is a friendly cuboid ☺️☺️☺️
If you, like me, read Superman For All Seasons and found that you could no longer imagine Superman’s world as looking any other way than how Tim Sale draws it, then definitely check out Superman: Kryptonite.
This is a very interesting story, but I can’t get over how tiny Clark’s face looks on that giant head! I know you point it out but… it’s so distracting!
The iFanboy podcast did an episode on this about a month ago, which I was thrilled with since I've loved it since it came out in the late 90s.
Sadly, it's taken the death of Tim Sale, but I am happy to see this get some attention.
The scene of him and Pa in the field contrasted with the landscape of Metropolis on the next page is beyond brilliant.
Linkara just reviewed MoS and the reminder of how Snyder did Pa dirty drove me to just stare at the iconic Tim Sale image to cleanse my soul.
As far as the kid, he appears three times. The first is the, "Thanks. My mom made it," scene.
The second comes after Superman is driven from Metropolis by Lex. In this scene, it's Lex's troops, who respond almost robotic all, "Citizen. Stay inside. Lexcorp is concerned for your safety."
The story ends with the Lexcorp trooper yelling, "Citizen!" impotently as the kid slips and is rescued by a red, yellow, and blue streak. After commanding the trooper to tell Luthor he's back, Superman asks the kid, "Haven't we met before...?"
The kid is astonished that Superman remembers and says he's Trevor, but everyone calls him, "Trev."
And in reply we get this, "Good to meet you, Trev -- folks call me 'Superman'" on the last page.
Contrasted with the trooper, Superman is kind, polite, and warm.
❤❤❤❤❤
Okay but why wouldn't Superman recognize Henry VIII's divorce and remarriage for fellowship's sake? 😉
"And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?"
I wonder how no one notices that "both" Clark Kent and Superman are both freakishly big and so don't connect the dots.
This was what is exactly missing from Man of Steel. The sad fact is Henry Caville has the acting skills to pull that off easily. Missed opportunity by a guy who just didnt get Superman
Personally I always thought action comics issue 110 had the the best potrail of superman
Tim is dead!??? Noooo!!!!
Yo, I've got a completely original idea! What if superman went evil! No one has ever done that idea before.... right..... right...
Clark Kent is who the man really is; he grew up as Clark Kent in Smallville, after all. Superman (or Kal-El) is a front superheroic identity that Clark created to present to the world.
And even more then that, there are actually _two_ Clark Kents; the slightly bumbling Clark of Metropolis that Lex Luthor, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and (pre-marriage) Lois Lane know, and then the original, pure Clark Kent, of his home town, football star and brilliant student of Smallville Hugh School, the unfiltered Clark known by Ma, Pa, Lana Lang, and Lois once she and Clark are married. As the man himself has said before: if he had to be Superman all the time, and never had the chance to just be Clack Kent (IE the chance to _just be himself)_ then he'd go crazy. Those aren't the words of someone who thinks of Clark Kent as just a disguise he wears to prevent the rest of the world from knowing that he's actually Superman.
That's why the whole Superman scene from Kill Bill vol II is so completely wrong, with Bill saying basically "while Batman is _Bruce Wayne's_ alter ego, a mask he puts on, Clark Kent is _Superman's_ alter ego, a mask he puts on to disguise himself as human, and it represents his view of humanity as weak, unsure of ourselves, and cowardly, being Superman's critique of all of humanity." That is entirely wrong and exactly backwards. The truth is that Clark Kent isn't a disguise that Superman wears to _hide his true identity_ from the world; rather, Superman is a disguise that Clark Kent wears to _present as a fake identity_ to the world, so that he can maintain his anonymity in his _real_ identity as Clark.
However, since that entire piece of exposition was delivered by the villain of the movie, I just can't tell if we are meant to take those ideas at face value, or if instead we're meant to understand it all as being an incorrect, twisted interpretation of Superman coming from a villainous man who is essentially espousing the views of Lex Luthor. So basically the entire screed from Bill could be understood as being Luthor 's attitude _if Lex knew that Superman is actually Clark Kent._
What it all boils down to is this: Clark Kent isn't _really Superman;_ Superman is _really Clark Kent._
And finally, this is all why Zack Snyder's Superman is actually a _perverse inversion_ of the actual character of Superman, based on Snyder's Randian Objectivist views. Zack Snyder's Superman seems to only feel put-upon at _having to bother_ to help people, like it some odious burden that he has to undertake, but not one he actually wants to do. And the horrible, morally vacuous childhood "lessons" that Clark was taught by Pa Kent are just horrifying; that despite his great power he doesn't owe the world _anything_ and instead he should hide his abilities away and only use them in ways that will enrich himself... Zack Snyder's twisted facsimile of Superman actually embraces a _complete moral inversion_ of what may be the greatest moral message to from a comic book: Spider-Man's motto of "With Great Power, There Must Also Come Great Responsibility."
(And remember everyone, the correct phrase is _not_ "With Great Power, _Comes_ Great Responsibility." Rather, it is "With Great Power, _There Must Also Come_ Great Responsibility." The connection between Power and Responsibility isn't an "IS", it's an "OUGHT" Lots and lots of people in the world have plenty of Great Power without taking _any_ Responsibility. The phrase isn't some kind of statement of fact, it's a _moral imperative_ to follow.)
Now, the entire idea of Superman having this kind of selfish, attitude is a complete moral perversion of the character, it actually makes perfect sense once you understand that it's coming from a self-proclaimed follower of Ayn Rand, whose entire "philosophy" of Objectivism is nothing more than a pseudo-philosophical excuse to create a moral justification for pure selfishness and evil.
In fact, it's connected to a pretty funny and/or sad detail about Spider-Man, how such a superhero character who embodies one of the greatest moral messages in comic books about he altruistic ideal of the responsibility borne by those with power to help those without power, and how the character was co-created by Steve Ditko, a man who later went on to become a horrible Right Wing monster in his ideology, and embraced the perverse moral inversion ideals Ayn Rand. In fact, if Objectivism is anything, it's the perfect ideology for a super_villain_ to espouse a his "philosophy," but definitely not a superhero. So, sorry to Mr. A, and to Ditko's original portrayal of The Question: even though you were costumed vigilantes, you were _never _*_heroes_*
(Although as for The Question, under later writers and especially in his series in the '80s, Vic Sage underwent a significant amount of character growth and moved far beyond the stark black and white "morality" of his shallow Objectivist days, and emerged as something more like a philosopher, or "A Good Question in search of an Answer.")
01:58 "Looking at the devastated town and his family's wrecked farm, he feels guilty that he didn't do more." The obvious comparison to this is the Kal-El-vs.-Kryptonians battle in "Man of Steel" that destroys most of Smallville, and Kal-El doesn't really care about the damage he caused. Notice I call him Kal-El and not Superman, because in that movie he isn't Superman. Especially not the Superman we see here in Superman For All Seasons.
If Clark isn't quietly the best person in the room, the writing is bad.
:,)
First comment!
Maybe, I dunno.
Who cares? 😁
Anyway, I was never a fan of heroes and villains with massive strengths and almost no weaknesses. It just seems boring to me. I mean, I get why people love it, but it's not to my tastes.
Why I like The Boys so much; regular relatable (albeit pretty terrible) people standing up to superhumans.
On the other hand, maybe I'm just a jerk who hates hopeful optimism.
The latter is correct
@@gigangreg7837
Agreed.
Superman does have a lot of weakness, magic, red solar, kryptonites, and plenty of foes that is equal or stronger than him.
Amazing story, but I REALLY dislike the art..... (the characters' style of the art, that is. Aesthetically not for me.) Story is beautiful though.