Books : Superman, Last Son of Krypton

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Rating:

- Great showcase for Lex Luthor
I had forgotten about this novel and its sister title Miracle Monday, both scripted by Elliot S! (the 's' stands for superman)Maggin until I was searching for the novelization of Kingdom Come. These are great books and really emblematic of the classic Man of Steel. There is great characterization in "Last Son", particularly the Lex Luthor character who is portayed as a truly three dimensional character. The way Luthor stores his many revolutionary and futuristic weapons and inventions is inspired. It also provides some insight into why a man of Luthor's capabilities would choose to become the man he is, an arch-villain. If you can find either of these books, and have an interest in Superman, you could do no better.

Rating:

- True to the comics of the 70s, but very dated now.
I loved Kingdom Come, but the same author. So I read this, an earlier book of his. It's nowhere near as good.

The most problematic element of the novel is Superman himself, with all his glorious abilities and imperfection. In Lost Son Maggin reminds us in a few places that Superman can fly through the heart of the sun without harm. At one point he actually does it, after a late night session of doing medical research on a deadly virus (flying through the sun before going to work sterilizes him so he doesn't carry the contagion to Metropolis). And isn't Superman powerful enough without being able to trace a phone call with his x-ray vision?? Then there's his "super ventriloquism." Not only can he throw his voice anywhere, he can disguise his voice so that it sounds like Lex Luthor's voice coming over a bad guy's radio headset. You get the picture. Maggin faithfully described a character who was bursting at the seams with about forty years of accumulated "innovations" by contless writers. There's a good reason the Superman character has been revamped in recent years -- the character was simply untenable otherwise.

Maggin had no way of knowing how his subject material would be updated for modern tastes in the decade after he wrote his novel. Last Son was probably more palatable for readers at the time it came out. Today it is a lot of fun, but it's fun in part because it takes you back to a bygone era of comics. This means the book may appeal most to older readers interested in a nostalgic experience, or to those who read it for academic and historical reasons. In much the same way that nobody reads Le Guin for fun or excitement, Maggin's Last Son of Krypton may be a sort of "classic" for historical reasons, not because it's a great read. Serious fans of Superman of superhero novels will really enjoy this novel. I read it because I so loved Maggin's work on Kingdom Come. But for most people who are regular science fiction or comic book readers, this novel probably won't seem worthwhile.

Perhaps Last Son would come across better if it was judged purely on its own merit, and not viewed through the prism of two decades of change in society and the comic book characters. It could be seen as a kind of grand operatic fantasy. The more modern, less eccentric version of Luthor may be absent, but in compensation, this book's Luther is generally funny. Some of the banter between this amoral but affable genius and his colorful hirelings recalls the best of Gene Hackman's scenes from the Christopher Reeve Superman movies. Put can you really remove this novel from all context? As an independent satirical fantasy Last Son certainly can't be compared to Candide or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or A Canticle for Leibowitz. This novel's satire isn't even about real society, but about the world of the Superman comics. People are going to read a book about Superman because it is a book about Superman, not because of who wrote it or because of its philosophical themes. Context is important.

Rating:

- Simply Masterful
If anyone needs to know how to write a comic-book novel, remain faithful to the spirit and mythology of the series and yet take make it solid enough for a text-based medium, this is it. I read this novel as a teenager (to the point where my only paperback copy now is coverless and taped together) and was enthralled by its depictions of Superman and his supporting cast. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Steve Lombard and *especially* Lex Luthor are painted with good humour and with a three-dimensionality they never truly achieved in the comics. Maggin takes the threads of Superman's history and the DC Universe, binding them together in a coherent narrative that gives us new insights into the psyche of the Man of Steel and his greatest foe. I cannot recommend this enough, and hope that someone brings it back into print one day.

Rating:

- *THE* definitive Superman!
This book and it's companion "Superman: Miracle Monday" provide the most destinctive take on the popular hero in his prime. Released along with the movie, this book was largely ignored by the comics industry, but gobbled up as a bestseller on the stands. It continues to rate as the "perfect" Superman book even years after it is no longer available from the publisher (although, one can only guess as to why a best-seller wouldn't still be available...). I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish he would write more!

Rating:

- Simply masterful
If anyone needs to know how to write a comic-book novel, remain faithful to the spirit and mythology of the series and yet take make it solid enough for a text-based medium, this is it. I read this novel as a teenager (to the point where my only paperback copy now is coverless and taped together) and was enthralled by its depictions of Superman and his supporting cast. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Steve Lombard and *especially* Lex Luthor are painted with good humour and with a three-dimensionality they never truly achieved in the comics. Maggin takes the threads of Superman's history and the DC Universe, binding them together in a coherent narrative that gives us new insights into the psyche of the Man of Steel and his greatest foe. I cannot recommend this enough, and hope that someone brings it back into print one day.

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