Alan Moore's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? // You Should Read Comics
Alan Moore is a living legend in the comics world. Not only have four of his original creations become Hollywood movies of questionable quality, but his comics have garnered fans from around the world. However, Alan Moore didn’t necessarily begin with original works. In fact, some of his best early works came from his time at DC Comics. Specifically Superman, and there’s a set of stories you need to go read when you can.
Pictured here: Frazzled comic wizard
These come from a time before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, with Superman’s history stretching back to 1939. In fact, DC was working to end their current continuity with the 1986 event. According to an interview with DC editor and legend Julius Schwartz, he was looking at getting someone to write the “final” Superman story in mid-1985. His first choice was Jerry Siegel, the man who helped make Superman, but legal issues got in the way with this happening. Julius happened to be having breakfast with Alan Moore the next morning and explained what was happening with legal. Moore, according to Schwartz, rose up out of his seat, put his hands around Julius’ neck, and said: “If you let anybody but me write that story, I’ll kill you.” Schwartz would later joke that he didn’t want to become an accessory to his own murder, so that was that.
Moore didn’t just get the job from the threat of the editor’s life, though. His work on Miracleman (formerly Marvelman in the UK), Swamp Thing, and the in-process work for Watchmen were proving he had the chops to write whatever he wanted. Alan Moore would be working alongside literal legends Curt Swan and George Perez, with lettering by Todd Klein and colors by Gene D’Angelo. Curt Swan was literally the Superman artist for decades, with his signature on hundreds of issues of DC comics. George Perez would work on the Crisis of Infinite Earths but had also proven his skills on the New Teen Titans. In short, this was an all-star team being assembled for what would be the final two issues of the original Superman run: Superman 423 and Action Comics 583.
Superman 423 opens up with wonderful narration by Moore himself, and a story set in the distant future of 1997. Hey, this was published in 1986. It’s been ten years since Superman vanished, and a statue of Superman is found in a Metropolis city park, labeled In Memoriam. Superman, it seems, is gone. Tim Crane, a reporter for the Daily Planet, has set up an appointment with Lois Elliot, formerly Lane, to talk about the last days of Superman.
After returning from a deep space mission for the US Government, Superman encounters a Metropolis on fire and in ruins. Rather than one of the usual devastating threats, though, it’s the childlike Bizarro who has decided to cause this destruction. In his own way, Bizarro relates that he realized that he needed to become the perfect imperfect duplicate: to kill all because Superman saves all. To destroy his homeworld as an adult and come to Earth. Then, finally, to die.
Lois moves the story forward to talking about “the unmasking.” A shipment of Superman action figures is delivered to Clark Kent, just before he’s set to go on air as a TV reporter. However, the dolls come alive, blasting their surroundings with deadly heat vision, with Clark as their main focus.
Clark Kent is dead. Long live Clark Kent. To make matters worse, the culprits behind this, the Toyman and the Prankster, were able to suss out Superman’s secret identity by torturing and killing one of Superman’s closest friends: Pete Ross. Confronted with some of his less-lethal villains coming back, a disturbing thought comes across Superman’s mind.
When the Daily Planet is assaulted by an army of Metallos, that’s the last straw. Superman takes Lois and his extended found family at the Daily Planet (and Lana Lang) to the Fortress of Solitude. However, something truly dreadful has happened without Superman’s knowledge. Lex Luthor has found the remains of Brainiac and hopes to use his dead technology to kill Superman once and for all. But Brainiac isn’t dead.
As the Lex and Brainiac forced alliance move on Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, the man of steel has visitors. His friends from the Legion of Superheroes have shown up to pay their respects. Also so Supergirl can visit her cousin from the past/future. At this point in continuity, she actually died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, so Superman is utterly wrecked by this visit. It is an honestly powerful scene and one that I can’t do justice with a description.
Action Comics 583 is a literal siege on the Fortress of Solitude. Brainiac-Luthor has encased the place with an impenetrable force field and is joined by the Kryptonite Man (literally, a man-made of poison to Superman) and the Legion of Supervillains. Rather than wait for the inevitable, Jimmy Olsen and Lana Lang both obtain superpowers from Superman’s museum of superpower incidents and join forces with Krypto to take on the enemies of Superman. What results is honestly some of the most heartwarming and tragic super heroics that Alan Moore has ever put to the page.
To break character for a second, I genuinely cried the first time when Krypto, Land, and Jimmy met their untimely ends trying to save their friend. Even if I didn’t grow up with this incarnation of Superman and his family, Moore does a fantastic job making sure the reader cares for everyone that shows up on the page. Even Jimmy Olsen, goofy scrub who continually wound up with accidental powers on more than one occasion.
After the Fortress of Solitude is breached by nuclear weaponry, Superman faces his final challenge. Was there some force behind this final rush of villainy? Why is the force shield still on, even after the machinery was disabled? Superman figures out who the true enemy is,and it’s a genuine surprise:
Mr. Myxzptlk, one of the strangest Superman nuisances has chosen to become truly evil instead of an annoyance. True to Alan Moore, the words he speaks are rather chilling. However, here is where the book shows it’s only real flaw:
The design for Mr. Myxzptlk’s true form is truly awkward, and does not quite fit in with the rest of the book. While that much should be intentional, it feels like Swan and Perez just could not find a good design that would be both horrifying and recognizable. We could armchair quarterback this all day, but the scene remains solid because of Moore’s writing and what happens next.
Thanks to a little help from the Legion of Superheroes’ earlier visit, Superman is able to end the omnicidal menace of Myxzptlk once and for all… by murdering him. Superman is wracked with guild. It was self-defense, as Lois counters, and done to save life everywhere. Unfortunately, the Man of Steel doesn’t listen, and enters a room holding Gold Kryptonite, the one thing that can strip a Kryptonian of their powers.
These two issues alone are a masterpiece of storytelling, with some utterly gorgeous art. Alan Moore is at the top of his game and honestly has this wonderful narration going on through Lois. The mystery doesn’t have the best payoff, but the way it unfolds is nothing short of amazing. Seeing obscure-ish villains like the Prankster or the Kryptonite Man show up in an Alan Moore story is nothing short of amazing, and everyone show shows up feels like the definitive versions of those characters. Despite having some real depressing elements and featuring character death, the entire story has plenty of heartwarming moments and an ending to the framing story that feels like a fitting retirement for this Man of Steel.
Curt Swan and George Perez are also utterly wonderful. Swan, as mentioned before, was one of the defining artists for DC for decades, and having him see Superman off is nothing short of fitting. Perez does a fantastic job as well, and their art styles blend almost perfectly together. Emotions and body language are picture-perfect, and it really cannot be overstated how well this comic has aged and how incredible it looks.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is found digitally easily, as well as in a few collections. The best one is the solo release Deluxe Edition, which includes two more Alan Moore penned tales with Superman. One is The Jungle Line from DC Comics Presents 85, which features Swamp Thing from Moore’s then-current run. The other one is Superman Annual 11 from 1985, the legendary For the Man Who Has Everything. This was converted into an episode of Justice League Unlimited with the same name and featured Superman being forced to live his most ideal life for nefarious reasons. They’re a wonderful addition to the collection and works as an omnibus for his time writing Superman.
Alan Moore’s Superman, especially Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, is why you should read comics.
