Product Description: A mysterious super-terrorist has devised a master plan to bring the world to its knees, using the planet's own weather as a weapon against Superman and his teammates in the JLA. But the conflict raises troubling questions for the Man of Steel about authority, justice, power and the price of liberty in a world where the enemies of freedom stand on the brink of victory.
Truly a "movie in your mind" I've now read Graphic Audio Justice League of America titles on Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, and are in the middle of The Flash. These audio CD's have a full-cast with additional orchestral/music scores and sound effects. It's nice to hear the same voices doing the same characters across multiple audio books. As a reader of comic books when I was young, it's nice to come back to the same big name superheroes. Each individual story includes the superhero's original tale woven into the narrative and each provides additional insight into their daily lives. DC Comics has always been more black-and-white, while Marvel and other independents have been more "grey", in their treatment of issues/characters/motives and this continues in these stories. I listen to these in the car and its really easy to visualize what is happening as I pass the time on my long commutes. The use of a narrator is very helpful as I've listened to other audio CD's that don't make use of a narrator and try to directly port the story from a comic book and those are hard to follow in terms of scenes/location changes.
This one on Superman is the most balanced so far in terms of time spent with each of the members of the Justice League. While it's focus is on Superman, the others do get their own time instead of quick cameos. I recommend it as the first title in the series to listen to.
I highly recommend this series of audio books from Graphic Audio for anyone who is a fan of comic books and the DC Universe. As an audio book, you can't ask for anything more in the experience.
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING If like me you have heard the other amazing Graphic Audio Dramatisations, you will be aware of the extrodinary production value of these classic stories. Unfortunatley it is wasted on this CD, the story is extremely poor for thos format. Not worth the effort for the cast or crew. But i will continue buying all new DC Graphic Audio Dramatisations.
Super Reader Part of the JLA series. This is how you do one of these. Give Mr. Stern a shot at a few more. Heroic heroes, some interesting characterisations, and your top line super villain. A really sweet ending, too.
Good escapist entertainment Yet another novel based on comic book characters . As to be expected this isn't a great work of art, although this little paperback is readable enough. The author Roger Stern is a name well known to comic book geeks. He's worked on a number of publications over the years, but perhaps most famous for his run on the Superman titles. So it is nice to see an old hand at work here. Lots of minor characters from the Superman comics like Bibbo, Dan Turpin and Cat Grant.
The story is a bit weak. Basically a couple of super villians are manipulating the weather and causing all sorts of natural disasters which Superman and the rest of the Justice League have to stop. (Despite Superman snagging the cover title, this really is a Justice League book and the other members get almost equal time to Superman).
This is probably just personal preference, but I never really cared much for natural disaster type stories in my superhero books. I prefer more tangible villians. The first couple thirds of this book I was slightly bored by. I thought it picked up in the end when the villian was revealed to be Kobra. (Kobra is apparently one of the more infamous villians in the DC universe, but I had somehow missed him during my comic book Geek days, and I enjoyed the education this book gave me).
This book also showcases a lot of the superheros in quieter moments. For example in one place Superman and Lois Lane spend a good ten pages simply talking about their love for each other. Other similar scenes are written in for other characters. I suppose you could argue that this is either a master story teller showing off how he can keep the reader's interest even while slowing down the pace of the story and adding characterization. Or you could argue this is filler for a story that doesn't have much of a plot, depending on whether you were inclined to be generous or critical.
There's a bit of philosophy thrown in here. References to the Paradoxical Commandments, and a parady of religious fundamentalism. It's not quite enough to boost this book to this book up to high brow respectability, but it does help to heighten the overall enjoyment.
Never ending battle overall i was pleased with the book. i like how the novel isnt just about superman but all of the major JLA characters and even some minor ones like The Atom. i think the characters stayed true to there characterization. superman is and always will be the nicest most polite person in the world. the only problem i had with the book is the plot. specificly the bad guy. i dont want t o give it away but it turns out to be a normal man, not Dark seid or doomsday or lex luthor...just a regular villian human varity. i think superman was overkill for the baddy. Batman could have handeld the entire situation. the only thing superman and the other superpowered people int he JLA were good for was stoping the "natural Disasters" which in my opinion is unrealistic. i dont think there was any inocent loss of life which...come on. whatever. i read Stone King liked it, i read Stop motion liked it, i read Exterminators i really like it and now Never ending battle is good too. next i will read Green Lanterns Hero's quest. i know im reading them out of order but its like there a series. maybe i will pick up Wonder Womans book but its not looking good. and by the way... Where is the Martian Manhunters novel!!!
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