Based on the writing alone, this one would be down to a coin-toss - I think both arguably represent their respective writers' very best work in the superhero genre, and I'd find it incredibly hard to choose between them.

However, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN is illustrated by Frank Quitely, on the best form of his career. Concomitantly, significant portions of SUPREME appear to have been scrawled by a poorly-trained ape, using his toes. So, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN gets my vote.

This is the toughest question ever posed in the history of mankind.

This post is to commemerate the All Star Awesomeness for tomorrow--

The action figure--



And the finale of the greatest Superman arc ever!!!

ASS wins because of that Lois action figure.

Does Batgirl come with a couple of crooks for her to grab?

And shouldn't Batman have a censor bar over his mouth?

Watch your mouth!

I don't like Frank Quitely's art. There, I've said it.

I think both of these appear to be well-written (by all accounts), but the art looks like monkey-butts to me. That is, except for the faux retro parts of Supreme.

Chris Sprouse's Supreme art is nothing short of great. It started out weak with Ed Benes, but picked up with Sprouse. It then went to shit with Liefeld, but those were only a few issues.

I don't remember who was who. My comics background would cause me to viscerally react against anything with that 90's look. I loved the say the styles changed.

They are both very well written but one stars Superman and the other stars a Superman ripoff. All-Star wins.

Heh - I don't think you're alone there. If I squint, I can almost understand what it might be (besides the twisted brain-wrong of a one-off man mental, obviously) that puts some people so strongly off his art, particularly the way he renders his figures - while it doesn't bother me in the slightest (usually, at least - although I'm not fond of a lot of his work on NEW X-MEN, which seems to be enough to get me viciously stoned in certain Quitely-loving circles), there is some truth to the frequently-flung "potato-head!" accusation. It really does seem to be a love/hate thing - I don't know many people who are "meh" on Quitely, with most people either adoring his work or finding it downright intolerable.

We agree, however, on the retro sections of SUPREME. That's some mighty fine pencillin', right there.

The flashbacks in SUPREME were almost all handled by Rick Veitch.

Supreme kicks ASS.

The Supremes--is that before or after Diana Ross left?

I have the same birthday as Diana Ross.

For me, Quitely's art is what gave my vote to All Star Superman. Art aside (as well as a love for the actual Superman) , I think I'd have voted for Supreme.

Quiteley's art usually doesn't appeal to me, but I think his work on All-Star Superman is just beautiful. Morrison's writing is pitch perfect as well, so my vote goes to Superman. Supreme was pretty good stuff too (speaking only of the Moore stories), but in the end, it's a Superman homage, so you have to go with the original anyway even if they rated equal.

I've never read Supreme.

Since WE3, Quitely's been using a new style of straight-from-the-pencils digital 'inking', done by colorist Jamie Grant (who works in very close collaboration with Quitely, apparently). It's definitely a strikingly different look from some of his earlier, conventionally-inked work. Interestingly, around the time A*SS started, I noticed a number of long-time Quitely fans who weren't impressed by it - most of them seem to have come round by now, though. If you haven't tried WE3, it might be worth investigating - the art doesn't entirely resemble that of A*SS (not least because there are very few human characters), but it's still a far cry from the look of his earlier work.

Thinking about it, unless this week's final issue disappoints me, Morrison and Quitely will be responsible for two of my all-time Top 5 superhero comics (their other one being FLEX MENTALLO, with the list rounded out by Lee/Kirby's FF, Lee/Ditko's ASM, and Kirby's Fourth World saga - no fixed order of preference).

Anything with Chris Sprouse automatically wins for me.