Starkville’s House of El Podcast

Of course, last week saw the release of Superman: Secret Origins, but what did we think of it? The spoiler-free review is here for you reading pleasure after the jump. Sound off and let us know your thoughts on this first issue!

Superman: Secret Origins #1

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Gary Frank

We all know the story, a planet on the verge of death, a parents’ last desperate attempt to save their only son.  A ship crash-lands on the planet of Earth, a kind couple in a small town takes in a baby from another world and raise them as their own.  This is the story we all know and love, this is the story of Clark Kent, Kal-El, or Superman.  Over the years, there have many different retellings, and Superman Secret Origins is another take on the man of tomorrow’s origins, but there’s something new and fresh about this retelling.

I will try to be as spoiler free as possible during the process of this review.  Let me start out by saying that this first issue is a fantastic start for the 6 issue mini series.  Johns and Frank craft an amazing story that combines elements from the Superman movies, Superman comic book history, and even Smallville.  Unlike past origin stories, Johns doesn’t spend anytime dealing with the last days of Krypton.  We jump straight into the life of a young Clark Kent.  All the important key members of Clark’s childhood in Smallville are there. We see Lana, we see Pete, we see Smallville High, and see Clark starting to gain powers we know and love.  John’s has an incredible handle on the characters of the Superman universe, and the way he writes them makes them feel like we’ve known them for years.  The Kents are just as warm and inviting as they’ve always been, and you really feel for Clark as he begins to learn about his past and how it will shape his future.

One minor issue I have with this issue is the art.  Gary Frank is a fantastic artist, and one of my favorites in the business.  Frank normally draws Superman so that he looks very much like Christopher Reeve.  While this is in no way shape or form a bad thing, Frank tries this same approach for Clark when he is a teenager.  The art falls apart in some scenes, as the teenage Christopher Reeve-ish looking Clark just comes off more awkward than anything else.  I’ve seen Gary’s art before and know that it’s much better than this, so I look forward to some better art in the future.

Art issues aside, Superman: Secret Origins #1 is well worth your time and money.  Johns and Frank look ready to redefine the character for a brand new audience and now is the perfect time to jump into the Superman universe.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 12:36 pm and is filed under Reviews. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.