Superman Through the Ages! Forum

I just picked this up today after a friend recommended it and I have to say to me it just came across as just another rehash of the Man of Steel origin with a reference to the legion thrown in. On the plus side, it looks like the pre-crisis univerese is still out there somewhere as an "alternate" reality.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

Read Action Comics #858. Clark is completely alienated from people at school and doesn't play football. He even wears glasses and has powers. Completely different from MOS. It's kind of a mix between the Donner movies and the Silver Age. Superman's complete origin hasn't been fully told yet, so we're just seeing glimpses. According to Kurt Busiek, DC hasn't said "Go" on the new origin story yet, but when they do I'm sure it'll be something big. So far we've seen a Krypton similar to the Donner movies, Kal having a teen-aged career as "Super-Boy" (when the Superboy fiasco is settled I bet we'll even see him in costume), a more mild-mannered Clark Kent, and Superman gaining a boost in intelligence.

Regarding #850, I thought it was a cool story. It seems like there's an Earth for all the different versions of Superman: Silver Age, MOS (perhaps the black-suited Superman featured in the villains ad?), Birthright (maybe this could be DC's answer to an Ultimate style series?), and New Earth. I loved Kara's reaction to the super-mullet. Completely in-character for her.

Again, I haven't been following Superman comics in a while, that was just my observation based on what I saw. A Clark that developed powers over time, rescued the crashing space plane, made Lois fall in love with him, these all seem to fit the pattern of the Byrne origin.

There does appear to be elements of the movies thrown in as well and that can't be a bad thing but remember Man of Steel did that too. I guess I just don't like "cryptic" origins. It seems like they are trying to avoid another Birthright fiasco by revealing stuff over time instead of all at once so old fans don't get upset. Which is a shame, I liked Birthright! ;D

Supes was shown to have super powers on some level when he was a baby (he has been shown lifting a fridge over his head as a baby. Not exactly blowing the Earth back into orbit as a teen but its getting closer)
And it fixes the major mistake of MOS, that Clark is real and Superman is the act (or at least Clark and Superman are exactly the same)

I really don't want a "new" origin, I just want the old one back. This is Superman not every new team has to re-create the character all the time.

Amen to that! :D

Which 'old' origin?

Superman 146 "the complete story of superman's life' works pretty good as a basic origin. Doesn't have legion in it but doesn't mean it doesn't fit.
I don't mind writers going back and "adding" stuff to superman's origin (like supermans super-sword or whatever that eliot s maggin story was, or Luthor going back in time to score with Supes' mother) and minor "tweaks" aren't bad either, just taking stuff away kind of annoys me.

PS. I probably prefer the "origin of superman" written by e nelso bridwell from the 70s but both are pretty good.

PPS. I liked that they changed superman so much over time from the golden age to silver age that they made them 2 different characters (on different earths) so everyones favorite stories always happened. (a little thing i suppose but I liked it)

I liked BR too, but I think the Busiek/Johns origin fits a little better. Not that it has to fit, since this isn't the post-Crisis Earth--it's New Earth. It just fits better for the sake of fans who have read the stories for a while. But if you're worried about BR being forgotten, don't be. It's hinted in the issue that there's a BR Earth out there. DC could essentially use a BR Earth to tell stories about their characters if they debuted in 2007. The implication I got from the issue is that almost every version of Superman exists somewhere in the multiverse. Kind of like Hypertime, but more functional and less metaphysical.

I like the "slow" reboot myself. It gives the writers a chance to not make mistakes. I want them to get this origin perfect. If that means taking their time, then so be it.

As for your observations:

1: In some interpretations the Silver Age Superman didn't have all of his powers at once. In some cases, the last power he learned was flight. And this Clark Kent, unlike the MOS version, already knows how to fly and use his more advanced powers at an early age. And this Clark was a member of the Legion as well.

2: The space plane doesn't really matter at all. Superman saving something that falls from the sky upon his debut is common. "Space plane" is just more science fictiony. Besides, Kal saved a space plane in BR too, if I recall. It just wasn't his debut rescue.

3: It's hinted that Lois fell in love with Clark because she sensed who he really was. Instead of seeing the mild-mannered image he presented to the world, she saw past that to "Smallville Clark."

From what I can tell--being a regular reader of the books for some time now--is that the new origin is an amalgamation of the Silver/Bronze Age, Donner movie, and some milestones (i.e. death and marriage) from the post-Crisis era. The dominant element seems to be the Donner movie, though. It seems like DC wants to blend every good idea ever inserted into the mythos into the New Earth version of Superman, while tossing out all the bad ones. It's "Superman Unbound" in a sense--unbound by the constraints which have limited the character for a long time.

As I said, check out #858. It might relieve some of the concerns you have.

The best origin in the comics (perhaps outside of Birthright) was the Story of Superman, I don't know if that was the seventies origin who were refering to.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I don't really like the origins that have him develope his powers over time, even though this is the most common version. My screen name is actually taken from the version whose origin I like the best. He had all of his powers from day one and used them. I guess I never saw the Pre-crisis Superman that way because even though he couldn't control his powers right away, he still had them and (supposedly) knew about them. I have often thought that perhaps I am being too picky about this sort of thing. Feel free to chew me out if you agree, I probably need it! :D

I see it as like a near death experience, once you see the pinnacle of what he can be, everything else seems lackluster by comparison.

I like any origin where baby clark is on a tricycle and riding around so fast he catches on fire.

How would Ma and Pa Kent have survived?

I've often thought that there should be a followup to the Larry Niven piece, about what it'd be like to raise a baby with all of Superman's powers.  Think "Letitia Lerner", but more serious.  Imagine if Pa Kent and Ma Kent kept kryptonite because it was the only thing that could keep their unruly two year old under control.  Or, maybe with that super-brain, the six month old would have mastered all the world's languages (except for the article "I") and be wanting to leave the nest. 

Growing up as a superbaby would screw you up so I have to figure Baby Clark had a super-brain (well super for a baby though he never said "I" just "me")

me build super baby robot
me solve Fermat's Last Theorem.

Actually, today I found Action #857, and while it didn't have flying babies in it, it did say that he had most of his powers, including flight, by about age ten (estimated based on the picture). I think I can live with that one.

Still, I would rather he have flight as a baby then super strength. At least you could tie him down to something! ;D

Speaking of a "super-brain," Superman does indeed have a kind of "super-intelligence" now. This new power emerged when he regained his powers.