Superman: Earth One

[Frosty81]

http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/10/25/superman-earth-on/

I find it interesting that this scoop was given to /film. Could this be the unique angle Goyer was talking about?

[Cain]

Read the first act pretty much. Had other stuff I wanted to read (Supergirl Annual, Zatanna); so I'll finish it over the weekend. I like how he's doing what any real person would do with the powers. Proving to be a scientific genius, superb athlete etc. & exploiting it to help his loved ones.

I also like how it's still the Kent's influence that "creates" Superman. Even though it's being told differently that still stands. I like the way JMS writes Perry White in this too. Seems to me not limited to continuity the guy has a decent Superman yarn to spin. Let's see how the rest is. Though I'd still like to see him off the main Superman book. Interesting Ultimate Superman concept, actually has me curious about Johns' Batman one.

[GinsterHead]

This actually sounds really good. Can't wait 'til it comes out in England.

[Micah12345]

I read it and I really enjoyed it. I will be picking up all the year one books. This format is way better than the once a month 10 minute read.

[Cain]

EARTH one not YEAR one.

They have no way of losing with this though. It's perfect for the people who don't really follow comics since they're coming out every 6 months or something like that. While also grabbing the attention of people like me that visit the comic shop every week of the year.

[SatEL]

Just got my copy today, I am rereading birthright and then will start earth one. It has got mixed reviews despite how well it has sold, I am worried going into this as the word emo has been thrown around a lot. And in truth I have had all I can take from an emo Superman........Singerman saw to that. Will let you know what I think of it once I am done.

[Asteroid-Man]

Did they release it as an entire graphic novel, or are they releasing them as monthly chapters first like they did with the initial establishment of New Earth?

[SuperDaniel]

Read it and didn`t like it at all. Hated the alien invasion, not the concept but the new villain, and the new explanation for Kryptons destruction. It should`ve been Brainiac not some stupid cheesy villain that looks like the Silver Banshee.

[Willi Berg]

I liked the art and I thought Superman, though young, seemed very powerful. JMS does tend to make Superman sound too rude and arrogant sometimes though. But there were parts I didn't like. It felt rushed- it starts with the Clark character arriving in Metropolis, but he is hardly there before the alien invasion starts. I didn't like the alien character or the Krypton changes either.

I am reading JMS's new runs on Wonder Woman, Superman: Grounded and this, and I am getting pretty tired of him making these huge changes to jazz it all up and assuming his version will be definitive. I believe you can still make the original elements exciting.

I was looking forward to this graphic novel very much as I thought it would explore Clark creating a life in Metropolis and taking time to develop an identity as Superman in Metropolis, and explore different elements of Metropolis more, but that wasn't explored because it just turned out to be a conventional alien invasion.

I also picked up the reissue of some of Geoff Johns old Superman stories from 2002 in the "Superman: 100-Page Spectacular" and one story I did find interesting was Superman fighting the Royal Flush Gang. It was a short story that ended abruptly but elements I liked was seeing Superman confronting the gang problem in Metropolis and Clark Kent on the beat trying to get info. from the police on the rising crime wave. It was a bit like Nolan's Batman but at least we were seeing Superman deal with some more believable stuff and maybe the new movie will have elements of that.

I like Superman dealing with more regular people (like a baseball team in another Johns story), while still having him involved in major action scenes. There needs to be a balance. JMS lately seems to be going from one extreme to the other (i.e. Grounded to Earth One.)

[SuperDaniel]

And Shane Davis? Well, he is decent and can draw good environment but his human figures needs work. Proportions and anatomy are really off sometimes. But i can tell he is a hard worker and did his best but he is not that great to me.

Superman being younger than Jimmy Olsen, slimmer, etc? I hated that. This is Superman not Spider-man. Am I the only one who thought Clark looked exactely like Dean Cain?

I pretty much agree with Neal Bailey`s review from supermanhomepage.com

This feels much more like Spider-man than Superman.

[SuperAl]

anyone think that lois looks like Debra from Dexter

[batman44]

^ I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought she looked like Jennifer Carpenter.

[SatEL]

Originally Posted by Asteroid-Man

Did they release it as an entire graphic novel, or are they releasing them as monthly chapters first like they did with the initial establishment of New Earth?

The best description for it is a mini GN, it's roughly about 128+ pages that's excluding things like the sketch book at the end and a few pages from the Daily Planet about Superman and notes from JMS.


On to the review now and all I can say is I hated this, didn’t like it one bit at all. They turned Superman into a self pitying whiner, all we get is whine whine and more whine until the invasion and even then it still was horrible. They also give the impression that Superman had an unhappy childhood, hell he didn’t even smile once through out the whole read. And apparently he was alone and had no one, thing is JMS has conveniently forgot about Pete and Lana Lang........oh I am still reeling (just finished reading it). Yes I know this is an elseworld tale but he stuck with the template for a majority of it and then every once in a while dived of course. How can this character be a ray of hope when he seemed so weak minded and mentally fragile. Didn’t also like the change in the origins of the demise of Krypton, not to mention the neighbouring planet seemed like it contained Neanderthals yet we are meant to believe they kept up and in part stalemated krypton lol ok, anyway all I can say is 3/10. If you want to see Peter Parker with Superman power then this is the story for you.

Positives: Great art.

[snookie16]

Look at the preview and say I am intrigued by the graphic novel. It does seem that it has taken some elements from Smallville to it. I also like the concept of Clark creating the identity of Superman on his own. I will keep an eye out for it in stores.

[SuperDaniel]

Well..that the thing...he doesn`t become Superman out of his choice. In fact, this Clark didn`t want to be Superman till the invasion came. It was really terrible, imo. Clark was out of character like 99% of the time. JMS doesn`t get Superman, imo.

[SatEL]

Originally Posted by SuperDaniel

Well..that the thing...he doesn`t become Superman out of his choice. In fact, this Clark didn`t want to be Superman till the invasion came. It was really terrible, imo. Clark was out of character like 99% of the time. JMS doesn`t get Superman, imo.

I couldn’t agree more, it was mainly something the Kents wanted him to do as opposed to it being his own choice. Hell in the end it's even forced upon him because if it wasn’t for the alien invasion he would not have donned the cape. Also prior to the invasion we see he has given up on ever wearing the costume when his at Jonathans grave. This is definitely not Superman, it's ironic how the Superman in Birthright and the one in Earthone are complete opposites.

[Black Dynamite]

Originally Posted by SuperDaniel

Read it and didn`t like it at all. Hated the alien invasion, not the concept but the new villain, and the new explanation for Kryptons destruction. It should`ve been Brainiac not some stupid cheesy villain that looks like the Silver Banshee.

Well it could still be Braniac that gave them the tech to destroy krypton. It was never revealed who the mysterious visitor was.

[dru-zod2501]

To anyone who keeps saying this Clark whines and *****es and becomes Superman in all the wrong ways, I just have one word. Smallville

[SuperDaniel]

At least in Smallville Clark saves people out of his own will since episode 1. He whines yes but he is still a good character and always been a hero, saving lives, trying to make a difference. Clark in Earth One cheats to get a good job on sports or science, hurts a robber with his heat vision, doesn`t care about a burning building or even uses his super-breath to stop the fire. He just grabs his personal belongings and flys off. HOW SUPERMAN!

Earth One is a complete failure in my eyes because the characterizations ARE so wrong. Even Jimmy seems more heroic than Superman. And he is older than Clark. JMS got it all wrong.

Just read the interview in the end. It seems Clark is talking to a goddamn kid who uses slangs and all. Its just WEIRD. That is NOT the Superman I admire.

[SuperDaniel]

Originally Posted by Black Dynamite

Well it could still be Braniac that gave them the tech to destroy krypton. It was never revealed who the mysterious visitor was.

Gave the tech to a neighbour world? WTF. That just doesn`t make anysense whatsoever. The brainiac or a good villain would just go and destroy the world by himself, like he did in the comics. Just go to Krypton and shrink its capital. The explantion for Krypton was plain stupid and made no sense. The villain sucked and looked terrible.

[dru-zod2501]

Originally Posted by SuperDaniel

At least in Smallville Clark saves people out of his own will since episode 1. He whines yes but he is still a good character and always been a hero, saving lives, trying to make a difference.

I saw no evidence that E1 Clark wasn't saving lives and making a difference strictly from the shadows before the start of the story.

Clark in Earth One cheats to get a good job on sports or science, hurts a robber with his heat vision, doesn`t care about a burning building or even uses his super-breath to stop the fire. He just grabs his personal belongings and flys off. HOW SUPERMAN!

1: E1 Clark was offered everything, but accepted nothing. 2: Twin Towers incident. E1 Clark never did anything like that. Oh how Superman

Earth One is a complete failure in my eyes because the characterizations ARE so wrong. Even Jimmy seems more heroic than Superman. And he is older than Clark. JMS got it all wrong.

Just read the interview in the end. It seems Clark is talking to a goddamn kid who uses slangs and all. Its just WEIRD. That is NOT the Superman I admire.

If he's not YOUR Superman, fine then. But don't try to say Smallville is any better at understanding the characters

[SuperDaniel]

Smallville is BETTER, though. Homecoming is a FINE example of that.

Still, he cheated and was thinking of accepting if it wasn`t for his mother telling him otherwise...

E1 sucks.

Superman doesn`t put out the fire, doesn`t save the fireman, doesn`t do anything except grab his clothes and fly off. GREAT CHARACTERIZATION.

[dru-zod2501]

Originally Posted by SuperDaniel

Smallville is BETTER, though. Homecoming is a FINE example of that.

Still, he cheated and was thinking of accepting if it wasn`t for his mother telling him otherwise...

E1 sucks.

Superman doesn`t put out the fire, doesn`t save the fireman, doesn`t do anything except grab his clothes and fly off. GREAT CHARACTERIZATION.

^^ I couldn't disagree more, but this isn't a Smallville discussion. You keep harping on that one fire incident to negate his entire value, and it's not at all that simple or negative when you look at the whole story. But if Smallville and the "gee golly shucks ma'am" Clark Kent of old are what float your boat then you have plenty of back stories to fill up on

[Daybreak_st]

Originally Posted by SuperDaniel

Gave the tech to a neighbour world? WTF. That just doesn`t make anysense whatsoever. The brainiac or a good villain would just go and destroy the world by himself, like he did in the comics. Just go to Krypton and shrink its capital. The explantion for Krypton was plain stupid and made no sense. The villain sucked and looked terrible.

How about you let the sequel come out before you pass judgement on a plot thread you know nothing about Also it's not like Darkseid ever supplied Intergang with advanced weaponry or anything, nope that's never been done in a comic before.

They wanted a new villian, whoo-t-doo, there was life before brainaic and there will be life after him. It's actually nice to have Superman introduction without relying on Lex or Brainy. The technology of krypton was also brilliant, nice to see some originality there as well. If you really want things the way they've always been then look no further than Secret Origin the perfect redundant tale of reintroducing a character in the most unoriginal way possible. And parasite now got his powers by eating a radioactive donut, whoohoo.

[SuperDaniel]

Both were terrible.

Birthright and Man of Steel are a thousand times better. But my favorite origin would be probably Superman TAS + For all seasons.