Comics Superman Secret Origin reviews

[DavidTyler]

Well, I picked it up today.

Let me say that the art is beautiful. I include the colouring on that as well.

The cover is a nice heavy stock that will probably last a long time and still look great.

Love that Gary Frank makes Clark look like a very young Chris Reeve although I would have been interested in seeing a different look.

Now... the story itself......


Blah.

There was nothing in there that I found exciting. It's a huge throwback to the Silver Age with a big smooch to Donner. It even ressurects 'Superboy' (even though I knew that was coming, I still wasn't prepared for it to actually occur).

With lesser artwork it would have been a huge Meh... Gary Frank's hand is the only thing that kicked it above that level.

Others will probably enjoy it and I'll probably pick up the whole run just for completion but I'm not impressed.

I think MOS was much better although the characterizations in this were more fleshed out.

 

[Motown Marvel]

so far, the story is nothing new. but it's being done very well here.

hard part for johns is; if he tells the origin that we all know, people will call it boring because we've basically heard it in some form or another many times already. but if he tries to freshen it up with some new angles, people will complain about him changing everything. but supes' origin does need a bit of defining, so i find this rather necessary. frankly, i hope he sticks to the basics of the origin and keeps doing it the service he did in the first issue.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I'm expecting it to be akin to GL:SO--a slight re-tweaking of Superman's origins, while showing hints and teases to what's going to come next.

I do think Johns did surprisingly good with the drama/angst that Clark feels for being different, even though he tends to write more exposition and motivations as dialogue. This felt like a regular kid who's found out something that completely changes his outlook on himself and it's both exhilerating and scary at the same time. The last page also made me laugh--out of everything he referenced, I didn't expect A Christmas Story to be in there.

 

[knightrightnow]

It wasnt so bad, I thought it was pretty good. You are right, the story is not anything new, but sometimes its nice to go back to something as simple as an origin story with someone like Superman. Reminds you why you got into comics in the first place, for the simple super powers these guys have, or at least it does me

 

[The Sage]

so far, the story is nothing new. but it's being done very well here.

hard part for johns is; if he tells the origin that we all know, people will call it boring because we've basically heard it in some form or another many times already. but if he tries to freshen it up with some new angles, people will complain about him changing everything. but supes' origin does need a bit of defining, so i find this rather necessary. frankly, i hope he sticks to the basics of the origin and keeps doing it the service he did in the first issue.

Pretty much my view on it.

 

[Jolly Rolly]

I'll definitely buy it on TPB just buying a monthy comic for $3.99 isn't feasable no more.

 

[solidsnake86]

Thought this first issue was excellent, the smallville stuff was done quickly and each scene was effective in making clark a kid you feel for. Great use of Pa Kent and the relationship they have. I'm not a fan of the whole superboy legion stuff so next issue for me wont be that exciting and I'm mostly looking forward to the third issue and fifth one. I'm interested to see how he deals with metallo and parasite.

 

[Motown Marvel]

second issue was solid. johns is remarkably capable of capturing emotion in this book, and surely frank's artwork has a lot to do with that.

 

[NeoRanger]

I'm not going to pretend I don't dislike the direction Johns and DiDio take Superman and I'm not going to pretend that Frank's Superman doesn't creep the hell out of me. I could deal fine, because the story is, in fact, solid.

I just need one good reason why I should read this and not just go reread my Silver Age books while watching STM.

 

[Motown Marvel]

well, to be fair, i dont think anyone involved with this book is pretending that its anything more than it is: an updated take on familiar material that needed some defining.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Sorry but in my opinion no origin will ever be better than Byrne + Superman for all seasons or TAS.

 

[Cain]

Superman's debut was "too Superman: The Movie" but I loved how the Planet is basically gonna be this ran down hunk of junk of a building until they start selling papers now that Superman has arrived. Also loved how Kal is questioning going out in public like that and we see Rudy Jones t:

I like this series, so far it's a nice blend of pre and post crisis with some new twists and that's all I ever expected. Not as blandly written as Birthright or as outdated as Man of Steel, this will work for a while.

 

[Motown Marvel]

issue 3 was kinda frustrating. there was A LOT of STM and A LOT of bumbling clark. it was just almost too much. and i thought frank's art was a bit lacking in this issue (by gary frank standards, that is).

 

[NeoRanger]

it was just almost too much.

Almost? The first few pages are physically painful to read. I hated it.

 

[SuperDaniel]

I`m sorry but this Secret Origin is just another attempt to shove STM down our throats just like SR.

CAN`T WE PLEASE FORGET THIS DAMN MOVIE ONCE AND FOR ALL? GIVE US SOMETHING FUN AND NEW.

You don`t need to mix and paste every goddamn origin together. What Johns should do is keep the spirit but write a fresh story, for god`s sake. When i say fresh, i don`t mean reinvent the character. Just write something we haven`t seen.

The first appearence was so uninspired writing, IMO. Couldn`t he come up with a more fun first rescue?? Superman saving Lois from a train or something. Whatever! Just use your goddamn imagination, Geoff.

Lois just runs away to the edge of the building, trips and falls and we`re supposed to believe that?!!?

WTF!!!?!??!

C`mon. It made no sense whatsoever. The rescue was nice, the shirt rip and introduction was nice. But the build up to it was just rushed, stupid writing, even for comic book standards.

Also, Superman acting like Peter Parker in the end... "I think i made a mistake in saving people and revealing myself to the world..."

Thats just complete utter BS and bad characterization!! Superman should be proud to show up and wear this bright costume to inspire people. To be a flag of justice and this should`ve been his motivation and idealism from day one. Sorry but SO in my opinion just feels....flat....

The Constitution rescue in Man of Steel was much better. Lois & Clark as rivals too. The only thing decent about this issue was the characterization of the Daily Planet and the usual crew, Cat, Troupe, Jimmy, Perry, etc but how can you **** this up, really?

Ps: Did i say i hate dorky Clark? It just feels forced and a tad too much. The first pages are painful to read.

IMO, Superman for all seasons and TAS still are the best Superman origin stories ever.

Ps2: I just hate the way Frank draws Superman to resemble Christopher Reeve. It`s just a mistake, IMO. Chris was great but this homages are just going way too far, IMO.

Issues 1 and 2 were good, except for Superboy, but this 3rd one is just uninspiring.

 

[NeoRanger]

I just hate the way Frank draws Superman to resemble Christopher Reeve.

I found it kind of cute in his Action Comics run, but it's creeping me out here.

 

[DavidTyler]

I don't mind seeing him draw Supes as Chris Reeve but, unfortunately, that comes with Chris' 'Clark' which I loathe and detest.

I'm not a fan of Donner's Superman. Even when I was a kid, I thought it was lacking. To resurrect it here makes it officially part of canon and I'm really not happy about that.

I also don't like Sean Connery as Jor-El. Ever since Brando, there seems to be a train of thought that Jor-el needs to be white haired and geriatric. Up until then, Jor-el was always a young man. I want that back. Byrne tried to give that to us and it was great. Now we have Didio and his Silver Age/Donner cohorts tossing it all away.

I've got to say that I've stopped buying Superman titles with the exception of this (which I'm only buying to stay on top of the changes).. ... Oh, I did pick up the recent one with the Mon-el costume change. Sucked.

 

[batman44]

I think some things are little too "Donner" for my tastes, but I'm enjoying the story overall.

 

[Motown Marvel]

new issue today, and i think its a really great issue. all of the "donner" stuff that overpowered the last issue are all but non-existent, so im happy that was pretty well contained to just the one issue. lois and luthor have some really great moments here. i dug the parasite. its almost weird going back and seeing superman not yet comfortable with being superman, but its only natural and to be expected and worked well here.

 

[ironman29758]

new issue today, and i think its a really great issue. all of the "donner" stuff that overpowered the last issue are all but non-existent, so im happy that was pretty well contained to just the one issue. lois and luthor have some really great moments here. i dug the parasite. its almost weird going back and seeing superman not yet comfortable with being superman, but its only natural and to be expected and worked well here.

I'm about to buy the book and saw on some forms that

Spoiler

Rudy Jones becomes Parasite by eating a toxic donut and need a picture confirmation using spoiler tags to see if it's true.

It might be interesting and I still might buy it

 

[batman44]

new issue today, and i think its a really great issue. all of the "donner" stuff that overpowered the last issue are all but non-existent, so im happy that was pretty well contained to just the one issue. lois and luthor have some really great moments here. i dug the parasite. its almost weird going back and seeing superman not yet comfortable with being superman, but its only natural and to be expected and worked well here.

Agreed, though I wish Parasite wasn't defeated so easily.

 

[Motown Marvel]

I'm about to buy the book and saw on some forms that

Spoiler

Rudy Jones becomes Parasite by eating a toxic donut and need a picture confirmation using spoiler tags to see if it's true.

It might be interesting and I still might buy it

im actually not entirely sure how that part works out, i need to re-read it. but, it does work since its all a direct result of his sheer gluttony that is central to his character.

 

[DavidTyler]

Not a fan of how they handled Rudy Jones/Parasite.

The gluttony part is just too cliche.

It would have been much better if he had just been a dumb thug who's insatiable need to consume didn't hit him until after the change. I've always envisioned the character as someone's 'hit-man' - large and a bruiser. When he's 'altered', he doesn't know what's going on within him but that there is a gnawing hunger that's taking him over. He starts by accidentally draining bugs, then animals, then a human (probably a bum). It makes him emotionally sick at first but then starts to embrace it when encounters people with great health. From there he encounters Superman and his obsession begins.

 

[WolfCypher]

Agreed with everything DT said. Rudy dropping a donut on a speckle of toxic waste and that one bite he takes is more than enough to turn him entirely into the Parasite? I just thought that was dumb. I always liked the super-old origin, where the Parasite, pre- and post-crisis, was a shady, untrustworthy, dumb (in the case of Rudy Jones-Parasite, since Maxwell Jensen-Parasite showed much more intelligence in comparison) employee of STAR Labs (or any research facility) who tried to smuggle a canister of bio-hazard waste because he thought either A) there was actually valuables hidden inside and the bio-hazard container was a front to throw others of or B) he could profit from the waste (best origin was in TAS). This version being a fat guy who just wants to eat and eat and eat and gets turned into a (stupid looking) parasite who conviently wants to eat and eat and eat because he greedily ate a floor donut with a little toxic waste on it....

Question for anyone who knows: The Parasite I remember was always able to absorb most energies, including Superman's heat vision. That wasn't the case in this issue. Wasn't that an ability Rudy had from the very beginning or something he gained later on?

 

[ironman29758]

from what I read he could asorb the heat but it was to hot for him to handle

I like the Jimmy-Superman's pal and him being the cause of the famous Superman pose

Lex reminded me of the Post crisis Luthor and now I can see the start of the whole "I hate him since he's an alien" and I was surprised Lex remembered Clark Kent after his first 2 meetings he frogot his face and didn't want to be hang out with Lex


Parasite's saga was great but when he got stopped it felt to easy

9/10