There are many different versions of Superman’s origin tale: Superman The Movie, Lois and Clark, Superman TAS, Superman Man of Steel, Superman Birthright. Geoff Johns knows this and doesn’t waste time rehashing one of the most, if not the most, well-known myths of our time. Johns focuses on the actual character of Clark Kent rather than his unusual family tree. Superman gets a lot of hate for being too perfect or too unreal. That’s one of the reasons critics give for Batman’s overwhelming popularity with older audiences. However, everyone starts out loving Superman. He is the prototypical hero. This series recaptures everything that made me love Superman as a child. Everything that made me excited about the character. Everything that made me wear a red blanket as a cape when I was a kid. I can relate to Superman again.
  Johns’ emotionally sensitive script (the guy should try writing a chick flick at some point) worked to draw the reader in and actually make me empathize with Clark as a character. The fact that this book doesn’t start on Krypton and starts in the “real” world helps the reader relate. You don’t feel like an outside party looking in. Clark is an extraordinary boy in ordinary circumstances. The issue takes all the good things from the early Smallville seasons and doesn’t painfully drag them out like the show. John’s understanding of characters’ voices and personalities never fails to wow me. The guy writes so many books but he is still able to capture the uniqueness of each character. Carol Ferris, Lois Lane, and Lana Lang are all distinct characters in John’s books and have their own voices and mannerisms. Lana Lang is amazing in her own right and is not the prototypical damsel (at least not all the time). The young love between Lana and Clark almost makes me wish for a One More Day-esque redo so that Clana can be. I am sure I’ll take those words back once Johns gets Clark to Metropolis.
   Frank’s art is what I expected. Christopher Reeves wasn’t the Superman I grew up with (Dean Cain LMAO!), so Frank hasn’t necessarily won me over with his character’s likeness. In fact, sometimes seeing Reeves’ face on a boy’s body kinda distracted me. But I still have to admit his art is top-notch and his panels are well organized. He’s a pretty amazing artist.
   I wouldn’t necessarily call this a  origin retelling, but more of a fleshing out of the legend. Here we see Clark Kent become Superman. Johns is showing us what shaped him into the hero he we know. Once again, I cannot emphasize how much this story reinvigorated the character for me. New Krypton can suck it.