When
I first saw DC house ads for Superman Year One, claiming it to be “the
definitive” origin story, I was skeptical. It seems like they say that every
five to ten years, so I expect I’ll be skeptical again within the next decade.
The
cover features a young Superman emerging from what appears to be his Kryptonian
vessel. Taken literally, one might expect he arrived on Earth fully grown, as
he did on the old radio show. But metaphorically, it’s simply a young
Kryptonian metaphorically coming into his own.
The
story doesn’t dwell much on the destruction of Krypton, depicting it as perhaps
through the eyes of the Star Child. It focuses primarily on Clark’s childhood
in relation to the values he formed as a youngster. Note that I say HE formed,
rather than those taught to him by his parents, which is not to say they are
uninvolved in shaping his sense of morality).
There
are a few changes along the way, some subtle, some less so; some agreeable,
some less so. I try to keep an open mind when publishers make changes to
familiar lore, bearing in mind that after 80+ years, these characters
absolutely must evolve. Also, there are many elements that have been added over
the years, so it would be unfair of me to accept some and challenge others.
The
chapter ends in a surprising manner, one most fans would NEVER expect, but to
Miller’s credit, it makes TOTAL sense. It bodes well for me that this is in
fact a key re-telling of the original Siegel & Shuster story, but with
refined layering to address the sensibilities of 2019.
Rating:
10/10