I’ve always had a soft spot for Superman.  Yes, he can be the Uber-Boy Scout, doing what’s right, always, everyday.  But there’s something more.  I think it’s that question of why.  Why would someone with super powers come to Earth and decide to be it’s savior?

J. Michael Straczynski’s retelling of origin of Superman sets out to answer those questions.  He shows Clark Kent setting off for Metropolis and trying to find his place.  Does he use his powers for celebrity?  Use his inherited knowledge of advanced science to get ahead in business?  There isn’t much money in saving the world, why would he choose that path?  And, at the core of the story, there is the loneliness.  The story of a man who must always hold back, on some level, and the story of how he begins to make peace with that issue.

Honestly, I picked up this book because the cover looked badass and, as I said, I have a Superman weakness.  I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would, reading it in a single evening.  Shane Davis’ artwork has a very modern comic look to it, so it made this Superman feel even more relevant (though his Lois Lane looked a bit too much like Jennifer Carpenter…so much so that I’m convinced Davis has a crush on her). 

I’m very curious to see where this series goes…like Buffy, I find the most fascinating stories for superheroes is looking inside their minds, the one place they can be hurt. 

This comic is definitely worth a look if you have any interest in Superman or superhero reboots, in general, because I think it is done very well.  It manages to be both familiar and new at the same time.