I Still don't get how metropolis cant tell that Clark Kent is Superman. I mean, he is not even wearing a mask or something, just a pair of glasses and suits. Still a great read, nonetheless.

I guess this book was a product of its time, but the Smallville vibe throughout kind of put me off. I liked the uplifting ending, at least, but after reading stuff like Red Son, Superman for All Seasons, All-Star Superman and Secret Identity I wouldn't place it anywhere near their level.

In some ways, what Waid is trying to do with this graphic novel is the exact opposite of what Tom De Haven was attempting in his (prose) novel It’s Superman. That book returns Supes’ origin story back to the 1930s, the era when the character was conceived; Birthright updates it to modern times with things like an internet-savvy Martha Kent and a Lois Lane who’s striving to break stories on The Daily Planet’s blog.

While it did not blow me away quite like It’s Superman, Birthright was still really good. Like De Haven, Waid does a great job of humanizing Clark, while at the same time emphasizing the ways in which Clark Kent is Superman in disguise (and not the other way around). Things get a little hammy at the end, but in general, there’s a nice emotional and psychological realism that makes the story compelling. The Lex backstory was especially inspired: Waid writes him as a disturbed genius who feels as alien in his brilliance as Clark is in origin. Reading this graphic novel is a kind of revelation: “Oh yeah! This is what Smallville would have been like if it were good!”

For me, this is THE origin for Superman. It is a wonderful combination of character study, action spectacle, and superhero fun. If you ever wanted to get to know Superman from the beginning, this is the story to read. You'll see why Clark is the way he is and what this means for the world. It is sincere and grounded without being downbeat. Read this and you'll believe a man can fly.

This was a perfect introduction to Superman, because it gave me all the juicy background info I so crave. Major comics like this can seem overwhelming, considering their history dates back to the 30’s. As a newcomer, I was able to jump in and follow along with little confusion. Diehard fans might have known what to expect while reading, but my lack of knowledge just made things more surprising and interesting.
That said, I have two issues with this series, which prevented me from clicking that fourth star. Firstly, the art. Yu has a very harsh style, which is perfectly appropriate for aggressive characters like Wolverine and the Hulk. But I thought it too much for Superman, especially as Clark. It’s hard for me to see this man as the marshmallow everyone else sees when he’s drawn with these bold and straight lines. Perhaps that is intentional to show readers how obvious his indemnity is, but it just made me think Metropolis is filled with idiots. At times, his face was an absolute grimace that just didn’t feel Superman-y to me.
My other issue rests with Lois Lane. I get that reporters are pushy, but then suddenly she’s standing up for Jim the intern and wallflower Clark. And her snarky humor really fell flat for me. It felt like it should come with an * at the end with “laugh here” written at the bottom of the page. Everything about her just felt so forced. Perhaps some more development would help me like her, but until then, I think Waid struggled with her a bit.
Overall, these two qualms did not hinder me from enjoying and finishing the story. I think this series can appeal to fans at either end of the spectrum. And I certainly plan on reading more of Waid’s work in the future as well as what all happens to Superman.

Excellent story written by Mark Waid. The art by Leinil Francis Yu is pretty good as well.

Waid wrote a great story about Clark Kent's relationship with his earth parents, his early relationship with Lex Luthor and the reasons why he became Superman with a nice big invasion for Clark to fight. Any fan of the Man of Steel will enjoy this story.

Now this is how you do a Superman origin story. Fantastic stuff, Mark Waid at his best. Excellent stuff that comes with a highest recommendation. Quite possibly one of my favourite Superman Comics that I've read to date. One of DC's best, too.

You'll believe a man can fly

When Mark Waid writes at his best, he is one of the best authors in the comics industry.
This 12 issues retelling of the Man of Steel origin is a real masterwork, a well done reboot for the new generations of readers and diehard fans too.
All classic characters and storyline elements are here (escape from dying Krypton, growing in Smallville, Pa and Ma Kent, Lex Luthor, Perry White, Jim(my) Olsen and Lois Lane) with some twists that make Waid's origin tale n  hisn tale: no more Fortress of Solitude (but you hardly notice that), Clark and Lex younghood friends like in "Smallville" tv series, and Clark Kent's persona being made by his experiences in a war torn Africa.



Waid took for good Bill's wise words in "Kill Bill: part 2" monologue, the element that made Siegel & Shuster's character so unique:
Superman is the mankind's champion who Pa and Ma Kent raised him to be, Clark is a disguise, a fabrication to make him accepted by his peers.
And thanks to Waid's storytelling the alien who fell from the sky never been so human: you can almost feel his falling in love to Lois here.





Leinil Yu's art is great too, but you can really feel here all Mark Waid's love for Superman.
One of the best origin stories and comics ever. And I tell this as more a Marvel zombie than a DC fan.

"...if you wish to be part of the human race, you have to get in the game. Otherwise, you're simply sitting in the bleachers, feeling like you don't fit in."

I'm not usually a Superman comics fan (I find him a little yawn educing), but...Mark Waid!
4 fat stars for showing us the alienated and feared Clark Kent/Superman, the ballsy and brave and crush-worthy Lois Lane, and the alienated and feared Lex Luthor. *whistles* And what an amazing and bonkers Lex Luthor Waid gives us.

I didn't care for the art, which is why I can't give this a 5 star rating. But overall, super enjoyable and powerful Superman (origins) story. That last page. *chills*

This is awesome.. story, art everything is brilliant.

i love clark kent more than anything and this series is such a good take on his origin story i feel so warm reading it :’)

(Zero spoiler review) 2/5
I've never been the biggest Superman fan and likely never will, but if you're going to tackle the origin story of one of, if not the most famous character in all of comic-dom, then you sure as hell better do a better job of it than this.
I'm absolutely mystified as to why this has scored so highly. As universally well known as Superman's origin was (the main bit anyway), I have little doubt that it is, by modern standards at least, an entirely hokey affair. Yet to replace something so iconic with something so utterly bland and forgettable is far FAR worse than a cheesy little tale, well told.
The first two issues were horrendous. I had to skip most of the second one to keep myself reading. So bafflingly on the nose and unnecessary. As an impetus to get Clarke out into the main world, it was laughable. Pointless bloat that should have been cut. In fact, this entire story should have been six issues at most. This story drags like a quadriplegic python. The few moments of enjoyment I found were far too fleeting. The majority, far too bloated and bland.
Lex Luthor is boringly generic. Superman is boringly generic. The boringly generic big bad that shows up at the end is... you guessed it, boringly generic, but on steroids.
Lois Lane is probably my favourite character in Metropolis, yet here, Waid has turned her from a nuanced, intelligent, but above all warm and feminine woman into boring generic modern badass woman with a serious case of resting bitch face most of the time. it doesn't help that Yu's art, which I was not a fan of either, doesn't draw attractive women very well, either intentionally or otherwise. I honestly couldn't say which I disliked more, the art or the story. Let's just say they were both tragically mediocre and leave it at that. Next! 2/5


OmniBen.