Template:Short description Template:Infobox comic book title Superman: Birthright is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2003 and 2004, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu and Gerry Alanguilan.[1]
Creation
Originally, the series was intended to be a non-canon version of Superman, showcasing his origin and updating it for the 21st century. Soon after, it was decided to adopt the series as canon, and thus it replaced John Byrne's The Man of Steel series as Superman's canonical origin story.[2] The project was given to Mark Waid with the request to create an origin story for Superman set in the 21st century, a series that new readers can understand without any previous knowledge of the character's mythos. This was something Waid had wanted to do since seeing Superman: The Movie for the first time.[3]
By comparison to other origin retellings, Waid wanted some differences. In an attempt to make his character more relatable, his Superman is not infallible, he has problems with his boss, his dry cleaning gets lost and he longs to connect and be accepted. Another difference was having Africa in the origin which, as Waid has it, helps establish Kal-El/Clark as a citizen of the world and demonstrates what kind of journalist he is.[3] The Infinite Crisis storyline altered Superman's history so that Birthright and John Byrne's The Man of Steel mini-series were removed as his canonical origin. This was reinforced by then-monthly Superman writer Kurt Busiek's statement that the post-Infinite Crisis Superman's origin had yet to be established.[4] The new origin was later revealed in the Superman: Secret Origin mini-series.[5]
Publishing history
Plot
The story begins with a retelling of Superman's origin, where his parents Jor-El and Lara send him away from the planet Krypton before its destruction. In the present, Clark Kent visits Africa to interview political leader and activist Kobe Asuru, during which an unidentified assassin kills him. Afterward, Clark returns to Smallville, unearths the ship that brought him to Earth, and uses it to learn Krypton's history.
Clark travels to Metropolis, joins the Daily Planet, and battles anti-terrorist helicopters. After discovering that the helicopters originate from LexCorp, Superman travels there and confronts Lex Luthor, who pretends to endorse him and attempts to destroy his reputation. Flashbacks reveal that Luthor is a former friend of Clark who lost his father Lionel and his hair after a wormhole he built malfunctioned and exploded.
Luthor engineers a Kryptonian invasion, but Superman stops him. Afterward, Superman and Luthor use the latter's machine to contact Krypton in the past. Jor-El and Lara see that their son has become a great hero and embrace as Krypton explodes.
Collected editions
Reception
According to Comicbook Roundup, Superman: Birthright received positive reviews from critics. The series received an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 5 reviews.[6]
In other media
Elements of Superman: Birthright are incorporated into Man of Steel (2013) and Superman (2025).[7]
References
External links
- Discussion of Birthright's implications for continuity (by Neal Bailey)
Template:Superman Template:Superman publications
- ↑ Template:Cite comic
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Superman.nu, Mark Waid and Gail Simone talk Superman: Birthright.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Superman: Secret Origin (September 2009 - February 2010)
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web