Superman: Earth One (Hardcover) Review

For years I have had Superman: Earth One sitting on my book self. I attempted to read it without getting past the first few pages when I got it. Why? I guess I expected it to just be another story about the origin of Superman on earth. But I was wrong. I should have expected it to be something else. 

I had pre-ordered the Hardcover knowing that it would be something else, especially since it was written by J. Michael Strachzynski. JMS happens to be one of my all time favorite author. JMS has worked as a writer for TV, with Jeremiah, Murder She Wrote, and his five year long flagship Babylon 5. A TV Series he created and wrote which stands a favorite amongst Sci-Fi fans it hit the screens back in the
day.

When it comes to the Comic Industry, JMS has worked with Image Comics; Rising Stars and the other series in the Rising Stars Universe as well as Midnight Nation. Some believe and rightly so, that the TV Series Heroes is based on the graphic novels. Many of the characters are very close to those in the comics. Tim Kring, creator of Heroes TV show, said he had never heard of the comics until well after the show was conceived. Knowing how the TV Industry works, one just has to look at the recent situation with Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham's Fable being ripped off by ABC USA and the creation of a watered down version of Fables, which is now known as Once Upon A Time TV Series. 

JMS has a long history of turning the stale into something fresh. Just read his run on Amazing Spider-Man and Thor. So, having finally gotten around to reading the hardcover first edition of Superman: Earth One, two years after I purchased it,  this past week while waiting at my Physiotherapist appointments. I was glad to read it without having read the DC Comics New 52 Superman comics so didn't have to worry about how it fit into the New 52 Universe. 

The book itself is a standalone, outside of the chronology of either the Old DC or the New 52, and with that being said the story could be told with a fresh feel without the constraints of past and future books. Both Shane Davis, the artist and JMS have really worked hard on the story and art to make it fresh. The artwork is amazing and at times the looks on the faces of the characters seem to glare out at you from the pages.

In Superman: Earth One we have the initial origin told with a modern contemporary setting. We see Clark coming of age without Jonathan Clark in the picture, although he is still there in spirit. Here we have Clark struggle with trying to find a job. And feeling despondent at not landing a job. But don't worry its not another slow paced story with a Smallville make-over. Because this book is full of action and has so many new concepts with a whole new enemy along with a different take on the Superman origin tale. Its like a movie being played out at very fast pace when the conflict arrives.

With a new enemy we get a new history about Krypton and the rise of of the conflict that saw Ka-El being sent to earth and Krypton destroyed. This part of the story is well handled by a legendary writer of JMS` ilc. Its no wonder the book hit the New York Times Best Sellers list when it was first released. in 2010. 

We get another view on why we have Clark Kent hiding behind the mask of a news reporter rather than the Superman being the mask he wears. We get to see some very interesting concepts about the costume itself. Also, here is also two prose news paper articles at the end of the graphic novel written for the Daily Planet which are valid editions to the mythos of Superman. JMS gives us a look inside the mind of Clark as well as Superman in his version of Superman. Its important to note that JMS went to went to DC Comics specifically have the opportunity to write his Superman story. Something JMS has mentioned had wanted to do his entire life as a child comic fan as well as an award winning writer. 

Superman: Earth One  is must read for any Superman fan as well as a JMS fan. 

(ARU), Aruneshwar has a Bachelors Degree in Digital Media -Digital Film-making. He took a semester of Multimedia earlier this year which kind of set him up for comictrade.co.nz, a New Zealand  online comic store. On the creative side, Aru is writing and illustrating a graphic novel about the 30yrs of Institutionalised Slavery ofIndians in Fiji from 1885 -1915. He is a prolific script writer and writes in all comicbook genres which include several graphic novels for his own company,Rising Sun Comics. Aru also uploads a digital comic series on Facebook called, Zero as well as finishing off the lettering to his crime-noir graphic novel, The Circle. He is also trying to finishing off coloring and lettering a superhero comic book mini-series he co-created with Mike Burbeck called, Incredi-Girl.