Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: A Legacy Reborn
Written by: Mark Waid
Pencilled by: Leinel Francis Yu
Inked by: Gerry Alanguilan
Colored by: Dave McCaig
Lettered by: Comic Craft
Associate Editor: Tom Palmer Jr.
Editors: Dan Raspler & Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics
Like John Byrne’s 1986 Man of Steel mini-series – the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot of the Superman franchise – the Superman: Birthright maxi-series has garnered much attention – good and bad. Nevertheless, Birthright #1, and Birthright #2 have been visual artistic treats by penciller Leinil Lu, with writer Mark Waid capturing the essence of the title hero.
Birthright #3 continues the rebirthwrite of the Superman franchise to make it more contemporary and accessible to the Smallville TV show crowd. This is a tricky proposition at best, BUT any attempt to make the comic industry’s father – Superman – an industry Top Ten book should be welcomed. More on that later.
In terms of issue 3, the art continues to deliver. Great blend of humanity and emotions with “flashbacks” (of a sort) of a familiar yet different Krypton – the natural home of Kal-el of that planet, Clark Kent of Earth, and soon-to-be Superman of the cosmos.
Dave McCaig’s colors are just breathtaking. The vibrant rich colors really add to the visual pleasure that is Superman: Birthright #3. Smallville is brushed with many earth-tone colors, which contrast the bright rich colors of Clark / Kal’s space ship (housed in the Kent barn) and the Krypton flashbacks. Also, the colors used to portray Clark’s x-ray vision (panel 2 on page 8) is just beautiful.
I won’t give much away, but I will say that writer Mark Waid spins a yarn that explains how Superman’s costume came about, as well as the creation of the unique and different Clark Kent persona and his “Superhero” persona.
There are some familiar and different moments in this issue that should, at the very least, pique readers’ collective interest.
Whether this is a reboot or an Elseworld’s tale has yet to be really clarified by DC. What we’ve heard from editor Eddie Berganza was that this is not a reboot, but that it can fit into continuity if need be. This laisse faire attitude is disrespectful to all readers, on either side of the “its sucks” and “it rocks” sides of the Birthright debate.
What has complicated things are: 1) the “Birthright”: Superman “new” Krypton was glimpsed in the recent Superman/Batman #1 vs. 2) the Superman: The Kansas Sighting two-part limited series (debuting in November) seems to feature the “old” Krypton of John Byrne’s 1986 franchise relaunch. So, readers now are to accept the editorial chaos that mars the Superman books of 2003 – Birthright alone has 3 editors – and live with two different Kryptons in one universe – neither Birthright nor The Kansas Sightings are billed as Elseworlds books, DC’s alternate universes brand.
Putting the incompetant editorial direction of the Superman franchise aside, the creative team behind Birthright should not be penalized for the lack of professionalism of DC’s editorial staff. That said, writer Mark Waid has been unfairly villified by Birthright “haters” out there. Any issues / questions should really be directed at the editors, although it is too early to condemn this series, but DC should be upfront and clean up the very apparent continuity confusion.
The continuity and editorial mess aside, Birthright #3 is a solid read with a very human tale penned by Mark Waid, gorgeous pencils by Leinil Yu, and vibrant colors by Dave McCaig. Its a nice package.
