Superman: Secret Origin #1

I was prepared to dismiss this book out-of-hand as unnecessary. We've had so many Superman origins over the years that I didn't care to see another, and frankly, I still think John Byrne did the best origin story with Man of Steel years ago. But as I've learned reading Blackest Night and GL, Geoff Johns has been saving the good stuff.

This story doesn't really have anything new, that we didn't know before, but Johns is so into the little details that it can't help but be fun to see how Ma Kent got the idea for the super-suit, or see how Clark Kent first got his glasses. What I enjoyed the most was seeing how unhappy Clark was with these early developments, he really did want to be a normal boy and play football and kiss girls. The ongoing relationship with Lana Lang is an interesting one. I've never been a big fan, but there is something to be said seeing the blossoming relationship of Superman's first love. I'm digging most of the story here, but I'm still not a believer that putting Lex Luthor in Smallville helps either him or Superman. There is no need to tie them together as kids (although perhaps Johns will prove me wrong on that too). I'm also pleased to see Doomsday showing up as a calamaty that struck Krypton back in the day.

Gary Frank is one of my favorite artists because of the way he draws faces. His kids have a bit of a weird face thing going on here, they look too grown up. He does better with Lana than Clark, and his Lex Luthor is mighty odd looking (probably by design though). I can't wait for more super-characters to show up. So I'm sold, I'll definitely keep an eye out for the eventual trade.

Good