Rating:  -
If you just like to see superheros punching things, Birthright isn't for you.
However, Of the origin/year one comics I've read, this one has a special place in my heart.
The pre-Superman experiences really capture the character, but it was about 1/3 the way through that I realized Birthright is a Superman collection must; as Clark is about to make his debut as Superman, he says to himself, "God... please don't let me look ridiculous." Clark Kent is fleshed out as a real person, not just a convenient disguise, in a way that really began with Superman: Man of Steel.
The problem with Superman is, that sometimes he's just way too much flying muscle and not enough actual thought. This Superman reacts with more than just a formidible uppercut.
Superman is a good guy because of the luck of finding loving parents and experiencing the best parts of life. He's often compared to Batman as the other side of the coin this way. Birthright really fills out why. It adds tremendously to not only a stand-alone story, but motivations that are taken for granted in many stories in Identity Crisis, the new Infinite Crisis story arc, and other stories that touch on Superman's personality.
There's action, sure, but this is what you really come away with the story with. How many stories have a superhero playing with his powers just for the sake of it, enjoying the experience of flying and sharing it with family?
If you're a fan of the show Smallville and have never read comics before, this is a good introduction; the author borrowed a lot from the young Clark Kent of the show. With some changes in the plot, it could be read as a continuation of the characters.
Rating:  -
Superman:Birthright is a great book that reimagins the origin of a great hero. Mark Waid, I think did a very good job in writing this book. Whe he said it was "a very Siegel and Shuster friendly story" he was not lying. This Superman is tougher than the average Superman but is still no Batman. He hates the evil that the person is doing and not the person. You kind of agree where he's coming from when his pushes a conspirator in a murder into an wall. Waid also writes him as a person who is concerned about people and how they see him. He wants to help the misguided people of Metropolis.
The people of Krypton are presented here in a MUCH different way than John Byrne portayed them. This Krypton exhibits pain and emotion. There is color to Waid's Krypton. There is a richness in this place that has never been seen. Also, these people mirror humans in the sense that they feel that they are the only beings with intelligence in the universe. They are also plagued by a sense of vanity and a sense of superiority but you feel bad for them because, like Jor-el said, Krypton achieved miracles and wonders no one will ever remember.
The setting that Mark Waid gave in the beginning mad so much sense when I read through it a few times. The setting is in Ghana, Africa for two issues. When I studied the history of Africa in Global History I began to understand why Waid chose to put Clark here. He put him there because, like Clark, Africa has problems with cultural identity. They have been ruled by so many people they have forgotten their true "birthright" just like Clark. He is an alien with human morals. Which heritage do you come to accept when both families love you so much. Which brings us into the costume. The costume design was very smart and the reason Jonathan kent was against it made sense. How would you feel when your adopted son from another planet, who you raised and loved like your own, left you to join his "real" family. It might seem selfish but it is the truth and Waid deals with this wonderfully.Lex luthor is also presented in a fun and sad way. It's fun because we don't see the business and the scientific Lex Luthor that much and it's sad because in this origin Lex Luthor and Clark Kent were portrayed as friends in Smallville who broke apart due to a tragic accident.
The only reason why I give this a 4 out of 5 is because the art was not great. It was good from issue 1-5 but dimmed in quality in the rest of the issues with the exception to #8 and #9.
Rating: -
I'd preferr this to be elseworlds, but i'm not complaining. I loved the story.
Rating:  -
After more than 60 years, it is time to retell the story of the origin of Superman, and this book is it. The book begins with baby Kal-El being sent from the dying planet of Krypton, and then leaps forward to young Clark Kent, a successful and respected free lance reporter. But, in dangerous situations, Clark saves the day, but finds himself the object of fear - what kind of man can do what he does?
And so, Clark arrives at a new plan, he will don a costume and fight crime in the big city of Metropolis. Getting a job as a full time reporter, Clark quickly realizes that Lex Luthor is up to something...something big. But, people don't trust Superman, and they're about to trust him a whole lot less!
OK, where do I start? I love graphic novels and have read plenty. However, this is one of the few that I did not care for. There isn't much here on young Clark - from baby to young adult with no transition.
Also, what makes Superman tick? Angst. He wants to help people, but people don't trust him, not even Lex Luthor, his old friend. He's got his holographic Kryptonian history, but he doesn't understand what it is saying. No help there.
And Lex is super powerful right out of the box. He can manufacture an invasion of Earth, with no one figuring it out? Wow! How do you top that?
Overall, I was very disappointed with this book. The illustration work is excellent, but I did not care for the story. But, though I didn't like it, it appears others did, so perhaps I simply missed something. Overall, I do not recommend this book.
Rating:  -
..but it's not, so the current 30 something superman, who has adventures in 4 books a month lives in the current day and time 2005, but this origin of a young, fresh out of college and new on the job superman also takes place during that time, see the problem?
then radical changes are made, he is now less human, more "perfect" so much he won't eat meat, he has aura vision tells him animals are alive (i knew that without special vision), his father no longer plays a part in his costume, he rejects the idea in fact.
for an origin we see little of smallville, in fact we get a two page splash, and then straight to his adventures in Africa with rebels, then to the big city.
we see a really badly plot from lex to turn people against him, the bulk of the story is here, with giant robot, hologram kryptioians, and such to scare people into thinking superman is invading, i expect more from luthor than plating a bomb on a bridge and blowing it when superman gets close to make it look like superman did it.
also strangely supermans power comes and goes as needed, a web of kryptonite is over the city, superman has no powers..yet when cornered he has super speed to get away?
or how he uses e-mail, ok sure it's modern, but if your superman, with enemies like lex luthor would you speak of secrets over something like the internet? you can fly home in seconds if you need to talk.
the book has so many problems, and to top it off the art is very poor, people have these wierd splotchs on their faces, lois is ugly.
if you are looking for an amazing origin, look no further than man of steel by john byrne, or buy the greatest superman stories ever told and check out some of the many retellings over the years, then when you read this, you will see why it fails.
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