Books : Superman: Birthright (Graphic Novel)

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Rating:

- One of the greatest superman works of all time
This is a landmark story. It gives greater substance to the superman mythology than ever before. Kudos to Mark Waid for his though courageous and thought provoking writing,this is what comics were meant to be. Equal credit goes to Linel Yu, who i thought, was unbelieveable, the way he brings across the energy of superman and gave life to kal el`s world. I would put birthright in the top 3 graphic novels of all time, right after Frank Miller`s Batman Year One and ofcourse never to miss the greatest of all time The Dark Knight Returns. You cannot miss this one, highly recommended.

Rating:

- Very Intelligent Revamp of Superman for the 21st Century
As I wrote in my previous review for "The Kingdom", Mark Waid is THE child of the Silver Age. There is an obvious love for the imaginative, dream-like and child-like stories of heroism from the Silver Age in all of Waid's writings. That's the reason Grant Morrison credits Waid for ending the all-pervasive grim-and-gritty mood that dominated comics since the mid-1980s. "Kingdom Come" (and "The Kingdom") is very much the last word on the Silver Age. In "JLA: Year One" and "The Brave and the Bold", Waid takes us back to the Silver Age to revisit that era one more time and to be inspired once more by the heroic spirit of John Broome and Gardner Fox one more time. And if you're looking for more of that here in "Superman: Birthright", you'll be sorely disappointed...

Waid does with "Birthright" in 2003/4 what Frank Miller did with "Dark Knight Returns" in 1986. It's a statement about an icon to fit the times. And we all know that Silver Age is really in the past. We live in different times altogether. Miller told us that in the late 1980s. Waid is trying to do that for today. I can't read "Dark Knight" these days without a backward glance to 1986. In the same way, I think future readers will say that "Birthright" is really a product of the early 21st century, the post-9/11 world of camera-phones and real-time news media.

Therefore, like Miller's "Dark Knight" it shares many of its strengths - "Birthright" attempts to be the DEFINITIVE statement on "who Superman is and why he does what he does". The whole thing reads like a philosophical inquiry into the Superman-mythos and is much like an amalgamation of everything that makes Superman great (from the Siegel/Shuster activist to the Fleischer animated champion of humanity to the Mort Weisinger sci-fi Kryptonian to Christopher Reeve and, of course John Byrne's "Man of Steel" and the current "Smallville").

However, the book also share many of the flaws of "Dark Knight" - it comes off more as a definitive VERSION of the character than a true representation of the timelessness of the original myth. Like I said in the above, "Dark Knight" is so '80s and in the same way, this work is sooooo 2003/4! Also, there is also the feeling that "Birthright" at times tries too hard to be great - even at the expanse of the story!

All in all, despite its flaws, the work is noteworthy for its sharper redefinition of the young Superman trying to find his place in the universe (for can "our" world, whether it be Smallville or Metropolis, truly contain him?). It gives us a Kal-El who honors his Kryptonian heritage as much as it gives us a Clark Kent who believes in his Smallville upbringing. Much has been made about how Waid ignores established continuity as well as accusations of trying to plagiarise the "Smallville" Lex Luthor. My opinion? Sometimes a comic work comes along that's so big that it transcends "smaller" (I say that as a continuity-freak myself) things like "continuity". After all, the Superman myth is more than the comics. Heck, it's more than the movies and action figures and TV shows. It's pop-culture. It's mythology-for-the-masses. It's truth-and-justice-and-humor-and-romance. It's science fiction and the world of tomorrow. And you'll find it all here in "Superman: Birthright".

Rating:

- EXCELLENT!
This is a GREAT book! Why on EARTH are you reading REVIEWS of it? Stop reading already and BUY this book!

Go! Go NOW! ;)

Rating:

- breathtaking
I am surprised by the other, less positive reviews, because I thought this book was superb. I am not a huge Superman fan, I don't get excited by "Smallville," and in general my comic book shopping cart is mostly filled with Marvel titles, but I think this has got to be the best Superman book I have ever read. It does a little of what Jeph Loeb did in "Superman For All Seasons" and picks up the clumsily discarded torch of "Smallville" to create a beautiful, modern Superman.

The art is definitely among the most striking Superman art ever drawn, taking the best elements of manga and American comics to make a brightly colored and appealing book. For those of you familiar with "Invincible," it has a similar look except with more sheen, and more primary colors.

This Superman is certainly a different Superman, and some people will take issue with the fact that he is, among other things, a vegetarian. This discrepancy Mark Waid makes up for it by his awesome portrayal of Clark, a confident and popular guy who has to hide his talents under the false guise of a wallflower in order to maintain his secret identity. Best of all is the ending, which is poignant, ironic, and will quite possibly make you cry.

Rating:

- Somebody Save This Story
This hardcover edition of Mark Waid's SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT looks and feels beautiful but the story only simplifies the classic characters while attempting to blend in TV's Smallville. The first chapter is truly fresh with a look at how young Clark is influenced to assume a new identity and become a role model for others, but then the story's focus switches to unoriginal action & dialogue. Some character relationships are changed from the current DC history to closer resemble the popular Smallville storyline but nothing truly original is added. It should also be mentioned that the ink on the pages easily smudged from simply touching the page.
Mark Waid has previously co-written one of comics top three greatest works; KINGDOM COME. With artist Alex Ross, this future storyline features an older Superman returning to lead the Justice League against the threat of a new generation of reckless heroes. Waid and Ross no longer speak to each other because of disagreements as to who exactly was the true author of the tale. Most fans believe it is Ross with whom the story resonates more personally with his past, and after reading Birthright the differences in the quality of storytelling becomes obvious.
SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT feels more like the work of a company changing its image to please TV fans who might buy a comic instead of being what it could have which is the writer combining the best elements of all versions of Superman. For Superman's origin story I suggest reading John Byrne's MAN OF STEEL, which is beautifully drawn, has original yet logical changes, and overall is closest to what Superman means.

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