SUPERMAN: Secret Origin

Linzy Borowicz

This issue opens up with Clark playing football with a few friends, and the readers soon find out why he should not be doing that. Clark, who is strong as steel, accidently breaks one of his friend’s arms when he is tackled by the boy. In the next scene we are introduced to Clark’s crush, Lana, at their high school. After Clark accidently learns he has x-ray vision he runs to a secluded hallway in his school. Lana chases him down and eventually kisses him. Because of this, Clark learns that he also has heat vision and almost burns his school down accidently. Due to all of these incidents, Clark’s parents decide it is time to reveal his true origin to him. His parents take him out to their barn and show him the rocket ship that Clark came to Earth on as a baby. Upon revealing it, a hologram of Clark’s birth parents, Jor-el and Lara, appears and explain to him that his real name is Kal-el, that he is from the planet Krypton, that everything Clark needs to know about his past is held within a crystal that came with him to Earth, and that he is safe on Earth. Clark rejects the information and refuses to believe that the Kent’s are not his real parents. In the next sequence, the reader is introduced to a mysterious man who finds a random green rock in a field. That is all the reader learns from that scene. In the next couple of scenes, Clark’s mother makes special glasses for him to conceal his heat vision, and also accidently accesses the history captured inside the crystal for Clark to learn about his home planet. While at school that day, Lana invites Clark to County Fair. At the fair, Clark meets the mysterious man from earlier and finds out that he is Lex Luther. Lex and Clark talk for a little bit and then Lex shows Clark the green rock he found. Clark react to the rock, because it is kryptonite. At the same time, a twister forms above and goes right through the fair ground. Clark has to save Lana after is pulled into the sky, and to do that he quickly learns of his power to fly. Clark rescues Lana and flies her away to safety. When he gets home, he tells his parents of the experience, and is asked to help his mother make a suit for him to wear. The last scene of the issue is Clark in the iconic Superman suit and he tells his parents to take a nice, long look, because he does not plan on ever wearing it again.

This issue of Superman: Secret Origin, is the first of the series, and due to that, it has a lot of establishment for the rest of the story. One of the key themes is learning who you are, the “you” in this case is Clark Kent, aka Superman. He learns a lot about himself in this issue pertaining mostly to his super abilities.

This panel uses the idea of doing a close up on something important. In this frame, it’s important that Clark caught the ball, because it’s a normal activity for boys his age. His whole life, he was not allowed to play with the boys like that, so he doesn’t hurt them with his super strength.

The concept of using close ups to show important information is at work. With close ups, it’s easy to show details and information that could get lost in a larger picture.

On this page, Clark is learning his own origin, his life history. A holographic image of his true parents explain to him that he is not a human from Earth. He is learning about his true self.

Life histories are very important for characters so readers can connect to them on an emotional level, while most people can’t connect with not being from Earth, they can relate to be different from others.

In these 2 panels, it is easy to see how unsure of himself Clark was about being able to catch the ball. The choice of word is what is used here. The writer made Clark stutter as if he was amazed he caught the ball.

The choice of word is important in a comic, because that’s how the characters communicate with themselves and the readers. While pictures convey some meaning, most meaning comes from the words.

In this panel, a different graphic style is employed. This simplified graphic makes it easy to see how hard Clark is trying, and that he is going to catch it. This is helping him learn that he can be a normal boy and play with everyone else.

The concept of using different graphic styles is something that’s used to change up the feel of a scene. It can be used to easily show something that might’ve been more difficult to portray in a different style.

This page is a flashback to a time when Clark saved Lana. It was the first time he realized he was different. It was a defining moment in his life. He learned he is “stronger than steel,” he learns that he is super.

A defining moment in a character’s life is the moment when they learn they are different, or when they decided they have to use their power for good.

This page shows Clark in his new super suit. He isn’t learning who is so much in this one, but what he doesn’t want. He dislikes the suit, however it is doesn’t get damaged as easily as normal clothes do. From later comics in the series, in general, it is obvious Clark gets over his dislike for the suit. In this scene, however, posture is used to show how uncomfortable Clark is in his suit.

Posture is a very simple way to convey emotion without using words. Reader’s can tell a lot about a characters mood just by how they are standing.

This scene is using facial expression to show emotion. Clark just learned of a power he has, and just through his expression, you can tell how scared and surprised he is.

Facial expressions are very good way to convey an emotion without having to elaborate on it with words.

In this scene, Clark is running away from the family barn after being told his where he is truly from, Krypton. He is rejecting this new information about himself. These panels go moment to moment, showing Clark running, tripping, and then falling. It shows how upset he is over the new information he has learned about himself.

Moment to moment panel series’ can be very good for elaborating on a single action and making it more dramatic.

This scene comes right after Clark learns he has X-ray vision. This is a scene to scene panel series. The first panel is in one hallway with many people, and the second one is in a completely different hallway. Clark feels alone and wants to isolate himself because of his powers.

Scene to scene series’ can be good for conveying mood, or conveying different time periods or spaces.

Clark has a very distinct look, a look that is completely different from everyone else in his town. He has black hair and striking blue eyes. Due to these features being so different from everyone around him, including his parents, he should realize he wasn’t originally from there. Though he may not suspect he is from a different planet all together, he may realize he is not from Smallville.

Visual distinction helps readers decipher between character’s easily and gives them their own persona.

This page comes right after Clark, with his super strength, accidently breaks his friend’s arm. The choice of flow shows how disappointed in himself he is. He learns that he should not have gone against what his parent’s told in not playing football, because the consequences could be very bad.

Choice of flow determines how a reader reads the book, it can show a lot about how a scene is supposed to be understood.

In this scene, Clark learns that he can normal in a different way than just playing with the boys, he can have relationships like everyone else, too. This is showing more of his inner life, separate from his super self.

An inner life is important for a character to have so they can be relatable. If the reader can’t find something they connect with in a comic, they have no reason to keep reading. It reminds the reader that the super character’s are still human/have human interests.

This scene portrays Clark learning about his X-ray vision ability. The scene shows that the illustrators have a very good sense of anatomy. Without having a good sense of it, the scene would not be as striking as it is, for the reader or for Clark.

Having a good sense of anatomy and the human body is important for illustrators, because it makes the characters more human-like and realistic.

This scene shows Clark learning about yet another ability of his that he didn’t know he had. Through his body language, you can tell how surprised he is by this new power.

Body language is an important tool for showing emotions and attitudes without having to use words.

This scene is set up subject to subject and follows after Clark almost burnt his school with his heat vision. The reader can tell how disappointed Clark is in himself. The scene looking down on him also makes it feel like he is belittling himself, and that he is not as wise as his father, who is being looked up at.

Subject to subject is a good panel series to use, because it is very simple to understand and it gets the message across quickly, because it shows a conversation.

In this scene, Clark learns that he has the ability to fly. An action to action series is used here to show the sequence of him running to save Lana and then figuring out how to fly in order to save her.

Action to action is good showing an action that is unfolding.

This scene happens right after Clark uses his X-ray vision for the first time. The choice of frame, the wide shot showing him alone in a big hallway, emphasizes his want to be alone and he already feels isolated.

Choice of frame is very important, because it can establish a mood or feel for a scene, or it can even show what is important and just how important it is.

Overall, Superman: Secret Origin was a very good, clear, and entertaining comic to read and analyze. Through the use of multiple concepts, the makers of the series really hit the mark with telling a story that has already been told so many times.