Superman: Secret Origin #1 [Gary Frank Lex Luthor Cover]

(November 2009)

The Boy of Steel (Table of Contents: 1)

Superman / comic story / 40 pages (report information)

Script

Geoff Johns

Pencils

Gary Frank

Inks

Jon Sibal

Colors

Brad Anderson

Letters

Steve Wands

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]; Pete Ross; Jonathan Kent; Lana Lang; Ben Hubbard (flashback, cameo); Martha Kent; Jor-El (hologram); Lara (hologram); Lex Luthor; Lena Luthor (unnamed, cameo); General Zod (hologram); Ursa (hologram); Non (hologram); Doomsday (hologram); Kenny Braverman (cameo)

Synopsis

Young Clark plays a pick-up game of football with his young friends. Pete tackles him, but breaks his arm in the process. Clark blames himself, but later in school Pete thinks it's no big deal. Clark's x-ray vision kicks in for the first time, and he freaks out. Lana tracks him down to comfort him; she's known he's got special abilities since he stopped a thresher that almost hurt her. She gives him a kiss, which causes his heat vision to kick in for the first time, igniting a banner, and setting off the sprinklers. At home, Clark discusses with his parents what's wrong with him, and they finally take him out to the barn, and for the first time show him the rocket they found him in. When he touches it, it activates, and holograms of his real parents appear, and explain some about who he is. He tries to deny it, striking out with his fists and heat vision, finally running off, wanting to be just Clark. Lex Luthor runs off from his home, and finds a green, glowing rock in a field. Clark gets glasses made from his rocket, as that should prevent any more heat vision problems. Later he and Lana attend the county fair, where Clark meets Lex, who has a booth selling books. Lex shows Clark the green rock, but Clark collapses, causing Lex to drop it, breaking the container and cutting Lex. But then a tornado kicks up, and Lana is dragged into it. Clark runs after her, and for the first time flies after her, although uncontrollably. After they crash in a river, Lana thanks him again with a kiss. After telling his folks what happened, Ma tires of fixing his clothes, and decides to use the blankets he was found in to make a tough uniform, one that honors his other-worldly heritage. When she finishes, Clark tries it on, revealed as Superboy.

Reprints

• in Superman: Secret Origin The Deluxe Edition (DC, 2010 series) (2010 [February 2011])
• in Superman: Secret Origin (DC, 2011 series) (2010 [February 2012])
• in DC Comics Graphic Novel Collection (Eaglemoss Publications, 2015 series) #32 - Superman - Secret Origin

Keywords

green kryptonite; headship (hologram)

Indexer Notes

Story continues in the next issue. One of the signatures on Pete's cast is "Chloe S", which is likely Chloe Sullivan from the TV show Smallville. The Kryptonese text on page 17 is translated as follows: "HELLO KAL-EL", and on page 18 as "I AM JOR-EL" and "I AM YOUR FATHER" (which Jor-El repeats in English at the bottom of the page).

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