Custom stories, covering the genesis and growing up of Man of Steel, are the last quite popular trend. How is this mainstream comic book legend working in the next volume in the DC Deluxe series?
An unusual concept
Thanks to writer Max Landis and a large group of talented artists, Superman: The American Alien will easily become an all-time classic in a few years’ time, successfully deconstructing Clark’s early days. The title is not intended to re-tell the entire saga – from little Kal-El’s escape from Krypton to Superman’s first battle with Lex Luthor. Instead, the reader gets seven specific stories from Clark’s life, from childhood to his first months as Superman. All the stories, although theoretically separate in terms, eventually come together to create a coherent portrait of a young man who finds his place in the world and becomes a hero.
While the best biographical works are those that focus on a specific period, they are American Aliensis an exception that proves the rule. The structure allows Landis to dive into Superman quite deeply and really explore Clark’s emotional evolution as well as his physical development. The first issue features a young boy experiencing fear and at the same time the joy of his first flight. On her way to a heroic future she meets DC icons. It is a truly unique story about growing up and maturing, allowing for a moment of reflection on ourselves and our path in this earthly valley. Clark Landis is completely human and does not lose the (basic) decency and attributes of a Kryptonian. The same is happening to young Superman’s earthly parents. Jonathan and Martha Kent’s performance is simply masterful as it explores their fears and aspirations as guardians of a superhuman child. The biggest and most bizarre thing that can make conservative DC fans upset is the relationship between Clark and Barbara Ann Minerva prior to her transformation into Cheetah. Their relationship is really successful, but sooner or later he would be doomed to failure, we know for what reasons. Sure, Wonder Woman would have flown in from another dimension, took Clark to bed … okay, but that’s another story altogether.
The treasure is in the heroes
One of the highlights of this new comic book from DC is the role of the supporting cast, especially Lois Lane, who is as fierce and determined as they should be. Jimmy Olsen’s short appearance is hilarious too, as Clark Kent takes his friends from home to the opening of Olsen’s photo gallery. the most important figure is probably Lex Luthor himself.
Lex is portrayed from the start as the one who has already accepted that there is no one in the world more powerful than him, but when Superman shows up, it tears the bald man on the inside. When there is a close interaction between these legendary icons, Lex realizes that Superman is just that, which in turn makes the owner of Lex Corp discover the need to prove to the world that their savior is a fraud. The villain is driven and determined in a way that was lacking in the main DC universe.
One of the most interesting treatments by Landis is also using Lobo in the recent story, which is the only time we see Superman in his iconic red and blue leotard battling a super-powerful villain. Lobo as an alien on Earth represents everything Superman is not and highlights the best qualities of the Man of Tomorrow.
A line like a streak in the sky
American Alien drawings are one of the best examples of what the pop culture industry has to offer, and each artist has been perfectly matched to contemplate specific moments and events in the life of a young Superman. Nick Dragotta’s childhood delight in the first issue is nothing like Jae Lee’s overwhelming mood when Clark Kent settles in Metropolis, to Francis Manapul’s inspiring looks at the city when Superman takes on the role of its protector.
New version, better therapies
What does Landis teach us about Superman? For starters, it reminds us that it’s Clark first and foremost. Unlike Batman, whose character Bruce Wayne is something made of deadly necessity, Superman’s identity is a mere facade kept for safety. Clark doesn’t seem to be worried about his loved ones as much as he cares about keeping his privacy. . Who he is on our planet – a man raised by earthly parents, a good, decent, completely devoted to the Star Banner, an American man who is greeted every day by exotic strangers from another planet – Earth. The Landis series focuses on young Clark finding the values he will protect as Superman, but must first decide why they are worth fighting for. The author presents this concept in a complex and intriguing way, such as when the fearless student Clark interviews Lex Luthor. At this point, Clark decides Luthor is hisnemesis before Superman wore the cape, all based on ideological differences alone.
The American Alien stands out as a Superman story because it recognizes the features that made the character interesting to a 1940s audience as not necessarily the same attributes that we should see in Superman in 2021. It also proves that Man of Steel is more malleable and that the quest for Kryptonian’s soul can lead to his most human history.
