Please Note: There are no spoilers in this review. Images from the comic are used, but do not give away any plot points. Feel free to read without worry!
It’s hard not to have high expectations for anything coming from the mind of Frank Miller. The creator of Sin City, the man who revitalized Daredevil, the creator of The Dark Knight Returns and so many more incredible works it’s hard to fathom. The man is a living legend of comics, and as such, it’s only fitting that he take on the most legendary story of all, the origin of Superman.
Superman: Year One is the latest offering from a collaboration of greats: Frank Miller and John Romita Jr. You may be familiar with John Romita Jr. from, well, everything. He’s done it all with his trademark blocky style, vaguely reminiscent of both his own father and Jack Kirby, Romita Jr. has lines that cannot be mistaken and he’s only gotten better over the years.
Between the two, I was afraid to find out what was contained within Superman: Year One. Did these greats have the chops to remake the beginnings of Superman? This is also the first offering I’ve read from the new DC Black Label imprint, covering a range of adult titles in the main DC universe. The first thing I noticed is that Year One is huge. Not only was it a particularly long book, weighing in at 64 pages, but it’s also in a glossy prestige magazine format, much larger than a normal comic. While irritating to store, it turns out that this is a fantastic way to set up the book, making the visuals seem larger than life as I made my way panel by panel through the first issue.
But what’s contained therein, you ask? I’m not telling you. I’m not going to ruin this one for you, as I managed to avoid almost all the spoilers and it was damned well worth it. Instead, I’m going to describe how the book made me feel and why you should simply go read it, even at the $7.99 cover price. Frank and John have built something special with this issue. They’ve taken the origin story we all know and love, Kal-El being sent to Earth as a baby, found and raised by Ma and Pa Kent, and growing up in Smallville, Kansas, and retold it in a way that’s entirely new and fresh.
The intro covers everything you’d expect, but we see it through Kal’s eyes, his feelings, his emotional state expressed in both words and wildly compelling artwork. Upon reaching Earth (again, no spoilers, I’m only giving you what you already know), we see the beginnings of Superman in the boy from Krypton, his thoughts, feelings, lessons from the Kents, and more. But we also get a taste of that trademark Miller darkness. Frank Miller manages to imbue Superman’s story with threads of pain, suffering, and humanity in a way that’s so relatable that it’s nearly universal. This is a master class in storytelling, a book that draws you in, makes you feel what Clark is feeling, experience his life growing up in a way that I’ve never seen before. Not only that, but it feels current, with hints of our real world mixed in seamlessly.
Romita Jr.’s artwork perfectly complements the story as well. Everything is crisp and clean, some of the best lines I’ve ever seen from him. Lana, Clark, and the rest are totally recognizable, everything is clear and delineated, and every panel has a succinct and powerful purpose. Nothing is wasted. This is the sort of art I haven’t seen in years in a comic. It’s honestly hard not to gush more about how good everything looks on top of the tale itself.
Ultimately, this is only the first third of the Superman: Year One storyline, but it turns everything we knew about Superman and Clark Kent on its head in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Every character is subtly different than their previous iterations yet still unquestionably familiar. Every scene feels like it just belongs in the canon of Superman. And by the end, you’re left with an unquenchable thirst for more, a desire to see the story through to its most assuredly fulfilling conclusion. When I picked up this book, I was reticent. I thought Miller might be past his prime. Rest assured he is not. This is some of the finest work he’s ever done, and we’re only just getting started. I have absolutely no doubt that the rest of the story will be utterly spectacular as well. So go pick up a copy of Superman: Year One from your local comic book store. You won’t regret it.
This review was based on a retail copy of Superman: Year One purchased at my local comic book store, Comic 1 Books. No incentive of any kind was provided by DC Comics or their affiliates or parent company. All images are copyright DC Comics and used only for the purposes of this review.