Birthright / Mark Waid, writer ; Leinil Francis Yu, penciler ; Gerry Alanguilan, inker ; Dave Mccaig, colorist.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From his humble beginnings in Smallville, to the excitement of big- city life in Metropolis, this book chronicles the life of Clark Kent and shows the events that transformed him into the World's Greatest Super-Hero. Ages 12+.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

Superman's origins have been imagined and reimagined over the years. Here is a new take on the character's roots. Superman: Birthright0 retells the early chapters of Superman's story, from escape as an infant from the doomed planet Krypton to arrival as reporter Clark Kent at the Daily Planet 0 and his first public exploits. Writer Waid puts his own spin on the legend, rethinking nearly every aspect of the venerable character while remaining respectful of his established history. Waid wisely integrates ideas from the popular TV series 0 Smallville but doesn't slavishly follow its innovations; for instance, a young Lex Luthor befriends Clark in high school, but unlike in the series, his sinister nature is clear even then. Waid similarly tweaks the rest of the well-known cast, from Lois Lane and Clark's other Planet 0 colleagues to Ma and Pa Kent. Ironically, though he updates the character, Waid evokes Superman's pre-World War II incarnation, whom his Depression-reared creators kept engaged in righting society's ills. Leinil Francis Yu's stylized artwork is expressively dynamic to the point of caricature, but this larger-than-life visual approach befits the retelling of a myth. --Gordon Flagg Copyright 2005 Booklist