A review by cjborg
Superman: Birthright by Gerry Alanguilan, Leinil Francis Yu, Mark Waid, Miles Millar, Dave McCaig, Alfred Gough

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my new favourite Superman comic. It's a perfect combination of faithful to the mythology and inventive where it has to modernise. 
For example, Clark reporting in Africa as a sort of rite-of-passage before deciding to become Superman? GENIUS. I also love the characterisation of Jonathan Kent, exploring what it would actually mean to raise someone who is essentially a god, and the responsibility that would entail. 
Also, I know Mark Waid has claimed to have not taken any inspiration from Smallville, but I can't help but feel he wouldn't have gone the way he did with the Clark and Lex relationship if Smallville hadn't come out just a couple years prior. 
I also found everything related to Jor-El and Lara to be incredibly moving, and I now consider it the definitive origin when it comes to Clark's birth parents. 
I will definitely be rereading and would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone wanting to read a Superman comic for the first time, or even someone who doesn't like the character, because I think it would change their mind.