Alan and Rob reflect on John Byrne’s seminal 1986 “Man of Steel” miniseries, the book that changed Superman forever.
How does its fast-paced storytelling hold up? How did Byrne’s decisions affect the ensuing decades of Superman (and DC) storytelling? Was there an overemphasis on Clark’s Earth upbringing, or did it provide a necessary grounding for the character?
All these questions and more are answered, PLUS we read some very divisive fan letters and tweets on the subject!
Episode edited by Alan Burke. Thanks to Shawn Allen for our music and Aaron Price for our show logo. Show notes and social media poster Rob O’Connor designed with John Byrne’s original art.
Great episode!
For me, I think Krypton needs to have some relevance in Superman’s story, otherwise, why have him come from Krypton at all? It’s as if John Byrne was legally obligated to keep his Kryptonian origin while otherwise writing him as someone who might as well have gotten his powers any other way.
I agree that Lois & Clark/Smallville all kept that balance a bit better.
Also, I get defining Clark’s “humanity” as his compassion, generosity, etc (though I don’t think that’s unique to humans, esp in the DC universe). However, he hasn’t really lived a human experience. Humans don’t fly! We get sick. We feel pain, etc.
Smallville did a good job of showing how keeping his powers secret would keep a distance between himself and others. Yet, he also still had an idyllic upbringing because of his loving parents.