Superman: American Alien

DC Comics

Superman:  American Alien
Max Landis
2015

The Summary
"This is not a Superman comic.

"This is the story of Clark Kent, a Kansas farm boy who happens to be from another planet.  It's the story of a scared young kid with impossible powers, of a teenage delinquent with a lot to learn, of a reporter with a nose for the truth who's keeping the biggest secret the world has ever known.

"This is not the Superman you know.  Not yet."

The Good
I liked Superman:  American Alien.  It was a fun journey from Clark Kent's childhood to the increasingly competent Man of Steel.  I really enjoyed each of the stories, which portrayed a separate experience from Clark's life.  Each one was different and each one was unique, offering insight into the different events that shaped and challenged Superman.

I also thought it was interesting how more people than just the Kent family were aware of Clark's secret.  For instance, the doctor who treats Clark recognizes his unique capabilities and understands he has very different needs from the average human; likewise, the local sheriff is aware of Clark's special "talents" when he becomes entangled in a violent scuffle on the outskirts of town; and, of course, his two closest friends have always been aware of his strange powers.

Superman has always had friends and family, and he has always had a select few individuals (like Batman, for instance) who have known his secret identity.  It was interesting to see just how widely that net stretched and how community members, who were aware of Clark's origin, rallied around the family to protect him.

Personally, I'd never thought much of how Clark Kent grew up and how his family managed to mask the fact that he was an alien from the great wide world.  It took an entire community to hide the reality of his origin, including cover-ups and forged documents.  I found it fascinating to see the ways in which a small town in Kansas managed to adopt a little alien boy and make him one of their own--and what they would do to protect him.

The Bad
I'll be honest, as much as I liked American Alien, I found I preferred Superman:  Birthright by Mark Waid.  Like I said, I enjoyed American Alien, but, while I was reading, I couldn't help comparing it to Birthright...and, well, it just sort of falls short.  It's a fun book, it offers great insight into the character and history of Superman; however, I found it lacking when placed beside Waid's version of Superman's origin story.  In my books, Waid just does it better.

The Ugly
Bad things tend to happen around Superman.

I take that back.  Correction:  Superman tends to get in the middle of bad things, especially if that means he can protect someone he cares about.