1946- The Origin Story:
Little Superman is already in his supersuit on the front cover, ready to be sent off to a strange planet by his mother and father. Luckily he is asleep and will only have to wake up to discover that he is alone. Looking at the image of young Superman also provides a conundrum to those who know his origin story- Superman was supposed to have been a baby when he was sent off Krypton. This superman looks more like a 5 year-old, in which case the Kents are in for a super-toddler. At least he seems to be 5 and not 2, letting the Kent's skip that awkward terrible-two phase of Clark's childhood.
This comic gives more background on Superman's home planet (strange animal zoo, housewife getting maid robot), and child Superman's ship does crash on Earth; however, there is this sense of "danger-no-danger", peaceful landing for our hero as child Superman simply hops out of the spaceship, somehow, that landed softly on Earth;'s surface. The word "unharmed" is written in big, bold letters to still any fear readers may have had about the young hero's landing. readers also see how much influence the Kent's had in their adoptive son's super persona, with his supersuit being made out of the blankets he was wearing when he crashed as a child on Earth (despite the "blankets" already looking like a suit, belt and all, on the front cover).
Little Superman is already in his supersuit on the front cover, ready to be sent off to a strange planet by his mother and father. Luckily he is asleep and will only have to wake up to discover that he is alone. Looking at the image of young Superman also provides a conundrum to those who know his origin story- Superman was supposed to have been a baby when he was sent off Krypton. This superman looks more like a 5 year-old, in which case the Kents are in for a super-toddler. At least he seems to be 5 and not 2, letting the Kent's skip that awkward terrible-two phase of Clark's childhood.
This comic gives more background on Superman's home planet (strange animal zoo, housewife getting maid robot), and child Superman's ship does crash on Earth; however, there is this sense of "danger-no-danger", peaceful landing for our hero as child Superman simply hops out of the spaceship, somehow, that landed softly on Earth;'s surface. The word "unharmed" is written in big, bold letters to still any fear readers may have had about the young hero's landing. readers also see how much influence the Kent's had in their adoptive son's super persona, with his supersuit being made out of the blankets he was wearing when he crashed as a child on Earth (despite the "blankets" already looking like a suit, belt and all, on the front cover).
In this 1948 comic, readers get more details on the origin of Superman. Interestingly, the theme of "all is peaceful on Earth" is kept, with little Superman's ship landing softly on Earth's surface, with an emphasis that the child is alright (despite traveling through and falling from space in a rocket). I found the front cover most interesting however. Superman looks so upset, perhaps cause his secret has been exposed or to give him a more humanistic feel. It could also be that he has to save Earth, yet again, and has obtained a massive migraine. Either way, our superhero does not look so super.
Another fascinating, though somewhat predictable, reading is the use of science to explain Clark's unique superpowers. Clark even presents these rationalizations to his adoptive father to help the poor human understand why his 'son' is so different (but of course, different in a special-save-the-day kind of way).