2. This issue opens up with Clark playing football with a few friends, and the readers
soon find out why he should not be doing that. Clark, who is strong as steel, accidently
breaks one of his friend’s arms when he is tackled by the boy. In the next scene we are
introduced to Clark’s crush, Lana, at their high school. After Clark accidently learns he has x-
ray vision he runs to a secluded hallway in his school. Lana chases him down and eventually
kisses him. Because of this, Clark learns that he also has heat vision and almost burns his
school down accidently. Due to all of these incidents, Clark’s parents decide it is time to
reveal his true origin to him. His parents take him out to their barn and show him the rocket
ship that Clark came to Earth on as a baby. Upon revealing it, a hologram of Clark’s birth
parents, Jor-el and Lara, appears and explain to him that his real name is Kal-el, that he is
from the planet Krypton, that everything Clark needs to know about his past is held within a
crystal that came with him to Earth, and that he is safe on Earth. Clark rejects the
information and refuses to believe that the Kent’s are not his real parents. In the next
sequence, the reader is introduced to a mysterious man who finds a random green rock in a
field. That is all the reader learns from that scene. In the next couple of scenes, Clark’s
mother makes special glasses for him to conceal his heat vision, and also accidently accesses
the history captured inside the crystal for Clark to learn about his home planet. While at
school that day, Lana invites Clark to County Fair. At the fair, Clark meets the mysterious man
from earlier and finds out that he is Lex Luther. Lex and Clark talk for a little bit and then Lex
shows Clark the green rock he found. Clark react to the rock, because it is kryptonite. At the
same time, a twister forms above and goes right through the fair ground. Clark has to save
Lana after is pulled into the sky, and to do that he quickly learns of his power to fly. Clark
rescues Lana and flies her away to safety. When he gets home, he tells his parents of the
experience, and is asked to help his mother make a suit for him to wear. The last scene of the
issue is Clark in the iconic Superman suit and he tells his parents to take a nice, long look,
because he does not plan on ever wearing it again.
3. This issue of Superman: Secret Origin, is the first of the series, and due
to that, it has a lot of establishment for the rest of the story. One of the
key themes is learning who you are, the “you” in this case is Clark Kent,
aka Superman. He learns a lot about himself in this issue pertaining
mostly to his super abilities.
4. This panel uses the idea of doing a close up on
something important. In this frame, it’s important that
Clark caught the ball, because it’s a normal activity for
boys his age. His whole life, he was not allowed to
play with the boys like that, so he doesn’t hurt them
with his super strength.
The concept of using close ups to show
important information is at work. With close
ups, it’s easy to show details and information
that could get lost in a larger picture.
5. On this page, Clark is learning his own origin, his life history. A
holographic image of his true parents explain to him that he is not
a human from Earth. He is learning about his true self.
Life histories are very important for characters so
readers can connect to them on an emotional
level, while most people can’t connect with not
being from Earth, they can relate to be different
from others.
6. In these 2 panels, it is easy to see how unsure of
himself Clark was about being able to catch the ball.
The choice of word is what is used here. The writer
made Clark stutter as if he was amazed he caught
the ball.
The choice of word is important in a comic, because that’s how
the characters communicate with themselves and the readers.
While pictures convey some meaning, most meaning comes
from the words.
7. In this panel, a different graphic style is employed.
This simplified graphic makes it easy to see how hard
Clark is trying, and that he is going to catch it. This is
helping him learn that he can be a normal boy and
play with everyone else.
The concept of using different graphic styles is something
that’s used to change up the feel of a scene. It can be used to
easily show something that might’ve been more difficult to
portray in a different style.
8. This page is a flashback to a time when Clark saved
Lana. It was the first time he realized he was
different. It was a defining moment in his life. He
learned he is “stronger than steel,” he learns that
he is super.
A defining moment in a character’s life is the
moment when they learn they are different, or
when they decided they have to use their
power for good.
9. This page shows Clark in his new super suit. He isn’t learning who is so much in this one,
but what he doesn’t want. He dislikes the suit, however it is doesn’t get damaged as
easily as normal clothes do. From later comics in the series, in general, it is obvious Clark
gets over his dislike for the suit. In this scene, however, posture is used to show how
uncomfortable Clark is in his suit.
Posture is a very simple way to convey emotion without using
words. Reader’s can tell a lot about a characters mood just by how
they are standing.
10. This scene is using facial expression to show emotion. Clark just
learned of a power he has, and just through his expression, you
can tell how scared and surprised he is.
Facial expressions are very good way to convey an emotion without
having to elaborate on it with words.
11. In this scene, Clark is running away from the family barn after being told his
where he is truly from, Krypton. He is rejecting this new information about
himself. These panels go moment to moment, showing Clark running,
tripping, and then falling. It shows how upset he is over the new information
he has learned about himself.
Moment to moment panel series’ can be
very good for elaborating on a single action
and making it more dramatic.
12. This scene comes right after Clark learns he has X-ray vision. This is a
scene to scene panel series. The first panel is in one hallway with
many people, and the second one is in a completely different hallway.
Clark feels alone and wants to isolate himself because of his powers.
Scene to scene series’ can be good for
conveying mood, or conveying different
time periods or spaces.
13. Clark has a very distinct look, a look that is completely different from
everyone else in his town. He has black hair and striking blue eyes. Due
to these features being so different from everyone around him,
including his parents, he should realize he wasn’t originally from there.
Though he may not suspect he is from a different planet all together, he
may realize he is not from Smallville.
Visual distinction helps readers decipher
between character’s easily and gives them
their own persona.
14. This page comes right after Clark, with his super strength, accidently
breaks his friend’s arm. The choice of flow shows how disappointed in
himself he is. He learns that he should not have gone against what his
parent’s told in not playing football, because the consequences could be
very bad.
Choice of flow determines how a
reader reads the book, it can show
a lot about how a scene is supposed
to be understood.
15. In this scene, Clark learns that he can normal in a different way than just playing
with the boys, he can have relationships like everyone else, too. This is showing
more of his inner life, separate from his super self.
An inner life is important for a character to have so they can be relatable. If the reader can’t
find something they connect with in a comic, they have no reason to keep reading. It reminds
the reader that the super character’s are still human/have human interests.
16. This scene portrays Clark learning about his X-ray vision
ability. The scene shows that the illustrators have a very
good sense of anatomy. Without having a good sense of
it, the scene would not be as striking as it is, for the
reader or for Clark.
Having a good sense of anatomy and the human body is important for
illustrators, because it makes the characters more human-like and
realistic.
17. This scene shows Clark learning about yet another ability of
his that he didn’t know he had. Through his body language,
you can tell how surprised he is by this new power.
Body language is an important tool for showing emotions
and attitudes without having to use words.
18. This scene is set up subject to subject and follows
after Clark almost burnt his school with his heat
vision. The reader can tell how disappointed Clark is
in himself. The scene looking down on him also
makes it feel like he is belittling himself, and that he is
not as wise as his father, who is being looked up at.
Subject to subject is a good panel series to
use, because it is very simple to
understand and it gets the message across
quickly, because it shows a conversation.
19. In this scene, Clark learns that he has the ability to fly. An action
to action series is used here to show the sequence of him
running to save Lana and then figuring out how to fly in order to
save her.
Action to action is good showing an action
that is unfolding.
20. This scene happens right after Clark uses his X-ray
vision for the first time. The choice of frame, the
wide shot showing him alone in a big hallway,
emphasizes his want to be alone and he already
feels isolated.
Choice of frame is very important, because it can establish a mood
or feel for a scene, or it can even show what is important and just
how important it is.
21. Overall, Superman: Secret Origin was a very good, clear, and
entertaining comic to read and analyze. Through the use of multiple
concepts, the makers of the series really hit the mark with telling a
story that has already been told so many times.
