Line #9 ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/158754e685970360f821a845a86a75e9.jpg]]
2	''Superman: Secret Origin'' (2009-2010) was a six-issue retelling of ComicBook/{{Superman}}'s origin as presented as canonical in the post-''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' DCU written by Creator/GeoffJohns and drawn by Gary Frank. Much like the last origin retelling tale, ''ComicBook/SupermanBirthright'', its only real differences are that ''Secret Origin'' fits in with the Johns run of ''ComicBook/ActionComics'', the ''ComicBook/NewKrypton'' storylines and Adventure Comics, and that it takes some cues from ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', though the miniseries notably reinstated Superman being the original Superboy in his youth when the previous two origin retellings went with Clark Kent not donning blue and red tights until adulthood.
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4	After being rendered non-canon by the events of the ComicBook/{{New 52}}, the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' storyline ''ComicBook/SupermanReborn'' restored this story back to continuity.
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6	!!Tropes found in this series:
7	* AbusiveParents: ComicBook/LoisLane's father General Lane and ComicBook/LexLuthor's father Lionel Luthor.
8	* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: As far as continuity was concerned beforehand, Metallo and Parasite made their debuts sometime after the Crisis. Here, they came about during the early years of Superman's career, much like their Pre-Crisis counterparts.[[note]]Although the Pre-Crisis Parasite was Raymond Maxwell Jensen.[[/note]]
9	* AdaptationOriginConnection: Pre-Crisis, John Corben was a reporter before becoming Metallo; Post-Crisis, he was a conman; here, he was in the U.S. military, serving under General Lane.
10	* AdoptionAngst: Clark is horrified when he learns that he's an alien from another planet and flees into the fields above his parent's wishes. When Jonathan manages to catch up to him, Clark says he just want to be his son. The Kents assure him that he ''is'' their son.
11	* AlmightyJanitor: Averted with [[JerkAss Rudy Jones]].
12	* AllThereInTheManual: You should have a sense of the John's run of Superman stories to fully get all the injokes and such.
13	* ArmsDealer: Luthor supplies the U.S. military (and General Lane) with weapons and scientific aid.
14	* AssholeVictim:
15	** Rudy Jones mutates into the Parasite as the result of eating a donut that had been contaminated by spilled chemical waste at [=LexCorp=]. After he had been shown to be a greedy and manipulative jackass, it's impossible to feel bad about his plight.
16	** John Corben more than earns his fate of having to become the cyborg Metallo to survive as well as his severe beating from Superman due to his lecherous and entitled behavior towards Lois Lane.
17	** By the end of the miniseries, Lex Luthor learns that everyone's stopped paying attention to him to instead praise and admire Superman, which he really has coming because of his efforts to punish every news outlet that doesn't speak of him favorably, his petty attempts at discrediting the Man of Steel and convincing everyone that he isn't to be trusted and generally being a narcissistic dirtbag and bully prone to forcing people into letting him have his way and whose humanitarian act is completely insincere.
18	* AttackItsWeakPoint: This is how Superman manages to defeat Metallo. While Metallo is a ManOfKryptonite with the powers that can easily weaken or injure Superman, his kryptonite heart is also on open display and [[spoiler: Superman takes advantage of this by flinging a sewer lid at Metallo, melting that sewer lid into hot molten liquid with his heat vision in mid-air, and once that molten metal hits Metallo, his kryptonite heart is covered up, allowing Superman to dispatch him soon after]].
19	* BackportedDevelopment: Previously, Sam Lane's hatred of aliens had developed after the events of ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'', and he got on fine with Superman before that. According to this story, he hated Kryptonians from the moment he learned they existed.
20	* BaitAndSwitchSuicide: After a nasty moment with Luthor, Superman comes up to the ''Daily Planet'' roof and finds Jimmy Olsen standing on the edge, his head down. Supes flies toward him, shouting, "Don't jump!" -- but then it turns out that Jimmy wasn't planning on jumping; he was just saying a final, depressed goodbye to Metropolis before his planned departure.
21	* BewareTheSuperman: Luthor tries to pull this in the later two issues.
22	* BittersweetEnding: Issue 2. [[spoiler:Most of Clark's friends have left him alone, except for Lana, but the Legion of Superheroes are Superman's new friends and Krypto arrives to be his companion.]]
23	* CallBack: This goes roughly hand in hand with the tales of Superman written by Geoff Johns. Also, the bit with the old lady yelling at Clark for looking to the sky is repeated with the old lady saying there's a reason to look up to the sky now with Superman around.
24	* CharacterDevelopment: The entirety of Metropolis stop being a bunch of [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] when they see Superman save them and he tells them to try ''helping'' each other instead of fighting over Luthor's lottery.
25	* ClarkKenting: As in UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age\|of Comic Books}}, Clark's glasses in this continuity [[spoiler:come from his spaceship and absorb his heat vision.]]
26	* ClarkKentOutfit: Lois lampshades this as she analyzes Clark’s whole getup, from the bad suit, the oversized glasses and the seemingly modest and bumbling nature. She then flat out asks him, “You want to be underestimated, don’t you?”
27	* ComicBookFantasyCasting:
28	** Gary Frank's Superman is ''clearly'' based on Christopher Reeve, to the point of it being a reverse InkSuitActor.
29	** The teenage Lex Luthor resembles a young Creator/JohnGlover, who played Lex's father on ''Series/{{Smallville}}.''
30	* CompositeCharacter: Lex Luthor take Dr. Emmet Vale's role in transforming John Corben into Metallo.
31	* CovertPervert: When people start asking questions about Superman after his public rescue of Lois Lane, Cat Grant has the audacity to ask Lois how "big" Superman is.
32	* CoversAlwaysLie: In the first issue, Martha and Jonathan are much younger in the interior pages than the cover. Also Clark isn't so young looking.
33	* CrazyPrepared: ComicBook/JimmyOlsen apparently carries more than one camera.
34	-->'''Soldier:''' I thought we confiscated his camera!\
35	'''Jimmy Olsen:''' A good reporter is always prepared! I have a dozen spares! ''[[BlindedByTheLight (blinds the soldiers with the camera's flash and escapes)]]''
36	* CreateYourOwnVillain: Luthor inverts this in issues 4-6, as his actions have a hand in the origins of Superman's enemies Parasite and Metallo.
37	* CrushingHandshake: Sgt. John Corben does this to Lois Lane's new co-worker to intimidate him, but considering this is Clark Kent, it doesn't work. Considering Clark easily resists the crush with a calm friendly smile really sells how outclassed Corben is.
38	* CutLexLuthorACheck: Averted and subverted. The "Luthor Lottery" as people of Metropolis call it, is where Luthor uses his wealth to change the lives of one lucky person a day. Subverted when [[spoiler:It's revealed that Luthor uses it to bribe his way from the authorities and turn Rudy Jones into Parasite solely to fight Superman.]] It's also pretty clear that the main reason Luthor does it isn't to make a difference in the lives of the people he picks, but because he clearly gets off on being worshipped and adored like some benevolent deity come to Earth to distribute blessings to the masses.
39	* DeathByOriginStory: Krypton, as always, gets blown up.
40	* DisproportionateRetribution: Luthor [[spoiler:is behind the the Daily Planet's near bankruptcy and attempts to follow through with it in the final issue when his ego is being crumbled.]]
41	* DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: Clark at the very beginning of the story. Justified seeing that his powers are just beginning to emerge.
42	* DynamicAkimbo: When Superman lets Jimmy take a photo, he initially adopts a "hands-clasped-in-front-of-him" pose, but Jimmy suggests he put his hands on his hips instead, and that's the photo the ''Planet'' ends up running.
43	* [[EvilFormerFriend Evil Former Aquaintance]]: Luthor.
44	* EyesNeverLie: Lois is able to tell the integrity of someone by looking into their eyes.
45	* FatBastard: Rudy Jones is depicted as being overweight, manipulative and greedy. Even after becoming Parasite, he has a noticeably huge gut.
46	* InsufferableGenius: Per usual, Luthor is depicted as a narcissistic prick who considers everyone not as intelligent as he is to be beneath him.
47	* InterruptedSuicide: {{Subverted\|Trope}}. See BaitAndSwitchSuicide.
48	* IOwnThisTown: Luthor has a stranglehold over Metropolis and is so used to always getting his way and being venerated by the public that it really gets to him once Superman's arrival and Lois being emboldened towards holding him accountable change that.
49	* IJustWantToBeNormal: Clark, on discovering he's not from Earth.
50	* LaserGuidedKarma: To all the post-time skip bad guys.
51	* MythologyGag:
52	** Clark's high school clothes are similar to the ones he wore in the early years of ''Smallviille''.
53	** The second issue includes modernizations of ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' stories ''ComicBook/TheLegionOfSuperHeroes'' and ''ComicBook/TheSuperDogFromKrypton'' when Superboy meets both the Legionnaires and his Kryptonian dog.
54	** In issue 3, Superman saves Lois from a falling helicopter much as in the original movie.
55	** The [=LexCorp=] remote control exoskeleton from issue 3 is a spitting image of the modern battle armor. And it's made of Metallo, a synthetic metal made by [=LexCorp=]. In turn, this is likely a reference to ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', as that series opened up with Superman fighting Corben inside Lex branded power armor. That, in turn, was likely a shout out to the first Metallo, who was a guy in a power suit. Fractal mythology gags!
56	** Dr. Emmet Vale, the original creator of the super-villain Metallo briefly appears as the inventor of the "Metallo" alloy.
57	** [[Series/{{Smallville}} Chloe Sullivan]] has a signature on [[spoiler:Pete Ross' arm cast]] early in the first issue.
58	** Images of Zod, Ursa and Non, Brainiac's ship and Doomsday appear as holograms in issue 1.
59	** Luthor and Clark go to school together, and his father is named Lionel. Also the sometimes canon story of Luthor murdering his or one of his parents is present.
60	** The very different depictions of Kryptonian clothing in the Golden and Silver Age comics, in the Christopher Reeve movies, and in Creator/JohnByrne's ''ComicBook/TheManOfSteel'' are ''all'' referenced for this origin's version of Krypton.
61	* NoEndorHolocaust: The big fights between Superman and [[spoiler:Rudy Jones (Parasite)]] in issue 4 and [[spoiler:John Corbin (Metallo)]] in issue 6. Lots of property damage ensues, including a [[spoiler:tank]] in 6... but a less-cynical Metropolis apparently agrees with Superman that [[spoiler:the Army had no business starting a firefight on the streets of Metropolis]].
62	* NoSympathy: Lana does this to Clark in issue 2 when she tries to start a relationship with him.
63	* OnlyFriend: At least in a certain area. When he's leaving after his chat with Jimmy Olsen on the roof, Superman says it would be a shame if Jimmy left town because he'd lose the only friend he's made since coming to Metropolis.
64	* OriginsEpisode: The miniseries served to establish Superman's origin as of the Post-''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' canon, notably restoring Superman's experiences as the original Superboy in his youth to continuity as well as establishing new takes on his first encounters with Lex Luthor, Metallo and the Parasite.
65	* {{Patricide}}: It is heavily implied that Luthor killed his own father.
66	* ReversePsychology: Lightning Lad diffuses Brainiac 5's arguments about the dangers of letting Superboy travel to their time by claiming no one could possibly figure out a way to ensure they could do it safely, stating it's impossible. When Brainy replies that nothing is impossible, Garth announces he's holding him to that and expects the 12th level genius to figure out a way to avoid damaging the time stream.
67	* SelfProclaimedLoveInterest: John Corben wants to ''think'' he's Lois's boyfriend, instead coming across as a StalkerWithACrush. He keeps sending her flowers which she immediately throws out, doesn't understand why she does after reexplaining they only went out ''once'', is contemptuous of her career and thinks he knows what's best for her, and grabs her when starts ignoring him. Thankfully, Lois (and Clark) refuse to accept any of his behavior.
68	* ShipperOnDeck: General Lane wants Lois to give up her career and marry John Corben, but not because he cares about her marrying a good man, but because he sees Corben as the son he never had.
69	* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Sam Lane and John Corben have no respect for Lois's career, repeatedly telling her she can't change the world as a journalist. She disagrees.
70	* SoProudOfYou: Jimmy laments to Superman of his WellDoneSonGuy status with his family, and how they didn't expect much of him when he left for Metropolis. This causes Superman to remember when he left Smallville and the exchange he had with his parents.
71	-->'''Clark Kent:''' I'll make you proud.\
72	'''Jonathan Kent:''' You already do.
73	* StayInTheKitchen: Sam Lane and John Corben both try to invoke this trope with Lois, being dismissive of her career and insisting it's in her "best wishes" to marry Corben, have kids, and settle down as an army wife. Lois is not appreciative that they won't take a hint.
74	* TimeSkip: Issue 3 takes place on Clark's first day in Metropolis after issue 2 ends with Clark still in school.
75	* TooDumbToLive: Yes, Rudy, eat a donut that just fell into a strange bio chemical. You're lucky you only got mutated horribly from doing that.
76	* TookALevelInKindness: The EstablishingCharacterMoment of Clark's arrival in Metropolis has him accidentally bump into a rude older woman who makes a confused, snide remark about his idealistic nature. [[spoiler: By the end of the last issue, another new arrival to Metropolis bumps into the same woman, who is now far nicer and polite. This is an indicator about Superman's effect on Metropolis.]]
77	* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Luthor, per usual. This story has him offer a "Luthor Lottery" were one lucky Metropolis citizen can get their dreams come true through Luthor's money.
78	* VillainousGlutton: Rudy Jones is established to have been a greedy glutton before he became the Parasite, with his EstablishingCharacterMoment having him presumably lie about skipping breakfast to manipulate Clark into giving him his lunch. Incidentally, he ends up becoming the Parasite because he ate a donut after he dropped it onto the floor and it got exposed to some spilled chemical waste, with his transformation warping his insatiable appetite into a desire to drain everyone's life energy.
79	* [[WellDoneSonGuy "Well Done, Daughter!" Gal]]: Lois has a less than desirable relationship with her father. While she honestly doesn't care if Sam approves of her career as a journalist, she still wishes he would back off and stop insisting he knows what's best for her.
80	* YouAreNotAlone: Young Clark is despondent about his powers, feeling that they isolate him. The Legion of Superheroes are quick to show that not only will he not be so alone anymore when he grows up, but he'll embody this trope for future generations of superheroes.

Context ComicBook / SupermanSecretOrigin