DC Unveils Depressing New Origin Story For Superman, And It's 10/10 Perfect
An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
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Sometimes, going back in time to explore the golden era of one of the most dominant figures in superhero comics illustrates just how upsettingly familiar the woes of the past century truly were. Superman has been standing as a beacon of hope, truth, and justice for just shy of 90 years since his 1938 debut and, while his specific origins may have changed over the decades, he has commonly remained the chief do-gooder poster boy of DC Comics. His ordinary alter ego, Clark Kent, has adjusted over time as well, although perhaps to a more subtle degree in some cases. The launch of Superman: The Stranger on September 2, 2026, is set to re-examine these Golden Age roots.
Superman was closer to a working-class hero in the late 1930s as compared to his phenomenal powers as commonly rendered in modern stories. The Stranger is a project by DC Black Label to turn back the clock and look at Clark Kent's revised origin story as he gets his first job at the Daily Planet. However, as writer and illustrator Wes Craig no doubt intended, this reexamination will hit home for some, as Clark finds he must start from the absolute bottom amid the economic downturn heavily inspired by the Great Depression. But as the six-issue run indicates, this will only win fans over harder as he faces corrupt elites and fights for the downtrodden who go ignored far too often.
Superman's Changed Origin Story Makes His Past Feel More Relevant Than Ever
Opening with a pitch to Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief Perry White, Superman: The Stranger #1's preview starts at a familiar place but with a significantly tweaked trajectory for Clark Kent. His application goes over decently, with Clark's influences on display and Perry even offering even-handed feedback. But instead of it turning into a job offer as a reporter, or even as a lower-rung copy boy position, Perry lays down the harsh reality: the Daily Planet just got acquired, their new owners are wanting to stage layoffs, and taking on Kent right now would incur too much of a risk. So, as a true working-class origin, Kent starts from the bottom, taking on the only position available as janitor's assistant.
It's clear that Perry saw Clark's potential at this moment, and didn't wish to show him the door too quickly, but it strongly reflects the realities faced during the 1937-1938 Recession, including spiking unemployment and layoffs. It basically means that Superman's stripped-down origins are more closely matched by additionally humble beginnings for his day job while assuming his secret identity. Not only that, but amid economic difficulties today, once again faced by journalists, this particular preview for Superman: The Stranger #1 hits home a little too hard.
These topics of acquisitions, reckless job cuts, and overqualified people settling for entry-level positions to survive, help underscore the surprising relevance of turning back the clock on Superman in this limited series. It also proves how such an icon is needed just as much today as on his first day on the job.
Clark Kent's Crusade Is A Humble One In Superman: The Stranger
Working at the Daily Planet and making ends meet by day, and fighting for a better tomorrow by night, Superman's got his work cut out for him in 1938 Art Deco Metropolis. But in a mission to fight for a better tomorrow relying only on the societal ills that can be plainly seen, Superman needs Clark Kent and the world he's breaking into. Superman fights crime, only for the same offenders to be quickly released and do more harm. The rich only continue to get richer, and they exercise their power believing themselves to be untouchable, while the people of Metropolis continue to have their problems unseen. This is where Lois Lane comes into play as a more senior reporter, who helps shine a light on the downtrodden of Metropolis, and challenge whether Superman alone is enough to tackle Metropolis' real issues.
Metropolis · Daily Planet Edition
Superman
Trivia Challenge
🌏OriginsLast son
☠VillainsKneel!
⚡PowersInvincible
🎥FilmsBelieve
💫LegacyHope
01
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
It's an interesting premise, as the synopses for Superman: The Stranger point out that Superman's work alone treats the symptoms, but not the underlying illness, that plagues Metropolis in 1938. It presents Clark Kent as an integral counterpart to Superman, doing the most good as a working-class Metropolis civilian, creating a hero everybody can get behind as he dons his cape and costume to then battle the threats everyday citizens can't handle. The Great Depression-era backdrop is more than stylized window dressing, though, as it shows the resilience of Clark Kent as he strives to do the most good possible, fighting not just for justice and order, but for all mankind.
- Movie(s)
- Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman Returns, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman, Man of Tomorrow
- TV Show(s)
- Adventures of Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, My Adventures With Superman
- Comic
- Superman (2023)
- First Film
- Superman
- Genres
- Superhero, Action
- Cast
- Christopher Reeve, David Corenswet, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Tom Welling, Tyler Hoechlin, Margot Kidder, Rachel Brosnahan, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Gene Hackman, Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Jesse Eisenberg
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.