The idea of changing the origin of Superman isn’t an original one, not by a long shot, but the new Elseworld title Superman: The Last Family Of Krypton manages to take the idea in an interesting and original direction. The basic set up is instead of Kal-El crashing on Earth alone, the entire El Family lands very deliberately in the middle of Metropolis.
Stepping from the spaceship Jor-El, Lara-El and Kal-El quickly go from space aliens to celebrities as Earth learns to cope with their new alien heroes. Ignoring the awful pun “El On Earth” that graces the front cover, the rest of the book contains exceedingly well writing.
Writer Cary Bates does a number of things here all of which raise this series above a standard change in Superman’s background. First, Bates loves the bait and switch, from the very first panel he sets you up to believe one thing when the reality is very different. He also divides all three El family members into their own stories in a believable way.
Wanting to benefit mankind, Jor-El starts a corporation to enlist the greatest minds of Earth, Lara becomes a soothsayer and media icon while Kal-El is sent to live with Jonathon and Martha Kent. How he ends up there is a meaty part of the first issue, so I won’t ruin it for you.
The Last Family Of Krypton leaves no stone unturned in rewriting the history of Superman. From the appearance of Lex Luthor to the introduction of the new monument to Krypton where the El’s live aka The Fortress Of Solitude, to even working in dialog from the original Superman film, it’s all covered. Not just covered, but woven together in a really tight storyline right up to the last page, which unveils a plot twist you don’t see coming but has the potential for both great happiness and great tragedy.
The art from Renato Arlem is terrific for one main reason; he humanizes and even sexualizes the El Family. Jor-El looks like Superman; gone are the stoic scientist versions we’ve become accustomed to. Kal-El is a nerdy kid with goofy features. It makes much more sense this kid would be an outcast in school than the all American boy that’s been the standard.
It’s Lara though who strikes the biggest change. She’s sexy here. Arlem draws her as possibly the hottest Alien MILF ever. No more flowing robes and tunics, this Lara-El shows mid-riff, wears tight pants and even gets all hot for her husband. Combining this art with the story creates an entire new identity for Superman’s past instead of just rearranging some details.
Being only the first issue of three ,DC has plenty of room to screw this up. Still unaccounted for are Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl, Brainiac, and that’s only if Bates ignores the presence of other superheroes in the story. How all of this is brought into The Last Family Of Krypton will be essential to it being a successful series. If the next two issues are as well done as the first one this might become a new classic for the Elseworld brand.
