Warning! Contains spoilers for World of Krypton #5!
The classic origin story of Superman in DC Comics has been given a much needed update. The character and his origin have been a touchstone of pop culture since his debut in the 1930s. Although some stories have expanded further on his origin, very few have made any fundamental changes to it. While this speaks to the iconic nature of his origin, it has remained largely unchanged for over 80 years so it is refreshing to see a new take on Superman's classic beginning.
Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The issue also revealed his origin with only a couple panels, but later stories elaborated on it further. Superman is from the faraway planet of Krypton, which was destroyed soon after his birth. His father Jor-El noticed the signs of the planet's imminent destruction and so decided to send his infant son Kal-El to Earth, where he would be adopted by the Kent family, who would raise him and teach him a strong moral code. From these humble origins, he would grow to become the noble bastion of justice that is Superman. While the simplicity of this origin is nice, the series World of Krypton by Robert Venditti and Michael Avon Oeming is delving deeper into the final days of Krypton before it was destroyed. And in its latest issue it revealed the true nature of Superman's origin.
In World of Krypton #5, Krypton is being ruled under the iron fist of General Zod. Zod has been mercilessly quelling any dissent against his rule and has placed Krypton under martial law. While Jor-El knows that the planet is irrevocably doomed and that he has a child on the way, he is too focused on Zod's dictatorial rule to figure out how to save his son. So while Jor confronts Zod, his wife Lara begins to search for a planet that she can send Kal to on her own.
This version of Superman’s origin fleshes out his parents much more than the original did. Each one has their own goals that they want to accomplish before their ultimate demise, with Jor focusing on improving the lives of his fellow Kryptonians during their last days and Lara focusing solely on giving her son a future. This creates a much more compelling story than previous versions of his origin have made and also gives Lara a much more pivotal role. The disconnect between Jor and Lara that is explored here may also explain why the Els didn't have enough time to send more Kryptonians to Earth alongside Kal.
This new version of Superman's origin humanizes Jor and Lara far more than the original version. It also gives Lara a much larger role in Kal's rescue, which is a refreshing change to her character's history. So, in changing the details of Superman's origin story, World of Krypton gives a lot more depth to his parents' stories and characters.