What I think Birthright's strong point with this issue was that it didn't focus on the boring time that has been gone over with a toothbrush in the Byrne area - when Clark is growing up in Smallville with Pete and Lana. This was covered in two pages. Two pages. I'm sure we'll get flaskbacks or something later on, but for now I'm so happy about that. I don't CARE anymore about Clark between arriving and leaving Smallville. It's talked about so much. Instead, we get elaboration on two parts that aren't covered much with post-crisis Supes - baby Kal on Krpyton, and the time between Smallville and first appearing as Superman. What's funny is that, because of how little attention those periods have received with post-crisis Superman, it almost seems innovative, like Waid is inventing something new. Of course he's not, but he's exploring something that we don't think about usually. Thinking outside the bubble, as it were.
While reading the issue, I truly got the sense that Waid wrote this as THE ultimate Superman origin story. It's just great. Notice how, with the rocket ship going from Krypton to Earth, the "DC COMICS PRESENTS" appears betwen panels? That made me think so much of movies. And then it hit me. This would be the perfect Superman movie. That's probably how Waid originally thought it up. It combines everything that various crowds know about Superman, then makes something out of it all that is a little different, but still recognizable as Superman. It's the purest form of him, and I'd take it any day over the Byrne Superman.
