Which Superman origin is currently canon? (Also a question about Birthright)

[Bruce Wayne]

I think as long as Johns is at DC, he will have veto power over any other version of Superman's origin, unfortunately. Just like he's the only one who gets to use the JSA.

Dude Johns doesn't have veto power over anything, but maybe JSA related stuff right now especially given most of the guys he knew in Superman editorial are gone.

[manwhohaseverything]

except that is so vague that every creator who approaches the character trying to flesh it out. That is how the desperate scientist winds up Mr. Oz, the Edison of Krypton, and a dozen other things. It's how Krypton's destruction is attributed to everything from old age to Brainiac to The Circle.

Better to nail the details down than let them turn Jor-El into a godly figure who purposefully sent his son with a mission.

That's even better..let people have the whatever the hell they want...Superman doesn't have to be confined to one thing.

"The great superman fell from the sky in a giant ball of fire..He is a being unlike any other the world has seen" cue epic music..

[Jim Kelly]

I prefer "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Jor-El shouldn't know so much. He's just smart enough to know that something bad is going to happen, but he doesn't know the when or the why.

The rocket is like a life boat. Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van put Kal-El in the rocket as a desperate act at the eleventh hour and they send the child into rough seas, not knowing what will happen to him. That there's an advanced computer memory on the rocket is not for any other reason than all computers have all kinds of memory in them. I mean the computer I'm typing this on probably has incredible applications that I've never explored. And they send Krypto with him--because all Kryptonians rely on companion animals for survival.

They send him through a warp in space, because that's the only way that he could reach anywhere safe--given that even at the speed of light he would not be able to get beyond the radiation blast and he would never reach another planet for many many years. But they don't know what's in hyper-space. So he travels through many dimensions of reality, which attracts other menaces to him when he arrives on Earth. The dimensional travel might have also impacted him and Krypto physically and psychologically.

The desperate circumstances explain why everything is so last minute. All the stories from the Weisinger era onward that have Jor-El and others figuring out stuff about Earth and what will happen to Kryptonians under other suns and having all kinds of prep at the ready simply undermines the rationale for sending Kal-El off like that.

It's also a lot more dramatic. The ticking clock increases our anxiety for the little tot. If there's all manner of plans and options in place, then there isn't really a ticking clock. Why not just put the kid in the Phantom Zone? Why not everybody go inside the Phantom Zone?

[ironman2978]

I prefer "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Jor-El shouldn't know so much. He's just smart enough to know that something bad is going to happen, but he doesn't know the when or the why.

The rocket is like a life boat. Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van put Kal-El in the rocket as a desperate act at the eleventh hour and they send the child into rough seas, not knowing what will happen to him. That there's an advanced computer memory on the rocket is not for any other reason than all computers have all kinds of memory in them. I mean the computer I'm typing this on probably has incredible applications that I've never explored. And they send Krypto with him--because all Kryptonians rely on companion animals for survival.

They send him through a warp in space, because that's the only way that he could reach anywhere safe--given that even at the speed of light he would not be able to get beyond the radiation blast and he would never reach another planet for many many years. But they don't know what's in hyper-space. So he travels through many dimensions of reality, which attracts other menaces to him when he arrives on Earth. The dimensional travel might have also impacted him and Krypto physically and psychologically.

The desperate circumstances explain why everything is so last minute. All the stories from the Weisinger era onward that have Jor-El and others figuring out stuff about Earth and what will happen to Kryptonians under other suns and having all kinds of prep at the ready simply undermines the rationale for sending Kal-El off like that.

It's also a lot more dramatic. The ticking clock increases our anxiety for the little tot. If there's all manner of plans and options in place, then there isn't really a ticking clock. Why not just put the kid in the Phantom Zone? Why not everybody go inside the Phantom Zone?

Agreed. I think that's why I prefer Birthright and New 52's take of the events. (plus it gave Lara more prominence in sending her son off instead of just being there). I prefer the race against the clock in trying to save their son and trying to find the best chances to ensure his survival as opposed to just everything is planned to the minor detail. It makes for a better story and showcases not only their bravery but their love. Not to mention it shows the Kryptonians as human as opposed to say all knowing beings sending their son to be a god inspiring good in humanity.

[manwhohaseverything]

I am not saying jor el should plan things or that clark should be sent as some savior.All i am saying is, it's inconsequential and it doesn't matter.People can choose to look at it what ever way.The bullet points allow that.Just to be clear.

[JBatmanFan05]

I prefer "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Jor-El shouldn't know so much. He's just smart enough to know that something bad is going to happen, but he doesn't know the when or the why.

The rocket is like a life boat. Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van put Kal-El in the rocket as a desperate act at the eleventh hour and they send the child into rough seas, not knowing what will happen to him. That there's an advanced computer memory on the rocket is not for any other reason than all computers have all kinds of memory in them. I mean the computer I'm typing this on probably has incredible applications that I've never explored. And they send Krypto with him--because all Kryptonians rely on companion animals for survival.

They send him through a warp in space, because that's the only way that he could reach anywhere safe--given that even at the speed of light he would not be able to get beyond the radiation blast and he would never reach another planet for many many years. But they don't know what's in hyper-space. So he travels through many dimensions of reality, which attracts other menaces to him when he arrives on Earth. The dimensional travel might have also impacted him and Krypto physically and psychologically.

The desperate circumstances explain why everything is so last minute. All the stories from the Weisinger era onward that have Jor-El and others figuring out stuff about Earth and what will happen to Kryptonians under other suns and having all kinds of prep at the ready simply undermines the rationale for sending Kal-El off like that.

It's also a lot more dramatic. The ticking clock increases our anxiety for the little tot. If there's all manner of plans and options in place, then there isn't really a ticking clock. Why not just put the kid in the Phantom Zone? Why not everybody go inside the Phantom Zone?

You make a convincing case on a lot of origin elements. We may have to nominate you as you a story contributor to the next great Superman origin telling (that will probably never be achieved, and instead we get another controversial divisive mediocre telling like Secret Origin, Birthright, Byrne's origin stories, etc).

[Prime]

They’re back because Manhattan brought them back to life

I wish they had left Morrison’s origin alone too but Johns was never going to pass up the opportunity to reassert his vision as the One True Canon. Least Waid is just taking Birthright and building his own side universe off of it.

I doubt it's gonna be canon anymore. Like it's so unbelievably boring. I rather we stick to the New 52 one. Or at least have it mixed.