‘Dawnbreaker’ Modernizes Superman in Ways We’ve Rarely Seen

Author: Matt de la Pena / Publisher: Random House The greatest strength of the DC Universe is having over eighty years of storytelling and world-building to lean back on for recognition and canon. That very same resume can make for a huge disadvantage when you’re trying to create a new story with these almost century-old characters. DC Icons is still taking a stab at it though with these series of YA novels, mostly showing the most iconic heroes in their super-infancy (there are novels for Batman, Catwoman and Wonder Woman, the last of which we reviewed). While there are an infinite number of Batman projects across comics, movies, tv shows, etc., the most recognizable hero in all of comics is still Superman. As any Superman writer will tell you, there’s a huge challenge in writing the most powerful comic book hero and creating real tension with an original story. Matt de la Peña manages this by stripping Kal El down to his most basic, human-like impulses, and weaves a story fitting of El family crest. Will Eventually Be Faster Than a Speeding Bullet We meet “Clark” in his senior year at Smallville High, and the struggle for him is already too real. He’s always had powers and has been aware he was different than people, but the powers themselves have started to manifest in ways that are not explainable, enough that he and the Kents know that he must hide his powers. This is a nice sweet spot to start Clark’s story. We’re past the weird and messy times of when puberty might tak…