Superman: An Origin Story

DC Super Heroes Origins

by Matthew K. Manning, Luciano Vecchio (Illustrator)

One day, an alien orphan crash-lands on Earth and is adopted by a human couple, the Kents. Many years later, that little baby becomes Superman, protector of Earth! But how did the Man of Steel go from orphan to super hero? Experience Clark Kent's incredible journey in this action-packed chapter book for early readers featuring vibrant art by DC Comics illustrators.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Superman, Fiction

49 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Matthew K. Manning is the author of over eighty books and dozens of comic books. He has written books for Scholastic, Disney Press, Abrams, Amazon, Capstone, DK Publishing, Insight Editions, Andrews/McMeel, and Running Press, dividing his time between writing original chapter book series and coffee table books. His chapter books include the six-book series Xander and the Rainbow-Barfing Unicorns (Capstone), the four-book Drone Academy series (Capstone), Backstories: Batman and Backstories: Batgirl (Scholastic), and Artemis Fowl: How to be a LEPrecon (Disney Press), released in both paperback and on Audible. Many of his books have reached best-seller status on Amazon, including DC Comics: Anatomy of a Metahuman, DC Comics Encyclopedia, and Batman: A Visual History. In addition, Manning specializes in comic books, writing for the titles Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go!, The Batman Strikes!, Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century, Justice League Adventures, Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes for DC Comics, Marvel Action: Avengers for IDW/Marvel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures and TMNT: New Animated Adventures for IDW, and the top-selling Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures for DC/IDW, nominated by the Diamond Gem Awards for comic of the year. Manning’s work has received acclaim in Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and The Washington Times. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Dorothy and his daughters Lillian and Gwendolyn.

Buy his books and support independent booksellers on Bookshop at https://bookshop.org/shop/matthewkman...

Reviews

[Will Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series of books.
Superman was the first one I checked out for the kids and it captures the character perfectly.
It tells the Superman origin based on the animated series of the 90s but you don't get overwhelmed with any of the adult themes that may make some parents cautious.
I've read it several times to my kids, even the 4 year old and they're really excited, asking questions, et cetera. That's the best part, any words they don't get are explained in the glossary at the end of the book. Great idea!

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This is where we found you,”

Superman's Origin story may be one of the most familiar among those from DC. This is a quick rendition, hitting all the high marks, and tracking his life from Krypton to Hero performing heroic acts.

Superman is a powerful immigrant and adoption story, as well as featuring a character with a strong moral compass.

I particularly liked the final discussion question as it involved the art, a reminder that art is an integral part of Comic Books and their stories.

[Qamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are so proud of you for reading "Superman: An Origin Story" by Matthew K. Manning!You discovered that using one's strength to assist others was the mark of a genuine hero. Do you still remember how Superman, although he had superpowers, employed those powers to maintain and cherish human life? Try to use this idea all day, every day in your life, always being kind and helpful using your own unique talents to everyone on earth
Love, Mom and Dad

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boys needed an introduction to the Batman and Superman stories and this was the perfect fit. They loved reading about hem and the poured over every detail after the readings were finished. Perfect for beginners to American heroes and comic books.

[Matthew Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. We love superheroes. Daniel is a big fan of Superman. But the writing is just lifeless. Feels like an unimaginative textbook. Pacing is weird.

Superhero origin stories for kids should be SO fun, and this is so not.

[Moaz Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the illustration. It’s fantastic.

[Jessica Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super fun and simple origin story for Superman! I love how short and engaging these are.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative!

[Stephen Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic way to turn superhero fans into avid readers! All of the books in this series rock!

Thank you for the loan Oil City Library!

[Paula Greenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A telling of the origin story of Superman.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuento ilustrado con el origen de Superman en versión infantil.

[LLeG84 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my fourth and fifth grade students at the first of the year. Our classroom is decorated with a Superman theme, so it was perfect for that . I also used it to discuss the meaning of origin. It's a cute book with good illustrations and a list of vocabulary words which were hi-lighted in blue.

My students and I all enjoyed it.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series of the four origin stories about Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Superman, and Batman are just fabulous. Not only are the words written in kid-friendly language and don't, but the books even include diagrams, glossaries, discussion questions, and more text features. The bold and modern illustrations are extremely appealing and inviting. Can't wait to buy this series for my library!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Stars Another nice super hero story that makes you think. I like the glossary and questions at the back!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the man of steel. Nice large text and clear, colorful & crisp illustrations.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was a fun, straightforward, non-speech bubble, way to introduce kids to Superman's back story. The questions at the end of the story were also quite good.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son loves superhero books. This was a great book for him. I cannot tell you how many times we have read this book.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute