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''It's a Bird...'' is a 2004
graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
released by
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
under its mature-readers
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...
imprint. Written by Steven T. Seagle, with art by
Teddy Kristiansen Teddy Kristiansen (born 29 July 1964) is a Danish comic book artist, known for his work in mystery, horror, and dark, suspense-filled comics. He drew one chapter of " The Kindly Ones" story arc in Neil Gaiman's '' The Sandman'' series. In 2005, ...
, it is an
autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
book that chronicles Seagle's thoughts as he tries to work out a new approach in one of the world's most popular characters,
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
while dealing with the "family secret" which has come back to the forefront.


Plot

In a flashback, five year old Steven and his little brother, Dave, are in a hospital where their grandmother soon passes away. Adult Steven narrates how he always thinks about that time, what was said about his grandmother, and about what was muttered concerning the "family secret" between his parents and the doctors. He also mentions how puzzled he was when he saw the
Superman logo The Superman shield, also known as the Superman logo, Superman symbol, or Superman S, is the iconic emblem for the fictional DC Comics superhero Superman. As a representation of one of the first superheroes, it served as a template for characte ...
as one of the letters on a doctor's examination sheet. This was when he first read a
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
comic to his little brother; this would set up his path into being a comic book writer, but needless to say, he is not a fan of the Man of Steel. In the present, as Steven finishes his current comic book project, his agent calls offering him a job to write Superman. Steven refuses, because he doesn't get the character, but his agent asks him to think about it. Steven narrates one thing he doesn't get about Superman, starting with the costume: he doesn't get why would anyone would wear that, and it makes him think of a kid from his school who wore to escape his outcast life for Halloween, only to wear it in the days after and get bullied for it. He meets with his girlfriend, Lisa, who mentions his mother called her looking for him fearfully. He doesn't tell her the details after he calls her, because he is afraid to talk about the "family secret" that claimed his grandmother:
Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
. It is also what has made him afraid of having children, despite being told his father doesn't have it, so he and his brother won't. Steven discusses the idea of the outsider, someone in his words people would still notice if he or she were absent in people's everyday lives. Steven meets with his mother to which she reveals his father is missing. These recent events lead back to Steven breaking down Superman: from how flawed the concept of his invulnerability is compared to
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...
, or even the
Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...
were until they weren't; which in turn leads to the concept of the fictional
Kryptonite Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton (comics), Krypton that emits a u ...
, and then back to the real life Huntington's. Steven gets his friend Raphael to take him to his Aunt Sarah's house to search for his missing father, but the house turns out to be abandoned. Afterwards, Steven meets with then-Superman writer Joe Allen, where Joe talks to the cynical Steven the grand design of what makes Superman special, only for Steven to suddenly snap and punch him in the face. With the issue with Huntington's, his father, and hating Superman when he feels he is a fascist, a troubled Steven turns down the job to his editor. But his editor helps clear his head and gives him an extension. Steven thinks of a dream where Superman is naked and locks himself from his home, it happens again the next day but Superman is in full costume while everyone else is naked, but its much worse by comparison because his hidden self is exposed. Steven's issues affect his relationship with Lisa, and when he tries to find courage to talk to her, even imagining himself as Superman, he ends up breaking down and they take a break, leaving Steven alone. Staying in bed for days, he becomes weak until Dave finds him, when he learns of their father's disappearance. They both go out to find him, and using his credit card transactions, they find their father has been at a hospital where their Aunt Sarah is a patient. Steven already knows why before he heads to her room, and sees the grim reality of someone suffering from Huntington's. He is confronted by his angry father who then starts a fight with his own son. It is then that Steven reveals what was said back when his grandmother died: if his father and mother knew about Huntington's in their family, they weren't have had their children in the first place. And that is why Steven's father is angry, because he is ashamed that because it didn't actually skip his generation, he might've passed it onto his sons just by having them. His father stops and breaks down, to which they along with Dave hug, gaining hope that they'll have the strength to confront any obstacle. At long last, because of this, Steven finally gets Superman, and the hope the character brings to his readers and fans. Some time later, Steven has accepted and has been writing Superman. He and Lisa are back together, and things seem to be happy. The last scene is of Steven seeing two kids wondering what's in the sky, a bird or plane. He joins them and says "it's Superman".


Overview

Steve T. Seagle was the writer of the Superman title from issue #190 (April 2003) to #200 (February 2004), including ''Superman 10-Cent Adventure'' #1 from (March 2003). In an interview on ''
UGO Networks UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States. History The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online ...
'', Seagle stated that he worked as a fill-in writer until Jim Lee took over to write what later became '' Superman: For Tomorrow''. The book primarily deals with the presence of
Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
in Seagle's family, and the implications of this disease on family dynamics. It also depicts how someone with a mysterious disease in their family might respond to changes in their health or the health of their loved ones. Following that are the discussions on the apparent contradictions in the character of Superman, with one example being Superman's relationship with those he protects. Seagle makes mention of Superman's role as protector of the people, but he sees this more as an example of imposing a lifestyle on people against their will, something more akin to fascism. Other meditations on Superman include his approach to
power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...
,
justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
, alienation, and escape. This ultimately leads to the parallels between the "alien" nature of Huntington's and Superman's alien origins and impact on earth. But Seagle also depicts the need to accept something, regardless of whether we understand it or not. In the end, the book, while discussing the changing understanding of Superman and his implications in the modern world, also begins to re-imagine these implications. It advances a fresh understanding of what being "super" really means.
Teddy Kristiansen Teddy Kristiansen (born 29 July 1964) is a Danish comic book artist, known for his work in mystery, horror, and dark, suspense-filled comics. He drew one chapter of " The Kindly Ones" story arc in Neil Gaiman's '' The Sandman'' series. In 2005, ...
won an
Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...
for his work on ''It's a Bird...'' in 2005, in the category of Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior).


References


External links


''It's a Bird...'' official page
at Vertigo Comics
Interview with Steven T. Seagle
at UnderGroundOnline {{Superman publications Vertigo Comics graphic novels 2004 books Superman titles 2004 graphic novels Huntington's disease Graphic novels about diseases and disorders