Most Famous Origin Stories

Superman:

Superman comics are interesting because it brings the topic of god vs man and if he were to exist what would he be like? Clark Kent might have the powers of an indestructible god but portrays humanity while trying to play fair with all the gifts he’s been given.

Superman was born on the planet Krypton and was given the name Kal-El at birth. As a baby, his parents sent him to Earth in a small spaceship moments before Krypton was destroyed . His ship landed in the American countryside, near the town of Smallville, were he was found and adopted by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him Clark Kent. Clark developed various superhuman abilities, such as incredible strength and impervious skin. His adoptive parents advised him to use his abilities for the benefit of humanity, and he decided to fight crime as a vigilante. To protect his privacy, he changes into a colorful costume and uses the alias “Superman” when fighting crime. Clark Kent protects the city of Metropolis, where he works as a journalist for the Daily Planet.

Batman:

Batman’s origin is one of the most tragic in all of comic books, setting the stage for plenty of heroes who suffer great injustice and spend their lives seeking vengeance. As a young boy, Bruce Wayne and his parents came face-to-face with an armed mugger after leaving a movie theater through an alley. After a scuffle, the thief panicked, firing his gun twice, and killing both of Bruce’s parents.

Inheriting his parents’ immense fortune, Bruce dedicated the rest of his life to becoming the perfect weapon against crime and criminals. Traveling all over the world, Bruce studied under numerous masters of different arts, becoming the world’s greatest detective, and reaching the pinnacle of human potential. Finally finding inspiration in the terrifying silhouette of a bat, Wayne took up the mantle of the Batman, Gotham City’s Dark Knight.

With a singular dedication to preventing and avenging crimes like the one he suffered as a child and armed with an arsenal of gadgets and skills with which to do so, Batman bridged the gap between superheroes and their predecessors, pulp heroes like the Shadow and Doc Savage. Most importantly, Batman birthed the concept of the antihero, a character who does the right thing, but isn’t always the shining example that some of his colleagues are. And, while the concept of the antihero has gone to great extremes in more recent years, none of them would exist in their current form if Batman hadn’t paved the way.

Spiderman:

Peter Parker was one of the first superheroes that the comic book audience could really identify with. He struggled with social interactions, suffered from bullying, and lead an uninteresting home life with his loving aunt and uncle.

All of that changed when he was bitten by a radioactive spider while on a scientific field trip, which altered his DNA, and gave him incredible strength, the ability to cling to walls, and a very useful “spider sense” which alerts him to danger. Peter being a brilliant scientist also helped created a pair of “web-shooters,” which produce a special chemical version of a spider’s webs.

At first, Peter tried to use his powers for his own gain, competing in a televised wrestling match to earn money to help his aunt and uncle meet their financial burdens and to buy a car. After the competition owner stiffed him out of the money he earned, Peter let a thief that was stealing the owner’s money escape, refusing to help stop the robbery, even though he could have easily done so. Later, Peter discovered his uncle Ben had been murdered by a car thief. Tracking the car thief to a warehouse where he was hiding from the police, Peter discovered, to his horror, that the thief was the same one he failed to stop at the television station.

From that day on, Peter has used his powers as the Amazing Spider-Man, flying into danger and using his abilities to protect those who can’t protect themselves even when it costs him dearly. Spider-Man operates under the mantra, “With great power, there must also come great responsibility.” Spider-Man’s origin combines all of the most classic aspects of pathos, tragedy, and scientific wonder into the perfect blend for a superhero origin.