Superman's Original Origin Story Is DC Canon Again 88 Years Later

Superman has one of the most iconic and well-known origin stories in comics, centered on the infant Kryptonian being sent from the doomed planet Krypton to Earth, where he is found and raised by the all-American, small-town couple Martha and Jonathan Kent.

However, some fans may be surprised to learn that Superman’s original origin story played out a bit differently. And now, it seems DC may be ready to reincorporate that earlier version of his mythology, albeit with a few tweaks.

When Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (1938), it was implied that the Man of Steel grew up in an orphanage. This may surprise some fans, especially given how iconic his better-known origin has become: he crash-lands in Smallville, Kansas, as a baby and is raised by Martha and Jonathan Kent on their humble farm.

That Smallville upbringing has defined Superman for decades, and nearly 88 years later, it’s hard to imagine the Man of Steel we know today having any other kind of childhood. Being raised by the Kents helped shape him into the compassionate, humble, and morally grounded hero he is known as today. However, while this version of his origin is the most iconic, it wasn’t his original one.

In his 1938 debut, Superman’s origin instead had him arriving from Krypton and being discovered by a passing motorist, who brought him to a Metropolis orphanage. He grew up there rather than on the Kent farm, eventually leaving the orphanage as an adult before becoming Superman. Now, that earlier version of his origin is returning to canon… in a slightly updated form.

DC Brings Superman’s Original and Modern-Day Origin Together

Comic Page Comes from Mark Waid’s Action Comics #1098 (2026) - Art by Skylar Patridge & Patricio Delpeche

Those following Mark Waid’s current Action Comics run will know that the series is set in the past, following a teenage Clark Kent as he adjusts to life as Superboy. Issue #1098 picks up directly after the previous installment, with Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, and Booster Gold (heroes from DC’s present day) helping Superboy search for his missing spaceship, the same vessel he arrived in as a baby, which has been stolen by the time-traveling villain Epoch.

In their search for clues, the trio of adult heroes turn to Martha and Jonathan Kent, asking them to recount how they first found Clark and anything they remember about the spacecraft, hoping a forgotten detail might help them recover it before Epoch can exploit its power.

It is during this retelling that Waid cleverly blends Superman’s earliest 1938 origin with his more modern, iconic upbringing. Jonathan explains that he and Martha were the only witnesses to Clark’s arrival, and while they knew they should have reported the spacecraft to the authorities, they couldn’t bear the thought of the government experimenting on the helpless infant, especially since they had long dreamed of having a child of their own.

Instead, Jonathan loads the craft into the back of their pickup truck and brings it home, hiding it in their barn so no one can trace it back to Clark. However, the Kents are also realistic about their situation. In a small town like Smallville, they know they can't simply keep a child without raising questions.

Faced with that reality, Jonathan and Martha decide to go through official channels. They report Clark as an abandoned child they discovered and request to legally adopt him. However, because they are not certified foster parents, child services must decide whether Clark will be placed with an approved family or allowed to remain with the Kents. CPS tells the couple that they will inform them of the decision the following morning.

Thanks to the Kents’ strong reputation in the community, their connections, and Martha's clear affection for the baby, the agency ultimately sides with them. Clark is placed with the Kents, officially making them his guardians. However, for a single night, Clark was technically in the system rather than in their care.

In that way, Waid’s story neatly reconciles two versions of Superman’s mythology: a touch of the orphanage origin, combined with the Kent upbringing, effectively merging his earliest 1938 origin with the later, more popularized version of his upbringing.

Action Comics #1098 from DC Comics is now available to read!