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How did John Byrne reinvent Superman in The Man of Steel miniseries?
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Superman
Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978), directed by Richard Donner.
In 1986, writer and artist John Byrne was tasked with reinventing the Superman mythos through the six-issue miniseries The Man of Steel. This project served to modernize the character's origins and continuity following the universe-altering events of Crisis on Infinite Earths.12
Byrne’s approach effectively cleaned the slate for the character, retaining only select elements from previous incarnations while introducing significant changes:
- Lex Luthor: Byrne reimagined the character, shifting him from a traditional "superscientist" villain to a ruthless, powerful businessman.1
- The Kents: In a departure from earlier versions where they were deceased, Jonathan and Martha Kent were established as being alive, providing ongoing compassionate support to their adult son.1
Byrne’s work was part of a broader effort by DC Comics to streamline its continuity, which had become increasingly cumbersome after decades of disparate storytelling.2