Even if you’ve never read a Superman comic, the odds are high that you know his origin story. It seems details about the Man of Steel are ingrained in our collective psyche, from John Williams’ classic theme to the old “Faster than a speeding bullet” narration and beyond. We know all about Superman, where he came from, his tendency to get weak in the knees for Lois Lane or green rocks, the ability of a pair of spectacles to hide a superhero and so on. His origin is part of our American culture.

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Action Comics #1 (1938) - Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

However, this mythology isn’t as cut and dry as you might think. Over Superman’s 80-year history, some of the finest comics creators have explored his origin and added their own touches to his vast legacy. And the latest writer to bring his own spin to Kal-El is superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis, who’ll take the reins of the Kryptonian with Action Comics #1,000 in April and then continue in the pages of his six-issue miniseries Man of Steel starting in May. Where Bendis will take the character has yet to be fully revealed; it’s got to be a daunting task. Superman’s impact and legacy is rich, but so is Bendis’ status as a comic book visionary. But he has promised some major changes to the character’s status quo -- while staying true to the heart of what makes Superman so ubiquitous and beloved.Bendis is in some pretty good company, too. Throughout Superman’s history, multiple creators have undertaken similar challenges. Let’s take a look at a few of Superman’s origin stories from over the years…You may have heard of this one. It’s Superman’s first appearance, the most valuable comic book of all time, and the start of superhero mania in popular culture. Other than that, no big deal. While we don’t get all of the details of his story here, we do discover a few key elements. As a baby, Superman is sent to Earth from a distant planet by his scientist father (later named in 1945 in More Fun Comics #101 as Jor-El). A passing motorist discovers the infant and takes the little tyke to an orphanage, where he lifts a large chair over his head.

The Man of Steel (1986) - John Byrne

Fast forward to adulthood, where he is called Clark Kent. Once puberty takes hold, Clark discovers that he can leap an eighth of a mile, jump over 20-story buildings, lift huge weights, outrun a train, and nothing “less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin.” Way better than dealing with acne. Readers were transfixed by this modern-day Hercules.In the mid-’80s, DC had a problem: Continuity was a mess, especially Superman’s. There was no Kryptonian storygroup per se, and it became increasingly difficult to create a canonical history of the world’s most famous superhero. He was no longer Krypton’s sole survivor. Heck, he wasn’t even the only Superman -- DC had multiple Earths (hence the term “multiverse”), multiple Supermen, and a whole lot of confused readers. There were just too many cooks in the Kryptonian kitchen.Enter John Byrne. The writer and artist, arguably at the height of his post-Marvel power (where he had hugely successful runs on X-Men and Fantastic Four), was tasked with building off of the groundbreaking 12-issue miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths (April 1985-March 1986) and firmly establishing Superman’s official, canonical history. Byrne made Superman the sole survivor of his planet (no more Supergirl or Krypto), removed his escapades as Superboy (his powers don’t show up until adulthood), and also lessened his super strength and invulnerability. He was still the most powerful man in DC Comics, but could not remain in space indefinitely or lift planets.

Superman: Birthright (2003) - Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu

Perhaps of more significance were the changes to his identity as Clark Kent. Byrne made Clark the person, with Superman as the alter ego. Clark Kent’s parents didn’t die before he moved to Metropolis, and he was much more of an assertive presence. He worked out and was confident. Plus, he even had to shave via reflecting heat vision off of a mirror, because razor blades broke on his virtually impenetrable skin!Superman wasn’t the only aspect of the mythology to change. Lex Luthor experienced a radical transformation, as did kryptonite. No longer the mad scientist, Luthor became a savvy, powerful businessman who let others do his dirty work. He still hates Superman, of course, but not because of baldness (in earlier continuity, Superboy had inadvertently caused Lex to lose his hair). Superman is the only person Luthor sees as a potential rival for power, and he loathes him for it.Kryptonite is still fatal to Superman, but there is only the green color to contend with. Byrne eliminated the other types of kryptonite, and also made the element rare. There is only one large piece of it and it’s owned, naturally, by Luthor. The Man of Steel made Superman more vulnerable and relatable, while still maintaining that sense of wonder. It was his definitive origin until Superman: Birthright in 2003.Eventually, DC felt the need to revamp Superman for the new millennium and brought Mark Waid and Lenil Francis Yu into the mix. Here, Clark spends his young years in Africa as a reporter, covering a political conflict that, in some cases, is proving fatal. He experiments with his burgeoning powers in the wild, even wrestling with a lion at one point (a clever allusion to Hercules). In addition to his traditional powers, he also discovers he can see the aura that surrounds all living things. Lex Luthor exposes Superman’s alien heritage early on, even convincing the citizens of Metropolis that the Man of Steel is a threat. Lois discovers the truth, and helps Superman clear his name.

Superman: Secret Origin (2009) - Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

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The next significant event for Superman occured in DC’s Infinite Crisis. This miniseries revisited the pre-Crisis days and brought back some concepts that DC, ironically, tried to eliminate in the mid-’80s for clarity. Initially, DC was reluctant to give Superman another “definitive” origin story, but was able to use Johns and Frank’s take as a kind of greatest hits of Superman’s history across myriad mediums.This brought yet another official origin of Superman, but made things much more closely aligned with some of the traditional concepts of the character. Smallville has much more of an immediate impact (Clark plays football in high school and breaks Pete Ross’ arm, falls in love with Lana Lang, and befriends a reclusive and caustic Lex Luthor), and has adventures with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Clark resumes more of a country bumpkin persona when he first goes to Metropolis, and Lex Luthor is responsible for the creation of Metallo. Superman embraces that he is from two different worlds, as does the majority of mankind.Where will Bendis take the Man of Tomorrow next? What aspects of the character will reappear or disappear, and how will his legacy be redefined for future generations? All will be revealed when Action Comics #1,000 debuts this April.

Dan Z ( @MrZehr ) is an educator, Star Wars writer and podcaster, and is the host & co-creator of Coffee With Kenobi ( @CoffeeWthKenobi ).