Superman is perhaps the most compelling lens for the human experience we have in comics. Countless creators have used the Man of Steel to explore everything from civic duty and the concept of other-ness to change in a post-industrial society. But like Smallville and Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, perhaps some of the most poignant stories take Big Blue all the way back to his origins to gain some fresh perspectives.
And now there’s another such title doing just that, Superman: The Harvests of Youth. Written and drawn by Sina Grace, the YA graphic novel is a “grounded and heartbreakingly human story about the legendary Superman as a teenager finding his place in a world filled with death and hate.” Clark finds himself with a problem that “takes more than fists and laser beams” when a death rocks the sleepy town of Smallville. While grappling with their grieve, Clark and his friends face challenges and obstacles that become “darker, more complex, and deeply insidious.” With Grace referencing one very popular 2000s show, it’s a unflinching exploration of teen life while showing us Superman’s greatest power, perpetual hope.
Superman: The Harvests of Youth is due out this week (October 3). In the lead up, Grace was kind enough to answer a few of our questions, including the book’s connection to the aforementioned Smallville series, his other favorite Superman stories, giving teens and young people important channels for grief, and how Superman operates within the YA setting.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Superman: The Harvests of Youth ?
Sina Grace: “Superman enters his cottagecore era, and it’s amazing.” I’m kidding! In a nutshell, Superman: The Harvests of Youth follows a teenage Clark Kent as he and his classmates deal with a death on-campus. While the city of Smallville tries to move on from that tragedy, more and more insidious happenings occur, and Clark really takes it upon himself to be the fix for everyone and everything.
AIPT: Say what you will, but Smallville had its moments of depth and insight into Clark Kent. Did that show come to mind/influence you at all when crafting this story? What other depictions of Clark—in TV, film, and comics —influenced you?
SG: I definitely revisited Smallville for this book, and immediately told my then-editor Diego Lopez, “I absolutely don’t want to talk about that ****ing rocket or kryptonite.” And she was like, “Great. Fantastic. Same.” I really liked how Clark’s parents were depicted and how Lex was able to weave himself in and out of the group.
The book I re-examined the most just to make sure I wasn’t retreading cuz I loved it so much was Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. There was a lot that didn’t work about the film Superman Returns, but I thought the movie did a great job of saying “this guy will always find a way to get it right.” I also revisited Superman: Birthright, because duh.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Why are some of the best stories about Clark being powerless and/or realizing his powers aren’t the only thing he has to offer?
SG: Superman is a symbol for hope, right? I feel like anytime people see that utilized as a power in and of itself, it instills the feeling that we can be our own Superman…right?
AIPT: Similarly, this story brings death to Smallville. Why is that a novel choice? And did you draw on anything specifically from your own youth?
SG: The “forever sad” guy in me was really drawn to examining Clark confronting his own (seeming) immortality in the face of unexpected death. I was in tenth grade the first time a classmate died. He jumped off a building. Then, soon after that, another classmate got stabbed to death at a party. I don’t even think I told my mom about it, I just kept that grief to me and my sketchbook. 9/11 happened when I was in high school. My teachers didn’t know what to say. I wanted to make this book to give young readers a space to deal with complicated emotions… especially young men. The only thing I had growing up at the time that made me feel seen was “The Body” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s been a long time, we need a new teenage genre grief canon!
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: How do you balance the idea of “superpowered teen” and still keep it very much grounded and deeply human?
SG: Balancing “superpowered teen” in a deeply grounded story was pretty easy, just because a lot of the book was about Clark figuring out which skills to use in what situations. His powers became almost an extension of how people can end up overdoing things when they wanna show up for people. Also, I think skipping the “learning to use my powers” montage really helped.
AIPT: Do you have to change much about Superman to fit a YA audience? I feel like he’s that perfect level of wholesome and aw shucks-ness.
SG: The thing about modern YA audiences is that they don’t like being talked down to, so the thing I had to do was push to add some rough edges to the world Superman inhabits, which brings out his “aw shucks-ness” all the more. There’s a scene where his girlfriend or somebody calls him a Labrador, and it’s not necessarily a compliment. My Lex Luthor is so world-weary for a 16-year-old. It was great to keep Clark wholesome while the darkness of the world creeps around him.
AIPT: Who are some of the supporting characters or townsfolk in this tale, and how do they relate/connect with Clark?
SG: The entire city of Smallville has a ton of flesh on its bones. Readers really get to spend time with Lana Lang, Pete Ross, Chloe Sullivan, Ma and Pa Kent, Lex Luthor, and I created two new characters for the story: Amy Buenaventura and Gil Stockwell. Amy is very much the artsy girl in high school who thrift shops and introduces guys to The Velvet Underground. Gil Stockwell is your patented “teenage dirtbag” friend who probably makes you groan a ton, but is also your number one bestie in a pinch. I really wanted to honor the friend group dynamics I had in high school, so Clark’s friends zip in and out of his orbit in very fun and specific ways. Lex doesn’t even go to high school with Clark, yet somehow he’s always around…
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: You’ve been both writer and artist before on projects. But were there any specific challenges and/or opportunities this time around?
SG: The biggest challenge I faced was just the weight of taking on a Superman book. I wasn’t too stressed out as a writer (you either have a story to tell or you don’t), but I put a lot of pressure on myself as an artist. Who knows how many chances I’m gonna get like this again, y’know? I wanted to show my DC editors how grateful I was for the opportunity. It took a while, but I just had to draw Clark’s head like 100 times before I found the version that was mine. We included a sketchbook section in the back of the book that shows some of the attempts, me even analyzing head shapes between cast members. I overdid it! At the end of the day, I feel confident that I achieved a very specific aesthetic for the book, and it’s anchored even more by Cris Peter’s excellent colors and DC Hopkins’ exquisite lettering. Everyone involved gave 110% to making this book as special as it can be.
AIPT: You’d said in an interview that this book’s “somber aesthetic” was inspired by Taylor Swift’s folklore. Are there any other direct influences?
SG: My dead friends were an influence. I had read Pete Buttiegieg’s memoir the year before writing this, so I was really into the politics of farm towns (that shows up a lot in the Lionel Luthor/Pa Kent storyline). I had two of my favorite Mariko Tamaki books (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up with Me, This One Summer) on my desk for a lot of the process. Whether a direct influence or not, I was reading a ton of Tillie Walden and Nagabe books at the time. Another thing I pulled out for inspiration was a Jake Wyatt sketchbook I bought years ago, and I had zero clue he was working on My Adventures with Superman at the same time!
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: How important is it that this book has crossover appeal to other/older audiences? Or did you really want this as YA-centric as possible?
SG: Is it weird that I think my stuff is dope and should be read by anyone who wants to read a good book? To me, the only thing that makes it YA is that the tone is earnest and there’s no “look how clever I am because I’m so over the world” vibe to the writing that you see in a lot of stuff nowadays. To bring it back to Taylor Swift’s folklore, if you’re a grownup reading this book about first loves and the first time facing grief/mortality, then you’ll get hit with somber throwback memories and start texting an old friend being like “do you remember…” To also bring it back to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I don’t think anyone nowadays tells people they’re too old to watch the show (they mainly just say “There’s some ick factor, but it still holds up.”)
AIPT: Why is this tale so important to tell now? Do you think kids need more stories suited to their interests (comics and superheroes) that also talk more plainly and openly about ideas of community and acceptance?
SG: My friend Colleen [Green] has a song called “It’s Nice to be Nice,” and that’s a phrase a camp counselor told her like 20 years ago or something. Kindness, hope, and giving space for people to reach out and say “I’m lost” — none of that has gotten easier to manage in the last few years. I keep thinking that we all need to be reminded of that phrase, and who better to impart the message than Clark Kent?
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