From DC Universe News Section
Where to Start Reading Superman Comics
Look,up in the sky! It’s a bird
It’s a plane! No, it’s a
humongous collection of
Superman comic books! Now
that DC Universe has expanded
its digital library to over 20,000
comics, there are enough
Superman issues to fill the
Fortress of Solitude. If you’ve
always thought about reading
the Man of Steel’s adventures.
but have never known where to
start, we’ve got you covered. Here are some recommendations to get you started on your journey with the Last Son of Krypton.
The Man of Steel
THE STORY: In 1986.writer
arist John Byrne (of X-Men and
Fantastic Four fame) left Marvel
for DC and wrote and
illustrated a brand-new take on
Superman’s origin. Learn about
Clark Kent. his friends and his
enemies in the limited series
that reshaped Superman for the
Moden Age of comics.
Byrne also developed the evil
businessman persona of Lex
Luthor (conceived by
Adventures of Superman writer
Marv Wolfman), which has
become the character’s standard
interpretation, and reintroduced Jonathan and Martha Kent as living, vital presences in their son’s life. In the span of six issues, readers are given a crash course in Superman’s world as Byrne (ably assisted by inker Dick Giordano) sets up a new continuity that would defıne the character for the next two decades, including the
generation-defining “Death of
Superman” storyline.
FOR FANS OF: If you’re a fan of
the Christopher Reeve-starring
Superman movies, you’ll be
pleased to know that John
Byrne was too! Byrne took the
best elements from the Reeve
films (including Margot Kidder’s
sharp-tongued Lois Lane
in building a new mythology for
the Man of Steel
WHAT’S NEXT: lf you enjooy
John Byrne’s take on Superman
in this limited series, then check
out his run on the monthly Superman(1987) title that follovwed it. as well as
the concurrent Action Comics
(also written and illustrated by
Byrne) and Adventures of
Superman (written by Marv
Wolfman and illustrated by
Jerry Ordway).
WHERE TO FIND IT The Man of
Steel # 1-6
BONUS: TV’s Lois and Clark:
The New Adventures of
Superman ran from 1993 to
1997. Many aspects of this series, such as Clark Kent’s
persona, his parents designing
his suit and living to see him
marry Lois, and Lex Luthor’s
businessman characterization,
were inspired by the Man of
Steellimited series.
1996’s Superman: The Animated Series also took a number of its cues from Byrne.
All-Star Superman
FOR FANS OF: lf you loved the
2009 Batman & Robin series
then you’re in luck, because the
creative team of Morrison and
Quitely are behind this
masterpiece as well. Grant
Morrison’s offbeat Doom Patrol
comic inspired many of the
stories and characters in DC
Unjverse’s ljve-action Doom
Patrol series. So if you can’t get
enough of that, then you’re
going to love this
WHAT’S NEXT: lf you like writer
Grant Morrison’s take on the
Man of Steel. then check out his
run on Action Comic volume 2
(#1-18) in which he revamped
Superman for DC’s New 52
relaunch. and his celebrated run
on JLA which partners Supeman with DC’s other A-list champions,
including Batman and Wonder
Woman
WHERE TO FIND IT All-Star
Superman #1-12
BONUS: After you finish
reading the comic, check out
2011’s All-Star Superman
animated adaptation featuring
the voice of James Denton as
Superman.
Superman: Birthright
THE STORY: How did Clark
Kent go from farmboy to hero?
Award-winning writer Mark
Waid and artist Leinil F. Yu
present a fresh take on the Man
of Steel’s origin, as Clark Kent struggles to find his place
in the world while dealing with
his enemy Lex Luthor.
In Superman: Birthright writer
Mark Waid took the best pieces
from John Byrne’s 1986’s Man
of Steel limited series. and
added elements from his
encyclopedic knowledge ofthe
Silver Age while giving the
legend new relevence for the
21st century.
FOR FANS OF: If you love the
2013 Man of Steel flm. this is
the Superman origin for you.
Henry Cavill’s portrayal of
Superman’s beginnings,
including the line about S
standing for “hope” took some
of its cues from this series.
WHAT’S NEXT: If you love how
Mark Waid writes the
beginnings of Superman’s
career. be sure to check out
Kingdom Come, his tale
(illustrated by Alex Ross) of an
older Superman coming out of
retirement to fight a new
generation of villains.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Superman:
Birthright #1-12.
“For the Man Who Has Everything”
THE STORY: Wonder Woman.
Batman. and Robin arrive at the
Fortress of Solitude to celebrate
Superman’s birthday, but find
the Man of Steel in a trance.
Superman’s enemy Mongul has
trapped the Last Son of Krypton
with an alien plant known as the
Black Mercy. While under its effects, Superman imagines a
life in which Krypton never
exploded and he’s happily
married with children.
The bright fantasy, however,
soon turns dark, and Superman’s
friends struggle to free him. The
final act of this story features
one of Superman’s most
impressive battles as he
goes after Mongul with white-
hot fury… Writer Alan Moore
and artist Dave Gibbons, the
duo behind Watchmen, team up
to tell a Superman story that captivates after more than
thirty years.
FOR FANS OF: This is a great
tale for fans of DC’s Trinity
and Justice League Unlimited, as well as all who love the work of acclaimed writer Alan Moore
.
WHAT’S NEXT: If you loved the
battle between Superman and
Mongul, read DC Comics
Presents #27 to see their first
brawl. And be sure to read
Moore’s unforgettable two-part
tale of Superman’s battle in
“Whatever Happened to the
Man of Tomorrow?” (in
Superman #423 and Action
Comics #583) as well as his
Superman-Swamp Thing team-
up in DC Comics Presents #85
WHERE TO FIND IT: Superman
Annual #11
BONUS: This comic was
brilliantly adapted in the Justice
League Unlimited episode"For
The Man Who Has Everything.
Superman For All Seasons
THE STORY: Writer Jeph Loeb
and artist Tim Sale come
together to tell a Superman
story focusing on family, home,
and heroism. Set during the
early days of Superman’s career,
readers learn how Clark’s childhood in Smallville
defined the superhero he would
becone in this beautiful
coming-of-age tale.
FOR FANS OF: Fans of the liveaction Smallvilleseries will love this Norman Rockwell-esque look at Clark Kent’s early years.
If you’re a Batman fan who
enjoyed The Long Halloween or
Dark Victory, you’ll love seeing
the team of Jeph Loeb andTim
Sale reunite for an equally
gripping Superman story.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Superman/Batman #26 reunites
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale fora
tale in which Clark reminisces
about a high school friend who
died of cancer. This emotional
story was written as a tribute to
Loeb’s late son Sam. Bring some
tissues, because you may find
yourself shedding a few tears…
Sale returns to Superman’s early
days once more in the
“Kryptonite” storyline featured
in the first five issues of
2007’s Superman: Confidential
WHERE TO FINDIT: Superman
For All Seasons #1-4
Superman #1
THE STORY: Experience how
the legend began. 1939’s Superman #1 reprints the Man of Steel’s first appearance from June 1938’s Action Comics #1 along with issues #2 through 4 and new pages detailing his origins for the first time. See how writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster changed the cultural landscape and defined a genre of storytelling, as Superman meets Lois Lane and becomes a champion for the
oppressed.
FOR FANS OF: Pop culture history, Golden Age comics.and 1930s and '40s crime and adventure movies. As well as all who fight for social
justice
WHAT’S NEXT: lf Superman’s
Golden Age persona appeals to
you, check out more of his
adventures in the early years of
Action Comics, Superman, and
World’s Finest comics
WHERE TO FIND IT: Superman
(1939) # 1
BONUS: Check out animation
producer Max Fleischer’s
Superman cartoons to see how
the Golden Age Superman was
first translated to the screen
Thecartoons are from the
1940’s, but they remain among
the most beautifully animated
films of all time. and mark the
first time that Superman flew
in any medium!
Superman: American Alien
THE STORY: This Elseworlds tale (one in a long-running series of “imaginary” stories feauturing DC’s heroes) focuses on a young
Clark Kent as he tries to make
his way in a world he wasnt
born on. When he’s too human
to be a Kryptonian, but too alien
to be a human., where does that
leave him? How does a confused alien teenager grow up to become Earth’s greatest hero?
