The 30 Best Superman Comics and Graphic Novels

Superman is known crossed the globe arsenic a comic publication icon, a popular civilization mainstay, and a beacon of courageousness and hope. After making his archetypal quality successful Action Comics #1 much than 85 years agone successful 1938, Superman became a popular civilization sensation and remains the archetype for each the heroes that person followed.

With David Corenswet’s Superman lighting the mode successful James Gunn’s caller DCU, we thought it was the cleanable clip to instrumentality a look astatine Superman's astir enduring tales. These are the stories that research Superman -- oregon adjacent the idea, concepts, and philosophies down Superman -- to the fullest.

You'll announcement there's nary placement of stories that prima the different members of the Super-family; these are restricted solely to stories astir the Man of Steel himself.

30. ‘Kryptonite Nevermore’

As Seen In: Superman #233-238,240-242 (1971)

“A omniscient antheral erstwhile said that ‘Power corrupts… and implicit powerfulness corrupts absolutely.’ How bash we cognize Superman volition beryllium an exception?”

Denny O’Neil whitethorn ever beryllium champion remembered for his contributions to characters similar Batman and The Question, but helium besides enjoyed a little yet influential tally connected Superman successful the ‘70s. Here, 15 years earlier John Byrne’s Superman: Man of Steel reboot, O’Neil and his collaborators (including implicit legends similar Curt Swan) archetypal acceptable astir the task of trying to rein successful Superman’s campier aspects and contiguous a comparatively much grounded instrumentality connected the Man of Steel. It each starts erstwhile a monolithic detonation some weakens Kal-El and renders the world’s proviso of Kryptonite harmless. This is besides the tally that transformed Clark Kent from newspaperman to TV reporter. If you’re funny successful speechmaking classical Superman stories but can’t truly tummy the show of Jimmy Olsen transforming into a elephantine turtle monster, this is simply a large spot to start.

Buy Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore connected Amazon.

29. Brainiac

As Seen In: Action Comics #866-870 (2009)

“Your top powerfulness isn’t being capable to alert oregon spot done walls. It’s knowing what the close happening to bash is.”

In Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Brainiac storyline, the creators mined the Silver Age for kooky concepts and turned them into a focal constituent of the Superman mythology. Here, we larn that contempt each of Superman’s battles with Brainiac successful the past, he’s ne'er travel face-to-face with the one, existent being that is Brainiac, but alternatively conscionable incarnations of him. More importantly, this arc reintroduces the bottled metropolis of Kandor to the Superman lore, which leads to the superior exploration of this tale: Superman rediscovering the civilization of his location planet, but perchance astatine the disbursal of his humanity.

Johns and Frank make a enslaved betwixt Superman and his precocious returned cousin, Supergirl, juxtaposed with a absorption connected his upbringing from the Kents. Johns angles the Brainiac communicative arsenic a rhythm of decease and rebirth, arsenic the communicative concludes with the treble whammy of the re-emergence of Kandor – which would pave the mode for the New Krypton saga – and the poignant decease of Jonathan Kent.

Buy Superman: Brainiac connected Amazon.

28. ‘The Mighty One’

As Seen In: Kamandi: The Last Boy connected Earth #29 (1975)

“Like the ‘Golden Fleece’ of ages past, the suit of ‘Mighty One’ awaits… waits for the instrumentality of its archetypal owner.”

Jack Kirby’s seminal Kamandi bid is fondly remembered for galore things, but this communicative of Superman arsenic fable successful the acold aboriginal has to beryllium 1 of the best. The archetypal introduction connected this database that focuses connected Superman arsenic an thought alternatively than a character, Kamandi #29 recovered our titular leader and his companion Ben Boxer discovering a people of precocious apes who worshipped a fable they called, you guessed it, the Mighty One.

This is, of course, Superman, who ne'er appears successful the communicative prevention for comics-within-comics benignant drawings from the ape civilization and the beingness of his suit. What Kirby explores present is the mythical facet of Superman, suggesting that, similar our ain taste myths, the Man of Steel would beryllium an inspiration adjacent successful the acold future, lone to beryllium reinterpreted for caller cultures and caller civilizations.

Buy Kamandi: The Last Boy connected Earth by Jack Kirby Vol. 2 connected Amazon.

27. ‘The Curse of Superman’

As Seen In: Action Comics #9 (2012)

“That’s it. The dotted line. You won’t regret this.”

The astir caller Superman communicative to look connected this list, Grant Morrison and Gene Ha’s Action Comics #9 departed from Morrison’s regularly scheduled Superman communicative successful DC’s New 52 reboot and spun a amazingly accusatory metaphor for the corporatization of the Superman perfect and the harsh attraction of his creators.

In this story, we’re taken to Earth 23, wherever President Superman meets a radical of dimension-hoppers that pass him of however the Superman thought they’d created was co-opted by an evil corp and watered down successful bid to person cross-market appeal. But Morrison doesn’t represent conscionable DC’s past successful a antagonistic light, helium besides makes it perfectly wide that this occupation comes from the fandom arsenic well.

The Curse of Superman is simply a metaphor for however diluted the connection of Superman tin go erstwhile held up against the conflict of income and manufacture trends. Certainly not the astir optimistic communicative connected this list, but an important 1 nonetheless.

Buy Superman by Grant Morrison Omnibus connected Amazon.

26. The Warworld Saga

As Seen In: Action Comics #1030-1046, Action Comics 2021 Annual, Action Comics 2022 Annual, Batman/Superman: Authority Special #1, Future State: Superman: House of El #1, Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1-2, Superman: Warworld Apocalypse #1 (2021-2022)

“We’ll find a way. But not astatine the outgo of your lives.”

The Warworld Saga came astatine a clip of large translation for DC, including Superman’s teenage lad Jon stepping successful for his begetter successful Metropolis. What was Kal-El himself up to? That’s a question that writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson explores successful the sprawling epic known arsenic The Warworld Saga.

The Warworld Saga is fundamentally Superman by mode of John Carter of Mars. It casts the Man of Steel arsenic a would-be savior of an enslaved alien race, forced to combat for his precise endurance successful the gladiator pits of Warworld. As overmuch a bloody phantasy saga arsenic it is simply a superhero story. The Warworld Saga tests Kal-El and challenges his rigid motivation codification successful ways fewer Superman stories ever have. That makes his eventual triumph each the much satisfying.

Buy Superman: The Warworld Saga connected Amazon.

25. Superman: Speeding Bullets

As Seen In: Superman: Speeding Bullets (1993)

“You can’t close wrongs with a fist oregon a sword, Bruce. It conscionable doesn’t enactment that way.”

One of the champion Elseworlds tales of the ‘90s, J.M. DeMatteis and Eduardo Barreto asked the question, “What if Kal-El’s rocket had landed successful Gotham City and was recovered by the Waynes?” Here, Thomas and Martha Wayne rise a young Kal-El arsenic Bruce Wayne, until Joe Chill takes their beingness 1 fateful evening successful Crime Alley. Except this time, the execution of the Waynes is what sparks the quality of Kal-El’s powers, incinerating Chill accidentally with his vigor vision.

Speeding Bullets manages to blend unneurotic galore antithetic elements of the Superman and Batman mythologies, but it yet remains a communicative astir the Man of Steel and his purity arsenic a symbol. Even erstwhile faced with these large tragedies successful Gotham City, Kal-El yet finds his mode to being a awesome of hope. Though Superman is “the Batman” for a bulk of this story, Speeding Bullets teaches america the spot of Superman’s inherent motivation compass and integrity.

Buy Elseworlds: Superman Vol. 1 connected Amazon.

24. Superman: Last Son

As Seen In: Action Comics #844-846, 851, Action Comics Annual #11 (2006)

“Who’s Batman?”

“Someone you’re not gathering until you’re sixteen.”

“Who’s Wonder Woman?”

“Someone you’re not gathering until you’re eighteen.”

In 2006, Geoff Johns took implicit Action Comics alongside his longtime mentor and the antheral liable for galore of our communal puerility memories of the Man of Steel, manager Richard Donner. Along with creator Adam Kubert, the duo reintroduced General Zod successful a mode fans of Superman: The Movie would surely appreciate.

More importantly, Last Son challenges Superman with the accomplishment of a Kryptonian lad who crashes connected Earth with mysterious origins, fundamentally putting Clark successful the presumption that his parents recovered themselves successful truthful galore years previous. Except this time, the boy’s accomplishment is nationalist cognition and is subjected to each manners of tests earlier Superman has to marque the prime betwixt what is close and what is legal, much oregon little kidnapping the lad from the clutches of the American government.

Though light-hearted successful its archetypal half, Last Son aboriginal explores the despair of the Phantom Zone (in a precise originative 3D chapter) arsenic good arsenic the bittersweet information that nary substance however overmuch Lois and Clark mightiness privation it, they’ll ne'er beryllium capable to procreate and person a household (or truthful they think). Last Son is simply a sobering portrayal of Superman’s eternal conflict to acceptable successful arsenic a quality being contempt knowing it volition ne'er beryllium possible.

Buy Superman: The Last Son Deluxe Edition connected Amazon.

23. ‘On Our Special Day’

As Seen In: Superman #654 (2006)

“You prevention millions of radical connected a regular basis, truthful if I get to prevention you erstwhile successful a while, it’s lone fair.”

Though technically the archetypal section of the epic Camelot Falls storyline, Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco’s Superman #654 is perfectly readable arsenic a self-contained communicative and is overflowing with utterly fantastic characterization. Coming disconnected his year-long hiatus, Clark is backmost astatine it arsenic Superman and struggling to marque some halves of his beingness work.

The contented is bookended by a precise peculiar day for Lois and Clark – the day of what isn’t revealed until the precise extremity – and lets america ticker arsenic Clark struggles to marque it peculiar for Lois portion being called distant perpetually by Super-matters. In the end, it’s Lois who makes the time peculiar for Clark arsenic the 2 bask a romanticist evening together. It’s a elemental idea, but the spot-on characterization of Lois and Clark and their unsocial narration is what makes this communicative truthful special; it’s intolerable not to consciousness gooey wrong by its end.

Buy Superman: Camelot Falls - The Deluxe Edition connected Amazon.

22. Superman Reborn

As Seen In: Action Comics #973-976, Superman #18-19 (2017)

“Lois and Clark, Clark and Lois. No substance what, erstwhile oregon where, it’s ever you two.”

While the New 52 epoch of Superman surely has its fans, galore chafed astatine the thought that truthful overmuch of the Man of Steel’s past was thrown retired successful favour of creating an edgier, much grounded leader who was nary longer joined to Lois Lane. DC yet relented by sidesplitting disconnected the New 52 Superman and bringing backmost the pre-Flashpoint incarnation, implicit with woman and lad successful tow. But that switcheroo created its ain problems and continuity questions, prompting DC to settee things erstwhile and for each with the Superman Beyond crossover.

Mind you, Superman Beyond is overmuch much than conscionable a Doomsday Clock prelude oregon a Band-Aid connected Superman’s convoluted history. It’s besides a rousing epic that pits Clark against 1 of his oldest and astir almighty foes, each portion reaffirming the conception that his past and his household are important elements that marque him who helium is. It’s 1 of the existent highlights of the creatively fruitful DC Rebirth era.

Buy Superman Reborn connected Amazon.

21. Superman Beyond

As Seen In: Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2 (2008)

“To beryllium continued.”

Superman Beyond was a two-issue tie-in bid to the Final Crisis event, and though it’s a cardinal facet to the wide communicative of that story, the trippy communicative successful these 2 issues is large autarkic of the main story. Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke give these 2 chapters to a meta exploration of Superman that sneaks up connected you conscionable arsenic you deliberation you’re wholly and wholly lost.

With Lois dying, Superman is offered a accidental to question to the satellite of the Monitors and get elixir from the Bleed, which volition heal her. Willing to bash thing for his love, Superman accepts and is whisked disconnected to Limbo, wherever helium meets a assortment of DC Comics characters from antithetic Earths that person been tossed distant and forgotten about.

While successful this metafictional existence, Superman learns astir the quality of his instauration and uses that cognition to triumph the day. At 1 point, helium says, “This is my crushed to be. My intent is simply to halt him.” It’s a elemental yet overwhelming idea, and 1 that Morrison uses to large lengths successful the conflict to travel successful the pages of Final Crisis, capped disconnected with a knowing wink to the scholar and a tombstone that reads only, “To beryllium continued.”

Buy Final Crisis (New Edition) connected Amazon.

20. Superman: The Man of Steel

As Seen In: The Man of Steel #1-6 (1986)

“You can’t apprehension me. I’m Lex Luthor. I’m the astir almighty antheral successful Metropolis!”

“No, you’re not, Lex. Not anymore.”

John Byrne was tasked with retelling Superman’s root for a caller procreation successful a post-Crisis connected Infinite Earths world. Gone was the Silver Age, and what Byrne did with Man of Steel was envision a acold much method and somewhat little idealistic mentation of Superman’s origin. In this incarnation, Kal-El was not yet an babe connected Krypton, alternatively encased wrong a birthing matrix that “gave birth” to him erstwhile the Kents recovered him connected Earth.

The Man of Steel mini-series goes done vignettes of cardinal moments successful the aboriginal days of Superman, from his days astatine Smallville High to his archetypal team-up with Batman (which is acold little jovial than the archetypal 1 seen successful Superman #76), his archetypal encounters with Lex Luthor and Bizarro, and his archetypal brushwood with the ghosts of his past.

The astir poignant moment, though, comes erstwhile Clark learns of the despair he’s caused his precocious schoolhouse sweetheart Lana Lang. When helium returns to Smallville a fewer years aft becoming Superman, helium learns however helium upturned her beingness by revealing his concealed to her – flying her astir the satellite successful a nighttime – and past leaving for Metropolis. “You opened a doorway for me, Clark. And past you closed it again,” she tells him. It’s this infinitesimal that makes this caller root for Superman consciousness different; thing that acceptable close successful with the evolving quality of superhero comics of the time. Superman’s travel wasn’t simplistic anymore; helium didn’t enactment connected his costume, go a hero, and person everyone emotion him. Though the satellite was amended disconnected with him successful it, it seemed it was often astatine the idiosyncratic sacrifice of those helium held beloved – himself included.

Buy Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 connected Amazon.

19. ‘22 Stories In a Single Bound’

As Seen In: Superman Adventures #41 (2000)

“To beryllium honest, I am Superman. So are you, and each the radical watching this.”

This is benignant of a cheat, we guess, considering that we’re counting this arsenic 1 story, though arsenic the sanction suggests, it’s really 22. For Mark Millar’s last contented of the comic based connected Superman: The Animated Series, helium went retired successful style, bringing aboard pencillers similar Cameron Stewart, Ty Templeton, Joe Staton, Craig Rousseau, Darwyn Cooke, and Philip Bond to archer 22 one-page stories.

Some basal retired much than others, of course, but arsenic a corporate whole, it’s astatine erstwhile a superb exploration of confined sequential storytelling arsenic good arsenic a singular portrayal of Superman and his immense formed of characters. It’s an homage to the Sunday paper strips of aged portion doing thing bold with the modern format of a monthly periodical comic. Plus, it’s got Clark Kent admitting connected unrecorded tv that he’s Superman earlier helium spins it into a clever (and inspirational) line.

Buy Superman Adventures Compendium One connected Amazon.

18. Superman: Secret Origin

As Seen In: Superman: Secret Origin #1-6 (2009)

“I privation you to halt looking for a large savior. Lex Luthor isn’t it. I’m not it. You are. All of you are.”

You’ll announcement a large galore tellings of Superman’s root communicative connected this list. Perhaps re-imagined much than immoderate different superhero root tale, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank revamped Superman’s root successful a mode that paid afloat homage to the Silver Age concepts that had been mislaid successful John Byrne’s Man of Steel revamp, successful summation to incorporating the undying admiration of Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie. Not lone does Frank gully Supes to beryllium a spitting representation of Christopher Reeve, but you’ll find much than a fewer Easter eggs that play to immoderate iconic moments from that film, albeit with caller twists.

But astir importantly, Secret Origin brings a realism to Clark’s developmental years that we’d ne'er truly seen successful the comics before, watching him make his powers, autumn successful love, go an outcast, and later, an icon. It’s not truthful overmuch that Secret Origin explores caller ideas – though it does recast the Daily Planet successful the realistic modern relation of a fledgling paper propped up by Superman’s quality – but it’s the celebratory tone with which the worldly is handled that makes it specified a joyousness to read.

The creators deed galore acquainted beats, but each is done with capable freshness, ocular panache, and clever quality moments that it ne'er feels stale.

Buy Superman: Secret Origin (New Edition) connected Amazon.

17. ‘The Mightiest Team connected Earth’

As Seen In: Superman #76 (1952)

“I’ll conscionable unbend and hide crime, for a change!”

Certainly not the astir breathtaking escapade that Superman and Batman person ever shared, but this communicative by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan does person the favoritism of being the first. And, wrong a substance of 12 pages, the 2 characters go bros for life. There’s goofy amusive to beryllium had present arsenic Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are randomly assigned to beryllium roommates connected the aforesaid abrogation cruise, lone to person a jewel thief ruin their relaxation. The amusive begins erstwhile the brace person to fig retired however to alteration into their superhero change egos with the different 1 successful the room, yet unveiling their secrets to 1 another.

The blossoming bromance comes to fruition erstwhile the caller buds screen for 1 different successful bid to support their existent identities a secret. It’s hard to judge that it took implicit a decennary aft their debuts for Superman and Batman to officially squad up successful a comic publication (and 2 years until they would again), but the humanities value of this communicative is notable. Plus, it’s 1 of the earliest Swan-illustrated Superman tales.

Buy Batman & Superman World’s Finest: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1 connected Amazon.

16. ‘Must There Be a Superman?’

As Seen In: Superman #247 (1972)

“You’ll ne'er lick the occupation by handing it implicit to idiosyncratic else.”

This classical communicative by Elliot Maggin and Curt Swan is little notable for its characterization of Superman than it is for the absorbing questions it poses. The rubric of the story, successful fact, is simply a beauteous bully summation of what this communicative is about. On a ngo successful space, Superman encounters the Guardians of the Universe connected Oa, who suggest to him that his involution successful quality civilization is impeding humanity’s advancement arsenic a species. That we are becoming excessively reliant connected him to fend for ourselves.

Superman ponders this thought connected the mode backmost to Earth, and arrives a somewhat changed man. He makes it a constituent to assistance others successful request but fto them bash astir of the dense lifting – some physically and emotionally – themselves. In fact, Superman comes disconnected similar benignant of a jerk, but the philosophical halfway of the communicative is sound. This is simply a communicative that paved the mode for stories similar Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and Kingdom Come; stories that research the thought of superheroes arsenic a detriment to nine alternatively than a boon. But astir importantly, this reinforces the aspirational quality of Superman; his quality to animate america to beryllium our best, not his quality to lick our problems for us, adjacent though helium easy could.

Buy Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years connected Amazon.

15. ‘The Race Between Superman and Flash’

As Seen In: Superman #199 (1967)

“We broke the portion simultaneously, conscionable arsenic we planned!”

The age-old question: who is faster, Superman oregon the Flash? Superman #199 yet tackled that head-on successful this oft-replicated communicative successful which the Man of Steel and the Scarlet Speedster spell head-to-head successful a affable contention to rise wealth for nations successful need. Naturally, that cowardly batch of criminals is trying to marque a speedy subordinate connected the result arsenic well.

What ensues is conscionable axenic joy; a amusive contention that features predominant stops to assistance retired citizens successful request and goofy plots by the atrocious guys to effort and sway the contention successful their favor. In the end, this is simply a Silver Age masterpiece that is conscionable plain aged fun.

Spoiler, though: it’s a tie.

Buy The Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years connected Amazon.

14. ‘The Origin of Superman’

As Seen In: Superman #53 (1948)

“No, my husband. My spot is with you. But our son… fto him person his accidental astatine life.”

Looking backmost connected the past of Superman, it’s casual to hide that the root communicative presented successful Action Comics #1 isn’t the root communicative that everyone – adjacent radical that don’t work comics – cognize truthful well. Though the basal elements were successful Action #1, it was this contented that expounded upon them. Most of the details that we cognize arsenic the definitive root travel from Superman #53 – 10 years aft his debut.

Written by Bill Finger with creation by Wayne Boring, Superman #53 introduces Jor-L and Lora (who would yet germinate to the Jor-El and Lara we cognize today), an exploration of the satellite Krypton, and adjacent the Kents (also appearing nether antithetic names, John and Mary) uncovering the orphaned Kal-L and raising him connected a farm.

Previously, each that was known astir Superman’s aboriginal days was that helium was placed successful an orphanage, grew up, discovered his powers, and became Superman. Though the Kents had appeared earlier this issue, Finger and Boring made them a important portion of Superman’s upbringing and, successful doing so, enactment the finishing interaction connected the astir enduring superhero root communicative of each time.

Buy Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years connected Amazon.

13. ‘Up, Up, and Away’

As Seen In: Superman #650-653, Action Comics #837-840 (2006)

“I’ll ever beryllium there. Always. It’s not astir the powers, not astir the cape. It’s astir lasting up for justice. For truth.”

Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, Pete Woods, and Renato Guedes had the favoritism of handling Clark Kent successful the aftermath of the monolithic Infinite Crisis event, wherein each of DC’s main titles jumped up 1 twelvemonth successful clip and saw immoderate tremendous changes. For Superman, arsenic we’d observe successful Up, Up, and Away, that alteration was the nonaccomplishment of his powers.

When we drawback up with Clark, we spot however large his beingness has become; however his matrimony and friendships person go much fruitful and his vocation arsenic a writer much fulfilling. For the archetypal clip successful his life, Perry White isn't screaming astatine him for being a flake. The different broadside of the coin is that, of course, Superman is simply a portion of Clark arsenic well, and we get to bask the complexities that travel on with losing the powerfulness you’ve grown accustomed to having. But arsenic his powers (and Lex Luther) commencement to return, we get to ticker Clark not lone travel to grips with losing the normalcy of his powerless life, but besides recognize what it means to beryllium Superman.

The communicative is peculiarly adept astatine showcasing the thought that Superman is acold much than conscionable his powers, arsenic we ticker Clark instrumentality it to the likes of Luther and Intergang utilizing small much than his investigative journalism skills. Plus, the communicative reinforces the spot of Lois and Clark’s matrimony successful 1 beauteous country wherever Lois realizes that his powers person returned, and it’s clip for her to springiness her hubby backmost to the city. In all, Up, Up, and Away is 1 of the astir rewarding Superman stories successful the past 10 years.

Buy Superman: Up, Up, and Away connected Amazon.

12. It’s a Bird…

As Seen In: It's a Bird... Original Graphic Novel (2004)

“That’s what Superman is each about. To punctual america that we person hurdles, but arsenic agelong arsenic we support jumping them, we’re successful the race.”

Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen’s It’s a Bird… is the publication to manus to that person who doesn’t “get” Superman. That person who finds him unrelatable, old-fashioned, oregon bland. This semi-autobiographical graphic caller fixates connected Seagle himself arsenic a narrator who is handed the accidental to constitute the world’s astir iconic superhero successful the Man of Steel. Cynical, overly logical, and oftentimes downright unlikable, Steven copes with his puerility memories portion trying to reconcile the existent satellite helium lives successful with the illogical heroism of a quality similar Superman.

It’s a Bird… is simply a idiosyncratic travel for Steven that deals with his terrible idiosyncratic and nonrecreational shortcomings. But getting done each of those hardships portion struggling to find an space connected Superman – a quality helium admits to having nary affinity for oregon adjacent knowing – we get to ticker his knowing of the quality blossom done thoughtful, experimental musings and from the consequences of the real-life situations he’s dealing with. This is simply a publication that deals straight with galore of the modern criticisms of Superman successful an insightful and inspiring way.

Buy It’s a Bird (New Edition) connected Amazon.

11. The Death and Return of Superman

As Seen In: Man of Steel #17-26, Superman #73-82, Adventures of Superman #496-505, Action Comics #683-692, Justice League of America #69-70, The Legacy of Superman #1, Green Lantern #46 (1992-93)

"They raised him to beryllium a hero... to cognize the worth of sacrifice. To cognize the worth of life."

The sum full of this communicative is much awesome than its idiosyncratic parts. Though frowned upon by immoderate arsenic an illustration of the problems of the comic publication manufacture successful the ‘90s, the information is that Superman’s decease was an epic lawsuit some wrong and extracurricular of comic books. The communicative of his decease itself is really beauteous weak; Doomsday shows up retired of nowhere, fights with Superman, and they termination each different (but astatine slightest the creation is damn nice). But it’s what was done with Superman’s lack that allows the communicative to basal arsenic 1 of the astir influential.

Both successful the beingness and extracurricular of it, DC toyed with the thought of a civilization that had travel to instrumentality the Man of Steel for granted. This was a clip erstwhile heroes were getting darker and much utmost successful their methods, and the benignant of the epoch didn’t look to let for a quality similar Superman to support his relevance. By removing Superman from the equation, we – and the characters successful the DCU – learned however important Superman was arsenic an icon, and his instrumentality was each the much impactful. Plus, the Reign of the Supermen information of the full saga, successful which 4 antithetic entities amusement up successful Metropolis claiming to beryllium the one, existent Superman (none of them are), was a large enigma thrust to take.

You tin scoff astatine its polybagged gimmickry oregon the returned Superman’s mullet hairdo, but the information is that this storyline brought the existent and fictional universes unneurotic successful a stirring realization of conscionable however overmuch Superman means to our culture.

Buy Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Compendium connected Amazon.

10. The Last Days of Lex Luthor

As Seen In: Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #1-3 (2023)

“There’s that signature Superman compassion! The full world’s going to beryllium dancing successful the streets astatine this news, but not you. And that… that is what I’m banking on.”

DC’s Black Label enactment is dedicated to telling standalone stories astir DC’s iconic heroes escaped from the constraints of the publisher’s halfway continuity. The Last Days of Lex Luthor takes vantage of that information by presenting a script wherein Superman’s top foe indispensable grapple with his ain mortality. Faced with nary different option, Luthor demands that Superman find a cure for his terminal condition. And to the daze of the satellite astatine large, Superman agrees.

Not dissimilar All-Star Superman, The Last Days of Lex Luthor is acceptable successful an absorbing mentation of the DCU that’s some thoroughly modern and inclusive of Superman’s campier Silver Age trappings. Most importantly, it acknowledges the thought that Lex and Clark were puerility friends successful Smallville earlier becoming bitter enemies arsenic adults. It uses that to archer an engaging communicative astir their analyzable dynamic and research the depths to which Superman volition spell to prevention adjacent the worst of us. Writer Mark Waid and creator Bryan Hitch person worked with Superman successful different times and places, but The Last Days of Lex Luthor is among their champion DC work.

Buy Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor connected Amazon.

9. Superman For All Seasons

As Seen In: Superman For All Seasons #1-4 (1998)

“Because to recognize the antheral successful the cape who could fly, each I needed to cognize was Clark.”

Hot disconnected their Batman masterpiece The Long Halloween, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale reconnected for a communicative astir Superman’s earliest years and talented the quality a refreshing consciousness of grandeur. The communicative is structured astir the 4 seasons and narrated by 4 cardinal characters successful Clark’s beingness – Pa Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Lana Lang.

For All Seasons is, astatine its core, a coming-of-age tale; it’s much the communicative of Clark Kent increasing up and maturing and yet accepting his spot successful the world, some arsenic Superman and arsenic Clark. It’s not truthful overmuch an root communicative of a superhero arsenic it is the root communicative of a antheral who happens to beryllium a superhero. It’s not a coincidence that Loeb coiled up arsenic a writer and enforcement shaper of Smallville, a amusement that took galore inspirations from this book.

Buy Superman For All Seasons connected Amazon.

8. Superman Smashes the Klan

As Seen In: Superman Smashes the Klan #1-3 (2019)

“The men who did this privation to support their identities secret, and exposing secrets is our business.”

If you request impervious that Superman tin beryllium a real-world unit for good, look nary further than The Adventures of Superman vigor show, which is credited with severely damaging the KKK’s estimation during the racially perilous 1940s. That storyline served arsenic the inspiration down Gene Luen Yang and Guirhiru’s Superman Smashes the Klan, easy 1 of the champion Superman comics of the past decade.

This all-ages communicative takes spot successful 1946, arsenic Superman grapples with his ain mysterious origins adjacent arsenic Metropolis faces a caller rash of anti-immigrant sentiment. The bid focuses heavy connected the Lees, a Chinese American household pursuing the American imagination successful the look of bigotry and intolerance. This comic is simply a heck of a batch of fun, but it’s besides an important reminder that Superman’s occupation is to basal up to bullies, nary substance what signifier they take.

Buy Superman Smashes the Klan connected Amazon.

7. Superman: Birthright

As Seen In: Superman: Birthright #1-12 (2004)

“’Are we unsocial successful the universe?’ is simply a question antheral has asked since clip began… and you’re the answer.”

The root communicative that the Man of Steel movie draws from the astir is Mark Waid and Leinil Yu’s Birthright, which is surely a coagulated book for however to archer a modern Superman communicative correctly. The archetypal canonical revamp of the root since John Byrne’s Man of Steel, Waid and Yu reinstated immoderate of the Silver Age elements that Byrne removed.

More importantly, Waid went to large lengths to springiness america a much relatable Kent family, with a acold younger Jonathan and Martha Kent and a Clark that was anxious to assistance the satellite by immoderate means necessary, beryllium that journalism oregon his superpowers. Birthright besides pays acold much attraction to the Kryptonian heritage, including introducing the thought that the S-Shield is simply a Kryptonian glyph that stands for anticipation and for courage.

All of that peaks astatine the finale of the story, wherever Superman – looking done a instrumentality successful the mediate of a conflict -- appears ever truthful concisely to Jor-El and Lara crossed abstraction and time, wearing their crest, letting them cognize that helium arrived and was okay, arsenic Krypton collapses astir them.

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6. ‘What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?’

As Seen In: Action Comics #775 (2001)

"Dreams prevention us. Dreams assistance america up and alteration us. And connected my psyche I swear... until my imagination of a satellite wherever dignity, grant and justness becomes the world we each share... I'll ne'er halt fighting. Ever."

A occupation that Superman has faced successful the past mates of decades is that he’s excessively "old-fashioned"; his ideals excessively optimistic and out-of-date successful today’s society. Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke, and Lee Bermejo took that conception to task with this tale, presenting an Authority-esque ace radical known arsenic The Elite, who present a overmuch much convulsive marque of justness than Superman is accustomed to. As the radical gains much popularity with the public, Superman is near to ponder his ain relevance and adjacent question his ain ideals arsenic a crusader for good.

Ultimately, the communicative underlines the thought suggested successful its title; there’s nothing comic astir “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.” This communicative portrays Superman astatine his finest, moving diligently not to lead, but to amusement antheral that they person the powerfulness to pb themselves by lasting up for what they judge successful and ne'er giving up anticipation for a amended world.

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5. Kingdom Come

As Seen In: Kingdom Come #1-4 (1996)

“You can’t unrecorded everlastingly successful solitude.”

Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come is simply a monolithic tale, told successful 4 issues, that explores a immense fig of themes. However, Superman is the anchor – and conscionable arsenic the person of Kingdom Come’s caller breed of ace “hero,” Magog, is simply a commentary connected the x-treme characters of the 1990s – the Man of Steel is the champion of the aged guard. Waid and Ross research the relevance of the Superman perfect successful an epoch wherever sidesplitting has go the answer.

Kingdom Come portrays an older, reclusive Clark Kent that’s secluded himself connected a workplace pursuing the decease of Lois Lane. He’s a antheral that’s astir fixed up connected his ideals until he’s coaxed to remerge by aged allies and marque the satellite close again. It’s a acheronian but inspirational communicative of a satellite gone astray and the 1 antheral almighty capable to acceptable them backmost connected the close course, rediscovering himself successful the process.

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4. Superman: Secret Identity

As Seen In: Superman: Secret Identity #1-4 (2004)

“In the comics, Superman gets charged up by the radiation of a yellowish sun. So I tried recharging. Got arsenic adjacent arsenic I dared. I got 1 hellhole of a wintertime tan.”

Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen’s Secret Identity is different Superman communicative that’s not really astir Clark Kent. Well, not really. This is simply a communicative acceptable successful our ain satellite – wherever Superman is simply a quality successful the comic books – that follows a lad named Clark Kent (a clever gag by his parents) arsenic helium learns that he’s got superpowers comparable to the fictional Superman.

The communicative follows Clark done his life, from kid to aged man, arsenic helium uses these powers for good, is acceptable up connected a gag day with a miss named Lois (but really does autumn for her), raises a family, and gets successful occupation with the government. On their own, these characters and their predicaments are interesting. But arsenic an exploration of Superman, Secret Identity is simply a shamelessly optimistic instrumentality connected the character’s importance.

We spot Secret Identity’s Clark summation superpowers and ne'er question for a infinitesimal what it is helium should bash with them, inspired by the fictional Superman he’s truthful acquainted with. Busiek and Immonen’s commentary connected the inherent goodness of the Superman quality is what helps Secret Identity spot truthful highly connected this list.

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3. ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?’

As Seen In: Action Comics #583, Superman #423 (1986)

“It’s lone a bird, lone a plane. Superman died 10 years ago. This is an imaginary story… aren’t they all?”

Billed arsenic the “last” Superman story, Alan Moore and Curt Swan sent the Silver Age incarnation of Superman disconnected into the sunset aft the events of Crisis connected Infinite Earths, paving the mode for the John Byrne revamp. In this “imaginary story,” Moore and Swan connection a definitive – if tragically bittersweet – decision to Superman, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Lana Lang, Perry White, Krypto, and galore much cardinal players. It’s told retroactively 10 years aft Superman’s “death” by a present joined Lois successful an interrogation for a Daily Planet Superman memorial issue.

Moore constructs a communicative that manages to incorporated each of the quintessential elements of the Superman mythology of that era. It’s an ominous and gloomy extremity for the predominantly light-hearted and zany adventures of the epoch it’s concluding, but it’s done with an affection for the characters and concepts that is illuminated connected each page.

Watching Superman larn from his friends from the future, the Legion of Super-heroes, that his clip is ending and past sharing a outcry with lone Krypto by his broadside successful the trophy country of the Fortress of Solitude volition ne'er not interruption your heart.

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2. ‘For the Man Who Has Everything’

As Seen In: Superman Annual #11

“You’re my son. I was determination astatine your commencement and I’ll ever emotion you. Always. But… but, Van, I… I don’t deliberation you’re real.”

Watchmen creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons paired for this Superman yearly that featured Batman, Robin (Jason Todd), and Wonder Woman heading to the Fortress of Solitude for Superman’s birthday, lone to find him nether the trance of an alien works called Black Mercy, which gives its unfortunate the illusion of their heart’s desire. With the Black Mercy clinging to Superman, helium imagines a beingness for himself connected Krypton, had it not ever been destroyed; joined with children and surrounded by family.

Though Moore and Gibbons springiness the different characters immoderate large exploration – including Mongul, the uninvited impermanent liable for Superman’s predicament – it’s the Man of Steel that is astir interesting. The quality of the Black Mercy is to amusement what the unfortunate wants astir of all, and alternatively of satellite bid oregon a matrimony to Lois Lane, Superman’s innermost tendency is simply a beingness wherever he’s not Superman astatine all, but simply Kal-El surviving retired a mean beingness with mean problems (or astatine slightest arsenic mean arsenic things get connected Krypton). Yet, knowing his responsibilities, Superman is capable to coax himself retired of this waking imagination – wherever helium indispensable look his fictional lad and archer him helium knows it’s lone an illusion -- to instrumentality to world and proceed the combat against evil.

It’s a poignant communicative that offers readers singular nutrient for thought wrong lone a azygous issue.

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1. All-Star Superman

As Seen In: All-Star Superman #1-12 (2006)

“You’re overmuch stronger than you deliberation you are.”

The Superman communicative to extremity each Superman stories, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman is simply a masterstroke of not lone celebrating Superman’s affluent and enduring legacy, but an accomplishment successful sequential storytelling successful general. The creators archer an epic communicative of Superman’s imminent decease aft being poisoned by aggravated star radiation arsenic helium attempts to hole for his extremity portion accomplishing the 12 large feats he’s told helium indispensable execute earlier that clip comes.

But All-Star Superman is much than conscionable the overarching narrative; Morrison and Quitely contiguous a timeless incarnation of Superman, escaped from the minutia of continuity oregon “re-imaginings,” and alternatively collectively research each facet of the Superman mythology, his formed of characters, and astir importantly, what makes him truthful enduring arsenic an icon and awesome of belief.

From Superman’s uncover of his concealed individuality to Lois to his play day with Krypto to the revelation that an Earth without a existent Superman would make a fictional 1 successful his stead to his heartbreaking rescue of a young miss connected the brink of suicide, All-Star Superman is simply a loving and affectionate solemnisation of everything that Superman stands for.

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Note - this communicative was primitively published connected 6/04/2013 and updated and expanded connected 8/15/2025.