Comics What do you consider the best Superman stories?

[BH/HHH]

I've actually been wondering whats everyone's favourite Superman stories? In these categories:

Favourite solo story
Favourite team up story
Favourite else worlds story

I know sone choice can fit into more than one category mind.



My favourite solo Superman book is Superman Birthright, I consider it to be a (near) perfect origin story. It also has one of the most heart warming endings ever, to see Jor El & Lara knowing their son has made it.

My favourite Superman story involving a other DC heroes is Kingdom Come. The return of the worlds greatest hero to a world that he doesn't really know anymore is incredible. The epic journey to the inevitable explosive finale is breath taking. Alex Ross' art is just wonderful. Infact this is the greatest graphic novel of all-time in my opinion I consider it a perfect end to the DCU.

Finally I'd say my favourite else worlds story is Red Son. Seeing what may have happened had Kal El's rocket landed in Ukraine rather than Kansas is very interesting. It's amazing how much Mark Millar crammed into this graphic novel, it's an entire history of this worlds version if Superman. The greatest thing at all though is the twist ending.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Solo- "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
Elseworld- "All-Star"

 

[BH/HHH]

Solo- "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
Elseworld- "All-Star"

Good choices, I always preferred for the Man Who Has Everything myself

What about team up?

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

I don't know about team ups. The only teamups I ever read were most of Morrison's JLA. If I had to pick...probably "Rock of Ages".

 

[Visceral]

Action Comics 775, nothing comes close

 

[BH/HHH]

Action Comics 775, nothing comes close

An amazing story, dd you like Superman vs the Elite?

 

[Czar Colossus]

Along with Kingdom Come ...Action #775 is quintessential Superman.
I want to give a nod to
Peace on Earth,
Superman for All Seasons,
Superman/Batman - Supergirl,
Superman/Batman - Absolute Power
Superman/Shazam - First Thunder (greatly defined how Supes & Caps relationship should be)

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Thanks for the info here, new to comics and the only superman I've read so far is all star superman and kingdom come and really enjoyed both of them. I was wondering what else you guys would recommend, stories or key issues, for a new guy like me!

 

[BH/HHH]

Thanks for the info here, new to comics and the only superman I've read so far is all star superman and kingdom come and really enjoyed both of them. I was wondering what else you guys would recommend, stories or key issues, for a new guy like me!

Well I'd highly recommend the Death and Return of series:

A good trade to pick up is the DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore. It features two of the greatest Superman stories ever told in Whatever Happened to the Man if Tomorrow and my personal favourite For the Man Who Has Everything. It also features a really good team up story with Swamp Thing. Plus if you want to expand to other characters of the DCU it has other stories involving Green Arrow, Batman and others.

Another great set of books to read are from the Geoff Johns run, here's my 3 favourites of his:

Also Geoff Johns take on the origin isn't bad either:

 

[BH/HHH]

I'd also very highly recommend Superman Earth One Vol. 1 and 2:

I really couldn't recommend these two any higher:

And this is a great else worlds book:

There's an absolute ton of great Superman stories out there if you want anymore recommendations let me know

 

[UpUpAndAway]

So many to read! Lol I want to read some of his battles vs his big enemies doomsday etc

 

[BH/HHH]

So many to read! Lol I want to read some of his battles vs his big enemies doomsday etc

Well there's a number of Doomsday books:

Superman Vol. 2 #175

There's even more than these to be honest but these are the ones I can think of right now

 

[BH/HHH]

If you end up reading or have read Action Comics #775 that Superman bs the Elite is adapted from (if you haven't seen it go watch it) here's another good story involving Manchester Black. This has Superman involved in many smackdowns with super-villains.

 

[misjuevos]

been reading the new krypton stuff, and i'm loving it. i started with last son, then brainiac, then new krypton. now i'm on world of new krypton. so many kryptonians, seeing the guilds and how their society works, very interesting.

 

[Visceral]

An amazing story, dd you like Superman vs the Elite?

not enough intensity. The book was far more intense as I read it.

 

[BH/HHH]

not enough intensity. The book was far more intense as I read it.

Ahh fair enough, aside from the artwork I thought the film actually improved upon the source material but that's just me

 

[James Howlett]

My personal favorite is "The Death and Return of Superman". The concept of Superman dying is itself a grand idea. I really hope they would adapt this story in a future movie in the new "Man of Steel" series.

 

[theMan-Bat]

What do you consider the best Superman stories? That's a loaded question for me, I have a lot that I consider bests, each for different reasons, showing different aspects of Superman. One of my favorites is "Superman Joins the Circus" from Action Comics #7 (1938) by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster from the Golden Age. A rather timeless tale. Superman saves a man's circus. Clark interviewed a man losing his circus, "Poor brave old man! Faced with bitter disappointment and certain defeat, he yet has the courage to keep an optimistic front! A guy like that deserves a break... and that's just what I'm going to give him." Superman saw how badly the business owner needed his help, and stepped up to help. Superman performed in his circus, attracting new paying customers. Even in the early days Superman was actually working within the system to help and promote change.

Another favorite is the heart-warming "The Girl Who Didn't Believe In Superman" from Superman #96 (1955) by Bill Finger and Wayne Boring from the Silver Age. Another rather timeless tale. Superman restores the sight of a blind girl and reunites her parents. This was a adaption of the Adventures of Superman TV episode "Around The World With Superman" written by Jackson Gillis.

Another favorite is the very different action-packed "The Four-Armed Terror" and "The Big Boom" two-parter from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #137 and 138 (1971) by Jack Kirby from the Bronze Age. Jack Kirby's entire run in the Bronze Age is amazing. Mokkari and Simyan from Apokolips, sent to Earth by Darkseid to replace the success of The Project (DNA samples from the government facility) with the Evil Factory from Apokolips. The Four-Armed Terrors (literally hatched from eggs) battles Superman and the Guardian, and tries to destroy The Project building and Metropolis. Morgan Edge, being told to flee the city by his Intergang contacts. Superman saves millions of lives.

Another favorite is the "Super Menace from Metropolis" by John Byrne of the Modern Age. That is a very George Reeves style episode title. That title in fact is from the Silver Age. Lex Luthor manipulates the solar energy of Superman scientifically. This is another timeless tale. A recurring theme. Again, Luthor thinks he's more intelligent than Superman and Luthor's undoing is his condescending assumption that Superman thinks with his fits. Superman figured it out and saved Metropolis from being destroyed, he's not an idiot, he's in fact very smart to have been able to figure this out, but Luthor still got away with it legally. And I also love how Maggie Sawyer, head of the Special Crimes Unit of Metropolis, got in Luthor's face. A real solid issue. It even had a little Lois Lane, it had everything in it that made Byrne's run work. You had Clark, you had Superman, you had a fight with a villain, you had it coming back to Lex Luthor, You had Luthor slipping thought a legal loophole at the end. You had some development with the supporting cast, some subplots in there. Really and truly, one of the strongest issues of Superman. It's a compelling story. It ties into recent events, it sets up new events, but it can be read completely on it's own and readers can get straight into it. I love that opening page with Clark Kent facing three skeletons, Lois, Jimmy and Perry, in an elevator as his x-ray vision goes haywire.

And the cover is a modern age version of an over-the-top Golden Age/Silver Age cover. That cover draws you in. Cat Grant walks up to Clark to introduce her son and Clark is shocked to see her and the whole Daily Planet staff suddenly nude as his x-ray vision goes haywire again.

Then Clark's glasses start to melt by his heat vision going haywire. His super-hearing goes haywire and he hears everyone on Earth at once, including Swamp Thing, etc.

My favorite Superman team up is Superman and Green Lantern in "Last Stand" from Superman #14 (1988) by Byrne.

My favorite "elseworlds" type of Superman comic is The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman (1999) company crossover by Roger Stern and Steve Rude.

 

[theMan-Bat]

As for Superman recommendations... (a whole lot of comic books):
Superman: The World of Krypton.

Superman: The World of Smallville.

Superman: The World of Metropolis.

Superman's origin in The Man of Steel is my favorite modern age version, and is very easily accessible for a new comic book reader (although not in continuity with the current nu52 DC comic book version appearing in the monthly titles, but neither is Birthright. The Man of Steel was the official origin for decades).

Amazing Heroes #96 (1986) explains a wealth of information about Superman, including an interview with John Byrne, Marv Wolfman and Andrew Helfer.

I recommend reading the original Superman run by creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the Superman Chronicles volumes.

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:
The Superman Chronicles volumes 1 to 10.

Superman Sunday Classics 1939-1943.

Superman: The Dailies 1939-1942.

Superman: The Sunday Pages 1943-1946

Superman Archives volumes 5-8.

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:
Superman in World's Finest Comics Archives volumes 1 and 2.

Action Comics #125 (1948) "The Modern Nostradamus."

Superman #57 (1949) "The Menace of the Machine Men."

Superman in the Fifties which reprints World's Finest Comics #68 (January, 1954) "The Menace From The Stars" which is a loose adaption of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman episode "Panic In The Sky" which aired on December 5th, 1953 and Superman #96 (March, 1955) "The Girl Who Didn't Believe In Superman" which is a loose adaption of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman episode "Around The World With Superman" which aired on March 13th, 1954 and Superman #127 (1959) "Titano the Super-Ape" and Action Comics #151 (1950) "Superman's Super-Magic Show" where Luthor joined forces with the Prankster and Mr. Mxyzptlk in a scheme to make Superman the laughingstock of Metropolis and Action Comics #254 "The Battle with Bizarro" (1959).

Superman #79 (1952) "Citadel of Doom."

Superman #85 (1953) "Luthor--Hero."

Superman #88 (March, 1954) "The Dog Who Loved Superman" which is an adaption of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman episode "The Dog Who Knew Superman" which aired on November 14th, 1953.

Superman #91 (August, 1954) "Great Caesar's Ghost" which is an adaption of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman episode "Great Caesar's Ghost" which aired on May 21st, 1955.

Luthor, Toyman and Prankster team up in Superman #88 "The Terrible Trio" (1954) reprinted in The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told (1990).

Superman #86 "The Fourth Dimension Gazette" (1954).

Action Comics #200 (January, 1955) "Test of a Warrior" which is an adaption of the George Reeves Adventures of Superman episode "Test of a Warrior" which aired on May 28th, 1955.

Luthor's enlarger machine creating a giant ant in Superman #110 "The Defeat of Superman" (1957).

World's Finest #88 (1957) "Superman's and Batman's Greatest Foes" reprinted in "The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told" (1989).

Superman #129 (1959) "The Girl in Superman's Past" reprinted in Giant Superman Annual #1 (1998) is a beautifully romantic touching story.

Luthor had a hoax of an alien invasion using a giant mechanical green hand in Gotham to con and detract the Gotham police while Luthor's men stole $2,000,000 in platinum in Gotham but Batman figured it out so Luthor went back to Superman's turf in Metropolis in Batman #130 (1960) "The Hand From Nowhere."

The Superman Encyclopedic by Michael Fleisher is a great source of facts, tells a wealth of information about the Golden Age Superman and the Silver Age.

Jimmy Olsen Adventures volumes 1 and 2.

Jack Kirby's Fourth World #20 (1998) "The Gods Themselves."

Legends of the DC Universe #14 (1999) "The American Evolution."

Superman #247 (1971) "Must There Be a Superman?"

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:
DC Universe Illustrated by Neal Adams Volume 1 reprinting Superman #254 (1972) "The Baby Who Walked Through Walls!" and Action Comics #425 (1973) "The Short-Walk-to-Disaster Contract!" and the "Justice for All Includes Children" (1976) series public service advertisements by Neal Adams.

Kamandi #29 (1975) "The Legend."

Superman vs. Muhammad Ali.

DC Comics Presents #8 (1979) ""The Sixty Deaths of Solomon Grundy."

DC Comics Presents #61 (1983) "The Once-and-Future War!"

Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane, which reprints my favorite Brainiac stories.

DC Comics Presents #84 (1985) "Give Me Power...Give Me Your World!"

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:
Super Powers (1985) six-issue series which will be reprinted by DC in Jack Kirby Omnibus volume 2.

Superman: The Man of Steel volume 2.

Legends.

Superman: The Man of Steel volumes 3 to 7.

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:

Lois and Clark, The New Adventures of Superman which reprints "Metropolis - 900 Mills" and many others, including an introduction by John Byrne.

Superman: The Earth Stealers.

Action Comics #598 (1988) "Checkmate."

Adventures of Superman #429 (1988) "Tin Soldiers."

Superman #16 (1988) "He Only Laughs When I Hurt"

Action Comics #599 (1988) "Element 126."

Adventures of Superman #440 (1988) "The Hurrieder I Go."

 

[theMan-Bat]

My Superman recommendations continued:
Action Comics #600 (1988) "Different Worlds," "True Love," "Games People Play," "A Friend in Need" and "The Darkness Where Madness Lies."

Superman #17 (1988) "Cries in the Night."

Superman #18 (1988) "Return to Krypton."

Adventures of Superman #441 (1988) "The Tiny Terror of Tinseltown."

Superman #19 (1988) "The Power That Failed!"

Adventures of Superman #442 (1988) "Power Play."

Superman #20 (1988) "Doom in the Heartland!"

Adventures of Superman #443 (1988) "Prisoner of Conscience."

Superman #21 (1988) "You Can't Go Home Again!"

Adventures of Superman #444 (1988) "Parallel Lives Meet at Infinity...."