Superman is the blueprint that every superhero has followed, and for many fans is the greatest superhero of all time. He’s had multiple great eras over the years, with the Silver and Bronze Ages being the favorite of many fans. However, looking at the character’s output, an argument can be made the 21st century is the greatest in the hero’s 85 year history. There have been some tremendous stories starring the Man of Steel in the new century, including some that many fans feel are the best of all time. DC has done a fantastic job with the their first hero, putting some of the greatest talent in comics on his books over the 21st century.
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For my money, many of the greatest modern Superman stories have come from the 21st century. The publisher has redefined what the character could be over these years, and there are some masterpieces starring the Man of Steel and his cast of amazing characters. These ten Superman stories are the best of the 21st century, tales that truly redefined what fans wanted from Superman comics.
10) Dark Crisis: World Without a Justice League: Superman #1
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths is underappreciated; it’s much better than it gets credit for and has some certified bangers. The best of them is probably Dark Crisis: World Without a Justice League: Superman #1, by Tom King and Chris Burnham. The story takes place on a “perfect” Earth for Superman, meant to drain his energy for Pariah. He’s married to Lois and Jon has become his sidekick, working as Robin instead of Superboy. However, there’s something amiss with the world that keeps bothering the Man of Steel, which leads him to make a fateful decision. King hasn’t written much Superman, but has proven to be amazing with the character. This issue is no exception, and it’ll bring a tear to your eye by the end. Burnham is fantastic, really bringing the issue to life. This story is an underrated sensation that isn’t talked about enough.
9) “Brainiac”
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are one of the best teams to work on Superman in the 21st century. Their run on Action Comics is almost completely perfect. “Brainiac” is a wonderful example of why they are so great together. The story brings back the villain Brainiac, revealing the truth about all different versions of the Coluan cyborg we’ve seen over the years. This one is both an action masterpiece with some amazing worldbuilding, and a tearjerker that will break your heart. The action is brilliant, and the art will knock your socks off. This came during that period when DC was bringing pre-Crisis ideas back to the Superman comics, and is a story that is both modern and retro at the same time.
9) “Camelot Falls”
Post-Infinite Crisis was a fantastic time for Superman, with Johns taking over Action Comics and Kurt Busiek on Superman. Busiek gave readers the epic known as “Camelot Falls” with artist Carlos Pacheco, creating a best of all time Superman story. Arion, the time-traveling wizard from Atlantis, shows Superman a possible future where the world is destroyed because of him, raising the question over whether the Man of Steel’s actions are helpful to the world or disastrous. There are some amazing moments in this story, with gorgeous action scenes that only the late great Pacheco could supply. It’s not the first story about the hero’s impact on the world, but it is the best one of the 21st century.
7) Superman: Space Age
Superman: Space Age is a retro masterpiece, and doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The book starts in the 1985, at the end of the world, and tells the story of Superman’s life, his relationship with Lois Lane, the beginning and end of the Justice League, and a look at Crisis on Infinite Earths that we’ve never gotten before. Written by Mark Russell with art by Mike and Laura Allred, this story is the perfect mix of retro DC goodness and amazing Superman storytelling. It’s not a perfect book — the Lex Luthor subplot isn’t as great as it could be — but it’s so very good. We all expected it to be great, but we didn’t expect it to be as great as it is.
6) Superman and the Authority
Grant Morrison is the best modern Superman writer, and proved it yet again with their “final” DC story (they’ve since done a story in DC Pride: Better Together and the brilliant Batman/Deadpool): Superman and the Authority. This four-issue miniseries with Mikel Janin, Talent Foreman, and Fico Ossio, sees a weakening Man of Steel assemble a new version of the Authority, and faces off against two of his greatest — and unsung in the modern era — villains. It’s a fantastic comic; Morrison’s version of the Authority combines veterans of the team like Apollo and Midnighter with Manchester Black of the Elite, Natasha Irons, and Enchantress, who are joined by new versions of Lightray and O.M.A.C. It’s a perfect Superman story with beautiful art and will keep you glued to it for its entire run.
5) “Superman and the Legion of Superheroes”
The Legion of Superheroes has had a checkered existence, but fans were given hope in the post-Infinite Crisis DC Universe for the team. Changes to continuity made the Legion a part of Superman’s origin again, and the classic version of the team was brought back. “Superman and the Legion of Superheroes”, by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, is a perfect reintroduction to the team. Superman is pulled into the 31st century by Dawnstar and Wildfire, and learns that the superhero team of the future have been smashed by the Justice League of Earth, and only the Man of Steel can help them take back the future. The Legion can be pretty complicated, but this story sidesteps all of that, giving new readers exactly what they need to know about the team and its history. It’s an action-packed epic, with Frank’s art giving it the perfect visuals.
4) “Warworld Saga”
“Warworld Saga” came at the perfect time. The Bendis run on Superman and Action Comics had completely killed the momentum that Rebirth gave the hero, and fans were looking for something new. They got it from writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who took the ending of Superman and the Authority and ran with it. The weakened Superman and the Authority make their way to Warworld to destroy Mongul’s grip on the planet, and quickly realize they bit off way more than they could chew. Johnson does a fantastic job, working with artists Daniel Sampere, Riccardo Federici, Fico Ossio, and others, to give readers a roller coaster ride of awesome. The story is not only action-packed, but also uses the character of Superman to inform its story (also, anyone who doesn’t like Gladiator Superman needs their pulse checked, because they might be dead). It is a true saga, and if you haven’t read it before, you’re in for a treat.
3) “Last Son”
Geoff Johns first started in the entertainment industry working with director Ricard Donner, the man behind the first two Superman movies. Johns was able to get his mentor to come to the comics in 2006 and tell the ultimate version of the invasion of General Zod, Ursa, and Non in “Last Son”, with artist Adam Kubert. When a young Kryptonian boy crashes to Earth, Superman is pulled into a situation that sees Zod and the Phantom Zone Kryptonians attack the Earth, leading the Man of Steel to team up with some unlikely allies to save the Earth: Lex Luthor and the Superman Revenge Squad. This story is an action-packed thriller that will pull you in and never let you go. It’s nearly perfect Superman, with Johns and Donner doing amazing work with the script. Kubert’s art is sensational; I think it’s the best art in his long career, and is probably the best art of any book on this list. “Last Son” is fantastic and if you’ve never read it, go get a copy and discover why it’s so great (it’s often collected with “Brainiac”, so it’s well worth the money).
2) Superman: Up in the Sky
Superman: Up in the Sky, by Tom King and Andy Kubert, was a huge gamble of a story. King isn’t exactly the most beloved writer in DC Comics, and the book was sold in Wal-Mart in an anthology book that combined it with Superman classics. The story sees the Man of Steel fly off into space to rescue one little girl. On the trip, the hero is challenged numerous times, all while wrestling with whether he should be out here in the first place to save just one life. King and Kubert give readers a story that completely understands the character, a brilliant tale that digs into the first superhero in a way a lot of stories don’t. The art is amazing, perfectly bringing the script to life. This story can easily stand with the greatest Superman stories of any generation.
1) All-Star Superman
I don’t think anyone is surprised by this. In my opinion, All-Star Superman is the greatest superhero story of all time. This twelve-issue masterpiece by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely sees the Man of Steel tricked into a situation that poisons by Lex Luthor. Learning he only has a short time left to live, he decides to leave the world a better place than when he got there, undertaking a series of labors unlike anything that fans have ever seen before. Morrison brings a mythological edge to the story, reminding readers that Superman is part of a legacy of heroism that stretches back to Gilgamesh and Hercules. Quitely’s art is outstanding; while his style isn’t for everyone, his craft in the book is second to none. All-Star Superman is a timeless comic, one that takes from every era of Superman to give fans a comic unlike anything else out there.
What’s your favorite Superman story of the 21st century? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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