Superman made his DC Comics debut in 1938, so there are almost 90 years of comic book storylines that can seem overwhelming to new fans. It should be noted that anything before 1986 has been mostly ignored, as Crisis on Infinite Earths updated all the heroes for a new generation. However, that still leaves 40 years of storylines, often with multiple Superman comics released every month. With so many years and so many different storylines, new readers might want a hint at which books to read to at least get to know Superman better before picking up new titles and launching into ongoing storylines.
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Here is a look at five Superman storylines that brand-new fans can read to get caught up on what they need to know about the DC Comics hero.
5) Superman for All Seasons
Superman for All Seasons is a four-issue miniseries released in 1998 by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The series follows Superman through all four seasons — spring, summer, fall, and winter — and the art is reminiscent of Norman Rockwell paintings. What is interesting is that the stories here parallel the John Byrne Man of Steel series after Crisis on Infinite Earths. If anything, this was the Superman series that showed what Superman is supposed to be about.
Jeph Loeb wanted to showcase Superman’s grandeur, and he ensured the artwork conveyed how great he was. As for the story, Jonathan Kent narrated the first, about Clark growing up, and Lois Lane narrated the second, about Superman as a hero. Lex Luther narrated the third based on their rivalry, and Lana Lang narrated the fourth about their lost love. By showing four people’s points of view, it should give any new Superman reader everything they need to know about the DC Comics hero.
4) All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman is a 12-issue series that DC Comics released from 2005 through 2008. Grant Morrison wrote the series, with Frank Quitely’s art. For new readers, this is a way to follow Superman’s last days on Earth. This is an out-of-continuity series about his death, as Superman is dying thanks to his overexposure to the Sun. He then accomplishes the Twelve Labors of Superman.
There was a Death of Superman series in the 1990s in which Doomsday killed him, and the issue about his funeral was one of the greatest Superman stories ever written. However, for a complete story, Grant Morrison delivered a spectacular one here, showing how even Lex Luthor was affected by Superman’s death
3) “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?”
Released in 2001 from the creative team of Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke, and Lee Bermejo, Action Comics #775 featured the story, “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?” This was later adapted into a DCAU movie called Superman vs. The Elite, which showed how Superman is different from other, more modern, and more violent superheroes.
The Elite rises and becomes a powerful, violent superhero team that brutalizes their enemies and even kills criminals to ensure they can’t hurt anyone else ever again. Superman opposes the team killing criminals, but the public backs The Elite, whose approval rating is rising. The way Superman finally taught The Elite the lesson they deserved was brilliant, and it remains one of the best one-shot stories that shows any new reader what kind of hero Superman really is.
2) “For The Man Who Has Everything”
While “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?” was one of the best one-shot Superman stories ever told, the best one came in the pages of Superman Annual #11. This story was “For the Man Who Has Everything,” and it featured Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman showing up at the Fortress of Solitude for Superman’s birthday, only to find him in a trance.
The story sees the heroes trying to save him, but what makes it so great for new readers is what Superman sees in his dreamworld while in a trance. This series sees Mongul trap Superman in his mind, where the Man of Steel believes that he is still living on Krypton, which was never destroyed, with a wife and child. It shows what could have been, and it ends with him having to give up his fairy-tale happy life to return to the real world.
1) The Man Of Steel
If any new readers want to follow an entire storyline from the start, there might not be a better Superman run than John Byrne’s Man of Steel series. This was the rebooted Superman world after Crisis on Infinite Earths, and so much that fans know today was created in this series. This brought Jonathan and Martha Kent back from the dead, and it is the series that turned Lex Luthor from a mad scientist to an evil businessman.
Man of Steel turned Superman into the character he is today. While he has been rebooted several times before, including after Death of Superman and in the New 52, it is Man of Steel that delivers the best Superman story for new fans who want to start reading from the start of a storyline.
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