Superman has been around for a very long time and has aged phenomenally. Among all the superheroes that have come and gone, Superman is one of those characters who embodies every human value mankind stands for. Making his debut in June 1938, Superman has been adapted into animated shows, movies, live-action movies, and live-action shows. However, nothing can beat the timelessness and the feeling you get when you read a classic comic book. So, let’s talk about 10 best Superman comic books you can get yourself into!
10. Kingdom Come
If you look at Kingdom Come it revolves around multiple heroes but has Superman at its center as the main character of this comic. In this comic book by writer Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross, we see that Superman has retired from being a hero and a new team of heroes has emerged. However, they are ruthless and do not hold back from taking lives.
This forces Superman and the old generation of heroes to spring back into action and go to war with these so-called new heroes for the future of planet Earth.
9. Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Kingdom Come is a sequel to Kingdom Come and brings two different Superman variants. This comic book shows that the Superman of Earth-22, or the Kingdom Come Superman, is stranded on New Earth or the Justice Society of America’s Earth. Still traumatized by the events he faced in his world, he meets the heroes of New Earth with hostility but eventually, softens up to his old friends.
If you like seeing Superman in a rather serious tone, you should not miss out on this comic. It’s also a great conclusion for the Kingdom Come Superman since he gets a reminder of what he stands for and what his world needs him to be.
8. Superman: Red Son
Superman Red Son is one of the finest comics of DC Elseworld. In this Superman comic by writer Mark Millar and artists Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett, we see that instead of landing in Kansas, Kal-El’s ship lands in Soviet Russia.
In this comic, instead of a symbol of hope for the world, Superman becomes a symbol of Stalin and fights against capitalism. If you don’t feel like reading the comic book, you can also watch a movie from DC’s animated universe with the same name based on this very comic book.
7. Superman: Secret Origin
This comic retells Superman’s origin to bring in everything that changed after the “Infinite Crisis” event. The comic begins from the very start where we see Clark Kent as a child and how he discovers his powers, and relationship with his mom and dad.
In Superman: Secret Origin by writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank, we see the bond Superman has with his family, the people of Smallville, and Metropolis. This comic book brings us a heartwarming origin story but also greatly explores the human aspect of Superman.
6. Superman: The Death Of Superman
The Death of Superman was not just a comic book but the starting point of one of the most recognizable comic sagas of the ’90s. This comic saw an event that made the world believe that Superman was dead and 4 different people with Superman’s symbol showed up claiming to be the real one. However, soon one of them shows exactly why anyone can’t be Superman marking the return of The Man of Steel.
The stories connected to this Superman comic book ran for multiple years, however, this was also the downside of this comic run. Being so vast and multi-layered it was almost impossible for any newcomer to understand everything that was going on. Even after that, this comic saga is one of the best-written stories about Superman out there and if you are a hardcore fan, you should give this one a shot.
5. Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?
Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? was more like a send-away for the Silver Age Superman who was going to be remastered after the Crisis On Infinite Earths events. Writer Alan Moore and artists Curt Swan and George Perez wrote a story that was not defined in any timeline but was there just as an epilogue for the Superman people have grown up with.
In the comic, we see Lois Lane talking to a fellow reporter when she tells the story of Superman’s history, his fights, and things that he did and that was pretty much it. Following this comic book, a modern adaptation of Superman with John Byrne series, The Man of Steel brought in the character in a brand new look.
4. The Man of Steel
The Man of Steel reimagined Superman and is without a doubt one of the most important comic books to come out. Several elements of Superman that are present today in animation and even in live action were first introduced in the Man of Steel’s comic run.
This comic took place after the Crisis On Infinite Earths and completely rebooted Superman’s lore and even though some things were drastically changed, the majority of changes we saw were rather positive ushering Superman into a new era.
3. Superman: Last Son Of Krypton
Superman: The Last Son of Krypton is the comic version of what you can call “Superman 2”. This Superman comic book was created by Richard Donner, and artist Adam Kubert and brought to us a tale where a young Kryptonian lands in Metropolis and is adopted by Superman and Lois.
This is also the comic run where we get to see General Zod at his best and in my opinion, if a comic book has ever captured the true essence of what Zod is all about, it’s this one.
2. Superman: Up In The Sky
If you are looking to read a comic book that will tell you exactly what kind of a person Superman is, Superman: Up In The Sky is exactly what you’re looking for. In this comic book by Tom King, one of the most famous writers in DC, we get to see Superman travel galaxies to save a little girl who has been kidnapped. This Superman comic book is outright wholesome and presents everything Superman stands for in the best way ever.
1. All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman is a timeless classic and in my opinion, the best Superman comic book series out there. In this comic book by Writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, we see that Lex Luthor is trying to destroy a mission to the sun but Superman steps in and manages to save the day. However, as it turns out, it was a part of Lex Luthor’s plan to expose Superman to a lethal dose of solar radiation.
Sadly, Lex’s plan worked out and Superman started moving slowly toward his death. So, before he dies, Superman sets out to make the world a better place. This comic is wholesome and sad at the same time and if you have not read it, this is your sign to go get it!
