This article is part of the DC Database Recommended Reading project, a series of articles written by our editors. They are meant as a guide to help both new and old readers, either getting into comics for the first time or looking to read more on their favorites. These should not be taken as a definitive guide; obviously you can start wherever and with whatever you want, but they're some general suggestions that we think you might find useful and enjoyable.
...And nothing less than a burst shell could penetrate his skin!
Superman is a classic and enduring character in the DC Universe, one of the first and greatest super-heroes of all time, as well as one of the most famous and recognizable fictional characters of all time. Having been published in hundreds, if not thousands, of comics since his first appearance in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), sorting through reading material can be intimidating. There are many Superman comics and even more stories featuring him. This page is meant to act as a helpful guide for both new readers getting into his mythos for the first time, and veteran readers looking for something new.
New readers[]
This section includes Superman's most current origin story, as well as out-of-continuity or self-contained tales.
- Superman: Secret Origin is Geoff Johns' version of the origin story, restoring the essence of the character by preserving and bringing together elements from his entire history.
- Superman: Birthright is Mark Waid's retelling of the origin story, a maxiseries that seeks to modernize the character while returning forgotten elements of the character.
- All-Star Superman is Grant Morrison's tribute to the Silver Age Superman, a 12-issue maxiseries set outside of regular continuity that strips the character to his essential elements. It is a modern take on the character told with imagination and creativity, brought to life by the illustrations of Frank Quitely.
- Superman: Earth One is a graphic novel by J. Michael Straczynski as part of the DC: Earth One series, a new modern version of the Superman story taking place in a separate continuity.
- Superman for All Seasons is a stirring four-part miniseries by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale that takes a look at Superman's earliest years as seen through the eyes of those closest to him on both sides.
- Superman: Kryptonite is an early story from Superman's career written by Darwyn Cooke and illustrated by Tim Sale, featuring his first encounter with the deadly element Kryptonite set in a vibrant Metropolis drama.
- Superman: Secret Identity by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen, is an out-of-continuity story that describes the life of Clark Kent, a man in a world in which the super-heroes are alive only in the comics, who suddenly gains the powers of Superman and embarks on a super-heroic career, but keeps his existence secret from the world at large.
Further reading[]
This section presents important story arcs and one-shots where debuted some important character or concept and/or are regarded as classic and iconic stories. For the convenience of readers, it is divided into periods, and every era's origin stories are included.
The Golden Age of Comic Books (1938-1955)[]
- Action Comics #1 -- "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed"
- Superman #1 -- "Clark Kent Gets A Job"
- Superman #4 -- first Lex Luthor story
- Superman #7 -- Perry White's first appearance
- Superman #13 -- Jimmy Olsen's first appearance
- Superman #30 -- first Mister Mxyzptlk story
- Action Comics #64 -- first Toyman story
- More Fun Comics #101 -- first Superboy story, which accidentally altered Superman's origin
- Superman #65 -- Superman meets surviving Kryptonian criminals for the first time
- Superman #76 -- Superman and Batman learn each other's secret identities
- Action Comics #158 -- Superman's origin is finally set; this story was his canonical origin from 1951 to 1986
The Silver Age of Comic Books (1955-1971)[]
- Adventure Comics #210 -- Krypto the Superdog's first appearance
- Action Comics #241 -- "The Super-Key to Fort Superman": the Fortress of Solitude's origin
- Adventure Comics #247 -- the Legion of Super-Heroes' first appearance
- Action Comics #242 -- "The Super-Duel in Space": Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor's first appearance
- Superboy #68 -- first Bizarro story
- Action Comics #252 -- "The Menace of Metallo"/"The Supergirl from Krypton": Metallo and Supergirl's first appearances
- Action Comics #261 -- "Supergirl's Super-Cat": Streaky the Super-Cat's first appearance
- Adventure Comics #271 -- "How Luthor Met Superboy!": the origin of the Superman/Lex Luthor feud
- Superman #141 -- "Return to Krypton"
- Adventure Comics #283 -- the Phantom Zone's first appearance
- Action Comics #276 -- both Supergirl and Brainiac 5 meet and join the Legion of Super-Heroes
- Supergirl: The Unknown Supergirl (Action Comics #278-285) -- one of the first multi-part super-hero comic book story arcs
- Superman #149 -- "The Death of Superman!"
- Superman #156 -- "The Last Days of Superman"
- Action Comics #300 -- "Superman Under the Red Sun!"
- Superman #162 -- "Superman Red and Blue"
- Supergirl: The Untold Story of Argo City (Action Comics #309-310)
- Superman #176 -- "Superman's Day of Truth!"
- Action Comics #340 -- first Parasite story
- Action Comics #363-366 -- "The Leper of Krypton"
- Action Comics #385-387 -- "The Immortal Superman"
The Bronze Age of Comic Books (1971-1986)[]
- Superman: Sandman Saga
- Superman #247 -- "There Must Be a Superman?"
- Adventure Comics #411 -- "The Alien Among Us"
- Adventure Comics #421 -- "Demon Spawn"
- Amazing World of Superman #1
- Superman #292 -- "The Luthor Nobody Knows!"
- Who Took the Super out of Superman!
- The Great Phantom Peril -- Faora Hu-Ul's first appearance
- Action Comics #484 -- "Superman Takes A Wife!"
- Superman: Krypton No More
- Action Comics #500 -- "The Life Story of Superman"
- Action Comics #507-508 --"The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent!"
- Superman #338 -- "Let My People Grow!"
- Superman Family #200 -- "Celebration"
- Krypton Chronicles
- The Phantom Zone
- DC Comics Presents Annual #1 -- "Crisis on Three Earths!"
- Superman: Two for the Death of One
- DC Comics Presents #50 -- "When You Wish Upon A Planetoid!"
- A Mind-Switch in Time
- Action Comics #544 -- "Luthor Unleashed!"
- Superman #400 -- "The Living Legends of Superman"
- Superman: Warworld
- Supergirl (Volume 2) #13-15 -- "Blackstar"
- Superman Annual #10 -- "The Day the Cheering Stopped"
- Superman Annual #11 -- "For the Man Who Has Everything..."
- DC Comics Presents #85 -- "The Jungle Line"
- Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Post-Crisis (1986-2011)[]
- The Man of Steel -- John Byrne's Post-Crisis update of the Superman origin story; the miniseries that established his mythos from 1986 to 2000
- Death of Superman
- Superman: Funeral for a Friend
- Reign of the Supermen
- Hitman #34 -- "Of Thee I Sing"
- Action Comics #775 -- "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?"
- Superman: Emperor Joker
- Lex Luthor: Man of Steel
- Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
- Superman/Batman: The Supergirl from Krypton
- Superman: Up, Up and Away!
- Superman/Supergirl: Maelstrom
- Escape from Bizarro World
- Superman: Last Son
- Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
- Superman: The Third Kryptonian
- Superman: The Coming of Atlas
- Superman: Brainiac
- Superman: New Krypton
- Supergirl: Who Is Superwoman?
- Supergirl: Bizarrogirl
- Reign of Doomsday
- Kingdom Come
- Superman: Red Son
- DC Retroactive: Superman -- a three-issue miniseries that is a tribute to each era of the character
Post-Flashpoint (2011-present)[]
- Superman and the Men of Steel -- The New 52 's version of the origin story written by Grant Morrison; it works in restoring Golden Age and Silver Age elements of Superman's history. The story depicts a young 22-year-old Clark Kent starting his career as a Superman working above the law.
- Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton
- Superboy: Incubation
- Superman: H'el on Earth
- Krypton Returns
- Supergirl: Red Daughter of Krypton
- Superman: Lois and Clark
- Superman: The Final Days of Superman
- Superman: Reborn
- Superman: Revenge
- Action Comics #1000 -- "From the City That Has Everything"
- Superman: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth
- Superman and the Authority
- Superman: Son of Kal-El
- Superman: Warworld Saga
- Superman: Kal-El Returns