The newest Superman movie has flown into theaters, officially kicking off James Gunn’s DCU, and if you’re reading this article, then chances are you loved it just as much as I did. The movie showed Superman embody kindness and hope in a world that seemed all too eager to throw those concepts away, and an absolutely insane Lex Luthor that would stop at nothing to enact petty revenge on the Man of Tomorrow. That kind of storytelling is timelessly relevant and fun, and the movie only left me wanting more of the same. If you’re looking for some Superman comics to fill the void the movie left, then look no further than this list. Here are five Superman comic books that carry the same atmosphere as the Superman movie. If you loved that, you’re sure to at the very least enjoy these comics.
1) Superman: Birthright
Birthright is a twelve-issue retelling of Superman’s origins, starting with his parents launching him from Krypton, but mostly focusing on his decision to become Superman and his first days in Metropolis. This is often called Superman’s definitive origin, and it’s easy to see why. It reimagines the S-crest as a symbol of hope and justice to the people of Krypton, and has a heavy focus on Clark’s desire to better the world. The first several issues focus on freelance journalist Clark Kent in Africa, interviewing and helping an activist named Kobe Asuru, who is making the exact kind of positive change in his community Clark wants to do with the world. The rest of the comic shows Superman’s debut in Metropolis and meeting classic allies and enemies like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, but what’s consistent throughout it is the expanding of Superman’s character. He is a true citizen of the world, having spent years spanning every inch of it as a journalist, and wants to battle social injustices as his first threat. Clark is portrayed as human as the rest of us, between his struggle to fit in with those around him and everyday troubles like his drycleaning being lost. Just like in the movie, Luthor attempts to use Superman’s alien heritage to turn the public against him, to which the Man of Steel responds by demonstrating just how human he really is.
2) “Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes”
This storyline ran in Action Comics from #858–863. The Legion of Super-Heroes are a team from the 31st century, composed of young heroes from all across the universe. The group modeled their heroics after Superman’s exploits, even bringing him on as a member while he was still Superboy. However, this story sees them retreat to the past for Superman’s assistance. Somehow, the Legion reject Earth-Man has convinced everyone in the future that Superman was human, and that his alien heritage was a lie invented by the Legion to trick the people into accepting them, leading to a bloody revolution where the humans of Earth are trying to purge it of all aliens. Superman travels to the distant future and has to prove to everyone that kindness and humanity don’t stop just because these people weren’t born on the same world as them. It has one of the most poignant Superman pages of all time, where the Man of Steel rips apart a truck to save wrongfully imprisoned aliens. Superman doesn’t just stand for one group of people or place, Superman is for everyone. It’s a beautiful story about how bigotry can convince people that insignificant things like birthplace and species that atrocities are okay, but Superman, as always, shows everyone that kindness and acceptance are the true ways forward.
3) Superman Smashes the Klan
Speaking of kindness and acceptance, Superman embodies that totally within Superman Smashes the Klan. Based on the 1940s radio serial The Adventures of Superman, this comic focuses on the inherent immigrant story present in Superman’s origin. Set in 1946, it stars Roberta and Tommy Lee, two young Chinese-Americans who have just moved to Metropolis, and come under fire from the Ku Klux Klan. Superman, still struggling to figure out his own identity, naturally steps in to defend the family, and bangs some racist heads along the way. This story digs into two aspects of Superman that the movie focused heavily on; his fight against social injustice and his heritage as an alien, and thus an immigrant. The best thing about this comic is that the radio series that it was based on legitimately caused a massive decrease in Klan membership when it was first released, and this book both celebrates that while also showing how the fight against this kind of hatred will always be needed. This comic doesn’t drown in misery either, being a very fun comic book romp as much as it is a commentary on this type of bigotry. A fun and important book that everyone should check out at some point. Also, the art is just so good. It’s as expressive as a cartoon, and the Superman design is top tier. The yellow crest is classic, but the black crest in stories set in the future or past always fits perfectly and looks so clean.
4) “Warworld Saga”
The “Warworld Saga” is a story on a scale more epic than almost any other Superman story ever told. After finding out that an evolutionary offshoot of Kryptonians known as the Phaelosians are entirely held captive by Mongul on his gladiatorial planet known as Warworld, Superman decides that he can no longer allow such a horrific place to exist. He gathers a team, and after entrusting the Earth’s protection to his son Jon, they all go to Warworld, intent on freeing every slave Mongul holds. However, immediately upon arriving they see Mongul was ready for them, having set up red sun generators that sap Superman’s powers. Superman is captured and forced to participate in gladiator death matches, but he never loses his hope. He fights to save everyone from captivity, earning the nickname the Unbloodied Sword because of his refusal to kill. Superman is powerless and literally kept as a slave for Mongul’s amusement, but all the while he fights on, and inspires those around him to do the same. He gives hope to people who have never known it, and together leads a revolution to save everyone. This is Superman at his best and most inspiring, and perfectly explores how much Superman cares for every single life. I cannot recommend this story more, and it is definitely the epic tale to read if you want to see Superman take down corruption with pure integrity.
5) Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor
This three-part Elseworlds story isn’t just a beautiful exploration of Superman’s character, but perfectly encapsulates the incredibly complicated yet unfathomably simple relationship between Lex Luthor and Superman. Lex’s experiments with Kryptonite accidentally infect him with a disease he cannot figure out how to cure, so he goes to the only person who has more resources than him. Lex knows that Superman will never sit by and do nothing while someone is dying, and so Superman agrees to help save him, even as Lex leaks this information to the entire world to tank Superman’s reputation. The two travel across all of time and space, at each point being met by people who insist Superman should let Lex die. Superman, of course, will never do that, and the people always try to help because of how Superman has helped them. Lex sees the true impact that Superman has had on everyone, even though he repeatedly tries to kill Superman along the way. It also focuses heavily on their history as friends in Smallville, where Clark tried to reach out to a young Lex that saw the entire world as his enemy. It paints Lex as both a horrible villain and a sad, lonely man, and Superman questions if Lex could have been a good person if he just had a friend. By the end, having found no cure, the two discover that all of this was a plot by an even more evil Superman villain, and both characters are forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the day. It has the absolute perfect ending for both Superman and Lex Luthor, and if you’re looking for a story where Lex is just as petty and envious as in the movie, then this is your best bet, because nobody can ever match the petulant, ungrateful, horrifyingly-intelligent manchild that Lex is in this.
So there we have five Superman stories that, if you enjoyed the new movie, you will definitely love at least a little bit. And even if you didn’t enjoy the movie, there’s definitely parts of each of these comic books that you’ll be able to enjoy no matter what your interests are. Superman is a timeless character who will always be relevant, and that stands true for all of these stories as well. Which Superman story do you think best matches up with the new Superman movie? Let us know in the comments below!
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