Superman is the first superhero, paving the way for every one that has come since. Superman has changed so much over the decades, fitting in with the times in order to stay relevant. There are some people who would disagree with this statement. They have all kinds of misconceptions about Superman, and don’t really get what makes a Superman comic work so well. Over the years, we’ve gotten all kinds of Superman stories, but people only talk about the same ones over and over again — All-Star Superman, Superman: Up in the Sky, Superman: Red Son, The Death of Superman. These are all amazing comics, but there are so many other brilliant Superman stories out there. Some of the best of them aren’t very well-known, but deserve the praise given to some of the greatest comics of all time.
Superman has been around for almost a century, and has appeared in thousands of comics over that period. That is a lot of comics, and some amazing stories have gotten lost in the shuffle. While there are some Superman stories that get the praise they should, there are plenty of Superman stories that should join the pantheon of greatest Superman stories. These seven Superman stories are highly underrated, awesome Superman stories that deserve their flowers.
7) DC Comics Presents (Vol. 1) #85
I know what you’re thinking — how is an Alan Moore story underrated? DC Comics Presents #85, with artist Rick Veitch, is often left out when people talk about Moore’s best DC works. This is quite unfair. It’s an amazing story; Clark Kent is at a press conference dealing with the discovery of plant life on a meteor. Unbeknownst to him, it’s from Krypton, but it’s not Kryptonite; instead it carries a disease with it that infects the Man of Steel. Suffering from hallucinations and on death’s door, Superman does his best to stay away from people, making his way to Houma, Louisiana. He ends up tangling with Swamp Thing, who sees the problem and is the only person who can solve it. Moore getting to write Superman and Swamp Thing together is something that didn’t happen nearly enough, and this issue shows why that’s such a tragedy. Moore and Veitch give readers an amazing little yarn that you have to check out. Honestly, I’d probably rate it higher than Superman Annual #10. As great as the fight against Mongul is, there’s something about this story that is so quintessentially Superman. Moore is a master of sci-fi, and this issue is a perfect little sci-fi story starring two of the greatest superheroes ever.
6) Superman (Vol. 4) #8-9
DC Rebirth brought Superman back to prominence after the later stages of the New 52 basically destroyed the character. Pete Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s Superman gets a lot of praise, but many fans have cooled on it in the years since it was released. Tomasi and Gleason’s Superman is fine, but the highlight of the book is whenever Superman and Jon get to be together. Superman (Vol. 4) #8-9, by Tomasi, Gleason, and Doug Mahnke, is one of the best parts of the whole run. Titled “Escape from Dinosaur Island,” it sees Superman and Jon find a mysterious island of dinosaurs, obviously, and do their best to survive while also trying to figure out the mysteries of the island. This story is a bit of the throwback, as it brings back one of DC’s coolest group of WWII heroes, the Losers. “Escape from Dinosaur Island” isn’t some deep meditation on what makes Superman tick, it’s just a really great little Superman story, as Clark and Jon get to bond as father and son and as superheroes. I would go so far to say that this is probably the best story of Tomasi and Gleason’s run, a two issue slice of awesome.
5) Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: Superman #1
Kingdom Come is one of the greatest Superman stories of all time. While it’s ostensibly about the entire DC Universe’s future, it is a Superman story at its heart. Kingdom Come Superman is one of the most beloved versions of the character, and he was brought back in Justice Society of America (Vol. 3) #9, kicking off the seventeen part epic “Thy Kingdom Come.” Hailing from Earth-22, he joined the Justice Society, and gets enmeshed in the battle against Gog, serving as a replacement for Earth-Two Superman, who had just died in Infinite Crisis. There are a lot of awesome comics in this story, but one of the best is Justice Society of America Kingdom Special: Superman #1, by writer/artist Alex Ross. This story follows Earth-22 Superman as he takes a trip to Metropolis to look in on Lois Lane. When terrorists invade The Daily Planet building, having brought Kryptonite with them, Earth-22 Superman is able to make short work of them, as he’s immune to Kryptonite that’s not from his Krypton. When the prime Superman shows up and questions Earth-22 Superman’s methods it leads to a fight between the two Supermen. This story is sensational from start to finish. Alex Ross is just as good a writer as he is an artist, and after reading this, you’ll have wished that he wrote more Superman. This one doesn’t get a lot of spotlight, and that’s a shame. Plus, it’s one of the few times you’ll see unpainted Alex Ross pencils. It’s a treat in every way.
4) Action Comics #957-962
When it comes to the DC Rebirth era, Tomasi and Gleason’s Superman usually gets all the credit. However, I’m here to say something that I think is controversial — the Rebirth Action Comics run was way better. To begin with, it was written by Superman expert Dan Jurgens, which puts it very high in the estimation of this Superman fan. The art in the book is fantastic; Jurgens, as an artist himself, understands how to write for artists. Finally, it’s full of just plain awesome Superman stories. That all begins with the first story arc in Action Comics #957-962, titled “Path of Doom,” with artists Patrick Zircher, Tyler Kirkham, and Stephen Segovia. The post-Crisis Superman, new to this universe, is called to Metropolis when Doomsday, one of the greatest threats to Superman, attacks. This issue shows off the then new Superman status quo, teaming Superman with Lex Luthor, who was inspired by the death of the New 52 Superman to don Superman armor and take up the mantle, and Wonder Woman, who the New 52 Superman had been in a relationship with, to battle the greatest threat he’s ever faced. Jurgens, Zircher, Kirkham, and Segovia gel together perfectly, giving readers an action-packed story that doesn’t skimp on the drama. This run of Action Comics is generally underrated, and it kicks off with a story that should be considered an all-time banger.
3) Superman/Batman #8-13
Superman/Batman is one of the coolest DC series of the ’00s. Writer Jeph Loeb had showed his chops on Superman and Batman over the years, and fans were thrilled that he was given a team-up book. The first story arc is sensational, but it’s the second one where the series really comes into own. Superman/Batman #8-13 is titled “The Supergirl from Krypton,” and brought Kara Zor-El back into the continuity for the first time since her death in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Superman and Batman have to figure out a way to deal with this new Supergirl, and whether to trust her, sending her to Themyscira where Wonder Woman and the Amazons can keep an eye on her. However, someone else wants to get their hands on Supergirl as well, leading to some epic action scenes that need to be seen to be believed. Loeb is on fire with this story, giving readers the perfect re-introduction to one of DC’s most beloved characters. However, it’s the art of the late great Micheal Turner that really makes this story special. Turner was mostly known for his beautiful women, and seeing as how part of this story is set on Themyscira, he definitely delivers there, but the man was the real deal. His page layouts and action scenes are amazing, and he creates what is possibly the coolest looking Doomsday ever. His Darkseid is also amazing (DC Direct made an action figure based on it and it’s one of the greatest Darkseid figures ever). This story takes readers from Gotham to Themyscira to Apokolips to Smallville, a mini-epic from one of the coolest eras of DC Comics.
2) All-Star Superman #7-8
I know what you’re thinking (again; I’m a mind reader today) — “How can anything from All-Star Superman be called underrated? Everyone think it’s the greatest Superman comic ever!” All of this is true, but for a lot of fans, not all of All-Star Superman is created equal, and issues #7 and #8 are usually looked down upon by even the most diehard fans of the book. However, I think they deserves way more credit than they get. This is a very different Bizarro story, as a universal predator comes out of the Underverse to devour the Earth and its people. Grant Morrison first came up with the idea of Bizarro-Earth as a roving predator world when they helped create the “Superman 2000” pitch back in the late ’90s, and brings that idea to life perfectly. Frank Quitely’s pencils are something else, giving readers some amazing imagery. There are so many cool ideas in this two issue story, as Superman saves the Earth but dooms himself, and meets Zibarro, the only normal person on Bizarro-Earth. There’s something undeniably poignant about Zibarro’s struggle on Bizarro-Earth, and there’s a feeling of tragedy to his story that is so perfect. Most people rank this as the worst story in All-Star Superman, but that’s completely unfair. This story is one of the greatest Bizarro stories ever, and that’s all there is to it.
1) Superman: Space Age
Superman: Space Age, by Mark Russell, Mike Allred, and Laura Allred, is a brilliant little Superman yarn that deserves to be talked about with not only the best Superman stories of all time, but also among DC’s best comics. The book tells the story of Superman from the ’60s to the ’80s, as he meets the love of his life Lois Lane, his friends in the Justice League, his foe Lex Luthor, and a mysterious man who tells him that the world will end in 1985. Superman: Space Age has it all — great Superman action, fantastic plots, and just the right amount of heart. It’s definitely not a perfect Superman comic — if I’m being honest, the book’s Lex Luthor stuff is pretty weak compared to the rest of it. However, Superman: Space Age belongs in the same ballpark as Superman classics like All-Star Superman. Russell has created a beautiful story, but what really makes it sing is the art team of Mike and Laura Allred. The Allreds are one of the greatest art teams in the history of the medium, and their stylized, retro artwork fits this story perfectly. Superman: Space Age is the best of the best by a wide margin.
What are your favorite underrated Superman stories? Sound off in the comments below.
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