The 13 Best Superman Comic Book Stories You Should Read

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s a Superman reading list!

While many people complain that he’s too powerful, Superman is a well-developed character with a rich mythology. As a result, Superman can be written terribly as some writers are not sure how to handle the characterization or the large set of powers. Although, when written right, he’s a wonderful character to read – fleshed out with human aspects, great adventure, and heroism – making the reader aspire to do good or see the world more positively.

I have put together a selection of the 13 Superman stories you should read, many of which achieve that goal, and are seen as some of the very best. Most of these stories are fan favourites and critically acclaimed, exploring different interpretations and tones of the Man of Steel while staying true to his core.

Action Comics #1 cover.

Champion of the Oppressed

Written by Jerry Siegel. Art by Joe Shuster.

Champion of the Oppressed is the first Superman story, dating back to 1938. However, it’s a different Superman than we’re used to, with fewer powers and a slightly different mission. While most of the comics on this list feature an element of science fiction, here, Superman takes on wife-beaters, kidnappers, and crooked politicians. All of them presented with a sense of urgency thanks to the dense Golden Age pacing.

It’s a fascinating read, spotlighting a prototype for what the character would become today. However, many elements are present, such as a version of the famous costume, Clark Kent, and Lois Lane. Just enough to feel familiar but also feel fresh to modern readers.

Issues: Action Comics (1938 series) #1 (Facsimile edition available)
Collected in: ‘DC Finest – Superman: The First Superhero’ or ‘Action Comics #1000: The Deluxe Edition’ or ‘Superman: The Golden Age Volume 1’ or ‘Action Comics 80 Years of Superman: The Deluxe Edition’ or ‘The Superman Chronicles Volume 1’
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Superman: Birthright trade paperback cover by Leinil Francis Yu.

Birthright

Written by Mark Waid. Art by Leinil Francis Yu.

Superman’s origins have been told many times over the past 80 years, with each telling adding something new to the mix while still staying true to the core. Birthright is no different, which brings the origin into the 21st century. What makes this Superman origin is that it doesn’t ignore previous origins (especially John Bryne’s Man of Steel) but works alongside them in interesting ways.

Birthright explores Superman’s early days as a hero. However, it also explores Clark Kent’s development from childhood through to adulthood. It’s during this time that we see his values develop, which inform him to be a hero.

This story is as much a Lex Luthor’s origin as it’s a Superman one. Waid and Yu probe Luthor’s motivations and explain why he becomes such a villainous and cold figure.

Issues: Superman: Birthright #1-12
Collected in: ‘Superman: Birthright’ or ‘DC Compact Comics: Superman: Birthright’ or ‘Superman: Birthright: The Deluxe Edition’
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The Death of Superman: The Deluxe Edition cover by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding.

The Death of Superman Saga

Written by Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson and Roger Stern. Art by Dan Jurgens, Tom Grummett, Jon Bogdanove, Jackson Guice, Brett Breeding, Doug Hazlewood, Dennis Janke, Denis Rodier, and Rich Burchett.

The Death of Superman is perhaps the most famous Superman tale of all time, courting mainstream media attention in 1993. The saga, told through three distinct crossovers, showcases Superman’s high-stakes battle against Doomsday (a creature of pure rage and hate), his death due to it, the funeral, the filling of the void through four replacements, and eventual return to save the world from another crisis.

Some people have a cynical take on this story. However, they tend to ignore its emotional weight. The first third explores Superman’s determination and role as a hero, giving his life for the safety of the world. The second act delves into what Superman represents through the perspective of his close friends and ordinary people. Finally, with the four replacements emerging, the final part explores what it means to walk in Superman’s shoes and fill the void. Can they live up to Superman’s ideals? Or will the power be used for more sinister things?

Issues: See reading order
Collected in: See reading order
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All-Star Superman

Written by Grant Morrison. Art by Frank Quitely.

DC Comics published The Last Days of Superman in 1962. In it, Superman discovers that he’s dying. As a result, he goes out to do as much good as possible while he still can. Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely revamped this concept for a 21st-century audience, stretching it out to Superman’s final year before his power burns him out.

The result is a celebration of Superman throughout the ages. Morrison’s script mines concepts from the past, blending oddball ideas from decades past with more contemporary ones. As a result, we get Jimmy Olsen’s shenanigans working cohesively with Doomsday, Lois Lane as Superwoman, and classic interpretations of Bizzaro and Lex Luthor. At the same time, the comic doesn’t forget the heart of Superman, showcasing how and why he’s an inspirational character and a symbol of hope.

Issues: All-Star Superman #1-12
Collected in: ‘All-Star Superman’ or ‘DC Compact Comics: All-Star Superman’ or ‘Absolute All-Star Superman’
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Action Comics #775 cover by Tim Bradstreet.

What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, & The American Way?

Written by Joe Kelly. Art by Doug Mahnke and Lee Bermejo.

Superman, created in the late 1930s, was in a weird place at the turn of the century. Many questioned if the character had a place in the new millennium. This 2001 story answers that question by showing readers why he was as vital as ever by pitting him against a new, more dangerous breed of hero known as “The Elite” – a new group that uses deadly force and has zero disregard for collateral damage. The Man of Steel must prove to them and the general public that his ways of working are still best and that the ends don’t justify the means. By juxtaposing the two groups, the story proves kindness, compassion, and using your wits are not outdated concepts.

Issues: Action Comics #775 (Facsimile edition available)
Collected in: ‘Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told Volume 1’ or ‘Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years’ or ‘Legends of the DC Universe: Doug Mahnke’
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Superman For all Seasons cover by Tim Sale and Bjarne Hansen.

Superman For All Seasons

Written by Jeph Loeb. Art by Tim Sale.

Superman For All Seasons is a human take on Superman placed during the genesis of his superhero career. Each issue spans a seasonal period, adding a tonal and thematic backdrop to Clark Kent’s struggles figuring out where he fits in the world, especially after moving to Metropolis.

At times, it can be a very moving comic through its exploration of doubt, uncertainty, and fear. A different cast member (Lois Lane, Jonathan Kent and Lex Luthor) narrates each issue, adding their perspective on Superman, Clark Kent, and the unfolding events. It’s also a beautifully rendered comic, with Tim Sale adding emotional depth through his character renderings, lived-in environments, and stunning compositions.

Issues: Superman For All Seasons #1-4
Collected in: ‘Superman For All Seasons’ or ‘Superman For All Seasons: The Deluxe Edition’
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Kingdom Come cover by Alex Ross.

Kingdom Come

Written by Mark Waid. Art by Alex Ross.

Kingdom Come explores a world where Superman has stepped down from superheroics, setting off a domino effect where most of the Justice League follow suit. In the vacuum, a new breed of heroes rises to fill the void but are more violent and destructive. It’s not until tragedy strikes ten years later that the Justice League come out of retirement to stop the bloodshed.

Waid’s script has a Dickensian element, with the story told, thanks to The Spectre, in a similar manner to A Christmas Carol. It’s an interesting angle to tackle the story, which allows for the conflicting ideals to be commented on and explored, especially when Superman’s values are challenged from every direction.

Alex Ross paints the page with glorious and expressive figures. His use of colour and lighting gives his style a sense of realism while still brimming with nostalgia for comics of yesteryear.

Issues: Kingdom Come #1-4
Collected in: ‘Kingdom Come’ or DC Compact Comics – Kingdom Come’
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For The Man Who Has Everything

Written by Alan Moore. Art by Dave Gibbons.

Superman’s birthday (which happens to be on February 29th) doesn’t go as planned when Wonder Woman, Batman, and Robin show up at the Fortress of Solitude and discover Superman in a catatonic state. It’s thanks to an alien plant that the villainous Mongul has attached to Superman. But it’s no ordinary plant, but one that shows the host their greatest desires while it feeds on them. As Supes stands there in a stupor, he dreams of a life on Krypton that never was.

In 40 pages, Moore and Gibbons would craft a done-in-one story full of tragedy, humour, heroics, and family drama. It also shows readers an exploration of what Kryptonian society would be like if it was able to flourish instead of being destroyed alongside the planet.

For The Man Who Has Everything is such an influential story that it became an episode of Justice League Unlimited in 2004.

Issues: Superman Annual #11
Collected in: ‘Superman: Greatest Stories Ever Told Volume 1’ or ‘The DC Universe by Alan Moore’
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Superman: Up in the Sky cover by Andy Kubert.

Up in the Sky

Written by Tom King. Art by Andy Kubert.

Superman travels multiple galaxies to rescue a little girl abducted by a mysterious alien in this modern classic. Tom King and Andy Kubert give the Man of Steel plenty of challenges along the way, with each getting slightly closer to finding the girl. These push Superman in different ways. There’s the physical, such as an intergalactic boxing match; his value system, with a request issued by Darkseid; and emotional, waiting in queue for a transgalactic phone call to Lois Lane.

Up in the Sky works so well because it shows Superman’s dedication. He’s willing to push himself further, even if it’s unbearable. He’ll make sacrifices, even if it means not seeing Lois for weeks on end while he stresses about all the terrible things that could happen while he’s away. Superman will do what’s right – even if it’s just for one life.

Issues: Superman: Up in the Sky #1-6
Collected in: Superman: Up in the Sky
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DC Finest – Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore cover by Neal Adams.

The Sandman Saga a.k.a Kryptonite Nevermore

Written by Denny O’Neil. Art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

In 1971, Denny O’Neil, Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson shook up the Superman status quo. Kryptonite off the board, leaving Superman as confident he was invulnerable than he’s ever been, and Clark Kent a TV reporter role. It was a bold move for the time, where change like this was rare and relatively short-lived before reverting to something more familiar. However, the creative team used it to tell a grand story examining power.

Though a kryptonite explosion, a sand-based doppelganger of Superman was created. Through several adventures, it drains the Man of Steel’s powers, creating an ebb and flow that challenged him new ways. Denny O’Neil’s scripts use these scenarios to examine the role of power and what happens when someone has too much or too little, how it corrupts or it can make someone dangerously overconfident.

Issues: Superman #233-235, 237-238, 240-242
Collected in: ‘DC Finest – Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore’ or ‘Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore’
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Man and Superman: The Deluxe Edition cover by Claudio Castellini.

Man and Superman

Written by Marv Wolfman. Art by Claudio Castellini.

Man and Superman is a forgotten gem completed in 2008 but sat on the shelf for many years before it resurfaced in 2019. It tells of Superman/Clark Kent’s earliest days in Metropolis and how he finds his footing in the big city. From Clark Kent’s perspective, we see him struggling to make it as a journalist, scrubbing toilets while also being forced to write sensationalist drivel. On the Superman side, he’s trying to figure out how to be a hero and do good – especially when no one has seen anyone like Superman before. At the same time, a wave of terrorist attacks has rocked Metropolis, putting everyone on edge.

It’s a story about struggling and how not everything comes easy, even for someone as powerful as Superman. Readers see a Superman who makes mistakes and is unsure of himself. As Clark Kent, he’s at the bottom of the career ladder and struggling to be noticed. While Superman/Clark Kent could give up, they keep on fighting and learning, bettering themselves to become how we know them today.

Issues: Man and Superman 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
Collected in: Man and Superman: The Deluxe Edition
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Superman #423 cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Written by Alan Moore. Art by Curt Swan.

Crisis on Infinite Earths opened the door for John Byrne to wipe much of the Superman lore clean and modernise it in 1986. What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? acts as a final goodbye to the many classic concepts and interpretations before Byrne wiped the slate clean.

Superman’s secret identity is revealed just as all of his enemies return, more violent than ever, leading to a final stand-off at the Fortress of Solitude. It’s action-packed but also emotionally weighty due to a brooding and conflicted Superman full of regret and worry. Overall, it’s a definitive ending for the Man of Steel, a rare feat in superhero comics.

Issues: Superman #423 and Action Comics #583
Collected in: ‘The DC Universe by Alan Moore’ or ‘Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? The Deluxe Edition’
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Superman Smashes The Klan cover by Gurihiru.

Superman Smashes The Klan

Written by Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.

Of the 2000+ episodes of The Adventures of Superman (1940-1951) radio drama, the Clan of the Fiery Cross serial was by far the most famous. In it, Superman takes a fictionalized version of Klu Klux Klan after they begin to harass a Chinese-American family who have recently moved to Metropolis. Superman Smashes The Klan is a modern reinterpretation of the story, adding new and heartwarming dimensions.

The creative team explores the immigrant experience, showing not only the prejudice the family encounters but also how they often pretend to be someone else to fit in. The latter is also explored through Superman. Here, he’s too afraid to use all of his powers just in case the world fears him for it. Overall, it’s a great story suitable for all ages with a message and heart.

Issues: Superman Smashes The Klan #1-3
Collected in: Superman Smashes The Klan
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Have your say!

Did your favourite Superman story make the list? What other tales do you recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments below or via Bluesky, Facebook, X, or Mastodon.