Your Top 7 essential Superman stories

[Jim Kelly]

I envy you guys' ability to remember issue numbers. There have been done-and-one issues I loved but I couldn't tell you which title they were in, much less what issues.

There are some issue numbers that I can't forget. However, if I'm not sure, I look on Mike's Amazing World. So long as I can remember the time period, or which title, or which creator, I can usually find it.

[Sacred Knight]

Thinking about it for a while, settled on this list.

Action Comics #1
Superman newsstrip
Max Fleischer Superman shorts
For The Man Who Has Everything
Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow
All-Star Superman
Morrison Action Comics Vol. 2

Obviously the Fleischer shorts and the newsstrip aren't just one singular story, but the totality is pretty quintessential at the same time.

[Kuwagaton]

I've read somewhere that siegel and shuster were more excited about the newstrip than the comic release. In those days an opportunity in newstrips, were valued more than comics.

You can see why when it comes to some early comics being pared down strips. But whenever collecting really caught on, it had to be clear that the newspapers were a pretty inferior format.

I used to collect comic Chronicles and Archives, but the IDW and DC omnibus formats are the true musts for me as a fan.

[Man_of_Tomorrow]

In terms of enjoyment:

Grant Morrison's Superman magnum opus, which means New 52 Action run, Justice league run, DC One Million, Final Crisis, Multiversity and finally All star Superman. Yeah it is a cheat, but think how much these stories are connected and how easilly they could exist all together, except minor continuity shennanigans.

Superman Adventures by Scott McCloud and Mark Millar

Kurt Busiek's Superman run (best post crisis canon Superman easily)

Elliot S Maggin's books and comics .

Alan Moore's Superman works

Superman: Red Son

Superman by Tomasi and Gleason Its solid, heart-warming comfort food and it came in a time that Superman had been absolutely awful for far too long, which made bereft of old me happy.

Also I really enjoy Bendis' run despite its flaws. Yeah the are some things I don't care about at all like the Action Comics Leviathan arc and Metropolis battle arc, or the heavy decompression of some issues. But the Man of Steel mini was goooood and post Superman #15 the main series has been stellar.

[Jim Kelly]

I probably had the greatest fun reading Superman comics in the 1970s. Cary Bates and Elliot Maggin were certainly favourites, but I absolutely loved Martin Pasko's writing. Unfortunately I couldn't find a story of his to put on my list of seven, because there wasn't one that met my criteria. What was great about Pasko wasn't one story, it was the entire run--the development of characters and concepts that paid off in surprising ways. I guess I could have chosen ACTION COMICS 500--but I decided not to pick more than one origin story and I don't think 500 is the best demonstration of what Pasko could do, even though it's a great origin story--it's more like a compilation of all the previous origin stories into one long narrative.

[Lvenger]

These two for me might be the most classic of Superman lists.

Belated thanks for your comment on my list. Your list is much more eclectic than my own, I've been meaning to read Bulletproof someday. I think I'd change one of my options to Miracle Monday though as I consider it one of the top 3 stories for understanding Superman alongside All Star Superman and Action Comics #775. I've ordered a copy today in fact.

[Cyberstrike]

1) Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Alan Moore writes the end of the era of Superman and closes a chapter to the character. Is it perfect? No, but if gives Superman and Lois Lane a happy ending.

2) All-Star Superman I have mixed feelings about Grant Morrison when he's on his game he can deliver the goods and when he's not it's not pretty, but here Morrison does deliver a great story.

3) Doomsday Clock #7-12. The first six issues are a messy boring confusing slog using the search for Dr. Manhattan and lot of technobabble about politics and social issues but when he is found #7 the book snaps into sharp focus and Geoff Johns has Dr. Manhattan deliver the ultimate mic drop reason why Superman matters to modern world in #12 with "The Rocket is launched. A child is loved. Superman is born." speech that is short and to the point and was IMHO worth the other 11 issues and delays for that.

4) Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Superman Returns, and the CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths TV crossover event Christopher Reeves defined what a live action Superman should be and Brandon Routh is the ONLY true heir to the cape I think should put back into the movies because he gets understands who and what Superman is. Also these movies are still a lot of fun and laid the foundations not only for Tim Burton's Batman films but the MCU, DCAU, Arrowverse, and the current DC Movies.

5) Superman/Batman: The World's Finest The 3 episode crossover that more or less created the DC Animated Universe is how you team these two up.

6) The Death and the Return of Superman Not the greatest Superman story ever but it's lasting effects on the character can't be over-stated.

7) Kingdom Come Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Elseworlds masterpiece shows you why characters with a strong morals like Superman are important and makes the case against violent anti-heroes in a way that is powerful.

Honorable mentions: Superman: For the Animals, Superman: For All Seasons, I am Curious-Black, What is so Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?, God Fall, The Girl From Krypton, The Final Night, Day of Judgement, Superman: Speeding Bullets, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and more.

[Soubhagya]

In no particular order.

1. All Star Superman: The best Superman story ever in my opinion. It has almost everything that i like in a Superman story: crazy sci-fi adventures with doses of humor and romance within a tragic but optimistic backdrop. Story feels pesonal yet big at the same time and i love it. I remember reading this for the first time years ago. I did not like it as much as i do now. Its the kind of story which gets better over multiple readings. But even then after completing it i could see Superman in a new light. This Superman dude is even better then i thought. Back that the only Superman i had seen was Superman TAS which i liked a lot.

2. Grant Morrison's Action Comics run: Among modern writers it feels like he is in a league of his own when it comes to Superman. It becomes confusing towards the later half, so it loses some points in my book. But overall its fantastic. I especially love the first arc. I have read that arc more number of times then any other Superman story. This run makes me wish there was more of the Golden Age Superman aesthetic in his origin as well as the continuing stories. Superman having the big adventures is great but i really wish the guy would fight the smaller fights too. It makes his world feel more real, and his character appear more bad*ss.

3. Superman #400: What i love about this issue is it makes great use of the sci-fi aspects of Superman in futuristic settings, so as to make the present day stories feel like legendary stories. Thus, making the Superman lore feel more tangible. The stories are fun to read and quite satisfying. The only gripe for me is that the stories lack Clark, Lois, Jimmy and others. But it makes sense. In the bigger scheme of things they are people. Superman however is different. Even his costume can spark revolutions against totalitarian states.

4. Action Comics #385-387: The immortal Superman saga. Superman is trapped in time far off in the future. And he can't move back to the past. He keeps moving forward in time all the while aging without dying. The stoy feels heavy without being overbearing. I love that when you are showing Superman in his twilight years it is still in this larger then life canvas. What do with an old Superman next? Put him in a retirement home with other retired superheroes in a different planet. This section has my only gripe in the story, where these bitter ex-heroes band back under Superman quite easily to save the world again. Otherwise, i have nothing to complain.

5. For The Man Who Has Everything: Alan Moore is a great writer. For Superman it seems like everything he touches turns to gold. I have throughly enjoyed all his Superman stories and find it a huge missed opportunity that he never had a proper run on the character. I love Whatever Happened, but it isn't my essential pick as it sometimes appears like a bloodbath to me. And being a final story of an era of Superman, it feels a tad dated. On the other hand, this story feels more standalone and fresh.

6. Superman #162: Superman Red and Blue. Taking it as a-silver age final story, its just fantastic and one of the best Superman issues ever written. What it lacks for sophistication of modern stories, it makes up for it by its big ideas and committment to a happy ending beyond anything imaginable. There are happy endings. And there is Superman #162. We always want the good guys to win. But i haven't seen this kind of victory anywhere else. Fun read anytime i pick it up.

7. Supreme by Alan Moore. Being a Superman knockoff this has no business being in any list of Superman except in a list of knockoffs. But if i am thinking about essential stories i find it hard to ignore. I have zero interest in Supreme, but when i read this all i see is Superman. Its the closest thing to an Alan Moore run we are going to get. This is the reason i warmed up to elements like Superboy, robot duplicates, etc.

8. Secret Identity: This is my pick for Superman Elseworlds. Superman is an imaginary character in a world like our own, and this boy named Clark Kent mysteriously develops powers like Superman. I can't help loving it so as to read it again and again. Superb concept. Great story. And this has perhaps the most satisfying final page among the stories i have mentioned here.

9. Superman #201: Clark Kent abandons Superman. I think there could be better Superman stories where he quits. But this is the one for me. It has things that i want to see in Superman. His scientific intellect which saves the day. The cosmic nature of his adventures. When Spider-man quits he is in New York city. At most he can move to another country. When Superman quits he goes to a system under the red sun. And finally, the way its solved.

10. DC One Million: A Justice League story with a major role for Superman. Its a fun and grand adventure i enjoy a lot. The story of Superman's dynasty is my favorite issue from the series. For all the brilliance of Superman #400, Superman lore does not feel grander then this. As a pseudo sequel it connects to All Star Superman. The reunion elevates the story for me.

[The World]

The Powerstone Saga - I believe this was the first storyline that crossed over between Action Comics and Superman, both written by Jerry Siegel. Luthor has all the power in the world while Superman is powerless. To me this is the storyline that shows the core of the character and the sheer grit and gumption the Man of Steel has. Also I think that same issue of Superman has the first time Lois suspects that Clark and Superman are the same person.

Who Took the Super out of Superman - A storyline that puts Superman in a situation where he can only be either Superman or Clark Kent at a given time and the psychological dilema it brings him having to chose between two halves of himself. Seeing "real" Clark Kent from the Silve/Bronze age perspective is pretty funny too.

The Jungle Line - I believe this story was in DC comics present or something like that. But another story where Superman is on the verge of death. It's a story that shows a very vulnerable Superman. There is an instance where he's in a car sickly and hallucinating that's one of my favorite Superman sequences ever. It's pretty crazy that Moore only wrote three official Superman stories yet so frequently pops up top 10 list.

Superman Electric Blue - Look don't roll your eyes, I didn't put this here just to be different and frankly I'm not even that well read on this time period in Superman's history. I haven't even really read the storyline it's based on. But the bits that I have read do interest me, it's kind of SilverAgey in the Superman gaining new powers on the fly way but it's altered his whole powerset. I think I see this period as less something I cherish or find essential and more something I think has big potential and is worth revisiting. I've always had the idea of bringing this back as a kind of temporary powerup Superman could have in his back pocket.

Final Crisis- Of course the Morrison entry another guy who is always in the Superman discussion Wasn't even Superman's storyline intrinsically but he shined so damn bright in it. Superman going fullblown Gurren Lagann and rallying the Inferior Five amongst other things.

Action Comics storyline I can't recall I don't remember the name or the issue number but it's the one where both are depressed and talk about it at the FOS. A storyline that's basically impossible these days. Good story imo and it's kind of like a preserved fossil showing the characters as they were before the reboot but still connected to the Silver Age.

New Superman/Superman of China- Imo the most creative take on the Superman concept in modern times.

[Kuwagaton]

Sounds like you mean World's Finest#289. #285 I think is in the same wheelhouse. For whatever reason you never hear about Burkett or Kraft these days.

[The World]

Sounds like you mean World's Finest#289. #285 I think is in the same wheelhouse. For whatever reason you never hear about Burkett or Kraft these days.

Yup that's the one. I'm real bad when it comes to actual issue numbers I pretty much always just go by story arc names so single issue stories like that really get me.

[Shadowcat]

7. Last Son of Krypton—Geoff Johns/Richard Donner/Adam Kubert
6. Kingdom Come—Mark Waid/Alex Ross
5. Superman Fall of Camelot—Kurt Busiek/Carlos Pacheco
4. DC Comics Presents 27-29 Mongul’s 1st appearance—Len Wein/Jim Starlin
3. Action Comics 544-547 introduces battle suit Lex, and robot Brainiac—Marv Wolfman/Gil Kane
2. For the Man Who Has Everything—Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons
1. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow—Alan Moore/Curt Swan

[Sam]

My Personal Top Seven Superman Comic Stories:

7.
For the Man Who Has Everything (1985)
Writer: Alan Moore, Artist: Dave Gibbons
Superman (Vol. 1), Annual #11

6.
Last Son (2006-2008)
Writer: Geoff Johns & Richard Donner, Artist: Adam Kubert
Action Comics (Vol. 1), #844-846, 851, Annual #11

5.
Birthright (2003-2004)
Writer: Mark Waid, Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Superman: Birthright, #1-12

4.
Secret Identity (2004)
Writer: Kurt Busiek, Artist: Stuart Immonen
Superman: Secret Identity, #1-4

3.
Son of Superman (2016)
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason, Artist: Patrick Gleason & Jorge Jimenez
Superman (Vol. 4), #1-6

2.
Superman for All Seasons (1998)
Writer: Jeph Loeb, Artist: Tim Sale
Superman for All Seasons, #1-4

1.
Our Town (2016)
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason, Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Superman (Vol. 4), #7