Superman Through the Ages! Forum

ALL STAR SUPERMAN #3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely
The All Star adventures of the Man of Steel take another startling turn when Lois Lane transforms from Superman’s girlfriend into a Kryptonian Superwoman! Meanwhile, Lex Luthor’s plans simmer as the criminal mastermind exerts his charisma and intellect over the hardcore inmates who share his maximum-security prison.
On sale March 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

SUPERMAN #650
Written by Geoff Johns & Kurt Busiek
Art by Pete Woods
Cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson
It’s One Year Later…and Metropolis prepares to bid farewell to a hero! Join writers Geoff Johns (INFINITE CRISIS, TEEN TITANS) & Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY, JLA/AVENGERS), artist Pete Woods (CATWOMAN) and cover artists Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson (HARLEY QUINN, Marvel Knights: Spider-Man) for Part 1 of “Up, Up and Away,” an 8-part story crossing over with ACTION COMICS! Retailers please note: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN has been re-titled SUPERMAN beginning with issue #650.
On sale March 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

ACTION COMICS #837
Written by Geoff Johns & Kurt Busiek
Art by Pete Woods
Cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson
It’s One Year Later…and whos tagged Clark Kent as a target? The 8-part “Up, Up and Away” continues as writers Geoff Johns & Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY, JLA/AVENGERS) join forces with artists Pete Woods (CATWOMAN) and cover artist Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson (HARLEY QUINN, Marvel Knights: Spider-Man)!
On sale March 29 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

SUPERGIRL #7
Written by Greg Rucka
Art and cover by Ian Churchill
It’s one year later…and Kara and Power Girl have become the dynamic duo of the bottle city of Kandor as the new Flamebird and Nightwing! Don’t miss the debut of new series writer Greg Rucka (WONDER WOMAN, THE OMAC PROJECT) and artist Ian Churchill!
On sale March 8 • 32 pg, FC,

SUPERMAN ARCHIVES VOL. 7 HC
Written by Don Cameron, Jerry Siegel, Bill Finger and others
Art by Joe Shuster, Fred Ray, George Roussos and others
Cover by Ray
The Golden Age of Superman hits its stride in SUPERMAN ARCHIVES VOL. 7, reprinting SUPERMAN #25-29 (1943-1944)! With World War II heating up, Superman fights subversion and sabotage at home while foiling villains like the Toyman and the Prankster.
Advance-solicited; on sale April 26 • 240 pg, FC, $49.99 US

SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE SUPERMAN FAMILY VOL. 1 TP
Written by Otto Binder
Art by Curt Swan, Ruben Moreria, Ray Burnley and others
Cover by Swan & Stan Kaye
The super-affordable Showcase collections continue with a volume spotlighting Superman's girlfriend Lois Lane and pal Jimmy Olsen, collecting the first 22 issues of SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN and Lois's first solo outing from SHOWCASE #9!
On sale March 15 • 576 pg, B&W, $16.99 US

SUPERMAN IN THE EIGHTIES TP
Written and illustrated by various
Cover by John Byrne
Don’t miss this collection of tales from the ‘80s, reprinted from ACTION COMICS #507-508, 554, 595, 600 (select stories), 644, SUPERMAN #408, DC COMICS PRESENTS #29, and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #430! Artist/writer Jerry Ordway provides the introduction and context for this latest addition to DC's "Decades" library.
Advance-solicited; on sale April 5 • 192 pg, FC, $19.99 US
2.99 US

INFINITE CRISIS #6
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning
Covers by Jim Lee & Sandra Hope and George Pérez
Which events in this continuing epic will lead us to One Year Later? What worlds live? Which hero dies? Retailers please note: This issue will ship with covers by Lee & Hope (approximately 50%) and Pérez (approximately 50%).
On sale March 8 • 6 of 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #40
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art and cover by Butch Guice
It’s One Year Later…and Aquaman has totally changed! Join the new creative team of Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY, JLA) and Butch Guice (JLA CLASSIFIED) for the start of an amazing new undersea adventure!
On sale March 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BIZARRO WORLD SC
Written and illustrated by Tony Millionaire, Kyle Baker, Dylan Horrocks, Eddie Campbell, Harvey Pekar, James Kochalka, Gilbert Hernandez, Peter Bagge and others
Cover by Jaime Hernandez
A heaping slab of great comics featuring Bizarro by a who’s-who of fantastic comic artists and writers! It's big! It's indisputably rectangular! It stays crunchy even in milk!
Advance-solicited; on sale April 26 • 200 pg, FC, $19.99 US

SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF THE SUPER-HEROES #16
Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Barry Kitson & Mick Gray
It’s 1,001 years later…and guess who’s joining the Legion of Super-Heroes? It’s just what you think…and nothing you expect!
On sale March 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

SHOWCASE PRESENTS TEEN TITANS VOL. 1 TP
Written by Bob Haney, Marv Wolfman and Len Wein
Art by Nick Cardy, Bruno Premiani, Bill Molno, Irv Novick, Lee Elias, Bill Draut, Sal Trapani and Jack Abel
Cover by Cardy
The "Showcase" format continues with a volume collecting BRAVE AND THE BOLD #54, 60, SHOWCASE #59, and TEEN TITANS #1-18. Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Aqualad unite for adventures only a teen team could handle!
Advance-solicited; on sale April 5 • 528 pg, B&W, $16.99 US

for a full list of DC Comics whole line and cover pics click here: http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Mar06/DCMar05Solicits.html

Sounds fantastic!  Seeing Lex up to his usual brilliant tricks in prison will be great.


This one has me extremely curious...  the description reminds me of all the references in the Maggin stories about Superman leaving Earth at the end of his career...


Hah!  Can I call it, or can I call it?


I'm glad DC is publishing an "eighties" TPB, and I'm glad it's got some pre-reboot material.  But I looked up each of these stories - and all I can say is - what an.. odd - selection..  I suppose it's appropriate to have a Mongul story in there - but wasn't that part of a multi-part storyline?  And two Marv Wolfmans seems a bit much.  Cary Bates=Good, but why "The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent"? No Maggin at all also seems a bit - odd.  One of the post-reboot issues is, I believe, a Roger Stern "Matrix thinks she's Clark Kent/Superman" story.  Also an odd choice.  Should make for an... interesting... read...

It'll be strange, having lived through the 1980s Superman comics, to go back and look at them with a historical perspective.

I wonder when they'll publish their "Superman in the Nineties" TPB...  and I wonder what they'll call their "Superman in the 2000-2010 range" TPB.  "Superman in the Noughts?"  "Superman in the Zeroes?"

:s:

superman at the turn of the century?

Yes, every issue sounds amazing and the cover is the best one yet!



Yes, but where is the Earth-2 fellow if he is still around by this point?



heh, I guess this is the closest thing to the return of the true duo, I just hope that the new supersuits are more cute than sluty. But, considering who are wearing them, I wouldn't bet on it  :oops:

But I bet they will be very popular with current fans either way ;)



I think I might skip this one, surely there were better tales to chose from?




Superman in the 21 century Vol.1 what else? :s:

The cover for All-Star Superman #3 is stunning indeed. It also looks like Quitely has softened Superman's jawline somewhat.

You're right, the cover is fantastic.  And I love Lois' Superwoman costume!  That round S-logo is the same one that Luma Lynai (and the Earth-D Superman) had.


This explains why the book keeps getting delayed.  First they had to re-draw all of Superman's S logos in issue #1 - now they're re-doing Clark to look more like Brandon Routh. :)

:s:

And most surprising of all, a "Superman Through The Ages" action figure multi-pack!

Rao, are you getting a cut of this one?  :lol:

Like I said before, someone who works at DC Direct really loves this site ;)

Thank you, whoever you are :)

Great Rao needs to create a banner to promote that items when it gets close to the release date :D

SUPERMAN THROUGH THE AGES Action Figure Gift Set
Don't miss this amazing Action Figure Gift Set featuring the greatest Superman figures! The set consists of four different 6" scale versions of Superman, including the Jim Lee Superman, John Byrne Superman, First Appearance Superman and Robot Superman! Each figure features a new head and cape, multiple points of articulation and a display base. This set is packaged in a 4 color window box with a full-size 48-page comic book compiling material from ACTION COMICS #1, SUPERMAN (Second Series) #7, and AMAZING WORLD OF SUPERMAN`!

On Sale August 16, 2006

http://dccomics.com/media/products/5037_a_full.jpg

I liked the multi-part Wolfman-penned Vandal Savage epic from the 80s.  Maybe because I never finished the ending.  The story is very similar to Busiek's Avenger's reboot, among others.  At a time when most Superman stories in my experience were still single-issue tales.

An 80s TB with Bronze Age material is a welcome compromise.  The Byrne cover trumps it though --a bit hard to take for us here.

I wonder what would be the choice of readers here for the best pre-Crisis 80s stories of Superman?

Ok, here is my list, please note that some of these have been reprinted before, but that never stop the fine folks at DC before ;)

I will start with the comic series Superman, I will later post tales from the other titles.


"The Debut of Superman III!" by Cary Bates and Curt Swan from Superman No. 354 Dec 1980 8 pages

"The Dying Day of Lois and Lana!" by Cary Bates and Curt Swan from Superman No. 363 Sep 1981 17 pages

"The Bizarrobuster Is Loose!" by Cary Bates and Curt Swan from Superman No. 379 Jan 1983 23 pages

"The Power and the People!" by Elliot S! Maggin and Curt Swan from
Superman No. 395 May 1984 23 pages

"The Living Legends of Superman Part 4" by Elliot S! Maggin and Frank Miller Superman No. 400 Oct 1984  4 pages

"Jor-El: Superman!" by E. Nelson Bridwell and Wayne Boring
Superman No. 402 Dec 1984 8 pages

"The Last Earth-Prime Story"  by Elliot S! Maggin and Curt Swan from
Superman No. 411 Sep 1985 23 pages

"The Einstein Connection" by Elliot S! Maggin and Curt Swan from
Superman No. 416 Feb 1986 16 pages

"The Ghost of Superman Future "  by Elliot S! Maggin and Curt Swan from
Superman No. 416 Feb 1986 8 pages

"What Ever Happened To the Man of Tomorrow?" by Alan Moore and Curt Swan Superman No. 423 Sep 1986 24 pages

More:

"The Beast-Man That Shouted "Hate" at the Heart of the U.N.!"
DC Comics Presents No. 34 Jun 1981 25 pages

"Luthor Unleashed!" by Cary Bates and Curt Swan
Action Comics No. 544 Jun 1983 28 pages

"The Mark of Bizarro!"
DC Comics Presents No. 71 July 1984 23 pages

"Give Me Power... Give Me Your World!" with Art by Jack Kriby and Alex Toth!
DC Comics Presents No. 84 Aug 1985 24 pages

"The Jungle Line" by Alan Moore and Rick Veitch
DC Comics Presents No. 85 Sep 1985 23 pages

"Year of the Comet" and "The Origin of Superboy-Prime!" by Elliot S! Maggin and Curt Swan
DC Comics Presents No. 87 Nov 1985 40 pages

"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" by Alan Moore and Curt Swan
Action Comics No. 583 Sep 1986 24 pages

They love this site but 1/2 the set is Iron Age?  A case of lip-service if ever there was one!

Super Monkey: thanks for that great 80s list.  Some meaty stuff there as well as some oddball stuff.  Can't argue with the art either.

Your list really hilights the separate nature of the late-Bronze Age: not a lot of Silver-Age style Family tales, an emphasis on Maggin's myth-building (Luthor, Einstein), and no radical changes (like the early-Bronze power reduction, Kryptonite cure, etc).

If I was to choose stories:

The Superman story that had the Parasite drain the emotional support from people worldwide to try to get Superman to quit being a super-hero.  Superman beat that plan by looking at a picture of the Kents.

The three part story in DC Comics Presents that featured Mongul and War World and its aftermath.  I think it went Martian Manhunter, Supergirl, and Spectre.  I have the second two, so it's the first one I'm not sure about.

The three-parter where Supergirl and the Kandorians come up with the idea to convice Superman he's an Earthling.

The two parter that focussed on enlarging Kandor

The Sword of Superman(I know.  It's here on the site)

Two great picks, I couldn't find the issue with that Kandor story, what issue was that one? It was a good one, I am glad it happen before the reboot.

I didn't look at the annuals for more story, but I really like that Sword story, talk about epic!

There were a lot more Elliot S! Maggin and Cary Bates tales that one can add and no one would complain :)

Superman was still a great, great comic during the 80's, action comics however sucked for the most part and was stuck with the big bad wolf writing it. DCCP was always hit and miss, really great or really bad.

I am sure there are more stuff like Superboy and Supergirl stories that can be included, as well.

Yes it's true --I now enjoy reading those Superboy stories when I pick up an issue from the 80s. I haven't read enough to have favourites though.

No, not until a "Superman Through the Ages!" comic book comes out. :) (just kidding!)

I agree with Telle that it's a bit strange that an action figure set called "Superman Through the Ages" skips over 50 years of Superman history - but I do think it's totally cool that DC used the name.  Thanks guys!

This got me thinking about some of the things I'd actually like to see in an STTA comic book:  Superman stories in all his incarnations from 1934 to 2965!

Yes, some pre-1938 stories with that funky 1934 sandle and shield costume, and everything up to more Klar Ken T5477 stories!  Perhaps we could see Klar pass on the Superman mantle to his successor.

I'd love to see new 1930s Golden Age Superman stories done in a Siegel and Shuster style;

And imagine, say, Alan Moore doing a 1950s era Sci-Fi Superman tale illustrated in a Wayne Boring style. I'm not sure whether Alan is currently writing comics or claiming that he's given them up forever (he seems to continuously oscilliate between these two states), but I'm certain that either way this would be an irresistible temptation for him.

Or seeing Elliot Maggin wrap up all those threads of his - Superman leaving Earth at the end of his career, etc.  What were his early years in his self-imposed exile like?  What was his ultimate destiny? Maggin might have more he'd like to say, and this could be a good vehicle for it.

Kyle Baker Superbaby and/or Letitia Lerner stories.

George Reeves 1950s TV-era-and-continuity Superman adventures by Mike Curtis (author of By George (http://jimnolt.com/bg.htm) and Strange Visitor from Another Planet (http://jimnolt.com/strangevisitor.htm)) and Randy Garrett (Secret Planet (http://jimnolt.com/sp-intro.htm)).  What might the series have been like if it had continued?

I'm sure there are plenty of other highly talented writers and artists who would just love to play around in that huge, sweeping Silver Age continuity, and all of Superman's other eras to boot.  The possibilities are endless.

And maybe we'd even finally get to see a good Super Monkey story!

:s:

Maybe we can get ESM to do finally do one as Beppo keeps reminding us of his shattered dream. ;)

The reason I picked the name was because he was the ultimate underdog character that no one seem to like, and to p-off Iron Age fans when I posted at DC's boards way back when ;)

Most of the Legion of Super-Pets stories are pretty good:

"The Legion of Super-Traitors!"
Synopsis:
Super-Pets defeat Brain-Globes of Rambat

Character appearances:
Lana Lang, Kents; Legion of Super-Heroes (Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl); Phantom Zone inhabitants (Jax-Ur, General Zod, Mon-El); Legion of Super-Pets (1st) (Krypto, Streaky, Super-Monkey, Super-Horse (1st))

Reprinted: in Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #147 (June 1968); Adventure Comics Digest #495; Legion of Super-Heroes Archives #1

The Super-Tests of the Super-Pets!
Synopsis:
The Super-Pets induct Proty II while the Legion of Super-Heroes is away.

Character appearances:
Legion of Super-Heroes; Super-Pets; Legion of Substitute Heroes

Reprinted: in Best of DC Digest 44; Legion Archives vol. 3

The Evil Hand of the Luck Lords!
Synopsis:
Saturn Girl visits Thaun to investigate a series of Legionnaire jinxes, only to find that the evil Luck Lords used a super-hypnotic long-range ray.

Character appearances:
Legion of Super-Heroes (Sun Boy, Brainiac 5, Invisible Kid, Cosmic Boy, Superboy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Chameleon Boy, Duo Damsel, Light Lass, Star Boy, Bouncing Boy, Shrinking Violet, Element Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Triplicate Girl (flashback)); Legion of Super-Pets (Proty II, Comet, Streaky, Krypto, Beppo); Computo (flashback); Calamity King (flashback)

Reprinted: in Superboy (DC, 1949 series) #208 (April 1975); Legion Archives vol. 5

The Revolt of the Super-Pets!

Synopsis:
The Super-Pets depart for a world which they think appreciates them, but it turns out to be a gang of criminals.

Character appearances:
Superboy; Saturn Girl; Sun Boy; Star Boy; Chameleon Boy; Brainiac 5; Phantom Girl; Colossal Boy; Shrinking Violet; Ultra Boy; Invisible Kid; Lightning Lad; Light Lass; Supergirl (all as the Legion of Super-Heroes); Beppo (origin); Streaky (origin); Comet (origin); Krypto (origin); Proty II (origin) (all as the Legion of Super-Pets); Circe (flashback); Jor-El (flashback); X-kryptonite (flashback); Rikkor Rost (villain)

The Legion's Space Odyssey!
Synopsis:
The Legion is transported by an explosion, but their ordeal was engineered by Superboy to protect them from a vision by Dream Girl.

Character appearances:
Legion of Super-Heroes (Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel, Superboy, Invisible Kid, Dream Girl, Light Lass, Sun Boy, Cosmic Boy, Ultra Boy, Mon-El); Legion of Super-Pets (Beppo, Comet, Streaky, Krypto, Proty II)

The Revenge of the Super-Pets!
Character appearances:
Beppo; Comet the Super-Horse; Krypto; Streaky (all as the Legion of Super-Pets, guest stars); Cyrus Atwill (intro, villain); Henry Bergh (founder of SPCA, guest star); Superman; Perry White

Apologies to all concerned (especially to Elliot), but after the last few posts, I just couldn't resist:

Blame Klar for this one!

(http://superman.nu/images/beppo-cover.jpg)

:s:

LOL!

He has fans..

http://members.shaw.ca/comicbookgorillarama/cbgindex.htm

Still 10 cents! Love it!

And hey I collect DC 'rilla covers! Who can forget them playing baseball on the cover of Strange Sports Stories?

But will "Elliot' address the mystery of Superbaby's, Beppo's and Bizarros' common phraseology in speaking?

Me wonder.  :wink: