Super-Mania is upon us and soon we'll be bombarded with listicles of the "best" Superman comics.
Those lists will undoubtedly have all the classics: All-Star Superman, Action Comics Annual #11, and Superman: Birthright among others, but those are just step one.
To celebrate the Man of Steel, I point you towards 10 great Superman stories that you might not have read:
1. "Be Careful What You Wish For..." by Scott McCloud (Superman Adventures #2) Superman's girlfriend is threatened by Metallo... and it's not Lois Lane! This companion comic to the WB animated series has lots of great Superman tales by a wide variety of writers who would graduate to bigger careers.
2. "Just Passing Through" by Chuck Dixon (Nightwing #30) Superman checks in on Nightwing, the former Robin the Boy Wonder. Dixon has a great handle on Superman's character here. It's too bad he didn't write a Superman monthly.
3. "The Day Superman Couldn't Save" by Robert Loren Fleming (Action Comics #580) Superman is haunted by a choice he had to make early on in his career. An early story that examines the moral dilemma of being Superman.
4. "Superman Batman: World's Finest" by Dave Gibbons (World's Finest vol 2.) In this two-part comic, Batman and Superman team up when Lex Luthor and Joker torment each other's cities. It's one of the earliest "post-Crisis/post-Dark Knight Returns" team-up tales where the world's finest friendship is strained at best. Steve Rude proves why he's one of the best comic storytellers around.
5. "Sons and their Fathers" by James Robinson (Starman #75) Superman learns that Jack Knight met his father, Jor-El, while in space. All of Robinson's Starman run is fabulous, but the last 3rd of the series is amazing and this story is a highlight.
6. "Of Thee I Sing" by Garth Ennis (Hitman #34) After failing to save a life, Superman has a heart to heart with Tommy Monahan aka the Hitman. Ennis, like Grant Morrison, really shines when he writes characters he didn't create. He's got a strong handle on Superman and even makes "Truth, Justice and the American Way" mean something worthwhile.
7. "Big City, Little Man" by Joe Kelly (Action Comics #792) When a newspaper vendor goes missing, Clark is determined to solve the mystery. A touching "small" story that reminds me of Will Eisner's writing.
8. "Ex-Machina" by Paul Chadwick (Christmas with the Superheroes #2) - A stranded suicidal man gets advice from Superman. Paul Chadwick (Concrete) knows how to write Superman's quiet strength and humanity.
9. "Glasses" by Joe Kelly (Mysteries of Love in Space #1) Lois muses why it took her so long to see past the glasses and see Clark. A charming tale of Lois and Clark.
10. "The Living Legends of Superman: Chapter Six" by Frank Miller. (Superman #400) - Two boys go to a virtual reality theater to act out their version of Superman as he battles injustice. This is Miller preparing for The Dark Knight Returns but with Superman. It's light-hearted, fun and a good reminder that all versions of Superman are valid.
I hope you enjoy reading all of these comics!
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