Seven comics every Superman fan should read -.

It’s been a long time since Superman was the face of DC. For the most part, thanks largely to equally excellent comics, better movies and high-quality games, Batman has become the poster figure for the comic titan. But this has changed somewhat over the past year, as the rebirth of DC Studios and the beginning of the DC Universe has made it clear that everything revolves around the Man of Steel. So, since many of you will be reacquainted with Clark Kent this summer, probably flocking to the cinemas to see James Gunn’s film that just premiered, you may be looking for other adventures with perhaps the most famous superhero of all time. Let us help you do that by drawing your attention to seven great stories headlined by Superman.

All-Star Superman

We begin with what many consider the ultimate and best single story based on Superman. All-Star Superman is everything that defines Man of Steel, with the infallible hero taking on villains and saving the world from disaster after disaster, but this time there is a catch. Because this is a run that follows an established and incredibly strong Superman, it is brought back to reality by putting a clock on Supes’ life as it examines his final acts of heroism committed in the days before his death after an overdose of solar radiation. If you want a story to test the waters of Superman, this is without a doubt the one worth choosing.

Superman: What happened to the man of tomorrow?

Speaking of a Superman on his last legs, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? is a fascinating story because it explores a world where the Man of Steel has disappeared. Set in a future era, this story follows a reporter who visits Lois Lane to hear her side of the story after the ex-Daily Planet journalist becomes the last person to see Superman alive. As for why Superman disappeared, key events saw a host of villains exploiting his human side and executing those he loves, all after his alter ego Clark Kent is revealed to the world. After a series of chaotic and escalating events, Superman makes a decision he never thought he would have to make, something for which he must pay the ultimate price shortly thereafter.

Kingdom come

Speaking of a Superman who must rise up and become something more than just a symbol of hope, we have the Kingdom Come ensemble story in which many of the Justice League’s greatest heroes come together and are often at odds in a twisted future. This story follows a new era of heroes who lack the respect and rules that defined the inaugural group, and sees how in an effort to curb increasingly violent justice, Superman comes out of retirement and joins many of his former allies to create a new league designed to keep an eye on unruly youth. However, Superman’s metahuman justice is perceived as too much for some, putting him at odds with people who want their world back, including Batman.

Superman: Brainiac

We recently saw the impact Brainiac can have on DC’s superheroes, as Rocksteady sought to offer an interesting take on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Superman: Brainiac is similar, except that instead of seeing the Man of Steel corrupted and under control, it sees him tasked with stopping the immensely intelligent alien from destroying Earth, an undertaking that pushes Clark to his limits and sees him suffer loss along the way and mourn a key member of his team.

Superman: Up in the Sky

We often look to Superman to be the hero to save the planet from complete and total destruction, and it is for this reason that Up in the Sky is such a compelling alternative. It follows Clark as he zooms into space to rescue a young girl who has been taken by alien forces. It sees Superman abandoning his post and putting Metropolis and the rest of the world at risk, choosing the lives of one over many, and along the way questioning whether it is right to put the needs of a single person above the masses.

Death of Superman

To this day, I believe the greatest crime committed by the DC Extended Universe was to show how weak and vulnerable Superman can be immediately, by killing him off a movie after he was introduced. Anyone in the know understands that although he is known as the Man of Steel, Superman is vulnerable under the right circumstances, but when the precedent is set before the gates… Regardless, Death of Superman is a well-executed conclusion. It sees Clark tasked with stopping the raging Doomsday, a violent being who has the strength and tenacity to push Superman to his limits, even going so far as to draw blood and land deadly wounds. It is basically the same plot as the third act of Batman v. Superman, except that it is handled in a much more thematically sound way. At the end of the day, another must-read story.

Superman: secret identity

Concluding this list is another more unorthodox story, given what we expect from Superman. Secret Identity takes us into a world where Superman exists, but only in comic book form, as we know him in reality. It revolves around a young Clark Kent, a typical Kansas teenager with all the similarities to the Man of Steel minus the superpowers. However, this all changes when Clark wakes up one day and discovers he has the skills of the Man of Tomorrow, leading him on a path to discover what happened and how he can use these newfound skills for the greater good.

Are there any other Superman comics that you would consider a must-read? If so, tell us about them in the comments below.