About the Superman Comics

• What are the regular Superman comics?

  Currently, Superman's adventures regularly appear in three comics:

  • Action Comics (monthly) - First Issue: #1 June 1938; 1986 change begins with #584
  • Superman (monthly) - First Issue: #1 January 1987 (2nd series).
  • Superman/Batman (monthly) - First Issue: #1 August 2003

  [Some years there is one Annual comic for each title as well, other years there is just one Annual comic for Superman as a whole, some years there have been no Annuals at all.]

  Between 1987-2006 Adventures of Superman was published monthly [First Issue: #424 January 1987. Final Issue: #649 February 2006]. With the cancellation of Adventures of Superman in February 2006, Superman returned to its original numbering (started in 1939), going from #226 to #650 in March 2006.

  Between 1991-2003 Superman: The Man of Steel was published monthly [First Issue: #1 July 1991. Final Issue: #134 March 2003].

  Between 1995-1999 another Superman comic, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow was published quarterly [First Issue: #1 Summer 1995. Final Issue: #15 Fall/Autumn 1999], allowing for a new Superman comic to appear each week. Superman: The Man of Tomorrow filled in the "skip weeks" (5th week in a month), but was regularly pushed aside for a skip-week special event and was therefore cancelled.

  Starting in August 2003, DC Comics began publishing a monthly comic book, Superman/Batman, which chronicles the adventures of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight together in the one book.

  Starting in January 2006, DC Comics began publishing an alternate Superman comic book, All Star Superman which is not connected with the other Superman comic books. All Star Superman is basically a different version of the Man of Steel, sitting in its own alternate universe.

  In January 2007, DC Comics began publishing a monthly title called Superman Confidential, which tells stories from key moments in the history of Superman.

  DC Comics regularly publishes special comics in an attempt to ensure Superman fans have something to read every week of the year. Of course being such a popular character, Superman often also appears in one-shots, and mini-series, and other DC superheroes' comics.

  After a July 1996 mini-series Justice League: A Midsummer's Nightmare, in October 1996, Superman became a member of the new version of the Justice League in the series JLA: Justice League of America. The JLA comic was published monthly and ran for 11 years, concluding with issue #125 (April 2006). A secondary JLA comic book monthly series called JLA: Classified also follows the adventures of the Justice League (First Issue: #1 January 2005). The Justice League was reformed and began a series of new adventures in the Justice League of America monthly comic book, with issue #0 starting in September 2006.

  After the "Reign of the Supermen" storyline following Superman's "death" at the hands of Doomsday, two new Superman-related books were introduced for the characters Superboy and Steel. However both were eventually cancelled. Steel ran for 52 issues, ending in May 1998. Superboy ran for 100 issues, ending in May 2002.

  In July 1996, a second monthly Superboy title started called Superboy & The Ravers, but it was cancelled in 1998. Superboy then appeared in Young Justice before it too was cancelled. Superboy currently appears in Teen Titans (monthly comic).

  A Supergirl comic series was also published monthly, but it too was cancelled in May 2003 after 80 issues. However a new Supergirl monthly series started again (this time with Superman's actual Kryptonian cousin, Kara Zor-El) in October 2005. Supergirl also now appears in the Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes monthly comic book series as of issue #16 (March 2006).

  In February 1997, DC launched Adventures in the DC Universe, a comic book that followed in the same style writing and artwork as the Superman Adventures and the Batman and Robin Adventures comic books, this comic sometimes featured Superman, however it was cancelled in 1998.

  In November 2001, DC Comics launched Justice League Adventures, a comic book to tie-in with the "Justice League" animated series airing on the Cartoon Network. In August 2004 (after 34 issues) this comic title was cancelled and a new comic book series Justice League Unlimited was launched to coincide with the name change given to the animated series on the Cartoon Network. Being a member of the Justice League, Superman features prominently in this title. This comic, like the other "Animated" style books, is not part of the same continuity used in the other Superman or JLA comics.

  With the popular Krypto The Superdog animated series running on Cartoon Network, DC Comics published a 6-issue tie-in comic book by the same name, which ran from November 2006 to April 2007.

• What is the Superman Adventures comic?

  It was a monthly Superman comic that tied in with the WB Network's Superman: The Animated Series cartoon. The comic and television episodes are not part of the same continuity used in the other Superman comics. Superman Adventures ran for 66 issues, ending in April 2002.

  However, this Superman still appears in the comic book Justice League Unlimited (and its predecessor Justice League Adventures) which ties in with the Cartoon Network Justice League Unlimited animated series.

  

• What are the two little boxes on some covers?

  On many of the regular Superman titles covers you'll find a rectangular box with that issue's issue number (e.g. Superman #150), month, and year, along with the Comics Code Authority logo.

  For many years a small triangular box had the year and a number saying what week of the year the comic came out, however with issue #154 of Superman (cover date March 2000) the triangle box was replaced with a Superman "S" shield, still containing the year and week number. Since the four regular titles of that time mostly had a continuing storyline, this triangle number or shield number was very useful in keeping one's collection in the correct reading order.

  The Triangle or Shield Numbering system ran for 11 years before DC Comics stopped using it in 2002, with Action Comics #785 being the last issue to use it.

• Letters to DC Comics.

  For many years each comic book issue usually had a letter column with letters commenting on an earlier issue. Each month, one lucky letter writer received an award called a Baldy.

  With the introduction of the internet, DC Comics moved the idea of the Letters Page online, making response times much quicker.

  To send your email comments to DC Comics about Superman, visit the DC Comics website and post a question to their "Ask the Editors" feature.

  DC Comics Postal address:
  DC Comics' address is 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. U.S.A.

• How much are the Superman comics worth?

  Generally, the Superman comics published since 1986 should be purchased because you like the stories, not because you think they'll be worth a lot of money in a few years. In America, the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is the most used reference book for determining the value of old comics. This price guide has an updated edition published annually. Wizard Magazine (published monthly) also has a Comic Book Price Guide printed in the back of every issue. Both are available at all good comic shops. You can also find an online comic book price guide at www.comicspriceguide.com.

• What are the 1994 comics that say they are issue #0?

  Following the 1994 Zero Hour miniseries, each DC Comics title had an issue #0, with stories designed to introduce the characters to new readers. The Superman book's story introduced Clark Kent's childhood rival who would become the villain Conduit.