Superman Comics Index (from 1986)


Regular Titles

2011

  • Superman #705 (January)
    J. Michael Straczynski, Wellington Dias & Eddy Barrows, J.P. mayer with Eber Ferreira
    A young boy named William races home excited because Superman is visiting Chicago. After the way Danville was wrecked people distrust Superman. As Lois and Clark share a night in a motel and he drifts to sleep, and dreams of being in a fight. When he awkens his face is bruised and battered. Elsewhere William is painting a banner for Superman, so he will visit his home. It turns out his reasons for wanting the visit so badly are an abusive father. Williams father is beating his mother and William finally has the courage to step in. A slap to the face later William is hurled into the basement where he knocks himself out. William awakens and fearing it's too late he calls for help, luckily, Superman hears him. William sees his rescuer and recognizes the mask of make up. Superman is enraged and puts William's father in his place. Frustrated by the law, Superman gives William a phone number to call him every day so he'll know the boy is okay.

  • Action Comics #895 (January)
    Paul Cornell, Pete Woods, Pete Woods
    Vandal Savage watches for Lex Luthor from Bohemia in the 1300s. He observes his trap-laden fortress in which he's hidden the black power, and notes its traps. He also reveals that he's been told through prophecy that Luthor will bring him happiness somehow, related to the black power. Time passes, until the present day. We see Vandal Savage encounter Lex Luthor in many situations. In the process, he instructs his daughter Scandal not to tell Luthor of his future. Meanwhile, Luthor awakens and realizes that if he changes the spheres, he will be given power. He opts to change two of them from orbit, and in doing so, he draws the ire of Vandal Savage. Vandal takes Luthor's board hostage and threatens Luthor, saying that if Luthor doesn't accede to his wishes and bring him his happiness, he will blow up the Lexcorp tower. Meanwhile, Scandal Savage and members of the Secret Six watch, wondering what they should do.

  • Superman #706 (February)
    G. Willow Wilson, Amilcar Pinna, Amilcar Pinna
    Perry yells at one of his young photographers for getting a bad photo of Superman. The Daily Planet is struggling financially amongst all the new media, and to top it off a popular blog is about to run a scathing post on the newspaper's connections with Superman, and specifically a photo of Lois and Superman in a compromising position. Perry sends his young photographer under cover at the Urbanitis blog and when owner Jack Hoffman meets with Perry a few days later, the photo is found to be a fake. Instead of taking Hoffman to court, Perry offers him a job.

    [Trade Paperback collection: Superman: Grounded Vol. 1 reprints Superman #700-706]

  • Action Comics #896 (February)
    Paul Cornell, Pete Woods, Pete Woods
    The Secret Six are about to rescue Lex. When Lex was having dinner with Scandal Savage, his plan was to hire the Secret Six for a mission. Watching from the air vents Scandal is shocked to discover her target is... her father! Savage questions Luthor about the prophecy but to no avail, whilst elsewhere Lois Bot is reactivated by a memory-cloned host of Mr. Mind. The host reveals that Lois Bot had reprogrammed one of his henchmen with a nano virus that prevented him from killing Lex. Thus a revelation that Lois Bot has a loyalty to someone other than Luthor. The Secret Six leap in and attack, but halfway through the attempt Lois Bot arrives and stomps through them all. When it smashes Scandal to a pulp, Vandal can stand by no longer and literally cuts through Lois Bot. Lex ruses that the prophecy of him bringing Vandal happiness is through no magic or technology but bringing him closer to his daughter. It doesn't work and during gunfire the detonator everyone had been trying to grab hold off is set off...

  • Notable Issue: Secret Six #29 (March)
    Gail Simone, Marcos Marz, Luciana Del Negro
    Lex offers Scandal a bonus only if she sacrifices herself to save the rest. Vandal Savage concludes that Lex's future manipulation of Black Ring energy will fulfill his prophecy. Lex, being two steps ahead of everyone, has a stick of bubble-gum which turns out to be a protective force field bubble in case of the detonator going off. Vandal thinks Luthor's death will bring great joy to him. Luthor admits that The Secret Six were hired to be his pawns. Vandal submits to Lex's will, admitting that Lex beat him, thus saving everyone in the process. Everyone jumps into the gum-bubble and the explosion sends the force field through the roof. Black Alice saves them from the fall. The Secret Six quit and Bane tries to intimidate Vandal by defending his daughter.

  • Superman #707 (March)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Allan Goldman, Eber Ferreira
    In Des Moines, Iowa Superman's behavior is becoming strange. A power plant is on fire and Superman arrives to put it out. Superman confronts the workers, Lois and a disgruntled ex-worker Manuel. Manuel approached Lois after he discovered the plant were paying off officials to be able to illegally dump waste. The locals beg Superman not to shutdown the factory because it's the town's lifeblood. Superman agrees. Watching from a distance the krypto-freak school teacher watches and smiles, but Lois on the other hand is far from happy. Superman orders her not to print her expose. Lois is visibly shocked and walks off. Superman is later confronted by the Superman Squad and they have the answers to Superman's quest.

  • Action Comics #897 (March)
    Paul Cornell, Pete Woods, Pete Woods
    Lex prepares to interrogate the Joker in Arkham. Seems a Black sphere is located somewhere in his cell somehow. Lex finds the interrogation quite frustrating. Joker opens a jar, revealing a toy pony. Joker grabs another jar and opens it to reveal the small black sphere that Lex is looking for. Joker wants something in return for the black sphere. He wants Lex to increase the size of the sphere. Joker intends to use it as a doorway; to leave his prison cell. Spalding then succeeds in expanding the sphere by feeding it with additional energy and it explosively turns pure white. Joker decides to stay in his cell. Lois-bot pushes Spalding into the white sphere. Spalding screams in pain and then disappears. The white sphere shrinks back down to its small size, and Joker puts it back in the jar. Lex leaves with the white sphere. In a Las Vegas casino, two armed security guards discover a hole in the wall; and when they look inside, they find Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern. Larfleeze says he is looking for Lex Luthor.

  • Superman #708 (April)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer with Julio Ferreira
    Superman meets the Superman Squad who take him to the Fortress of Solidarity where he sees all the Supermen from the future who have been inspired by him. The Squad warn Superman that he's losing himself due to the machinations of someone who is trying to make him doubt himself. They take him back to Lincoln, Nebraska where he meets Wonder Woman (for the first time) and inspires her to help him save people from flash flooding. Wonder Woman fights Miss Jennings, the school teacher who is trying to ruin Superman, and warns Superman about her.

  • Action Comics #898 (April)
    Paul Cornell, Pete Woods, Pete Woods
    Lex's quest is almost over. However Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern, and his 'pet' energy constructs attack Lex. Glomulus, one of the constructs had found and eaten one of the spheres. A fight ensues and when the Orange Lantern takes a hostage, yet another Lexcorp employee dies, at Lex's hand. Larfleeze is swallowed up like Spalding into the Black Lantern sphere that had converted itself to white. Lois-bot tries to convince Lex to convert the energy of the other space bound black spheres remotely but Lex prefers the personal touch and readies a plan to retrieve the spheres. Larfleeze escapes through one of the other converted spheres and discovers the truth behind the energy Lex is addicted to. Unbeknownst to Lex, Lois-bot has been secretly working for Brainiac all along.

  • Notable Issue: Outsiders #37 [Reign of Doomsday] (April)
    Dan Didio, Philip Tan, Philip Tan
    In Markovia, Doomsday attacks The Eradicator. The Outsiders step in to take on the beast, but Doomsday is too powerful, taking on their powers to defeat them. Doomsday escapes with the Eradicator thrown over his shoulder.

  • Notable Issue: Justice League of America #55 [Reign of Doomsday] (May)
    James Robinson, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund
    Eclipso attacks the Emerald City. In space, where New Krypton used to be, Dick Grayson and Supergirl meet Alpha-Lantern Boodikka, but their meeting is short lived when Doomsday appears and attacks Boodikka. Jesse takes Alan Scott away from Emerald City as Jade prepares to take on Eclipso. Starman arrives to help with Doomsday, but is swatted away easily. Blue Lantern Saint Walker arrives as the JLA and Doomsday are transported onto the JLA satellite. Eclipso takes over the Emerald City easily. Jade is taken over by Eclipso. The Cyborg Superman arrives on the JLA watchtower, and it's understood he's the one Doomsday is after.

  • Superman #709 (May)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Eddy Barrows & Allan Goldman, J.P. Mayer & Julio Ferreira
    In Boulder, Colorado Superman is amazed when everything around him starts looking Kryptonian. He realizes that the Flash is behind it all, due to a Kryptonian headband taking over his thoughts. Superman catches up to the Flash, takes off the headband and everything is put back to normal. The two sit down in a diner to have a chat and talk about the legacy they leave behind and the people they inspire.

  • Action Comics #899 (May)
    Paul Cornell, Jesus Merino, Jesus Merino
    Before Lex can put into action his plans for the spheres, he's confronted by Brainiac. The two banter back and forth before the two fight. Lex snaps Brainiac's neck and puts his plan into action with all the spheres converging in space. A gigantic being from the Phantom Zone emerges from bright flash, with Mr Mind explaining to Lex what it and is where it came from. Lex anticipated something along those lines, and using the nanites within his Lois-Bot, he turns himself into a god-like being and attacks the Phantom Zone creature, absorbing and taking over it.

    [Trade Paperback collection: Superman: The Black Ring Vol. 2 reprints Action Comics #896-899, Secret Six #29 and Action Comics Annual #13]

  • Notable Issue: Superman/Batman Annual #5 [Reign of Doomsday] (June)
    James Robinson, Miguel Sepulveda, Miguel Sepulveda
    Starman and a Blue Lantern named Saint Walker are outside of the Watchtower. Doomsday is inside. Also inside, the Cyborg Superman reforms. Outside Walker and Starman see the face of the Cyborg form on the side of the Watchtower. Inside the Cyborg Superman, Supergirl and Batman battle against Doomsday. Cyborg Superman does not want to give up because he feels if he can defeat Doomsday he will be a better man than Superman. The sick bay's computers do a scan of Supergirl and reveal that the darkness inside of her is going to prove fatal. Batman reaches the Arena level, which is halfway where he needs to be. Unfortunately the Cyborg's meddling with the Watchtower's system allowed lethal force to be used in the arena and suddenly a whole gaggle of holographic Batman villains attack. Doomsday assumes a Cyborg from and overwrites the Cyborg's influence on the Watchtower. Meanwhile Batman gets back to Cyborg Superman and Doomsday. Supergirl fights through her inner darkness. As Batman is about to be killed Supergirl (back in her normal form) busts in and drives Doomsday back. Doomsday gets the upper hand and disappears with both Cyborg Superman and Supergirl. Saint Walker tracks them to the other side of the sun where New Krypton used to be.

  • Notable Issue: Superboy #6 [Reign of Doomsday] (June)
    Jeff Lemire, Marco Rudy, Marco Rudy
    Robin comes across Superboy in San Francisco and the two chat. As Superboy flies off he's attacked by Doomsday. At Ivy University Dr Palmer makes Simon an offer to stay on, but he declines... someone is secretly watching them. Superboy fights valiantly, but he's no match for Doomsday, who takes his unconcious body to a space ship somewhere in space.

  • Superman #710 (June)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer
    In Ogden, Utah Superman saves a woman from being hit by a truck. She turns out to be Dr. Helen Phelps, an archaeologist whose dig sight is under threat from having their funding pulled. Superman notices a S symbol in the sky and flies to meet Bruce Wayne as Batman. The talk about the first time they met (as Clark and Bruce) in Bhutran many years ago. Her holiness, the Rhana Bhutran was an old friend of Clark's. She'd called them both in to help with the threat of Vandal Savage who wanted to force the knowledge of the location of Nanda Parbat from her. When Savage and his army attacked, Clark and Bruce helped turn them away. Back in the present, after Bruce helps refund the archaeological dig, they talk about how recent events have changed them both, and leave each other, both with a smile on their face.

  • Action Comics #900 (June) [Reign of Doomsday]
    Paul Cornell and various writers, Pete Woods and various pencillers, Jesus Merino and various inkers
    Back in Metropolis, Superman learns all about Doomsday's rampage, and flies towards space. Meanwhile, in space, inside a space ship, Superboy awakens and finds Steel, Supergirl, Cyborg Superman and the Eradicator who are also prisoners within this ship, which seems to be an endless maze. They are attacked by Doomsday. Elsewhere, Lex, now a god-like being, intercepts Superman and tries to destroy him. However the being he usurped his power from was the original inhabitant of the Phantom Zone and is a god of happiness and peace. Lex can only use his new powers in positive ways... and for a moment all is right with the universe... but Lex cannot abide Superman being allowed to live, so all his good work is but a fleeting thing, as his powers decrease as he attempts to kill Superman. On the space ship, even though they thought they'd defeated him, Doomsday chases his prey, again. Lex is reduced to his human form and vanishes. Finding the space ship, Superman crashes inside and Cyborg shows them the body of the original Doomsday, after his defeat at the hands of New Krypton. What they've been fighting are Doomsday clones created by Lex Luthor... each with a different super power./Other stories include: Jor-El getting help from a fellow Kryptonian father to finish Kal-El's rocketship, Superman learning about the I'Iawa race from an alien called Sarva, Lois inviting the LSH over for dinner as a present for Clark, Superman renouncing his U.S. citizenship after flying into Iran to help support a peaceful protest, a screenplay by Richar Donner and Derek Hoffman about Superman up against an ex-sports star with a suit that gives him super powers.

  • Superman #711 (July)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer
    While in Provo, Utah accepting the Key to the City, Superman hears Jimmy's signal watch go off and races to Metropolis where Livewire is causing chaos. Trapped inside an energy sphere, the teacher who has been stalking Superman and making him doubt himself, tries to free herself to no avail. Also trapped with her is Iron Munro, who tries to assist, but only ends up feeling the pain being directed by her at Superman. With Jimmy's help, Superman works out that Leslie has an excess surge of energy running through her due to tests conducted at STAR Labs, and heads to the Fortress of Solitude to retrieve his old "Superman Blue" energy suit which allows Leslie to better control herself as Livewire.

  • Action Comics #901 (July) [Reign of the Doomsdays - Part 1]
    Paul Cornell, Kenneth Rocafort, Jesus Merino
    With three Doomsday set to attack them, Superman rips out Cyborg's central node to stop him from sabotaging their efforts. Steel gives the heroes a momentary break from the attack, allowing Superman to formulate a plan. They take the original Doomsday's body with them. Meanwhile, the ship they're aboard is set for a crash course for Earth, an impact that will kill all life on the planet. Steel discovers that there is a speck of life still within Doomsday, as the three Doomsday clones find them and attack once more. On Earth the president calls for Superman's help. Escaping once more from the Doomsdays, the heroes discover that they're going to collide into the Earth, but before they can do anything about it, they're confronted by Doomslayer, who says he is the death of Doomsdays, and that Earth must be destroyed. The Eradicator confronts Doomslayer, but is ripped apart in front of Superman, Steel, Supergirl and Superboy.

  • Superman #712 (August) [Lost Krypto story from after "Infinite Crisis"]
    Kurt Busiek, Rick Leonardi, Jonathan Sibal
    With the death of Conner Kent in the Infinite Crisis, Krypto misses his friend. As he mopes on the Kent Farm porch, he recalls Conner's death at the hands of Superboy-Prime. Krypto flies around to different locations where he and Conner were together, eventually ending up on an asteroid, with a Smallville manhole cover at his side... a makeshift frisbee he and Conner used to play catch with.

  • Action Comics #902 (August) [Reign of the Doomsdays - Part 2]
    Paul Cornell, Kenneth Rocafort, Axel Gimenez
    With the Eradicator dead at the hands of Doomslayer, Superman and his team save Doomsday's body and find an escape route from the spaceship. They try to stop the ship from crashing into Metropolis and destroying all life on Earth, but they're only able to slow it down, but that's enough to ruin Doomslayer's plans. The ship crashes down in the ocean, causing a massive tidal wave. Superboy, Steel and Supergirl are able to stop the wave... and Superman emerges alive, but weakened. Doomslayer unleashes the Doomsdays on Metropolis.

  • Notable Issue: Booster Gold #46 (September) [Flashpoint]
    Dan Jurgens, Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund
    Will Booster be able to stop Doomsday and help The Flash - or has his time come to an end?

  • Superman #713 (September)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson; Diogenes Neves & Oclair Albert, Eddy Barrows & J.P. Mayer, Jamal Igle & Jon Sibal
    Superman calls Supergirl and Superboy to meet him in Newberg, Oregon where he informs them he's decided to quit being Superman, and will just help people secretly as Clark Kent. Shocked, Supergirl and Superboy try to reason with him, but he's made up his mind. Later, in a Portland coffee shop, Clark is introduced to a local who is a big Superman fan, who can't believe he's writing a story titled "Must there be a Superman?". He takes Clark outside and starts getting the opinion of the average person on the street about Superman. All the stories are positive, but Clark finds a reason not to believe them. When he sees a TV report showing that Lois has been kidnapped by the teacher (Miss Jennings) who has been stalking him across America Clark races off to save her.

  • Action Comics #903 (September) [Reign of the Doomsdays - Part 3]
    Paul Cornell, Axel Gimenez, Axel Gimenez
    As the heroes battle the Doomsday clones across the world, Superman and Lois are at STAR Labs trying to get information on the original Doomsday... who wakes up, but with the Eradicator in the driving seat. The fight is taken to the Doomsdays, with Superman heading into the spaceship to face off against Doomslayer. Superman heads into the ship's core, but Doomslayer sets his machine into action to destroy Earth and Superman once and for all...

  • Superman #714 [Final Issue] (October)
    J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson, Jamal Igle, Jon Sibal & Robin Riggs
    Superman confronts Miss Jennings, freeing Lois from her grasp. Jennings takes the fight to Superman, but he removes them both into the Still Zone to talk. She reveals that the Kryptonian Sunstone her students found gave her powers when Superman passed nearby, filling her head with all Superman's doubts and fears. Superman counters the stones influence on her by filling it with all his hopes and dreams, shattering the stone. Back on Earth Superman reunites with Lois, gives signal watches to Super-Chief, Steel, Iron Munro, Livewire, Superboy and Supergirl. In the Fortress of Solidarity in the Still Zone, one of the future Superwomen reveals herself to be Miss Jennings, while Superman and Lois fly off to be together... always.

    [Trade Paperback collection: Superman: Grounded Vol. 2 reprints Superman #707-711 and 713-714]

  • Action Comics #904 [Final Issue] (October) [Reign of the Doomsdays - Finale]
    Paul Cornell, Axel Gimenez and Ronan Cliquet
    As Team Superman continues their battles with the various Doomsdays across the planet Superman learns how to defeat the Doomslayer. Superman has his final confrontation with the monster and nearly has to follow Doomslayer into another universe when the Eradicator inhabited Doomsday sacrifices himself so that Superman can stay behind. The day is saved and the Doomsdays are defeated. Later Lois and Clark have a long overdue dinner and talk about what Superman means to the world. Lois tells her husband that he is the way he is because of Jonathan and Martha Kent and Clark makes them proud every day. In the end Clark realizes that he went on a journey to find America and after one speech from Lois he realizes that everything important in his life was in Metropolis all the time.

    [Trade Paperback collection: Superman: Reign of Doomsday reprints Action Comics #900-904]


Superman Comics Index (1986-2011)

Introduction

Here is a listing of the regular Superman titles since the John Byrne 1986 mini-series Man of Steel up until the post-Flashpoint relaunch in 2011. For accuracy almost every entry is based upon actually looking in the issue, and not memory or another source.

This listing is done in the order for when a comic book issue was published.

Note: Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

The Writer, Penciller and Inker for each issue is listed under the Comic's Title and Date.

CONTENTS:

1986/Revamp | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
2010 | 2011
Annuals | Specials 1996-2003 | Specials 2004-
Prestige Format Mini-Series | Graphic Novels | Pin-up Books | Trade Paperbacks

Back to Comic Index Contents Page.

You can read reviews of all the Superman related comics (from October 1999 onwards) in the Mild Mannered Reviews section of this website.