"Superman" Comic Book Index

2021

Superman #27
Cover date: January 2021
"Mythological" - Part Three
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Danny Miki
After seeing Clark, Lana drops in on a surprised Lois, out of the blue and after many years. Lois is straight to the point. Why after so long would Clark's childhood sweetheart stop by for a hello. It must be, she theorizes, something to do with the impending interview in the Daily Star. Lana tells Lois that something is not right with Clark from her point of view but that if Lois could provide insight perhaps they could figure out if something more is troubling Clark. Lois interrupts with the first draft of her new book. Nobody has seen it, not even Clark. They aren't the closest of friends and now Lois wants Lana to be the first to read it? Is there something more to this? Time will tell... At the very same moment, in the Phantom Zone, Superman and Synmar are going toe to toe in combat. Superman tries every form of communication he knows to halt the battle with no luck. Their fighting alerts Zone residents and Xa-Du, The Phantom King, promptly tries to form an alliance with Synmar to escape. Unfortunately, he has just as much luck communicating with Synmar as Superman and pays the price. Superman instructs Kelex to open a small portal back to our dimension as a show of peace with Synmar and it works, the aggression stops and the two peacefully exit. The two combatants are able to communicate on a basic level to trade names. Against the advice of Kelex, Superman has the idea that they should travel to Synmar's homeworld. The two soar beyond the reaches of the United Planets to unknown space. Kelex is unable to communicate with Superman as they reach Synmar's homeworld. The planet orbits an orange sun and it has an immediate effect on Superman. His powers are dulled and so are his verbal skills, his mind is intact but he is under a dampening effect under this sun. Synmar however has experienced the opposite effect. He recognizes Superman is no longer his equal and tells him that he has been granted audience with the collective Synmar population - in surrender and to suffer punishment. Is this... the end?


Superman: Endless Winter Special #1
Cover date: February 2021
"Endless Winter - Chapter 3"
Writers: Andy Lanning & Ron Marz
Artists: Phil Hester & Ande Parks
Flashback Artist: Marco Santucci
In the 10th century Edwald Olafsson protects his village in Greenland. He has the ability to freeze objects and create ice constructs or ice creatures to do his bidding. In years to come he would become a fabled character called the Frost King. At first he was a hero to his village but when his powers grew, crops failed and livestock froze to death, the Greenlanders shunned Olafsson and his family. During one fateful night the villagers attempted to kill Olafsson and his family. His wife, daughter and two young sons were attacked and Edwald was horrified to discover his youngest had been slain. With a mighty fury he unleashed his power to the fullest extent, freezing everything in sight. Now in the modern day, the Frost King has returned (see "Endless Winter" chapters 1 & 2) and with his enhanced powers has frozen all of the world. Lois and Jimmy are helping survivors through the snow to find shelter, food and warmth. Unfortunately during their trek they come up against an army of ice creatures; cue Superman! The Man of Steel fights off and melts as many of the creatures as he can and offers to take Lois to the Fortress. She refuses and tells Clark she will fight the good fight and help as many survivors as she can while he takes on the larger threat. Superman travels across the globe, stopping in Gorilla City, Paris and back to the USA fighting off the ice creatures and thawing out what he can. No matter how hard he fought, with the aid of the Kryptonian technology the Frost King has become unstoppable. Admitting a temporary defeat, Clark heads home to Smallville. There he finds even the invisible shield has been breached by the creatures. Luckily Krypto is protecting Ma and Pa while keeping the location safe. Superman makes the same offer to Martha and Jonathan of sanctuary in the Fortress, but they of course refuse. Clark arrives doubting himself but his strong-minded parents offer some comforting and motivational words that renew Superman's resolve. Back into the fight for humanity he soars! In Gotham City, Stagg and his scientists have been analyzing the ice from the old Fortress location. Stagg discovers it is rife with Kryptonian tech and sunstone - ripe for him to research and patent as Superman had carelessly discarded it. While he smirks at his fortune a scientist makes a shocking discovery. Three people are encased in the ancient ice and they are still alive!


Superman #28
Cover date: February 2021
"Mythological" - Finale
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Danny Miki
As Superman struggles under the influence of the orange sun his acute hearing is able to pick up Lana Lang's podcast. Meanwhile the residents of the planet Synmar are surprised that Eisnor (aka Synmar Utopica) has become unhinged bringing Superman to their world. Eisnor has laid waste to his planet but one of its residents that has studied Superman points out Superman is far from just the Last Son of Krypton. He is a symbol of hope to the wider universe, a member of the Justice League, the founder of the United Planets and that means they may seek him out if he is in danger. Unable to cope with being elevated to similar status on Synmar, Eisnor has no such back up or ties and his loneliness in the role appears to have driven him to destruction. Representatives of Synmar approach the weakened Superman in orbit, Galana, Eisnor's life partner reaches out to Superman and tells him Eisnor's origin. Shocked by what he learns about Eisnor's tragic manipulation he begs to help his 'doppelgänger'. Galana offers to give Superman Synmar body armor and the full support of the military to stop Eisnor. The two fight until Eisnor witnesses Galana and the weakened population cowering in fear and in a mighty burst he expels his solar energy and surrenders to save his people any more pain. They are interrupted by a new intergalactic police force – the United Planets Brigade. Luckily Kelex sent a distress call to the United Planets. Superman asks the Brigade, as its first action, to begin helping the Synmar people rebuild and take Eisnor into custody until he is rehabilitated. Kelex was very busy, he even contacted Supergirl and Krypto who arrive using Jor-El's teleport technology and help get Clark home. Later a young woman is playing a guitar on her building roof and is taken aback to find Superman and Lois listening to her. They ask if they might dance along to her playing the theme to Mary Poppins.

NOTE: FUTURE STATE - The triumphant victory of our heroes saved all reality from the brink of destruction and shook loose the very fabric of space and time. From the ashes of "Death Metal" rose new life for the infinite multiverse and gave us glimpses into the possible unwritten world of tomorrow. This 2-month event (catalogued in the "Specials" section of the Comic Book Index) in some ways ended the "Rebirth" era, launching in to the "Infinite Frontier" era.


Superman #29
Cover date: May 2021
"The Golden Age" - Part 1
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Penciller: Phil Hester
Inker: Phil Hester
A breach in space has opened up in space and this rip to somewhere unknown has allowed giant green creatures that resemble a cross between a xenomorph (Alien movie franchise) and an arachnid (Starship Troopers franchise) to come swarming through on their way towards planet Earth. Superman and Jon are first on the scene and fight the creatures off and back through the rip until a S.T.A.R. Labs space station is able to seal the breach. As Superman and son head back home S.T.A.R. contact Amanda Waller. They reveal in a series of texts that they were secretly monitoring Superman, Jon and the breach. Superman and his powers are deteriorating from radiation leaking from the breach, but Jon is immune. When Waller discovers this she orders S.T.A.R. to secretly keep the breach open. Meanwhile Lois, Clark and Jon are enjoying some relaxing family time. Lois notices that Clark is exhausted and Jon seems distressed. The breach reopens and Superman and son are back in space to send the creatures back. Superman protects Jon from a lethal blast and suffers a severe wound that horrifies the heroes. One of the S.T.A.R. scientists contacts Waller again as the flood of creatures is becoming too hard to hold back. She instructs them to shut the breach and send through the harvested data on Superman and the breach. As Superman and Jon return to Earth a tearful Jon reveals that according to records in the future, Superman's time is almost at an end. The next time a breach opens, if Superman tries to stop it... he will die. In space, the breach reopens... is this the end of the golden age?


Superman #30
Cover date: June 2021
"The One Who Fell" - Part 1
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Penciller: Scott Godlewski
Inker: Scott Godlewski
It begins with a perfect family day out. Duty calls for Superman and so Clark and Jon find themselves heading out to the planet Thakkram. Qarath O Daanim, ruler of the Thakkramites sent out the distress call, to help with an invader attack. Once calm has set in Clark introduces his son to Faldr Poornym, an old friend from years past. When Superman reveals Qarath's distress call was why he has returned they are in complete shock as Qarath is dead! Superman and Jon decide to investigate and discover Faldr may have lied and the invaders may have a bigger plan in motion that even Superman and son can't stop.


Superman #31
Cover date: July 2021
"The One Who Fell" - Part 2/"Tales of Metropolis: Loose Cannon & Gangbuster"
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson/Sean Lewis
Penciller: Scott Godlewski/Sami Basri
Inker: Scott Godlewski/Sami Basri
Faldr has been possessed by an alien presence known as the Shadowbreed. Both Clark and Jon fight Faldr and the other aliens present. Faldr regains control long enough to beg for his life. As Superman and Jon escape the chamber they arrive on a floating asteroid. Clark asks Jon how he's gained a new power: detonating heat vision. Despite this new skill, it's not enough to end the Shadowbreed. Jon accompanies the king to their laboratories, while Superman intends to help the natives. But at first what seemed a wise plan has turned into a battle to the death in a double cross that took them by surprise. Could this be the mysterious battle Jon learned about in the 31st century? The one Superman doesn't survive? All signs point to yes and the giant robot the Shadowbreed have activated may be the one to finish the job./Loose Cannon watches as Gangbuster brutally beats a supervillain named Division (and his duplicates) to a pulp. Cannon notes that this Gangbuster is far more aggressive than the original. Jose Delgado believed in justice, but his daughter Rebekah seems more focused on rage. Rage is something Loose Cannon is more than familiar with, though these days he has control over his rage driven alter ego. Later, waiting at Bibbo's for Jimmy and the other vigilantes. Cannon and Gangbuster still cannot see eye to eye on the level of violence being dished out. When Rebekah pushes the goading too far Cannon looses control and his hulking monster begins trashing the bar and anyone in his path before disappearing into the night. Bibbo reveals to the others that Projectress influenced Cannon to destroy their team and used him as a tool to get close enough to do it. Bibbo watches Gangbuster being taken to the emergency room and swears to make things right, unaware that Projectress is watching him...


Superman #32 [Final Issue?]
Cover date: August 2021
"The One Who Fell" - Part 3/"Tales of Metropolis: Redemption"
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson/Sean Lewis
Penciller: Scott Godlewski/Sami Basri
Inker: Scott Godlewski/Sami Basri
Jon is flying as fast as he can. The legend of Thakkram and Qarath O Daanim ringing in his ears. His reluctance to accept his own son and Faldr's teachings unleashed the Shadowbreed. Jon arrives just in time to protect the natives and calls out to Superman for help. To his dismay the Shadowbreed reveal he has been assimilated as part of their legion. Jon battles the giant robotic beast, buying time for Superman to finally break free. Superman joins his son and tells him that everyone the Shadowbreed is actually still alive. He swears to release them by any means necessary. The heroes are shocked when Qarath joins them in battle and tells them that the only way to stop the Shadowbreed is with hyperviolet light. Superman cannot access hyperviolet light with his vision but somehow Jon can. Superman urges his son to step up and pierces the Shadowbreed's armor with his brute strength creating a hole for Jon to concentrate his hyperviolet vision on. Dealing the final blow that will be the stuff of legend. Superman realizes that this is the point in time that he must pass the torch to his son... the Superman he aspires to be. The End./Gangbuster admits her excessive force pushed Loose Cannon over the edge, but points out that Projectress started all of this and by default that lays fault at Bibbo's feet. Bibbo admits he finds Projectress intoxicating and has fallen for her manipulations many times. Last night, as 'Dolores' she asks Bibbo to introduce her to Superman. Bibbo explains to the others he tried to find Loose Cannon by exploring the more unsavoury side of Metropolis' night life. It was during his investigations that Acrata Master of Shadows sought him out and on the proviso it was not for Projecteress, she reunited Bibbo with Cannon. Acrata and Cannon explain that Projectress' magic dust that enables her manipulative ability is still plaguing Cannon. Bibbo however has discovered an antidote. If you cannot see the dust, you cannot be manipulated. Later, Acrata brings Jimmy to see Bibbo at his apartment and Bibo explains he has a plan, tricking Projectress to meet him in an abandoned building where Superman will be. Except Superman isn't coming. Instead Jimmy and his team are going to take her down. It works to a point. Loose Cannon arrives to defend the villainess! During the fracas Bibbo is led away by Projectress. Could he have fallen for her again? In short, no! Acrata appears to help Bibbo, could his plan actually work?! (I'll let you enjoy it) The End

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Superman Comic Book Index

Introduction

Here is a listing of the regular Superman title since the 2016 Rebirth saga that started a new era for the DC Universe of comic books. The title ended in 2021, and then was relaunched in 2023. 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:

2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021
2023 | 2024

Back to Comic Book 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.