So, you want to read some Superman comics? Whether you’re completely new to comic books, a Marvel fan, or just haven’t given Big Blue a chance yet, there’s a Superman comic out there for you. In fact, there’s a Superman comic for everyone! Still, with over 80 years of stories, reboots, and alternate timelines, getting started can feel overwhelming.
So, where should you start? There’s no single right or wrong answer. The old, good, and proven method used by many old timers was to simply pick a comic, just like that! But we’re here to offer a little bit more, as there are several ways to enter the Superman Universe, depending on your tastes. Whether you’re a fan of comic book history, prefer modern stories, or want to explore Superman’s personal life beyond heroics, there’s a perfect first story for you.
To celebrate Superman’s return on the big screen, here’s a curated beginner’s guide with several routes to help find the perfect place to start reading The Man of Steel!
1. The Vintage Route: Where It All Began
Published in 1938, Action Comics #1 (1938) is pure comic book history. It marks the start of the Golden Age at DC Comics and the birth of the entire superhero genre. In this issue, you’ll witness the very first appearance of Superman and see how his earliest adventures began. From here, you’ve got two options:
- Go All In! It’s a great time to do that—DC Comics recently released DC Finest: Superman – The Coming of Superman, reprinting some of the earliest Superman stories! You can also explore his Golden Age adventures through the Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus series for the full vintage experience.
- Take a historical tour through the eras! If you don’t feel like going full on the vintage comics, you can simply take a historical journey highlighting Superman’s evolution with anthologies like Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years or Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman Deluxe Edition.
For more books, check out our Superman Pre-Crisis Guide.
2. The Modern Era Route: The Emotional Origin Story of Superman
In order to simplify continuity and bring in new readers, DC Comics rebooted its universe in 1985 following Crisis on Infinite Earths. John Byrne was then put in charge of the Superman titles. He reintroduced the Man of Steel with a new origin story, removing his years as Superboy from continuity, along with Supergirl, Krypto, Superwoman, and other Kryptonians. He was, once again, the Last Son of Krypton. It was a back-to-basics approach that made it easier for new readers to jump into his adventures.
It’s a great starting point—maybe not as modern today as it once was, but it still serves as the beginning of what we choose to call here the Modern Age Trilogy: a trio of stories from the modern era that give readers a solid foundation to understand Superman:
- The Man of Steel (1986) – John Byrne’s rebooted origin story to make The Man of Steel once again accessible to many. After this miniseries, John Byrne continued to write Superman in a hit-and-miss run.
- Superman for All Seasons (1998) – Coming from Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, the duo behind The Long Halloween, this self-contained story runs parallel to the events of John Byrne’s The Man of Steel, although it can be read on its own. It’s an emotional and poetic take on Superman (and my personal favorite).
- Superman: Kryptonite (2008) – Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale revisit Superman’s first encounter with Kryptonite in a story about vulnerability and legacy.
Alternate Origin Stories: The Modern Age lasted until 2011 at DC Comics, a long period during which other writers revisited the origins of Superman. First came Superman: Birthright (2003), Superman’s modern (and popular) origin by Mark Waid and Leinil Yu, which replaced Byrne’s origin for a short while before being retconned again by Secret Origin (2009), by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, in a neo–Silver Age origin story.
For more books, check out our Superman Modern Age Guide.
3. The Team-Up Route: Two Heroes for the Price of One!
Did you know Batman and Superman’s relationship dates back to the Golden Age of comics? Their partnership is one of the most iconic in comic book history. As you don’t always need to start with an origin story to discover a character, seeing Superman teaming up with someone as different as Batman is a great way to get to know him. Their opposing personalities and methods highlight what makes each of them unique and show why Superman stands out in the DC Universe.
- Both are right now featuring in one of the most popular series published by DC Comics since 2022. Batman / Superman: World’s Finest (2022), from Mark Waid and Dan Mora, is a modern take on the early team-ups between Batman and Superman, a love letter to classic comics, a fun action romp, and a sharp exploration of the dynamic between the two heroes.
- You can also take a look at Jeph Loeb’s run on Superman/Batman (with art by Ed McGuinness and Michael Turner), a classic title from the noughties that just joined the DC Compact Comics Collection, and has served as inspiration to two animated movies.
If you’re interested in seeing The Man of Steel interacting with other DC superheroes, take a look at Grant Morrison’s JLA!
For more books, check out our Essential Guide to DC’s Finest Team-Ups.
4. The Current Era Route: Superman is All In!
Are you all in? Sometimes, the best way to discover a character is to jump straight into the action and follow their current adventures. And the timing couldn’t be better: following the events of Absolute Power, a new era has begun at DC with DC All In Special #1, introducing both the new status quo in the main continuity and the Absolute Universe. From here, you can jump into the world of Superman in three different ways:
- Superman Vol. 1: Supercorp kicks off Joshua Williamson’s run on Superman in the main DC Universe that started in the previous short era.
- Superman #19 is the first issue fully set in the DC All In era and catches you up with Superman and his family.
- Absolute Superman is a reimagining by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, set in the new Absolute Universe. This version of Superman arrives on Earth as an adult, not a baby, offering a fresh take on his origin and character.
5. The Stand-Alone Route: Iconic Out-of-Continuity Stories
As we just saw with Absolute Superman, not all Superman stories are part of DC’s main continuity. Throughout the years, many iconic Superman tales were released, celebrating the Man of Tomorrow in all his glory in different contexts — exploring his legacy, his values, and the impact he has on the world through alternate realities, standalone adventures, and timeless reinterpretations. These stories require no background knowledge and offer complete experiences that showcase who Superman is at his core.
- All-Star Superman – Grant Morrison’s homage to the Silver Age Superman is one of the most celebrated Superman stories, with great art by Frank Quitely.
- Superman: Red Son – A what if? story by Mark Millar and Dave Johnson exploring what would happen to Superman if he had landed in the Soviet Union.
- Superman Adventures Compendium One – Set in the continuity of Superman: The Animated Series, this comic book run takes the Man of Steel on adventures outside of the screen.
- Superman Smashes the Klan – A modern Superman classic from Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru based on a classic Superman radio serial!
6. The James Gunn Route: Superman Legacy Box Set
There is no denying that the collaboration between James Gunn and DC Comics is a fruitful one, with everyone working to showcase the comics that inspire the superheroes that took on the big screen. To celebrate 2025’s new Superman film, DC Comics is releasing a graphic novel box set collecting some of Superman’s greatest and most influential tales, who are also serve in part as inspiration for the movie. This set includes softcover editions of:
- All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, ranked as the number one Superman story by IGN.
- Superman for All Seasons by Batman: The Long Halloween team Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, a critically acclaimed standalone story structured thematically around the four seasons
- Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, a tale of Superman’s last adventures by Watchmen writer Alan Moore and definitive Superman artist Curt Swan
- Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, a near-future clash between old-guard and new-guard super heroes that was called “One of the best comic stories ever told” by the Washington Examiner.
