Adventures of Superman, Volume 1

Adventures of Superman (2013) (Digital First) #1-15

by Jeff Parker (Writer), Jeff Lemire (Writer/Illustrator), Justin Jordan (Writer)

Rocketed from Krypton. Adopted by Earth. Powered by the sun. Raised to be a hero. These are the adventures of the world’s greatest hero - as seen through the eyes of comics’ greatest storytellers!

Whether he’s soaring through the skies of Metropolis, racing through the cornfields of Smallville, or gliding through the darkest depths of space, a Superman’s work is never done - and in this pulse-pounding compendium of page-turning action, the Man of Steel matches wits with Lex Luthor, battles brawn-for-brawn with Bizarro, and wrestles with the best and worst in human (and inhuman) nature itself!

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN VOLUME ONE features a dozen standout stories from a host of comics’ top talents, including Jeff Parker, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Chris Samnee, Michael Avon Oeming, JM DeMatteis, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sal Buscema, Chris Weston, Pia Guerra, Joëlle Jones, Yildiray Cinar, Tom DeFalco, Wes Craig, Rob Williams, Pete Woods. Collects the digital first stories from ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1-5.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superman, Dc Comics, Fiction, Comic Book, Superheroes

168 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look! Superman’s crying!



Don’t worry! He’s not sad; those are tears of joy, because I just read a Superman comic.

Yay!!!

Hold onto Comet the Superhorse, Supes!

This is an anthology which collects the work of a number of writers and artists, so I guess DC’s going against the conventional wisdom, that if the longer stories suck are sub-par, let’s just throw a bunch of mini-stories at our limited-attention-span readers and hope they don’t get too bored.

In theory this is brilliant, by design, it’s still Superman, so it doesn’t matter.

What you have here are stories that involve plot points that go nowhere, stories that showcase half-baked ideas A man who dreams he’s Superman, because he’s opening up a Superman theme park and wanted to have an idea of what Superman’s day-to-day life consists of. What the hell!, a crappy Bizarro Superman story, several stories from Lex Luthor’s perspective and a few I forgot about the minute I closed this book.

Two stories stood out though: 1) Superman has to go through a gauntlet of intergalactic threats before he meets Lois Lane at their pre-determined time each morning. 2) A tale told from the perspective of Ma Kent that is entertaining and heartwarming. Really.

So, two out of 15 or so…

Bottom Line: For Superman fanatics only. Both of you.



Stop crying, Superman! You’re attracting attention from that creeper, your pal, Jimmy Olsen. Who the hell knows what he's up to.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like Batman’s Legends of the Dark Knight, Adventures of Superman is the digital series of shorts where you can see these iconic characters wearing those famous shorts (their new 52 outfits are sans outside-pants)!

And while this first collection has many recognisable names contributing pieces, the stories are almost entirely a forgettable and uninteresting bunch.

Jeff Lemire writes about some kids pretending they’re Superman and one of his villains, Lex, Brainiac, whoever; it’s cute but that’s it. Jeff Parker writes a classic Superman v Lex story that’s very blah though Chris Samnee’s art is lovely. Justin Jordan writes a perfectly ok Bizarro short that’s Bizarro being Bizarro, no surprises there. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning write an ok story about Lex’s average day.

Matt Kindt supplies the worst story here which unfortunately turns out to be the longest. It’s about what Superman does in a single hour before Clark gets up at 7 to walk with Lois to work. Superman saves the universe over and over, beats alien bad guys, etc. and still has time to save Lois' life from Lex too. It’s a one-idea story streeeetched for way too many pages and becomes boring after three.

Tom DeFalco writes the stupidest story about a couple of blue-collar dudes, one of whom doesn’t believe in Superman! If you lived in the DC universe, that would be just ridiculously asinine. How many stories - with photos! - and interviews with the man himself has one Lois Lane published in the Daily Planet? And you still don’t believe in him!? Utterly thoughtless storytelling.

I kinda liked Joshua Hale Fialkov and Joelle Jones’ Slow News Day, about Clark and Lois racing each other to find a noteworthy news piece somewhere in the city and Clark being distracted because he has to do Superman stuff.

The best story here (though that’s not saying much) was Kyle Killen and Pia Guerra’s, which looks at what happens when someone believes Superman will save them - and doesn’t. Because what Matt Kindt failed to note in his tedious tale was that while Superman does a ton of stuff in one hour, he’s been asleep for several hours before - and how many people died that he could’ve saved in that time across the universe? Killen asks that question and brilliantly ties it into Lex’s goals.

I’d like to say this collection of Superman short stories was good but there are just too many duds that fail to interest. Rob Williams and Chris Weston do something about Clark going back to Smallville for dinner with his mum? Nathan Edmondson and Yildiray Cinar have a story about an alien baby Superman has to save? Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan JL Glass do some time travel nonsense? Whaaaatever.

It’s nice to see Superman look like Superman again but the stories in Adventures of Superman, Volume 1 are very sub-par to recommend to fans of the character.

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing collection of Superman stories that captured the essence of the classic character while neither using old cannon nor dredging up the nauseating "New 52." Fans of the "real" Superman will love it!

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The largely mediocre and often ignoble vision of Superman currently offered in the regularly produced DC comics and the recent Man of Steel movie, disappoints many a fan. Thankfully, Adventures of Superman Volume One manages to restore some of the classic character’s lost luster. A collection of direct-to-web tales, these short Superman stories showcase some magnificent talent, while recalling a time when the hero was, well, more heroic, and displayed far more humanity.

While the majority are quite good, a few stories in particular stand out. “Fortress” by Jeff Lemire follows two boys as they take turns playing Superman and his arch-villains. Matt Kindt and Stephen Segovia deliver parallel stories of a day in the lives of Superman and Lois Lane in “Faster Than A Bullet.” While “A Day In The Life” by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Wes Craig recounts a typical day for Lex Luthor, complete with an employee firing and plans on how to kill Superman. Rob Williams and Chris Weston demonstrate Superman’s compassion in “Savior.” Adventures of Superman Volume One reminds us why Superman has survived as a popular character for 75 years.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collection of short non-connected stories, with different artistic styles, featuring the Man of Steel - some good, some so-so. My favorite was probably the Martha Kent-narrated tribute to her son.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless, classic tales of the Man of Steel are all you'll find here and it's proof that the first idea in superhero comics is still the most important and relevant. I particularly enjoyed Matt Kindt's chapter in this volume, but they are all enjoyable. If you're looking to fill your quota in evergreen Superman stories, look no further than this volume (in fact, get the whole three volume graphic novel that make up the whole run, you won't regret it).

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventures of Superman: Vol. 1

When you're having the worst day of your life, the one thing you can rely on us that he'll be there to help. Superman is not just a hero to the citizens of Metropolis, but an inspiration to be better, even when things look hopeless.

Some enjoyable short adventures featuring Superman, with a variety of artistic styles to complement the plot.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this 4 stars, folks, because I'm biased towards Superman. It's like if I owned a business, and I promoted my nephew to night manager, just cause he's my nephew. Call this superhero nepotism. So, I'm glad this series exists, because 1. It's cool to see different artists and writers interpret Supes, and 2. I like self contained vignettes of ol blue. Most of the stories were hit or miss. Some of the highlights include: Faster than a Speeding Bullet; Infant in Arms; The Way these Things Begin; and Fortress. I think the best Superman stories delve into his upbringing in Smallville, and also hint at his loneliness. People often get caught up with the strength and power of Superman, but forget the vulnerability that makes him relatable. At heart, he's caught between the lost son, Kal-El of Krypton, and Clark Kent, the Kansas boy with rock solid morals. But I like to think he's more Martha and Jonathan Kent's son than anything. Anyway, if you like Superman, you'll probably enjoy most the these stories and tolerate the rest, because, well, hey, it's Superman!

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun change of pace to pick up this book and find it is an anthology of one-shot Superman stories. Sometimes it gets wearisome in this age of huge story-arcs to keep track of everything and stick with the story until its final volume. Here we have the perfect bedside read, a few pages of iconic story and art with a finish line reached after a dozen pages or so. These were inventive takes on Superman too: POV of Ma Kent, mind-bending time travel, psychological insights into Lex Luthor, and a couple day-in-the-life of Superman tales which convey how frantic the life of a superhero can be. There's a special energy in discovering the talents of various writer/artist teams from story to story. It's as if each team reveled in the opportunity to play in the Superman sandbox.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short, pithy stories, designed to showcase Superman in a variety of contexts and scenarios. An overall strong collection with many of the usual villains - Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Grod - making cameo-style appearances. The last story, in which a young fan of dies after he fails to get rescued by Superman, has an interesting twist: Lex Luthor conniving to turn peers of such fans into bitter and twisted enemies of the Man in Blue. In today's world
of terrorists and people being groomed for violence, this has an air of prophecy about it.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping to get a few great Superman stories here. Sadly I only got one. Let's face it Superman is oddly enough a hard character to write. I admit it is a pretty good anthology. The different artist really bring a different feel to each story. Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns I feel were the best modern day Superman writers thus far. Maybe they need to get Mark Waid back on the books.

[Jaq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great moments, and some not so great moments fill this collection. There were some outstanding stories, which made me stop and reflect, and there was a lot of padding too.

Still I'll give the next volume a go and see how it progresses.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable little anthology.

As always, some entries stronger than others in terms of art and writing, but on the whole a fun way to spend an hour in the afternoon.

[Annice22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Single Print Issues.

I like this because you get a good mix of Superman stories from the humorous to the drama and suspense.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great TP. Looking forward to volumes 2 and 3. Single stories about Superman. Some had real good "feels".

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Released during the time of the New 52 era, Adventures of Superman is a separate comic continuity that is unrelated to the main series. This volume features one-off stories, with no connecting arc to each other. In each, Superman doing what he does best, being a superhero. He defends against threats to Metropolis, travels to other planets to help their dilemma, etc. However, some of these stories also feature the impact Superman has on others.

Although these are one-off stories, the various contributions of different writers & artists show a different side of Superman in each one. Of the most common themes, it really shows him being the ideal hero and the inspiration for others to become. Of the these, most philosophical ones were the ones I recalled best when finishing. I do think it's a bit unfair to say that Superman is often not as popular as other DC heroes because he comes off as boring or not too edgy. But the stories presented here show why he is great and an ideal role model. Most of these are short, though 2 of them area actually like a full length comic issue. As such when it comes to multiple artists collaborating, a few styles stand out stronger than others, and it really shows here. Some of them has a vintage style, fitting the golden era; another resembles a child's drawing, symbolizing the innocence in the story; and others are more detailed while remaining polished that they almost look like the collabs done in the New 52 series, which I liked best. I wouldn't say this is one for new fans to get into, but as a snippet to who Superman is, it's all right.

[Frizzy 2.0 - · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last comic was sad.

I'm a fairly weird fan of Superman. I absolutely adore him despite knowing almost nothing about him.

I think this was a great first starter for someone who isn't familiar with comics or the lore. I know Metropolis, Superman, and some of his villains. Didn't know he was a saver of many planets, I honestly thought he was just the protector of Earth.

I know Gotham, Batman, and most of his villains.

I loved this little collection. I'll have to reread it, but I really loved Lois-Clark parallel. His mother narrated how much she missed her son but how he's needed elsewhere. When he became Superdad for a second. The quick glimpse of his superdog as well was adorable.

It was enjoyable for me because I've been a long-time "fan" but never read the comics. I watched some of the movies and assumed that's all I needed.

When the workers were talking about Superman not being real, they bumped into Clark. How cute.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some really good stand alone stories by some of comics' best creators. This is a really good look at who Superman is. The art throughout is really good because its so varied. None of the stories are vital and on the large scale aren't necessary so I can see how some might think less of it. Overall, a good collection that doesn't get bogged down continuity.

[Zachary King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthology of Superman stories. Lots of "day in the life" and "How does he do it all?" stories. A few good Luthor appearances. Worth the price of admission for the remarkable talent on display - Chris Samnee, Jeff Lemire, Joelle Jones, and Michael Avon Oeming among them.

[Lucas Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like with any anthology, you get some great stuff, and you get some clunkers. There’s a murderer’s row of talent working on this book, but sometimes the great stuff doesn’t come from a name you recognise.

[Thorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The short-short format does nothing for me, especially since every short seems to tell the same story.

[joker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun read.

[Mike Perschon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two relevant points about me as a reviewer for this book:

1. I have been a Superman fan since as far back as I can remember, which was prior to the 1978 release of Superman: The Movie. But despite growing up with Christopher Reeve as "my Superman," I'm really enjoying the new approach with movies like Man of Steel. In short, I'm a Superman fan who is agnostic as to who Superman "really is." I appreciate diversity, I guess.

2. I teach English literature, and have a strong appreciation for short forms of fiction, be that short story, television episode, or comic anthology.

The Adventures of Superman collects the series of the same name: an anthology of stand-alone episodes by a variety of artists and writers. So if you have a favourite artist and/or writer who did Superman "right" this book might not be for you. That said, if you think the Donner/Reeve Superman is the one and only icon of Superman, this book will likely appeal to you. Despite the variety of creative teams working on these assorted stories, the ethos of Superman rings truer to the pre-Chris Nolan approach to Superheroes. This book collects stories of a Superman with a clear sense of truth and justice. That isn't to say that the book doesn't complicate Superman's moral vision from time to time: but the question isn't "what should Superman do?" but rather, "can even Superman be everywhere he's needed to be?" And while I like dark, god-like visions of Superman like Kingdom Come and Injustice, I think it's equally great to see writers hearkening back to the simpler, "farm boy from Kansas" approach.

The other thing I love about this book is that it provides an alternative to the epic story arc approach nearly all monthly comics default to right now. A stand-alone story is the exception now, not the rule, and that makes it exceedingly difficult for new readers to jump in. An anthology approach like Adventures of Superman is like a taster of beers - you get a taste without having to commit to the whole pint. I've read some of the negative reviews below, and several talk about how terrible the stories are. That's likely because the standard the stories being measured by is plot, when short stories are often concerned with something else. Edgar Allan Poe said that the short story delivered a "single effect." Again, the narrative default in North America is long story arc: the novel. And the novel is certainly concerned with complex plot. But a short story doesn't have time for that. A short story can encapsulate a single moment, or idea, or as Poe says, effect. I don't think Jeff Lemire was shooting for complex plot with "Fortress." He was producing the single effect (at least in this reader) of nostalgia for a time when I put on a red blanket for a cape and pretended to be Superman.

And finally, I love seeing all the different artists' approaches to rendering the costume, the face, the physique of Superman. They range along the spectrum of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, from the realistic to the somewhat abstract. Cartoon to portraiture, we might say. And they are well-matched to their content in nearly every case.

So if you are looking for an alternative to angst-ridden Clark Kents or storylines you can't jump into the middle of without an encyclopedia of the history of DC comics, then I highly recommend you check out The Adventures of Superman.

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 75% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Read in Digital First singles. Individual reviews for included stories can be found here:
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #1
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #2
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #3
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #4
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #5
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #6
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #7
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #8
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #9
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #10
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #11
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #12
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #13
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #14
- Adventures of Superman (2013-2014) #15

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of standalone comics featuring the Man of Steel. Lex Luthor stars in several, as well as Bizarro, Lois Lane and many other infamous characters.

One comic includes Metropolis in a bottle, while another requires Superman's help with a child that has been moved across the timeline. In one, Lex even reveals plans to run for US president.


There's a great undercurrent of humour in many of these, and several comics give an insight to the day-to-day lives of different characters. The final episode in this volume is possibly my favourite - featuring fans of Superman who require his assistance. I thought this story was so clever, and pretty emotional, too.


This is very nearly in my favourite books list. Each story is so interesting and unique. 4.5 stars.

[Nate]

I love the idea for this series: continuity-free stories about Superman, each issue by a different creative team. I think this format allows for a strong focus on character. The issues here vary in length and quality, but on balance, it’s a solid volume. There are some good narrative ideas, and it's great to see Superman being Superman. My favorite stories are “Slow News Day”, where Lois and Clark compete for a page one byline, and “Savior”, about Martha Kent’s love for her son.

A fun, if inconsequential, read. I now want to check out Legends of the Dark Knight, which I understand is a similar type of series.

[The Fizza · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.4 STARS - You don't have to be a Superman fan to enjoy this book, gosh knows I'm not.

The creative teams who contributed to this book was the only reason I picked it up. What I found were a bunch of short stories about Superman and his Universe.

While none of these Superman tales would win an Eisner I can say they were a good bit of entertainment... something the DC Universe of stories has been missing since 2011, when they introduced their more 'heard-edge' universe.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a dash of whimsy in their comics from time-to-time.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful takes of Superman. Today in the movies and the comics we are presented with a boring dark brooding Superman, but that is not who the character is. The book offers look at a more exciting full of life Superman. This book reads as poetry. Small quick stories that hit a theme. With the short length it forces the authors to keep the stories focused. I would have appreciated more extras with this volume. Most of the creators are unknown so maybe quick sniputs introducing them, and I am always a fan of sketch book art!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed 2 and 3 of this series from the library - and thought I'd already read this book, but I hadn't. I'd read a few of the stories - whether digitally or maybe somebody'd given me a print issue (definitely the first issue), but lots here I hadn't seen before. It's mixed - some are good, some are passable - only a few are total dogs. Nothing I'd recommend going out of your way for.

[Wetdryvac · Rating 4 out of 5]

One heck of a lot more fun than I was expecting, a collection of vignettes, really. Art experiments. Short Ray Bradburryisms almost. I'm usually not that great a fan of Superman stories, but many of these worked well, took tangents, or did other things I had a lot of fun with.