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Post-Crisis Superman (Collected Editions)
Superman: The Man of Steel, Vol. 1
The new Metropolis!
In 1986, comics history was changed forever when DC Comics recruited the heralded John Byrne to reinvent Superman and the city he calls home. This relaunch reimagine the classic characters Lois Lane and Lex Luthor and introduced new characters Cat Grant and Dr. Emil Hamilton from the prolific writer Marv Wolfman and artists Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway.
The Man of Steel must protect his beloved home from Bizarro and Metallo's catastrophic attacks, all while keeping his civilian identity a secret from the most powerful man in Metropolis, Lex Luthor. While Superman is the city's new hero, Clark Kent is still learning how to navigate daily life, especially when he meets the brilliant and beautiful television journalist Cat Grant. Despite the constant chaos in Metropolis, Superman travels to Apokolips to confront the all-powerful villain Darkseid.
This volume collects the classic stories from the birth of a new era for Superman including the Man of Steel #1-6, Superman #1-4, Action Comics #584-587, Adventures of Superman #424-428, and profiles from Who's Who: Update '87.
In 1986, comics history was changed forever when DC Comics recruited the heralded John Byrne to reinvent Superman and the city he calls home. This relaunch reimagine the classic characters Lois Lane and Lex Luthor and introduced new characters Cat Grant and Dr. Emil Hamilton from the prolific writer Marv Wolfman and artists Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway.
The Man of Steel must protect his beloved home from Bizarro and Metallo's catastrophic attacks, all while keeping his civilian identity a secret from the most powerful man in Metropolis, Lex Luthor. While Superman is the city's new hero, Clark Kent is still learning how to navigate daily life, especially when he meets the brilliant and beautiful television journalist Cat Grant. Despite the constant chaos in Metropolis, Superman travels to Apokolips to confront the all-powerful villain Darkseid.
This volume collects the classic stories from the birth of a new era for Superman including the Man of Steel #1-6, Superman #1-4, Action Comics #584-587, Adventures of Superman #424-428, and profiles from Who's Who: Update '87.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published August 25, 2020
116 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
John Byrne
2,962 books361 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born Canadian-American author and artist of comic books. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on nearly every major American superhero.
Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics' X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he also started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He also wrote the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 26, 2022
Superman: The Man of Steel volume one collects Man of Steel #1-6, Superman #1-4, Action Comics #548-587, and Adventures of Superman #424-428.
John Byrne being wooed away from Marvel to revamp Superman for DC post-Crisis was a huge deal at the time but somehow I'd only managed to read a handful of issues contained in this omnibus before now.
The Man of Steel miniseries retells Superman's origin while the rest of the book sees him dealing with Luthor's machinations and battling Metallo, Bloodsport, Darkside, and others, as well as teaming with the Teen Titans, Phantom Stranger, and the Demon. Since Byrne couldn't write and draw three Superman titles a month, Jerry Ordway and Marv Wolfman did some pinch hitting, with Karl Kessel, Dick Giordano, and Mike Machlan on inks.
For 36 year old comics, these read very well. Byrne rearranges classic elements of Superman and ditches some of the goofier Silver Age concepts. I crap on Byrne for not inventing a lot of new things in his Fantastic Four run and he doesn't do a lot of new things here either apart from making Luthor a businessman rather than a scientist. Still, he works with the existing material and spinning straw into gold is an exaggeration but he makes good Superman comics.
Someone on my Twitter feed likened this to Ultimate Spider-Man and I think the comparison is apt. It's a greatest hits version of Superman featuring one of the hot creators of the time, cherry picking the character's long history and using the best bits.
The stories are self contained and almost seem rushed compared to today's tales. I knew some of what went down from Who's Who and thought some of the stories had to go multiple issues, like Superman being shot by Bloodsport's kryptonite needles. The Darkseid story could have gone longer too, I thought. Also, not that it matters 36 years later but it seemed odd to introduce Bizarro in the fifth issue of the Man of Steel miniseries when there were other Superman villains to play with.
Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 chronicles one of the most successful revamps in comics history. It's also great comics, even 36 years later. Four out of five stars.
John Byrne being wooed away from Marvel to revamp Superman for DC post-Crisis was a huge deal at the time but somehow I'd only managed to read a handful of issues contained in this omnibus before now.
The Man of Steel miniseries retells Superman's origin while the rest of the book sees him dealing with Luthor's machinations and battling Metallo, Bloodsport, Darkside, and others, as well as teaming with the Teen Titans, Phantom Stranger, and the Demon. Since Byrne couldn't write and draw three Superman titles a month, Jerry Ordway and Marv Wolfman did some pinch hitting, with Karl Kessel, Dick Giordano, and Mike Machlan on inks.
For 36 year old comics, these read very well. Byrne rearranges classic elements of Superman and ditches some of the goofier Silver Age concepts. I crap on Byrne for not inventing a lot of new things in his Fantastic Four run and he doesn't do a lot of new things here either apart from making Luthor a businessman rather than a scientist. Still, he works with the existing material and spinning straw into gold is an exaggeration but he makes good Superman comics.
Someone on my Twitter feed likened this to Ultimate Spider-Man and I think the comparison is apt. It's a greatest hits version of Superman featuring one of the hot creators of the time, cherry picking the character's long history and using the best bits.
The stories are self contained and almost seem rushed compared to today's tales. I knew some of what went down from Who's Who and thought some of the stories had to go multiple issues, like Superman being shot by Bloodsport's kryptonite needles. The Darkseid story could have gone longer too, I thought. Also, not that it matters 36 years later but it seemed odd to introduce Bizarro in the fifth issue of the Man of Steel miniseries when there were other Superman villains to play with.
Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 chronicles one of the most successful revamps in comics history. It's also great comics, even 36 years later. Four out of five stars.
February 22, 2021
Mostly worthwhile for John Byrne's and Jerry Ordway's art.
Also, Superman's breath always smells minty fresh. HOW DOES HE DO IT?!
Also, Superman's breath always smells minty fresh. HOW DOES HE DO IT?!
December 28, 2023
Classic sci-fi Supes was reinvented for the late ‘80s. Sometimes cheesy, always moral, classically illustrated. But I still don’t get what Supes sees in Lois Lane—we all know Lana Lang is the girl of his dreams.
August 10, 2022
La miniserie Man of Steel creo que mantiene las cualidades de hace 35 años: recontar el origen de Superman de manera certera yendo al grano, desde un clasicismo y una ingenuidad que casi parece mentira que fuera publicada a la vez que Watchmen o El regreso del Señor de la Noche. Desde la percepción de lo que es hoy en día una historia de orígenes, puede llegar a descuadrar cómo Byrne prescinde de detalles que da por sentados. Quizás por eso la he sentido tan fresca; hace hablar demasiado a sus personajes y, aun así, se lee como un tiro. El resto es más irregular, con grandes momentos (el arco en Apokolips funciona particularmente bien, con momentos turbios como lo que Amazing Grace hace con Superman XD) seguidos de otros más flojos. El dibujo de Byrne en la línea de finales de los 80. Su estilo ya ha arraigado muchos vicios que le alejan de la grandeza de unos años antes pero se le nota disfrutar a la hora de interpretar el Universo DC. Ordway, mucho mejor de lo que le recordaba, resiste el mano a mano con el maestro.
March 9, 2021
Following the Crisis, DC Comics revitalized the Man of Steel for a new generation. This is the first collection of that revitalization, which is no less exciting today, because it laid the foundation for the modern Superman (and if there's one complaint about this volume it's that the quality varies, from Byrne's great Man of Steel and usually great Superman through Wolfman's unsettled Adventures to Byrne's color-by-numbers Action Comics teamups).
Man of Steel (MoS #1-6). A generation on, it's almost impossible to conceive how entirely revolutionary John Byrne's take on Superman was. He recreates everything about the character, making Clark is something more than a milksop, reimagining Lois and Lana as their own people, and reenvisioning Luthor as a tycoon, not a mad scientist (the last thanks to a foundational idea by Marv Wolfman). The result brings Superman down to Earth in multiple ways, by making him a more realistic character and his world closer to ours. This is the comic that skillfully set the template for at least a decades worth of story, and it remains an intriguing new beginning even today [5/5].
Metallo (SM #1). It's nice to see Byrne revamping another classic foe in Metallo, though this is mostly a dull fight rather than the more interesting Man of Steel intrigues [3+/5].
Team-Ups (Action #584, 585, 587). In the early post-Crisis days, Action was briefly the Superman team-up comic, here with the New Teen Titans, the Phantom Stranger, and Demon. It's interesting to see Superman dipping into a variety of genres, and to see what people look like post-Crisis, but other than that these one-and-done stories with no ongoing plotlines aren't that interesting, other than the fun time-travel hi-jinks of the last issue [3/5].
Luther (SM #2). Byrne moves the focus from Metallo to Luther and the result in an amazingly brutal story about who the new Luther really is, even while pretending to be an above-board business man [5+/5].
Hamilton (Adventures #424-425). Marv Wolfman gives us three stories in his debut. The icky manipulations of Lane by Luther are the highlight, presenting another face of the new villain (and really highlighting Wolfman's strength in conceiving this new Luther). Next up is the introduction of Emil Hamilton, which gains weight by his return use later. (Speaking of great new characters, we also get Cat Grant!) Finally, we have Qurac and the Freedom League, which looks a little dated (and even racist) now, and also just isn't that interesting [3+/5].
Legends (SM #3, Adventures #426, Action #586). I'm still waiting for the complete Legends compilation, but in the meantime, this is a nice three-issue arc from it, presenting Superman on Apokolips. Good characters, a nice fight with Darkseid, and the inevitable team-up with the New Gods, which works better than the other team-ups because it's actually a part of something [4/5].
Bloodspot (SM #4). Byrne's return to the Luther plot after the Legends interruption has the possibility of being good, but Bloodsport is oh-so-90s (albeit a few years early) and then it turns into a heavy-handed Vietnam memorial [3/5].
Mind Games (Adventures #427). Though he slightly continues the Qaraci plot, for most of this issue Wolfman teases us with another mysterious organization (The Circle) with no resolution [3/5].
Personal Best (Adventures #428). Wolfman continues to fill out Superman's cast with Bibbo Bibbowski and Jerry White, who'd both have notable appearances over the next few years. The main plot feels very Golden Age, with Superman constantly threatening people for witnesses as he fights against the mob. Overall, it's an interesting take on post-Crisis Superman. Perhaps this is Wolfman's intent going forward? We'll see over the rest of the year [3+/5].
Actually, one other complaint: why is DC insisting on putting out these newsprint quality small hardcovers rather than glossy deluxes? The Man of Steel revival certainly desreves the latter.
Man of Steel (MoS #1-6). A generation on, it's almost impossible to conceive how entirely revolutionary John Byrne's take on Superman was. He recreates everything about the character, making Clark is something more than a milksop, reimagining Lois and Lana as their own people, and reenvisioning Luthor as a tycoon, not a mad scientist (the last thanks to a foundational idea by Marv Wolfman). The result brings Superman down to Earth in multiple ways, by making him a more realistic character and his world closer to ours. This is the comic that skillfully set the template for at least a decades worth of story, and it remains an intriguing new beginning even today [5/5].
Metallo (SM #1). It's nice to see Byrne revamping another classic foe in Metallo, though this is mostly a dull fight rather than the more interesting Man of Steel intrigues [3+/5].
Team-Ups (Action #584, 585, 587). In the early post-Crisis days, Action was briefly the Superman team-up comic, here with the New Teen Titans, the Phantom Stranger, and Demon. It's interesting to see Superman dipping into a variety of genres, and to see what people look like post-Crisis, but other than that these one-and-done stories with no ongoing plotlines aren't that interesting, other than the fun time-travel hi-jinks of the last issue [3/5].
Luther (SM #2). Byrne moves the focus from Metallo to Luther and the result in an amazingly brutal story about who the new Luther really is, even while pretending to be an above-board business man [5+/5].
Hamilton (Adventures #424-425). Marv Wolfman gives us three stories in his debut. The icky manipulations of Lane by Luther are the highlight, presenting another face of the new villain (and really highlighting Wolfman's strength in conceiving this new Luther). Next up is the introduction of Emil Hamilton, which gains weight by his return use later. (Speaking of great new characters, we also get Cat Grant!) Finally, we have Qurac and the Freedom League, which looks a little dated (and even racist) now, and also just isn't that interesting [3+/5].
Legends (SM #3, Adventures #426, Action #586). I'm still waiting for the complete Legends compilation, but in the meantime, this is a nice three-issue arc from it, presenting Superman on Apokolips. Good characters, a nice fight with Darkseid, and the inevitable team-up with the New Gods, which works better than the other team-ups because it's actually a part of something [4/5].
Bloodspot (SM #4). Byrne's return to the Luther plot after the Legends interruption has the possibility of being good, but Bloodsport is oh-so-90s (albeit a few years early) and then it turns into a heavy-handed Vietnam memorial [3/5].
Mind Games (Adventures #427). Though he slightly continues the Qaraci plot, for most of this issue Wolfman teases us with another mysterious organization (The Circle) with no resolution [3/5].
Personal Best (Adventures #428). Wolfman continues to fill out Superman's cast with Bibbo Bibbowski and Jerry White, who'd both have notable appearances over the next few years. The main plot feels very Golden Age, with Superman constantly threatening people for witnesses as he fights against the mob. Overall, it's an interesting take on post-Crisis Superman. Perhaps this is Wolfman's intent going forward? We'll see over the rest of the year [3+/5].
Actually, one other complaint: why is DC insisting on putting out these newsprint quality small hardcovers rather than glossy deluxes? The Man of Steel revival certainly desreves the latter.
March 16, 2021
The majority of the issues that are collected in this initial volume are ones that I missed the first time around, as DC did their big Superman reboot just as I was taking my first (Poverty-related...) break from collecting. I had the six issue MAN OF STEEL mini-series, and a few scattered issues of the three rebooted titles, but this is my first opportunity to sit down and read the whole trio of reboots in their entirety. My main impression upon closing this collection was "Why...?", followed by "That was IT...?"
After taking great pains to start fresh at day one of the Superman Mythos in MAN OF STEEL, John Byrne and company move the story ahead by years as soon as the three main series are relaunched. So we never really see Superman struggling to find his place, meeting new friends, planting the seeds of his legend. We gloss right over all of that. Why bother with such an extensive relaunch, then...?
I'm a HUGE Byrne fan, but even he can't make Superman, a character that I personally find to be boring under all but the most talented writers, interesting. Admirable, yes. Interesting, not so much. Byrne handles SUPERMAN, the main book, and ACTION COMICS, which is a team-up book. Aside from the issues involving The New Gods, ACTION is fairly boring, too. Then there is the virtually unreadable Marv Wolfman-helmed ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, which is just....bad. Really, really bad. This series would have been perfectly at home in the pre-Crisis DC era, where continuity didn't exist, and Superman spent all of his time chasing after gangsters, mad scientists, and giant monsters. I suspect that this was intended as a charming throwback, but I was ready to throw it back after the first issue. I slogged through it all, but it was a chore.
I'll keep going through Volume 2, since my Byrne goodwill is not yet fully exhausted, and I have always wanted to read his take on Superman...but, please...it almost HAS to get better than this. Right...? Hello....??
After taking great pains to start fresh at day one of the Superman Mythos in MAN OF STEEL, John Byrne and company move the story ahead by years as soon as the three main series are relaunched. So we never really see Superman struggling to find his place, meeting new friends, planting the seeds of his legend. We gloss right over all of that. Why bother with such an extensive relaunch, then...?
I'm a HUGE Byrne fan, but even he can't make Superman, a character that I personally find to be boring under all but the most talented writers, interesting. Admirable, yes. Interesting, not so much. Byrne handles SUPERMAN, the main book, and ACTION COMICS, which is a team-up book. Aside from the issues involving The New Gods, ACTION is fairly boring, too. Then there is the virtually unreadable Marv Wolfman-helmed ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, which is just....bad. Really, really bad. This series would have been perfectly at home in the pre-Crisis DC era, where continuity didn't exist, and Superman spent all of his time chasing after gangsters, mad scientists, and giant monsters. I suspect that this was intended as a charming throwback, but I was ready to throw it back after the first issue. I slogged through it all, but it was a chore.
I'll keep going through Volume 2, since my Byrne goodwill is not yet fully exhausted, and I have always wanted to read his take on Superman...but, please...it almost HAS to get better than this. Right...? Hello....??
May 31, 2022
1986 the comic landscape changed drastically. Especially for DC. Major hitters like Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen released and everyone couldn't get enough. But also the rebirth (Not DC Rebirth event just a rebirth in general sense) of DC started this year too because of Crisis on infinite earth.
So DC needed their flagship character to be updated. So John Byrne decided to do a mini titled "The Man of Steel" which was basically a retelling of Superman's origin and changing little things here or there within 6 issues. This actually works well as it keeps the pacing very tight and helps create a new face for Superman while feeling familiar. The best issues focusing on Lois and Clark. But I also enjoyed the growing up issues with family.
After that we get more typical Superman stories. Some are actually really great with Lex almost finding out who superman is. I also really liked the plotline of Superman working for Darkseid and a really dark ending. I even enjoyed the simple issues of Superman working with Lois on a case. The taking over body one and most of Wolfman's issues were a bore though.
Saying that, this was a lot of fun. I'm excited to read more of Byrne's Supes run and see if it stacks up as one of the best runs for the character. A 4 out of 5.
So DC needed their flagship character to be updated. So John Byrne decided to do a mini titled "The Man of Steel" which was basically a retelling of Superman's origin and changing little things here or there within 6 issues. This actually works well as it keeps the pacing very tight and helps create a new face for Superman while feeling familiar. The best issues focusing on Lois and Clark. But I also enjoyed the growing up issues with family.
After that we get more typical Superman stories. Some are actually really great with Lex almost finding out who superman is. I also really liked the plotline of Superman working for Darkseid and a really dark ending. I even enjoyed the simple issues of Superman working with Lois on a case. The taking over body one and most of Wolfman's issues were a bore though.
Saying that, this was a lot of fun. I'm excited to read more of Byrne's Supes run and see if it stacks up as one of the best runs for the character. A 4 out of 5.
August 23, 2025
Algo dentro de mí se cura cada vez que leo un cómic de superman o cualquier cosa relacionada al personaje.
Me da nostalgia y felicidad por partes iguales y me recuerda a mi infancia cuando llegaba del jardín y miraba dibujitos de dc por horas... por eso superman siempre va a ser importante en mi vida, me transmite valores como ningún otro personaje puede.
Este cómic es hermoso, divertido, lindo dibujo, me encanta como vemos las relaciones de clark y superman con lois, batman, sus padres, sus conflictos como superhéroe y su lado más humano. Simplemente excelente.
Me da nostalgia y felicidad por partes iguales y me recuerda a mi infancia cuando llegaba del jardín y miraba dibujitos de dc por horas... por eso superman siempre va a ser importante en mi vida, me transmite valores como ningún otro personaje puede.
Este cómic es hermoso, divertido, lindo dibujo, me encanta como vemos las relaciones de clark y superman con lois, batman, sus padres, sus conflictos como superhéroe y su lado más humano. Simplemente excelente.
December 19, 2021
Its boring to admit but Superman is my favorite superhero. This book is THE run on Clark and his transition from farm boy to Superman. This book is all you need to start your Superman reading adventure. All the major players are here, its great. Must read for Supes.
November 2, 2025
The 1986 reboot that rebuilt Superman from the ground up after Crisis on Infinite Earths. It’s lean, confident, and modern for its time — grounding Clark as a man first, hero second. Some of it feels dated now, but the character work and clean storytelling still land.
You can see why this became the blueprint for every “modern” Superman since. Solid read — not earth-shattering, but definitely worth knowing.
You can see why this became the blueprint for every “modern” Superman since. Solid read — not earth-shattering, but definitely worth knowing.
February 8, 2022
So good! I really enjoyed reading this as my introduction into Superman comics. I have always been a fan of the films and the hero but had read very little of the almost 100 years of comic canon. Man of Steel is certainly a definitive Superman collection that really feels like you are reading the classic 1970s/1980s Christopher Reeve-like version of him on the page. The art is well done and colorful and much better than a lot (though certainly not all) of modern day work. It is refreshing to read about a more light-hearted super hero once in awhile.
July 21, 2025
*3.5
In some ways this was really good. The first 6 issues were great! It was very cool seeing this older origin story as well as meeting the characters we know and for the first time. It was nice seeing this Superman lay the ground work for what he believes.
But now this book is quite dated so at time it was so whacky I’d be like what is going on?? And others the outdated stereotypes were almost unbearable.
But I’m glad I read it.
In some ways this was really good. The first 6 issues were great! It was very cool seeing this older origin story as well as meeting the characters we know and for the first time. It was nice seeing this Superman lay the ground work for what he believes.
But now this book is quite dated so at time it was so whacky I’d be like what is going on?? And others the outdated stereotypes were almost unbearable.
But I’m glad I read it.
April 11, 2025
Definitive post crisis Superman run. I loved the emphasis on Clark Kent’s humanity and Superman as the mask he puts on.
April 8, 2025
I have never liked Superman, I've always thought he was, well, Lame. The perfect fighting machine with no flaws, how incredibly boring. Give me Batman all day everyday. However, I ended up enjoying the 1988 version that rebranded the Man of Steel, he's still the same all muscle guy but he does use his brain, (even though the sure fire easiest way to beat Superman is through his mind) I ended up seeing him from a different perspective. Sometimes the world just needs an incorruptible hero. Someone who you can count on.
This collection does a good job of showing highlights over the course of years, he fights Doomsday who is one of my favorite villains, and teams up with Jason Blood aka The Demon.
I don't hate Superman anymore, I kind of like the guy now.
This collection does a good job of showing highlights over the course of years, he fights Doomsday who is one of my favorite villains, and teams up with Jason Blood aka The Demon.
I don't hate Superman anymore, I kind of like the guy now.
March 28, 2021
I was always a Marvel fan; back in the 70s and early 80s I had little interest in DC and less in Superman in particular, but when DC revised its characters and continuity with the Crisis On Infinite Earths and handed the reins of its flagship character to my favorite comic book writer-artist, I was on board. John Byrne was brought on to update Superman's origin and reintroduce his supporting cast... and it worked for me! The changes felt both fresh and faithful. Superman's alien origins were made a bit more alien, and his abilities were moderated--he was still quite powerful, but not to the ridiculous degree he had been in previous eras. The biggest change was to his arch-foe Lex Luthor, who went from being a mad scientist and supervillain to an outwardly respectable but corrupt businessman, who preferred to let various pawns do his dirty work rather than engage Superman directly.
A six issue miniseries called The Man of Steel laid the groundwork, after which Superman's namesake title was restarted at #1. Action Comics became a team-up book. (What kid doesn't love a team-up book? My first subscription in 1980 was to Marvel Team-Up. How exciting it was to see which of the company's vast stable would be appearing each month!) A third title was added called Adventures of Superman, written by Marv Wolfman with art by Jerry Ordway. Wolfman is another favorite, and Ordway's art is solid despite being a relative newcomer, but at the time I was only interested in Byrne's work, so I'm reading this material for the first time. (Occasionally a story will cross over from one book to another, so now I finally get to see how Superman became a thrall of Darkseid.) Adventures is decent and I'm happy to finally get to read it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the Byrne portions.
This book would be a great introduction for new readers. Superman will never be as interesting as Batman, but it's highly entertaining.
A six issue miniseries called The Man of Steel laid the groundwork, after which Superman's namesake title was restarted at #1. Action Comics became a team-up book. (What kid doesn't love a team-up book? My first subscription in 1980 was to Marvel Team-Up. How exciting it was to see which of the company's vast stable would be appearing each month!) A third title was added called Adventures of Superman, written by Marv Wolfman with art by Jerry Ordway. Wolfman is another favorite, and Ordway's art is solid despite being a relative newcomer, but at the time I was only interested in Byrne's work, so I'm reading this material for the first time. (Occasionally a story will cross over from one book to another, so now I finally get to see how Superman became a thrall of Darkseid.) Adventures is decent and I'm happy to finally get to read it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the Byrne portions.
This book would be a great introduction for new readers. Superman will never be as interesting as Batman, but it's highly entertaining.
December 28, 2020
This was the first Superman comics that I read. I picked it because of John Byrne's art and the ravings of a few school friends who at the time said it was an amazing run. It hasn't aged well. I doubt it would aged well then. The 6-part reboot was tedious, dull and poorly written.
Most of the following stories are childish and mundane. I always found Superman to be superficial and one dimensional. This volume is full of pointless, one dimensional stories to prove the point.
The three Legend's cross-over stories were really good and showed the potential to play with the genre rather than having him fighting people because he can only win. The two stories where he attacks the 'terrorist' Middle Eastern nation of "Qurac' were appalling. I appreciate the American bravado but this is exactly the thing that turns of the people to American imperialism. To see it play out here was in poor taste considering the next story, Superman is powerless to stop a known criminal syndicate. I guess our eyes are open now but still, this would have wound me up in 1987 as much as it did today.
Enjoy!
Most of the following stories are childish and mundane. I always found Superman to be superficial and one dimensional. This volume is full of pointless, one dimensional stories to prove the point.
The three Legend's cross-over stories were really good and showed the potential to play with the genre rather than having him fighting people because he can only win. The two stories where he attacks the 'terrorist' Middle Eastern nation of "Qurac' were appalling. I appreciate the American bravado but this is exactly the thing that turns of the people to American imperialism. To see it play out here was in poor taste considering the next story, Superman is powerless to stop a known criminal syndicate. I guess our eyes are open now but still, this would have wound me up in 1987 as much as it did today.
Enjoy!
June 10, 2025
Yeah so with the new movie coming out I decided to get into some Superman comics. Decided to go with the post crisis stuff. And yeah this first volume is pretty good. Basically it’s a reboot of the original Superman comics that was made so new comers could get into it without having to worry about years of previous comics and includes his origin.
I will say I really like the character of Superman. Despite being something of a Boy Scout he isn’t a flat character at all. I love how he is passionate about protecting all life and chooses to use his powers to help people. I like how his main enemy is basically the opposite of him. Unlike Superman who has all the power in the world but doesn’t use to it gain more, Lex Luther is a man who tries to take power and believes everyone in the world exists for his own self benefit. He takes personal offense at Superman because he hates how someone can have all the power he could want while not using it for their own self gain. Hell there is this one issue where a supercomputer tells him that he is Clark Kent yet ignores it cause he doesn’t want to believe Superman would stoop as low as the pretend to be someone weaker. It’s a very interesting dynamic which the Gunn film does appear to be adapting based on what I have seen in the trailers.
Now as for the art it’s amazing. It’s colorful, detailed, and very creative and expressive. Yeah pretty good way to get into Superman and boy am I even more hyped for the movie.
I will say I really like the character of Superman. Despite being something of a Boy Scout he isn’t a flat character at all. I love how he is passionate about protecting all life and chooses to use his powers to help people. I like how his main enemy is basically the opposite of him. Unlike Superman who has all the power in the world but doesn’t use to it gain more, Lex Luther is a man who tries to take power and believes everyone in the world exists for his own self benefit. He takes personal offense at Superman because he hates how someone can have all the power he could want while not using it for their own self gain. Hell there is this one issue where a supercomputer tells him that he is Clark Kent yet ignores it cause he doesn’t want to believe Superman would stoop as low as the pretend to be someone weaker. It’s a very interesting dynamic which the Gunn film does appear to be adapting based on what I have seen in the trailers.
Now as for the art it’s amazing. It’s colorful, detailed, and very creative and expressive. Yeah pretty good way to get into Superman and boy am I even more hyped for the movie.
February 3, 2021
Almost everyone who breathes air or does not live under a rock knows superman and his very basic story and at least one or two of his famous antagonists - mostly General Zod. I would consider myself as one of these people - having been brought up with Brandon Routh as the man in tights while also watching the Superman Animated Series and the Justice League Animated Series on Saturday mornings. I've always had a small taste for diving into the Superman canon but I always felt it to be so overwhelming as there was so much out there and my type of personality needed some kind of organization.
Thankfully, Warner Brothers has decided to start a trend to start releasing all of their different runs of archived comic book omnibuses which really help a newb like me to make sense of where to start and where to go. When looking for what to start with, most people recommended John Byrne's mini-series of Superman and the Man of Steel who was given the task of reinventing/reintroducing Superman for a new audience starting with a blank slate, which I soon learned that they would repeat this pattern quite frequently. This series come directly after the DC invent known as "Crisis on Infinite Earths" - which I have still to read.
As previously mentioned, I cannot say how well he treats the character and does him justice as I've read people on both sides of the fence with their opinions of his decisions for the modern day Hercules but I found myself enjoying the hell out of the series. The artwork for the time was quite cartoony and you can definitely see the difference of course between Batman and Superman, as the blueprint for Clark Kent and Superman is optimism and hope - which is why alot of people didn't feel the man of steel stuck the landing. But overall the read was very pleasant, it was quite nice to see the reintroduction of Lex Luthor, Metallo and Darkseid but aside from that alot of Superman's bigger rogues in his gallery took a raincheck which kind of sucked as it was mostly the more forgotten rouges who showed up but oh well.
All in all, it was a nice fun read from what I'm used to reading and look forward to reading the rest of the series as they slowly come out.
Thankfully, Warner Brothers has decided to start a trend to start releasing all of their different runs of archived comic book omnibuses which really help a newb like me to make sense of where to start and where to go. When looking for what to start with, most people recommended John Byrne's mini-series of Superman and the Man of Steel who was given the task of reinventing/reintroducing Superman for a new audience starting with a blank slate, which I soon learned that they would repeat this pattern quite frequently. This series come directly after the DC invent known as "Crisis on Infinite Earths" - which I have still to read.
As previously mentioned, I cannot say how well he treats the character and does him justice as I've read people on both sides of the fence with their opinions of his decisions for the modern day Hercules but I found myself enjoying the hell out of the series. The artwork for the time was quite cartoony and you can definitely see the difference of course between Batman and Superman, as the blueprint for Clark Kent and Superman is optimism and hope - which is why alot of people didn't feel the man of steel stuck the landing. But overall the read was very pleasant, it was quite nice to see the reintroduction of Lex Luthor, Metallo and Darkseid but aside from that alot of Superman's bigger rogues in his gallery took a raincheck which kind of sucked as it was mostly the more forgotten rouges who showed up but oh well.
All in all, it was a nice fun read from what I'm used to reading and look forward to reading the rest of the series as they slowly come out.
January 7, 2026
this won’t be the most riveting of reviews, if only because i haven’t read any other superman comics to compare this to. all things considered, i would say this is a good comic to start with. many thanks to my awesome and dare i day….. super….. friend for letting me borrow her copy.
this was a good introduction to most of superman’s villains so that was nice because i only knew the very basics before. superman is so cool i teared up a few times. i will say that i have always said that love is what it’s all about but everyone looks at me funny when i say that 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ but when superman says it it’s cool and awesome like oh i see how it is. it is okay though because he is superman.
on a side note i think “the man of metropolis steals our hearts” by sufjan stevens is the best song ever made we should all listen to that. did you know the original album cover has superman on it but had to be changed for copyright reasons? the more you know 🤔
this was a good introduction to most of superman’s villains so that was nice because i only knew the very basics before. superman is so cool i teared up a few times. i will say that i have always said that love is what it’s all about but everyone looks at me funny when i say that 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ but when superman says it it’s cool and awesome like oh i see how it is. it is okay though because he is superman.
on a side note i think “the man of metropolis steals our hearts” by sufjan stevens is the best song ever made we should all listen to that. did you know the original album cover has superman on it but had to be changed for copyright reasons? the more you know 🤔
October 6, 2023
Good stuff, but I kind of expected it to be instant classic status based on the reputation of this material. Even the 6-issue miniseries that rebooted Superman's continuity was really good, but feels somehow dated. There's nothing really wrong with any of the writing or artwork, it's just that not every issue is a 5-star classic. Also, the stereotypical terroristic Middle Eastern nation seemed very unnecessary to the story. Superman may fight for "truth, justice, and the American way", but he shouldn't be portrayed as a near-government stooge. I feel like that's par for the course when it comes to some of Marv Wolfman's writing, but I'm just glad that subplot seems to be over. I guess I'll find out in Volume 2.
July 14, 2025
Es increíble lo bien manejadas que están algunos temas en estos cómics. Parece que terminan envejeciendo muy bien, otros no tanto, siendo el caso de una visión muy americana de Superman. Pero eso solo en algunos números, lo que resalta aquí es el papel de Byrne para tener a un equipo que entiende al personaje, que se apega a tramas desde la ciencia ficción que trazó Kirby con el cuarto mundo, pero también lo baja a un terreno más callejero—la historia del secuestro del hijo de Perry White—. Es asombroso leer algo así de entretenido.
May 20, 2022
(Recension i form av en krönika för biblioteken.)
En efterlängtad klassiker på biblioteket.
År 1988 så led jag av en alltför besvärlig kalufs och min far körde mig till byn Åmliden för att klippa mig. I ”väntrummet”, ja det var egentligen bara hemma i någons kök, så läste jag för första gången John Brynes serietidning ”Stålmannen”. Det här var Superman för en ny generation och jag föll pladask för den nya lite mer sårbare hjälten. Nu har serierna kommit i en fin samlingsvolym och finns tillgängliga på biblioteket så både gamla och unga människor kan ta del av dessa fantastiska färggranna äventyr. Om jag ska vara ärlig så har de här serierna satt ganska djupa spår i mitt medvetande och det är lite svårt att göra en rättvis bedömning över 20 år senare, men visst är det roligt att ha dem på biblioteket. Bara det vackra omslaget väcker minnen, och det är några saker som jag fortfarande hävdar är mer eller mindre fantastiska trots att jag nu själv är 4 gånger så gammal som då jag läste dem för första gången.
Ni känner alla till historien: Krypton exploderar och raketskeppet som störtar i Kansas. Vår gula sol ger den lille pojken fantastiska krafter. Kärleken från adoptivföräldrarna formar honom till den här fantastiska hjälten som egentligen bara strävar efter en sak: att bli en hjälte och göra rätt.
Den nya Stålmannen kunde inte längre blåsa bort planeter, fienderna var otäckare och framför allt var karaktären mer identitetssökande och osäkra. Många av de absolut bästa historierna rör sig kring vem Kal-El, vilket är hans kryptoniska namn, egentligen är. Till skillnad från både tidigare och nyare versioner av Stålmannen så är han inte alls hitskickad för att skänka hopp till människorna. I den allra första scenen från Krypton frågar Laura, hans biologiska mamma, om han kommer att styra människorna som en Gud varav Jor-El (han pappa) svarar ”kanske”.
I John Byrnes version blev Lex Luthor en slipad affärsman och Lois Lane något moderniserad. Faktum är att Lex Luthor faktiskt är riktigt obehaglig på ett sätt som att han skulle behöva en dos ”Metoo” och som är lite ovanligt i serier av det här slaget. Superman fick en hel del mer stryk än vad man är van vid, till och med är han nära att stryka med några gånger men räddas då faktiskt (spoiler) av Lex Luthor som gärna vill ha äran själv.
Den första volymen innehåller några fantastiska berättelser som verkligen visar vilken kreativ och ambitiös serieskapare John Byrne faktiskt är. Jag tänker främst på introduktionen och mötet med Batman men även den fantastiska versionen av Bizarro. Sen, eftersom det egentligen är ett gäng amerikanska tidningar som tryckts ihop, så finns det en hel del som man får skumma igenom. Särskilt historierna som inte John Bryne själv skrivit. Det är kanske lite blandad kompott och själv så längtar jag väldigt mycket efter den andra volymen som jag hoppas innehåller några av mina absoluta Supermanhistorier.
Jag tycker serien passar både gamla seriefantaster och yngre Superman fantaster (om dom kan engelska vill säga). Även om båda säkert, av olika anledningar, kommer att få skumläsa lite. Trots att jag, och Lex Luthor, aldrig mer kommer att sätta foten i en frisörsalong så har åren inte förminskat känslan av otroliga äventyr med hjältar som är goda i grunden.
Är man intresserad av det visuella så tror jag att John Byrne (som även tecknat) är lite av en smaksak. Jag skulle vilja kalla honom klassisk med lagom försök till att experimentera lite, och jag har som sagt en sådan kärlek till de här serierna sedan barndomen så det är svårt att göra någon objektiv bedömning. Är man intresserad av tuschning så är den här faktiskt rätt rolig att bläddra i då samma tecknare kan få en ganska annorlunda känsla om att det är andra medskapare inblandade.
Det här är en bra introduktion till Superman och en snygg samling med en många bra historier som också introducerar läsaren till många klassiska DC hjältar och skurkar. Särskilt intressant kan det kanske vara att få se en ganska lättsmält introduktion till Darkside och Apokolips om man gillat Zack Snyders filmversion av Justice League.
Kommentar till betyget på Goodreads: Det är en klassiker och jag tycker att dom berättelserna som är bra är riktigt bra. Men som helhet så kanske det blir en stark trea, särskilt om man gör avdrag för nostalgin i något försök att vara lite objektiv. Men hursomhelst "I liked it" och "I really like" många av berättelserna i den.
En efterlängtad klassiker på biblioteket.
År 1988 så led jag av en alltför besvärlig kalufs och min far körde mig till byn Åmliden för att klippa mig. I ”väntrummet”, ja det var egentligen bara hemma i någons kök, så läste jag för första gången John Brynes serietidning ”Stålmannen”. Det här var Superman för en ny generation och jag föll pladask för den nya lite mer sårbare hjälten. Nu har serierna kommit i en fin samlingsvolym och finns tillgängliga på biblioteket så både gamla och unga människor kan ta del av dessa fantastiska färggranna äventyr. Om jag ska vara ärlig så har de här serierna satt ganska djupa spår i mitt medvetande och det är lite svårt att göra en rättvis bedömning över 20 år senare, men visst är det roligt att ha dem på biblioteket. Bara det vackra omslaget väcker minnen, och det är några saker som jag fortfarande hävdar är mer eller mindre fantastiska trots att jag nu själv är 4 gånger så gammal som då jag läste dem för första gången.
Ni känner alla till historien: Krypton exploderar och raketskeppet som störtar i Kansas. Vår gula sol ger den lille pojken fantastiska krafter. Kärleken från adoptivföräldrarna formar honom till den här fantastiska hjälten som egentligen bara strävar efter en sak: att bli en hjälte och göra rätt.
Den nya Stålmannen kunde inte längre blåsa bort planeter, fienderna var otäckare och framför allt var karaktären mer identitetssökande och osäkra. Många av de absolut bästa historierna rör sig kring vem Kal-El, vilket är hans kryptoniska namn, egentligen är. Till skillnad från både tidigare och nyare versioner av Stålmannen så är han inte alls hitskickad för att skänka hopp till människorna. I den allra första scenen från Krypton frågar Laura, hans biologiska mamma, om han kommer att styra människorna som en Gud varav Jor-El (han pappa) svarar ”kanske”.
I John Byrnes version blev Lex Luthor en slipad affärsman och Lois Lane något moderniserad. Faktum är att Lex Luthor faktiskt är riktigt obehaglig på ett sätt som att han skulle behöva en dos ”Metoo” och som är lite ovanligt i serier av det här slaget. Superman fick en hel del mer stryk än vad man är van vid, till och med är han nära att stryka med några gånger men räddas då faktiskt (spoiler) av Lex Luthor som gärna vill ha äran själv.
Den första volymen innehåller några fantastiska berättelser som verkligen visar vilken kreativ och ambitiös serieskapare John Byrne faktiskt är. Jag tänker främst på introduktionen och mötet med Batman men även den fantastiska versionen av Bizarro. Sen, eftersom det egentligen är ett gäng amerikanska tidningar som tryckts ihop, så finns det en hel del som man får skumma igenom. Särskilt historierna som inte John Bryne själv skrivit. Det är kanske lite blandad kompott och själv så längtar jag väldigt mycket efter den andra volymen som jag hoppas innehåller några av mina absoluta Supermanhistorier.
Jag tycker serien passar både gamla seriefantaster och yngre Superman fantaster (om dom kan engelska vill säga). Även om båda säkert, av olika anledningar, kommer att få skumläsa lite. Trots att jag, och Lex Luthor, aldrig mer kommer att sätta foten i en frisörsalong så har åren inte förminskat känslan av otroliga äventyr med hjältar som är goda i grunden.
Är man intresserad av det visuella så tror jag att John Byrne (som även tecknat) är lite av en smaksak. Jag skulle vilja kalla honom klassisk med lagom försök till att experimentera lite, och jag har som sagt en sådan kärlek till de här serierna sedan barndomen så det är svårt att göra någon objektiv bedömning. Är man intresserad av tuschning så är den här faktiskt rätt rolig att bläddra i då samma tecknare kan få en ganska annorlunda känsla om att det är andra medskapare inblandade.
Det här är en bra introduktion till Superman och en snygg samling med en många bra historier som också introducerar läsaren till många klassiska DC hjältar och skurkar. Särskilt intressant kan det kanske vara att få se en ganska lättsmält introduktion till Darkside och Apokolips om man gillat Zack Snyders filmversion av Justice League.
Kommentar till betyget på Goodreads: Det är en klassiker och jag tycker att dom berättelserna som är bra är riktigt bra. Men som helhet så kanske det blir en stark trea, särskilt om man gör avdrag för nostalgin i något försök att vara lite objektiv. Men hursomhelst "I liked it" och "I really like" många av berättelserna i den.
June 14, 2023
Certain aspects of this, including plot setups and Superman’s characterization, haven’t aged super well in my eyes, but it’s still easy to see why John Byrne was exactly what Superman needed at the time to make sure his reboot was a success. Aside from the Quraq storyline, which I think is permanently stuck in the Desert Storm era, the stories are all fun and fast paced. I didn’t quite love Lex Luthor’s portrayal here, I know this started the premise of him being an evil businessman who prefers to work behind the scenes, but he comes off as a bit too sniveling and mustache twirling for my liking. I’m sure he gets better as this run goes on, but he didn’t really work in this specific volume. If anything, this book just works as a time capsule to show just what Superman needed to be in the late 80s-early 90s in order to stay relevant.
January 9, 2021
While my comic collection doesn't reflect the deep love and long relationship I have had with Superman, that relationship, that love and respect for the character and all of the values he represents. I once owned all of the issues in this collection, and still own some. I was a great fan of John Byrne and Marv Wolfman at the time these stories were orignally published, and I still am, but these stories would also make me a fan of Jerry Ordway.
I actually bought this collection for the John Byrne work. in 1986 his re-imagining of the origin of Superman and his early years along with Marv Wolfman's reworking of Lex Luthor and Brainiac would heavily influence the direction of Superman for the next 25 years in print and film. This is most especally true of Wolfman's uber-rich capitalist/industrialist Lex Luthor would even influence the attempt to return to Superman's roots with Grant Morrison's run on Action Comics.
Most of the issues, reprinted here, were "done-in-one" adventures and the ones that aren't (Adventures of Superman #424 & 425 and Superman #3, AoS #426, and Action Comics #586) still feel like it, for reasons I'm unable to articulate. The five issues of Action Comics, including #586 the Legends tie-in, could just as easily have been named Superman Team-up, for the rotating guest stars.
Loved it.
I actually bought this collection for the John Byrne work. in 1986 his re-imagining of the origin of Superman and his early years along with Marv Wolfman's reworking of Lex Luthor and Brainiac would heavily influence the direction of Superman for the next 25 years in print and film. This is most especally true of Wolfman's uber-rich capitalist/industrialist Lex Luthor would even influence the attempt to return to Superman's roots with Grant Morrison's run on Action Comics.
Most of the issues, reprinted here, were "done-in-one" adventures and the ones that aren't (Adventures of Superman #424 & 425 and Superman #3, AoS #426, and Action Comics #586) still feel like it, for reasons I'm unable to articulate. The five issues of Action Comics, including #586 the Legends tie-in, could just as easily have been named Superman Team-up, for the rotating guest stars.
Loved it.
July 17, 2021
I'll address the format of this collection first then get to the stories. A lot of collectors had wanted this era of Superman to be collected as an omnibus and DC even solicited orders for an omnibus but - as often happens with DC graphic novels - it was cancelled. How do I like THIS format? I actually prefer it. I know Omnibus collectors REALLY prefer that format because it looks nice on their shelves but this hard-cover - at half the page count - is so much easier to read and hold. The only problem I have is with the pages being a mat finish instead of glossy. On the one hand it makes the colours more true to the original because the pages absorb the ink more like a newsprint would (good) but they are also more easily damaged (bad).
What about the stories? Well for those who don't know this is the era right after Crisis on Infinite Earths when DC did their first reboot (in those days there wasn't a reboot every 5 years) and John Byrne was lured over from Marvel after X-Men, Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight to redo his origin. John Byrne was the biggest name in comics at the time. He did a world class job on the reboot and the six issue mini series that retold his origin still is a joy to read. John's changes were very well thought out. He kept Superman's parents alive and that was great because it allowed him to be "Clark" with people who knew he was Superman. Led to a lot of great stories and character development. Luthor was remade as a businessman who did his criminal stuff under the table (Marv Wolfman claims credit for that idea). There were no Superboy years (Byrne like a lot of writers was influenced by the first Superman movie when it came to that) so unfortunately that killed the Legion of Super Heroes in this reboot and they never have recovered. He depowered Superman quite a bit and revamped the reason for his powers. He also reshaped his interaction with Batman so they weren't buddies but wary of each other (influenced by Frank Miller's Dark Knight, no doubt). He also reshaped what Krypton was like making it into a more sci fi sterile world.
After that mini series the stories...were less than stellar. They were fun but no memorable ones. If Byrne hadn't been doing the art on his stories I doubt I would have read them when they came out at the time. This is my first time reading the Wolfman and Ordway stories and while the art is great the stories were pretty lame. Aside from introducing Cat Grant they were very boring. Not at all up to the standard he had set with the New Teen Titans.
One thing I want to add (and I may be alone thinking this) I was a HUGE Byrne fan before his move to DC but it was around this time he started phoning it in for his art. I have talked to inkers of his work around this time and they said his pencils were becoming more rough layouts. Before this era I grabbed anything and everything he drew...after this era his art wasn't as sharp to my eye. And again - I stress - I may be alone in thinking this because I know a lot of fans who loved his later work on Namor and She-Hulk (to name two).
Overall - this was a solid collection. Worth it just for the 6 issue mini Man of Steel and some good John Byrne stories/art after that.
What about the stories? Well for those who don't know this is the era right after Crisis on Infinite Earths when DC did their first reboot (in those days there wasn't a reboot every 5 years) and John Byrne was lured over from Marvel after X-Men, Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight to redo his origin. John Byrne was the biggest name in comics at the time. He did a world class job on the reboot and the six issue mini series that retold his origin still is a joy to read. John's changes were very well thought out. He kept Superman's parents alive and that was great because it allowed him to be "Clark" with people who knew he was Superman. Led to a lot of great stories and character development. Luthor was remade as a businessman who did his criminal stuff under the table (Marv Wolfman claims credit for that idea). There were no Superboy years (Byrne like a lot of writers was influenced by the first Superman movie when it came to that) so unfortunately that killed the Legion of Super Heroes in this reboot and they never have recovered. He depowered Superman quite a bit and revamped the reason for his powers. He also reshaped his interaction with Batman so they weren't buddies but wary of each other (influenced by Frank Miller's Dark Knight, no doubt). He also reshaped what Krypton was like making it into a more sci fi sterile world.
After that mini series the stories...were less than stellar. They were fun but no memorable ones. If Byrne hadn't been doing the art on his stories I doubt I would have read them when they came out at the time. This is my first time reading the Wolfman and Ordway stories and while the art is great the stories were pretty lame. Aside from introducing Cat Grant they were very boring. Not at all up to the standard he had set with the New Teen Titans.
One thing I want to add (and I may be alone thinking this) I was a HUGE Byrne fan before his move to DC but it was around this time he started phoning it in for his art. I have talked to inkers of his work around this time and they said his pencils were becoming more rough layouts. Before this era I grabbed anything and everything he drew...after this era his art wasn't as sharp to my eye. And again - I stress - I may be alone in thinking this because I know a lot of fans who loved his later work on Namor and She-Hulk (to name two).
Overall - this was a solid collection. Worth it just for the 6 issue mini Man of Steel and some good John Byrne stories/art after that.
November 1, 2020
Picked this up thinking maybe all the stories from the reboot in one place would read bette than it did when the story originally came out in multiple titles. Nope.
After the Man Of Steel mini-series this is just ... not good. So stick with reprints if those 6 issues because the rest is utterly forgettable.
After the Man Of Steel mini-series this is just ... not good. So stick with reprints if those 6 issues because the rest is utterly forgettable.
Read
June 28, 2023Great stuff! For Bruce Wayne, Batman is his true identity. For Superman, Clark Kent is his true identity. lex is such a scary villain, i hate him. the darkseid stuff rocked.
September 11, 2023
"A Man of Tomorrow for today."
In my excitement for James Gunn's upcoming DCU, I've decided to become more involved in my reading of DC Comics. And what a better place to start than the original jumping on point, Post-Crisis?
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC decided to address Superman's shrinking sales numbers with a massive revamp of the character, his world, and his line of comics. Hot off a successful run at Marvel, John Byrne was recruited to lead the charge. This volume encompasses the first several issues of four different comic book series that set out to establish the Man of Steel on the New Earth.
The volume starts with Byrne's six issue miniseries, The Man of Steel. I wasn't super excited to read this, having read and watched more than a few Superman origins in my time, but found the exercise enjoyable. There is repetition, but plenty of creativity as well. After issue one sets up the basics of what happened to Krypton, how Clark developed his powers, and why he started dressing up in a blue onesie, every subsequent issue elaborates on the first seven years of his career, spotlighting his relationship with another character. Issue two deals with his dynamic to Lois Lane. Issue three features his first meeting with the Dark Knight Detective. Issue four, his first confrontation with Lex. Issue five focuses on Lucy Lane and Bizarro, which was an odd choice. The final issue brings back Lana Lang, but mostly is about Supes discovering his alien heritage and springboards us into the present day stories.
From here, the volume is divided across three titles. There's Superman, The Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics. The volume switches between the three freely, going by what makes sense in story order rather than strictly adhering to the chronological release order. I appreciate this choice. While all these titles are connected by story, each has a distinctly different feel.
The comic titled Superman by John Byrne focuses on his central adventures. This is where you get the introduction of his major rogues, the battles between him and Lex, and most of the directly important story development. Issue one introduces the post-crisis Metallo, issue two further establishes the rivalry with Lex and how this affects Clark's loved ones, issue three is a Legends tie-in (I'll discuss those later), and issue four introduces Bloodsport, a version of whom was played by Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad. Each of these issues tells an exciting, usually self-contained story about the Man of Steel.
Jon Byrne's other title, Action Comics, is a team-up book at this time in the tradition of The Brave and the Bold or Marvel Team-Up. In every issue, Superman comes into contact with a different DC superhero. These stories mostly follow the formula of heroes meet, fight due to a misunderstanding, then team-up against a greater threat. These tend to be relatively forgettable, but entertaining. In issue 584 (while Superman got a new issue one, the other books kept the pre-Crisis numbering) he faces the New Teen Titans, in 585 the Phantom Stranger, 586 features Orion and Lightray of the New Gods, and 586 Etrigan the Demon.
My favorite of the three titles is actually Marv Wolfman's book, The Adventures of Superman. While Superman and AC focus high-flying sci-fi action, Adventures spotlights some real issues of the era when these books came out. Not that there isn't plenty of superhero action too. We also get a special focus on the supporting cast at the Daily Planet, particularly Cat Grant and Perry White. The stories in this title flow into each other, so its kinda hard to tease them each separately like I did the other two books. To address the majors plotlines though, Superman fights terrorism in Metropolis and abroad, becomes the target of a strange group of superpeople called The Circle, and has to save Perry White's son from a kidnapping plot. Also we get a Legends tie-in. There is a fairly disturbing issue where Superman dismantles the military of a sovereign middle eastern nation and is globally celebrated for it. It came off as kinda bigoted and very unrealistic, even for a comic book. Other than that though, I really enjoyed this title.
Towards the end of this book, we a trio of issues that all tie-in to the Legends event. I can't really describe what happens without spoiling a lot. Suffice it to say Superman faces down Darkseid and pays the price, dearly. Its a fun three issues, even if Action Comics' conclusion kinda drops the ball. Like all of Legends it is fairly disjoined from the actual event. I don't think you need to read Legends proper to understand it (although I have read it, and review it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).
I would say Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 1 is a great read for long-time Supes lovers or new fans hoping to jump on the super-wagon. Strong recommend.
In my excitement for James Gunn's upcoming DCU, I've decided to become more involved in my reading of DC Comics. And what a better place to start than the original jumping on point, Post-Crisis?
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC decided to address Superman's shrinking sales numbers with a massive revamp of the character, his world, and his line of comics. Hot off a successful run at Marvel, John Byrne was recruited to lead the charge. This volume encompasses the first several issues of four different comic book series that set out to establish the Man of Steel on the New Earth.
The volume starts with Byrne's six issue miniseries, The Man of Steel. I wasn't super excited to read this, having read and watched more than a few Superman origins in my time, but found the exercise enjoyable. There is repetition, but plenty of creativity as well. After issue one sets up the basics of what happened to Krypton, how Clark developed his powers, and why he started dressing up in a blue onesie, every subsequent issue elaborates on the first seven years of his career, spotlighting his relationship with another character. Issue two deals with his dynamic to Lois Lane. Issue three features his first meeting with the Dark Knight Detective. Issue four, his first confrontation with Lex. Issue five focuses on Lucy Lane and Bizarro, which was an odd choice. The final issue brings back Lana Lang, but mostly is about Supes discovering his alien heritage and springboards us into the present day stories.
From here, the volume is divided across three titles. There's Superman, The Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics. The volume switches between the three freely, going by what makes sense in story order rather than strictly adhering to the chronological release order. I appreciate this choice. While all these titles are connected by story, each has a distinctly different feel.
The comic titled Superman by John Byrne focuses on his central adventures. This is where you get the introduction of his major rogues, the battles between him and Lex, and most of the directly important story development. Issue one introduces the post-crisis Metallo, issue two further establishes the rivalry with Lex and how this affects Clark's loved ones, issue three is a Legends tie-in (I'll discuss those later), and issue four introduces Bloodsport, a version of whom was played by Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad. Each of these issues tells an exciting, usually self-contained story about the Man of Steel.
Jon Byrne's other title, Action Comics, is a team-up book at this time in the tradition of The Brave and the Bold or Marvel Team-Up. In every issue, Superman comes into contact with a different DC superhero. These stories mostly follow the formula of heroes meet, fight due to a misunderstanding, then team-up against a greater threat. These tend to be relatively forgettable, but entertaining. In issue 584 (while Superman got a new issue one, the other books kept the pre-Crisis numbering) he faces the New Teen Titans, in 585 the Phantom Stranger, 586 features Orion and Lightray of the New Gods, and 586 Etrigan the Demon.
My favorite of the three titles is actually Marv Wolfman's book, The Adventures of Superman. While Superman and AC focus high-flying sci-fi action, Adventures spotlights some real issues of the era when these books came out. Not that there isn't plenty of superhero action too. We also get a special focus on the supporting cast at the Daily Planet, particularly Cat Grant and Perry White. The stories in this title flow into each other, so its kinda hard to tease them each separately like I did the other two books. To address the majors plotlines though, Superman fights terrorism in Metropolis and abroad, becomes the target of a strange group of superpeople called The Circle, and has to save Perry White's son from a kidnapping plot. Also we get a Legends tie-in. There is a fairly disturbing issue where Superman dismantles the military of a sovereign middle eastern nation and is globally celebrated for it. It came off as kinda bigoted and very unrealistic, even for a comic book. Other than that though, I really enjoyed this title.
Towards the end of this book, we a trio of issues that all tie-in to the Legends event. I can't really describe what happens without spoiling a lot. Suffice it to say Superman faces down Darkseid and pays the price, dearly. Its a fun three issues, even if Action Comics' conclusion kinda drops the ball. Like all of Legends it is fairly disjoined from the actual event. I don't think you need to read Legends proper to understand it (although I have read it, and review it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).
I would say Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 1 is a great read for long-time Supes lovers or new fans hoping to jump on the super-wagon. Strong recommend.
February 11, 2024
This is a review for the entire John Byrne era, not just this volume.
Look... I appreciate what John Byrne did for the Superman mythos. The Man of Steel miniseries is perfectly enjoyable in its own way, and I'm grateful that it cleaned up Superman continuity a bit for the modern age. But Byrne's actual ongoing run (alongside Marv Wolfman and others) is just a slog. He never commits to any particular plotline. Every subplot runs at a glacial pace, popping up for one or two pages at random in every issue. The main plots are dreadfully generic and cliche. This is in that weird, brief era when Superman was freed from the chains of the Silver Age, but hadn't been elevated to his fullest potential by writers like Joe Kelly, Kurt Busiek, Jeph Loeb, Grant Morrison, or even Mark Millar. Because of that it's... pretty rough. There's just nothing to get attached to. Every once in a while there's a fun story, but it's surrounded by forgettable filler, mindless action, and a truly offensive amount of intrusive expositional thought bubbles. You can't even enjoy the first appearances (Post-Crisis) of several Superman villains on their own, because they're buried in irrelevant and uninteresting subplots. Tell me, who seriously cares about Jerry White? Or Cat Grant? Gangbuster? The Circle? The Manhunters? The voodoo killer? Brainiac?
Oh what's that? You DO care about Brainiac? You fool. You absolute idiot. When I said "Brainiac", you probably thought I was talking about the genocidal, planet-destroying, city-bottling, body-swapping, alien robot who is among Superman's greatest foes. No, silly. I'm obviously talking about the short, fat, mentally unstable illusionist with psychic powers who may or may not be possessed by the distant extraterrestrial dismembodied consciousness of Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Comic. You know. Brainiac. The iconic Brainiac. Everyone's favorite. What were you expecting? Thanks John.
Do I even need to mention the story where Superman and Barda are brainwashed by an alien named Sleez into filming a porno? That's a real thing that happens.
Oh, and the worst part of this run? Byrne doesn't even finish any of his own plotlines! To see the conclusions to any of the subplots contained in the four Man of Steel Omnibuses, you'll have to check out "Superman: The Exile and Other Stories Omnibus", where Roger Stern and Jerry Orway clean up Byrne's mess and try to resolve it all (and it's actually better, incidentally). This series really just isn't worth your time. There are so many better Superman runs (like the woefully underrated "City of Tomorrow" era). Hell, even the Man of Steel miniseries, the only thing here with any substantial value, has been made completely obsolete by MULTIPLE superior origin comics like Birthright and Secret Origin.
In conclusion, only read this for the historical value. You won't find anything in these volumes that hasn't been done better elsewhere. Superman is a difficult character to write, and I don't envy any writer tasked with doing a long run with him, but I can only judge what's in front of me. And it's just not worth the time.
Look... I appreciate what John Byrne did for the Superman mythos. The Man of Steel miniseries is perfectly enjoyable in its own way, and I'm grateful that it cleaned up Superman continuity a bit for the modern age. But Byrne's actual ongoing run (alongside Marv Wolfman and others) is just a slog. He never commits to any particular plotline. Every subplot runs at a glacial pace, popping up for one or two pages at random in every issue. The main plots are dreadfully generic and cliche. This is in that weird, brief era when Superman was freed from the chains of the Silver Age, but hadn't been elevated to his fullest potential by writers like Joe Kelly, Kurt Busiek, Jeph Loeb, Grant Morrison, or even Mark Millar. Because of that it's... pretty rough. There's just nothing to get attached to. Every once in a while there's a fun story, but it's surrounded by forgettable filler, mindless action, and a truly offensive amount of intrusive expositional thought bubbles. You can't even enjoy the first appearances (Post-Crisis) of several Superman villains on their own, because they're buried in irrelevant and uninteresting subplots. Tell me, who seriously cares about Jerry White? Or Cat Grant? Gangbuster? The Circle? The Manhunters? The voodoo killer? Brainiac?
Oh what's that? You DO care about Brainiac? You fool. You absolute idiot. When I said "Brainiac", you probably thought I was talking about the genocidal, planet-destroying, city-bottling, body-swapping, alien robot who is among Superman's greatest foes. No, silly. I'm obviously talking about the short, fat, mentally unstable illusionist with psychic powers who may or may not be possessed by the distant extraterrestrial dismembodied consciousness of Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Comic. You know. Brainiac. The iconic Brainiac. Everyone's favorite. What were you expecting? Thanks John.
Do I even need to mention the story where Superman and Barda are brainwashed by an alien named Sleez into filming a porno? That's a real thing that happens.
Oh, and the worst part of this run? Byrne doesn't even finish any of his own plotlines! To see the conclusions to any of the subplots contained in the four Man of Steel Omnibuses, you'll have to check out "Superman: The Exile and Other Stories Omnibus", where Roger Stern and Jerry Orway clean up Byrne's mess and try to resolve it all (and it's actually better, incidentally). This series really just isn't worth your time. There are so many better Superman runs (like the woefully underrated "City of Tomorrow" era). Hell, even the Man of Steel miniseries, the only thing here with any substantial value, has been made completely obsolete by MULTIPLE superior origin comics like Birthright and Secret Origin.
In conclusion, only read this for the historical value. You won't find anything in these volumes that hasn't been done better elsewhere. Superman is a difficult character to write, and I don't envy any writer tasked with doing a long run with him, but I can only judge what's in front of me. And it's just not worth the time.
March 12, 2023
This volume contains one of my least favorite all-time comic book stories.
In it, Lex Luthor basically uses the 1980's version of big data, feeding all sorts of things into a computer to find out what the connection between Clark Kent and Superman might be. And when he does, the computer spits out the answer: Clark Kent is Superman.
And it's a breathless moment in the comic. Holy shit! HE KNOWS!
And what happens? How does Supes get out of this one?
Lex dismisses it immediately. Bah, no Superman would live like a lowly Clark Kent. Shut down this entire program. It's obviously a failure.
Now, I do have a BIT more tolerance for this story as an adult. I think I get the nuance a bit here. THIS is a version of Lex Luthor with incredible means and abilities, but he's not infallible, and his biggest fault is that he's a dickhole who thinks he's awesomer than everything else. It's not the subtlest example, but, eh, 1980's comics aren't subtle.
But I STILL have a little problem with one part: Lex Luthor has like unlimited resources. Why not just send some goon to shoot Clark Kent? If he succeeds, well, whatever. If he fails, shit, maybe there's something to it...
And, if I'm going to get REAL Machiavellian about it, why not just announce to the world Superman is Clark Kent. Either it's true, or it'll force Superman to reveal/prove he's NOT Clark Kent, and maybe that helps you figure out who he is. It's win/win.
So the thing is, there's no drawback to just acting on the information, so why not?
I don't buy it. I think this was a classic John Byrne cop-out, my other favorite being The Trial of Galactus.
Want to hear that one?
Okay, so someone somehow captures Galactus, and they put him on trial. They're like, "Finally we got this world-eating menace by the BALLS. His balls are probably those fork things on his head, but whatever, he's alien, let's just go with it."
Reed Richards gives a stirring speech that proves Galactus is bad, but necessary, exonerating him.
What is the content of the speech?
Nobody knows. Because John Byrne, who writes himself into the comic, basically says that it's not something that can be related, it was super amazing, you just had to be there.
Since reading these two books as a kid, I've come to enjoy a lot of John Byrne's work, especially on The Thing and some others. But hoo boy, these two stories are really classics of writing out of a corner that just didn't work.
In it, Lex Luthor basically uses the 1980's version of big data, feeding all sorts of things into a computer to find out what the connection between Clark Kent and Superman might be. And when he does, the computer spits out the answer: Clark Kent is Superman.
And it's a breathless moment in the comic. Holy shit! HE KNOWS!
And what happens? How does Supes get out of this one?
Lex dismisses it immediately. Bah, no Superman would live like a lowly Clark Kent. Shut down this entire program. It's obviously a failure.
Now, I do have a BIT more tolerance for this story as an adult. I think I get the nuance a bit here. THIS is a version of Lex Luthor with incredible means and abilities, but he's not infallible, and his biggest fault is that he's a dickhole who thinks he's awesomer than everything else. It's not the subtlest example, but, eh, 1980's comics aren't subtle.
But I STILL have a little problem with one part: Lex Luthor has like unlimited resources. Why not just send some goon to shoot Clark Kent? If he succeeds, well, whatever. If he fails, shit, maybe there's something to it...
And, if I'm going to get REAL Machiavellian about it, why not just announce to the world Superman is Clark Kent. Either it's true, or it'll force Superman to reveal/prove he's NOT Clark Kent, and maybe that helps you figure out who he is. It's win/win.
So the thing is, there's no drawback to just acting on the information, so why not?
I don't buy it. I think this was a classic John Byrne cop-out, my other favorite being The Trial of Galactus.
Want to hear that one?
Okay, so someone somehow captures Galactus, and they put him on trial. They're like, "Finally we got this world-eating menace by the BALLS. His balls are probably those fork things on his head, but whatever, he's alien, let's just go with it."
Reed Richards gives a stirring speech that proves Galactus is bad, but necessary, exonerating him.
What is the content of the speech?
Nobody knows. Because John Byrne, who writes himself into the comic, basically says that it's not something that can be related, it was super amazing, you just had to be there.
Since reading these two books as a kid, I've come to enjoy a lot of John Byrne's work, especially on The Thing and some others. But hoo boy, these two stories are really classics of writing out of a corner that just didn't work.
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