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Post-Crisis Superman (Collected Editions)
Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 2
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, comic book superstar John Byrne reimagined Superman for a brand-new era, and these stories push his bold vision forward!
Time has always been complicated, but Superman learns just how true that is when he and the Legion of Super-Heroes are caught in a pocket reality created by the Time Trapper. Facing off against aliens, gang violence, and super-villains, will Superman be able to do it all? Or will one of his adversaries?including The Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk?be a match for our Man of Steel?
Collects Action Comics #588-593, Adventures of Superman #429-435, Legion of Super-Heroes #37-38, and Superman #5-11.
541 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2021
36 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
John Byrne
2,956 books360 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 30 reviews
March 27, 2022
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 2 collects Action Comics #588-593, Adventures of Superman #429-435, Legion of Super-Heroes #37-38, and Superman #5-11.
My read of the John Byrne run of Superman in the mid 1980s continues. In this volume, Superman takes on the Fearsome Five, a space mummy, Chemo, Mr. Mxyzptlk, the TIme Trapper, Rampage, Sleez, and various other threats to humanity. As with the previous volume, Byrne had assistance by Marv Wolfman, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, among others.
A lot of ground was broken or hauled away in this. Byrne explained the Legion of Super Heroes' place in the post-Crisis universe, went further toward establishing what a jerk Lex Luthor is, and took part in the Invasion crossover. There was also the weird thing involving Big Barda and a porno that managed to take up two issues.
The Byrne run is in full swing and I feel like he's just scratched the surface of Superman lore to reintroduce. The relationship with Lois Lane hasn't begun yet, Braniac hasn't been reintroduced, and line wide crossovers have yet to derail what Byrne is doing.
The controlled Byrne of the Superman mythos continues. Not quite as smooth as volume 2 but still great 1980s comics. 4 out of 5 stars.
My read of the John Byrne run of Superman in the mid 1980s continues. In this volume, Superman takes on the Fearsome Five, a space mummy, Chemo, Mr. Mxyzptlk, the TIme Trapper, Rampage, Sleez, and various other threats to humanity. As with the previous volume, Byrne had assistance by Marv Wolfman, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, among others.
A lot of ground was broken or hauled away in this. Byrne explained the Legion of Super Heroes' place in the post-Crisis universe, went further toward establishing what a jerk Lex Luthor is, and took part in the Invasion crossover. There was also the weird thing involving Big Barda and a porno that managed to take up two issues.
The Byrne run is in full swing and I feel like he's just scratched the surface of Superman lore to reintroduce. The relationship with Lois Lane hasn't begun yet, Braniac hasn't been reintroduced, and line wide crossovers have yet to derail what Byrne is doing.
The controlled Byrne of the Superman mythos continues. Not quite as smooth as volume 2 but still great 1980s comics. 4 out of 5 stars.
July 22, 2021
The second book of post-Crisis Superman is wildly inconsistent, with two great stories (the Legion and the Gangwar) and a lot of mediocrity.
The Last Five Hundred (Superman #5-6). In many ways, this is a clever story, as it subverts horror expectations in the first issue then offers an intriguing science-fiction foundation in the second. But, the fact that it doesn't really link into the Superman mythology (except in a parallel idea of a dying world) and then how it descends into a fistfight undercuts that. Still, it's nice to see the new post-Crisis interactions between Lois & Clark [3+/5].
Old Ties (AoS #429). Wolfman's Superman continues to be delightful for its characterization. This piece about Clark and Cat really sells the new character. And even when we get a fight against another of the weird Circle folk, it's rooted in those characters. Also, you really got to dig this Golden-Age-level Superman, who's actually in danger [4+/5].
Space Action (Action #588-589). Again, these Action Comics team-ups continue to be a low-point in the rebooted Superman comics. The Hawkman story (#588) might be interesting if we had more of the context, but it's a crossover with the Hawkman series without enough explanation to give us the full context, and worse it's barely in continuity anymore. The Green Lantern story (#589) that follows is a dull fight against a faceless enemy [2+/5].
Rampage (Superman #7). One of the joys of post-Crisis Superman was the introduction of a whole cast of new characters, here including Kitty Faulkner, and her alterego Rampage. This issue also makes a fun usage of the new concept that Superman is a solar battery, but other than that, it's a lot of fighting [3+/5].
Homeward Bound (AoS #430). A somewhat ham-handed attempt to make Clark realize that he can live both his own life and Superman's. The Fearsome Five aren't particularly great foes here (which is a pity, because Wolfman used them extensively in Titans), and so the whole story comes across as pretty pedestrian [3/5].
Metal Men (Action #590). This team-up makes good use of the Metal Men, showing off their shape-changing powers while also setting up a future series, but otherwise is a dull fight against Chemo [3/5].
Superboy & The Legion of Superheroes (LoSH #37-38, Superman #8, Action #591). The first of a few retcons to protect the Legion of Superheroes from DC's constantly changing continuity — here, the loss of Superboy with the Crisis. This could have been a simple procedural, but Levitz knocks it out of the park by telling a final story of Superboy, and Byrne has some fun as well with some rare meetings (at the time) between the Legion and Superman ... and even Superboy and Superman in the Action Comics team-up [5/5].
Doctor Stratos (AoS #431). We get great character development for Clark, Cat, and (to a lesser extent) Lois, then we get a mindless fight against the elements taking up half the issue followed by a non-conclusive ending. Sigh. [2+/5].
Joker (Superman #9). The main Joker story is fairly quick and simple. Still, it's delightful to see Superman fighting Batman's nemesis, and it was particularly delightful in these early post-crisis years. To fill the space, we also get another look at what a dick Luther is ... and Lana gets assaulted yet again [4/5].
Gangwar (AoS #432-434). This is Wolfman's post-Crisis Superman at his best. It has a real Golden Age feel, with the battle against the gangs, and a clearly less powered Superman. Plus, we get the more in-depth introduction of Jose Delgado and the debut of Gangbuster, more great post-Crisis characters. (#433, with its five points of view is also a great use of the supporting cast.) [4+/5].
Sleez (Action #592-593). Any overview of Byrne's work on Superman inevitably comes back to, "And then he wrote a comic where Superman and Big Barda are mind-controlled and shoot a porn video". Which is this arc. Technically, most of the nasty stuff is off-screen, but it's definitely implied that Big Barda, at least, was mind-controlled and sexually molested — and mind-controlled sex slavery is not a good look for a comic writer. This could have been a good comic, it does make good use of the New Gods characters, but instead it's indeed an embarrassment — though not quite as bad as you might think [1/5].
The Super Menace of Metropolis (Superman #10). Superman's powers going out of control are of course the result of Luthor's newest plot. A perfectly OK story that continues the post-Crisis rivalry [3/5].
The Name Game (Superman #11). It's the return of Mr. Mxyzptlk. Of all the classic Superman foes other than Luthor, he seemed to get the most play in the early post-Crisis universe. You could expect him to show up like clockwork every 90 days (longer in real-time), and for a bit it was a nice element of continuity. This first appearance is just random mischief though, with a long Beyonder reference that hasn't aged well [3/5].
The Circle (AoS #435). The Circle has been the worst plot in the Wolfman Superman book, so it's a relief that he decides to close it out somewhat unceremoniously in this dull issue of fighting illusions [2+/5].
The Last Five Hundred (Superman #5-6). In many ways, this is a clever story, as it subverts horror expectations in the first issue then offers an intriguing science-fiction foundation in the second. But, the fact that it doesn't really link into the Superman mythology (except in a parallel idea of a dying world) and then how it descends into a fistfight undercuts that. Still, it's nice to see the new post-Crisis interactions between Lois & Clark [3+/5].
Old Ties (AoS #429). Wolfman's Superman continues to be delightful for its characterization. This piece about Clark and Cat really sells the new character. And even when we get a fight against another of the weird Circle folk, it's rooted in those characters. Also, you really got to dig this Golden-Age-level Superman, who's actually in danger [4+/5].
Space Action (Action #588-589). Again, these Action Comics team-ups continue to be a low-point in the rebooted Superman comics. The Hawkman story (#588) might be interesting if we had more of the context, but it's a crossover with the Hawkman series without enough explanation to give us the full context, and worse it's barely in continuity anymore. The Green Lantern story (#589) that follows is a dull fight against a faceless enemy [2+/5].
Rampage (Superman #7). One of the joys of post-Crisis Superman was the introduction of a whole cast of new characters, here including Kitty Faulkner, and her alterego Rampage. This issue also makes a fun usage of the new concept that Superman is a solar battery, but other than that, it's a lot of fighting [3+/5].
Homeward Bound (AoS #430). A somewhat ham-handed attempt to make Clark realize that he can live both his own life and Superman's. The Fearsome Five aren't particularly great foes here (which is a pity, because Wolfman used them extensively in Titans), and so the whole story comes across as pretty pedestrian [3/5].
Metal Men (Action #590). This team-up makes good use of the Metal Men, showing off their shape-changing powers while also setting up a future series, but otherwise is a dull fight against Chemo [3/5].
Superboy & The Legion of Superheroes (LoSH #37-38, Superman #8, Action #591). The first of a few retcons to protect the Legion of Superheroes from DC's constantly changing continuity — here, the loss of Superboy with the Crisis. This could have been a simple procedural, but Levitz knocks it out of the park by telling a final story of Superboy, and Byrne has some fun as well with some rare meetings (at the time) between the Legion and Superman ... and even Superboy and Superman in the Action Comics team-up [5/5].
Doctor Stratos (AoS #431). We get great character development for Clark, Cat, and (to a lesser extent) Lois, then we get a mindless fight against the elements taking up half the issue followed by a non-conclusive ending. Sigh. [2+/5].
Joker (Superman #9). The main Joker story is fairly quick and simple. Still, it's delightful to see Superman fighting Batman's nemesis, and it was particularly delightful in these early post-crisis years. To fill the space, we also get another look at what a dick Luther is ... and Lana gets assaulted yet again [4/5].
Gangwar (AoS #432-434). This is Wolfman's post-Crisis Superman at his best. It has a real Golden Age feel, with the battle against the gangs, and a clearly less powered Superman. Plus, we get the more in-depth introduction of Jose Delgado and the debut of Gangbuster, more great post-Crisis characters. (#433, with its five points of view is also a great use of the supporting cast.) [4+/5].
Sleez (Action #592-593). Any overview of Byrne's work on Superman inevitably comes back to, "And then he wrote a comic where Superman and Big Barda are mind-controlled and shoot a porn video". Which is this arc. Technically, most of the nasty stuff is off-screen, but it's definitely implied that Big Barda, at least, was mind-controlled and sexually molested — and mind-controlled sex slavery is not a good look for a comic writer. This could have been a good comic, it does make good use of the New Gods characters, but instead it's indeed an embarrassment — though not quite as bad as you might think [1/5].
The Super Menace of Metropolis (Superman #10). Superman's powers going out of control are of course the result of Luthor's newest plot. A perfectly OK story that continues the post-Crisis rivalry [3/5].
The Name Game (Superman #11). It's the return of Mr. Mxyzptlk. Of all the classic Superman foes other than Luthor, he seemed to get the most play in the early post-Crisis universe. You could expect him to show up like clockwork every 90 days (longer in real-time), and for a bit it was a nice element of continuity. This first appearance is just random mischief though, with a long Beyonder reference that hasn't aged well [3/5].
The Circle (AoS #435). The Circle has been the worst plot in the Wolfman Superman book, so it's a relief that he decides to close it out somewhat unceremoniously in this dull issue of fighting illusions [2+/5].
March 21, 2021
Thank God that's over.
It isn't often that I'm tempted to put down a comic book before I've finished it- they usually go by fast enough that I can stick out pretty much everything- but this was a CHORE to get through. The Marv Wolfman issues were abysmal, and at times it seemed like John Byrne was just fucking with readers on purpose, almost as punishment for his not wanting to be here. Superman brainwashed into doing porn with Big Barda...??? A Joker issue that features only a few pages of The Joker, with a back-up story about how Lex Luthor like to do his version of Indecent Proposal with small-town waitresses? Giant robot-mummies? An appearance by Marvel's Beyonder, masquerading as "Ben DeRoy"...? Ugh.
The Byrne issues go by quickly, since they're not as overwritten as the Wolfman stories, but overall, this is really sub-par stuff, especially for what is considered a game-changing run. I've wanted to read these stories for thirty-something years, but I am having a hard time convincing myself that Vol. 3 would be a worthwhile investment of my time.
It isn't often that I'm tempted to put down a comic book before I've finished it- they usually go by fast enough that I can stick out pretty much everything- but this was a CHORE to get through. The Marv Wolfman issues were abysmal, and at times it seemed like John Byrne was just fucking with readers on purpose, almost as punishment for his not wanting to be here. Superman brainwashed into doing porn with Big Barda...??? A Joker issue that features only a few pages of The Joker, with a back-up story about how Lex Luthor like to do his version of Indecent Proposal with small-town waitresses? Giant robot-mummies? An appearance by Marvel's Beyonder, masquerading as "Ben DeRoy"...? Ugh.
The Byrne issues go by quickly, since they're not as overwritten as the Wolfman stories, but overall, this is really sub-par stuff, especially for what is considered a game-changing run. I've wanted to read these stories for thirty-something years, but I am having a hard time convincing myself that Vol. 3 would be a worthwhile investment of my time.
June 10, 2022
This volume is just about as strong as the first, and I really enjoyed the first!
Again we have a few different writers/artist here. Marv actually comes through this volume and with his "gang" storyline I actually enjoyed a lot of character work. Getting Superman to think hard on his choices in life and how they effect his Clark persona. It helps to introduce Jose, who is "gangbuster" and you guessed he, he bust gangs. But he also is trying to help kids not join these gangs. All together some great stuff.
John also gives Superman some really fun stories. Including a great one where his powers go haywire, and both funny and exciting. Also a great Joker story as well as introducing a nuclear woman. I will also say the Legion story in here? Excellent. Really showcases what Superman is all about and it's trippy enough but still straight forward at the same time.
I will say the "Porn" storyline wasn't as bad as I expected. Outdated? Yes. Silly? Very much so. But it wasn't all that bad.
I will say the circle storyline though? That can end soon, that shit just straight up sucks.
Overall though I'm enjoying the hell out of this run. A 4 out of 5.
Again we have a few different writers/artist here. Marv actually comes through this volume and with his "gang" storyline I actually enjoyed a lot of character work. Getting Superman to think hard on his choices in life and how they effect his Clark persona. It helps to introduce Jose, who is "gangbuster" and you guessed he, he bust gangs. But he also is trying to help kids not join these gangs. All together some great stuff.
John also gives Superman some really fun stories. Including a great one where his powers go haywire, and both funny and exciting. Also a great Joker story as well as introducing a nuclear woman. I will also say the Legion story in here? Excellent. Really showcases what Superman is all about and it's trippy enough but still straight forward at the same time.
I will say the "Porn" storyline wasn't as bad as I expected. Outdated? Yes. Silly? Very much so. But it wasn't all that bad.
I will say the circle storyline though? That can end soon, that shit just straight up sucks.
Overall though I'm enjoying the hell out of this run. A 4 out of 5.
October 5, 2024
Los números de Byrne mantienen el nivel del tomo anterior, particularmente cuando aparecen personajes del universo DC en sus primeros encuentros con Superman (La legión de superhéroes; Mr Miracle y Big Barda; la desconcertante irrupción del Todop... Mr Mxyzptlk) y Karl Kesel está en las tintas. Mientras, Adventures baja el nivel cuando Marv Wolfman abre una guerra de bandas en la que Superman pinta más bien nada.
July 30, 2022
Maybe 3.5
January 3, 2025
Wish it was all the Byrne stuff
January 15, 2025
This is a really uneven collection.
Byrne is inarguably one of the best Superman artists of all time, right up there with Curt Swan and others. His art across all of these issues is amazing. His writing on the other hand, is very, very, very weird.
Byrne's republican and Reagan-era politics seeps into most of the issues that he works on. Black people only come up when they are pimps and drug addicts. Superman is a massive sexist who has no issues playing women against each other. Superman loves cops for some reason and is constantly deferring to various authority figures. Superman loves putting people in jail?? His inner-voice for Clark is really weird and self-aggrandizing. Byrne betrays a lot of the socialist themes that are foundational in the character. A Superman that is so concerned with mandating the social behavior of regular people is really boring and doesn't fit.
Beyond the weird right-wing themes, Byrne's stories are bizarre or boring. Superman is fighting mummies, or he is dating a mermaid. Superman fights like a thousand different generic big bad guy robots. I have always hated and always will hate Byrne's framing of Krypton and everything that comes with it. The framing of Krypton as a soleless and awful place that Clark immediately rejects and never comes around on gets rid of a very fun part of the Superman mythos. And in place of Kryptonian villains, Byrne gives you mummies, robots, treasure hunters, and a bunch of other weird stuff. Superman looking at Krypto and saying "this is dumb" sucks so bad. The Krypton stuff is fun! It doesn't get replaced by anything interesting.
The idea of pre-crisis continuity being silly or too convoluted is betrayed by what it is replaced by. For example: Byrne went on record saying how confusing Supergirl's continuity pre-crisis was and he liked Clark being the only Kryptonian for some reason. It is then replaced by a putty monster, with no personality, who then eventually adopts pretty much the same personality, powers, and costume as pre-crisis Supergirl, who now doesn't exist? Makes no sense. If they were going to abandon all of the pre-crisis stuff, they should have actually done it. Abandoning, then immediately trying to work it in again but in a different way that somehow still references timelines that no longer exist makes it 100x more confusing than any of the pre-crisis stuff was.
And the worst part is Byrne writing with one hand on his dick. The amount of weird fetish shit that comes through in here is shocking. There is a two-part (!) story of Big Barda being kidnapped, raped, and then forced to film multiple sex tapes. One of which is with Superman. This story is so, so, so, so weird and disrespectful and sexist and never should have been published. And it doesn't stop there! Superman is constantly plagued with being manhandled by giant muscle women from different planets that threaten to have their way with him. Different female characters are constantly getting into catfights over Clark while an older guy says something about how lucky Clark is. So gross.
The Wolfman and Ordway issues are great! Perfect voice for Clark, the Gang-War plot is great, and the introduction of Miguel is great. Would love to just have those collected.
Byrne is inarguably one of the best Superman artists of all time, right up there with Curt Swan and others. His art across all of these issues is amazing. His writing on the other hand, is very, very, very weird.
Byrne's republican and Reagan-era politics seeps into most of the issues that he works on. Black people only come up when they are pimps and drug addicts. Superman is a massive sexist who has no issues playing women against each other. Superman loves cops for some reason and is constantly deferring to various authority figures. Superman loves putting people in jail?? His inner-voice for Clark is really weird and self-aggrandizing. Byrne betrays a lot of the socialist themes that are foundational in the character. A Superman that is so concerned with mandating the social behavior of regular people is really boring and doesn't fit.
Beyond the weird right-wing themes, Byrne's stories are bizarre or boring. Superman is fighting mummies, or he is dating a mermaid. Superman fights like a thousand different generic big bad guy robots. I have always hated and always will hate Byrne's framing of Krypton and everything that comes with it. The framing of Krypton as a soleless and awful place that Clark immediately rejects and never comes around on gets rid of a very fun part of the Superman mythos. And in place of Kryptonian villains, Byrne gives you mummies, robots, treasure hunters, and a bunch of other weird stuff. Superman looking at Krypto and saying "this is dumb" sucks so bad. The Krypton stuff is fun! It doesn't get replaced by anything interesting.
The idea of pre-crisis continuity being silly or too convoluted is betrayed by what it is replaced by. For example: Byrne went on record saying how confusing Supergirl's continuity pre-crisis was and he liked Clark being the only Kryptonian for some reason. It is then replaced by a putty monster, with no personality, who then eventually adopts pretty much the same personality, powers, and costume as pre-crisis Supergirl, who now doesn't exist? Makes no sense. If they were going to abandon all of the pre-crisis stuff, they should have actually done it. Abandoning, then immediately trying to work it in again but in a different way that somehow still references timelines that no longer exist makes it 100x more confusing than any of the pre-crisis stuff was.
And the worst part is Byrne writing with one hand on his dick. The amount of weird fetish shit that comes through in here is shocking. There is a two-part (!) story of Big Barda being kidnapped, raped, and then forced to film multiple sex tapes. One of which is with Superman. This story is so, so, so, so weird and disrespectful and sexist and never should have been published. And it doesn't stop there! Superman is constantly plagued with being manhandled by giant muscle women from different planets that threaten to have their way with him. Different female characters are constantly getting into catfights over Clark while an older guy says something about how lucky Clark is. So gross.
The Wolfman and Ordway issues are great! Perfect voice for Clark, the Gang-War plot is great, and the introduction of Miguel is great. Would love to just have those collected.
May 1, 2024
This volume felt a lot more disjointed than the first. While Vol. 1 sought to get readers familiarized with the new post-Crisis status quo for Superman through short stories featuring familiar characters, this volume felt like it was mostly just setup for new plots and characters that the writers wanted to establish. Not all of it was bad, I still enjoyed John Byrne's more episodic approach in the main "Superman" title, but the complete package was a noticeable step down, for sure.
July 7, 2023
Only 4 stars because John Byrne had to make things weird
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.
August 8, 2021
This wasn't as strong as the first volume (which had the classic 6 issue mini series to launch the new Superman) and it reminds me of why I stopped collecting comics. Stories like these range from mildly entertaining, to dull, to disturbing (the infamous "Big Barda is hypnotized to do porn" issues).
The John Byrne stories are still far superior to the Marv Wolfman stories - not only because of the art (Byrne was declining in his effort as a penciller but it is still better than Orway's art) but Marv's stories are just so dull. There is a whole plot of Perry White's son going bad and everyone trying to save him and his roommate becoming a non-powered vigilante called Gang-buster (a hero best forgotten because of his dull look and he had no powers or interesting hook) - it is NOT a Superman story. It would be better framed in the Batman universe but to have a superpowered man fly into these stories of gang violence makes no sense. Marv's other contribution is Cat Stevens a love interest for Clark. It was a great idea but he doesn't give her much personality and Marv writes Lois as a horrible b***h as a counterpoint to how nice Cat is thus destroying an iconic character and making anyone wonder why Clark would ever like Lois. In fact, throughout these stories, Lois is written poorly. She is mean to Clark, Cat, and I hate the fact Byrne turned her form a black haired woman to a brunette and it stuck. Okay - that is a bit nit-picky but it has always bugged me this is when that change took place.
Byrne's stories? While not classic they are at least enjoyable. Byrne at least writes Clark and Superman with a personality and tries to have clever solutions in his stories. They feel like Superman stories (unlike Wolfman's).
To end - that "Big Barda does porn (her husband Mister Miracle is shown the tape) and Superman almost does porn with her" issue was horrible back then and has gotten infinitely worse over time. Byrne is a skilled writer but he had so many times when he devolved into pretty cringeworthy sexist stories with his female characters (see She-Hulk), which is more maddening because he also did some very progressive female stories (see Invisible Woman). Also maddening is I still like that issue for the Mister Miracle moments (Byrne writes a quick escape for him with a cleverness that Kirby never could).
Regardless - I would give this volume a pass unless you are a completest.
The John Byrne stories are still far superior to the Marv Wolfman stories - not only because of the art (Byrne was declining in his effort as a penciller but it is still better than Orway's art) but Marv's stories are just so dull. There is a whole plot of Perry White's son going bad and everyone trying to save him and his roommate becoming a non-powered vigilante called Gang-buster (a hero best forgotten because of his dull look and he had no powers or interesting hook) - it is NOT a Superman story. It would be better framed in the Batman universe but to have a superpowered man fly into these stories of gang violence makes no sense. Marv's other contribution is Cat Stevens a love interest for Clark. It was a great idea but he doesn't give her much personality and Marv writes Lois as a horrible b***h as a counterpoint to how nice Cat is thus destroying an iconic character and making anyone wonder why Clark would ever like Lois. In fact, throughout these stories, Lois is written poorly. She is mean to Clark, Cat, and I hate the fact Byrne turned her form a black haired woman to a brunette and it stuck. Okay - that is a bit nit-picky but it has always bugged me this is when that change took place.
Byrne's stories? While not classic they are at least enjoyable. Byrne at least writes Clark and Superman with a personality and tries to have clever solutions in his stories. They feel like Superman stories (unlike Wolfman's).
To end - that "Big Barda does porn (her husband Mister Miracle is shown the tape) and Superman almost does porn with her" issue was horrible back then and has gotten infinitely worse over time. Byrne is a skilled writer but he had so many times when he devolved into pretty cringeworthy sexist stories with his female characters (see She-Hulk), which is more maddening because he also did some very progressive female stories (see Invisible Woman). Also maddening is I still like that issue for the Mister Miracle moments (Byrne writes a quick escape for him with a cleverness that Kirby never could).
Regardless - I would give this volume a pass unless you are a completest.
September 24, 2021
Believe me, I wish I could give this-- the second hardcover collection of the 1980s revamp of Superman spearheaded by writer/artist John Byrne-- a four-star rating. Byrne's work is still dynamic and fun; this time around he introduces Superman to the Legion of Super-Heroes and pits him against Mr. Mxyzptlk, Rampage, Bloodsport, more of Lex Luthor's devious schemes, and the Joker.
But unfortunately, the book grinds to a painful halt every time Marv Wolfman's Adventures of Superman takes center stage.
I cannot tell you how tedious I find Wolfman's approach to Superman. His issues are preachy, didactic, and stale-- loaded with oodles of supporting characters that we largely don't care about, each shouldering a ton of backstory and emotional baggage, but with almost no likeable traits to balance them out. Who can care about Perry White's son Jerry joining a street gang when the character is such an annoying, self-absorbed little snot? Why should I pay attention to Cat Grant's custody battle over her son when she's such a thinly-sketched character at this point that her only notable personality trait is that she's attracted to Clark instead of Superman? And how does Jose Delgado becoming a generic vigilante named Gangbuster even make sense when he'd previously been depicted as a non-violent, milquetoast, social-working saint?
They're mouthpieces. Mouthpieces for Marv Wolfman's perspective on the world: the limited perspective of a forty-year-old white man trying to denounce street crime and the prevalence of gang violence without questioning or criticizing the status quo of '80s America under the Reagan administration.
... Oh, and there's also some nonsense that keeps coming up about the Circle, a secret society of superpowered cultists who claim to have evolved beyond humanity thousands of years ago. They're boring, they make no sense, and the only thing they contribute is an issue where their mental attack on Superman plays out like an acid trip, with the Man of Steel being denigrated by visions of his closest friends and loved ones, all dressed in Superman costumes. This, supposedly, is how they go about asking Superman to lead their cult. It's a waste of paper.
Thankfully, this volume marks the end of Wolfman's tenure on Adventures of Superman, so hopefully Man of Steel vol. 3 will be a stronger read!
But unfortunately, the book grinds to a painful halt every time Marv Wolfman's Adventures of Superman takes center stage.
I cannot tell you how tedious I find Wolfman's approach to Superman. His issues are preachy, didactic, and stale-- loaded with oodles of supporting characters that we largely don't care about, each shouldering a ton of backstory and emotional baggage, but with almost no likeable traits to balance them out. Who can care about Perry White's son Jerry joining a street gang when the character is such an annoying, self-absorbed little snot? Why should I pay attention to Cat Grant's custody battle over her son when she's such a thinly-sketched character at this point that her only notable personality trait is that she's attracted to Clark instead of Superman? And how does Jose Delgado becoming a generic vigilante named Gangbuster even make sense when he'd previously been depicted as a non-violent, milquetoast, social-working saint?
They're mouthpieces. Mouthpieces for Marv Wolfman's perspective on the world: the limited perspective of a forty-year-old white man trying to denounce street crime and the prevalence of gang violence without questioning or criticizing the status quo of '80s America under the Reagan administration.
... Oh, and there's also some nonsense that keeps coming up about the Circle, a secret society of superpowered cultists who claim to have evolved beyond humanity thousands of years ago. They're boring, they make no sense, and the only thing they contribute is an issue where their mental attack on Superman plays out like an acid trip, with the Man of Steel being denigrated by visions of his closest friends and loved ones, all dressed in Superman costumes. This, supposedly, is how they go about asking Superman to lead their cult. It's a waste of paper.
Thankfully, this volume marks the end of Wolfman's tenure on Adventures of Superman, so hopefully Man of Steel vol. 3 will be a stronger read!
September 26, 2021
Superman 5-11 (clark e lois dão de caras com uma múmia gigante de uma tecnologia muito avançada que quer dominar o mundo,origem e confronto com “Furia” , enfrenta e ajuda a legião dos super heróis , joker em metropolis, um super com os poderes descontrolados contra klaaash manietado por luthor, primeiro encontro com mr.mxyzptlk) —————-3————
Action Comics #588-593 (superman ajuda gavião negro e mulher gavião contra saqueadores espaciais, junto com hal e a tropa dos lanternas verdes, os homens metálicos e superman vs quimio, superman vs superboy e krypto , superman num porno com a grande barda até que surge o senhor milagre)——————3——————-
Adventures of superman 429-435 (superman a tentar convencer um pai a deixar a mãe ver o seu filho enquanto é atacado pelo abalador um alienígena que faz parte do círculo , enfrenta o quinteto mortal e um dilema interno , enfrenta dr. stratos o filho dos deuses , perry white jr. anda envolvido com Ganges de delinquentes e o super tenta ajudar ,continua a luta contra as gangues agora com a ajuda de um novo herói “o predador” , super enfrenta a líder da seita do “circulo”)———————-3——————-
Legião 37-38 (faz ligação com os títulos do superman e action Comics onde o superboy parece trair a legião e enfrenta o superman , e confronto final com o senhor do tempo)————3—————
Action Comics #588-593 (superman ajuda gavião negro e mulher gavião contra saqueadores espaciais, junto com hal e a tropa dos lanternas verdes, os homens metálicos e superman vs quimio, superman vs superboy e krypto , superman num porno com a grande barda até que surge o senhor milagre)——————3——————-
Adventures of superman 429-435 (superman a tentar convencer um pai a deixar a mãe ver o seu filho enquanto é atacado pelo abalador um alienígena que faz parte do círculo , enfrenta o quinteto mortal e um dilema interno , enfrenta dr. stratos o filho dos deuses , perry white jr. anda envolvido com Ganges de delinquentes e o super tenta ajudar ,continua a luta contra as gangues agora com a ajuda de um novo herói “o predador” , super enfrenta a líder da seita do “circulo”)———————-3——————-
Legião 37-38 (faz ligação com os títulos do superman e action Comics onde o superboy parece trair a legião e enfrenta o superman , e confronto final com o senhor do tempo)————3—————
July 10, 2021
This book continues the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths run of Superman books across the character’s 3 titles during the 80s (Action Comics, Superman, and Adventures of Superman). Probably a good majority of people clamoring for this book grew up reading these stories, and their value for me lies primarily in nostalgia. This is the Superman I grew up with and the dventures I have fond memories of. Do they hold up to current comic book writing standards? Well, some of the writing is definitely dated. But I liked this run because of the supporting cast running across the Superman books and I found myself enjoying the Marv Wolfman stories more during this re-read as opposed to the Byrne stories which were more action oriented.
This volume contains the crossover between Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes which retcons the Legion’s interaction with Superboy after he was erased from DC continuity following the events of Crisis. Whew. I’ve actually never read these specific stories before. So it felt like filling gaps in my comic book knowledge. Having said that, it was a slog going through some of the writing. But seeing Byrne and Ordway’s art more than made up for it for me.
This volume contains the crossover between Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes which retcons the Legion’s interaction with Superboy after he was erased from DC continuity following the events of Crisis. Whew. I’ve actually never read these specific stories before. So it felt like filling gaps in my comic book knowledge. Having said that, it was a slog going through some of the writing. But seeing Byrne and Ordway’s art more than made up for it for me.
April 25, 2021
Lex Luthor continues his personal war on Superman, while the mysterious group known as The Circle continues to target our hero for other reasons. Superman has his first encounters with the Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk, the imp from the fifth dimension, and has to solve a continuity conundrum with the Legion of Super-Heroes in a multipart story. The Byrne content is gold and every time I was on one of the Wolfman issues I found myself anxious to get back to it. At best, Wolfman's writing here is okay, at worst sloppy. The Circle storyline, which has dragged on from the previous volume, is resolved like he suddenly realized he was on the last page of the book. I don't even know what happened. I also didn't understand the Time Trapper's plan in the Legion story. (That one falls on Paul Levitz.) But Byrne's work is A+ and highly recommended.
January 11, 2025
Included all my in depth thoughts on each issue but here is each issue summarized by order and rating:
Superman #5 - 12/24 - 4/5
Issue #6 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman 429 - 3/5
Action comics 588 - 4/5
Action comics #589 - 12/25 - 4/5
Superman #7 - 12/27 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #430 - 12/28 - 4/5
Action comics 590 - 10/29 - 5/5
Legion of super heroes #37 - 12/31 - 5/5
Superman #8 - 1/2 - 3/5
Action comics 591 - 5/5
Legion of superheroes #38 - 5/5
Adventures of Superman 431 - 1/3 - 3/5
Superman #9 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman 432 - 3/5
Action comics 592 - 1/5 - 4/5
Action comics 593 - 4/5
Superman #10 - 1/7 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #433 - 3/5
Superman #11 - 1/8 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #434 - 3/5
Adventures of Superman #435 - 3/5
Superman #5 - 12/24 - 4/5
Issue #6 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman 429 - 3/5
Action comics 588 - 4/5
Action comics #589 - 12/25 - 4/5
Superman #7 - 12/27 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #430 - 12/28 - 4/5
Action comics 590 - 10/29 - 5/5
Legion of super heroes #37 - 12/31 - 5/5
Superman #8 - 1/2 - 3/5
Action comics 591 - 5/5
Legion of superheroes #38 - 5/5
Adventures of Superman 431 - 1/3 - 3/5
Superman #9 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman 432 - 3/5
Action comics 592 - 1/5 - 4/5
Action comics 593 - 4/5
Superman #10 - 1/7 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #433 - 3/5
Superman #11 - 1/8 - 4/5
Adventures of Superman #434 - 3/5
Adventures of Superman #435 - 3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2021
I need to cap my rating at 3 stars here because the Legion of Superheroes crossover was really long and I could not get into it or enjoy it.
Other stories show a great mix of supporting characters and villains, but mostly forgettable (and some were bad). I particularly liked the Big Barda issues (I understand some find it offensive, I simply thought it was kind of funny if you don't take it too seriously), and the Metropolis street gang arc (it is nice to have low key non-cosmic stories from time to time). I preferred the first book overall.
Other stories show a great mix of supporting characters and villains, but mostly forgettable (and some were bad). I particularly liked the Big Barda issues (I understand some find it offensive, I simply thought it was kind of funny if you don't take it too seriously), and the Metropolis street gang arc (it is nice to have low key non-cosmic stories from time to time). I preferred the first book overall.
October 28, 2023
There's a lot of good here (Cat Grant and Lex Luthor especially) but Byrne's love of Silver Age nonsense gets way too much play in this volume. Remember that time that Superman had a crossover with Superboy Prime in a pocket dimension disguised as an alternate past? Or that time everyone in Smallville was turned into sleeper agents and then brains in jars by ancient alien robots? These ideas are super dumb and it's only Byrne's relentless commitment to fast, compressed storytelling that makes them ready.
October 25, 2021
Volume 2 of the new adventures of post-crisis Superman are really wonderful reads. These late 80's stories of Superman are excellent. Featuring stories and art from John Byrne, Marv Wfamn and Jerry Ordway, they intertwine and give the reader both classic and new takes on the Man of Steel. Lots of good character building of Clark as well as his fairly large cast I clouding Lois, Jimmy, Perry White, Cat Grant and lest we forget Lex Luthor. These are still very solid and hold the test of time.
September 11, 2025
Some pretty good stuff
I mean what can I say? This is just some dope, decent Superman stories.
I think my favorite arc here has to be the crossover with Legion of Super-Heroes, just cause of how fun and messy it is, as the Legion is one of DC's most notoriously complicated teams of all time and honestly I am happy they tackled some of the weird stuff that came about with them because of the Crisis.
The rest of the stories are still pretty great as well.
I mean what can I say? This is just some dope, decent Superman stories.
I think my favorite arc here has to be the crossover with Legion of Super-Heroes, just cause of how fun and messy it is, as the Legion is one of DC's most notoriously complicated teams of all time and honestly I am happy they tackled some of the weird stuff that came about with them because of the Crisis.
The rest of the stories are still pretty great as well.
June 9, 2022
Excepting maybe the resolution of the Circle storyline, this was a fun set of Superman comics - Marv and Jerry do a nice job with Jose Delgado and Jerry White, exploring the chasm between Perry and Jerry, and showing more of Metropolis. Byrne spins some fun adventure stories - Joker, Mxyzptlk, Rampage, along with the Legion epic.
March 19, 2023
Not a strong volume, but by the end it picks up just enough.
TOO much LEGION bullshit. We don't need LEGION bullshit, y'all. Didn't they get lost like in deep space or in time or something? When does that happen? Or where does that happen? How do you ask about this? Whatever, I hope it happens soon. Or nearby. Ugh, whatever.
TOO much LEGION bullshit. We don't need LEGION bullshit, y'all. Didn't they get lost like in deep space or in time or something? When does that happen? Or where does that happen? How do you ask about this? Whatever, I hope it happens soon. Or nearby. Ugh, whatever.
January 2, 2022
Byrne continues to shine with both his storytelling and artwork. This volume contains more from Jerry Ordway than before, and while his stuff is good, it doesn't reach the same heights as Byrne's masterwork. There are also many fun cameos from multiple DC heroes, which was fun to see.
February 16, 2023
Probably would've been a four, but most of the Marv Wolfman written issues were a slog (I actually like the pacing and characterization in those, but the plots were tedious or nonsensical). The Byrne stuff was breezy and fun, I don't care if some of it is "dated"; of course it is, it's from 1987.
September 8, 2024
It was an okay read. Vol 1 was a bit better. Most of the issues not written by John Byrne were a bit dull. I did like the crossover with the Legion of Superheroes.
September 15, 2024
Another great collection of stories told by John Byrne and Marv Wolfman. Aside from the abysmal Legion of Super Heroes segments, this is a fine read. Lots of good stuff in here.
November 13, 2024
Entertaining read, but not nearly as exciting or gripping as its first volume.
7/10
7/10
August 11, 2025
3.5/5
80% good stuff, 20% Byrne’s barely disguised fetishes.
80% good stuff, 20% Byrne’s barely disguised fetishes.
November 7, 2024
In a lot of ways rebooting a super hero is easy. Byrne and Wolfman weren't the first ones to do it by a long shot. However, their reboot of Superman had some many of the others that have occurred before or since didn't have... staying power. As their take on Superman- with minor revisions here and there- remained the status quo for the character for almost 20 years.
It isn't hard to see why. This take on Superman makes him powerful- not omnipotent. It is not afraid to flip the script on what Superman had been for the previous 50 years. It made the focus of the stories just a tad. They are almost as much about Clark Kent, who he is and what his motivations are as it is Superman.
You get a mix of revamps of classic villains, the introduction of villains who become popular villains now, the introduction of several important supporting cast members... plus... and for me this was the big selling point... it reprints the Superboy pocket universe story arc in its entirety. Which is great. For about 30 years I had parts 1-3... but part four had an insane price tag on the secondary market and I refused to pay $40 for a single comic.
Really, this collection only has one stinker of a story in it... and it is one that I'm pretty sure ended the way it was because Marv Wolfman was getting ready to leave the title and didn't want to leave a mess behind for whoever took over for him. And when your trade is THIS good, one clunker is fine.
It isn't hard to see why. This take on Superman makes him powerful- not omnipotent. It is not afraid to flip the script on what Superman had been for the previous 50 years. It made the focus of the stories just a tad. They are almost as much about Clark Kent, who he is and what his motivations are as it is Superman.
You get a mix of revamps of classic villains, the introduction of villains who become popular villains now, the introduction of several important supporting cast members... plus... and for me this was the big selling point... it reprints the Superboy pocket universe story arc in its entirety. Which is great. For about 30 years I had parts 1-3... but part four had an insane price tag on the secondary market and I refused to pay $40 for a single comic.
Really, this collection only has one stinker of a story in it... and it is one that I'm pretty sure ended the way it was because Marv Wolfman was getting ready to leave the title and didn't want to leave a mess behind for whoever took over for him. And when your trade is THIS good, one clunker is fine.
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