Superman: Space Age

Superman: Space Age #1-3

by Mark Russell (Writer), Mike Allred (Illustrator), Laura Allred (Colorist)

Uniting the critically acclaimed writer Mark Russell (One-Star Squadron and The Flintstones) and Eisner-winner Mike Allred (Silver Surfer and Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams) for the first time, this series promises fans an unforgettable journey through U.S. history and culture starring Superman.

Meet Clark Kent, a young reporter who just learned that the world will soon come to an end (Crisis on Infinite Earths) and there is nothing he can do to save it. Sounds like a job for his alter ego...Superman!
After years of standing idle, the young man from Krypton defies the wishes of his fathers to come out to the world as the first superhero of the Space Age. As each decade passes and each new danger emerges, he wonders if this is the one that will kill him and everyone he loves. Superman realizes that even good intentions are not without their backlash as the world around him transforms into a place as determined to destroy itself as he is to save it.

Collects Superman: Space Age #1-3!

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

264 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool premise.
Using Crisis on Infinite Earths as the climax, this follows an alternate version of Superman on a journey from the 1960s to the mid 1980s as he tries to find a way to save his world from the Anti-Monitor. As an Elseworlds story, I thought this was quite a unique take.



Mike Allred's retro art really brought the story to life in a way that added so much to the overall vibe that I'm not really sure I know how I feel about them separately. I just know he was a great choice for this particular comic.
Amen.



Ok, truth time.
I don't plan on ever doing a re-read. These "bittersweet" stories aren't my personal jam, and that's why even with Allred's cool visuals I don't plan on buying it. But that doesn't change the fact that I think most people will really dig this story.



Recommended.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lois once asked me what it means to be a hero. I'm not sure I ever really came up with a good answer . . . But the best one I could come up with is that a hero is someone who never thinks about how much they mean to the world -- but realizes just how much the world means to them." -- Superman, a.k.a. Clark Kent, a.k.a. Kal-El, the lone survivor of planet Krypton

I found Superman: Space Age to be - and this is meant in the most complimentary way possible - like combining the very best parts of Darwyn Cooke's outstanding DC: The New Frontier graphic novel along with the movie blockbusters Superman (1978) and The Dark Knight (2008). This is another take on the Man of Steel's origin story, now with Kansas farm teen Clark Kent stirred into super-heroic action in the aftermath of the tragic JFK assassination. We then follow him over the next twenty-two years as he moves into Metropolis, takes a day job as a mild-mannered investigative reporter (meeting newsroom rival and eventual wife Lois Lane), and then helps to establish the famed Justice League team. The storyline is earnestly narrated by the title character as he experiences an eventful life in both of his identities, and writer Russell also injects numerous real-world references - such as the Watergate scandal and the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald - and the many actual stylistic changes throughout the decades to provide this fantasy plot with a certain verisimilitude, which was similarly a stated intention of director Richard Donner when he helmed that initial Superman movie.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the threats of Braniac and the Anti-Monitor looming in the background, Superman learns what it means to be a hero and what it means to be human...

When I read Mark Russell was teaming up with Michael Allred on a Superman book, I had extremely high hopes. This book surpassed them.

Mike Allred knocks it out of the park with his Silver Age influenced art. I love the way he draws Superman, Lois, Batman, even Pariah and Braniac. He also does a good job of making characters like Lex Luthor age over the course of the series.

Mark Russell writes a great Superman, definitely leaning into the man part of the equation. His Superman is very human and even his powers can't stop what's coming. The best Superman stories focus on the man rather than the powers and this one does that nicely.

I love that Russell and Allred don't even pretend to be beholden to any existing continuity. Their story starts in the 1960s and ends with the end of the world. Some characters' origins have been tweaked to fit the new timeline. I'm not a huge fan of The Flash but I'd read a Russell and ALlred Flash story after this. My favorite part is Lex Luthor, though. Instead of being a megalomaniac, he's just a sociopathic businessman taking advantage of a system that doesn't make any sense. He felt all too real to me.

Does Superman: Space Age stand up against All-Star Superman? Yes, yes it does. Five out of five stars.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible Superman book beautifully illustrated by the duo of Michael and Laura Allred and masterfully written by Mark Russell. Each issue seemed to have a decent focus on Batman too, so I didn’t mind that at all either. This one goes up there in my ranking immediately with my favorite Superman story, All-Star Superman. Very thought provoking in a way that’ll stick around for a while!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Elseworlds Superman story I've read in a long while, and brought to vibrant life by the Allreds' signature art.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful and poignant Superman stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It encapsulates a lot of what I love about the character while still showing different dimensions of the DC universe and challenging the traditional superhero narrative.

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Russell's writing is always a pleasure to read, and his take on an alternate formation of the Justice League and the crisis that they must deal with is thought provoking. There is one line that really stuck with me, "The people who do the most good in this world are not the strongest, the smartest, the most prepared. But simply those who show up." For some reason that really grabbed my imagination.

Mike Allred's art has the retro sci-fi feel that he is known for, and it really suits this story. I'm hoping that Russell and Allred team up again for future projects.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This may just be my favourite DC book… ever?

And to think I only read it as prep for reading Batman: Dark Age…

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter what, DC will always go back to Superman’s origin, a story that has been explored so many times, through comics and other media, everyone should know it by now. And yet, when you look at certain comics like Superman: Birthright or Superman: Red Son, the re-exploration of Clark Kent’s beginnings from his Smallville upbringing to his heroics at Metropolis always a fresh interpretation by various creators that has mostly been successful. Does Superman: Space Age fit into that category?

The story begins in 1963, specifically the day when President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. As the world responds to this tragedy, Kansas farm boy Clark Kent believes he is ready to show off his abilities and feels like he can make a difference, without knowing the full extent of his powers, let alone where he comes from. As he moves to Metropolis to be a journalist for the Daily Planet, Clark meets the mysterious scientist Pariah, whose unorthodox experiments to view the creation of the Universe result in the Anti-Monitor learning of his Earth's existence and destruction with waves of anti-matter. With the knowledge that his world might come to an end, Clark is still hoping to make a difference, among the many costumed heroes who make their start during the Space Age.

Each of these three issues is doing a lot, with a narrative that spans through the sixties, seventies and finally eighties, and how the iconic DC characters interact with the real-life politics that were going on during those decades. Considering this is written by Mark Russell, he is basically using the same approach that he did with Fantastic Four: Life Story – including the main character aware of his world’s fate – he is perhaps more successful here, due to not juggling too many characters. Considering the doom and gloom of the world coming to an end, as well as a few characters like Jonathan Kent being victimised or traumatised by the horrors of war, the story is ultimately a hopeful one about Superman learning to live with humanity as if he’s right there with us as oppose to being a god above.

Whilst Clark is very much at the centre, learning what it means to be a symbol of hope, as well as gaining the advice from both his fathers, Space Age has time for other voices. You have Lois Lane navigating her way to a respected female journalist as she writes about equal rights, and then there’s Lex Luthor using his evil corporate skills to profit on the effects of war. It's worth noting that Russell is clearly a big fan of Richard Donner’s Superman, from the various lines of dialogue that are repeated from that movie, to even the appearances of Otis and Eve Teschmacher, both of which still appear as Luthor’s lackeys. I’m always going to be open for any screen time of the Caped Crusader, and so it was wonderful he had a great subplot here, in which he is trying to balance both his personas as the philanthropist who initially is trying to save the world, and the vigilante who ultimately decides to save the people and not worry about the global threats.

Known for his indie comics like Madman and iZombie, artist Michael Allred has a style that has been compared to pop art from the sixties, which seems like an appropriate fit for a story set during the Space Age. Considering this was around the time of the Silver Age of comics, Michael Allred, along with his colourist Laura Allred, embraces a classical look to these heroes with a touch of the surreal from the cosmic Brainiac to the freakishly-designed Joker. However, Batman’s suit is a breath of fresh air.

When it comes to the Superman comics, they are at their best when not relying on the main continuity and whilst the narrative acknowledges a certain event storyline from the eighties, Superman: Space Age has its own masterful identity in depicting the DC universe by using the political backdrop of that time, as well as being a heartwarming depiction of the Man of Steel.

[Jess Bragg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book of 2023 for me! Brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated. Leans into early 1960's US history at the beginning which may resonate more for US citizens than those outside the US. Watch my video about this book (Omnidog's Vault on YT) and hear me rave about it

[Charles Hatfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, given my admiration for the Allreds and for Russell's audacious Snagglepuss comic of 2018. In theory, the creative team here is a match made in heaven, and the thought of an ambitious Superman comic as revisionist Americana appeals to me. Sadly, Space Age is wan, confused, and overstuffed. It comes across as another retro DC comic (see, e.g., The New Frontier or The Golden Age) without satirical teeth, not to mention a befuddled retread of Crisis on Infinite Earths. The final third (issue #3 in its original serialization) aims for poignance, and earns some, with an unusual world-saving gambit by Superman that recalls the metanarrative gymnastics of both All-Star Superman and Final Crisis; unfortunately, there are too many narrative detours, too many doglegs and empty feints (including a Batman subplot that dangles like the proverbial loose thread). In the home stretch, the story seems to shrug; it waxes philosophical and loses interest in its own Crisis premise. The finale, in which Superman gives up on superheroics and begins working humanitarian miracles even as cosmic disaster threatens, consigns its sprawling Justice League cast to a feckless B plot that simply collapses. All this reads like a bemused critique of the genre but feels, in context, like an admission of failure. I couldn't figure out what this was going for, and I didn't find the historical tidbits (for example, Lois Lane breaking the Watergate story) integral to the larger plot. The book feels crammed and uncertain. The good stuff with Superman and his family feels bracketed by too many derivative and underbaked elements, and the few satirical touches (such as a crassly Trumpian Luthor) take too long to set up and give too little for the effort. A shame.

In some ways, I think the book's usually irreverent creators were hobbled by sentimentality and deference, the result being clunky and irresolute instead of crisp and decisive.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vibrant elseworlds adventure that chronicles Superman through the decades in a character driven and stylish way. Whilst it is predominantly Clark focused, other characters make notable appearances, and Batman gets a significant role to play. These inclusions unfortunately take away from time spent on the titular man, and I would personally have preferred a tighter focus on Superman, even if Bruce's segment is done very well. There are also pacing problems that occur due to Russell's writing style which has a tendency to focus on atmosphere and monologuing over plot progression. Well loved, and rightly so, it suffers from what I call the 'Oscars effect' whereby critics will stand and die by it as a piece of art, but general audiences may find it a little too bloated and boring.

actual rating: 3.5 stars

[Andrew Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rushed ending to an otherwise fun series. And, once again, we have yet another alternate universe story where Batman dies. So tired of all the dead Batman stories.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Superman/Justice League origin story in the Elseworlds format, Superman: Space Age hits all the familiar beats, but the solid pacing and clever touches make it well worth reading.

Superman, as usual, needs to learn about love and hope in order to be a better superhero, a true superhuman. I wasn't as excited for Tom King's rendition of Superman finding love and hope - fortunately, Space Age surrounds this sermonizing with an engaging story.

Mark Russell sets his tale in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, all leading up to the timeline-accurate Crisis on Infinite Earths event. We meet slightly shifted versions of Batman and Lex Luthor as they battle each other and humanity's many devils. The build-up to the explosive/touching conclusion is satisfying, if many-pronged. There are so many little tales amidst the bigger one being told that it often feels hard to keep track. Should I care about Lex in prison? Or Batman's random battle with Joker?

Even with these quibbles, the storytelling is strong and the Allred's distinctive artwork is appealing. Space Age isn't necessarily required Superman reading, but it's a fine addition to the bulging bookshelf.

[Drew Canole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was pretty dang good!

I wasn't really feeling this yet-another-retelling of an alternative world origins of Superman and the Justice League. This time set in the 60s-80s with more real world politics involved - mostly the Cold War - than comics from that era would have covered. Plus, the scope is about a universe-destroying entity coming to destroy Earth and all of the current Universe... I'm just a bit tired of every big Marvel comic being about this exact same thing.

Mike Allred is a great artist but I found his work here to be lesser. Lots of odd figure work and it just seemed a bit rushed at times. It's not bad, but lots of panels just felt awkward to me.

But in the end Russell pulls off a pretty good story.

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Superman books I’ve read. It is up there with Geoff John’s Brainiac tale and All-Star Superman. Allred’s retro-art is perfect. It’s an Elsworlds style of story. Recommended

[jess the ninth · Rating 5 out of 5]

No puede ser que haya llorado por un cómic de Superman a las 6 de la mañana

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I got Superman Space Age hardcover in early April 2024, but I did not start reading it until sometime either late 2024 or early 2025. I finally finished reading it today (in late May 2025). That is not a fault of the book but rather my own lack of dedication.

The book is great! It is primarily a Superman story, but there is also a Batman story within. Folks from the Justice League are present at times. (I will not reveal villains.) I did not expect the meaning of "space age" to be a reference to the 1960s thru 1980s, which is when the story mainly occurs. I thought it was going to be a cosmic adventure (e.g. on many different planets), so that is my mistake. Now, it does actually turn into a cosmic story, but I would argue that is not the emphasis. (There is a focus on Earth.)

Good twists in the story. Beautiful life wisdom / lessons contained throughout. Brought me to tears at the end. The only reason I did not rate this a straight 5 stars is because of the art. Some of the character faces were similar. At one point early on, I was nearly mixing up about 3 different men. Also, the art was only mostly to my taste but not entirely. Finally, if you do read this book, be sure you pay close attention to Superman's uniform logo because the coloring definitely plays a part in fully understanding the story. (I even flipped back through to confirm how it ties in.) Recommended.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel offers an interesting blend of Superman’s history. Though the art by Michael and Laura Allred has an enjoyably retro look to it, the sort that Mark Russell has written for them to illustrate is very modern in its sensibilities. In it, we are offered an “Elseworlds” tale in which Superman emerges in the 1960s and spends the next two decades influencing the history of his adopted homeworld. As he works to protect it, however, he is haunted by a prophecy of a haunted man he encounters in a Metropolis bar, who predicts the end of the universe in a couple of decades – an end that not even Superman is capable of averting.

This does not stop Superman from trying, of course. And it is the story of his efforts to do so that make up the bulk of the book. Yet Russell doesn’t limit his focus to the Man of Steel, providing alternate takes on Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Bruce Wayne, and the core members of the Justice League. These he uses to explore questions of fate, hope, and the importance of the latter even when the former seems fixed. It’s an inspiring take that is all the more enjoyable for the brisk pace of the plot and the outcomes of the people involved. While some may be left wanting more of the universe Russell imagined, this in itself is a good sign of an entertaining tale that doesn’t wear out its welcome.

[Jeff Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one has a little bit of everything. Some Lex Luthor, some Braniac, some Justice League, some Batman, some Super-Family. It really makes me think of All Star Superman, though I’d put this right behind that. If you like Superman, you’ll love Space Age

[abs · Rating 5 out of 5]

first superman comic & i loved it

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dokonalé na všetkých frontách.

[Sebastian M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got the single issues but since I never reviewed them individually, I'll just review the collection:

This story was amazing! I loved it! Russell's written a great Superman story and the Allreds have put together some wonderfully retro artwork.
Reminiscent of Cooke's The New Frontier in a lot of ways by setting the events of the DC Universe in a specified historical timeframe.This story does a lot right, from its takes on Crisis on Infinite Earths, to Lex and Brainiac, to Batman and the Justice League; but I think what it gets right above all is Superman.
Reading this reminded me of why/how Superman stories are still being told nearly 100 years after the character's creation.

[Devin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hard pass from me on this book.

This feels like it was made for people who have never read a DC comic before. Plenty of rehashes from previous stories, with a few added plot devices to move the story along.

I really disliked the depiction of PA. He’s the one who built Clark into the hero he is. He instills morals, drive, and overall just being stoic. Russell depicts him as a dumb farmer whose views can be mostly discarded, and that he is terrified of the world. This is NOT the role model who made Clark the man he is, it’s the cynical worldview of the author. This is the entire reason Clark is such a beta in this world. This really highlights the importance of a male role model for child.

I also didn’t like the depiction of the war against Japan. Russell paints the US soldiers as being evil for killing the Japanese WHO WERE TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD WITH HITLER, MUSSOLINI, STALIN. the sole reason they added the part with the kid being shot was to show how wrong we were. Then this turns PA into a miserable hermit, due to Russel’s views on the war. Go fascism am I right Mark???

Why was Batman in this?? Removing his story would have streamlined this and removed unnecessary bloat.

The art is good as expected from the allreds.


I’d skip this one, unless you are just beginning to dip your toes into the DC universe

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have some reservations about the way this story treats Hal Jordan (afterthought), as well as its muddled philosophizing, it's still beautifully rendered and largely effective, even if we've all seen Lois and Clark get together 600 times and Pa Kent has died another 600.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching alternate-history story of Superman stretching from the 1960s-1980s .
There's Batman and a weird ass version of Flash...we definitely need to see more of.
The art is perfect for the story giving a retro feel to the events .
If you are suffering from Superman overdose this will refresh you

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Superman: Space Age" is a great throw back to the Golden Age of comics. Russell does a great job of juggling the overarching story, the Justice League, the villains and the since of impending doom looming over the whole proceeding.

Minor complaint: Literally every male character had the exact same face. Small complaint, but with so many male characters, it became a little distracting after awhile.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superman: Space Age collects issues 1-3 of the DC Comics series written by Mark Russel, illustrated by Michael Allred, and colored by Laura Allred.

Set in an alternate timeline, the story takes place in the 1960s through the 1980s. As a cub reporter for the Daily Planet, a young Clark Kent is sent to interview a crazy end of the world prophet. The prophet turns out to be Pariah, the man cursed to view the end of every universe as the Anti-Monitor gathers his power. With the knowledge of the world's pending doom, Superman does everything in his power to prepare the Earth for the upcoming fight and make the world a better place.

Finally a book that challenges All-Star Superman to be the best ever Superman book. What do these two books have in common? They each focus on Superman's humanity instead of his power. I absolutely loved how the book incorporated real world events such as the Vietnam War, the assassination of President Kennedy, the Cold War, and Watergate to shape the evolution of superheroes. The Allreds’ art perfectly catures the Silver Age feel (And I particularly enjoyed how everyone appears to be wearing eyeliner - it makes everyone look extra dramatic and dapper). This all combined to give me similar vibes of Darwyn Cooke's masterpiece The New Frontier. All superhero fans should be reading this book.

[Benjamin Kimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good. It tells us a story that takes place before crisis on infinite earths with a Superman that knows what’s coming but is powerless to stop it. We get a beautiful story of Superman experiencing real events that happened in the silver and Bronze Age of comics. His career starts with the JFK assassination, Lois Lane breaks watergate, phenomenal stuff. There’s a very heavy feeling to it knowing how it has to end. But Superman still has hope. This book shows him as a symbol of hope in so many different ways. He never stops trying even when he knows how it ends. That’s what makes him Superman. I really think Mark Russell gets the core of the character so well. Having the Allreds on art was a wonderful idea. They bring such a zany silver age feel to it that contributes to the ideas that the story is trying to tell. Superman and the other heroes feel so classic which really enhances the story. They knocked it out of the park with this one.

[Shevek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a fan of both the writer and the artists, I had a lot of expectations for this comic. And I am happy to write that I am not disappointed at all. Mark Russell gets more serious and dramatic and less cynical than in other previous works of his. Here he elaborates a script framed within the Cold War to show the first steps of Superman. Russell really succeeds in capturing the purity of heart of the character, which is the most important thing when writing Superman. There are conversations, scenes and attitudes that are very Superman. Although it is maybe a bit rigid and static in the action scenes, the colourful and poppy art of the Allreds works great with the context of the story and the brightness of the DC characters. Because this is not limited to Superman, there also other heroes that are very relevant for the story.