Superman.

Altruism and the fight against modern cynicism.

It’s no secret that I love comics and that the characters I grew up with mean the absolute world to me. In most cases, I can remember how I was introduced to the characters who have become my favorites. For example, I was introduced to The Green Arrow through Justice League Unlimited, or Raven and Starfire through the 2003 Teen Titans cartoon. But, there’s one character who I feel like I’ve always known, one who has always been there to inspire, and even at a young age I’ve known the importance of Superman. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 Superman has gone on to garner many amazing stories and inspire many throughout his 80-plus years of publication. 

  Though, throughout the years the character has been the target of a specific kind of criticism. Some people say that he’s boring, that he’s irrelevant, that he’s not relatable, and that he’s only interesting when he’s evil, or a darker version of his usual self. While personally I find that argument to be extremely flawed, I can’t say that it isn’t expected. Especially given the world we live in today. We live in a world where these larger-than-life heroes are seen as boring, where they are constantly being swapped out for a darker and more cynical approach in an attempt to “deconstruct” the superhero genre. Don’t get me wrong, for certain stories that can work, for example in The Boys, (the show not the comic) it really works. But for characters like The Green Arrow and especially for Superman it’s been proved time and time again that it really doesn’t.

   I say that because ultimately Superman is not and should never be a dark character, he should never be deconstructed in a negative light, and he is most certainly NOT boring. I mean, he’s an immigrant from the stars forced to flee his dying planet who was then raised by two amazing adoptive parents who inspired and helped him become a hero, now tell how is that boring?    

  Superman is fascinating not because he can leap tall buildings in a single bound, or run faster than a locomotive, but because of his humanity, his altruism and the way he can inspire hope in people on and off the page. Because at the end of the day, he’s just a boy from Kansas who wants to help. Not because he can, but because he wants to, because he knows it’s the right thing. If we can’t relate to that then honestly I’m afraid of what our future holds. 

  Being a writer, my dream is to write for the character, to put all my thoughts and feelings of the character into the page. Who knows, maybe one day I will, a man can hope, right? 

   I’d now like to spend the next few minutes recommending some of my favorite Superman stories. These stories are my favorites not because they are extremely entertaining, but because I feel as if they truly tap into the essence of the character, maybe more than others. So here it goes. 

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Superman For All Seasons. 

 Superman For All Seasons is a four-issue series written by Jeff Loeb and illustrated by the late great Tim Sale. This creative team has not just crafted some of my personal favorites such as Daredevil Yellow or their extremely popular Batman: The Long Halloween, but they have made some of the most influential and most well-loved comics in the industry. I can assure you that their take on Superman does not disappoint. 

  For All Seasons tells the tale of a young Clark Kent and his early years of becoming a hero. We see Clark graduate high school and leave Smallville, heading for Metropolis where he would truly become the one and only Superman. Throughout these four issues, we are introduced to many familiar faces within Superman’s supporting cast. From Ma and Pa Kent to Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Lex Luthor. Yet, there is one character that really stood out to me on my first read-through, that being Lana Lang. Lana for me is one of the driving forces behind this story and one of the most important people within the Superman mythos. So to see the amount of love and care that Loeb and Sale put into her character is, in my opinion, the best thing about this book. 

   Now, I know Jeff Loeb has had some controversy surrounding him in recent years and I feel it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t address that. The things he said are inexcusable and should not be glazed over by any means. I know some may not want to read this because of Jeff Loeb and I can understand that. I then would highly encourage you to read it for the ever so timeless art of Tim Sale, for the amazing colors by Bjarne Hansen and co, and the fantastic letters from Richard Starkings. Personally, I believe this to be some of Sale’s best work and it would be a shame if it was overlooked for something the writer had said. So please read this book, for Tim Sale an incredible artist and a pillar within the industry. Superman For All Seasons has been collected in many different formats, but most recently it was collected in a beautiful absolute edition, which has oversized artwork, where you can really see Tim’s work in all its glory. 

   Sadly we lost Tim too soon, may he rest in peace. Thank you, Tim, for all you’ve done for comics. 

Tim Sale May 1, 1956- June 16, 2022.

Superman Rebirth.

In the midst of yet another company-wide soft reboot, the character of Superman needed to change. That job would fall onto writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason. Gleason also served as co-writer on most of the book. 

   This run tells the story of a pre-flashpoint Superman and Lois Lane in a post-rebirth world, confusing maybe, it’s comics. Not only do Lois and Clark have to deal with being in a whole new world but they are also now parents to a 10-year-old Jonathan Kent. While this isn’t the comic that introduces us to Jon, this is the one that really fleshes him out in my opinion. The character is perfectly given life through the eyes of Tomasi and Gleason. He gets his empathy from his father and his willpower from his mother, giving him an all-around infectious personality. Yes, he has the Kryptonian powers of his father, but his true power comes from the lessons his parents teach him, a lot of them passed down from Ma and Pa Kent who have since passed. 

   Lois is really given a perfect personality in this run, proving to be equally if not more badass than her super-powered husband and child. She is willing to do just about anything to protect her family. 

   Clark, Lois, and especially Jon must learn to balance their superhero home life with their small-town public personas. That and their somewhat bombastic adventures with such characters as Frankenstein and his recently divorced wife, Bizarro, and the newly introduced Boyzarro lend this run a silver-age tone in nature. 

   After 40-plus issues, Tomasi and Gleason’s run would come to an end when writer Brian Micheal Bendis would take over both Action Comics and Superman to let’s just say, a mixed reception. 

   What we are left with is a run that is nothing short of amazing. A story of truth, justice, and family.Superman, Superboy, Lois, and the best dog in comics Krypto.   

 (Bitewing comes in a close second.) 

   Honestly, I cannot thank Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason enough for crafting my favorite Superman run to date. So please check it out, it’s collected in trade paperbacks and a huge heavy omnibus. 

All-Star Superman. 

All-Star Superman is a 12-issue series written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quietly.

  Grant Morrison is a writer who is known for their wacky, high-concept, and forward-thinking comics. Morrison’s take on Doom Patrol and Animal Man remain some of their most popular work. All-Star however tells a different tale, it asks a question that no one wants to ask. What happens when the Man of Steel gets terminal cancer? The answer is actually quite simple, he helps as many people as he can while he can. 

   All-Star consists of Superman doing 12 great mythic labors, traveling time, giving Lois Lane his powers for the day, and my favorite page of all time, saving a young teen from suicidal thoughts.

   Grant has been extremely vocal about the way they perceive Superman, not as a superhero but as a modern myth, and they really play into that belief within this comic. Having Superman cross paths with Samson and Atlas in issue three. 

    This comic is a classic Sci-fi adventure, yet still an amazing commentary on the character of Superman. One that asks the question, what is a world without Superman? I honestly didn’t say nearly as much about this book as opposed to others within this essay because I think everyone should read it for themselves, and I do not think I can do the story justice, as this book is truly a masterpiece. What Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly were able to craft within this comic is something truly remarkable. This book belongs in every school library,  in my opinion, so please read it. 

Bonus: Generations.

Generations is an eight-page story within the anthology series Superman Red and Blue issue five. Written, illustrated, and lettered by Daniel Warren Johnson, Generations tells the story of Pa Kent learning to be a father. He is scared, not because his new adopted child is an alien from another planet that landed within his farm in his spacecraft, but because he doesn’t know if he can be a good enough father to his son. 

  After talking to the local Smallville priest he realizes that all he can do is make sure that his son knows he is loved and that he is special. A lesson that has forever changed Clark, and his relationship with all of humanity, making sure everyone knows they are loved and that they are special. 

  Daniel Warren Johnson dedicates this story to his father, Stephen Johnson. I truly think this is one of the best Superman stories I have ever read, and it’s only eight pages! Honestly, I tear up every time I read it, it’s just so good. 

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   Okay so that was probably my longest post on here, if you read the whole thing thank you so very  much. Sound off in the comments, and tell me your favorite Superman story and what makes the character special to you. Shout out to my internet pal, Devin Whitlock, he recently read Superman Smashes The Klan for his graphic novel book club, and in his newsletter for it he went into detail on why he loves Superman, inspiring me to do my own Superman essay. Go check out his newsletter here , he’s a great writer and a good dude. 

  Thanks again everyone, I hope you have a great day, or night, whenever you’re reading this. If there are any other characters you’d like me to do another one of these posts with please let me know. I’m thinking maybe Green Arrow but I’m not sure.