Superman Reading List

Superman is an icon the world over so there are many comics that feature the "Man of Steel". When I started this reading list I was only really looking to organize the last Superman story that ended with War of the Supermen, but as I did my research I found that there are many more collected Superman stories that can be read in order. So, after a week of work I have compiled this Superman Reading List for those who want to dive into the Superman comic books.


These first few titles are various stories about or feature Superman that can be read at any time and in no particular order (although they are listed in chronological order here):

Crisis on Infinite Earths
Millennium (can be read in between Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 6 and The World of Krypton)
For All Seasons
Birthright
All Star Superman Collected Edition [On Sale October 5, 2011]
Red Son
Earth One


Below is a long list of Superman story arcs that start from the Superman re-numbering in the 80's. A lot of the Superman books: Adventures of Superman, Action Comics, The Man of Steel and the regular Superman series crossed over with one another so I have included with each trade the issues contained within them.


Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 1
(The Man Of Steel 1-6)

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
(Superman 423, Action Comics 583, "For the Man Who Has Everything" from Action Annual 11 and DC Comics Presents 85)

Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 2
(Superman [v2] 1-3, Action Comics 585-587 and Adventures of Superman 424-426)

Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 3
(Superman [v2] 4-6, Action Comics587-589, and Adventures of Superman 427-429)

Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 4
(Superman [v2] 7-8, Action Comics 590-591, Adventures of Superman 430-431, and Legion of Super-Heroes 37-38)

Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 5
(Superman [v2] 9-10, Action Comics 592-593, and Adventures of Superman 432-435)

Superman: The Man of Steel – Volume 6
(Superman [v2] 12, Annual 1, Action Comics 594-595, Annual 1, Adventures of Superman Annual 1, and Booster Gold 23)

Millennium

The World of Krypton
(Man of Steel 1, Superman 233, 236, 238, 240, 248, 257, 266-267, and 375, The Superman Family 182, and World of Krypton 1-4)

Exile
(Superman [v2] 28-30 and 32-33, Adventures of Superman 451-456, Action Comics Annual 2, and Action Comics 643)

Eradication
(Action Comics 651-652, Adventures of Superman 464-465, and Superman [v2] 41-42)

Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
(Superman [v2] 9, 11, Superman Annual 1, Action Comics 600 and 655, Adventures of Superman 445, 462 and 466, and Man of Steel 2)

Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite
(Superman [v2] 49-50, Action Comics 659-660, Adventures of Superman 472-473, and Starman 28)

Time and Time Again
(Adventures of Superman 476-478, Action Comics 663, 664, five pages from 665, and Superman [v2] 54-55, 61, and 73)

Panic in the Sky!
(Action Comics 674-675, The Man of Steel 9-10, Superman [v2] 65-66, and Adventures of Superman 488-489)

They Saved Luthor’s Brain!
(Man of Steel 4, Superman [v2] 2, 19, 21, and Action Comics 600, 668, 670-673, and 676-678)


The Death of Superman

The Death of Superman
(Action Comics 684, Adventures of Superman 497, Justice League of America 69, Superman [v2] 74-75, Superman: The Man of Steel 18-19, and one page each from Action Comics 683, Adventures of Superman 496, Superman 73, and Superman: The Man of Steel 17)

World Without A Superman
(Adventures of Superman 498-500, Action Comics 685-686, Superman: The Legacy of Superman 1 and 4, Superman: The Man of Steel 20-21, and Superman [v2] 76-77)

The Return of Superman
(Action Comics 687-691, Superman: The Man of Steel 22-26, Superman [v2] 78-82, Adventures of Superman 500-505 and Green Lantern 46)


Bizarro’s World
(Superman [v2] 87-88, Adventures of Superman 510, Action Comics 697 and Superman: The Man of Steel 32)

The Death of Clark Kent
(Adventures of Superman 523-525, Action Comics 709-711, Superman [v2] 99-102 and Superman: The Man of Steel 43-46)

The Trial of Superman
(Action Comics 716-717, Adventures of Superman 529-531, Superman [v2] 106-108, Superman: The Man of Steel 50-52 and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow 3)

Superman vs. the Revenge Squad
(Adventures of Superman 539, 542, 543, Action Comics 726, 730, Superman: The Man of Steel 61, 65 and Superman: Man of Tomorrow 7)

The Wedding and Beyond
(Superman [v2] 118, Superman: The Wedding Album 1, Adventures of Superman 541, Action Comics 728 and Superman: The Man of Steel 63)

Transformed
(Action Comics 729, 732, Adventures of Superman 542, 545, Superman [v2] 119, 122-123 and Superman: The Man of Steel 64, 67)

No Limits
(Action Comics 760-761, Adventures of Superman 574, Superman [v2] 151-153 and Superman: The Man of Steel 95-97)

Endgame
(Superman Y2K, Superman [v2] 154, Adventures of Superman 576, Superman: The Man of Steel 98 and Action Comics 763)

Superman vs. Brainiac
(Action Comics 242, 489-491, 544, 649 and 763, Superman [v2] 167, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #17, Adventures of Superman #438 and Superman: Metropolis Secret Files 1)

Till Death Do Us Part
(Superman [v2] 155-157, Adventures of Superman 577-578, Superman: The Man of Steel 99-100, and Action Comics 764-765)

Critical Condition
(Adventures of Superman 579 and 580, Superman: The Man of Steel 101 and 102, Action Comics 766 and 767, Superman [v2] 158, and the lead story from Superman: Metropolis Secret Files 1.)

Emperor Joker
(Superman [v2] 160-161, Adventures of Superman 582-583, Superman: The Man of Steel 104-105, Action Comics 769-770 and Superman: Emperor Joker 1)

President Lex
(Adventures of Superman 581, President Luthor Sectert Files, Superman: Lex 2000, Superman [v2] 162-165, Superman: Man of Steel 108-110, and Action Comics 773)

Our Worlds At War Complete Edition

Return to Krypton
(Superman [v2] 166-167 and 184, Action Comics 776 and 793, Adventures of Superman 589 and 606, and Superman: Man of Steel 111 and 128)

Ending Battle
(Superman [v2] 185-186, Adventures of Superman 608-609, Superman: The Man of Steel 130-131 and Action Comics 795-796)

Godfall
(Action Comics 812-813, Adventures of Superman 625-626 and Superman [v2] 202-203)

The Wrath of Gog
(Action Comics 814-819 and backups from 812-813)

Unconventional Warfare
(Adventures of Superman 625-632 and Superman Secret Files 2004)

In the Name of Gog
(Action Comics 820-825)

That Healing Touch
(Adventures of Superman 633-638 and the lead story from Superman Secret Files 2004)

For Tomorrow Vol. 1
(Superman [v2] 204-209)
For Tomorrow Vol. 2
(Superman [v2] 210-215)

Sacrifice
(Superman [v2] 218-220, Adventures of Superman 642-643, Action Comics 829 and Wonder Woman 219-220)

Ruin Revealed
(Adventures of Superman 640-641 and 644-647)

The Journey
(Superman [v2] 217 and 221-225)

Strange Attractors
(Action Comics 827-828 and 830-835)


Infinite Crisis

Infinite Crisis

Superman - Infinite Crisis
(Superman [v2] 226, Action Comics 836, Adventures of Superman 649 and stories from Infinite Crisis Secret Files 2006)


Up, Up and Away
(Superman 650-653 and Action Comics 837-840)

Back In Action
(Action Comics 841-843 and DC Comics Presents 4,17 and 24)

Last Son
(Action Comics 844-846, 851 and Annual 11)

Camelot Falls Vol. 1
(Superman 654-658)
Camelot Falls Vol. 2
(Superman 662-664, 667-668, Annual 13)

Redemption
(Superman 659 and 666, and Action Comics 848-849)

3-2-1 Action
(Superman 665, Action Comics 852-854 and Legends of the DC Universe 14)

The Third Kryptonian
(Superman 668-670 and Action Comics 847, plus the backup story from Superman Annual 13)

Escape From Bizarro World
(Action Comics 855-857, Superman 140, DC Comics Presents 71 and Man Of Steel 5)

Superman and the Legion of Superheroes
(Action Comics 858-863)

Shadow’s Linger
(Superman 671-675)

The Coming of Atlas
(Superman 677-680 and First Issue Special 1)

Brainiac
(Action Comics 866-870)


New Krypton

New Krypton Vol. 1
(Superman New Krypton Special 1, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen Special 1, Superman 681, Action Comics 871 and Adventure Comics Special Featuring The Guardian 1)

New Krypton Vol. 2
(Superman 682 and 683, Action Comics 872 and 873, and Supergirl 35 and 36)

Mon-El Vol. 1
(Superman 684-690, and Action Comics 874 and Annual 10)

Supergirl Vol. 6 - Who is Superwoman?
(Supergirl 34 and 37-42)

New Krypton Vol. 3
(Superman: World of New Krypton 1-5 and Action Comics Annual 10)

Nightwing and Flamebird Vol. 1
(Action Comics 875-879 and Action Comics Annual 12)

Supergirl Vol. 7 - Friends and Fugitives
(Supergirl 43 and 45-47, Action Comics 881-882, and Superman Secret Files 2009 1)

Codename Patriot
(Supergman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen Special 2, Superman 691, Supergirl 44, Action Comics 880 and Superman: World Of New Krypton 6)

New Krypton Vol. 4
(Superman: World of New Krypton 6-12)

Mon-El Vol. 2 - Man Of Valor
(Superman 692-697, Annual 14, Superman Secret Files 2009 1 and Adventure Comics 11)

Nightwing and Flamebird Vol. 2
(Action Comics 883-889, Superman 696 and stories from Adventure Comics 8-10)
Supergirl Vol. 8 - Death and the Family (Supergirl 48-50 and Supergirl Annual 1)


Last Stand of New Krypton

Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1
(Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton 1-2, Adventure Comics 8-9, Superman 698 and Supergirl 51)

The Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2
(Superman: The Last Stand of New Krypton #3, Adventure Comics #10-11, Supergirl #52 and Superman #699)


War of the Supermen

War of the Supermen
(Superman: War of the Supermen #0-4 and a page from Superman #700)


The Black Ring (Action Comics 890-895)


Now that your brain is filled way too many Superman titles you should be ready to read, but if you are too overwhelmed by this then start by reading any of the story arcs in the stand alone list or any that have a bolded title they are good jumping on points. Now that you have a long list of books to read on Superman you better get to it. Enjoy.

Comics Conspiracy is a great place to order comics by the way.

(I will update this as more trades are released so check back for updates.)