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The general notion is that Superman is one of the most optimistic DC superheroes. And while it's true that Superman retains hope even in situations when other superheroes become much more pessimistic, that doesn't mean his life or the lives of those around him are perfect. Being a superhero is a risky job, even when someone has special powers, as Superman learned the hard way multiple times.
As such, the comics are full of sad moments that have a major impact on both the characters and sometimes the readers alike. Those who like Superman and his friends and allies should definitely keep a handkerchief close by when reading about the most heartbreaking moments in the Superman comics!
5 Superman Dies
Superman indeed died in the DCEU as well. But in the movie universe, his death hasn't had such an impact because it happened quite quickly. That wasn't the case in the comics when Superman's death brought along many strong emotions. One of them happened when Lois Lane realized that the man she loved was gone. Lois wasn't the only one who felt the loss deeply. Superman's fellow superheroes and Justice League members were also grieving.
Even Batman, who doesn't normally show his emotions to others that often, let it all out, and Wonder Woman consoled him as Batman mourned the loss of his friend. Considering the bond the characters have in the comics and how long it took to establish them, Superman's death hit the heroes where it hurt, making a real impact on the world of DC Comics. So much so that it was adapted into an animated feature film as well in 2018 called The Death of Superman.
4 Jonathan Kent Dies
Superman might be the hero saving the world, but it's Clark Kent who was present first, and he continues to be important for Superman. One of the people who bind Superman to his human identity is his adoptive father Jonathan Kent. Unfortunately for Clark, Jonathan died in the series All-Star Superman, and despite all of his powers, Superman was unable to stop it from happening. When Superman was fighting Chronovore, he lost three minutes of time, and when everything returned to normal, he realized his father's heartbeat was gone. While Superman was busy fighting, Jonathan had a heart attack and died.
The civility of the death and the fact that it was a heart attack and not a supervillain who took Jonathan's life makes it all the more relatable and tragic. Because even if Superman was present when Jonathan collapsed, it's doubtful he would have been able to do anything to save him. Losing a parent is never easy, regardless of the fact whether someone has special powers or not, and for Clark Kent, who has already lost his parents once, the loss is even more difficult to cope with.
3 Superman Stops Being A Hero
The Joker is known for testing the heroes, trying to make them snap and erase the line between a hero and a villain. When it came to Superman, he succeeded at one point in the Injustice storyline. He kidnaped Lois Lane and tricked Superman into killing Lois and their unborn baby. If that wasn't enough, he also destroyed Superman's city, Metropolis, and killed thousands of people in the process. The strain of the loss proved too much for Superman.
The superhero snapped, killed the Joker, breaking his rule of no killing in the process, and then went on to become a dictator, hellbent on eradicating all crime, consequences be damned. The moment when Superman loses the love of his life, as well as his home, is sad, and his gradual transformation into a darker, more twisted version of himself is all the more chilling for it, showing that even the greatest superheroes can't always handle grief in a good way.
2 Superman Experiences His Perfect Life
Even though Superman managed to build a happy life on Earth, he never quite forgot where he came from and stopped missing what could have been if his homeworld hadn't been destroyed. In the storyline For The Man Who Has Everything written by Alan Moore, Superman gets trapped in a fantasy world where Krypton still exists, Superman is married and has a son. While the vision itself is beautiful, especially the bond between the father and the son, it's not real, and the other superheroes try to wake Superman up.
They succeed in the end, but before Superman wakes up, he says his goodbyes to his son, breaking down in tears at the thought that one of the happiest times in his life hadn't been real. An interesting detail is that one episode of Supergirl deals with a similar topic and brings Supergirl back to Krypton as well, but once again, it's just happening in her head.
1 Superman Becomes A Recluse
Kingdom Come is universally hailed as one of the best DC comics of all time. And while it does retain some optimism, it still comes across as one of the saddest Superman stories. Instead of continuing to help the world, Superman closes himself off after Lois Lane dies and stops trying to help people.
Once again, this story shows that superheroes, especially those that aren't human, need somebody to tether them to humanity...and for Superman, this tether has always been Lois. The good news is that despite the initial sadness, Superman eventually returns, proving he still has his heart in the right place after all.