DC’s premier superhero, Superman, is leading the charge of the DC Universe (DCU). It’s an exciting time for DC fans as the brand-new connected multimedia saga is set to unleash the comic publisher’s superheroes and supervillains from late 2024. The DCU’s first film will arrive in July 2025, and unsurprisingly, the Man of Steel will take the lead in Superman: Legacy. Superman is the archetypal superhero, and his latest cinematic incarnation has an incredible history to draw on, so it’s about time a film acknowledged that in its title!
The Best Tim Burton Collectibles, Toys, Clothing & More
Whether you love Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or just everything Tim Burton, we've got the spooky merch and gifts you need!
With over eight decades of phenomenal adventures, fans are spoilt for choice for Superman stories. However, there are some key moments in the character’s comic book history that are expected to inspire Superman: Legacy more than others. From the farms of Smallville to the skyscrapers of Metropolis to the farthest reaches of the multiverse, these are the volumes to pick up to experience the full potential of the Last Son of Krypton before Superman once again flies on the big screen. In even better news, many of them are available with fantastic discounts right now.
-
Superman Birthright
$30 $50 Save $20Although Superman’s heritage will be important in the new film, James Gunn has clarified that Superman: Legacy will forgo the familiar origin story to get straight on with the action. Even if a fan knows how Kal-El came to Earth, Birthright, Mark Waid and Leinil’s Yu’s modern retelling of Superman’s arrival on Earth is a must-read. It’s the story that set the Man of Steel up for the 21st century, so well worth catching in this stunning deluxe edition before Supes returns to the movies.
-
Superman: Up In The Sky
Writer Tom King’s involvement in the new DCU writer’s room is most apparent in the adaptation of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. This Superman tale feels like a prototype for that epic, as it sends the Last Son of Krypton on a quirky but action-packed journey across the universe after mysterious aliens kidnap a young girl from Metropolis. Andy Kubert is on art duties in this fascinating boundary-breaking one-shot.
-
Superman: Brainiac
$14 $17 Save $3Brainiac is one of the Blue Boy Scout’s greatest foes but has only made it as far as the small screen. It’s easy to see why one of DC’s most horror-tinged and technologically advanced villains hasn’t scaled up and why he should. This new collection of the five-issue arc that redefined the villain inspired the animated movie Superman: Unbound.
-
All-Star Superman
$23 $35 Save $12In the run-up to announcing the first chapter of the DCU, James Gunn released a picture of himself reading this story. The All-Star label was designed to distill the essence of their title characters, and it’s an understatement to say that Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely understood the announcement. It’s an astonishing story that reinterprets the core aspects of DC’s premier hero and unleashes the character’s unlimited potential. It’s one of the greatest Superman arcs ever published and a must-read before Superman: Legacy.
-
Superman '78
$19 $25 Save $6The legacy of the Christopher Reeve-starring series that began with 1978’s Superman: The Movie never fades. This comic book continuation sees Reeve’s much-loved Man of Steel continuing to foil the evil master plans of Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor. The mix of romance and thrills is vital to this important part of the Superman universe. Fans also get to see what would happen when Brainiac finally makes it into this continuity after narrowly missing out on a starring role in Superman III.
-
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent
$21 $25 Save $4The Super-family has broadened in recent years with the introduction of Superman’s son, Jon Kent. This volume collects the first six issues of Superman Junior's ongoing comic series as he embarks on a dimension-hopping hunt to discover why variants of his father are being murdered across the multiverse. A fascinating glimpse into the life of Superman before the original flies back into movie theaters. Long-term fans will recognize the distinctive emblem on Jon’s chest: the young hero has recently developed the same energy-based powers his father gained in the late 1990s.
-
Luthor
We all think we know Superman’s arch-enemy, Lex Luthor, but this is the book that shows what really ticks in the mind of Earth’s greatest genius. The villain is set to play an important role in Superman: Legacy, and here, the winning combination of Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo (who brought a new spin on Batman’s nemesis in Joker) shows us exactly why Luthor thinks he’s the only man who can protect the Earth from Superman.
-
Superman: Kal-El Returns
$12 $20 Save $8After spending time away from the main comic book titles, this recent collection returns Superman to Earth with a back-to-basics approach that lets the Man of Steel shine. Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Riccardo Federici, and Tom Taylor are among the creators bringing fresh takes on allies like Steel and villains like Lex Luthor and Metallo. As Clark Kent’s story catches up with his son, Jon, readers will find this is a great jumping-on point to get up-to-speed with DC’s modern Superman.
-
Superman: Red & Blue
$19 $25 Save $6Inspired by the ongoing Batman: Black and White one-shots, this stunning anthology showcases short comic adventures of Superman picked out in his most identifiable colors. Contributors to this beautiful collection include John Ridley, Clayton Henry, Marguerite Bennett, and Wes Craig. From the villains who haunt Clark Kent to the heroes who inspired him to become the Man of Steel, Red & Blue shows the unlimited potential of Metropolis.
-
Superman Unchained
$27 $30 Save $3Scott Snyder unleashed Kal-El during DC’s New 52 era, just as the hero returned to cinema screens in Man of Steel. The super-team of Snyder and star-artist-turned-DC-publisher Jim Lee doesn’t use the word ‘unchained’ lightly. Over nine issues, the pair serve up a jaw-droppingly cinematic Superman adventure as Big Blue goes up against a mysterious and hugely powerful new meta-human called W.R.A.I.T.H.
-
Superman: The Warworld Saga
$44 $60 Save $16This is a recent storyline that almost immediately achieved classic status. It’s an epic story that takes a familiar story in unexpected directions and tests the idea of who and what Superman is. When the weakened hero is captured on Warworld, Kal-el must rise from the lower catacombs as a gladiator to rise against legendary tyrant Mongul. The complete saga is included in this mega-edition.
-
Superman: Ending Battle
This epic arc ran through Superman titles in 2002, pitting the Man of Steel against the powerful telepath and British anti-hero Manchester Black. With Black able to dispatch a horde of supervillains against the Kryptonian and his family, it's an epic action-packed spectacle that pushes the hero to his limits. Undoubtedly, this is a tough day in Metropolis, and it may have inspired one of the best-named story arcs in Superman's canon.
Ready For Superman’s New Frontier
For everything we know about Superman: Legacy, including its confirmed cast and inspirations, it will be a long time before we know much about its plot and the wider DCU it’s setting in motion. We know we have until summer 2025 to see it on the big screen. That leaves plenty of time for long-term readers and Metropolis newbies to get up-to-speed with the diverse adventures of the Man of Steel.
16 Best 4K UHD Movie & TV Releases To Buy In 2024, So Far
Assemble your shopping list! This is the ultimate guide to the best 4K UHD movies to pick up this year.
Many of these titles are as timeless as Superman. All-Star Superman is an excellent example of the untapped imagination spanning the story of Smallville’s Clark Kent and universal legend Kal-El. Epic arcs like Warworld or Up in the Sky show how the essence of the enduring icon can be explored in countless ways without wearing out his cape. Readers catching up with Superman's greatest adventures via Amazon can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime to ensure they get the best prices and delivery options.
FAQs
When Does The DCU Start?
The DCU will kick off in late 2024 with the start of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The first show will be the adult animated series Creature Commandos, inspired by a classic and quirky DC team-up book. Although these creatures are first out of the traps, it’s a soft launch. The chapter will fully begin with its first film, Superman: Legacy. Directed by James Gunn, the new Superman film will arrive on July 11, 2025.
When Was Superman Created?
Superman was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in the 1930s. His first appearance was in the comic book Action Comics #1, which was dated June but published on April 18, 1938.
These New DC McFarlane Batman Figures Are Must-Sees!
The latest wave from McFarlane Toys' DC Multiverse celebrates the animated Dark Knight of the 1990s.