The highly-anticipated new Superman film has finally arrived in theaters. James Gunn’s vision for the Man of Steel features an all-star cast of heroes and villains, top-lined by David Corenswet as the title hero, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Superman is sure to draw big crowds this weekend, many of whom will walk out of the theater wanting to check out some comics featuring the Man of Steel and his supporting cast of characters. With so many great options out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily The Beat’s DC Round-Up crew has curated a list of five easily-accessible graphic novels for new-to-comics moviegoers who are looking for more Superman in their lives.
(Note: The following list contains mild spoilers for the new Superman movie.)
Superman: Birthright
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Leinil Francis Yu
Inker: Gerry Alanguilan
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: Comicraft
Superman’s origin story is one of the most iconic tales in pop culture history, and it’s been told and retold dozens of times over the character’s 87-year history. Superman: Birthright, the 2003-2004 series from acclaimed writer Mark Waid and artist Leinil Francis Yu, was intended to be the definitive origin of the Man of Steel at the time of its release, and even if some of the trappings of Superman’s early days have been tweaked in the twenty years since its release it still stands as a solid foundation upon which to base the last son of Krypton’s adventures. Tonally the book is very similar to the Superman movie, particularly in its portrayal of Lois Lane, and the film even borrows some plot elements from Lex Luthor’s plot in this book, making it a natural place to start after walking out of the theater. A $9.99 Compact Comics edition of the book is also available now, making it a relatively cheap entry point as well. –Joe Grunenwald
Buy Superman: Birthright on bookshop.org.
Superman: Secret Origin
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
If one Superman origin story isn’t enough for you, there’s Superman: Secret Origin, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s 2009-2010 series that offered another look at Clark Kent’s early days. This series shares elements with Birthright, while reincorporating decades-old pieces of the origin like Clark’s time as the young hero Superboy and, perhaps critically for moviegoers, the presence of Superman’s dog, Krypto, on Earth. Superman’s relationships with Lois, Jimmy, and Lex are all established nicely in this book, and it also serves as a nice introduction to a number of Superman’s classic villains like Parasite and Metallo. Artist Frank’s version of Superman bears more than a striking resemblance to Christopher Reeve’s original film version of Superman, which also makes this a natural entryway to Superman comics for new readers. –JG
Buy Superman: Secret Origin on bookshop.org.
Superman Smashes the Klan
Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Art & Colors: Gurihiru
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Superman being an immigrant and refugee makes the timing of this new movie — contrasted with a severe (to put it mildly) federal immigration crackdown — a nice reminder that the character has a long history of being played as a foil to the injustices of his day. There is perhaps no comics story that engages with this idea better than 2019-2020’s Superman Smashes The Klan. Written by Gene Luen Yang with art by Gurihiru and lettering by Janice Chang, this standalone story uses real history as a starting point. And that real history is the way that the 1946 radio serial “Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman helped turn public sentiment against the Klu Klux Klan in that decade. That’s a nice feature for history buffs, but this is also a great book for this list. I just think that if you left the theater moved and inspired by Superman, there’s a natural and direct connection right to this comic. –Zack Quaintance
Buy Superman Smashes the Klan on bookshop.org.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen?
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Steve Lieber
Colorist: Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
And now for something completely different… Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen?, Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber’s spectacular 2019-2020 Jimmy-centric series, follows the globe-trotting, occasionally absolutely bonkers adventures of Superman’s pal. Far from a straight-forward superhero story, Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? is comedy at its finest, offering readers an off-beat view of the DC Universe and some of its most important characters, from Superman to Batman to Lex Luthor, from the perspective of one of its most versatile characters. As portrayed by Skylar Gisondo, Jimmy Olsen is an integral part of both the Daily Planet and the overall plot of the movie, and there’s definitely hints that there’s more going on with him than what viewers see on-screen. This book is the perfect place to go for a look at the rest of Jimmy’s world, and it’s a damn fun read to boot. –JG
Buy a signed and sketched edition of Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? directly from artist Steve Lieber via Etsy.
Superman: Supercorp
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artists: Jamal Campbell, Nick Dragotta, and more
Colorists: Jamal Campbell, Frank Martin, and more
Letterer: Ariana Maher
While all the other entries on this list have been standalone stories, Superman: Supercorp is the first collection of the current Superman ongoing series from writer Joshua Williamson and a host of all-star artists. The series has followed Superman adjusting to a Metropolis where Lex Luthor is behind bars, but still playing a pivotal role in the man of steel’s life, especially after Lex seemingly gifts his company to the superhero. The dynamic between Superman and Lex is one of the most interesting hero/villain relationships in pop culture, a fact that’s on full display in the new film, and Supercorp takes it in a very unexpected direction. If the movie made you want to read some Superman comics, definitely be prepared to want to keep going after you read this one. –JG
Buy Superman: Supercorp on bookshop.org.
Want even more Superman reading recommendations? Check out some of our favorite Superman stories from this year’s Superman Day!
Header image: James Gunn via Instagram
