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Superman reading order

The main modern Superman stories, from the post-1986 origins through to the current Superman and Action Comics series. New readers should start with the 2016 Rebirth run; the earlier phases are optional background or standalone classics.

  1. Modern origin stories1986–2010

    24 issues · about 8 hours6 essential issues · about 2 hours

    Three retellings of how Clark Kent becomes Superman. Secret Origin is the closest to the version used in later comics; the other two are worth reading for their own sake.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Superman: Birthright The Deluxe Edition (2023)Covers Superman: Birthright #1–12Find it
    2. Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 (2020)Covers The Man of Steel #1–6Find it
    3. Superman: Secret Origin (2012)Covers Superman: Secret Origin #1–6Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Man of Steel (1986)#1–66 issues, optional
      1. #1October 1986
      2. #2October 1986
      3. #3November 1986
      4. #4November 1986
      5. #5December 1986
      6. #6December 1986

      John Byrne's 1986 reboot; it shaped decades of comics but has since been replaced in continuity.

    2. Superman: Birthright (2003)#1–1212 issues, optional
      1. #1September 2003
      2. #2October 2003
      3. #3November 2003
      4. #4December 2003
      5. #5January 2004
      6. #6March 2004
      7. #7April 2004
      8. #8May 2004
      9. #9June 2004
      10. #10July 2004
      11. #11August 2004
      12. #12September 2004

      Mark Waid's alternative origin, readable on its own.

    3. Superman: Secret Origin (2009)#1–66 issues
      1. #1November 2009
      2. #2December 2009
      3. #3January 2010
      4. #4March 2010
      5. #5May 2010
      6. #6October 2010

  2. All Star Superman2006–2008

    12 issues · about 4 hours12 essential issues · about 4 hours

    Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's standalone story of Superman facing his own death. It sits outside continuity, so it works with no prior reading.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. All-Star Superman: DC Compact Comics Edition (2024)Covers All Star Superman #1–12Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. All Star Superman (2006)#1–1212 issues
      1. #1January 2006
      2. #2February 2006
      3. #3May 2006
      4. #4July 2006
      5. #5September 2006
      6. #6March 2007
      7. #7June 2007
      8. #8August 2007
      9. #9December 2007
      10. #10May 2008
      11. #11July 2008
      12. #12October 2008

      Self-contained; can be read at any point.

  3. Geoff Johns' Action Comics2006–2008

    16 issues · about 5.5 hours16 essential issues · about 5.5 hours

    Johns rebuilds Superman's supporting cast and core villains, introducing Chris Kent and redefining Zod, the Legion and Brainiac for the modern era.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Superman: Last Son of Krypton (2013)Covers Action Comics #844–846, 851; Action Comics Annual #11; Action Comics #866–870Find it
    2. Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes (2009)Covers Action Comics #858–863Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Action Comics (1938)#844–8463 issues
      1. #844December 2006
      2. #845January 2007
      3. #846February 2007

      Last Son, part one; the story was delayed, so it continues in 851.

    2. #851August 2007

      Skip issues 847 to 850, which are unrelated fill-ins.

    3. Action Comics Annual (1987)#11July 2008

      The conclusion of Last Son.

    4. Action Comics (1938)#858–8636 issues
      1. #858December 2007
      2. #859January 2008
      3. #860February 2008
      4. #861March 2008
      5. #862April 2008
      6. #863May 2008

      Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes.

    5. #866–8705 issues
      1. #866August 2008
      2. #867September 2008
      3. #868October 2008
      4. #869November 2008
      5. #870December 2008

      Brainiac.

  4. Grant Morrison's Action Comics2011–2013

    19 issues · about 6.5 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    The New 52 relaunch begins with a young, rougher Superman in jeans and boots, working out what kind of hero he wants to be.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Superman: World Against Superman (2019)Covers Action Comics #1–10Find it
    2. Superman - Action Comics Vol. 3: At the End of Days (2014)Covers Action Comics #13–18Find it
    3. Superman - Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof (2014)Covers Action Comics #11–12, 0Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Action Comics (2011)#1–1212 issues
      1. #1November 2011
      2. #2December 2011
      3. #3January 2012
      4. #4February 2012
      5. #5March 2012
      6. #6April 2012
      7. #7May 2012
      8. #8June 2012
      9. #9July 2012
      10. #10August 2012
      11. #11September 2012
      12. #12October 2012
    2. #0November 2012, optional

      An origin side story released between issues 12 and 13.

    3. #13–186 issues
      1. #13December 2012
      2. #14January 2013
      3. #15February 2013
      4. #16March 2013
      5. #17April 2013
      6. #18May 2013

  5. Start here

    Rebirth: Superman and his family2016–2018

    90 issues · about 30 hours48 essential issues · about 16 hours

    The best starting point today: a married Clark Kent raises his son Jon with Lois Lane, balancing family life with being Superman. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason write a warm, accessible run.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Superman: Action Comics by Dan Jurgens Omnibus Vol. 1 (2025)Covers Superman: Rebirth #1; Superman #18; Action Comics #957–975; Superman #19; Action Comics #976Find it
    2. Superman: Action Comics Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 (2019)Covers Action Comics #985–999Find it
    3. Superman: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 (2017)Covers Superman #1–13Find it
    4. Superman: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 (2018)Covers Superman #14–17, 20–26Find it
    5. Superman: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 (2019)Covers Superman #27–36Find it
    6. Superman: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 4 (2019)Covers Superman #37–45; Action Comics #1000Find it

    Not in these books: Action Comics #977–984. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Superman: Rebirth (2016)#1August 2016

      Short prologue that sets up the run.

    2. Superman (2016)#1–1818 issues
      1. #1August 2016
      2. #2September 2016
      3. #3September 2016
      4. #4October 2016
      5. #5October 2016
      6. #6November 2016
      7. #7November 2016
      8. #8December 2016
      9. #9December 2016
      10. #10January 2017
      11. #11January 2017
      12. #12February 2017
      13. #13February 2017
      14. #14March 2017
      15. #15March 2017
      16. #16April 2017
      17. #17April 2017
      18. #18May 2017

      Issue 18 is part 1 of the Superman Reborn crossover.

    3. Action Comics (2011)#957–97418 issues, optional
      1. #957August 2016
      2. #958August 2016
      3. #959September 2016
      4. #960September 2016
      5. #961October 2016
      6. #962October 2016
      7. #963November 2016
      8. #964November 2016
      9. #965December 2016
      10. #966December 2016
      11. #967January 2017
      12. #968January 2017
      13. #969February 2017
      14. #970February 2017
      15. #971March 2017
      16. #972March 2017
      17. #973April 2017
      18. #974April 2017

      Dan Jurgens' companion run; enjoyable but not needed to follow the main story.

    4. Action Comics (2011)#975May 2017

      Superman Reborn part 2.

    5. Superman (2016)#19May 2017

      Superman Reborn part 3.

    6. Action Comics (2011)#976May 2017

      Superman Reborn part 4.

    7. Superman (2016)#20–4526 issues
      1. #20June 2017
      2. #21June 2017
      3. #22July 2017
      4. #23July 2017
      5. #24August 2017
      6. #25August 2017
      7. #26September 2017
      8. #27September 2017
      9. #28October 2017
      10. #29October 2017
      11. #30November 2017
      12. #31November 2017
      13. #32December 2017
      14. #33December 2017
      15. #34January 2018
      16. #35January 2018
      17. #36February 2018
      18. #37February 2018
      19. #38March 2018
      20. #39March 2018
      21. #40April 2018
      22. #41April 2018
      23. #42May 2018
      24. #43May 2018
      25. #44June 2018
      26. #45June 2018
    8. Action Comics (2011)#977–100024 issues, optional
      1. #977June 2017
      2. #978June 2017
      3. #979July 2017
      4. #980July 2017
      5. #981August 2017
      6. #982August 2017
      7. #983September 2017
      8. #984September 2017
      9. #985October 2017
      10. #986October 2017
      11. #987November 2017
      12. #988November 2017
      13. #989December 2017
      14. #990December 2017
      15. #991January 2018
      16. #992January 2018
      17. #993February 2018
      18. #994February 2018
      19. #995March 2018
      20. #996March 2018
      21. #997April 2018
      22. #998April 2018
      23. #999May 2018
      24. #1000June 2018

      More Jurgens stories, ending with the 1000th-issue anniversary anthology.

  6. Brian Michael Bendis' Superman2018–2021

    62 issues · about 21 hours34 essential issues · about 11 hours

    Bendis takes over both titles, opening with a new threat tied to Krypton's destruction and building towards Superman making a major public change.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Superman Vol. 4: Mythological (2021)Covers Superman #20–28Find it
    2. Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El (2020)Covers Superman #7–15Find it
    3. Superman: Action Comics Vol. 5: The House of Kent (2021)Covers Action Comics #1022–1028Find it
    4. Superman: Action Comics Vol. 1: Invisible Mafia (2020)Covers Action Comics #1001–1006Find it
    5. The Man of Steel by Brian Michael Bendis (2019)Covers The Man of Steel #1–6Find it
    6. Superman Vol. 1: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth (2019)Covers Superman #1–6Find it

    Not in these books: Superman #16–19; Action Comics #1007–1021. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Man of Steel (2018)#1–66 issues
      1. #1July 2018
      2. #2August 2018
      3. #3August 2018
      4. #4August 2018
      5. #5August 2018
      6. #6September 2018

      Weekly prologue that leads into both series.

    2. Superman (2018)#1–2828 issues
      1. #1September 2018
      2. #2October 2018
      3. #3November 2018
      4. #4December 2018
      5. #5January 2019
      6. #6February 2019
      7. #7March 2019
      8. #8April 2019
      9. #9May 2019
      10. #10June 2019
      11. #11July 2019
      12. #12August 2019
      13. #13September 2019
      14. #14October 2019
      15. #15November 2019
      16. #16December 2019
      17. #17January 2020
      18. #18February 2020
      19. #19March 2020
      20. #20April 2020
      21. #21May 2020
      22. #22June 2020
      23. #23September 2020
      24. #24October 2020
      25. #25November 2020
      26. #26December 2020
      27. #27January 2021
      28. #28February 2021
    3. Action Comics (2011)#1001–102828 issues, optional
      1. #1001September 2018
      2. #1002October 2018
      3. #1003November 2018
      4. #1004December 2018
      5. #1005January 2019
      6. #1006March 2019
      7. #1007March 2019
      8. #1008April 2019
      9. #1009May 2019
      10. #1010June 2019
      11. #1011July 2019
      12. #1012August 2019
      13. #1013September 2019
      14. #1014October 2019
      15. #1015November 2019
      16. #1016December 2019
      17. #1017January 2020
      18. #1018March 2020
      19. #1019March 2020
      20. #1020April 2020
      21. #1021May 2020
      22. #1022July 2020
      23. #1023September 2020
      24. #1024October 2020
      25. #1025November 2020
      26. #1026December 2020
      27. #1027January 2021
      28. #1028February 2021

      The companion Action Comics run, focused on the Daily Planet and the Leviathan plot.

  7. Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Warworld Saga2021–2023

    44 issues · about 15 hours26 essential issues · about 8.5 hours

    Superman leaves Earth to confront Mongul and free the enslaved people of Warworld, while his son Jon takes up the Superman name at home.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Superman: The Warworld Saga (2024)Covers Action Comics #1030–1046Find it
    2. Superman: Kal-El Returns (2023)Covers Action Comics #1047–1050; Superman: Son of Kal-El #16–18Find it
    3. Superman: Son of Kal-El Vol. 1: The Truth (2023)Covers Superman: Son of Kal-El #1–6Find it
    4. Superman: Son of Kal-El Vol. 3: Battle for Gamorra (2024)Covers Superman: Son of Kal-El #11–15Find it
    5. Superman: The One Who Fell (2022)Covers Superman #29; Action Comics #1029; Superman #30–32Find it
    6. Superman: Son of Kal-El Vol. 2: The Rising (2024)Covers Superman: Son of Kal-El #7–10Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Superman (2018)#29May 2021

      The Golden Age part 1; Johnson's first issue.

    2. Action Comics (2011)#1029May 2021

      The Golden Age part 2; Johnson's first Action Comics issue.

    3. Superman (2018)#30–323 issues
      1. #30June 2021
      2. #31July 2021
      3. #32August 2021

      The One Who Fell, the last arc of this Superman series.

    4. Action Comics (2011)#1030–105021 issues
      1. #1030June 2021
      2. #1031July 2021
      3. #1032August 2021
      4. #1033September 2021
      5. #1034October 2021
      6. #1035November 2021
      7. #1036January 2022
      8. #1037January 2022
      9. #1038February 2022
      10. #1039March 2022
      11. #1040April 2022
      12. #1041May 2022
      13. #1042June 2022
      14. #1043July 2022
      15. #1044August 2022
      16. #1045September 2022
      17. #1046October 2022
      18. #1047November 2022
      19. #1048December 2022
      20. #1049January 2023
      21. #1050February 2023
    5. Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021)#1–1818 issues, optional
      1. #1September 2021
      2. #2October 2021
      3. #3November 2021
      4. #4December 2021
      5. #5January 2022
      6. #6March 2022
      7. #7March 2022
      8. #8April 2022
      9. #9May 2022
      10. #10June 2022
      11. #11July 2022
      12. #12August 2022
      13. #13September 2022
      14. #14October 2022
      15. #15November 2022
      16. #16December 2022
      17. #17January 2023
      18. #18February 2023

      Jon Kent's adventures as Superman on Earth during the same period.

  8. The current series2023–present

    113 issues · about 38 hours45 essential issues · about 15 hours

    Joshua Williamson's Superman relaunch puts Clark back in Metropolis, with Lex Luthor in prison and his company working for Superman, and is designed as a clean jumping-on point.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Supergirl: Universe End (2025)Covers Action Comics #1070–1081Find it
    2. Superman: Action Comics Vol. 1: Boy of Steel (2026)Covers Action Comics #1087–1095Find it
    3. Superman: Lois and Clark: Doom Rising (2024)Covers Action Comics #1051–1057Find it
    4. Superman Vol. 2: The Chained (2024)Covers Superman #6–12Find it
    5. Superman Unlimited Vol. 1: Kryptonite Kingdom (2026)Covers Superman Unlimited #1–6Find it
    6. Superman: Action Comics: Superstars Vol. 1 (2025)Covers Action Comics #1061–1063, 1067–1069Find it

    Not in these books: Superman #1–5, 13–42; Action Comics #1058–1060, 1064–1066, 1082–1086, 1096–1103; Superman Unlimited #7–18. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Superman (2023)#1–4242 issues
      1. #1April 2023
      2. #2May 2023
      3. #3June 2023
      4. #4July 2023
      5. #5August 2023
      6. #6November 2023
      7. #7December 2023
      8. #8January 2024
      9. #9February 2024
      10. #10March 2024
      11. #11April 2024
      12. #12May 2024
      13. #13June 2024
      14. #14July 2024
      15. #15August 2024
      16. #16September 2024
      17. #17October 2024
      18. #18November 2024
      19. #19December 2024
      20. #20January 2025
      21. #21February 2025
      22. #22March 2025
      23. #23April 2025
      24. #24May 2025
      25. #25June 2025
      26. #26July 2025
      27. #27August 2025
      28. #28September 2025
      29. #29October 2025
      30. #30November 2025
      31. #31December 2025
      32. #32January 2026
      33. #33February 2026
      34. #34March 2026
      35. #35April 2026
      36. #36May 2026
      37. #37June 2026
      38. #38July 2026
      39. #39August 2026
      40. #40September 2026
      41. #41October 2026
      42. #42November 2026

      The main ongoing title; also a good place to start if you only want the latest stories.

    2. Action Comics (2011)#1051–106313 issues, optional
      1. #1051March 2023
      2. #1052April 2023
      3. #1053May 2023
      4. #1054June 2023
      5. #1055July 2023
      6. #1056August 2023
      7. #1057November 2023
      8. #1058December 2023
      9. #1059January 2024
      10. #1060February 2024
      11. #1061March 2024
      12. #1062April 2024
      13. #1063May 2024

      Johnson's run continues to 1060, followed by Jason Aaron's Bizarro story in 1061 to 1063.

    3. Action Comics (2011)#1064–10663 issues
      1. #1064June 2024
      2. #1065July 2024
      3. #1066August 2024

      House of Brainiac parts 1, 3 and 5; read alongside Superman (2023) 13 to 15.

    4. #1067–110337 issues, optional
      1. #1067September 2024
      2. #1068October 2024
      3. #1069November 2024
      4. #1070December 2024
      5. #1071December 2024
      6. #1072December 2024
      7. #1073December 2024
      8. #1074January 2025
      9. #1075January 2025
      10. #1076January 2025
      11. #1077January 2025
      12. #1078February 2025
      13. #1079February 2025
      14. #1080February 2025
      15. #1081February 2025
      16. #1082March 2025
      17. #1083April 2025
      18. #1084May 2025
      19. #1085June 2025
      20. #1086July 2025
      21. #1087August 2025
      22. #1088September 2025
      23. #1089October 2025
      24. #1090November 2025
      25. #1091December 2025
      26. #1092January 2026
      27. #1093February 2026
      28. #1094March 2026
      29. #1095April 2026
      30. #1096May 2026
      31. #1097June 2026
      32. #1098July 2026
      33. #1099August 2026
      34. #1100September 2026
      35. #1101October 2026
      36. #1102November 2026
      37. #1103December 2026

      Gail Simone writes 1067 to 1069, then Mark Waid writes most issues from 1070; 1101 and 1102 are part of Kingdom of Zod.

    5. Superman Unlimited (2025)#1–1818 issues, optional
      1. #1July 2025
      2. #2August 2025
      3. #3September 2025
      4. #4October 2025
      5. #5November 2025
      6. #6December 2025
      7. #7January 2026
      8. #8February 2026
      9. #9March 2026
      10. #10April 2026
      11. #11May 2026
      12. #12June 2026
      13. #13July 2026
      14. #14August 2026
      15. #15September 2026
      16. #16October 2026
      17. #17November 2026
      18. #18December 2026

      Dan Slott's second ongoing Superman title, launched in 2025; it shares crossovers such as Kingdom of Zod.

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