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Superman vol. 2

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This article is about the 1987–2006 comic book series. For the original series, see Superman (comic book).
Superman vol. 2
Superman vol. 2, #1 (January 1987), art by John Byrne.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleMonthly
FormatOngoing while in publication
GenreSuperhero
Publication dateJanuary 1987 – April 2006
No. of issues228 (#1-226 plus issues numbered 0 and 1,000,000) and 12 Annuals
Main character(s)Superman
Creative team
Written by
List
Penciller(s)
List
Inker(s)
List

Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The second volume of the previous ongoing Superman title, the series was published from cover dates January 1987 to April 2006, and ran for 228 issues (226 monthly issues and two issues published outside the concurrent numbering). This series was launched after John Byrne revamped the Superman character in 1986 in The Man of Steel limited series, introducing the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths version of the Superman character.

After that limited series, Action Comics returned to publication and Superman vol. 2, #1 was published.[1] The original Superman series (volume 1) became The Adventures of Superman starting with issue #424.[2] Superman vol. 2 continued publishing until April 2006 at which point DC restored The Adventures of Superman to its original title and canceled the second Superman series.

Publication history

[edit]
Superman's more somber costume to mourn the loss of life in the Imperiex War. Cover of Superman vol. 2, #178 (March 2002); art by Ed McGuinness.

Because the DC Universe was revamped after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the previous continuity before that series (colloquially referred to as "pre-Crisis") was voided. Previously established characters were given the opportunity to be reintroduced in new ways. Reintroductions of classic villains were part of the new Superman series' first year, featuring the first post-Crisis appearances of characters such as Metallo[3] and Mister Mxyzptlk[4] and the introduction of Supergirl.[5] The historic engagement of Lois Lane and Clark Kent[6][7] was one of the major events in the book's run. Writer/artist Dan Jurgens created a supporting hero named Agent Liberty[8] in issue #60 (Oct. 1991). The series participated in such crossover storylines as "Panic in the Sky".[9] The hallmark of the run was the storyline "The Death of Superman". The actual "death" story was published in this series' 75th issue,[10][11] and would be a major media and pop culture event with the issue going on to sell over three million copies.[12][13][14]

As the main series featuring the most prominent character of the DC Universe, the series crossed over with a number of different line-wide crossover stories including Zero Hour: Crisis in Time,[15] The Final Night,[16] and Infinite Crisis.[17] Superman received a new costume and new superpowers in issue #123 (May 1997).[18]

In 1999, Superman, along with the other three titles, were revamped with Jeph Loeb replacing longtime writer Dan Jurgens. During Loeb's run on the series he created Imperiex,[19] introduced a Bizarro created by the Joker[20] in the "Emperor Joker" storyline,[21] and also helped with a controversial storyline in which Superman's nemesis, supervillain Lex Luthor, became the President of the United States.[22] Loeb's run on the series included the crossover event Our Worlds at War,[23] which saw the destruction of Topeka, Kansas,[24] serious damage to Clark Kent's nearby hometown of Smallville, and Superman adopting a costume of more somber colors to mourn the heavy loss of life during the event.[25] Loeb's run ended with issue #183 (August 2002).

In 2004–2005, artist Jim Lee, who had recently concluded the Batman: Hush storyline with Loeb, provided the artwork for a Superman story by writer Brian Azzarello.[26] The story, Superman: For Tomorrow, ran for twelve issues[27][28] and was collected in an Absolute Edition hardcover in May 2009.[29]

With the publication of issue #226 (April 2006),[30] the series was canceled as part of the company-wide Infinite Crisis event. The Adventures of Superman was returned to its original title, Superman, with issue #650 the following month.[31]

Annuals

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From 1987 to 2000, twelve annual issues of the series were published. The first annual featured a post-Crisis retelling of the first Titano story.[32] Beginning with the second annual, the stories tied into the crossovers or themes that were running through DC's annuals that year. These were:

Collected editions

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Title Material collected Publication date ISBN
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 2 Superman vol. 2 #1-3; Adventures of Superman #424-426; Action Comics #584-586 November 2003 978-1401200053
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 3 Superman vol. 2 #4-6; Adventures of Superman #427-429; Action Comics #587-589 October 2004 978-1401202460
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 4 Superman vol. 2 #7-8; Adventures of Superman #430-431; Action Comics #590-591; Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3 #37-38 September 2005 978-1401204556
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 5 Superman vol. 2 #9-11; Adventures of Superman #432-435; Action Comics #592-593 November 2006 978-1401209483
Superman: The Man of Steel Volume 6 Superman vol. 2 #12, Superman Annual #1; Adventures of Superman Annual #1; Action Comics #594-595, Action Comics Annual #1; Booster Gold #23 March 2008 978-1401216795
The Death of Clark Kent Superman vol. 2 #99-102; Superman: The Man of Steel #43-46; Action Comics #709-711; and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #1 May 1997 TPB 978-1563893230
Our Worlds at War[N 1] Superman vol. 2 #171-173; Action Comics #780-782; The Adventures of Superman #593-595; Impulse #77; JLA: Our Worlds at War #1; Superboy #91; Supergirl #59: Superman: The Man of Steel #115-117; Wonder Woman #172-173; World's Finest Comics: Our Worlds at War #1; and Young Justice #36 June 2006 TPB 978-1401211295
Godfall Superman vol. 2 #202-203; Action Comics #812-813; and The Adventures of Superman #625-626 September 2004 TPB 978-1840239195
HC 978-1401203764
For Tomorrow Volume 1 Superman vol. 2 #204-209 August 2005 TPB 978-1401203528
HC 978-1401203511
For Tomorrow Volume 2 Superman vol. 2 #210-215 August 2005 TPB 978-1401204488
HC 978-1401207151
  1. ^ Collects Our Worlds at War Book 1 (ISBN 978-1563899157) and Our Worlds at War Book 2 (ISBN 978-1563899164), both published in September 2002

Reception

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Martin A. Stever reviewed Superman Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer No. 83.[33] Stever commented that "Byrne has made Superman human enough that we can understand and like him. Thank you John Byrne for making Superman super again".[33]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1980s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. For the second time in his history, Superman's self-titled comic saw a first issue...a new series was introduced...written and drawn by the prolific Byrne.
  2. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 226: "The original Superman title had adopted the new title The Adventures of Superman but continued the original numbering of its long and storied history".
  3. ^ Byrne, John (w), Byrne, John (p), Austin, Terry (i). "Heart of Stone" Superman, vol. 2, no. 1 (January 1987).
  4. ^ Byrne, John (w), Byrne, John (p), Kesel, Karl (i). "The Name Game" Superman, vol. 2, no. 11 (November 1987).
  5. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 233: "Making her debut on the final page of Superman #16, Supergirl sped back into her cousin's busy life thanks to writer/artist John Byrne".
  6. ^ Ordway, Jerry (w), Jurgens, Dan; Breeding, Brett; Gammill, Kerry; Swan, Curt; Ordway, Jerry; Byrne, John (p), Breeding, Brett; Janke, Dennis; Byrne, John; Ordway, Jerry (i). "Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite, Part 4: The Human Factor" Superman, vol. 2, no. 50 (December 1990).
  7. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 247: "When [Clark Kent] proposed to his longtime love Lois Lane, he did so in a modest fashion...Lois accepted and comic book history was made, served up by writer/artist Jerry Ordway".
  8. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Jurgens, Dan (p), Barreto, Eduardo (i). "Intergang --No More!" Superman, vol. 2, no. 60 (October 1991).
  9. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 253: "In this seven-part adventure...writers Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, and Louise Simonson, with artists Brett Breeding, Tom Grummett, Jon Bogdanove, and Bob McLeod assembled many of DC's favorite characters to defend the world".
  10. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Jurgen, Dan (p), Breeding, Brett (i). "The Death of Superman, Part 7: Doomsday!" Superman, vol. 2, no. 75 (January 1993).
  11. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 258: "In Superman #75...DC had killed their icon...in a dramatic finale delivered in splash images and written and drawn by artist Dan Jurgens, with finishes by Brett Breeding".
  12. ^ Daniels, Les (1995). "The Death of Superman A Hero Is Put Out of Action". DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. New York, New York: Bulfinch Press. p. 218. ISBN 0821220764. Literally millions of people who didn't usually buy comics wanted a copy of Superman #75, which had been shipped to comics shops on November 18, 1992 in a special bagged and sealed edition that also included a promotional poster and a black memorial armband.
  13. ^ Pasko, Martin (2008). The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the DC Universe. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0762432578. National media coverage resulted in skyrocketing sales, and the 'Death of Superman' storyline was treated as if it meant the end of an American institution.
  14. ^ Burns, Kevin (director) (June 20, 2006). Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman (Film documentary). Warner Home Video.
  15. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Jurgens, Dan (p), Rubinstein, Joe (i). "Home!" Superman, vol. 2, no. 93 (September 1994).
  16. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Frenz, Ron (p), Rubinstein, Joe (i). "Sanctuary" Superman, vol. 2, no. 117 (November 1996).
  17. ^ Verheiden, Mark (w), Benes, Ed (p), Benes, Mariah (i). "Stones" Superman, vol. 2, no. 223 (January 2006).
  18. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 279: "In Superman #123...Superman debuted his new blue-and-white costume with a little help from scripter Dan Jurgens and penciller Ron Frenz".
  19. ^ Loeb, Jeph (w), McKone, Mike (p), Alquiza, Marlo (i). "Say Goodbye" Superman, vol. 2, no. 153 (February 2000).
  20. ^ Loeb, Jeph (w), McGuinness, Ed (p), Smith, Cam (i). "Superman Arkham Part 1: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World !" Superman, vol. 2, no. 160 (September 2000).
  21. ^ Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 296: "A nine-part saga that stretched over all the Superman titles, starting in Superman #160 with script by Jeph Loeb and art by Ed McGuinness".
  22. ^ Loeb, Jeph (w), Harris, Tony (p), Snyder, Ray (i). "Triumph Over Tragedy" Superman: Lex 2000, no. 1 (January 2001).
  23. ^ Cowsill "2000s" in Dolan, p. 300: "The multipart story 'Our Worlds at War' dominated the Superman books for the August and September [2001] cover dates...The opening chapter, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuinness, began with Superman investigating the missing Pluto".
  24. ^ Loeb, Jeph (w), McGuinness, Ed (p), Smith, Cam (i). "Death Be Not Proud" Superman, vol. 2, no. 172 (September 2001).
  25. ^ Loeb, Jeph (w), Lieber, Steve (p), Lieber, Steve (i). "Every Blade of Grass" Superman, vol. 2, no. 174 (November 2001).
  26. ^ Sauriol, Patrick (July 29, 2003). "Jim Lee to draw Superman". Mania.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  27. ^ Azzarello, Brian (w), Lee, Jim (p), Williams, Scott (i). "For Tomorrow, Part One" Superman, vol. 2, no. 204 (June 2004).
  28. ^ Azzarello, Brian (w), Lee, Jim (p), Williams, Scott (i). "For Tomorrow, Part Twelve" Superman, vol. 2, no. 215 (May 2005).
  29. ^ Azzarello, Brian; Lee, Jim (2009). Absolute Superman: For Tomorrow. Vol. 1. DC Comics. p. 328. ISBN 978-1-4012-2198-0.
  30. ^ Superman vol. 2 at the Grand Comics Database
  31. ^ Busiek, Kurt and Johns, Geoff (w), Woods, Pete (p), Woods, Pete (i). "Up, Up, and Away! Chapter one Mortal Men" Superman, no. 650 (May 2006).
  32. ^ Byrne, John (w), Frenz, Ron (p), Breeding, Brett (i). "Tears for Titano!" Superman Annual, vol. 2, no. 1 (1987).
  33. ^ a b Stever, Martin A. (October–November 1988). "The Ruler". Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer (83). World Wide Wargames: 28.
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