This is part 1 of my 24-part-series „Super-Heroes: Best Place to start“ [Link to the complete list… here!].

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You’re interested in Superman [Link] / Clark Kent [Link]?

To me, the best place to start is:

„Superman for all Seasons“ by Joeph Loeb (Writing) and Tim Sale (Art), a trade paperback collection [Link] published in 1999.

• reviews on Goodreads [Link]
• buy it on Amazon.de [Link]

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What’s the appeal of… Clark Kent?

Clark won a Pulitzer for his work at the „Daily Planet“. He’s a self-aware, fiercely idealistic advocate. A loving husband. And a constant, smart reminder that we can change our worlds… once we harness our power, and work towards our best.

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3 other books, good for beginners:

• Superman: Birthright [Mark Waid, Link]
• Superman: Up, up and away! [Kurt Busiek, Link]
• Superman: Secret Identity [Kurt Busiek, Link]

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good books for advanced readers:

• Superman: Red Son [Mark Millar, Link]
• Superman: Last Son [Geoff Johns, Link]
• The Death and Life of Superman [Roger Stern, novel, Link]

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sub-par or disappointing books:

• All-Star Superman [Grant Morrison, Link]
• Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Jeph Loeb, Link]
• Superman: Earth One [J. Michael Straczynski, Link]
• Superman: For tomorrow [Brian Azzarello, Link]
• Superman: Strange Attractors [Gail Simone, Link]

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common problems / grievances in „Superman“ books:

• …endless fistfights / brawls with brutish, one-dimensional monsters, mutants and aliens.
• …extremely likeable side characters… who have nothing to do and hardly change or evolve.
• Every month, „Batman“ has nearly one dozen of interconnected, complex titles with a variety of fully fleshed-out bat-characters working in Gotham City. „Superman“ does not have that kind of editorial attention / worldbuilding / energy.

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Is the current monthly „Superman“ book, launched in September 2011, any good?

Yes. Grant Morrison’s „Action Comic“ is a faced-paced, engaging starting point for new readers. „Superman“ is a little wooden, talky and old-fashioned… but likeable, too.

Interested in other comic book heroes?

I’d recommend „Supergirl“, „Wonder Woman“ and „Green Arrow“.

Here’s my full list [Link]!

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related Links:

• 30 years with „Green Lantern“: my interview with Sally Pascale, blogger, feminist and suburban comic book reader [Link]
• An industry in crisis: my interview with CEB, comic book critic at „Collected Editions“ [Link]
• September 2011: all 52 new DC books – read and reviewed [Link]

my German comic book journalism:

• Green Arrow und Black Canary: „Helden auf der Kücheninsel“ [Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• Supergirl: „Mit dem Kopf voran“ [Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• Starman: „Alles ist erleuchtet [Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• Wonder Woman: „Stolz und Vorurteil [Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]

• „Trinity“ [Kurt Busiek, Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• „All-Star Superman“ [Grant Morrison, Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• „Flash: Rebirth“ [Geoff Johns, Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]
• „Green Lantern“ [Geoff Johns u.a., Berliner Tagesspiegel, Link]