Superman

First appearance of Superman — Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster create the superhero. Kal-El lifts a car on the most famous comic cover ever drawn. The birth of an entire genre. The most valuable comic book in existence.

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Second Superman appearance — Clark Kent and Lois Lane's dynamic is established. Superman tackles social injustice. The template for superhero storytelling is set.

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First Superman solo title — the Man of Steel gets his own series. Retells his origin from Krypton. One of the most valuable Golden Age comics alongside Action Comics #1.

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Second cover appearance of Superman — early Action Comics with Superman covers are among the most valuable Golden Age keys.

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First appearance of Lex Luthor — Superman's greatest enemy debuts. The bald genius who believes Superman is holding humanity back. One of the most important villain debuts in comics.

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Classic Golden Age Superman — the patriotic wartime era. Superman becomes an American icon during World War II.

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First appearance of Mr. Mxyzptlk — the fifth-dimensional imp who can only be defeated by tricking him into saying his name backwards. One of Superman's most unique villains.

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First appearance of Supergirl — Kara Zor-El arrives on Earth. Superman discovers he is not the last Kryptonian. One of the most important DC Silver Age keys.

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First Kryptonite in comics — the radioactive remnants of Krypton that can kill Superman debut. The most famous weakness in all of fiction.

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First appearance of Krypto — Superman's super-dog from Krypton. The most beloved super-pet in comics.

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First Superman/Batman team-up — the World's Finest duo meets for the first time. They discover each other's secret identities. The most important DC friendship begins.

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First appearance of Brainiac — the alien android collector who shrinks and steals cities, including Kandor. Also first appearance of the Bottle City of Kandor.

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First Fortress of Solitude — Superman's Arctic headquarters debuts. The crystalline sanctuary becomes iconic across every version of Superman.

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Proto-Supergirl story — a precursor to Kara Zor-El's debut. A magical "Super-Girl" appears before the real Supergirl arrives.

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First adult Bizarro — the imperfect duplicate of Superman. Bizarro World and Bizarro logic become beloved Silver Age absurdity.

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First Lois Lane — the intrepid reporter debuts alongside Superman. Their romance becomes the most famous love story in comics.

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First Jimmy Olsen solo title — Superman's best friend and Daily Planet photographer gets his own series. The cub reporter's wild Silver Age adventures begin.

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First Lois Lane solo title — the reporter gets her own ongoing series. Lois is the star, not the damsel. A landmark for female characters in comics.

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Superman marries Lois Lane — in the post-Crisis continuity, Clark proposes. Their wedding eventually happens in Superman: The Wedding Album (1996).

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Death of Supergirl — Kara Zor-El dies fighting the Anti-Monitor. One of the most emotionally devastating moments in DC history. George Pérez draws the iconic cover.

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Crisis concludes — the DC multiverse is collapsed into a single universe. Superman's continuity is reset, leading to John Byrne's reboot.

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John Byrne reboots Superman — the definitive post-Crisis origin. Byrne modernizes Clark Kent, Krypton, Lex Luthor, and the entire Superman mythology. The most influential Superman relaunch.

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Byrne's Man of Steel concludes — the complete modern origin is established. Lex Luthor reimagined as a corrupt billionaire. The foundation of Superman for the next 25 years.

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Post-Crisis Superman ongoing begins — Byrne writes and draws. The modern Superman era starts here. New continuity, new rules, same hero.

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First appearance of Doomsday — the monster that kills Superman debuts. A mindless killing machine bred on ancient Krypton. One of the most significant modern DC keys.

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The Death of Superman — Doomsday kills the Man of Steel in a battle across Metropolis. The black polybagged issue. The best-selling comic of the 1990s. Superman dies in Lois Lane's arms. A cultural event.

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Reign of the Supermen begins — four beings claim to be Superman: Steel, Superboy, the Eradicator, and Cyborg Superman. The mystery of which is the real Superman drives DC's biggest event.

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Reign of the Supermen continues — the four replacement Supermen compete for the mantle. Cyborg Superman reveals his villainous nature.

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Superman returns — the real Clark Kent comes back from the dead in a black suit with a mullet. The Return of Superman completes the trilogy. The Man of Steel lives again.

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First Lex Luthor — the greatest Superman villain debuts. Originally a mad scientist, later reimagined as a corrupt billionaire. Superman's intellectual opposite.

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First Brainiac — the alien android who collects cities. Also first Bottle City of Kandor. A major Silver Age key.

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First Mr. Mxyzptlk — the fifth-dimensional trickster. Say his name backwards to send him home. Unique among Superman's rogues.

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First adult Bizarro — Superman's imperfect duplicate. Everything is opposite on Bizarro World.

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First Doomsday — the only villain to kill Superman. A Kryptonian-bred engine of destruction.

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All-Star Superman begins — Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely create the definitive Superman story. Superman is dying from solar overload and must complete twelve labors. The greatest Superman story ever told.

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All-Star Superman #10 — "Neverending" features Superman saving a suicidal teenager. The single most emotionally powerful scene in Superman history. Morrison and Quitely at their absolute peak.

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Mark Waid's Birthright — a modern retelling of Superman's origin. Waid captures what makes Clark Kent heroic beyond his powers. Leinil Francis Yu art.

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New 52 Superman — Grant Morrison relaunches Action Comics. A younger, angrier Superman in a t-shirt and jeans. Morrison reimagines the Golden Age energy for a new era.

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Rebirth Superman — the pre-Flashpoint Superman returns with Lois and their son Jon. Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason deliver a Superman who is a father. The best modern Superman run.

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First Supergirl — Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, arrives on Earth. He is no longer the last Kryptonian. A universe-expanding debut.

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First Krypto — Superman's loyal super-dog from Krypton. The most beloved pet in comics.

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Jon Kent is born — Clark and Lois's son is born during Convergence. The next generation of the Superman legacy begins.

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Super Sons — Jon Kent and Damian Wayne's friendship is established. Tomasi writes the sons of Superman and Batman as the next World's Finest.

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Jon Kent becomes Superman — Clark's son takes the mantle. Tom Taylor writes the next generation. Jon comes out as bisexual in issue #5, making global headlines.

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First Justice League of America — Superman is a founding member alongside Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter. DC's premier superteam.

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First Superman/Batman team-up — the World's Finest partnership begins. The most iconic duo in comics share a story for the first time.

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Justice League International — Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis relaunch the League. Superman's role evolves across different incarnations of the team.

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Kingdom Come — Mark Waid and Alex Ross paint a future where an older Superman comes out of retirement. Ross's photorealistic art defines Superman's iconic presence. A masterpiece.

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The holy grail of all comics — first appearance of Superman. The most valuable comic book in the world. The book that created the superhero genre. A CGC 9.0 sold for over $6 million.

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First Superman solo title — one of the most valuable Golden Age comics. The Man of Steel's own series begins.

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First Supergirl — a major Silver Age DC key. Elevated by the Supergirl TV show and films.

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Death of Superman — the best-selling comic of the 90s. Black polybagged edition. A cultural landmark.

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Morrison and Quitely's masterpiece — the greatest Superman story ever told. Essential modern collecting.

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Byrne's reboot — the definitive modern Superman origin. The most influential Superman relaunch.

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