The Poppies of Terra #60 - Pulsing Through Superman's History

Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, inspired by works like Philip Wylie’s Gladiator (1930), debuted in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), 87 years ago. In a numerical coincidence, at the time of release of James Gunn’s new Superman last week, Action Comics hit issue #1087. Much has already been written about the film, not just a standalone superhero adventure but the start of a new DC film universe, and a course correction after recent misfires

Gunn has named specific stories that have influenced his vision (All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? by Alan Moore and Curt Swan, Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, among others). Yet Gunn’s take is more than homage. It’s a summation of countless runs, filtered through his distinctive sensibility. Rather than offer another movie review, I want to engage with the idea of historical amalgamation by providing a fly-by of Superman’s nine decades in comics.

Due to the character’s long publication history across multiple titles, crossovers, and miniseries, he’s now appeared in well over 3,000 comic book issues. Clearly, Superman’s history is too vast to tackle systematically in this space. But Action Comics marks his origin, and continues with the original numbering sequence in place today, making it a fitting title to look at. And since it started chronicling the Man of Tomorrow’s feats 87 years ago, and was up to issue #1087 at the movie’s premiere, why not check in on Superman at 87-issue intervals? 

Think of this as a pulsar view of comic book history, with bursts of light spaced 87 issues apart.

Up, up, and away:

• Action Comics #1 (1938), "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed" – The beginning! On an old distant planet facing destruction, a scientist sends his infant son to Earth, where he’s found and raised in an orphanage as Clark Kent, displaying superhuman abilities. As Superman, he dedicates his life to helping humanity, saving an innocent woman from execution and stopping a wife-beater. Working as a reporter at the Daily Star, Clark hides his identity, even pretending to be weak to protect his secret, earning Lois Lane’s derision for his feebleness. While on a date with Lois, he rescues her from thugs as Superman, leaving her amazed, but still cold toward Clark. Clark then travels to Washington D.C., where he discovers that a lobbyist is corrupting a Senator. Solution? Grab the lobbyist and scare him. The issue actually ends on a cliffhanger. “Make yourself comfortable!” are Superman’s first words. “I haven’t time to attend to it.” It might seem a little brusque, but once the identity of the person he’s addressing is revealed–a confessed murderer–it makes sense. It figures that Superman’s first order of business is saving an innocent person’s life and he doesn’t have time for niceties with a killer.

• Action Comics #88 (1945),"The Adventure of the Stingy Men" – Meet Hocus (aka Doc) and Pocus (aka Flannelhead), "super magicians"–and detectives. Henry Weston hires the duo, and since they decide to purchase war bonds with the proceeds, Superman decides to help them put on a great show. Con artist Roger "Nifty" Nolan witnesses the amazing display (powered secretly by Superman's abilities) and decides to exploit the duo's naivete, planning to use their magic abilities to scare a group of miserly rich men, the "Stingy Men" of the title, to donate a chunk of their savings and then rip them off. Superman becomes aware of the plan but still helps Hocus and Pocus because the ultimate cause of setting up a foundling home is worthy. In the end Superman exposes Nolan’s scheme and makes sure the misers’ wealth is applied towards the promised goal. During one of the more outrageous "magic" acts, Superman actually lifts up one of the Sphinxes and throws it at a miser!

• Action Comics #175 (1952), "5 Against Superman" – Superman faces a gang of super-crooks led by John Vinden, who possesses a "super brain." Other abilities present in the group, all the handiwork of Vinden's mad genius, include pill-enabled super-strength, suit-facilitated flight, microscopic/telescopic/X-ray vision, and invulnerability to bullets. The five use this advanced tech to rob Metropolis and match Superman's own skills. But with Lois Lane's help, Superman is able to outwit the criminals, exposing their scheme and using their own devices against them to foil their plans. "Does anybody have to remind you there's only one man who's really super?" muses a bystander in the closing panel while Superman takes the five into custody.

• Action Comics #262 (1960), "When Superman Lost His Powers!" & "Supergirl's Greatest Victory" – Superman, as Clark Kent, along with Lois, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White, investigates a strange Aztec tomb which transports the group to a different world where the sun is red. There, Clark Kent is weakened, becoming an ordinary mortal. As Superman he fakes superhuman feats, protecting the group while maintaining his secret identity. In a second story, which I'll mention because it's connected, Supergirl experiments with Kryptonite, reasoning that small, gradual exposure might grant immunity, just like with the polio vaccine. Ultimately it doesn't quite work out as planned. The issue introduces the idea that Superman gets his powers from Earth’s yellow sun while his home planet of Krypton orbits a red sun. That became the permanent explanation for Superman’s powerset going forward, and there's a humorous reference to that bit of lore, in the context of Supergirl, in a post-credits scene of James Gunn's film. This issue also features giant insects, flame-breathing flying dragons, monstrous spiders, and a metal-eater–what's not to love?

• Action Comics #349 (1967), "The Face of Fear" – The cover sure looks like it features a mummy. More on that in a second. A mad scientist named Kane devises an experiment–Project Green–to defeat Superman: liquefying green kryptonite, Kane will replace his blood with liquid K over a period of time, giving his body time to adjust. Thus is born Dr. Kryptonite! (His motivation is $2M for defeating Sup. In one panel the baddie imagines himself ruling over his own island as King Kane). The mummy beating Superman in the ring? Dr. Kryptonite, hiding his green glow beneath the bandage wrap. Superman creates lead armor to prevent his exposure to Dr. Kryptonite's powers, but fails to stop him when the villain shatters his suit. In a total deus ex machina ending, aliens from a green vegetation world called Flordis mistake Dr. Kryptonite for one of their own because of his skin hue, and take him away. Interestingly, there's a plot element from this story that shows up in Gunn's film. Dr. Kryptonite first tests his powers by weakening Krypto, Superman’s dog, who gets his own thought bubbles and is training other dogs in his K-9 College. As in Gunn’s movie, it’s Superman's desire to rescue the kidnapped Krypto that drives his main motivation in the second half of the story.

• Action Comics #436 (1974), "Superman: The Super-Cigars of Perry White!" – Two mutants teleport to Earth and beam some special cigars into Perry White's office as a show of gratitude for White's help in liberating them from the "Madman Calixto" in a previous adventure. Right after, Superman is rushing to work, making a casual mention of flying back from the Sirius system and almost being late to his day job because of various space warps along the way.... White, it turns out, has won his third Pulitzer Prize, and en route to the ceremonies discovers he has incredible powers. "Great Cesar's Ghost!" Perry White exclaims, as a plane he and Clark are on begins to tumble from the sky, and he's able to fly out and set it gently down, Superman-style. Later, Superman neutralizes an underground nuclear reactor powering a vehicle meant to defeat him, and he and White briefly team up. White eventually figures out his powers come from the enhanced cigars, and decides to save the last one in a strongbox for a day when he absolutely needs it.

• Action Comics #523 (1981), "Steve Lombard's Double Life!" – A tentacled alien with six eyes arrives and claims that Steve Lombard, from the Daily Planet, is his brother, disguised as a human since birth and unaware of his true origins. The alien needs his brother's help because he's dying. Superman gets a hold of Steve's parents and his findings indicate that they are not biologically related. Following the alien back to his homeworld, Steve returns to Earth drained of his athletic prowess. Superman senses foul play and investigates affairs on the alien's home world, discovering an elaborate ruse. Using "a trick taught to me by my friend the Flash," Superman is able to prevent his own nucleic energy from being drained, and manages to get Steve's powers restored.

• Action Comics #610 (1988), "Show and Tell"– In this intriguing two-page splash, part of a continuing story about a man named Bob Galt, Clark convinces Bob, who initially only wants to talk to Superman, that it will be safe to speak with him and Perry White. In White's office, Galt reveals he has been targeted because of his religious beliefs: his god is none other than Superman. In the last panel, Galt demonstrates a sort of psychic projection, an ability he claims he gained "through learning the way of the one, true Superman." 

• Action Comics #697 (1994), "War of the Super Powers" – Superman visits a dying Lex Luthor, who reveals his scientist created the clone Bizarro to cure his illness, but when WLEX news reports Bizarro in Midway City, Superman confronts him, leading to a destructive battle where Bizarro’s enhanced strength and intelligence surprise Superman. Their fight culminates in Superman launching Bizarro into space to protect Metropolis. A confused Bizarro, seeking something familiar, leaves orbit, however, and heads to Smallville, where he kidnaps Lana Lang. This prompts another brutal fight with Superman, who eventually knocks Bizarro out with a powerful punch and carries him away. Meanwhile, Lana, reflecting on her engagement to Pete Ross and her feelings for Clark, decides she cannot have a normal life with Clark and chooses to marry Pete as soon as possible. This is probably the most dramatic shift in tone and aesthetic yet, featuring a story that relies on visual hyper-stylization and violent action for its primary impact. Superman’s appearance is also noticeably different, with a bulked-up physique and the infamous mullet of the period. 

• Action Comics #784 (2001), "Joker: Last Laugh: Whose Mind is it Anyways?" – During a late-night rendezvous with Lois, Clark detects chaos in Metropolis, where folks are turning green and going insane due to the return of the Joker in his Emperor persona. This forces Superman to leave and join up with Batman, who is hovering in the Batwing nearby. Together they confront the crisis caused by a Jokerized Green Lantern with the mind of a thirteen-year-old. Superman taunts Green Lantern, who unleashes a destructive wave that appears to kill Batman, but Batman, unharmed, administers an anti-Joker serum, neutralizing Green Lantern and revealing the attack was aimed at Superman. Later, Superman apologizes to Batman for the Spectre removing his memories of the Emperor Joker ordeal. Batman is miffed. “My pain is my weapon!” he declares. “My armor!” In a demonstration of dark humor, Batman hits Superman with cruise missiles, and warns him that he’ll eventually face the consequences of those lost memories. You can tell we’re in the 2000s. The last few panels of this issue carry emotional resonance, but the overall focus is heavily on action and spectacle, wrapped up in increasingly byzantine lore and continuity.

• Action Comics #871 (2009), "New Krypton, Part IV: Beyond Doomsday" – In New York City, two Kandorians, Gor and Mur, observe Earth life with disdain for Superman’s opposition to General Zod, ignoring a car crash and flying away. General Sam Lane frees Lex Luthor to research Brainiac and develop anti-Kryptonian defenses, shooting Lex in the shoulder to assert control after Lex taunts him about Lois. In Metropolis, Superman and Supergirl, joined by other Kryptonians, battle Doomsday, evacuating civilians and ultimately defeating the monster on the moon, but the Kandorians’ enthusiastic violence worries Superman and Supergirl. Meanwhile, Gor and Mur infiltrate the Fortress of Solitude to free Zod using the Phantom Zone Projector, only to be ambushed and stopped by Nightwing and Flamebird. The number of characters continues to multiply with each interval. Favorite line: “Smile, Doomsday,” says Supergirl, “you’re about to meet the Superman family.”

• Action Comics #958 (2016), "Path of Doom, Part Two" – Superman teams up with Lex Luthor to battle Doomsday in Metropolis, following bizarre events including the death of his Prime Earth counterpart, Lex claiming to be his successor (“SuperLex”), and a mysterious stranger posing as Clark Kent. As they fight, Doomsday shows surprising strategic thinking, overpowering Superman and later strangling Lex after breaking his armor. Lois and Jon watch from safety, and Jimmy questions the new Clark, who refuses to help, claiming he’s no longer a hero. Mr. Oz observes the chaos from afar, plotting to exploit the situation, while Superman saves a train, leaving his next move uncertain as Doomsday gains the upper hand. By this point in the run, isolated issues are almost incomprehensible out of context.

• Action Comics #1045 (2022), "Warworld Revolution, Part Three" – Mongul's forces, led by the Unmade—Darling, OMAC, Apollo, and Black Razor—attack a rebel fortress, prompting Superman to split his team: Midnighter, Khaljo, Manchester Black, and Enchantress defend the Necropolis camp, while Steel, Orphan, and Leonath infiltrate a Star Forge to restore Superman’s powers and free up the Phaelosians. Superman and Kryl-Ux seek the Fire of Olgrun. At the Star Forge, Teacher and a reprogrammed Darling ambush Steel’s team, with Darling’s technofamiliar attacking them. In the Necropolis, Superman, accompanied by Kryl-Ux, Osul-Ra, and Otho-Ra, confronts Byla, a servant of the Old Gods, who transforms into a monster and challenges Superman to prove his worthiness to claim the Fire of Olgrun and become “master of Warworld.” Yes, my head is also spinning.

• Bonus: Action Comics #1087 (2025), "Birthday" – At the Expo of Tomorrow in Metropolis, Superman surprises visiting children with safe flight rings from the Legion of Super-Heroes, delighting Perry White, who credits the expo's revival for boosting tourism. Clark secretly enjoys the event by blending in as a civilian, reminiscing about his first expo visit with his parents when he was fifteen. During that outing, young Clark, urged by his parents to keep a low profile, faced Raze, a violent anti-technology zealot, and, despite his inexperience, subdued him by creating a tornado, revealing his powers publicly for the first time. The event drew the attention of a mysterious cloaked group, who assigned General Sam Lane to investigate, and an unnamed man, perceiving Clark as a threat, took flight, hinting at future conflicts. This one, subtitled “The All-New Adventures of Superboy,” is in stark contrast with the preceding issues: the spotlight is once more on character development, the art is more pristine and restrained, and back-to-basics myth-building and nostalgia pervade the panels. 

While looking at a mere 14 issues out of 1087 gives us only a tiny sample size, we can nevertheless see clear changes happening through the decades. And with the help of some broader comic book history, we can piece together a, if you will, super high-level summary. 

The Golden Age (1938–1940s) ushers in a Superman who acts primarily as a socially-driven reformer. His powers are limited (leaping, strength, toughness) and he tackles street-level injustices. The narratives are grounded and populist. But over time, he evolves into a morally infallible, nearly omnipotent symbol of truth, justice, and American idealism. During the Silver Age (1950s–1960s), his powers escalate (flight, heat vision, and so on), a Kryptonian backstory featuring Jor-El, Lara, and others is shaped, and a rich alien mythology ensues. Stories adopt a more whimsical, sci-fi tone, introducing Supergirl, Bizarro, and colorful Kryptonite variants.

As the years pass, Superman’s abilities continue to increase: time travel, multiverse travel, god-tier strength. He becomes a cosmic figure. So an adjustment is called for. Between the Bronze Age and Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths periods (1970s–1980s), Superman’s near-omnipotence is toned down, and Clark Kent’s humanity is foregrounded once more. The Man of Steel reboot (1986) modernizes Superman’s origin, strengthens emotional ties to the Kents, and reroots his world in realism. Through the 1990s and 2000s, stories–like The Death of Superman and Kingdom Come–become more epic again, albeit now exploring mortality, legacy, and the relationship between heroes and the public at large. Superman’s Kryptonian heritage resurfaces in updated form, arcs like Return to Krypton reintroduce Silver Age elements, and Clark’s relationship with Lois Lane matures into marriage. Stories question the burden of being Superman in a complex, often cynical world (e.g. Grounded, For Tomorrow). Finally, between the 2010s and the present, the New 52 reimagines Superman as younger and more alienated, and Rebirth restores his classic role as husband, father, and moral center. By 2025, Superman has come to embody timeless heroism within a modern, globally aware, even multiversal context, often acting as a vector for themes of inclusivity and diversity. His is a mantle donned by both new characters (e.g., Jon Kent as Superman) and alternate versions of himself.

With all this in mind, it’s easier to appreciate the unique niche Gunn’s Superman is trying to carve out for itself, one that restores Superman the icon to his optimistic, resplendent self, while recontouring the world around him with Silver Age strands of exuberant kinetics and moments of goofy comedic relief. As has happened cyclically in the comics, our live-action film Superman steadily shifted towards the “Super” part of the equation over the last decade, and now Gunn strives to rebalance the myth, nudging him firmly back towards the “man.” But in the end, of course, despite furnishing himself with pastoral nobility and internalizing human values of sacrifice and duty, the Metropolis Marvel, the Caped Kryptonian, the Action Ace, the Last Son of Krypton, the Big Blue Boy Scout, the Champion of the Oppressed, the Red and Blue Blur, the Son of Jor-El, the World's Greatest Hero, or however you wish to describe him, remains tantalizingly not one of our kind.