Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Comic Book Recommendations

looking for comic book experts!

I've been a fan of Superman since LNC's birth in 1993 and of course I've been with the fandom ever since. I wasn't much of a comic book reader, even though I read some here and there. My interest in comic books has started to perk while reading, "Wizard Magazine." I'm also thinking a comic book review from a "Comic Book Virgin," might make for an interesting column in FFS.

What I'm looking for is a list of Superman and Batman comics to read because those are the two genres I'm most interested in. I'd like this list to include issue #s because I don't want to feel overwhelmed on where to start. Isn't Superman turning 70 this year?!? That's a lot of ground to cover! lol

Unfortunately, Superman and Batman aren't my comic book strong suits, particularly if you want to go back more than a few years.

And, as you've said, there are decades of both, and for most, if not all, of that time there were multiple books starring each of those characters being put out every month (and sometimes another book featuring both of them for good measure). The characters, their stories, and just about everything else have changed quite a bit over time, and the different books, even running at the same time, often had different takes, focusing on different aspects.

The good news is that there are TPBs or "trade paperbacks." They collect multiple issues into a single book. You can get entire storylines collected to be read at once or you can get editor's choice anthologies with samplings covering a given era or theme. You can buy paperbacks with titles like "Batman In The 70s" or "The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told" or "Batman: The Long Halloween". The first will give you a nice overview of the era, with selected stories giving you key turning points, representative stories, and outstanding issues. The second will give you, well, pretty much what it says... a sampling of what the editor considers the best stories from across the decades which feature the Joker. The third will give you the named story (in this case, "The Long Halloween") collected in proper order for one easy read. Unlike the other two, it'll give you consecutive issues from one specific time, so that you can read the longer story they tell.

You'll also be able to find some neat Elseworlds novels like "Superman: Red Son" and "Speeding Bullets". Stories which give us a look at how things could have been under different circumstances.

As for specific story recommendations... I don't really know your tastes well enough. I don't know what you're looking for. I think you're better off picking up some of the broad-range TPBs first, learning what eras and styles you like, and then looking for more specific ones that fall into similar categories.

Oooh! I, uh, I have a list!

/scrambles to find it amidst the ton of files in that Superman folder on her HD...

/groans! I can't find it.

I, uh.. I'll come back later and post some recs, once I've gone back downstairs and am sitting near the bookcase, where all my TPB are.

Hmmmmm...let's see. For Superman I would recommend:

1) The Man of Steel (1-6) mini-series from 1986
2) Superman - Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow by Alan Moore
3) Superman Annual #11 - For the Man Who Has Everything
4) Superman: Secret Identity (1-4)
5) Death of Superman
6) Rebirth of Superman
7) Superman #205-215 (Azzarello and Lee run)

Personally, I'm a sucker for the 70's Superman so I think there's a lot of good stuff out from that time, but the above list is full of great stories from the 1980's on.

As for Batman:

1) Batman - Year 1
2) Batman - Year 2
3) Batman - Year 3
4) Batman - Dark Knight Returns
5) Batman - Hush (#608-618)
6) Batman - A Death in the Family
7) Batman - Under the Hood (#635-638)

And for Superman/Batman I think:

1) Kingdom Come

...is one of the best reads out there.

Superman #423,old series, 1986
This was the last issue before Superman was revampedby John Byrne. The "old" Superman is made to retire. He loses his powers, his job at the Daily Planet, his Clark Kent identity, as well as Jimmy and Perry. The only thing and the only person that he doesn't lose is... Lois.

World's Finest (1990) [3 parts]
This is a Superman/Batman crossover. It is great, I think. Lois is part of the story, and there is a delightful feeling that she and Clark may just be on the verge of building a real relationship.

Superman #50 (1990)
Clark proposes to Lois in the comics.

Action Comics #662 (February 1991)
Clark reveals to Lois that he is Superman. Better late than never.

Speeding Bullets (1993)
A delightful Elseworlds tale where little Kal-El landed in Gotham City and was adopted by the Waynes. They were killed when their little Bruce was about eight. Bruce Kal-El Wayne struggles with his dark and troubled memories and grows up to become a superpowered vigilante, but a woman enters his world and brings him light and solace: Lois Lane.

Funeral for a Friend arc: Lots of titles from 1993. There is probably a graphic novel. Superman is dead, Lois grieves. Really moving.

Then there were a lot of titles about the eventual return of Superman. I recommend Adventures of Superman #505! Clark finally returns to Lois. It's very sweet and sexy!

Superman: The Wedding Album (1996)
Well, sigh. It isn't very good.

A long arc from 1998 beginning with The Adventures of Superman #558 (number 22) and ending, sort of, with Superman #139 (number 39). Much of this is a rather delightful Silver Age spoof. If you want to know what the Superman comics were like in the Silver Age, in the 50s and 60s, this is fun to read. Also, it is a tribute to Clark and Lois's love for one another.

Superman One Million, Superman, The The Man of Tomorrow (1998)
A story of the dynasty founded by Lois and Superman, and a nice tribute to their love. (Very a-plotty, though.)

Superman, King of The World (1999)
This is the final part of a long arc. I only have the final part. I like it a lot. Lois is being very heroic, and she plays a big part saving Superman from his enemies. The final page is adorable.

Son of Superman (1999)
An Elseworlds story about Clark and Lois's son. The Lois and Clark part of the story is nice, too.

Last Rites! Superman, the Man of Tomorrow #15 (1999)
A moving story about how Kismet steals Lois away from Clark and wipes his memories of her, but how he gets her back against all odds.

Superman: Where is Thy Sting? (2001)
A moving story addressing the mortality of the Universe and the immortality of Superman. Somehow Clark gets Lois back in the end.

Superman #212 (February 2005)
Wowzers, is this one sexy! Probably the sexiest Superman comic you will ever come across.

Ann

A lot of good recomendations. I'll have to take a look at some of my books to find actual issue numbers, but for Superman, the period of the late eighties and early nineties was considered a high point in recent Superman history.

There is a trade paperback out there with a photo cover of Teri and Dean as Lois and Clark which contains several stories which supposedly focus on the 'relationship' aspect of the pair. It finishes with the proposal.

The best Batman story is the graphic novel "Killing Joke".

Tank (who agrees that perusing the trades and graphic novel section of your local comic shop is a good way to get a sampling of what's available)

I'm lucky to have a library with a nice graphic novel collection.

It actually includes "Killing Joke," which surprised me. It's a rather... graphic novel. Excellent story, and a key turning point in certain characters' history. But some very mature themes.

Batman: Year One, I'd highly recommend, particularly if you saw and liked Batman Begins (which is sort of loosely based on it).

Also, not really Batman or Superman, but I'll mention "Astro City: Life In The Big City" and "Astro City: Confession". The series deals with archetypal characters. People with distinct origins and personalities, but very familiar feels. Outstanding storytelling, and some really beautiful art, too.

Aww and I got all excited thinking you might ask for manga recommendations (I think they classify them as graphic novels in the states still).



~Jojo goes back to her cave.

One that you might want to take a look at, though I'd urge caution, is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns; the plot (very briefly) is that an aging Batman decides to come out of retirement after 20 years, in a world that no longer believes in superheroes - in fact the government is suppressing news of their existence, and Superman is about the only one still around, working secretly and under government orders. Batman's comeback has lots of repercussions, most of them tragic. The art style is VERY odd, and most of the characters aren't much like they are usually portrayed, but it's very interesting. But avoid the sequel, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, it's awful.

um... well, I never really made it downstairs (*lol*) but most of the items on my list have been suggested by other people, so I don't have a lot more to say, really.

Thank you so much everyone! I really do appreciate it. Keep those lists coming. I plan to go on a MAJOR comic book shopping spree during table breaks at Emerald City ComicCon this May in Seattle!

If you want, add to the above list Superman Birthright , basically a revamping of the beginnings.. nice.

I've been making my way through my husband's collection(he's still a kid at heart).

I really liked Emperor Joker (Mxy gives his powers to the Joker). Also, Identity Crisis was very good (a bit more of a Justice League story, it got really goods reviews)

I didn't care for Birthright, they tried to re-vamp Superman's origins again (I didn't like how Lois was written). DC doesn't really seem to be sticking with though, so I would recomend more the 86 re-vamp Man of Steel mini-series. Oh, and the World of Metropolis, World of Smallville, & World of Kyrpton, each 4 part mini-series which came out after the Man of Steel re-vamp. They each tell different stories about Lana, the Kents, Lois, Perry & others.