The Death of Superman is a comic book storyline (culminating in Superman #75 in 1993) that served as the catalyst for DC Comics' crossover event of 1993. The completed multi-issue story arc was given the title "The Death and Return of Superman". The trade paper back version is the best selling graphic novel of all time. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ... Superman began as a feature in Action Comics #1 in June 1938. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... For the DJ, see DJ Green Lantern. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero (and sometimes supervillain) character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Superboy, also known by his Kryptonian name Kon-El and his human alias Conner Kent, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. ... John Henry Irons is the third hero known as Steel, a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. ... The Cyborg was created by Dan Jurgens as a way to use the Supermans Death story-line as an arc to the Four Supermen Story. ... For the Dutch girl group, see Loïs Lane. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... Doomsday is a character in the DC Comics Universe, a super-villain best known for fighting and killing Superman in the Death of Superman storyline published in 1993. ... Matrix is a superhero, best known as the second Supergirl, published by DC Comics. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Superman in the DC Comics Universe. ... Dan Jurgens is an American writer and artist of comic books. ... Louise Simonson (born Mary Louise Alexander) is an American comic book writer and editor. ... The Hobgoblin character co-created by Stern. ... The covers of both the hardcover and the softcover versions of the Power of Shazam! graphic novel by Ordway. ... A writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics. ... William Messner-Loebs (known informally as Bill Loebs) is a Michigan comic book writer and artist. ... Gerard Jones is an American writer, born July 10, 1957 in Cut Bank, Montana, raised in Los Gatos and Gilroy, California. ... Jon Bogdanove is an American comic book artist and penciller. ... New Thunderbolts #7 cover by Grummett Thomas Tom Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. ... Jackson Guice (sometimes credited as Butch Guice) is a comic book artist who has contributed to the Micronauts, New Mutants, X-Factor, The Flash, Doctor Strange and Birds of Prey. ... Dan Jurgens is an American writer and artist of comic books. ... Denis Rodier is a comic book illustrator; he has worked for multiple companies including DC Comics, Milestone Media, and Marvel Comics. ... Walter or, usually, Walt Simonson is a comic book writer and artist. ... Curtis D. Swan (born February 17, 1920 in Willmar, Minnesota; died June 16, 1996)[1] was an American comic book artist, best known for his work on the Superman comics spanning three decades. ... Quantum & Woody: Directors Cut Trade by VALIANT Comics Mark D. Bright is an American comic book artist. ... Rick Burchett is an illustrator known for his drawing of pop culture icons such as Batman and Superman. ... Ande Parks (born 0ctober 1, 1964) is a professional American comic book artist, known for his work as an inker and writer in the industry. ... Joe emigrated to the U.S. from Israel when he was 5 years old. ... Romeo Tanghal is a comics artist who has worked with the some of the best in the industry. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... // Regular Context The line of a story. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... It has been suggested that Gaming crossovers be merged into this article or section. ...

The storyline's premise is as simple as its title: Superman engages in battle with a seemingly unstoppable killing machine named Doomsday in the streets of Metropolis. At the fight's conclusion, both combatants die from their wounds. Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... Doomsday is a character in the DC Comics Universe, a super-villain best known for fighting and killing Superman in the Death of Superman storyline published in 1993. ... Metropolis Skyline, as seen in Smallville. ...

The crossover depicted the world's reaction to Superman's death in "Funeral for a Friend," the emergence of four individuals claiming to be the "new" Superman, and the eventual return of the original Superman in "Reign of the Supermen!"

The storyline, devised by editor Mike Carlin and the Superman writing team of Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, met with enormous success: the Superman titles gained international exposure, reaching to the top of the comics sales charts and selling out overnight. The event was widely covered by national and international news media. Michael Mike Carlin is a comic book writer and editor, he worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, and is currently an Executive Editor at DC Comics. ... Dan Jurgens is an American writer and artist of comic books. ... The Hobgoblin character co-created by Stern. ... Louise Simonson (born Mary Louise Alexander) is an American comic book writer and editor. ... The covers of both the hardcover and the softcover versions of the Power of Shazam! graphic novel by Ordway. ... A writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics. ...

Origins

The story of The Death of Superman's conception goes back to the 1985 crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths. Following that event, DC Comics rebooted their continuity and relaunched the Superman character with the mini-series "The Man of Steel", written by John Byrne. However, due to disputes with DC, Byrne left the Superman books and was replaced by Roger Stern. While the stories continued from Byrne's revamp, sales slowly dropped. In an effort to attract female readers, the Lois Lane/Clark Kent/Superman love triangle, in place since 1938, would be changed. Thanks to John Byrne's revamp, Lois was already falling in love with Clark Kent, rather than with Superman. In a story arc titled "Krisis of Krimson Kryptonite", Clark proposes to Lois; she accepts. Although the road was set for the marriage of Lois and Clark, an unforeseen event would change these plans. Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 in order to simplify their fifty-year-old continuity. ... For other uses, see Reboot. ... The Man of Steel was a six-issue comic book limited series released in 1986 by DC Comics, several months after the 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths completed. ...

Warner Bros., the owner of DC Comics, had cancelled the Superboy television series produced by Alexander Salkind. (Salkind produced the first three Superman films starring Christopher Reeve, as well as the Supergirl movie.) Warner Bros. created their own Superman television series, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, premised upon a romantic relationship between Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman. One of the ideas that arose during production was the wedding of Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman. Warner Bros. learned that DC Comics was planning a similar plotline in the Superman comic books, and as a result DC, Warner Bros., and the Superman writing staff came together and reached an agreement: the Lois and Clark wedding arc in the comic book would be put on hold, to resume once the Lois & Clark TV show reached its wedding episode. “WB” redirects here. ... Superboy is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Universe, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. ... Alexander Salkind (June 2, 1921 – March 8, 1997) was the second of three generations of successful international film producers. ... The Superman film series currently consists of five superhero films based on the fictional DC comics character of the same name. ... Christopher DOlier Reeve[1] (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ... Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film. ... Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action television series based on the Superman comic books. ...

With the original storyline set aside in the comic, an original event was needed to replace it. According to a documentary on Superman: Doomsday, the Superman writing team members were miffed at having a year's worth of story planning put aside, and flustered for ideas. At the end of one meeting, Adventures of Superman writer Jerry Ordway suggested, jokingly, "Let's just kill 'im." The joke became a running gag in story meetings, but eventually gained traction with Superman group editor Mike Carlin. In the documentary film Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman Carlin states: "the world was taking Superman for granted, so we literally said 'let's show what the world would be like without Superman'."

Storyline

Doomsday

Superman vs. Doomsday in front of the Daily Planet building.

On the last page of several comics prior to Superman: the Man of Steel #18, a gloved fist was shown punching a steel wall, accompanied by the caption: "Doomsday is coming!". In that issue, Superman fights the Underworlders while a hulking figure in a green suit rampages through a pastoral field. This marks the first of seven issues in the Death of Superman story proper - it would continue through all four of the Superman books at that time, and one issue of Justice League America, before culminating in Superman #75. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1517, 564 KB) Summary Superman vs Doomsday from Superman #75. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1517, 564 KB) Summary Superman vs Doomsday from Superman #75. ... The Justice League of America, featuring the Flash, Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern. ...

The Justice League (Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Maxima, Fire, Ice, and Bloodwynd) respond to a call from a smashed big-rig outside of Bucyrus, Ohio, and follow the trail of destruction which leads them to a confrontation with an unknown creature that destroys Blue Beetle's aircraft. The League attempts to stop the monster, but it systematically takes the team apart, finishing by punching Booster Gold into the stratosphere. Booster Gold is caught in mid-air by Superman, and declares "It's like Doomsday is here," thus providing the monster with a name. For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... Guy Gardner is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. ... Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional comic book superheroes. ... Booster Gold is a fictional character, a superhero in publications from DC Comics. ... Maxima is a fictional comic book character in DC Comics Superman titles. ... Fire is a fictional superheroine published by DC Comics. ... Ice (Tora Olafsdotter) is a fictional character, a superheroine in publications from DC Comics. ... Bloodwynd is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. ... View of an exit at Bucyrus from US 30 Bucyrus is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Crawford County. ... Atmosphere diagram showing stratosphere. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Man of Steel arrives on the scene, having cut a television interview short in Justice League America #69. He and the able-bodied League members follow the threat to the home of a single mother and her two children, where their battle with "Doomsday" destroys the house. The League attacks Doomsday with all their energy-projection powers, the only discernible effect being that much of his body covering is blasted or burned off. Doomsday again takes them out, causes the house to explode into flames, and then leaps away. Superman follows, having to ignore the son's cries for help if he is to stop Doomsday. Doomsday is a character in the DC Comics Universe, a super-villain best known for fighting and killing Superman in the Death of Superman storyline published in 1993. ...

Superman throws Doomsday into the bottom of a lake, slowing him down long enough so that the Man of Steel can return and save the mother and her infant daughter. After Doomsday escapes from the silty lake bed, he and Superman tear up a city street, and then Maxima enters the fray. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are sent to cover the battle for television, while Lex Luthor II dissuades Supergirl from joining the fight. The fight continues at a gas station, where Maxima rips a light post from the ground; the sparks from the wiring meet the leaking gasoline and the station is destroyed in a huge explosion. Guardian arrives after Doomsday leaves, finding Superman and Maxima, and offers his aid. For the Dutch girl group, see Loïs Lane. ... James Bartholomew Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character, a photojournalist who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Superman in the DC Comics Universe. ... For other uses, see Supergirl (disambiguation). ... The Guardian (Jim Harper) is a DC Comics costumed hero. ...

Superman then follows Doomsday's trail of destruction, waiting for an opportunity to attack. With the monster's rampage drawing closer, Lex Jr. convinces Supergirl that she's needed in Metropolis while Superman is fighting elsewhere. While demolishing an appliance store, Doomsday sees a TV commercial for a wrestling show being held in Metropolis, and after seeing a road sign for Metropolis, heads in that direction. Superman engages him and throws him in the opposite direction, where he lands on the mountain housing Project Cadmus. They brawl throughout Habitat, bringing most of it down. When the superhero Guardian arrives, Doomsday knocks him down and leaps toward Metropolis. Metropolis Skyline, as seen in Smallville. ... Project Cadmus is a fictional government genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. ...

Doomsday is driven below ground, where he ruptures gas and electrical mains, leveling Newtown, a large section of Metropolis. Supergirl goes to Superman's aid, but a single punch from Doomsday knocks her to the ground, her form destabilized. Professor Hamilton and Bibbo, Superman's allies fire a laser cannon at Doomsday, but it does not harm him. The local police open fire on Doomsday, but again, he is not harmed. Superman returns to the fight. Professor Emil Hamilton is a fictional character in DC Comics Superman titles. ... Bibbo Bibowski is a supporting character in Superman comics. ...

Superman dies in Lois Lane's arms.

Superman and Doomsday lay into each other with everything they have. They strike each other so hard that the shockwaves from their punches shatter windows. At the struggle's culminating moment, each fighter lands a massive blow upon his opponent (Superman striking two-fisted). The two titans fall to the ground, having taken half of Metropolis down with them. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

The event happened in Superman #75 (vol. 2). The issue only contains 22 panels, and every page was a single panel, which was a structure building on the previous issues—Adventures of Superman #497 was done entirely with four-panel pages, Action Comics #684 with three, and Superman: The Man of Steel #19 with two. The entire story was immediately collected into a trade paperback and titled The Death of Superman. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

Funeral for a Friend

The funeral that followed featured many of Superman's fellow heroes and friends, including most of the Justice League of America, and a mausoleum was built in Metropolis in honor of the Man of Steel. During this time, every hero in the DC Universe sported a black arm band featuring the S-Shield logo. Some time later, Project Cadmus stole Superman's body from his mausoleum. It was hypothesized that they were attempting to clone him. The body was recovered by Lois Lane and Supergirl. For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... St. ... Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... Project Cadmus is a fictional government genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. ... For the Dutch girl group, see Loïs Lane. ... Matrix is a superhero, best known as the second Supergirl, published by DC Comics. ...

The stories after the funeral often dealt with the emotions felt by the general public as well as specific characters entwined within Superman's world, including Lois Lane, Clark Kent's parents, and even a number of supervillains. Also, the (then) President of the United States, Bill Clinton and wife Hillary were included in a scene during the funeral. With Superman gone, crime rises up again and the costumed heroes of Metropolis rise to fill in as protectors. Supergirl, Gangbuster, Thorn, and even Team Luthor, a Lexcorp-sponsored team, all tried but were not sufficient. Meanwhile, Jonathan Kent took the death of his adoptive son the hardest and as a result suffered a heart attack. At this point, all Superman comic titles went on a three-month hiatus. For other uses, see Clark Kent (disambiguation). ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is the junior United States Senator from New York, and is a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election. ... For other uses, see Supergirl (disambiguation). ... Gangbuster is a DC Comics superhero. ... Rose and Thorn are the two personalities of a character in DC comic books. ... Martha Clark Kent and Jonathan Kent, also known as Ma and Pa Kent, are fictional characters published by DC Comics. ...

The story was also collected into trade paperback form. Rather than using the banner title Funeral for a Friend, the title used for the collection was World Without a Superman.

Cover to Superman #79. Art by Dan Jurgens.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (400x621, 432 KB)Cover to Superman #79. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (400x621, 432 KB)Cover to Superman #79. ... Dan Jurgens is an American writer and artist of comic books. ...

Reign of the Supermen!

Following a two month hiatus on the Superman titles, all of them were relaunched. Four new heroes emerged in Superman's place, one in each title, each claiming in some way to be Superman. The story of Adventures of Superman #500 followed Jonathan Kent into the Afterlife. In a possible hallucination, he convinced Superman's soul to come back with him to the living. The only "evidence" that this was not a hallucination was the fact that shortly after Jonathan reawoke, four individuals arrived in Metropolis claiming to be Superman. This storyline was known as Reign of the Supermen! The title is an homage to the original incarnation of Superman as a bald telepathic villain in "Reign of the Superman", published in Science Fiction #3 (1933).^{[citation needed]}

Each of the Supermen were designed with ideas taken from some of the monikers that Superman is often associated with. The four new heroes were:

• The Man of Steel: John Henry Irons was an ironworker and ex-weapons designer for the military who wears a suit of armor and wields a hammer. He did not claim to actually be Superman, but rather to represent the spirit of Superman and continue his legacy. Steel appeared in Superman: The Man of Steel starting with #22. He later changed his name to just "Steel."
• The Man of Tomorrow, also called the Cyborg Superman, arrived with augmented Kryptonian technology. He was scientifically proven to be Superman but claims amnesia in explanation to his part-mechanical nature. The Cyborg Superman appeared in Superman starting with #78. He later became a major supervillain.
• The Metropolis Kid, who hated being called Superboy, is a reckless teenage clone of Superman. This Superman appeared in the Adventures of Superman starting with #501. He is the result of the brief time Cadmus attempted to clone Superman. He later had a career as Superboy.
• The Last Son of Krypton was a visored, energy-powered alien who dealt with criminals lethally. The Last Son of Krypton appeared in Action Comics starting with #687. He claims to have the memories of the original Superman, but his emotional distance makes Lois uncertain. He later became the Eradicator.

The first issue for each of the new heroes featured a cardstock cover and a poster of the new hero. John Henry Irons is the third hero known as Steel, a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. ... |caption=Cover to Superman (vol. ... Superman began as a feature in Action Comics #1 in June 1938. ... Superboy, also known by his Kryptonian name Kon-El and his human alias Conner Kent, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. ... Superboy is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Universe, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. ... For other uses, see clone. ... This article is about the comic book. ... Superboy is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Universe, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. ... The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero (and sometimes supervillain) character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ... The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero (and sometimes supervillain) character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ...

First appearance in Adventures of Superman #500 (1993). Art by Tom Grummett.

The first half of the Reign of the Supermen! story focuses on each of the Supermen “resuming” his duty as protector of Metropolis and gain acceptance from the public. The reader is teased with clues that provide each Superman the validity to being the real one, or at least a piece of the original Superman’s soul being in him. Of the four, the cyborg Man of Tomorrow and the merciless Last Son of Krypton were easily bought in by the people as the possible real Superman, this is most likely due to the fact that both of them are closest to the original in appearance. However, Lois could not approach any of them without risking the exposure of her fiancé’s secret. Image File history File links Reign_superboy. ... Image File history File links Reign_superboy. ...

In actuality, the Last Son of Krypton stole Superman's body and put it in a regeneration matrix in the Fortress of Solitude, drawing on his recovering energies to power himself, as bright light blinded him. It is revealed that the Last Son is the Eradicator, an ancient Kryptonian weapon, and the Cyborg is the deranged consciousness of Hank Henshaw, which used Superman's birthing matrix to create a physical duplicate of his body. The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. ... The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero (and sometimes supervillain) character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... |caption=Cover to Superman (vol. ...

Superman, Steel (John Henry Irons), and Superboy from the "Reign of the Supermen" storyline, 1993. Cover to Adventures of Superman #504 by Tom Grummett.

The regeneration matrix broke open, and the original Superman emerged, greatly depowered, but alive. Meanwhile, the Cyborg helped Mongul destroy Coast City, believing he killed the Last Son in the explosion, and captured Superboy, holding him in Engine City, a towering construct erected where Coast City once stood. Superboy escaped and flew back to Metropolis to get the Man of Steel to help him fight the Cyborg. Before he could tell the whole story, however, an overbearing Kryptonian Battlesuit rose out of the harbor, and the two heroes attacked it. After suffering heavy damage, the suit opened, revealing a still-weak Superman, who had used it to walk all the way back from the Fortress of Solitude. Despite his weakened state, he quickly joined the other Supermen in defending Coast City. During the battle, the Cyborg launched a devastating missile at Metropolis, with the intent of destroying it and putting a second Engine City in its place. Superboy managed to grab onto the missile as it launched, riding it all the way to Metropolis, which he narrowly saved from destruction. Image File history File links Superman1993. ... Image File history File links Superman1993. ... John Henry Irons is the third hero known as Steel, a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. ... Superboy, also known by his Kryptonian name Kon-El and his human alias Conner Kent, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. ... New Thunderbolts #7 cover by Grummett Thomas Tom Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. ... Mongul is a DC Comics supervillain created by Jim Starlin and Len Wein. ... Coast City was a fictional city that appeared in stories published by DC Comics. ...

Green Lantern Hal Jordan had returned from space to find his hometown destroyed. He immediately attacked Engine City and fought Mongul, shattering the Man of Steel's hammer across his face. Meanwhile, the Last Son/Eradicator joined the fight after recovering in the Fortress, and blocked the Cyborg from dousing Superman with lethal Kryptonite gas. The gas interacted with the Eradicator as it passed through and into Superman, returning his powers rather than killing him. The Eradicator's body degenerated into a lifeless husk, and the Cyborg looked for Superman's body in the debris and Kryptonite mist. Superman blindsided him with an attack using his super-strength, and he punched a hole right through the Cyborg. He destroyed his body, but his consciousness survived. Supergirl used the remnants of the black Kryptonian suit to re-create Superman's traditional costume, and the group returned to Metropolis. For the DJ, see DJ Green Lantern. ... Hal Jordan is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. ... This article is about the fictional substance. ... Matrix is a superhero, best known as the second Supergirl, published by DC Comics. ...

Again, like the previous two storylines, the collected edition of Reign of the Supermen did not use its original title, DC Comics instead chose to use The Return of Superman.

All 3 story arcs are collected in: SUPERMAN: THE DEATH AND RETURN OF SUPERMAN OMNIBUS |784pg.|Color|Hardcover|ISBN 1401215505

Aftermath

Superman

During the time Superman spent in statis recovering in the Fortress of Solitude, his hair grew to shoulder length. Even after reclaiming his title as the one true Superman, he kept his hair long and this was how he was depicted for much of his appearances in the 1990s comics. After his wedding with Lois, he finally cuts his hair.

Up till the Death of Superman event, DC Comics writers lived on a fixed set of rules when it came to how the post-Crisis Superman's powers were portrayed. This was changed upon his return. The change could be traced to when the Eradicator transformed Kryptonite energy into something that would re-empower the revived Superman. In a battle with Lobo, he discovered he could survive the vacuum of space indefinitely, something the pre-Crisis Superman could do. He also noticed his strength has increased. Although this was part of a subplot involving Superman's powers growing out of control as he absorbed too much solar energy, the depiction of his power was not as consistent as before. Crisis on Infinite Earths was a 12-issue comic book limited series (identified as a 12-part maxi-series) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 in order to simplify their fifty-year-old continuity. ... This article is about the DC Comics character. ...

The Surviving Supermen

Superboy (who turned out to be only a partial "clone" of Superman, with a human DNA belonging to The Man of Steel's greatest nemesis Lex Luthor) and The Man of Steel (whose name became simply "Steel") went on to become recurring characters in the DC Universe, each eventually getting his own monthly title. Superboy was a member of The Ravers, Young Justice, The Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Teen Titans, before perishing in Infinite Crisis. Steel appeared in some episodes of the animated series, as well as his own film, and became a member of the Justice League; he also briefly became a true superhuman, no longer relying on outside sources (i.e. the armor) to provide his powers. The Eradicator became leader of a new team of Outsiders and his status is currently unknown after the events of Infinite Crisis. The Cyborg Superman became a recurring nemesis in the Superman and Green Lantern titles. Superboy, also known by his Kryptonian name Kon-El and his human alias Conner Kent, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. ... John Henry Irons is the third hero known as Steel, a fictional superhero in the DC Universe. ... Young Justice was a DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. ... LSH redirects here. ... The Teen Titans, also known as “The New Teen Titans”, “New Titans”, or “The Titans”, a DC Comics superhero team. ... Infinite Crisis was a seven-issue limited series of comic books published by DC Comics, beginning in October of 2005. ... Steel is the name of a 1997 movie starring basketball star Shaquille ONeal and X-Files star Annabeth Gish. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... The Outsiders are fictional characters, a DC Comics superhero group. ... |caption=Cover to Superman (vol. ...

Death in comics

Superman's death set into motion a series of resurrections in the DC Universe. Green Arrow, Donna Troy, Elongated Man, Hal Jordan, Metamorpho, Jason Todd, and others have experienced comic book death and resurrections. These events have been attributed to the door between life and death being kept open since Superman died. (Kid Eternity said he would've closed it after going through because he "wasn't raised in a barn.")^{[citation needed]} This phenomenon is also examined in the Deadman miniseries, in which Deadman visits several heroes who had shared Superman's experience.^{[citation needed]} Cover to the History of the DC Universe trade paperback. ... This article is about the first Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. ... Donna Troy is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. ... The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. ... Hal Jordan is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. ... Metamorpho (Rex Mason) is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. ... Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character published in stories by DC Comics. ... Cover to Uncanny X-Men #136 (August 1980, art by John Byrne), the penultimate issue of the Dark Phoenix saga. ... Hit Comics #41 (July, 1946), Quality Comics Kid Eternity is a comic book superhero who first premired in Hit Comics #25, published by Quality Comics in December, 1942. ... For other uses, see Deadman (disambiguation). ...

Superman's return from death is explained by the Phantom Stranger in a stand-alone issue.^{[citation needed]} As a Kryptonian, Superman's alien genetic material enables him to absorb sunlight and perform superhuman feats. Superman survived his death by entering into a hibernation-like state, and the Eradicator's use of him as a 'conduit' by which he could absorb solar energy 'restarted' Superman's body. The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. ...

Superman has since come to realize that his death may never come. Several stories depict alternate futures in which he survives for hundreds of years due to his Kryptonian genetic make-up.^{[citation needed]}

The Wedding

Even after Superman had returned to life, plans for Lois and Clark's wedding took some time to develop. The relationship between the two became rocky, and for a time they separated. Finally in 1996, tying into the wedding of Lois and Clark in the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television program, Lois returns to Metropolis and rekindles her romance with Clark. The two set into motion their plans for a wedding and are married in Superman: The Wedding Album. Superman: The Wedding Album was a comic book, published in 1996 by DC Comics, that featured for the first time in 60 years the real wedding of Lois Lane to Clark Kent/Superman— previous wedding stories had turned out to be hoaxes, dreams, or imaginary tales. ...

Superman/Doomsday

In the three issue mini-series Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey (1994), Superman journeys to Apokolips and Calaton to find Doomsday's body. Assisted by Waverider, he confronts Darkseid and Hank Henshaw, and finds that his killer is still alive and discovers the details of Doomsday's origin. In Superman: The Doomsday War (1998), Doomsday's mind is under the influence of Brainiac and Superman fights two of his most powerful enemies, in order to rescue Lana Lang's newborn child.

"Day of Doom"

Writer/penciller Dan Jurgen, with inker Bill Sienkiewicz revisited Superman's battle with Doomsday in the 2003 mini-series Superman: Day of Doom, exploring how the event affects those who knew the fallen hero, and introducing a new villain, Remnant. This dark tale is reprinted in trade paperback.

In the days before the anniversary of Superman's death, Ty Duffy, The Daily Planet's staff reporter, retraces Superman's cross-country battle with Doomsday; Duffy resents the assignment. During the investigation, a mysterious figure also follows Doomsday's cross-country path, and commits a series of murders along the way. Duffy discovers that many of Superman's rogues have claimed to have created Doomsday, and many survivors of Doomsday's rampage and Coast City's destruction he interviewed with expresses hatred to The Last Son of Krypton. He ultimately comes face-to-face with the Man of Steel himself and reveals to Superman that his father committed suicide because of losses suffered connected with the battle with Doomsday. Duffy reproaches Superman, telling him that thousands have died due to his battle with Doomsday. Although Superman disagrees, he carries considerable guilt over the deaths.

On his way home, Duffy is kidnapped by Remnant, who wishes to show the world that Superman is evil. He intends to stage terrorist acts at the locations where Doomsday rampaged, including Daily Planet, by planting a bomb within a van parked on the exact spot where the battle ended. Superman rescues Duffy, along with Perry White, who was also captured by the villain, and the building. Despite the victory, flyers announce that Superman is not a messiah but rather the devil incarnate; the villain disappears. Superman approaches Duffy, and challenges him to not back off from the tough questions. The Man of Steel tells Duffy he will be waiting for the conclusion of his article, and also asks him another one; if Superman wasn't around, would there be fewer Doomsdays (monsters seeking to confront Superman) or more Coast Citys (a disaster that only happened because Superman wasn't there)? Within the shadows, Remnant stalks The Man of Steel. Coast City was a fictional city that appeared in stories published by DC Comics. ...

Superman #175

After the Imperiex War, Doomsday has evolved intelligence, and intends to kill Lex Luthor. Without any aid from his allies, Superman defeats the monster on the anniversary of his original defeat of the creature at Washington DC. Cover to JLA: Our Worlds at War #1. ...

Infinite Crisis

The Golden Age Superman, Kal-L, fought and defeated Doomsday alongside the modern Superman during the Battle of Metropolis. Not to be confused with Kal-El, the mainstream Superman. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ...

Audience and media response

The Death and Life of Superman storyline brought in millions of readers to DC Comics, despite the entirety of the story being intertwined through numerous different comic series, including Action Comics, Superman, Superman: The Man of Steel, and Adventures of Superman, among others. The cover of Superman #75 (shown above) became an iconic image: Superman's tattered cape wrapped around a pole, marking a makeshift grave. Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ...

Because of Superman's place as an American icon, his death became a multimedia event, covered by newspapers, television, and radio. Certain prints of Superman v2, #75 contained a black armband with the familiar "S" symbol adorning it. Many comics fans publicly wore the armband immediately following Superman's death, including, perhaps most famously, Jay Leno.^{[citation needed]} James Douglas Muir Jay Leno (April 28, 1950) is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian and television host, who succeeded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show in 1992. ...

The death of Superman took place months before the breaking of Batman's back in the "Knightfall" storyline. Some critics praised DC for boldly and innovatively drawing in more readers. However, others were critical, citing the two concurrent storylines as publicity stunts, since it was unlikely that DC would ever eliminate its most popular characters. Some years later, Chuck Rozanksi, owner of retailer Mile High Comics, would pen a controversial essay in the Comics Buyer's Guide which blamed the Death of Superman promotion for playing a significant role in the collapse of the comic book industry in the late 1990s. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... The media itself often stage stunts for movies and television shows. ... Comics Buyers Guide (CBG) is the longest-running periodical reporting on the comic book industry. ...

Adaptations

Roger Stern adapted the death of Superman storyline into a novel, entitled The Death and Life of Superman, in the summer of 1993. It was released in hardcover form and then in paperback a year later. (Hardcover ISBN 0-553-09582-X, Paperback ISBN 0-553-56930-9) A young adult version book was written by Louise Simonson under the title Superman: Doomsday & Beyond and released at the same time as the hardcover of Death and Life. It features cover art by Alex Ross, his first sale to DC. The Hobgoblin character co-created by Stern. ... Louise Simonson (born Mary Louise Alexander) is an American comic book writer and editor. ... Nelson Alexander Alex Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book painter, illustrator and plotter, acclaimed for the photorealism of his work. ...

Also in 1993, Dirk Maggs produced an audio dramatization of the story for BBC Radio 5, entitled Superman: Doomsday & Beyond (retitled Superman Lives! in the US), featuring Stuart Milligan as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El & the Eradicator, William Hootkins as Lex Luthor, Lorelei King as Lois Lane, Vincent Marzello as Jimmy Olsen, Garrick Hagon as Jonathan Kent, Kerry Shale as Connor Kent/Kon-El/Superboy & Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman, Eric Meyers as Guy Gardner, Denica Fairman as Maggie Sawyer, Liza Ross as Supergirl, Burt Kwouk as Doctor Teng, and Leon Herbert as Dr. John Henry Irons/Steel. Original Music by Mark Russell. Dirk Maggs is a freelance writer and director working across all media. ... This article is about the former BBC radio station, BBC Radio 5. ... Stuart Milligan (Born in Boston, Massachusetts on 10 September 1953) is an American Actor best known for his portrayal of magician Adam Klaus in the BBC Drama Jonathan Creek from Series 2 onwards. ... William Michael Hootkins (July 5, 1948 – October 23, 2005) was an American actor who played Red Six (Jek Porkins) in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) and as the crooked Lt. ... Lorelei King is an American born actress. ... Garrick Hagon is a British film and theatre actor and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Biggs Darklighter in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Goemon Ishikawa XIII in the Manga UK dubs of The Secret of Mamo and Goodbye Lady Liberty. ... Kerry Shale (born 1952 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian actor. ... Burt Kwouk (Chinese: 郭弼; pinyin: Guō Bì) (born July 18, 1930), is an actor who was born in Manchester, England because my mother happened to be there but was raised in Shanghai between the ages of ten months and seventeen years. ... Mark Russell is a British composer whose works include music for the television series Cold Feet, Murder City and Kingdom. ...

A scrolling beat-em-up video game called The Death and Return of Superman was released by Blizzard Entertainment and Sunsoft for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Mega Drive. This article needs cleanup. ... Computer and video games redirects here. ... The Death and Return of Superman is a beat em up video game based on the Death of Superman storyline. ... Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, is an American computer game developer and publisher headquartered in Irvine, California. ... Sunsoft is a video game development company founded in 1985 as a division of Sun Corporation, itself a division of Sun Electronics, or Sun Denshi (サン電子) in Japan (its U.S. subsidiary operated under the name Sunsoft of America, though games they published showed a logo that read only SUNSOFT). ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) was a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia, and Brazil between 1990 and 1993. ... The Sega Mega Drive ) is a video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988, North America in 1989, and the PAL region in 1990. ...

Superman Lives

By the time The Death of Superman hit the newsstands, Warner Bros. had gained the rights to produce a fifth Superman film from Alexander Salkind. The studio selected Superman's death as the storyline for the film, and Jon Peters came in as producer, following the success of the Batman franchise, which he had also produced. From 1994 to 1998, projected film adaptations of the The Death of Superman storyline faced numerous problems with the script process. Writers proposed major changes to the character, including the absence of the Superman costume, and the lack of the power of flight. One of the writers, Kevin Smith, stated that after reading the script by Greg Poirier; "...the thing that bothered me about Greg Poirier’s draft: they were trying to give Superman angst. They had Clark Kent going to a psychiatrist at one point. Superman’s angst is not that he doesn’t want to be Superman. If he has any (angst), it’s that he can’t do it all; he can’t do enough and save everyone...Batman is about angst; Superman is about hope." Alexander Salkind (June 2, 1921 – March 8, 1997) was the second of three generations of successful international film producers. ... Jon Pagano Peters (born on 2 June 1945 in Van Nuys, California to Jack Peters and Helen Pagano) is a former hairdresser turned movie producer. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... For other persons named Kevin Smith, see Kevin Smith (disambiguation). ...

Superman Reborn, re-titled Superman Lives, was slated for release on July 4, 1998, directed by Tim Burton and with Nicolas Cage to portray Superman. However, following the box office disappointment of Batman & Robin, the project was scrapped. Timothy Tim William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer notable for the quirky and gothic atmosphere of his films. ... Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... For the 1949 serial Batman and Robin, see Batman and Robin (serial). ...

For a more detailed look at Superman Lives and other cancelled films that led up to the release of Superman Returns, see Superman film series#Failed projects. For the video game of the same name, see Superman Returns (video game). ... The Superman film series currently consists of five superhero films based on the fictional DC comics character of the same name. ...

Justice League Adaptations

The Bruce Timm animated series Justice League has an episode entitled "A Better World, Part One", in which the Justice League was tricked and captured by the Justice Lords, who took their place. At the same time, Doomsday arrives from outer space in a meteor. In one scene, both the Justice Lord Superman and Doomsday punched each other out at the same time, resulting in a shockwave which destroyed several buildings. However, this did no damage to Doomsday and only nearly knocked out the alternate Superman. In the end, alternate Superman used his heat-vision to lobotomize him. Bruce Walter Timm (born on February 8, 1961) is an American character designer, animator and producer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Justice Lords. ... Look up Lobotomy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the episode "Hereafter" (written by Dwayne McDuffie and directed by Butch Lukic), Superman is sent into the future by a device of Toyman's, only to wake up to a red-sunned Earth populated by giant bugs, mutant wolves, and Vandal Savage. This was, in all intents, an adaptation of the comic story "Under the Red Sun" (one of Timm's favorites). However, since Toyman's device looks like it disintegrates Superman into nothingness, the first half of the two-part episode deals with Superman's funeral, and it takes some direct elements from the Death of Superman storyline, such as the memorial statue and Batman watching Superman's funeral procession from the rooftops. List of Justice League episodes Hereafter is composed of the forty-third and forty-fourth episodes of the Justice League animated series. ... Dwayne McDuffie is a comic book animation writer and a creator of the Emmy Award winning show Static Shock. ... The Toyman is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe and an enemy of Superman. ... Vandal Savage is a fictional character and supervillain in the DC Comics universe. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

Superman: Doomsday

Main article: Superman: Doomsday

At Comic-Con '06 Bruce Timm announced that he would produce the Death of Superman story as a Direct-To-DVD (or DTV) project, which was titled Superman: Doomsday,with Adam Baldwin as The Man of Steel, with Anne Heche as Lois Lane, and James Marsters as Lex Luthor. Bruce Walter Timm (born on February 8, 1961) is an American character designer, animator and producer. ... Adam Baldwin (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor. ... Anne Celeste Heche (IPA: ) (born May 25, 1969) is an American actress, director and screenwriter. ... James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962) is an American actor and musician, best known for playing the popular platinum-blond character Spike, an English of a vampire, in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. ...

During an interview with Newsarama.com, Timm explained that the story will cover the entire trilogy of The Death of Superman, World Without a Superman, & Reign of the Supermen. However, it was necessarily simplified since the film runs only 75 minutes.

A trailer released in June 2007 showed a slightly altered animation style from that of the regular DC animated universe. Lois and Superman have a relationship, but The Man of Steel haven't revealed his identity to Lois till the end of the film, even though she already knows. Lex Luthor II and Supergirl are not in the film; present is a similar Lex Luthor to that of the DCAU — the corrupt tycoon of LexCorp; the fight between Superman and Doomsday occurs at night (instead of during the day, as it did in the comics); there are fewer Supermen; among other changes and differences. An image of many of the DCAU heroes. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Superman in the DC Comics Universe. ... Matrix is a superhero, best known as the second Supergirl, published by DC Comics. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Superman in the DC Comics Universe. ... Lex Luthor is a DC Comics supervillain and archenemy of Superman. ...

The film was screened twice at the San Diego Comic-Con '07 as a special sneak preview on Thursday, July 26th. Both reactions and reviews were positive.

The DTV film was released on September 18th, 2007.

Awards

The trade paperback The Death of Superman received the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Novel or Album for 1992. The storyline of The Reign of the Supermen won the Comics Buyer's Guide Award Favorite Comic Book Story for 1992. Comics Buyers Guide (CBG) is the longest-running periodical reporting on the comic book industry. ...

Popular culture

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Our Lady Peace wrote the song "Superman's Dead", clearly referring to the storyline.
• A September 1993 storyline in the comic strip FoxTrot had Jason drawing comic strips at Paige's expense, including one where she is shown to be responsible for Superman's death ("He saw me in a bathing suit"). A week later, Paige gets back at Jason by drawing the same cartoons with him as the butt of the jokes, including what killed Superman ("I told him we were related").
• In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic mini-series, there was a top ten list of reasons to buy the comic, the #1 reason being that Sonic wasn't going to be killed off anytime soon. This was accompanied by a picture of Sally and Sonic acting out the final panel artwork of Superman #75.
• Saturday Night Live parodied the funeral of Superman in a skit in Season 18. Episode 333 / November 21, 1992 with host Sinbad and music by Sade.
• For April Fools' Day 2007, Spawn.com announced the "Death of Spawn" storyline, with several direct parallels and parodies of the Death of Superman.
• In 52 #35 Lex Luthor deactivates many of his super powered everymen project recipients causing them to fall from the sky in an issue titled "Rain of the Supermen", an homage to the arc "Reign of the Supermen".
• On Buddy Wakefield's album Run on Anything, the song "A Little Ditty Called Happiness" contains the lyrics "This clash of titans that no longer remains / in check / because Superman is dead!".
• Crash Test Dummies had commercial success with a single entitled "Superman's Song" from their 1991 album The Ghosts that Haunt Me.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Our Lady Peace, abbreviated as OLP, is a Canadian alternative rock band consisting of Raine Maida (vocals), Duncan Coutts (bass), Jeremy Taggart (drums), and Steve Mazur (guitar). ... Supermans Dead was the first single to be released off of their second album Clumsy. This has become one of Our Lady Peaces most popular songs in both Canada and the U.S., and even many other parts of the world. ... This article is about the comic strip; for other uses, see Foxtrot (disambiguation). ... This page contains information on the Fox family, central characters in the comic strip FoxTrot. ... This page contains information on the Fox family, central characters in the comic strip FoxTrot. ... This article is about the comic book itself, not the character. ... Princess Sally Alicia Acorn is a fictional character appearing in the American saturday morning cartoon Sonic the Hedgehog (commonly referred to as SatAM) from 1993 to 1995, as well as the ongoing Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series published by Archie Comics. ... Sonic the Hedgehog is a fictional character and leading superhero in the self-titled comic book series. ... This article is about the American television series. ... April Fools Day and April Fools Day redirect here. ... Spawn is a fictional comic book character created by Todd McFarlane. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Run On Anything is an album by Buddy Wakefield. ... This article is about a music group. ... Supermans Song was the first single of the Canadian folk-rock group Crash Test Dummies and came from their 1991 debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me. ... The Ghosts That Haunt Me is the 1991 debut album by Crash Test Dummies. ...

External links

• Superman: Doomsday Official Website for Superman Doomsday DVD
• Superman: Doomsday Official MySpace profile for Superman Doomsday movie
• "Death of Superman" Promotion of 1992
• Review and summary of every issue in sequence for the "Death of Superman" storyline (by Neal Bailey)