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When I was a kid, my favorite character was Superman, and probably that's the case for most kids. Hey, how can you not like a dude who can fly at over the speed of light? Is he a corny Boy Scout? In some ways, sure. He's the epitome of what we all hope to be, the entire Truth, Justice, and American Way schtick. When done badly, it does make you feel like you're getting diabetes. Ah, but when done WELL... here are a few stories that remind you why Superman is the longest-lasting comic super-hero of all time.
1. 'For the Man who has Everything'. Alan Moore and David Gibbons. Ah, now HERE'S a scary thought; Alan Moore doing a superman Story. It's starts pretty straightforward; it's Supes' birthday, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Jason Todd incarnation of Robin are visiting. Naturally it can't be that easy as they find out the party has been sabotaged by a trap laid by the mighty Mongul. To complicate matters, the trap is this weird fungus that gives the person attached to the fungus it's wildest dreams. In this case Superman is HOME, on Krypton, and finally has everything he wanted; home, family, a life... well, almost. The story could simply be a 'Superman gets free, gets reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal ticked, and kicks Mongul's butt'. Instead, it's a psychological story about how getting what you always wanted ISN'T ALWAYS YOUR DREAM, and we see what happens when the Last Son of Krypton looses his temper... ouch.
2. 'Hunter/Prey'. Dan Jurgens. I never liked 'The Death of Superman' because issue 75 wasn't that good. This is THE FIGHT of the century, yet there wasn't a feel of how epic this fight was. Was Metropolis destroyed? I couldn't tell, even with entire panels dedicated to the destruction. Dan Jurgens makes up for it in this trilogy recounting the return of Doomsday and the GREAT fight between the Man of Steel and the one person who actually killed him. Apocalypse gets creamed, assorted cities get flattened, and you see Supes not hold back in a fight.
3. 'Exile'. Assorted writers and pencilers. This compilation of stories is a great one in much the same way 'Born Again' is a classic. Sure, it's about 'Superman', but it's about why he is what he is. Superman has lost control of some of his powers, goes into exile in deepspace, and meets Mongul for the first time! On the surface the story goes across space as Superman is drafted into being Mongul's gladiator and manages to defy the world-conqueror. However, beneath the usual pyrotechnics and cool fights Superman comes to terms with why he left Earth, a LOT of guilt, and why he is the pinnacle of a hero. .
4. 'Superman; A man for all seasons'. Tim Sale and Jeff Leob. The pair that gave us 'The Long Halloween' creates another great story surrounding Superman. Isn't it ironic that great stories seem to go into 'why'? Why the heck do you, basically GOD, decide to be the biggest Boy Scout in the world? For the same reason fire-fighters run into burning buildings, the same reason cops put themselves on the line every day, for the same reason members of the Coast Guard go out into hellish storms. Someone has to, and I can do something about it. This mini-series follows the early years of Clark, and we see why he became the Man of Steel. Nice retro-art, and a story for the ages.