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Superman: The Man of Steel (Miniseries) and Beyond Appreciation Thread

Started by Brandon Shepherd,

26 posts in this topic

Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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The six-issue The Man of Steel miniseries revamped Superman in the summer months of 1986 under the creative team of writer/artist John Byrne and inker/editor Giordano. With the "post-Crisis" Superman continuity reset, he life of the Man of Steel and those around him unfolded with introductions of new and classic characters for readers new and familiar to experience for the first time. Gone were the super pets, surviving cities of Krypton, and even Supergirl and Superboy, along with many other stale clichés. After the six issue miniseries, the Superman titles resumed monthly publication, the original Superman title was renamed Adventures of Superman, keeping the original numbering and focusing on darker toned stories with a sci-fi twist. Action Comics was reformatted as a “team-up” feature and a new Superman title was launched.

 

In 2003 DC brought back into print The Man of Steel mini-series from 1986, then they did one better by adding a second volume, allowing us to follow John Byrne's re-launch after the mini-series. While I'm grateful to have these volumes DC sure took their time. Volume 6 did not arrive until 2008 and appeared to be the last in the Man of Steel reprints. Volume 7 finally arrived in January, 2013 and Volume 8 a year later. I'm pleased to see the positive reception online for the Man of Steel reprints, as well as an interest in an Omnibus style format.

 

My preferred interpretation of Superman is the Superman mythos that was generated by the Byrne miniseries and the stories that followed up until the mid '90s. One of the elements I enjoy about the re-launch is the cast of supporting characters and the "B" stories that developed around them over the issues. I look at collecting these back issues as if I’m buying season box sets of a T.V. show. My favorite element of the re-launch is the image of Clark Kent, he is the office older brother, someone to look up to, the ladies took notice, especially Cat Grant. Clark Kent is who he is, Superman is what he can do.

 

There were many seeds planted by Byrne during his run that grew into other stories developed by preceding creative teams during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. I did not start reading Superman comics until early 1994, in those issues, I found many references to the Man of Steel miniseries and discovered that these comics were a continuity that I could collect and follow. As a 12 year old in 1994, I found that the few comic shops in my area did not carry many Superman back issues past a few years, finding Superman comics form 1986 to 1993 was like finding gold in my world. My dream project ever since was to read every Superman book from MOS #1 to the Superman comics from 1996 (the year I set comics aside). Thanks to the Man of Steel Volumes and the collection of back issues I’ve accumulated as an adult, I'm very close to making this dream project happen, I think I’m less than 20 issues shy.

 

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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I found The World of Krypton TPB several years ago, collecting the 1987/88 miniseries from John Byrne and Mike Mignola. I was not aware this miniseries existed until I saw the TPB. There are also a few Silver and Bronze Age Krypton backup stories included, nice to have but they feel out of place.

 

Superman-World-of-Krypton-A_zps46a9161c.jpg

 

I really enjoyed the miniseries, I was pleased to discover one of the characters, a Kryptonian cleric who was featured in the Exile storyline was actually introduced in this miniseries.

 

201-Exile-A_zpsac3c4fb7.jpg

 

Not long after picking up the Krypton TPB, I discovered there was also the World of Smallville and the World of Metropolis miniseries also released in 1988. I wish DC would have reprinted all three of these miniseries as a World of Superman collection. Any of you other boardies out there familiar withe the Smallville and Metropolis miniseries?

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Firespitter

Firespitter

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I love the 1986 MoS series. You can still pick up the set of 7 (including the variant #1) original series for under $10. I think everyone should have at least one readable copy if not the reissues.

Comic_Book_-_Man_of_Steel_1_%281986%29.png

 

I know people have said that Byrne is not the nicest guy to meet at a convention, but he pioneered so many titles that I was addicted to as a kid, when I didn't know any artist names. All I cared about was content. And I was amazed, when I started to collect my childhood favorites, how many Byrne was responsible for.

 

-T

 

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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I love the 1986 MoS series. You can still pick up the set of 7 (including the variant #1) original series for under $10. I think everyone should have at least one readable copy if not the reissues.

 

You had me at 'wisdom'. You had me at 'wisdom'.

 

:cloud9:

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Marty Mann

Marty Mann

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I love the 1986 MoS series. You can still pick up the set of 7 (including the variant #1) original series for under $10.

 

-T

 

Is this the Variant ?

 

9463585677_23ee293c36.jpg

 

mm

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Brad Tabar

Brad Tabar

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I was a big fan of the Man of Steel. But I also liked the Worlds of .....comics (Krypton, Smallville, Metropolis).

 

World of Krypton was probably the best of those.

 

Anyone read Superman the Secret Years? I am missing an issue and so haven't gotten around to reading it.

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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Don't think I'm going to leave out Adventures of Superman in this "post-Crisis" Superman appreciation thread.

 

The stories from Marv Wolfman were darker with art from Jerry Ordway - who also wrote - to accompany them.

 

To be honest, the art style took some getting used to, talk about Super chin! When reading the Man of Steel revamp in order, the tile really sticks out after getting used to Byrne's style in Superman and Action Comics.

 

Great character like Professor Emil Hamilton and Bo "Bibbo" Bibbowski were introduced by Wolfman in Adventures. If memory serves me correctly, Brianiac was also reintroduced in the run as well.

 

 

685635-horz_zps11825409.jpg

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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So I see where this is slated for release next January.

 

Superman: The Power Within: collecting ACTION COMICS WEEKLY #601-641, SUPERMAN #48, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #471, and ACTION COMICS #658. All of these issues feature art from non other than Curt Swan.

 

Amazon Link

 

I never paid much attention to the Action Comics Weekly issus in the back issue bins, I've also passed on several 9.8 copies for my CGC collection. This forthcoming TPB has me interested, this would help to complete a large gap in my reader collection. I'm guessing this TPB will be the closest thing to Man of Steel, Volume 9 we'll get.

 

I'm familiar with the Superman cult that appeared in the Reign of the Supermen storyline, it looks like this cult first appeared in Action Weekly. Is anyone else following this thread familiar with the content of the Action Weekly run?

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