Underrated Superman comic books
Word Balloons #1179: Matt and Dean select some underrated or undervalued Superman tales.
The Man of Steel is generally considered the first comic-book superhero and one of the best, but some of his tales may be underrated or undervalued.
Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Superman first appeared in "Action Comics" No. 1 in 1938. That comic has sold for upwards of 3 million dollars in recent years. The comics in this column won’t go for that much, but could be worth diving for in the back issue bins!
Dean Compton of theunspokendecade.com and I each picked five issues or series we considered underrated or undervalued from the long history of Superman comics.
Matt: Man of Steel #1 (1986)
After DC Comics’ continuity reset in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” John Byrne was given the keys to the Kryptonian kingdom to reset Superman. This comic also features the first-ever “intentional” variant cover in the comics market. The variant, a close-up of Clark Kent opening his dress shirt to reveal the “Superman” S, can generally be found for under $10.
Dean: Superman Special #1 (1992)
Amidst the Death of Superman saga, this special was quietly released. I do not foresee it shooting up in value or anything, but if you are looking for bang for your buck, you really cannot do much better than this. Walt Simonson does some of his best, but most overlooked work here, with a throwback to the 70s Superman era that just makes you remember why comic books are so much fun in the first place. Drop 5-10 bucks and feel like you're 12 again!
Matt: Action Comics #340 (1966)
This is the most expensive item I picked for the list, with a CGC 9.2 recently selling for $1,000. However, raw copies in very good or below seem very findable for $50 and under. This issue is the first appearance of the Parasite, in a tale written by future Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter. The energy-draining Parasite has had multiple versions over the years, but it all started here for a character who is likely a top-10 Superman villain. IGN named Parasite the 61st Greatest Villain of All-Time in 2009.
Dean: More Fun Comics 101 (1945)
The first appearance of Superboy is pricey, yes. I know it probably seems odd to put a book like this on here, but the thing is, I think it is undervalued for what it is. A 5.5 slabbed recently went for 5K. That seems fairly inexpensive for an 80-year-old comic that is the first appearance of the Man of Tomorrow as a boy. (Should Superboy be the Man of Yesterday?) Superboy is an integral part of the Superman mythos these days, and it's one of the eras that TV/Movie folks love to exploit for those mediums. “Smallville” is arguably the most successful Superman project this century, and it centered around Superboy. It's only a matter of time before another Superboy project releases, and every time the Lad of Steel arises in Tinseltown, you can bet that interest will pique again and again with this one.
Matt: Action Comics #595 (1987)
Another issue from writer/artist John Byrne here, with inks by Keith Williams. A black-and-white clad woman appears in Metropolis causing death wherever she goes by the sound of her voice. This issue is the first appearance of Silver Banshee, who has appeared in many comics as well as in cartoons and TV. A CGC 9.8 recently sold for $91 plus shipping. Raw copies can frequently be found for under $15.
Dean: Action Comics #521 (1981)
First appearances are the name of the game for many collectors, and Action 521 features the first Vixen! I am a big Vixen fan and have been ever since I saw her 1991 Cosmic Card! This will set you back 100-200 bucks, but as far as value goes, you can see a bright future for Vixen. She has cool powers, a cool look, and she is one of DC's few Black Superheroines. I feel like a lot of the future of superheroes is getting them out there to a more diverse audience, and Vixen lends herself to this. Vixen is also a character that is made for the movies or TV, and while I know CW did a little with her, she is the kind of character who is begging for greater exposure. Put her in the next Suicide Squad movie already!
Matt: Adventures of Superman #428 (1987)
Written by Marv Wolfman and drawn by Jerry Ordway, this issue introduces two supporting characters who would go on to have roles in the Superman books for many years. Jose Delgado is introduced here. He would go on to become the vigilante Gangbuster. Also making his first appearance in this issue is former dockworker and later bar owner Bibbo Bibboski, who describes himself as Superman’s biggest fan. Two first appearances and it’s often found for around $5.
Dean: World's Finest #154 (1965)
Kids complicate things, and when your kids are super, they SUPER complicate things, WF 154 is our first look at Batman Jr. and Superman Jr. The Super Sons! This silly '60s concept was explored for a while in the pages of World's Finest, and I think most folks thought it would stay in that dustbin, but over the past few years, the concept has started to show up again. There are elements of the concept in the Superman & Lois show, but where it really has begun to pick up some steam is with Damian Wayne and Jonathan Kent taking over the role! People have enjoyed this pairing, and it will lead folks to seek out the original duo eventually!
Matt: Action Comics Annual #2 (1989)
Part of the “Exile” storyline sees Superman battling warriors on Mongul’s Warworld. He advances in the tournament to face Draaga, Mongul’s top champion. A cleric with ties to Krypton’s past, wondering if this warrior could be a true Kryptonian, mind-melds with Superman during the battle, revealing to the reader details of Superman’s history.
This issue features the first appearance of the Eradicator, who will go on to be a key player in the Superman mythos. There’s also a laundry list of talent featured in this issue, with George Perez, Jerry Ordway, and Roger Stern all credited as writers. Artists include Mike Mignola, Perez, Ordway, and Curt Swan.
Dean: Superman: The Secret Years 1-4 (1985)
This mini-series is a really fun look at the pre-crisis Superman's college years. For years in the Superman mythos, it seemed like Clark Kent was Superboy doing his thing in Smallville, then there was a blank spot, and then he showed up in Metropolis saving planes and all. This mini-series was supposed to fill in that gap, and it's honestly a little hard-hitting for a Superman book at the time. Clark grows up a lot in the mini-series, and it also introduces a slew of plot hooks and supporting characters that someone is bound to start fleshing out sometime. Toss in some slick Frank Miller covers and you have a really good mini that will get you some bang for your buck!
In conclusion
In going through these Superman comics, I felt like there were many more interesting issues and great stories we could have highlighted. So, if I can talk Dean into it, we may see a second round of “Underrated Superman Stories”!
Do you have a favorite underrated Superman tale? Do you agree with any of our picks? Let us know in the comments!
Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.