Superman: The Man of Steel | |
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![]() Superman: The Man of Steel #1 (July 1991). Cover art by Jon Bogdanove. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Ongoing while in publication |
Publication date | July 1991 – March 2003 |
No. of issues | 136 (#1–134 plus issues numbered 0 and 1,000,000) and 6 Annuals |
Main character(s) | Superman |
Creative team | |
Written by | Mark Schultz Louise Simonson |
Penciller(s) | Jon Bogdanove Doug Mahnke |
Inker(s) | Dennis Janke Tom Nguyen |
Superman: The Man of Steel was a monthly American comic book series that ran for 136 issues from 1991 to 2003,[1] featuring Superman and published by DC Comics. As a result of introducing this series alongside its already existing titles, DC Comics was able to publish a new Superman comic each week. Included in these 136 issues were two special issues: #0 (October 1994, published between issues #37 and #38) and #1,000,000 (November 1998, published between issues #83 and #84), which were tie-ins to Zero Hour: Crisis in Time and DC One Million, respectively.
The first issue was written by Louise Simonson and featured pencils by Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Bob McLeod, and Dan Jurgens.[2] Inks were by Dennis Janke, Jerry Ordway, and Brett Breeding. Simonson wrote issues #1–56, 59–83, 86, #0 and Annuals #2, 4, and 6 from 1991 to 1999.[3] Bogdanove pencilled issues #1–68, 75–82, 85, and #0 during the same period and returned for the final issue, #134, in 2003.[4]
Issues #9 and 10 were part of the "Panic in the Sky" storyline in 1992.[5] Issues #22 through 26 were a part of "The Reign of the Supermen" storyline which received the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for "Favorite Comic-Book Story" for 1993. After his introduction in The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993),[6] Steel briefly became the starring character of the Superman: The Man of Steel series.[7] Issue #30 (Feb. 1994) had a variant edition packaged in a polybag. The logo and all cover copy were printed on the bag and vinyl clings (similar to Colorforms) were included for a do-it-yourself front and back cover.[8] Writer Mark Schultz and artist Doug Mahnke became the new creative team on the title with issue #87 (March 1999).[9] Schultz and Mahnke introduced a new version of Superman's Fortress of Solitude in issue #100 (May 2000).[10]
From 1992 to 1997, DC published six issues of Superman: The Man of Steel Annual.[11] The stories tied into the crossover or themes that were featured in DC's annuals that year. These were:
In December 1995, a special Superman: The Man of Steel Gallery #1 was published.[12] It features 22 pin-ups drawn by several artists.
The title, Superman: The Man of Steel, would be used again for a series of trade paperbacks collecting the early adventures of the post-Crisis Superman. The first volume collects and retitles The Man of Steel limited series.
Volume | Material collected | ISBN |
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1 | The Man of Steel #1–6 | ISBN 0-93028-928-5 |
2 | Superman vol. 2, #1–3; Action Comics #584–586; The Adventures of Superman #424–426 | ISBN 1-40120-005-2 |
3 | Superman vol. 2, #4–6; Action Comics #587–589; The Adventures of Superman #427–429 | ISBN 1-40120-246-2 |
4 | Superman vol. 2, #7–8; The Adventures of Superman #430–431; Action Comics #590–591; Legion of Super-Heroes #37–38 |
ISBN 1-40120-455-4 |
5 | The Adventures of Superman #432–435; Action Comics #592–593; Superman vol. 2, #9–11 | ISBN 1-40120-948-3 |
6 | Superman vol. 2, #12; Superman Annual #1; Action Comics #594–595; Action Comics Annual #1; The Adventures of Superman Annual #1; Booster Gold #23 |
ISBN 1-40121-679-X |
7 | Superman vol. 2 #13–15; Action Comics #596–597; Adventures of Superman #436–438 | SC: 1-40123-820-3[26] |
8 | Action Comics #598–600, Superman vol. 2 #16–18 and Adventures of Superman #439–440 | 978-1401243913 |
9 | Superman vol. 2 #19–22; Adventures of Superman #441–444 and Superman Annual #2; Doom Patrol vol. 2 #10 | 978-1401266370 |