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Superman 1991-2011

The Google sheet linked on the right is a guide to every single issue of Superman from 1991-2011.

This guide accompanies a 14-video YouTube series walking through the correct reading order of Superman, by DC Comics. To create the reading guide, I have read the 1677 comic issues that comprise the shared Superman continuity from 1991-2011 - including the essential spin-offs, tie-ins and events - and have used that knowledge to build the internet’s most detailed reading guides and reading maps for the world’s most famous superhero.

The YouTube guide walks viewers through the Google sheet - I’ve split it into 14 tabs, representing the 14 discrete eras I have split this period of Superman reading into. This Google sheet can be viewed and downloaded for free.

Generally, each Era is separated by a major DC event - I have also released a separate video on each of these and those maps can also be viewed for free on this page.

The full playlist for the YouTube series that accompanies this can be found here

DC Event - ZERO HOUR

To the right is my reading map for the DC Event Zero Hour - this accompanies my YouTube walkthrough of this map.

ZERO HOUR was a DC Universe-wide event that took place in 1994, intended to deal with numerous possible futures and alternate timelines in the same way as the earlier Crisis on Infinite Earths. The main storyline featured the destruction of the timestream by two enemies who was trying to restructure the universe and ‘correct’ the timeline. The conflict resulted in a new Big Bang, which functionally rebooted the entire DC Universe with subtle differences in continuity.

DC Event - underworld unleashed

To the right is my reading map for the DC Event Underworld Unleashed - this accompanies my YouTube walkthrough of this map.

Underworld Unleashed was a universe-wide DC event published in 1995. The main concept involved the new ruler of Hell - a demon-lord named Neron - offering many of the DC supervillains (and then subsequently a number of the DC superheroes) various deals in exchange for their souls. Many villains accept his offer, but some do not.

DC EVENT - FINAL NIGHT

To the right is my reading map for the DC Event Final Night - this accompanies my YouTube walkthrough of this map.

Final Night is a universe-wide DC event published in September 1996. It features the Justice League of America, several members of the Legion of Super-Heroes and more than two dozen allied heroes, villains and scientists of the DC Universe banding together in the face of global calamity. This is caused by an alien entity called the Sun-Eater enveloping and extinguishing the Sun, causing Earth to freeze and descend into ecological collapse.

DC EVENT - GENESIS

To the right is my reading map for the DC Event Genesis - this accompanies my YouTube walkthrough of this map.

Genesis was a universe-wide DC event published in 1997, consisting of a four-issue miniseries by John Byrne and Ron Wagner with tie-in issues in most ongoing DC series at the time.

The premise centres around the concept of the ‘Godwave’, an interstellar phenomenon that spread across the universe, creating gods on its first pass before reaching the edge of the universe and bouncing back, creating demigods and metahumans on its second pass.

The Godwave now threatens reality when it finally reaches its starting point, altering or neutralizing the abilities of various metahumans. In addition, Darkseid plans to steal the power of the Godwave, putting him on a path to battle both the superheroes of Earth and the New Gods of New Genesis.

DC EVENT - DC 1,000,000

To the right is my reading map for the DC Event DC 1,000,000 - this accompanies my YouTube walkthrough of this map.

DC ONE MILLION was a 1998 universe-wide crossover event published by DC. It featured a vision of the DC Universe in the 853rd century (chosen because that is the century in which, assuming they maintain a regular publishing schedule, DC Comics will first publish an issue ‘1,000,000’ of Action Comics. The mini-series was written by Grant Morrison, as was JLA at the time.

The core of the event was a four-issue mini-series, in which the 20th-century Justice League of America and the 853rd-century Justice Legion Alpha co-operate to defeat a plot by the super-villain Vandal Savage (who, being practically immortal, exists in both time periods) and future Superman nemesis ‘Solaris the Living Sun’. Every series being published by DC at the time also put out a single tie-in issue numbered ’1,000,000’.

DC EVENT - DAY OF JUDGMENT

DAY OF JUDGMENT was a 1999 DC universe-wide event written by Geoff Johns, told mainly in the limited series ‘Day of Judgment’. It features the Spectre going on a rampage and destroying New York City, after he was forcibly bonded to the fallen angel Asmodel by the demon Etrigan.

DC EVENT - Our Worlds At War

OUR WORLDS AT WAR was a 2001 universe-wide event published by DC. The crossover - which occurred mainly through the monthly Superman titles, Wonder Woman, and a series of character-themed one-shot specials - dealt with the heroes of the DC Universe facing the threat of the cosmic force known as Imperiex, who attacked Earth for the purpose of using the planet as the staging ground for the rebooting of the entire universe.

dc event - joker last laugh

Joker's Last Laugh is a 2001 universe-wide DC event, centred on a 6-issue miniseries written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty. It focuses on Joker's latest scheme, in which - while locked up in the Slab penitentiary - he discovers he is suffering from a terminal brain tumour and becomes determined to go out with a bang. The story is predictably wild, with jokerising rain and earth-destroying black holes in the same issues.

DC Event - Infinite crisis

INFINITE CRISIS is a 2005–2006 universe-wide event published by DC, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and a large number of tie-in books.

The series storyline was a sequel to DC's 1985 event Crisis on Infinite Earths, which rebooted much of the DC continuity in an effort to fix 50 years of contradictory character history. It revisited characters and concepts from that earlier Crisis, including the existence of DC's Multiverse. Some of the characters featured were alternate versions of icons such as an alternate Superman named Kal-L, who came from a parallel universe called Earth-Two. A major theme was the nature of heroism, contrasting the often dark and conflicted modern-day heroes with memories of ‘lighter’ and ostensibly more noble heroes of American comic books' earlier days.

The plot begins when, in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the following people:

o   Kal-L (the Superman of pre-Crisis Earth-Two)

o   the Superboy of Earth Prime

o   Alexander Luthor Jr of pre-Crisis Earth-Three

o   Lois Lane Kent of pre-Crisis Earth-Two

All voluntarily sequestered themselves in ‘paradise’, disappearing as the last surviving heroes of the destroyed Multiverse. It's revealed at the beginning of Infinite Crisis that they have been monitoring the heroes of the current continuity as they descend into darkness, and believe this generation unworthy of their legacy. Their aim is to restore the Multiverse, in an effort to restore the idealistic values of their own time.

DC event - blackest night

BLACKEST NIGHT is a 2010 universe-wide comic event by DC, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries written by Geoff Johns, and a number of tie-in issues. The story centres around Nekron, a personified force of death who reanimates deceased superheroes and seeks to eliminate all life and emotion from the universe. In many ways this serves as a major climax within (but not ending) Geoff Johns lengthy Green Lantern run, which began years earlier with the return of Hal Jordan. That said, I strongly believe it can be read in isolation and still make sense – that’s what I did – although I also think that reading the preceding Green Lantern issues would definitely add depth to the story.

VALIANT UNIVERSE MAP

A map of the entire Valiant Entertainment universe since the 2012 reboot up until the company shuttered in 2023.

The guide concentrates on providing an order for the deluxe edition format, and is an adjunct to my 77-video Youtube series (yes, really) doing a spoiler-free overview of every single series.

Click here for the Google Sheet - Superman 1991-2011

The full written guide - which includes all the DC events too can be found on Amazon here for less than a dollar.

Marvel Noir Universe

An overview of the various series in the small and unique Marvel Noir universe.