7 Worst Things DC Did To Superman

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Superman truly set the standard for all superheroes. He’s the character who started it all, and after nearly 90 years, he’s still incredibly popular, boosted by great comic books and the upcoming 2025 movie. It’s a fantastic time to be a Superman fan! Throughout his history, he’s been featured in some truly remarkable stories, crafted by DC Comics’ most talented creators and captivating readers for generations. While he may not always top the sales charts today, Superman remains the most iconic fictional character of the 20th century, building on a tradition of heroism that goes all the way back to legends like Gilgamesh and Hercules.

Superman comics have had their share of ups and downs. While there have been many great stories, there have also been some truly awful ones. Here are seven of the worst moments that have tarnished the reputation of the Man of Tomorrow.

7) Electric Superman Red/Superman Blue

Years ago, there was a Superman story that wasn’t considered official—a ‘what if’ scenario where he existed as both a red and blue version. It was a quirky tale from the Silver Age of comics, remembered mostly for its unusual premise. Later, after the storyline ‘The Death of Superman,’ DC revisited this idea. This ultimately led to a trend of big, event-focused Superman stories and the development of powers based on electromagnetism.

The idea wasn’t well-received, but things really went downhill when Superman was divided into two separate versions – one red and one blue. This storyline extinguished fans’ enthusiasm for the Superman comics and marked the conclusion of Dan Jurgens’ acclaimed work on the character.

6) The Tomasi/Gleason Superman

The DC Rebirth initiative started strong, as fans had grown dissatisfied with the previous New 52 continuity. DC addressed this by revisiting elements from its pre-Flashpoint era, including the classic post-Crisis Superman, Lois Lane, and their son, Jon. The Superman title was relaunched with a creative team of Pete Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, and artist Doug Mahnke, who had previously worked on Green Lantern Corps/Batman and Robin. While the book was popular and had many highlights, some readers felt Tomasi portrayed Superman too conservatively, resembling the character’s more nationalistic depiction from the late 1980s, which didn’t resonate with modern sensibilities.

Honestly, after the “Superman Reborn” storyline, the book just didn’t keep its momentum. The later arcs were alright, but nothing special. I was thrilled they brought back the real Superman, but it started feeling too similar to John Byrne’s take on the character, and we’ll get into that more in a bit.

5) John Byrne’s Changes to Superman

The comic book event Crisis on Infinite Earths fundamentally altered the DC Universe, and a major part of that change involved Superman. Writer and artist John Byrne was tasked with reimagining the character, and he essentially restarted Superman’s history. Byrne removed any elements that didn’t align with an American identity. He redesigned Krypton as a sterile, emotionless society and erased the many Kryptonian survivors from older stories. Instead of arriving as an immigrant, Kal-El was now born on Earth within the United States. Furthermore, Byrne transformed Superman from a champion of the common people into a conservative figure, a striking contrast to the original Superman stories which often had socialist themes.

A controversial storyline involved Walter Byrne using the character Big Barda in a way that many felt disrespected Jack Kirby, a legendary comic book creator. Barda was inspired by Kirby’s wife, but Byrne depicted her as brainwashed and involved in explicit content during a personal feud with Kirby. While the artwork was well-received and the story initially popular, it negatively impacted the character’s reputation for years afterward.

4) The Death of Earth-Two Superman

The original Superman, from Earth-Two, was considered the definitive version of the hero. He had a fulfilling life, achieving everything he earned. He became the editor-in-chief of The Daily Star (the older version of The Daily Planet), married Lois Lane, raised his cousin Kara as Power Girl, teamed up with the Justice Society, and famously saved the universe by defeating the Anti-Monitor with a single punch. Ultimately, he and Lois found lasting peace in a perfect, otherworldly dimension.

Honestly, seeing Earth-Two Superman return in Infinite Crisis was amazing, even if it ultimately ended with his death at the hands of Superboy-Prime. I really think he should have survived, though. There was just something so special about him, a perfect take on the character, and it would be incredible to have him back in the DC Universe. He’s always been my favorite Superman, and I’m hoping DC will bring him – and the joy he brings to fans like me – back someday.

3) Brian Michael Bendis’s Superman

Brian Michael Bendis was a hugely popular writer for Marvel in the 2000s and 2010s before moving to DC Comics in 2018. DC gave him creative freedom, and the writer, who hails from the same city as Superman’s creators, was put in charge of both Superman and Action Comics. Bendis delivered strong stories and introduced compelling new villains, including characters like Rogol Zaar, Synmar, Red Mist, and the Invisible Mafia.

Despite some promising ideas, Brian Michael Bendis’s Superman run wasn’t a hit with fans. He aged up Jon Kent, but the stories often lacked excitement, leading to a significant drop in readership after the successful ‘DC Rebirth’ era. This drastically reduced Superman’s popularity, and it took years for the character to regain its previous momentum, even with occasional bright spots.

2) Superman & Wonder Woman Dating

The Superman and Wonder Woman relationship only really worked in the Kingdom Come storyline, largely because Lois Lane was no longer alive. While they seem like a natural pairing – both are strong leaders with incredible power – their connection always felt more ideal in theory than genuinely compelling.

Clark Kent and Diana Prince just don’t have the dynamic you’d expect from a compelling couple. Lois Lane and Superman work so well together because they complement each other perfectly – that connection is missing with Superman and Wonder Woman. Despite being officially paired up in the New 52 comics, even getting their own series, the relationship didn’t work and was actually quite poor. Wonder Woman often gets lost in the shadow of male superheroes, and pairing her with Superman – arguably the most iconic superhero of all – really highlighted that problem. The relationship didn’t benefit either character and ultimately harmed Wonder Woman’s portrayal.

1) The New 52

The New 52 reboot didn’t work well for many DC characters, particularly Superman. Although Grant Morrison’s work on Action Comics is considered a high point for the character, most of the other Superman comics from that era were poorly received. The initial Superman series struggled from the start, and didn’t really improve until Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr. took over. Even with the new creative team, the stories were only marginally better – a slight improvement over some particularly weak storylines the book had experienced in its first thirty-odd issues. The controversial romantic relationship with Wonder Woman also contributed to the issues of this period.

“Doomed” is widely considered the weakest story in the Doomsday saga. While it improved slightly after the hero lost his abilities, the damage was already done. It represents a low point for the character and isn’t worth reading except for the issues written by Grant Morrison.

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2025-11-01 04:13