Superman Confidential

Last updated
Superman Confidential
Supermanconfidential1.jpg
Cover of Superman Confidential #1 (Nov. 2006), art by Tim Sale.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
Schedulemonthly
Publication dateJanuary 2007 - June 2008
No. of issues14 (as of April 2008)
Main character(s) Superman, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White
Creative team
Written by Darwyn Cooke (#1-5, 11)
Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti (#6-7)
Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett (#8-10)
B. Clay Moore (#12-14)
Artist(s) Tim Sale (#1-5, 11)
Penciller(s) Koi Turnbull (#6-7)
Chris Batista (#8-10)
Phil Hester (#12-14)
Inker(s) Sandra Hope (#6-7)
Cam Smith (#8-10)
Prentice Rollins (#9-10)
Mike Norton (#11)
Ande Parks (#12-14)
Colorist(s) Richard Starkings (#1-5, 11)
Jonathan D. Smith (#6-7)
Jason Wright (#8-10)
Pete Pantazis (#12-14)

Superman Confidential is a comic book series published by DC Comics. Launched on November 1, 2006, it ran for a total of 14 issues before being discontinued in April 2008. It served as a platform to explore the early years of Superman's career, shedding light on significant events and pivotal moments that shaped the character.

Contents

The primary focus of Superman Confidential was to delve into the formative experiences of the Man of Steel, showcasing his initial encounters, crucial decisions, alliances, confrontations, and the key turning points that contributed to his development as the beloved superhero he is known as today. The creative team behind the series rotated, allowing various writers and artists to bring their unique perspectives to the narrative.

One notable aspect of Superman Confidential was its placement within the newly established continuity of the character. As explained by former monthly Superman writer Kurt Busiek, these stories represented the earliest reference points in Superman's revised timeline, as the character's origin had not yet been firmly established. This gave writers the opportunity to explore different aspects of Superman's early adventures without being bound by pre-existing continuity.

While the series was ultimately canceled after 14 issues, one noteworthy unpublished story called "Man and Superman" had been completed before the cancellation. This story, which was eventually released as a 100-page comic book one-shot issue in 2019, was written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by Claudio Castellini. It served as a retelling of Superman's origin story, offering a fresh take on the tale.

Superman Confidential provided readers with a unique window into the early years of Superman's journey, exploring untold stories and shedding light on the foundational moments that helped shape one of the most enduring superheroes in comic book history. Although the series had a relatively short run, its contributions to the Superman mythos continue to resonate with fans and enrich the overall narrative of the Man of Steel.

Plot summaries

Kryptonite

The first story arc by writer Darwyn Cooke and artist Tim Sale features Superman's first encounter with kryptonite. [1] The story occurs in issues #1-5 and is concluded with issue #11.

The story begins in a flashback, showing Superman's rocket reaching the Earth, just as depicted in Man of Steel and Birthright, and as it does, a chunk of strange green rock breaks off. Flashing forward to the beginning of Superman's career, in Metropolis, Superman catches a tanker truck and fights the Royal Flush Gang. Seeing Superman struggle with the tanker, they attack him, severing the tank and causing an enormous explosion. Superman wonders about his own stamina and mortality, about how he is never sure if anything is going to hurt him and just what attack will kill him ultimately, landing on the android Royal Flush Gang member Ace in the form of a block of ice.

Later, in the Daily Planet building, Perry White meets with Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Jimmy Olsen and gives them their next assignment: the new casino that gangster Tony Gallo has launched in Metropolis. They set up a sting, prepping the audio with Lois and readying their surveillance equipment. Distracted from his current job, Clark watches a volcano eruption on TV, anxious that he cannot do anything as Superman without giving away his identity.

Lois calls Gallo, who is about to hang up on her when he sees that she is a reporter and instead decides to talk to her. When Superman fails to show up for one of their dates, Lois instead calls Gallo, who promptly takes her for a night on the town.

Superman confronts Lois about Gallo, and she tells him that a relationship between the two of them could never work. Superman re-commits himself to Metropolis by crashing a party Lex Luthor throws for sick children and presents a massive cake. During an armored car robbery, Superman rushes to save the day. However, Gallo uses kryptonite radiation to blast Superman from afar and he falls, unconscious, to the ground.

Welcome to Mer-Tropolis

This is a two-issue story by writer Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and penciler Koi Turnbull that occurred over issues #6 and 7. It focused on the mermaid Lori Lemaris and Metropolis being brought underwater.

The Edge of Forever/Supertown/Anti-Life

This is a three-issue arc by writer Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett and penciller Chris Batista that occurred during issues #8-10. It focused on Superman's first encounter with the gods of New Genesis and Darkseid.

Signal to Noise

This is the final three-issue arc by writer B. Clay Moore and penciller Phil Hester that occurred during issues #12-14. It focused on Superman's first encounter with the Toyman and Jimmy Olsen's first Superman signal watch.

Collected editions

This series has been collected in the following trade paperback:

TitleMaterial collectedISBN
Superman: Kryptonite Superman: Confidential #1-5 and 11Hardcover: ISBN   1-4012-1464-9

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bizarro</span> Comic book supervillain

Bizarro is a supervillain or anti-hero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman, and first appeared in Superboy #68 (1958). Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character has often been portrayed as an antagonist to Superman, though on occasion he also takes on an antihero role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Olsen</span> DC comic book universe character

Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Olsen is most often portrayed as a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane and Clark Kent, and has a good working relationship with his boss Perry White. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as role models and parent figures. From 1954 to 1982, Olsen appeared in 222 issues of the comic series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and Superman Family, in addition to the main Superman titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Death of Superman</span> 1992 comic book storyline

"The Death of Superman" is a crossover story event mostly featured in DC Comics' Superman-related publications. The crossover, which originated from editor Mike Carlin and writers Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, began in December 1992 and lasted until October 1993. It was published in Superman, Action Comics, The Adventures of Superman, Superman: The Man of Steel, Justice League America, and Green Lantern. Since its initial publication, "The Death of Superman" has been reprinted in various formats and editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Sale (artist)</span> American comic artist (1956–2022)

Timothy Roger Sale was an American comics artist, "best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman and for influencing depictions of Batman in numerous films." He is primarily known for his collaborations with writer Jeph Loeb, which included both comics work and artwork for the TV series Heroes. Sale's renditions of Batman influenced modern cinematic depictions of the character, with film directors and actors directly citing Sale's work.

<i>Superman: The Wedding Album</i> 1996 comic book by DC Comics

Superman: The Wedding Album is an American comic book published in 1996 by DC Comics. It is notable for featuring the wedding of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane in DC Comics continuity, an event that was nearly 60 years in the making.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?</span> 1986 comic book story

"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" is a 1986 American comic book story published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Superman. Written by British author Alan Moore with help from long-time Superman editor Julius Schwartz, the story was published in two parts, beginning in Superman #423 and ending in Action Comics #583, both published in June 1986. The story was drawn by long-time artist Curt Swan in one of his final major contributions to the Superman titles and was inked by George Pérez in the issue of Superman and Kurt Schaffenberger in the issue of Action Comics. The story was an imaginary story which told the final tale of the Silver Age Superman and his long history, which was being rebooted following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, before his modern introduction in the John Byrne series, The Man of Steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Lane</span> Comics character

Lucy Lane is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics. She is the younger sister of Lois Lane, and one of several characters who have assumed the Superwoman identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwyn Cooke</span> Canadian cartoonist

Darwyn Cooke was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier, The Spirit and Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter. His work has been honoured with numerous Eisner, Harvey, and Joe Shuster Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Publication history of Superman</span>

Superman is an American fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and featured pervasively in DC Comic books. The character debuted in Action Comics issue #1 in June 1938 and has since become a paradigm for superhero characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titano</span> Comics character

Titano the Super-Ape is a supervillain who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a foe of Superman. The character is a small chimpanzee named Toto who was sent into space for test flight, until an exposure of combined rays have made him grow to gigantic size and gave him Kryptonite-like powers. As a "Super-Ape", Titano rampaged through Metropolis several times in Superman and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen during the Silver Age, and also appeared in some "Tales of the Bizarro World" stories in Adventure Comics. After a poorly-received 1978 appearance, Titano was not used again in the comic.

<i>The Man of Steel</i> (comics) Comic book limited series featuring Superman

The Man of Steel is a 1986 comic book limited series featuring the DC Comics character Superman. Written and drawn by John Byrne, the series was presented in six issues which were inked by Dick Giordano. The series told the story of Superman's modern origin, which had been rebooted following the 1985–1986 series Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Superman, given the serial nature of comic publishing and the length of the character's existence, has evolved as a character as his adventures have increased. Initially a crime fighter, the character was seen in early adventures stepping in to stop wife beaters and gangsters, with rather rough edges and a rather looser moral code than audiences may be used to today. Modern writers have softened the character, and instilled a sense of idealism and moral code of conduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superboy (Kal-El)</span> Superman in his preteen and teen years

Superboy is a superhero that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Don Cameron and is based on the character of Superman that Siegel co-created with Joe Shuster. Superboy first appeared in the comic book More Fun Comics #101 in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman: Up, Up and Away!</span>

"Up, Up, and Away!" is an eight-issue Superman story arc written by Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek with art by Pete Woods. The story primarily features a powerless Clark Kent using his skills as a journalist to defend Metropolis from both organized crime and Lex Luthor, newly bankrupt and disgraced due to his actions in the series 52. Gradually, however, Superman begins to regain his powers, just in time to battle the embittered Luthor as he seeks to inflict his revenge upon Metropolis with the help of stolen Kryptonian battle technology and redesigned versions of the Toyman and the Kryptonite Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sandman Saga (Superman)</span>

"The Sandman Saga" is a Superman story arc published in 1971 in Superman #233 - 235, #237 - 238 and #240 - 242. This is the first Superman storyline under editor Julius Schwartz and the first Bronze Age-era Superman story.

<i>Superman: Secret Origin</i> Limited series comic book

Superman: Secret Origin is a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics. The series was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Gary Frank, featuring the superhero Superman. The story featured the "definitive" origin of Superman for the modern, post-Infinite Crisis DC Universe continuity, starting with Clark Kent in his pre-teens as Superboy. Within the series he goes on to meet a young Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Heroes in Smallville, Kansas, and soon heads to Metropolis where a young adult Clark debuts as Superman.

<i>Superman: War of the Supermen</i>

Superman: War of the Supermen is an American comic book limited series from DC Comics that serves as the culmination to the Superman line-wide event New Krypton. The series began on Free Comic Book Day 2010, with a zero-issue released free of charge before the main limited series began the following week.

<i>Kryptonite</i> (story arc)

Kryptonite is the name of a story arc written by Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale that appeared in Superman Confidential, a monthly series that was published from January 2007 and then later cancelled in April 2008 that told stories set in the character's early years of his career. This arc, the first story from that title, tells the story of Superman's first encounter with kryptonite. Artist Tim Sale described the story's theme as "...Superman learning about vulnerability, and one of the ways that he had to learn it, and ultimately the most personal way, was through his relationship with Lois". With Superman: Secret Origin, it has been assumed this story arc is not in continuity anymore as of 2010.

<i>Superman Unchained</i>

Superman Unchained is a 2013–14 comic book miniseries published by DC Comics, and featuring the superhero Superman, as he encounters a powerful new opponent named W.R.A.I.T.H. who may be his match. Originally billed as ongoing, the series launched in June 2013 to mark Superman's 75th anniversary, two days before the release of the feature film Man of Steel, and ran for a year and a half. A continuation of DC's 2011 relaunch of its entire monthly line of books known as The New 52, the series was written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Jim Lee and Scott Williams. The entire story received largely positive reviews.

References

  1. Cowsill, Alan (2010). "2000s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 328. ISBN   978-0-7566-6742-9. Writer Darwyn Cooke and artist Tim Sale began [the series] with 'Kryptonite', a six-part tale of Superman's first contact with the energy-sapping green element.