The Death and Life of Superman
Read The Death and Life of Superman Online
Authors: Roger Stern
You only thought you knew the whole story . . .
On November 18,1992, the news of Superman’s death stunned the world. The issue of
Superman
that chronicled the Man of Steel’s final battle with the monster called Doomsday made headlines all over the world and sold four million copies in a matter of days, making it the fastest-selling comic book of all time. No one suspected at the time that the story of Superman’s death would soon be eclipsed . . . by the incredible news of his return.
Yet in all the excitement and fanfare surrounding the spectacular revelations of Superman’s death—and life—many questions have remained unanswered.
Until now.
In this new novel Roger Stern—author of the
Superman: The Man of Steel Sourcebook
and writer for
Action Comics,
the oldest comic-book series in the world and the longest-running of the four monthly Superman comics—utilizes details available nowhere else to reveal the complete story of the events leading up to Superman’s tragic end and the extraordinary occurrences that followed.
Here for the first time is the story
behind
the story of the cataclysmic battle with Doomsday and the dark days following Superman’s funeral when all the world stood still; of the mysterious Superman sightings in the skies above Metropolis; and of the fate of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Ma and Pa Kent, Justice League America, and the others involved in this magnificent drama. Here, too, is the truth about the four superbeings who simultaneously appeared in the city shortly the Man of Steel’s death to usher in the Reign of the Supermen, each claiming to be the true last son of Krypton.
With never-before-published background material and exploring the story of Superman’s battle with Doomsday, his death, and his return to life on Earth in greater detail and depth than possible in any other form,
The Death and Life of Superman
offers an exclusive inside look at the man, the legend, and the comics story of the decade.
THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SUPERMAN
A Bantam Book / September 1993
Superman and all related characters, slogans, and indicia
are trademarks of DC Comics
“With a Little Help From My Friends” words and music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, copyright © 1967 by Northern Songs. All rights controlled and administered by MCA Music Publishing, A Division of MCA Inc., New York, NY 10019 under licence from ATV Music. Used by permission. International Copyright secured. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 1993 by DC Comics
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 93-72615
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
For information address: Bantam Books.
ISBN 0-553-09582-X
Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada
Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
SECTION TWO: FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
SECTION THREE: REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN
To my mother and father,
who encouraged me in all things . . .
To David Purvis,
teacher extraordinaire,
who encouraged me to write and to think . . .
To Charles Kochman and Carmela Merlo,
who kept telling me I could do it . . .
To Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster,
who created a legend . . .
And to George Reeves,
who first made me believe that a man could fly . . .
. . . this book is respectfully dedicated.
The Death and Life of Superman
was primarily adapted from the story serialized in the following comic books, originally published by DC Comics:
Superman: The Man of Steel
#17-26 (1992-93)
Superman
#73-82 (1992-93)
Adventures of Superman
#496-505 (1992-93)
Superman in Action Comics
#683-92 (1992-93)
Supergirl and Team Luthor
#1 (1993)
Editor: Mike Carlin
Assistant Editors: Jennifer Frank, Frank Pittarese
Writers: Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson, Roger Stern
Pencillers: Jon Bogdanove, June Brigman, Tom Grummett, Jackson Guice, Dan Jurgens
Inkers: Brett Breeding, Jackson Guice, Doug Hazlewood, Dennis Janke, Denis Rodier
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Letterers: John Costanza, Albert DeGuzman, Bill Oakley
With additional material adapted from:
Man of Steel
#1-6 (limited series, 1986)
Editor: Andrew Heifer
Writer/Penciller: John Byrne
Inker: Dick Giordano
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Letterer: John Costanza
Justice League America
#69 (1992)
Editor: Brian Augustyn
Assistant Editor: Ruben Diaz
Writer/Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Rick Burchett
Colorist: Gene D’Angelo
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Action Comics
#650 (1990)
Editor: Mike Carlin
Assistant Editor: Jonathan Peterson
Writer: Roger Stern
Artist: George Perez
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Letterer: Bill Oakley
Star-Spangled Comics
#7 (1942)
Written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Before we get started, there’s one thing you should know about this book.
I didn’t write it all by myself.
The story within these pages was first published by DC Comics in some forty comic books from the autumn of 1992 through the summer of 1993. It represents a fine collaborative effort on the part of the nearly two dozen comic-book creators who see to it that a new installment in the never-ending story of Superman appears on the newsstands and comic-book racks of North America virtually every week. For over half a decade, yours truly has been privileged to be a part of this superteam; I can truthfully say that a wackier, more wildly creative group of men and women would be hard to find. Their names appear on the preceding page, and the debt that this book owes them cannot be stressed enough. Without their good works, the story that you are about to read would not exist.