The Death of Superman
Ahhh The Death of Superman saga. Quite possibly the largest event to take place in my childhood in the early ‘90’s as I remember my mom and I driving to literally 10 comic book stores in the SF area with no luck, and went across the bridge to Berkeley where we were able to pay a whopping $20 to get the poly bag version the night it came out. This whole storyline and pages to follow certainly bring back nostalgia!
Now when it comes to the original art behind the series, another collector said it best, it's like pulling teeth to acquire a page, as they rarely come to market or when they are offered privately they are quite expensive. Many of the pages are in the hands of a few very wealthy individuals of what we call black hole "deep" collections that will more than likely never see the light of day in the open market.
Without further ado, let's get to our 5 page collection of The Death of Superman saga, which will also take us into the Funeral For a Friend arc...
Dan Jurgens Justice League America #69 Doomsday's 1st Epic Battle Scene with The JLA! (Death of Superman Part 2, DC, 1992)
Now let’s get started and where better to start with this page below as it represents our earliest page and perhaps one of the more important one’s to the overall series. I remember this issue as a kid being my first introduction to Doomsday and just how destructible he was. Nothing against Man of Steel #18 as Doomsday’s first appearance but we don’t get to see any battle within that issue, instead he arrives on Earth and begins to cause havoc on a highway. We really get a better understanding of how powerful this Kryptonian being is once he encounters the heroes here in Justice League #69. Let’s start at the top, let the battle begin!…
The following lower panels take us back to Doomsday’s first battle scene overall, as the monster takes on the JLA, and they’re manhandled one by one with ease. Here’s a memorable scene in which Doomsday punches Bloodwynd (who’s really Martian Manhunter by the way) so hard he explodes the through the oil tanker and catches on fire. We get a strong visual of Doomsdays claws exposed from his containment suit, soon to be slowly ripping off as he gets closer to Metropolis.
In previous pages just as this one, Superman is being interviewed by Cat Grant and questions are being asked by the audience, none more important than this one. “If there anything out there that really frightens you? I’d get scared facin’ all that stuff if I was you.” Superman responds saying it’s a good question, he’s afraid of failure, hurting innocent people, and of his own death. We may not see his answer on this page, but we do see what is the driving question to the saga and a prelude of what’s to come. The flow of Jurgens story and art is really top notch, with Superman taking questions while the onslaught of the League is currently taking place below.
The lower panel showcases nearly all of the team members less of course Superman and Guy Gardner as he was pummeled by Doomsday just a couple pages earlier. Maxima adds “Did you see that punch?”…”Where could a being so powerful have come from?” We get a great front facing visual of Doomsday in a dark eerie like shadow, as Fire blasts him, he’s unphased and Bloodwynd remains on fire. Booster Gold & Blue Beetle look in awe from above and Beetle says “Can Bloodwynd survive something line that?“ We should add this is the only page in the entire issue to feature 5 of the JLA team members present battling Doomsday, along with the cover, which also had 5 of the team members! Most of the battle pages featured 1-2 members with Doomsday present, so this page from a presentation standpoint is a real treat.
For the first time as a reader, based on the visual art, and the dialogue, we’re presented a villain larger than life, almost indestructible. A truly remarkable early Doomsday battle page showcasing the depths of his destruction. For the first time, the group is questioning Doomsday’s power and have already categorized him as a “being”, almost non-human at this point. We should add, Bloodwynd aka Martian Manhunter does end up surviving the attack, and the onslaught continues, reports come in and Superman to the rescue!
Tom Grummett Adventures of Superman #497 1/2 Splash Doomsday is Coming! (Death of Superman Part 4 DC, December 1992)
What drew me most to this page was the content. Yes no Superman, no Doomsday per say (even though Doomsday’s name is showcased on the screen), but for the first time Doomsday’s destruction is being broadcasted across America.
I love the top half splash as you can see Lois is addressing everyone, but is looking at the screen and for the first time looks worried, presumably for the safety of Superman. Grummett does an amazing job showing Lois’ emotions on her face. We have Jimmy Olsen aka Turtle Boy and Cat Grant who all make future appearances in the saga and have their own roles to play. But what’s best is the bottom panel where they go to a live news break, Lois shows interest to watch, and we learn that hundreds have been injured including the famed Justice League… “Doomsday is on a clear path from Ohio to New York”…
What we’ll soon find out is Doomsday is headed straight for Metropolis! The newscaster actually makes mention of this for the first time on the next panel, saying "Some theorize that the creature is on a course straight to-- or through-- Metropolis.
The Justice League attack mention is also a nice subsequent tie-in from our above page. And the very next page we'll see Lois and Jimmy in the helicopter viewing Doomsday for the first time battling Superman!
Jackson “Butch” Guice Action Comics #684 PG 10 1/2 Splash Doomsday Vs. Superman! (Death of Superman Part 5 DC, December 1992)
Here it is, the Holy Grail from this series, an actual battle page of Doomsday versus Superman. This issue marks the first time Superman goes toe to toe with Doomsday on his own with no help from the JLA as they’re all now bruised and battered. It’s only the previous page to this one in which the one on one battle begins as Superman flys straight at Doomsday busting through the Lex Mart store and where our page begins.
The incredibly detailed top panel half splash is perhaps what Guice is most known for in this series more than any other contributing artist. When you look at the details in the rubble, the rocks, the mangled Lex Mart truck and tire, it’s all quite remarkable. This page didn’t go unnoticed by art reviewers, from Superman86to99.tumbler.com - “The battle scenes throughout the issue are great, and Guice in particular excels at drawing the details of things being smashed apart. The panel of Doomsday punching through a semi-truck on page 3, or later on page 10 when Superman is struck by a LexMart truck thrown by Doomsday, are good examples of this detail.”
In this scene, Doomsday has struck back at Superman’s first solo attack by throwing a Lex Mart service truck through the wall at him while he laughs. We catch a glimpse of the monster now with his Calatonian burial/containment suit now half off striking Superman who is falling back. What’s most revealing may be in the content on this page, which may be as important as the battle page itself.
Superman thinks to himself “Ow! This is…Insane!…I’d swear…the harder I fight…the more Doomsday likes it!…He’s been fighting most of the day, but he still seems as eager—and as strong—as ever!…
And this is the most revealing part of Superman’s thoughts in this scene…
“If he has energy reserves as extensive as mine, I may be in trouble!”
For the first time in the Doomsday arc, we hear Superman concerned for his life. We’re always used to Superman beating the bad guy, whoever it may be, but for the first time as a reader, you start to think this may be something more than just your average villain and may in fact die.
The second panel tied in with our previous page as Superman noticed the copters above, which is led by The Daily Planet with Lois and Jimmy Olsen. On this panel we get a great shot of Doomsday, showing his containment suit is ripping apart on his face with his claws out as he strikes Superman.
The third and final panel is another revealing piece to the saga. Though we saw some concern from Lois on our previous page, here we see for the first time the look of fear. This is the first time both Jimmy and Lois are seeing Doomsday and Jimmy’s reaction says it all, “That’s Doomsday? Wow, he’s a big one!” Lois thinks to herself “Very big. Be careful Clark.”
The page ends with a fitting recording by Lois summing up the battle scene from above: “THE MIDVALE LEX-MART STOOD IN RUINS AS SUPERMAN STRUGGLED WITH THE MYSTERIOUS CREATURE. " END OF PARAGRAPH...
It’s only a few pages later where the battle continues and Doomsday utters MHH-TRR-PLSS” with a Metropolis 60 miles away sign appears. This is where Superman realizes he’s heading straight for Metropolis. The end is near, by the end of this issue Doomsday is leaping to Metropolis as Superman is unable to stop him. It’s only Man of Steel #19 and then finally the inevitable death issue in Superman #75 where the battles comes to a tragic end.
Dan Jurgens Legacy of Superman #1 - Death of Superman #75 Retold for 1st Time / Funeral For A Friend (Part 6-7 DC, March 1993)
Fast forward from The Death of Superman to The Funeral For a Friend story arc. The story and artwork is by the legendary Dan Jurgens, who was the writer and artist of the all-time classic Superman #75, one of the most famous comics of all-time, which featured the Death of Superman. This is an excellent example released 2 months after Superman #75 (Death of Superman issue) and is part of the “Funeral For A Friend” storyline, one of the most memorable Superman story arcs ever told. Based on the Funeral for a Friend TPB and Death of Superman Omnibous, this story lands between Chapters 6 and 7, with the Cadmus project stealing Superman’s body to clone him, though their attempts were unsuccessful, mentioned in more detail with our next page.
This one off issue had other heroes of Metropolis attempting to fill the shoes of Superman, and here we have The Linear Men who take Waverider to the Library of Time, witnessing the iconic scenes from Death of Superman taken straight out of the opening pages of the book. (Viewscreens of iconic Death of Superman images are stats)
Nonetheless the page is truly historic, this is the first time the iconic images were published again after Superman #75 (only 2 months later), which the original art will more than likely never see the light of day. The center image is the opening splash page to Superman #75 shown below, which is such an iconic opening scene to the final chapter of the Death of Superman.
Furthermore, this storyline is part of the famed “Funeral For a Friend” story arc, and Jurgens art on the rest of the page is stunning. To see Waverider utterly shocked that Superman has died after being with him just a couple days earlier hits home. The content on the page is meaningful to the overall storyline, Hunter sums it up just right saying “More has been written about this day, than nearly any other.” But perhaps the last lines of the page are even more profound from the Linear Men leader, “We will examine, clarify and document—- The last breathing moments of Kal El of Krypton.”
The outcome is fitting, The Linear Men know Waverider will attempt to go back in time to save Superman but they convince him he shouldn’t be saved. What makes Superman more special than the next person? Waverider understands the events were meant to happen and to leave time alone. Thus, the story and this special one off ends the way it’s supposed to, just as Superman #75 did, with the Death of Superman.
Image area 10”x15” on DC Bristol Board, viewscreens of iconic ‘Death of Superman’ imagery (stats) are mounted on overlay show below without.
Jackson “Butch” Guice Action Comics #686 Funeral For A Friend Following The Death of Superman (Part 6 DC, February 1993)
Here’s another page from the Funeral For A Friend arc, where Superman is dead and has been recently buried. The Funeral For A Friend series follows right after The Death of Superman saga, as a kid this series was just as desirable and important to me. These issues were hard to come by as readers alike bought them off the shelves like hot cakes and similarly to The Death of Superman issues, prices immediately went above sticker price and a lot of the times were sold out. So to get a page from this arc was essential, perhaps just as important as a Death of Superman page.
This page above is from Story 6 of the series, which focused on Supergirl, the cover similarly shows Supergirl crossing Superman’s tomb and the question is “Who’s Buried in Superman’s Tomb?” and the lower box adds “…And Why is Lex Luthor Paranoid?”
On our page, the questions from the cover are addressed or perhaps I should say revealed. We find out the tomb was breached and not from the outside but from the inside. We also see Alex Luthor there looming in the background, looking paranoid, but why? Well that’s because at this point Lex is questioning whether Superman is really dead at all, as if it were a hoax. Perhaps Lex is skeptical since he too once faked his own death. But let’s remember Lex and Supergirl are actually an item at this time, and Lex is more helpful than the usual villain we all associate him as.
They quickly rule out that this is a bigger operation than the underworlders, as there are underground tunnels and high tech gear to cut through the rubble. Supergirl says in panel 2 “But if they didn’t steal Superman’s body, who did? And why?” With a similar question to the cover, we then go to the lower 2 panels where we go to the Cadmus Project…
Guardian and Superman’s search party travels through the underground tunnel to The Cadmus project where they find Westfield up to no good, as he’s locked in the vault with an advance science team. They’re able to probe the vault door open where Dubbilex says on the bottom panel “No. It is every bit as bad as I feared.” The group looks in shock as we see their reaction, but not their point of view, which if we did, we’d discover on the very next page (DPS) it’s Superman’s body being operated on.
Image left is the following DPS after the last lower lower panel discovery from the group on our page. We soon find out the purpose of the Cadmus Project and their secret dealings was to attempt to clone Superman, though they ultimately are unsuccessful in doing so since they cannot take a genetic sample from his impenetrable skin. A truly magnificent key page to the Funeral For A Friend storyline, which features all of the main characters and is a turning point of the issue. This is an outstanding piece, as are the others above, making this set a key addition to our original art collection.
In conclusion and spoiler alert, Superman returns in the Reign of The Supermen in the following issues and ends up sporting a mullet for much of what we'll call the Triangle Era. (See image right and description below....)
An incredibly detailed Double Page Splash during the infamous Traingle Era and memorable "Dead Again" story arc where Superman is searching for answers from the unexplainable body in his tomb shortly after his return from "The Reign of The Supermen" a year earlier. Superman (sporting his mid 90's mullet style hairdo) heads to Apokolips to confront Darkseid in this story, where he's first confronted by a nice selection of villains including Granny Goodness, Bloody Mary, Bernadeth, and many more including Darseid's own Parademons!
Whether you liked this story-line or not, this was and always will be one of the most memorable and successful story arcs to hit the newsstands ever. Over the last year, as we reached the 30 year anniversary mark of The Death of Superman, new covers and commemorative issues followed many of which again sold out. The story still resonates with us former kids, now adults, who will always remember this as one of the most pivotal story-lines of our childhood.