Key Collector Comics
Death of Superman

The Death and Return of Superman The books listed below are arranged in the order that they should be read. This is the full listing of issues, not just keys. You WILL NOT be able to see the non-key issues from this list in the actual database. They are specific to this category only. Check out the interesting facts and plot plotpoints on these featured issues

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Superman: The Man of Steel #17
DC ⋅ 1992
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Superman: The Man of Steel #17
 
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Key Facts

1st cameo appearance of Doomsday, his gloved fist punching a metal door with a caption that reads '...Doomsday Is Coming!'

Doomsday is an ancient Kryptonian monster, bio-engineered to adapt to his environment and opponent

Superman #73
DC ⋅ 1992
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Superman #73
 
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Key Facts

2nd cameo appearance of Doomsday, bones now protruding from the ripped glove of a fist that continues to punch a steel door with a caption that reads '...Doomsday Is Coming!'

Adventures of Superman #496
DC ⋅ 1992
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Adventures of Superman #496
 
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Key Facts

3rd cameo appearance of Doomsday, a panel shows the opposite site of the door as the bone-spiked fist pierces through the steel with a caption that reads '...Doomsday Is Coming!'

Action Comics #683
DC ⋅ 1992
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Action Comics #683
 
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Key Facts

4th cameo appearance of Doomsday, the mysterious fist succeeds in punching a hole through the steel door with a caption that reads '...Doomsday Is Here!'

🥈 Runner-Up: New High [Previous High]

2ND PRINT 9.8 sold for $800 [No Previous Data]

Superman: The Man of Steel #18
DC ⋅ 1992
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Superman: The Man of Steel #18
 
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Key Facts

1st full appearance of Doomsday, mostly obscured by a containment suit with one arm bound behind his back as he wreaks havoc across the countryside

Justice League America #69
DC ⋅ 1992
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Justice League America #69
 
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Key Facts

Battle of Doomsday vs the Justice League: Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, Maxima, Fire, Ice, Bloodwynd

Doomsday vs the Justice League

Superman #74
DC ⋅ 1992
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Superman #74
 
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Key Facts

First battle of Superman versus Doomsday

A short scuffle gives the first partial view of what Doomsday looks like beneath the damaged suit

Adventures of Superman #497
DC ⋅ 1992
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Adventures of Superman #497
 
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Key Facts

Second battle of Doomsday versus Superman

If this issue were being scored the same as a boxing match, Superman would have won the round

Throughout this issue, the action occurs in four panels on every page

Action Comics #684
DC ⋅ 1992
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Action Comics #684
 
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Key Facts

Doomsday reaches the city limits of Metropolis

Every page of this issue has exactly three panels except the first page

Superman: The Man of Steel #19
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #19
 
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Key Facts

Doomsday is fully revealed in this issue after most of the suit has been destroyed

Throughout this issue, the action occurs in two panels on every page

The lone 9.9 sold for $1,600 in February 2024.

Superman #75
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #75
 
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Key Facts

Death of Superman

Death of Doomsday

Every page of this issue is a full or double-splash page

Six-million issues sold

Justice League America #70
DC ⋅ 1993
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Justice League America #70
 
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Key Facts

Begins the Funeral for a Friend story arc

A number of DC heroes gather, wearing the same armband that was included with Superman #75

Adventures of Superman #498
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #498
 
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Key Facts

‘Funeral for a Friend' part 1

Action Comics #685
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #685
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 2

Cover art inspired by Action Comics #1 (1938)

Superman: The Man of Steel #20
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #20
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 3

Lobo takes his anger out on the patrons of a space bar

Bill and Hillary Clinton give a speech at Superman's public memorial procession

Superman #76
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #76
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 4

Adventures of Superman #499
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #499
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 5

Action Comics #686
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #686
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 6

Legacy of Superman, The #1
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Legacy of Superman, The #1
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' tie-in

1st appearance of Auron

Superman: The Man of Steel #21
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #21
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 7

Superman #77
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #77
 
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Key Facts

'Funeral for a Friend' part 8

Nightstalkers #4
Marvel ⋅ 1993
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Nightstalkers #4
 
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Key Facts

Hannibal King, the vampire companion of Blade from Marvel Comics, pays his respects to Superman one month after Superman #75

Action Comics #688
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #688
 
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Key Facts

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Supergirl and Team Luthor #1
DC ⋅ 1993
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Supergirl and Team Luthor #1
 
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Key Facts

One-shot team-up of Supergirl (Matrix) and Lex Luthor

Adventures of Superman #500
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #500
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance of John Henry, later becomes Steel

1st appearance of Superboy, Conner Kent

1st appearance of Cyborg Superman, formerly Hank Henshaw

1st appearance of the Eradicator

Each character was introduced briefly in this issue, then featured in their own individual issues thereafter

1st appearance of Angora Lapin, later becomes White Rabbit

Superman: The Man of Steel #22
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #22
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of John Henry as Steel, in costume, previously appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 but not in costume

Superman #78
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #78
 
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First solo story featuring Cyborg Superman

Action Comics #687
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #687
 
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First solo story featuring Eradicator, referred to as The Last Son of Krypton

Introduction of the Kryptonian Regeneration Matrix, the technology that would resurrect Superman

Adventures of Superman #501
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #501
 
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First solo story featuring Superboy, Conner Kent (Kon-El), the cloned combination of Superman and Lex Luthor's DNA

1st appearance of Tana Moon

Superman: The Man of Steel #23
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #23
 
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Key Facts

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman #79
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #79
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #2
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #2
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Babe, a vampire

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman Annual #5
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman Annual #5
 
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1st appearance of Myriad, an assassin with the power to absorb personalities

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Action Comics Annual #5
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics Annual #5
 
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1st appearance of Loose Cannon

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Adventures of Superman Annual #5
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman Annual #5
 
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1st appearance of Sparx, a metahuman with the ability to manipulate electromagnetic field

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Adventures of Superman #502
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #502
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Action Comics #689
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #689
 
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Resurrection of Superman

Debut of Superman's black suit, intended to aid in his regeneration

Superman #80
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #80
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman: The Man of Steel #24
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #24
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Adventures of Superman #503
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #503
 
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Key Facts

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Action Comics #690
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #690
 
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Key Facts

The Last Son of Krypton becomes the Eradicator

'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman: The Man of Steel #25
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #25
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman #81
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #81
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Adventures of Superman #504
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #504
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Action Comics #691
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Action Comics #691
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Green Lantern #46
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Green Lantern #46
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman: The Man of Steel #26
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman: The Man of Steel #26
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Superman #82
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #82
 
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'Reign of the Supermen' tie-in

Adventures of Superman #505
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Adventures of Superman #505
 
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Final chapter of the 'Reign of the Supermen' story arc

Superman #83
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 1993
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Superman #83
 
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'Funeral for a Friend' epilogue

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