The Iron Age of Comics

Episode #084: Reign of the Supermen!

Will the real Superman please stand up? The Man of Tomorrow (aka the Cyborg Superman), the Last Son of Krypton (aka the Eradicator), the Metropolis Kid (aka Superboy), and the Man of Steel (aka John Henry Irons, aka Steel) all lay claim to the name and role in one way or another. Through weekly issues of the Triangle Era Superman titles, these four will vie for the title before (spoiler alert) the true Superman returns from the grave with a new look for the ‘90s (though opinions vary whether he has long hair or an actual mullet). We’ll wrap up our look at the death and return of Superman and talk about the big issues: how did Superman pave the way for decades of deaths and resurrections in his wake, why does this story linger in the canon when so many other stunts have been forgotten, and why are superhero fans so obsessed with their favorite superheroes dying, anyway?

Discussed in this episode: Action Comics #687-691, Adventures of Superman #500-505, Superman #78-82, Superman: The Man of Steel #22-26, and Green Lantern #46.

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