To the Superman experts here (CoughSwandersonCough), which issues of Superman, Superboy, etc. would you need to piece together his life?

Let assume Moore's "Whatever Happened..." is the finish (or you could use another imaginary story like Superman Red/Blue or Death of Superman) to serve as the tale's finale -- which issues contain the moments most relevant to Superman's life?

For example, Superman #144 has the story "Superboy's First Public Appearance!". That would be a relevant enough story to make the grade. Adventure Comics #247 has the Legion's first appearance, so clearly that's important enough to be in there. Action Comics #242 has Brainiac's first appearance, so that makes the grade.

I'm not looking for stuff that's not in continuity with the Silver Age version of the character -- Action Comics #1 or Lex Luthor's first appearance in Action Comics #23 need not apply. That said, Luthor's origin story where he loses all his hair and blames Superboy is on the table. Or the issue where Ma Kent first designs the Superman suit for Superboy. That kind of thing.

Thoughts?

My basics:

Superman #53 (First major retelling of the origin)
World's Finest Comics #71 (First Superman Batman Team-up)
Superboy #68 (First Bizarro story)
Superboy #90 (Pete Ross discovers Superboy's secret identity)
Superboy #124 (Lana becomes Insect Queen)
Action Comics #242 (Brainiac and Kandor are introduced)
Action #252 (First Supergirl story)
Adventure Comics #247 (First Legion story)
Jimmy Olsen #31 (Jimmy becomes Elastic Lad)
Adventure Comics #271 (Young Luthor becomes evil)
Action Comics #286 (Superman Revenge Squad)
Superman #158 (First Nightwing and Flamebird)
Superman #167 (First Luthor and Brainiac Team-up)
Adventure Comics #354-355 (Adult Legion)

I want to do the list chronologically, rather than by date, so that if you were to make a TPB of these, they'd read as a life story for Superman. Going through my Krypton Companion, I see the following issues that should be included (I'll update this list as new issues are added):

Superman #146 or #53 - Superman's Origin
Superman #144 - Superboy's First Public Appearance!
Adventure Comics #210 - First Krypto
Adventure Comics #271 - Lex Luthor's Origin
Superboy #68 - First Bizarro
Adventure Comics #247 - First Legion of Super-Heroes
Adventure Comics #252 - First Red Kryptonite
Superboy #76 - First Beppo the Super-Monkey
Superboy #83 - First Kryptonite Man (as Kryptonite Kid)
Adventure Comics #283 - First Phantom Zone, General Zod
Superboy #85 - Superboy Tries to Save Abe Lincoln
Superboy #86 - First Pete Ross
Superboy #90 - Pete Ross Discovers Superboy's Secret Identity
Superboy #89 - First Mon-El
Adventure Comics #293 - First Comet the Super-Horse, First Legion of Super-Pets
Superboy #124 - First Lana as Insect Queen
Superman #161 - Death of Ma & Pa Kent
Superman #129 - First Lori Lemaris
Superman: The Secret Years #1-4 - Clark Kent's College Years; Changes Name from Superboy to Superman
Action Comics #51 - First Prankster
Superman #30 - First Mister Mxyzptlk
Action Comics #64 - First Toyman
Jimmy Olsen #1 - First Signal Watch
Superman #76 - Superman Meets Batman
Jimmy Olsen #36 - First Elastic Lad
Jimmy Olsen #36 - First Lucy Lane
Action Comics #242 - First Brainiac & Kandor
Action Comics #252 - First Supergirl, Argo City
Action Comics #261 - First Streaky the Super-Cat
Action Comics #267 - Supergirl Tries Out for the Legion
Jimmy Olsen #48 - First Superman Emergency Squad
Superman #141 - Superman's Return to Krypton
Superman #147 - First Legion of Super-Villains
Action Comics #285 - Supergirl Revealed to World
Action Comics #286 - First Superman Revenge Squad
Action Comics #293 - Comet, the Super-Horse's Origin
Superman #156 - The Last Days of Superman!
Superman #157 - First Gold Kryptonite
Superman #158 - First Nightwing & Flamebird
Action Comics #300 - Superman Under the Red Son
Superman #164 - First Planet Lexor
Superman #167 - First Brainiac / Luthor Team-Up
Jimmy Olsen #72 - Elastic Lad Joins the Legion
World's Finest #142 - First Composite Superman
Adventure Comics #354-355 - First Adult Legion
Brave & Bold #28 - First JLA Story (cameo)
Brave & Bold #29 - First Time Superman Actively Helps JLA
Action Comics #340 - First Parasite
Superman #310 - First Metallo (John Corben version)

Choose Your Own Ending --

Mega-Happy Ending: Superman #162 - Superman Red/Blue
Bittersweet Ending: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Tragic Ending: Superman #149 - Death of Superman

Okay, just added Swanderson's. Any other we need in there?

The episodes on the Smallville DVDs are sequenced in chronological order, so if you just watch straight through, you should be all set.

It's out of chronological sequence, but that really would have been cool as the last Superman story.

Its an imaginary story, so chronology isn't important -- I don't think there's anything in there that conflicts with any other story, so it should work as a viable ending.

The Brave And The Bold #28: Superman in the first Justice League Of America story

He barely appears, only to say that he's occupied with a space menace and can't join the rest of the team to battle Starro. This might be the lamest addition to your complete life story of Superman.

Ah, good one.

This is a fun idea. I love this kind of stuff.

If we're going by the criteria that "Whatever Happened To" is the end point, it seems like you'd want the first appearance of all the villains that appear, so you'd need

First appearance of Mxyzptlk (this would be a biggie considering his part in the Moore story)
First appearance of Metallo
First appearance of Toyman
First appearance of Prankster


You've got the first red Kyrptonite and the first gold ... what about the first regular green Kryptonite?

Also ... and maybe this is covered in some of the stories you've got ... but what about one of those where Superman goes back in time and learns a bunch of stuff about his birth parents? That seems like an essential aspect of the Silver Age version -- a story that gives us a bunch of biographical info on Jor-El and Lara.

I think that some of the Denny O'Neil stuff should be included - especially the 'Kryptonite no more' stuff (I don't know the issue numbers), the Sand Superman, etc.

Careful ... Simon is trying to trick you into including the lynx-powered Superman.

I may have been working up to that....

I've suddenly lost interest.

I'm trying to keep this Weinsinger-centric (with the exception of 'Whatever Happened', as it's a love-letter to the Weisinger era).

Yeah, I guess you're right. Most of those are Golden Age yarns and I wanted to avoid that... but I guess there's no avoiding it. I'll update the list.



This one's sorta tricky -- I'm pretty sure it first appeared in an issue of Superman. However, since Kryptonite also appeared in Superboy's stories, the actual first appearance of Kryptonite wouldn't be Superman's chronological first exposure to Kryptonite. Swanderson, would you know?



Again, I suppose you're right. While not "essential", it is a notable Superman story. I suppose I should expand the list to include memorable Superman stories that don't feature essential continuity pieces.

Okay, updated with Doot's suggestions.

It also occurs to me that first appearances alone won't cut it -- otherwise, it would seem like Superman battled the likes of the Toyman or Metallo only once. We need to include a t least a couple of the best stories for each major villain.

The list is getting big, but it feels right.

It would be cool to see it released as three TPBs, with each TPB using one of your three optional endings. (I'd suggest "death of" for the first one, Blue/Red for the 2nd, and Moore's story for the third.)

Why don't you just hold up a sign that says "FIX MY QUOTE, HANZO"?

I am naive, much like a small child.

That is indeed my handwriting.