Superman: The Definitive History

Since his 1938 debut in the pages of Action Comics #1, Superman was the very first superhero, and he has become an international icon and a cultural cornerstone, instantly recognizable to audiences everywhere. Following Kal-El from his escape from the dying planet Krypton through his humble beginnings in Kansas to his work as a part-time journalist and full-time superhero in Metropolis, this deluxe edition explores Superman across comics, TV, animation, film, video games, and beyond, creating a compelling portrait of one of the most recognizable characters in the history of popular fiction. Covering the complete history of Superman in vivid detail, this massive tome features exclusive commentary from the key creatives who have been instrumental in building Superman’s iconic legacy. Filled with exclusive insert items and extremely rare replicas, Superman: The Definitive History is the ultimate exploration of the template for all superheroes and his incredible and enduring impact on pop culture.

COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY: Flip through over 400 pages detailing every adventure and incarnation of Superman across comics, TV, animation, movies, videogames, and beyond.

ALL-STAR CONTRIBUTORS: Read essential interviews and insights from those who have shaped the Man of Steel’s journey and cultural impact, including filmmakers, actors, writers, illustrators, and many more.

CAST OF THOUSANDS: Fully explores the entire Superman family including Superboy, Power Girl/Supergirl, the Legion of Super-Pets (Krypto, Streaky, Beppo, Comet, and Fuzzy the Krypto Mouse), Bizarro, and all the Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen comics. Plus, all the key villains: Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Darkseid, Doomsday, General Zod, etc.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS INSERTS: Filled with pull-out cards, posters, mini-books, and other interactive ephemera that bring the history of Metropolis’s protector to life.

NEVER BEFORE SEEN IMAGES: Revel in exclusive, unseen treasures from the 85-year history of Superman taken directly from DC’s and Warner Bros.’ archives.

COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION: Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond, Batman: The Animated Series, DC Comics: Anatomy of a Metahuman, and DC Comics Variant Covers: The Complete Visual History also available from Insight Editions.

About the Author

Edward Gross is a veteran entertainment journalist who has served on the editorial staff of Cinescape, Starlog, Movie Magic, Cinefantastique, Femme Fatales, Life Story, and Geek Monthly. He was the US editor of EmpireOnline.com, and the film/TV editor for CloserWeekly.com, LifeAndStyleMag.com, and InTouchWeekly.com, and currently serves as nostalgia editor at DoYouRemember.com. He has written over two dozen non-fiction books, including oral histories on Star Trek (the best-selling two-volume The Fifty-Year Mission), James Bond (Nobody Does It Better), Star Wars (Secrets of the Force), John Wick (They Shouldn’t Have Shot His Dog), and Superman (Voices from Krypton), with forthcoming volumes on Indiana Jones and Planet of the Apes. He is the host of the podcasts TV RetroVision (devoted to classic film and TV) and Voices from Krypton (focused on the superhero genre), and recently published his first work of fiction, the novel Fleischer & The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He is a lifelong fan of the Man of Steel.

Robert Greenberger was given a Superman comic at age six and has been steeped in comics lore ever since. He worked for 20 years at DC Comics. He has subsequently written numerous books featuring DC’s heroes, notably The Essential Batman Encyclopedia, and co-wrote The Batman Vault and The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Additionally, he has worked at Starlog Press, Gist Communications, Marvel Comics, Weekly World News, ComicMix, and Famous Monster of Filmland. He currently teaches high school English in Maryland and Making Graphic Novels at Maryland Institute College of Art. He makes his home with his wife Deb.