Top 3 major Superman crossovers
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (1985): death of Supergirl in the arms of Superman, iconic cover by George Pérez
- Superman #75 (1993): death of Superman in the face of Doomsday, cultural phenomenon and peak of speculation in the 90s
- Kingdom Come #1-4 (1996): Aging Superman returns to save a world in distress, masterpiece by Alex Ross
Superman is the character most involved in major DC Comics crossovers since the creation of the editorial event concept. From the first Crisis to modern Rebirth, the Man of Steel systematically occupies a central place in the sagas that redefine the DC universe. For the collector, these crossovers represent historical milestones with strong heritage value.
Every great DC crisis revolves around Superman: whether he's the hero, the victim, or the catalyst. Identifying the key numbers within these sprawling events requires precise knowledge of Clark Kent's role in each arc. Consult our guide to Superman key issues for a complete overview.
Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985): the seminal overhaul
The first major DC crossover places Superman at the heart of the destruction of the multiverse. Marv Wolfman and George Pérez orchestrate a 12-issue event that rewrites the foundations of the DC Universe. Superman plays a tragic and heroic role simultaneously.
Superman of Earth-1 and Superman of Earth-2 fight side by side before the universes merge. This is the final appearance of the Golden Age Superman in continuity, adding a unique historical dimension.
Collectible Key Numbers
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #7: Death of Supergirl, legendary cover. CGC 9.8: €400-600
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #12: Final fight against the Anti-Monitor. VF: €30-60
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #1: Launch of the event. VF: €40-80
Death of Superman (1992-1993): the media phenomenon
The Death/Funeral/Reign/Return arc constitutes the most high-profile Superman crossover in history. Polybagged Superman #75 was printed in millions of copies, making common copies of little value. The classic lesson on speculation vs. real rarity.
The real key issue for connoisseurs remains Superman: Man of Steel #18 (first appearance of Doomsday), whose rating continues to increase regularly.
Collectible Key Numbers
- Superman: Man of Steel #18: First appearance Doomsday. CGC 9.8: €150-300
- Superman #75 Platinum Edition: Distributed to retailers only. VF: €100-200
- Superman #75 Polybagged: Massive print run, historical interest. VF: €10-20 sealed
- Adventures of Superman #500: Return of Superman. VF: €5-10
Kingdom Come (1996): the Elseworlds masterpiece
Mark Waid and Alex Ross bring together the entire DCU in a gouache-painted dystopian future. Superman, retired for a decade, takes up the costume to face an uncontrollable new generation. Alex Ross's paintings give each board the status of a work of art.
Collectible Key Numbers
- Kingdom Come #1: Return of Superman. CGC 9.8: €100-200
- Kingdom Come #1-4 (complete set): First print prestige set. VF: €200-400
- Kingdom Come #4: Conclusion, nuclear explosion. VF: €30-60
Infinite Crisis (2005): the return of the multiverse
Geoff Johns brings back Superman from Earth-2 and Superboy-Prime in this spiritual sequel to the original Crisis. The seven-issue event with multiple variant covers offers interesting collection diversity. The main series is enough to capture the essence of Superman's role.
Collectible Key Numbers
- Infinite Crisis #1: Return of Superman-2 and Superboy-Prime. VF: €10-20
- Infinite Crisis #7: Conclusion, Superman's final fight. VF: €8-15
DC Rebirth and the modern era (2016-2018)
DC Universe Rebirth #1 (2016) repositions Superman as the pillar of the new continuity. Action Comics #1000 (2018) then celebrates the character's 80th anniversary with a historic issue including multiple, highly sought-after variants.
Collectible Key Numbers
- DC Universe Rebirth #1: Relaunch of continuity. VF: €10-20
- Action Comics #1000: Historic anniversary, multiple variants. VF: €15-40
- Action Comics #1000 Jim Lee variant: Most wanted cover. VF: €30-60
Superman crossover collection strategy
Crisis #7 and Kingdom Come #1 are top priorities for their stability and historical significance. Avoid common copies of Superman #75 in favor of rare variants. Modern crossovers still offer reasonable buying windows before the next DCU movie sparks another surge.
From Crisis to Rebirth, manage your Superman crossovers and identify missing issues in each DC event with our collection management application.
Frequently asked questions
The landmarks are Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985), Death of Superman (1992-1993), Kingdom Come (1996), Infinite Crisis (2005) and DC Rebirth with Action Comics #1000 (2016-2018). Each marks a historic milestone of the DC universe in which Superman plays a central role.
Superman: Man of Steel #18, the first appearance of Doomsday, whose value keeps rising steadily. The polybagged Superman #75 was printed in the millions, which makes common copies poorly valued: the classic lesson on speculation versus real scarcity.
Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, which shows the death of Supergirl in Superman's arms, with an iconic cover by George Pérez. Issue #12 (the final fight against the Anti-Monitor) and #1 round out the set.
Mark Waid and Alex Ross bring the entire DCU together in a dystopian future painted in gouache, with a retired Superman who takes up the costume again. The four 1996 issues are an Elseworlds masterpiece, and Ross's paintings give every page the status of an artwork.
Prioritize Crisis #7 and Kingdom Come #1 for their stability and historic importance, and prefer rare variants over common copies of Superman #75. Modern crossovers such as Infinite Crisis (2005) still offer reasonable buying windows.