Superman Variants: Alternative Covers to Collect

THEvariant covers(variant covers) have become an essential phenomenon in the comic book market since the 2010s. For Superman, certain variants have developed a considerable secondary market, driven by popular artists, rarity ratios and special events. But between the variants which appreciate and those which collapse, it is necessary to know how to distinguish the lasting investment from the ephemeral gadget.

This guide lists the most sought-after and collected Superman variants, from the '90s chrome foil era to modern ratio variants, with current odds and tips for building a cohesive and potentially profitable variant collection.

Action Comics #1000 (2018) — The ultimate milestone and its variants

The 1000th issue of Action Comics is a historic event that generated a record number of variant covers. DC Comics celebrated the occasion with"decade covers"depicting Superman in the style of every decade since the 1930s.

The decade covers

1930s variant(Steve Rude) — Golden Age style, homage to Shuster. NM: $25-40. CGC 9.8: $60-90.

1940s variant(Michael Cho) — War propaganda style, very popular. NM: $20-35. CGC 9.8: $50-80.

1950s variant(Dave Gibbons) — Silver Age Atomic style. NM: $20-30. CGC 9.8: $45-70.

1960s variant(Michael Allred) — Pop Art Superman. NM: $20-35. CGC 9.8: $50-75.

1970s variant(Joshua Middleton) — Realistic Bronze Age style. NM: $25-40. CGC 9.8: $60-90.

1980s variant(Joshua Middleton) — Byrne era style. NM: $20-35. CGC 9.8: $50-80.

1990s variant(Dan Jurgens) — Death of Superman tribute. NM: $20-30. CGC 9.8: $45-70.

2000s variant(Lee Bermejo) — Hyper-realistic style. NM: $25-40. CGC 9.8: $60-100.

Complete set of decade covers in NM: $180-300. This is a visually spectacular set that chronicles the visual history of Superman across 8 covers.

Other notable variants of Action Comics #1000

Jim Lee Tour Edition— Distributed only during the Jim Lee tour. CGC 9.8:$150-300.

Frankie's Comics Exclusive(Dell'Otto) — Limited. CGC 9.8: $80-150.

Exclusive SDCC Convention— CGC 9.8: $60-100.

Blank Sketch Cover— Used for artist commissions. NM: $30-50. With an original sketch by a recognized artist: $100-500+.

Superman #1 (2018, Brian Michael Bendis) — Relaunch variants

Bendis' Superman launch spawned many variants that performed well on the secondary market:

Adam Hughes 1:500 variant— The rarest of the series. CGC 9.8:$250-450. Elegant design that appeals to Hughes collectors.

Mattina variant 1:500— Dark, cinematic aesthetic. CGC 9.8: $200-400.

Ivan Reis 1:100 variant— More accessible. CGC 9.8: $80-130.

David Mack 1:25 variant— Distinctive watercolor. NM: $20-35. CGC 9.8: $50-80.

Main cover (Ivan Reis)— NM: $5-10. CGC 9.8: $25-40.

Historical variants of the 90s

Superman #75 variants

Platinum Edition— The classic variation from the 90s (see our dedicated guide). CGC 9.8: $1,500-2,500.

Newsstand polybagged— The most sought-after "variant" of this issue. CGC 9.8: $200-350.

Superman #82 (1993) — Chromium cover

Superman Returns in black suit with reflective chrome cover. NM:$15-30. CGC 9.8: $50-80. This is one of the most successful examples of the 90s chromium gimmick.

Adventures of Superman #500 (1993) — Deluxe Edition

Collector's version with white cardboard cover and embossed logo. CGC 9.8: $40-60. More sought after than the standard newsstand edition.

Superman: The Man of Steel #30 (1994) — Die-cut cover

Cut cover revealing an image underneath. NM: $8-15. A fun artifact from the gimmick cover era.

Premium modern variants (2020-2026)

Artists to watch

Gabriele Dell'Otto— Its exclusive Superman variants are systematically sought after. CGC 9.8 Range: $50-150 depending on rarity.

Stanley "Artgerm" Lau— Her Supergirl and Power Girl covers are among her most popular. CGC 9.8: $40-100.

Alex Ross— His painted Superman covers always command a premium. CGC 9.8: $30-80 depending on title.

Jorge Jiménez— The current designer of Superman, whose variants are becoming more and more sought-after. CGC 9.8: $20-50.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #1 (2021) variants

Inhyuk Lee 1:50 variant— CGC 9.8: $60-100.

Travis Moore variant— NM: $15-25. CGC 9.8: $40-60.

Action Comics #1050 (2022) variants

Stanley "Artgerm" Lau variant— CGC 9.8: $40-70.

Jorge Jiménez varying— CGC 9.8: $30-50.

Retailer exclusives: a growing segment

THEexclusive retailers(blankets ordered by specific stores) have become a market in their own right. The most active stores for Superman exclusives include:

Frankie's Comics— Regular Dell'Otto and Mattina variants. Print runs limited to 1,000-3,000 copies. Release price: $25-50. CGC 9.8 secondary value: $60-150.

Scorpio Comics— Minimalist and elegant variants. Print runs of 1,500-5,000. Release price: $20-40. Secondary value: $30-80.

Unknown Comics— High volume, larger print runs. Accessible prices but limited appreciation.

Superman Variant Collection Strategy

The golden rules

Rule 1: Never pay the maximum exit price for a speculative variant ratio. Wait 3-6 months for the hype to die down to buy at the floor price.

Rule 2: The variants that perform in the long term are those linked to key issues (first appearances, milestone numbers) or to artists with a dedicated fan base (Dell'Otto, Ross, Hughes).

Rule 3: Thematic sets (decade covers, connecting covers) have a value greater than the sum of their parts. Aim for the full set or don't start.

Rule 4: The rarity ratio (1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:500) is only one of the factors. A 1:25 with a popular artist can outperform a 1:100 with an unknown artist.

Superman variants provide an endless playground for collectors who enjoy the hunt for rare covers. But discipline is essential: without strict selection criteria, we quickly accumulate hundreds of dollars of variants that are worthless six months later.