If 2025 had a name, it had to be Superman. But this summer’s release of James Gunn’s long-awaited epic re-introducing the Last Son of Krypton to moviegoers—along with an entire new DC Universe—was just the party getting started. The announcement of a welcome sequel in 2027, plus anticipation for next summer’s Supergirl movie kept the fun going all year long. Adding to the festivities were a host of new Superman comics and plenty of fresh merchandise. Here are a few of this lifelong Superfan’s faves…
Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor
Mark Waid has long been the most knowledgeable person in the world when it comes to the Man of Tomorrow. With books like Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, he established himself as the premiere Superman writer of our time. His return to DC in recent years has only added to his legacy. In addition to a myriad of other projects, 2025 saw Waid continue his acclaimed run on Batman/Superman: World’s Finest and introduce a fun new take on Superboy in the pages of Action Comics.
The high point, however, was the hardcover collected edition release of Waid’s Black Label book Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor. Pencilled by Bryan Hitch—whose art has rarely looked better, thanks to the able inks of Kevin Nowlan—it’s arguably Waid’s finest work. The scribe has long been captivated by Supes’ relationship with Lex, and this three-issue saga finds our hero trying to save his arch-foe upon learning he’s dying. Here, Waid explores a new depth of Superman’s empathy and an even greater degree of pathos for the most tragic relationship in the DC Universe.
Superman Family: The Giant Turtle Man
Lately DC has been killing it with their run of DC Finest titles. Bringing renewed attention to entire eras of the company’s publishing history in mammoth, affordable and handsomely uniform trade paperbacks, devoted to genres ranging from war (The Big Five Arrive) to science fiction (The Gorilla World) to horror (The Devil’s Doorway).
Of course for superhero fans, there’s been no end to the embarrassment of riches. My favorite of the over three dozen DC Finest books to date is Superman Family: The Giant Turtle Man, gathering never-before-collected tales from Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane and Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen. Spanning July 1960 to October 1961—the zenith of the company’s Silver Age—these stories chart the expansion of mainstream comics’ first true mythology, in which countless elements of Superman’s world first took shape. Illustrated by the likes of Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger—with many tales written by Superman creator Jerry Siegel—The Giant Turtle Man is packed with all the wit, whimsy and wide-eyed wonder that would inspire later creators like Grant Morrison and Matt Fraction. The title story alone, in which everyone’s favorite cub reporter is turned into a kaiju, is more than ample proof.
Superman: The Definitive History
Looking for something to get the Superman fan in your life who already seems to have everything Man of Steel-related? Look no further than this 15-inch, 500-page, slipcased beast of a book. Bigger and better than Batman’s excellent 2022 counterpart, Superman: The Definitive History is written by Robert Greenberger and Edward Gross (the latter one of the leading Superman experts around, as proven by prior histories like Voices from Krypton). Packed with interviews, bonus inserts replicating vintage ephemera/memorabilia, and art from animation, advertising and most every other medium, it’s one of those rare volumes that delivers exactly what its title promises. An introduction from former Superman Brandon Routh and a foreword by Superman editor par excellence Mike Carlin are the twin cherries atop this sundae celebrating the Man of Steel in every conceivable iteration. Up, up, and away!
Visit DC.com tomorrow for another 2025 Top Three list!
Joseph McCabe writes about comics, film and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Instagram at @joe_mccabe_editor.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joseph McCabe and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
