Worst Superman Comic?

[Brash]

We all know and love "The Man of Steel", but everyone has an off episode. It's not even always his fault.
I blame, believe it or not, Stan Lee for the WORST Superman title I have ever read. It was an impulse buy that I had at my local shop today. It's "Just Imagine Stan Lee's Superman!" (#1?)
http://www.comic-shop.net/cover/dc-stan-lee-superman.jpg
I thought that the art was badass, and for some reason, I thought that having Stan Lee mess with a DC classic would be a good idea. WRONG.

Worst... Superman title... ever...
The only thing in it that was thee same were the names. Superman was portrayed as a space weenie, chasing a baddie to dumb ol' planet Earth. He learns the language in 5 minutes, and Stan Lee decides that he uses shoulder pads to fly. LAMEO
Anyone else care to gripe about a bad Superman comic? Perhaps someone can let me know if there was a continuation of this series?

[Jack Zodiac]

I didn't like any of those Stan Lee stories. :(

[J. Robb]

The only thing in it that was the same were the names.
I think that was the point of the "Imagine Stan Lee" titles though.

I think the Superman/Big Barda porn issue has to be the worst, just for "going there". If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't ask. You don't want to know.

[Kara Zor El]

There are so many bad Superman comics to choose from and you tend to forget the bad ones and just remember the good ones. The Elseworlds were he was basically Tarzan was pretty lame.

[dancj]

Most of the Superman comics produced since John Byrne left have been pretty poor. I couldn't choose just one.

Dan

[Lorendiac]

When it comes to stuff like "Just Imagine Stan Lee" or an Elseworlds, I seem to be more tolerant because even if the story is disappointing in some ways, it's not even pretending it will have any "lasting impact" on continuity, so why worry about it? Let it rest quietly in its own little world where it doesn't really matter what flaws the story has! :) (With that in mind, I can just chuckle about how clueless and childish Superman looked in the opening stages of the plot of "Kingdom Come.")

If I try to think of really bad stories that were set "in continuity" when published . . .

Let's see . . . there's whatever issue of "Superman" it was (somewhere between #190 and #200) in which Lois met Cir-El and reacted to her claim to be Superman's daughter by throwing a tantrum and demanding to know who Superman had been fooling around with (and getting pregnant) years ago that he never bothered to mention to his wife before. That was a bad piece of storytelling!

There's that story where Superman and Wonder Woman fought side-by-side for a thousand years and then came back home. If I dismiss it as a dream sequence, it's just a boring story. If that thousand-year-absence was really supposed to be happening "in continuity," it's a really, really bad story!

There's the way Superman meets "Kara Zor-El, your long-lost cousin" in the second story arc of Jeph Loeb's Superman/Batman and doesn't admit that he ought to recognize that name right away! (The previous example of the Kara Zor-El from "Many Happy Returns" springs to mind.) Of course, now we can tell ourselves that the Kara of "Many Happy Returns" has probably been Retcon Punched into Oblivion by now . . . although to be fair, I didn't think the plot of the rest of that "Supergirl from Krypton" story arc made much sense either . . .

I haven't read any of "For Tomorrow" yet, so I don't know if it's as big a disappointment as people keep telling me.

[shyguy]

Anyone remember Superman: Day of Doom? Absolutely god-awful in every sense of the word.

It's a 10-year followup to the Death of Superman written and pencilled by Dan Jurgens and inked by Bill Seinkeiwiscz. Yeah.

The main character is a collossal tool, Superman is portrayed as a complete and utter idiot, some generic villain pops out of nowhere and nothing is resolved with him at all.

It's a 4-issue miniseries and pretty much the only reason to read it is to see what Superman stories shouldn't be.

[David Atkins]

Superman's OWAW tie-in issues drove me away from his book for quite a while.

[Absalom]

That Superman Return to Krypton storyline, deffinitely. Thank God it was retconed latter as a Brainiac illusion sort-of.

Nothing against Mr. Loeb, but that's gotta be one of the worst Superman stories of all time. The elements and characterizations would look silly and dated even for golden age standards.


And he even gave Kal-El a bad 2nd degree cousin named Cru-El... how lame is that ?!?

[thehod]

And he even gave Kal-El a bad 2nd degree cousin named Cru-El... how lame is that ?!?

Almost as bad as the new Phantom Lady being called Stormy Knight?

[Kara Zor El]

Also a lot of the stories that followed just after he returned from the dead were poor. The one where he grew bigger and bigger was soooo boring! Then Bloodsport turned up with a yawn.
I really hated the whole thing with the clones under the city that ran and ran in continuity for ages. Then they got killed off with clone plague and that was just ridiculous because you didn't care about any of therm except for Superboy and maybe Lex. The destruction of mMetropolis that followed caused by Lex's missiles was also meaningless and soon put right.

[OverMaster]

And he even gave Kal-El a bad 2nd degree cousin named Cru-El... how lame is that ?!?

IIRC, Kru-El already existed in the Pre Crisis DC.

Of course, there are some things better left erased thanks to the Crisis...

[OverMaster]

Also, I nominate the whole of Chuck Austen's run in Action Comics.

PEE-YEWW!!

[curefreak]

the worst issue of superman ive read was the one in for tomorrow where he does nothing the entire time but have some weird conversation with a priest that made no sense. (jim lee is a great artist but it couldnt save this)

[Fenix]

For tomorrow, holy cow!! That´s time I would like to have back. Just watch the pictures... but noooo I have to read it... *stubborn*

[Hellstormer]

The issue during the Reign of Supermen when he came back. :p

[trickster]

I think the Superman/Big Barda porn issue has to be the worst, just for "going there". You don't want to know.

I do. :p Is this for real? Or is it one of those fan-made parodies?

[Chad]

Action 719 (or thereabouts)- the Joker has poisoned Lois Lane and the only antidote is contained within his blood. However, the antidote can't be retrieved without Superman killing the Joker. So many insulting things in this issue.

First; Batman shows up to remind Superman that his mind is so delicate and fragile that if he were to kill the Joker, he would certainly snap from having to make that decision and likely become the greatest threat to Earth. Superman agrees explaining that Lois would rather die than live with this on her conscience.

Secondly; proving that he isn't psychologically fit to handle these big problems, Superman doesn't come up with a Plan B. Instead, he spends the issue screaming about how unfair this predicament is and flies around Metropolis in a rage. He doesn't scour the Universe for an antidote, consult the JLA, or even act calmly or rationally at all when someone's depending on him.

Thirdly; he gives up before Lois dies and waits by her bedside for this to happen. It all turns out to be a joke and she survives, but no thanks to Superman.

Fourth; Batman's dragged into all this, and

Fifth; he still has that mullet.


Infinite Crisis - I know that it's a big coincidence that something so recent could also be the worst Superman story of all time - as if I'm choosing it simply because it's fresh in my mind, but I've thought carefully about this.

The Golden Age Superman is brought back one last time so Geoff Johns can explain that he wasn't all that great. Seeing Superman rage against "inferior beings" who don't deserve the freedom he gave them is just sick.

[Fenix]

I do. :p Is this for real? Or is it one of those fan-made parodies?

oh, it´s real. I´ve seen those issues. Never read them though.

[shyguy]

The Golden Age Superman is brought back one last time so Geoff Johns can explain that he wasn't all that great.

And don't forget that Johns nullifies the happy ending Superman2 got in COIE in lieu of having him brutally beaten to death on Mogo by an evil alternate universe counterpart of himself.

I actually don't mind the Action Comics issue you mention, though, although I haven't read it in years.

[Dussan]

oh, it´s real. I´ve seen those issues. Never read them though.


Where can I find those issues. SO I may properly "critique" them. :D

[Bat-Mite]

oh, it´s real. I´ve seen those issues. Never read them though.

But I have. Wanna know what's the worst part? The Big Barda and Superman doing a porno movie is NOT the worst. The worst part is that Superman gets into that porno mess because he was investigating a strange energy that made old people live a very long time. Old people? Still breathing? SUPERMAN MUST STOP THIS!

[Bat-Mite]

But the actual worst Superman comic I have read has to be Joe Kelly's Infinite Crisis tie in Superman story. That's where current Supes and Old Supes fight and somehow punch each other into each other's lives, and then they are giant jerks and they destroy the world... but IT WAS ALL A DREAM! A dream, like all the times Kelly showed promise of being a good writer.

[Fenix]

But I have. Wanna know what's the worst part? The Big Barda and Superman doing a porno movie is NOT the worst. The worst part is that Superman gets into that porno mess because he was investigating a strange energy that made old people live a very long time. Old people? Still breathing? SUPERMAN MUST STOP THIS!

woww, After that I don´t know if I should read them too just to say "I read the worst Superman Story ever... " I guess that "have seen it" is more than enough.

BTW: I´ve read your Blog. Y hablo español asi que soy Feliz :D Me cagué de risa en serio. Muy bueno.

[Hellstormer]

woww, After that I don´t know if I should read them too just to say "I read the worst Superman Story ever... " I guess that "have seen it" is more than enough.

BTW: I´ve read your Blog. Y hablo español asi que soy Feliz :D Me cagué de risa en serio. Muy bueno.
Tomé a españoles por tres años:p

[Bat-Mite]

Tomé a españoles por tres años

I bet the Spaniards didn't like being taken by you for three years straight!

[Hellstormer]

I bet the Spaniards didn't like being taken by you for three years straight!
Damn three years and I'm getting worse. :(
Lemme try again: Participé una clase española por tres años.

[cactusmaac]

But the actual worst Superman comic I have read has to be Joe Kelly's Infinite Crisis tie in Superman story. That's where current Supes and Old Supes fight and somehow punch each other into each other's lives, and then they are giant jerks and they destroy the world... but IT WAS ALL A DREAM! A dream, like all the times Kelly showed promise of being a good writer.

At least that was semi-coherent. Unlike Superman #200 which was a collosal train-wreck of hastily closed plot threads.

[J. Robb]

I didn't like the way Superman acted in Action 719 either, but at least it had consequences. Lois wasn't happy with his decision and next issue their engagement was called off. (And it stayed off until the month before the awful "Lois & Clark" wedding.)

[Lorendiac]

I didn't like the way Superman acted in Action 719 either, but at least it had consequences. Lois wasn't happy with his decision and next issue their engagement was called off. (And it stayed off until the month before the awful "Lois & Clark" wedding.)

One question for clarification: When you call the wedding "awful," do you mean you thought it was a very badly done story any way we look at it, or do you just mean you think it was a lousy strategic decision to have a wedding at all, no matter how it was handled exactly? (I agree with the "lousy strategy" opinion, but I didn't think the actual writing of the wedding was all that bad. I don't say it was so brilliantly written that it brought a tear to my eye either, though, because it didn't.)

[Bat-Mite]

At least that was semi-coherent.

I have to completely disagree with your definition of "semi".

[J. Robb]

(I agree with the "lousy strategy" opinion, but I didn't think the actual writing of the wedding was all that bad. I don't say it was so brilliantly written that it brought a tear to my eye either, though, because it didn't.)
The comic wedding was well-done (but rushed), what I was calling awful was the TV wedding on "Lois & Clark". I mean, Delta Burke as the Wedding Destroyer???

I have no problem with Clark and Lois being married, I'm just sad the natural flow of their story was interrupted by a bad TV show, rushing them from broken up to married within a month.

[Lorendiac]

The comic wedding was well-done (but rushed), what I was calling awful was the TV wedding on "Lois & Clark". I mean, Delta Burke as the Wedding Destroyer???

I have no problem with Clark and Lois being married, I'm just sad the natural flow of their story was interrupted by a bad TV show, rushing them from broken up to married within a month.

Okay, I didn't know that about the TV version of the wedding. I thought your mention of the awful "Lois & Clark" wedding just meant "the awful comic book wedding that was supposed to synchronize with the TV show" or something along those lines. I only saw about two or three episodes of the Lois & Clark show when it was first coming on the airwaves. Last year I had a chance to buy Season 1 on DVD and watched it over a period of several months. Just recently I bought Season 2 and I've only watched the first few episodes so far. So I know nothing from personal experience about just how their wedding was eventually handled on the TV show. (One of these days I guess I'll work my way up to that. Did it happen in Season 3, or some later season?)

[J. Robb]

(One of these days I guess I'll work my way up to that. Did it happen in Season 3, or some later season?)
The fourth and (not surprisingly :p ) final season.

[Sean Whitmore]

Some good entries to this list, particularly the Seagle/Cir-el garbage, and the 1000 years in Asgard.

I think Superman #180 takes the cake, though:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/whitmore_sean/superman180.jpg

It's basically "what if Superman was in Dracula?", only canon and dead serious.

Lois, Clark, and Jimmy are sent to spend the night at a European castle to interview a recluse for a lifestyle piece (because that's a sensible use of a few days of two top reporters' time). There, the vampire comes out, and he couldn't be more obviously a vampire if he bit Jimmy's nose off in front of everybody.

None of the intrepid reporters notices anything odd about the guy...not the fact that he doesn't appear in mirrors, that he shies away from the cross...not even that he has BOTTLES OF BLOOD in his wine rack with the NAMES OF HIS VICTIMS labeled on the side. And when Dracula-lite starts controlling Lois and forcing her to be all slutty and evil, Clark can barely muster an observation past, "Gee, what's wrong with Lois?"

I don't mind that Lois and Clark have never met a vampire before. I mind that they've apparently never SEEN A MOVIE in their lives.


SEAN

[Hellstormer]

Some good entries to this list, particularly the Seagle/Cir-el garbage, and the 1000 years in Asgard.

I think Superman #180 takes the cake, though:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y245/whitmore_sean/superman180.jpg

It's basically "what if Superman was in Dracula?", only canon and dead serious.

Lois, Clark, and Jimmy are sent to spend the night at a European castle to interview a recluse for a lifestyle piece (because that's a sensible use of a few days of two top reporters' time). There, the vampire comes out, and he couldn't be more obviously a vampire if he bit Jimmy's nose off in front of everybody.

None of the intrepid reporters notices anything odd about the guy...not the fact that he doesn't appear in mirrors, that he shies away from the cross...not even that he has BOTTLES OF BLOOD in his wine rack with the NAMES OF HIS VICTIMS labeled on the side. And when Dracula-lite starts controlling Lois and forcing her to be all slutty and evil, Clark can barely muster an observation past, "Gee, what's wrong with Lois?"

I don't mind that Lois and Clark have never met a vampire before. I mind that they've apparently never SEEN A MOVIE in their lives.


SEAN
I don't know it doesn't sound that bad, and it's got a kickass cover!:D

[Sean Whitmore]

I don't know it doesn't sound that bad, and it's got a kickass cover!:D


Oh, no...I'm making people interested in it...I have failed.

I feel like Brad Pitt at the end of Interview with the Vampire. :( :p


SEAN

[J. Robb]

I think Superman #180 takes the cake, though:
I don't think it was that bad, it was a nice self-contained story. Yeah, there was some goofy characterizations, but I think it was one of Loeb's best issues(which I realize is faint praise. ;) )

[Absalom]

Did Dracula actually drink Superman's blood ?!?

[Sean Whitmore]

Did Dracula actually drink Superman's blood ?!?


He did, and was destroyed by the solar energy in Superman's blood.


SEAN

[David Atkins]

He did, and was destroyed by the solar energy in Superman's blood.


SEAN

You win! Worst ever! *LMGDAO*

[phantom1592]

But the actual worst Superman comic I have read has to be Joe Kelly's Infinite Crisis tie in Superman story. That's where current Supes and Old Supes fight and somehow punch each other into each other's lives, and then they are giant jerks and they destroy the world... but IT WAS ALL A DREAM! A dream, like all the times Kelly showed promise of being a good writer.


The part I didn't understand about that was how each them tried to correct mistakes the original had made.

The mistake E-1 Superman did was die. So when E-2 was in the same position with Doomsday he chose to.... not die.


Gee it's that easy??!




As for the worst, I HAVE to go with the Dracula issue. Just for the part where Drac can easily bite Superman (for no real reason) and then explodes to the solar energy. That just hurt to read.

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by Sean Whitmore

He did, and was destroyed by the solar energy in Superman's blood.
Y'know, that actually makes sense.

[phantom1592]

Superman Bleeds Liquid Sunshine! :D

[Sean Whitmore]

Superman Bleeds Liquid Sunshine! :D


I think I had that album in the 60s. :)


SEAN

[Apathy Boy]

And when Dracula-lite starts controlling Lois and forcing her to be all slutty and evil, Clark can barely muster an observation past, "Gee, what's wrong with Lois?"Well, to be fair, when a dude's wife gets all slutty on him, he's probably too busy thinking "Jackpot!" to be overly discerning about the situation.

[Ontir]

Any and all isssues with the dreadful Doomsday have to be listed as the worst!

[Hellstormer]

He did, and was destroyed by the solar energy in Superman's blood.


SEANWell everyone just says he's invunrable no one said anything about piercing his skin and Dracula's invunerable too so maybe that figured into it, I gonna order that issue on MHC because it sounds interesting and I don't like Superman so that's saying something.


The part I didn't understand about that was how each them tried to correct mistakes the original had made.

The mistake E-1 Superman did was die. So when E-2 was in the same position with Doomsday he chose to.... not die.


Gee it's that easy??!

LMAO!!! I wish I could just...not die.:D

[phantom1592]

Well everyone just says he's invunrable no one said anything about piercing his skin and Dracula's invunerable too so maybe that figured into it,

Dracula isn't invulnerable. Wooden Sticks can pierce him.

[Lorendiac]

Dracula isn't invulnerable. Wooden Sticks can pierce him.

If you shoot bullets at Superman, they just bounce off his chest.

But I have the impression that as a general rule (not just in the DCU), if you shoot bullets at a vampire, they will actually make cute little holes in his flesh -- but they won't actually hurt him, and the (very temporary) "wounds" will heal up pretty darn quick. This is supposed to be why Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn't bother carrying a gun; it would have been a complete waste of time.

That may not make Dracula invulnerable, but it certainly makes him incredibly resistant to physical injury.

[Ontir]

LMAO!!! I wish I could just...not die.:D

It's rather like the trick of flying, which is to throw yourself at the ground, and miss! :D

[phantom1592]

If you shoot bullets at Superman, they just bounce off his chest.

But I have the impression that as a general rule (not just in the DCU), if you shoot bullets at a vampire, they will actually make cute little holes in his flesh -- but they won't actually hurt him, and the (very temporary) "wounds" will heal up pretty darn quick. This is supposed to be why Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn't bother carrying a gun; it would have been a complete waste of time.

That may not make Dracula invulnerable, but it certainly makes him incredibly resistant to physical injury.

Exactly. Dracula doesn't get HURT. But his skin is as easy to pierce as anyone elses. Superman on the other hand.... Seeing Drac just pierce his skin like it was a college Co-eds... Still makes my head hurt.

[Hellstormer]

It's rather like the trick of flying, which is to throw yourself at the ground, and miss! :D
Someone's been reading Douglas Adams again

I think I solved the mystery, Superman is affected by magic and Dracula is kinda magical (supernatural) so that would be why he was able to bite Superman. Do I win a prize?:D

EDIT: Guess I'm not buying the issue on MHC, they want $11 for it:(

[Lorendiac]

Someone's been reading Douglas Adams again

I think I solved the mystery, Superman is affected by magic and Dracula is kinda magical (supernatural) so that would be why he was able to bite Superman. Do I win a prize?:D

I wondered about that too. I have the vague idea that a "magic sword" can, at least sometimes, cut right through Superman's skin as if he were made of normal flesh and blood. I don't say it always works that way. Different writers have probably contradicted each other on the details of just how much good (if any) his "invulnerability" does him against magical attacks of various types.

[Matt]

I recall a three or so part story from a couple of years back involving the Crime Syndicate and a superbaby.

The art was possibly the worst I've ever seen in a modern comic while the plot seemed only there to make the reader laugh over how horrible it was.

[Hellstormer]

I wondered about that too. I have the vague idea that a "magic sword" can, at least sometimes, cut right through Superman's skin as if he were made of normal flesh and blood. I don't say it always works that way. Different writers have probably contradicted each other on the details of just how much good (if any) his "invulnerability" does him against magical attacks of various types.
IIRC Shining Knights sword cut Supes when he turned evil once.

[MWGallaher]

It may not have been the worst Superman story ever, but it was, according to many opinions (including mine), the worst cover ever published by DC:
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=54475&zoom=4

[Sean Whitmore]

I recall a three or so part story from a couple of years back involving the Crime Syndicate and a superbaby.

The art was possibly the worst I've ever seen in a modern comic while the plot seemed only there to make the reader laugh over how horrible it was.


Carlos Meglia. I don't get it at all, but he seemingly has a lot of fans here. To the point where they picked up a Superman HC mostly for his art.


SEAN

[Sean Whitmore]

It may not have been the worst Superman story ever, but it was, according to many opinions (including mine), the worst cover ever published by DC:
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=54475&zoom=4


Hee hee, I remember that one. The inside was pretty godawful too. Some nobody Apocalypse-ripoff pops up and claims to have been responsible for every evil deed done by mankind, from Genghis Khan to Hitler.

The clincher was when he trapped Superman in this time distortion field, where he had to move at super-speed just to move at all. Three days passed outside of the field while Superman tried to take a few steps within it...and IN those three days, no news crews showed up, no other super heroes, not even police backup. And apparently Jimmy spent the entire three days standing still, as he's there at the beginning and end of the fight.


SEAN

[Hellstormer]

It may not have been the worst Superman story ever, but it was, according to many opinions (including mine), the worst cover ever published by DC:
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=54475&zoom=4
Wow that has to be the ugliest chick I've ever seen in my whole entire time of existence since the day I was conceived onto this earth.

[phantom1592]

Wow that has to be the ugliest chick I've ever seen in my whole entire time of existence since the day I was conceived onto this earth.


Gahh!?!? I didn't ever realize that WAS a chick! Now I'm REALLY sorry I went back to confirm:eek:

[Matt]

The character was male (supposedly). They're just making fun of the characters completely horrible costume choice.

[Sean Whitmore]

Gahh!?!? I didn't ever realize that WAS a chick! Now I'm REALLY sorry I went back to confirm:eek:


Bloodsport was a woman??? :eek:

EDIT - Never mind, I'm an idiot. :o


SEAN

[marshal99]

The worse have to be Chuck Austen run on Action , incomprehensable , ridiculous and stupid.
Superman ala spider-man , cracking bad jokes while punching bad guys , smirking all the time like he's been scoping out Wonder woman with his x-ray vision, and then , having Doomsday becoming superman's biggest supporter with his superman underroos and since he couldn't have xorn to suck in all his loose plotlines like he did with the X-men , at the end of his superman run , he has preus , gog and doomsday all still running loose . Woo-pee-doo !

[Sean Whitmore]

Eh, I actually thought Austen's run was largely okay, albeit punctuated by moments of gross stupidity.

Especially the ending...unless we're all still pretending J.D. Finn is a real guy. ;)


SEAN

[marshal99]

The stupid dangling loose plots doesn't bother you ?

His run started off with Doomsday running loose in Metropolis , his run ended off with Doomsday STILL running loose in Metropolis. So all in all , his whole big run was going round and round with no ending. Heck , i could have come out with something better. The whole point of story telling is to have a opening , plot advancement and an ending.
Thankfully , other writers have since negated and ignore whatever crap he wrote.