Superman 78 Comic Guide (2026): Collected Editions and What to Read Next
DC continued the Christopher Reeve Superman films in comics. What Superman 78 and The Metal Curtain are, which edition to buy, and what to read after them.
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Superman ’78 is DC’s comic continuation of the Christopher Reeve films: the same Superman, Lois Lane, Daily Planet and tone as Richard Donner’s 1978 movie, drawn to look like the cast. Writer Robert Venditti has done two six-issue series so far, the original Superman ’78 and the sequel The Metal Curtain. Both are collected, both are short, and both work as a gift for anyone who grew up on the films. This guide covers what each “superman 78” book is, which edition to buy, and what to read once you’ve finished.
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How we chose: we compared the Superman ’78 collections currently on Amazon against our own reading of the books and the films. We favored official DC editions in stock, and picked follow-up reads that share the Reeve films’ warmth or connect to them directly. Prices and stock change often, so the buttons show Amazon’s current price.
| Pick | Best for | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superman '78 | Best overall |
| $12.73as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Superman '78: The Metal Curtain | Best sequel |
| $19.99as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Superman '78/Batman '89 Box Set | Best gift for film fans |
| $34.16as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Superman: Last Son | Best Donner-connected read |
| $17.49as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Superman For All Seasons | Best for the film's warmth |
| $14.50as of Nov 12, 2026 11:35 am UTC | View on Amazon |
| All-Star Superman | Best Superman story overall |
| $17.46as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
Prices and availability change; check Amazon for today’s price. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
1. Superman '78 — Best overall
Reeve's Superman back in action in a new six-issue story, now in a 2025 paperback.
Check price on Amazon$12.73as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Feels like a lost sequel to the films
- Wilfredo Torres's clean, sunny art
- Short enough to finish in an evening
- No comics background needed
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Robert Venditti / Wilfredo Torres |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | Superman '78 #1–6 |
| Pages | 152 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all-ages friendly, like the films |
Superman '78 — Venditti and Torres, DC Comics, issues #1–6, 152-page paperback
DC launched Superman '78 in 2021, a year after its Batman '89 comic. The idea is simple: what would the Reeve-era films have done next? Venditti brings in Brainiac, a villain the movies never used, and builds the story around Superman's relationship with Krypton, his sense of being alone, and his friendships with Lois and Jimmy at the Daily Planet.
The art is the selling point. Torres draws the characters with the actors' faces without making the book stiff, and the costume, the Fortress of Solitude and Metropolis all match the films' design. It reads quickly, it's optimistic, and it never gets darker than the movies did. That makes it the easiest Superman comic on this list to hand to a film fan, a parent or a younger reader.
The first printing was a hardcover in 2022; this paperback is the current edition. A Kindle version of the series is also listed if you'd rather read digitally.
Pros
- Captures the films' tone closely
- Self-contained story
- Suitable for all ages
Cons
- Short for a standalone purchase
- Light on surprises
- Brainiac plot is fairly familiar
2. Superman '78: The Metal Curtain — Best sequel
The second Superman '78 series, a Cold War-flavored follow-up by Venditti and Gavin Guidry.
Check price on Amazon$19.99as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Continues the same version of Superman
- Leans into the late-1970s Cold War mood
- Gavin Guidry keeps the film look
- Collects the full six issues
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Robert Venditti / Gavin Guidry |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | Superman '78: The Metal Curtain #1–6 |
| Pages | 136 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all-ages friendly |
Superman '78: The Metal Curtain — Venditti and Guidry, DC Comics, issues #1–6, 136-page paperback
The Metal Curtain ran as six issues from late 2023 into spring 2024. The title plays on the Iron Curtain, and the story pushes this Superman into Cold War politics in a way the films only hinted at. Venditti is back as writer, with Gavin Guidry taking over art from Torres.
It's best read after the first series, though you don't strictly need it. Guidry's style is a little rougher and more kinetic than Torres's, so the book looks less like a film still and more like a classic comic. If you enjoyed the first volume, this one gives you another afternoon in the same world. If you only want one, buy the original.
Stock was showing as limited when we checked, with more on the way. Single issues are also on Kindle.
Pros
- More of the same Reeve-era Superman
- Different setting from the first book
- Complete in one paperback
Cons
- Art looks less like the actors
- Shortest book on this list
- Limited stock at times
Get Superman '78: The Metal Curtain on Amazon
3. Superman '78/Batman '89 Box Set — Best gift for film fans
Both film-continuation hardcovers together: Reeve's Superman and Keaton's Batman.
Check price on Amazon$34.16as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Two film-sequel comics in one box
- Hardcover, so it holds up as a gift
- Batman '89 is written by the 1989 film's screenwriter
- Looks good on a shelf
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Robert Venditti, Sam Hamm / Wilfredo Torres, Joe Quinones |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | Superman '78 and Batman '89 (the first series of each) |
| Pages | 304 |
| Format | Two hardcovers in a box |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; Batman '89 is darker, suits teens and up |
Superman '78/Batman '89 Box Set — Venditti and Hamm, DC Comics, 304 pages, hardcover box set
If you're buying for someone who grew up on the Reeve and Keaton films, this is the pick. Batman '89 is written by Sam Hamm, who co-wrote the screenplay of Tim Burton's Batman, and drawn by Joe Quinones with Michael Keaton's likeness. It picks up after the films and brings in Harvey Dent as a major character, using Billy Dee Williams's version from the 1989 movie.
The box gives you both first series in hardcover. It doesn't include The Metal Curtain or the newer Batman '89: Echoes, so a full collector will still need those separately. For one person who mainly wants Superman, the paperback alone is the leaner buy.
Pros
- Two strong film continuations
- Sturdy hardcovers in a slipcase
- Ready-made gift
Cons
- Excludes both sequel series
- More than you need for Superman alone
- Batman half is darker in tone
Get Superman '78/Batman '89 Box Set on Amazon
4. Superman: Last Son — Best Donner-connected read
Co-written by the director of Superman (1978), with General Zod and the Phantom Zone villains.
Check price on Amazon$17.49as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Co-written by Richard Donner himself
- Brings Zod, Ursa and Non into comics
- Adam Kubert's big, cinematic art
- Easy to read without much background
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Geoff Johns and Richard Donner / Adam Kubert |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | The Last Son arc from Action Comics (issue list not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 160 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; fine for teens |
Superman: Last Son — Johns, Donner and Kubert, DC Comics, 160-page hardcover
Richard Donner directed Superman (1978) and much of Superman II, and in the late 2000s he co-wrote this Action Comics story with Geoff Johns, who had been his assistant years earlier. A Kryptonian boy crash-lands on Earth, Superman takes him in, and the boy's parents turn out to be General Zod and Ursa. Non comes along too. If you loved the Phantom Zone villains in Superman II, this is the comics version of that story told by the man who filmed it.
It isn't set in the film continuity the way Superman '78 is, but it's the closest in spirit outside that line. Supply is thin: this hardcover was down to one copy when we checked, and the later deluxe edition is out of print, so it may take some patience to find.
Pros
- Direct link to the films' director
- Zod done properly
- Strong emotional core
Cons
- Hard to find in print right now
- Set in mainstream comics, not film continuity
- Some mid-2000s DC references
Get Superman: Last Son on Amazon
5. Superman For All Seasons — Best for the film's warmth
Clark's first year as Superman told through four seasons, from Kansas to Metropolis.
Check price on Amazon$14.50as of Nov 12, 2026 11:35 am UTCWhy we like it
- Smallville scenes echo the 1978 film
- Tim Sale's art is gorgeous and warm
- Short, complete and gift-friendly
- Focuses on Clark as much as Superman
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Jeph Loeb / Tim Sale |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | Superman For All Seasons #1–4 |
| Pages | 232 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all-ages friendly |
Superman For All Seasons — Loeb and Sale, DC Comics, issues #1–4, 232-page paperback
Loeb and Sale's four-issue series from 1998 follows young Clark Kent through four seasons, each narrated by someone in his life: Pa Kent, Lois, Lex Luthor and Lana Lang. The farm and small-town sections feel a lot like the Smallville half of the 1978 film, wide skies and all, and the story is about what makes Clark good rather than what makes him strong.
It's our pick for the reader who loved the gentleness of the Reeve films. It's also a solid gift on its own. There's an oversized Absolute edition too, but it was nearly sold out when we checked.
Pros
- Beautiful, nostalgic art
- Short and self-contained
- Great for new readers
Cons
- Not much action
- Lois gets less to do than in the films
- Familiar origin territory
Get Superman For All Seasons on Amazon
6. All-Star Superman — Best Superman story overall
Morrison and Quitely's 12-issue love letter to Superman, complete in one paperback.
Check price on Amazon$17.46as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Often called the best Superman comic ever
- Complete story in one book
- Quitely's clumsy, lovable Clark Kent
- Big ideas, huge heart
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Grant Morrison / Frank Quitely |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | All-Star Superman #1–12 |
| Pages | 304 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; fine for older kids and up |
All-Star Superman — Morrison and Quitely, DC Comics, issues #1–12, 304-page paperback
Superman learns he's dying and spends his last year doing extraordinary things: for Lois, for Lex, for the whole world. Each issue works almost as a standalone, and together they make one of the most complete portraits of the character in comics. Quitely's Clark Kent, all slouches and stumbles, has a lot in common with Reeve's performance, which is part of why film fans warm to it so fast.
It's not set in the films' world and is stranger than Superman '78, so it's our "after that" pick rather than the first read. We go deeper in our All-Star Superman review. A deluxe hardcover and a compact paperback are also listed if you want a different format.
Pros
- A genuine all-time classic
- Complete in one volume
- Moving without being heavy
Cons
- Weirder than the films
- Silver Age references can confuse
- Not a film continuation
Get All-Star Superman on Amazon
Superman '78 reading order
| Order | Book | Issues | Creators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superman '78 | #1–6 (2021–2022) | Venditti / Torres |
| 2 | Superman '78: The Metal Curtain | #1–6 (2023–2024) | Venditti / Guidry |
That's the whole line so far. The films themselves come first in the timeline, so if you haven't watched Superman (1978) and Superman II lately, they're a good refresher. The comic assumes you know who Lois, Jimmy, Perry White and Lex Luthor are in that world.
Paperback, hardcover or box set?
For Superman alone, the two paperbacks are the simplest route and cost the least. The box set makes sense if you also want Batman '89 and prefer hardcovers, or if it's a gift. Single issues are available on Kindle for both Superman '78 series, which is handy if you only want to sample issue #1 before buying the collection.
Who should read Superman '78?
Anyone who loves the Reeve films, first and foremost. It's also a gentle way into Superman comics for adults who haven't read any, because you already know the characters. If you want the mainstream comics version afterwards, our Superman reading order maps the main eras, and our best Superman comics list ranks the standouts. For something completely different, Absolute Superman is DC's newest reinvention of the character, and best comics for DC fans covers the wider line. Everything else lives on our DC hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is Superman '78 canon to the Christopher Reeve movies?
It's DC's official continuation set in the world of the Reeve films, with the cast drawn to resemble the actors. The filmmakers didn't make it, so treat it as a licensed sequel in comic form.
How many Superman '78 comics are there?
Two six-issue series: Superman '78 and Superman '78: The Metal Curtain. Each is collected in one book.
Who writes Superman '78?
Robert Venditti writes both series. Wilfredo Torres draws the first and Gavin Guidry draws The Metal Curtain.
Is Superman '78 good for kids?
Yes. It's about as gentle as the films, with action but nothing graphic. It's one of the better Superman comics to give a younger reader.
What should I read after Superman '78?
Superman: Last Son for the Donner connection, Superman For All Seasons for the same warmth, and All-Star Superman for the best Superman story in print.
Do I need to have seen the Christopher Reeve movies to read Superman '78?
You do not need to have seen the Christopher Reeve films to enjoy Superman '78, but it helps. The comic assumes you know the basics, such as Clark at the Daily Planet and his relationship with Lois, and much of its charm comes from seeing that cast and tone again. Anyone who knows Superman in general will follow it easily; fans of the films will get the most out of the likenesses and callbacks.
Is Superman '78 connected to Batman '89?
Superman '78 and Batman '89 are sister series from the same DC idea, continuing classic superhero films in comic form, but they are separate stories by different creative teams. You can read either one on its own without missing anything. They are sold together in a box set, which makes a neat gift for someone who grew up on both films, but there is no required order between them.
Who is the villain in Superman '78?
The main villain of the first Superman '78 series is Brainiac, a threat the Reeve films never got to use. That choice gives the comic a big science-fiction danger while keeping the warm, classic feel of the 1978 movie. It lets the story feel new rather than a replay of the movies, while Lois, Jimmy and the Daily Planet stay true to the film.
Is Superman '78 better in single issues or a collected edition?
For most readers, the collected edition of Superman '78 is the better buy: it holds the whole six-issue series in one book, costs less than tracking down every single issue, and sits well on a shelf. Single issues mainly appeal to collectors who want specific covers or variants. If you plan to read both series, the box set or the two collections side by side is the simplest route.
