Superman Comics Index (1938-1986)


1981

  • Superman #355 (January)
    "Momentus, Master of the Moon!" - Backup story: Superman 2020: "The Destruction of New Metropolis!"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    A scientist uses the gravitational pull of the moon to gain super powers to commit crimes, but is destroyed by overloading his powers by exposing himself to Superman. Three generations of Supermen save New Metropolis.

  • DC Comics Presents #29 (January)
    Where No Superman Has Gone Before - Warworld - Part 2 of 3. Backup story: Whatever Happened to Dr. Mid-Nite?
    Len Wein; Jim Starlin & Romeo Tanghal
    While trying to rescue Kara, Superman encounter the Spectre, who reveals that Superman is letting his heart overwhelm his mind. Spectre then returns Kara safely to Superman.

  • Action Comics #515 (January)
    "This is my World and You're Welcome to It!" - The Savage Earth - Part 1 of 2. Backup story: Tha Atom: "Sorry- -Wrong Powers!"
    Marv Wolfman; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    The world has suddenly changed into one ruled by dictator Vandal Savage, whose will is enforced by Luthor and Superman. Lois is - Part an undercover resistance fighter, who gives her life to reveal the truth and save Superman.

  • Notable Issue: Superman/Supergirl: Victory by Computer (January)
    Cary Bates, Curt Swan, Vince Colletta
    Radio Shack Giveaway. Supergirl is caught in a trap of Lex Luthor's but Alec and Shanna help her escape with their TRS-80 computers.

  • Superman #356 (February)
    "Battle of the Super-Hyper Powers!" - Heroes Wanted - Part 1 of 2. Backup story: The Fabulous World of Krypton: The Exile from Krypton!
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman must attack Vartox to free him from a group of aliens holding him as their planet's hero. The story of a Krypton leader, who betrayed his people, but ultimately saved the planet.

  • DC Comics Presents #30 (February)
    "A Dream of Demons!" - Backup story: What Ever Happened to the Golden Age Atom?
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Vince Colletta
    When Black Canary finds her dreams haunted by warnings from her late husband, Superman constructs a door into the dream dimension. There they confront Dr. Destiny.

  • Action Comics #516 (February)
    "Time and Time Again!" - The Savage Earth - Part 2 of 2. Backup story: The Atom: The Clueless Capers of Chronos!
    Marv Wolfman; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman pursues Vandal Savage into the past to prevent him from permanently changing history. Superman foils Savages plan to use him to detonate "time" bombs to alter the future and restores time to normal.

  • Superman #357 (March)
    Food for a God! - Heroes Wanted - Part 2 of 2. Backup story: Superman 2020: "The Troublemaker of New Metropolis!"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman must escape his captors and save Vartox from being sacrificed to feed an alien creature. Superman III discovers his powers must be tempered to prevent causing harm to New Metropolis.

  • DC Comics Presents #31 (March)
    "The Deadliest Show on Earth!" - Backup story: Whatever Happened to Robotman?
    Gerry Conway; Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez & Dick Giordano
    Robin is captured when he discovers a circus is controlling the minds of its performers, including Superman. Superman and Robin escape and free the rest of the performers.

  • Action Comics #517 (March)
    "The War for Peace!" - Backup story: Aquaman: Brother Rat!
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Dave Hunt
    On Christmas eve Superman becomes involved in an interplanetary holy war. He disarms both sides and leaves them to resolve their dispute peacefully.

  • Superman #358 (April)
    "Father Nature's Folly!" - Backup story: Imaginary Tale: A Day in the Life of Bruce (Superman) Wayne
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Clark relates the story of Superman's battle to defeat the spouse of Mother Nature, who sought to remake the world. Superman defeats hijackers enroot to Gotham City.

  • DC Comics Presents #32 (April)
    "The Super-Prisoners of Love" - Backup story: Whatever Happened to Mark Merlin and Prince Ra-Man
    Gerry Conway; Kurt Schaffenberger & Vince Colletta
    After Wonder Woman spurns the advances of the god Eros, he seeks revenge by striking her and Superman with arrows causing them to fall madly in love with each other. They must seek a mystical flower to break the spell.

  • Action Comics #518 (April)
    Treasure Hunt on a Small Planet! - Backup story: Aquaman: "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure"
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Aliens in need of technological information steal various items from Earth as a cover for the theft of Earth's greatest scientists minds. Superman must prevent the thefts and an evil prince from ruling a planet.

  • Superman #359 (May)
    "Today Superman . . . Tomorrow the World!" - Backup story: Superman: The In-Between Years: The Last Time I Saw Smallville!
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman must stop a town of psychokinetics, unknowingly powered by a device from the future from taking over the world. Superboy leaves Smallville and Clark decides to attend Metropolis University.

  • DC Comics Presents #33 (May)
    Man and Supermarvel! - Super Shazam - Part 1 of 2. Backup story: Whatever Happened to Star Hawkins?
    Gerry Conway & Roy Thomas; Richard F. Buckler & Dick Giordano
    Mr. Mxyzptlk switches the powers and costumes of Superman and Captain Marvel. Superman travels to Earth-S to remedy the situation, but unknown to the heroes Mr. Mxyzptlk and Mr. Mind are planning their doom.

  • Action Comics #519 (May)
    "Where the Space-Winds Blow!" - Backup story: Aquaman: Family Plot!
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    An alien hunter uses Earth as bait to lure a world destroyer in for the kill. Superman is unsure who the real menace is.

  • Superman #360 (June)
    "Is Superman Going . . . Going . . . Gone?" - Backup story: The Fabulous World of Krypton: "Day into Night- -Night into Day!"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Aliens, who are aware of Superman's dual existence, test a weapon on him that will eliminate his Superman persona. A Kryptonian boy and his father find a stone that could spell Krypton's doom.

  • DC Comics Presents #34 (June)
    The Beast-Man that Shouted "Hate" at the Heart of the U.N.! - Super Shazam - Part 2 of 2.
    Roy Thomas & Gerry Conway; Richard F. Buckler & Dick Giordano
    When Mr. Mind and King Kull appear to be on the verge of defeating Marvel Family and Superman, they reveal their plan to kill them and destroy Earth-S. Mxyzptlk, opposed to this, says his name backwards and removes his powers.

  • DC Comics Presents #520 (June)
    Superman's Arch-Rival for Lois Lane! - Backup story: Aquaman: "The End!"
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    A admirer of Lois takes advantage of Superman's absence to attempt to win her affections and use emergencies to keep Superman away.

  • Superman #361 (July)
    "Stowaway from the Stars!" - Backup story: Superman 2020: "The Ace of New Metropolis!"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Captain Strong and Superman team up to defeat a shape-shifting entity, only to discover it is an alien in need of help. Superman III lives multiple identities, including one as a tennis player.

  • DC Comics Presents #35 (July)
    "The Metamorphosis Machine!" - "Whatever Happened to Rex: The Wonder Dog"
    Martin Pasko; Curt Swan & Vince Colletta
    Superman intends to use a piece of alien technology in his fortress to cure Man-Bat's daughter of a defect, but the Atomic Skull attacks. In the process the Skull appears to be killed.

  • Action Comics #521 (July)
    The Deadly Rampage of the Lady Fox - Backup story: Aquaman and the Atom: "Grow, Little Growfish!"
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Clark and Lana are sent on assignment to India to uncover a poaching ring that has been selling furs in the states. Superman teams up with the magically powered Vixen to stop the poachers.

  • Superman #362 (August)
    The Last Days of Lois and Lana! - The Last Days of Lois and Lana - Part 1 of 2. Backup story: Superman: The In-Between Years: Metropolis: Day 1)
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Lois and Lana are exposed to the same rare tropical fever plague that killed the Kents and Superman begins the search for a cure. Clark arrives at Metropolis U, where Superboy secretly stops bombers and thieves.

  • DC Comics Presents #36 (August)
    Whatever Happened to Starman?
    Paul Levitz & Jim Starlin; Jim Starlin
    Mongul returns to take control of the universe by kidnapping Starman's wife and taking control of his empire. Superman rescues Starman and helps him defeat Mongul. Starman's actions result in the disbanding of the empire.

  • Action Comics #522 (August)
    The Time-Tornado of the Clockwork Man! - Backup story: The Atom: "The Hurricane Harness Hijack!"
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    An eccentric inventor fulfills a childhood dream and creates a Clockwork Man. Superman must stop this robot, who in an attempt to please his master may destroy the flow of time.

  • Superman #363 (September)
    The Dying Day of Lois & Lana! - The Last Days of Lois and Lana - Part 2 of 2. Backup story: Imaginary Tale: "A Night in the Life of Bruce (Superman) Wayne!"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman searches for a cure for Lois and Lana that ranges from Lex Luthor to the far off future, only to find the cure in himself. Following their wedding Barbara makes Superman retire, but becomes a hero herself following her father's murder.

  • DC Comics Presents #37 (September)
    The Stars, Like Moths . . . ! - Backup story: Whatever Will (or Did) Happen to Rip Hunter- -Time Master
    Jim Starlin & Roy Thomas; Jim Starlin
    Hawkgirl and Superman investigate an ancient Kryptonese lab found on Earth that belonged to his Great-Grandfather. A gateway pulls Superman into a dimension of a deadly red sun and Hawkgirl has to rescue him.

  • Action Comics #523 (September)
    Steve Lombard's Double Life! - Backup story: The Atom: The Eye of the Storm!
    Gerry Conway; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    An alien arrives claiming and convincing Steve Lombard that he is really an alien. It is revealed to be a complex plot to lure Superman into another dimension to steal his powers.

  • Krypton Chronicles #1 (September)
    "The Search for Superman's Roots!" - Three Issue Limited Series.
    E. Nelson Bridwell; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman and Supergirl travel to the planet where Kandor is located so he can learn about his roots for a report by Clark. A mysterious figure causes accidents and plots revenge against them.

  • Superman #365 (October)
    "The Sounds that Menaced Metropolis!" - Backup story: Superman 2020: Sun-Death!
    Cary Bates; Richard F. Buckler & Frank Chiaramonte
    While Jimmy Olsen seeks to uncover another reporter's secret relating to a super-monster, Superman discovers loud noise is the key. The three Superman need to stop an old weapon of Luthor's from turning the sun red.

  • DC Comics Presents #38 (October)
    Stop the World- -I Want to Go Home! - Backup story: Whatever Happened to . . . The Crimson Avenger?
    Martin Pasko; Don Heck
    An alien empress arrives on Earth resulting in time for everyone, but Superman and the Flash, to slow to an undetectable speed. To return time to normal the aliens must be returned, but the heroes must return in time to rescue friends in danger.

  • Action Comics #524 (October)
    "If I Can't be Clark Kent . . . Nobody Can!" - Backup story: The Atom and Air Wave: "Catastrophe by Calculation!"
    Martin Pasko; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Luthor's Superman clone, believed killed in an accident wants Clark's identity. An accident plus government cooperation allows the clone to unknowingly be given the identity and face of a newsman killed in an accident.

  • Krypton Chronicles #2 (October)
    Bring Back Yesterday! - Three Issue Limited Series.
    E. Nelson Bridwell; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman learns more of his ancestors and Supergirl captures an old foe seeking to strond them in Kandor. They return to Earth and Superman has a plan to learn the rest of his family history.

  • Superman #365 (November)
    "When Kryptonians Clash!" - Backup story: Superman: The In-Between Years: "Where, oh Where has Superboy Gone?"
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Supergirl goes on a rampage after being exposed to a dream depriving radiation by a mysterious alien who is killed when the plot is discovered. The world wonders what city Superboy has gone to and Perry White suspects it's Metropolis.

  • DC Comics Presents #39 (November)
    The Thing that Goes Woof in the Night! - Backup story: Whatever Happened to Richard Dragon Kung-Fu Fighter
    Martin Pasko; Joe Staton & Bob Smith
    Superman and Plastic Man are drawn into the same case, when Fliptop and Dollface steal a toy from the Toyman to use in a vault robbery.

  • Action Comics #525 (November)
    "Neutron Nightmare!" - Attack of the Living Neutron Bomb - Part 1 of 2. Backup story: Air Wave: "Air Wave Goes Blank!"
    Marv Wolfman; Joe Staton & Frank McLaughlin
    One of Luthor's robberies leaves a henchman radiated and Luthor's capture results in a neutron overdose. Neutron returns to kill those he holds responsible for his change, Superman and his cohorts, who abandoned him.

  • Krypton Chronicles #3 (November)
    "The Race to Overtake the Past!" - Three Issue Limited Series.
    E. Nelson Bridwell; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman invents a Time-Scanner, which enables he and Supergirl to view scenes from Krypton's earliest past. Clark's story is a huge success.

  • Superman #366 (December)
    Revenge, Superman-Style - Superman's Revenge on the Revengers - Part 1 of 3. Backup story: Superman: The In-Between Years: Perry White's Superboy Scoop!
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte
    Superman discovers the Superman Revenge Squad was responsible for using Supergirl against him and uses a metamorphosis machine to infiltrate them. Perry White gets the scoop on Superboy's choice of Metropolis.

  • DC Comics Presents #40 (December)
    The Day the Elements went Wild! - Backup story: Whatever Happened to the Original Air Wave?
    Gerry Conway; Irv Novick & Frank McLaughlin
    Elements begin to change, when the Orb of Ra is recreated in an attempt to cure Metamorpho. The device is stolen and is a nuclear disaster waiting to happen, if Superman and Metamorpho don't recover it.

  • DC Comics Presents #526 (December)
    The Man who Murdered Metropolis! - Attack of the Living Neutron Bomb - Part 2 of 2. Backup story: Air Wave: Air Wave Tunes In!
    Marv Wolfman; Joe Staton & Frank Chiaramonte
    Neutron changes the Daily Planet globe to react with the solar energy delivered by Superman resulting in a neutron explosion. Superman knows there's a bomb hidden in the city, but not where.


Superman Comics Index (1938-1986)

Introduction

Ultimately we would like to be able to list for you the entire run of Superman comics from 1938 through to 1986, an era of comics encompassing the Golden Age, through the Silver Age and up to the 1986 revamp. At this point in time we only have a list of the Superman and related comics from 1976 through to 1986. A listing of the regular Superman titles before the John Byrne 1986 mini-series The Man of Steel that revamped the storyline used in the comics. For accuracy almost every entry is based upon actually looking in the issue, and not memory or another source.

This listing is done in the order for when a comicbook issue was published. Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

Where possible, the Writer, Penciller and Inker for each issue is listed under the Comic's Title and Date.

We also suggest DarkMark's excellent Comic Index lists.

CONTENTS:

1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980
1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986

Back to Comic Index Contents Page.

You can read reviews of various Superman related comics (from 1938-1986) in the Mild Mannered Reviews section of this website.