Superman Comics Index (1938-1986)


1985

  • Superman #403 (January)
    "The Greatest Thief in the Universe!" - Backup story: "Clark Kent- -Super-Hero from Krypton!"
    Paul Kupperberg; Curt Swan & Bob Oksner
    Superman manages to capture an alien master thief, who is cured of his compulsion when captured. An old friend believe Clark is the hero from krypton and Superman is the newsman. The Monitor watches.

  • DC Comics Presents #77 (January)
    "Triad of Terror!" - The Triad - Part 1 of 2.
    Marv Wolfman; Curt Swan & Dave Hunt
    Superman travels back in time with the Forgotten heroes to battle a triad of villains. A sorcerer changes Superman into a dragon and even though he is returned to normal more threats remain to be faced.

  • Action Comics #563 (January)
    Black Beauty or "A Horse is a Horse, of Course, of Course" - Backup story #1: Superman: "Mr. Mxyzptlk, Media Star!" Backup story #2: Superman: "Jimmy Olsen- -Blob!"
    Keith Giffen & Robert Fleming; Keith Giffen & Bob Oskner
    The origin of Ambush Bug's suit. Mxyzptlk tries to control the media and casts a spell preventing people from saying words backwards. Jimmy becomes a blob.

  • Superman #404 (February)
    "Born to be Superman!" - Imaginary story.
    Paul Kupperberg; Carmine Infantino & Bob Oksner
    A 'what if' scenario in which Superboy lost his powers following a battle with Lex Luthor and wound up marrying Lana Lang, having a son and becoming CEO of a supermarket chain.

  • DC Comics Presents #78 (February)
    The Triad - The Triad - Part 2 of 2.
    Marv Wolfman; Curt Swan & Dave Hunt
    The Forgotten Heroes battle a sorcerer in the future, while the non-magic Forgotten Villains turn on the Enchantress in the present. The Monitor detects an energy buildup and states his purpose is soon to be revealed.

  • Action Comics #564 (February)
    "A New Life for Superman!" - Backup story: Superman: . . . Run for Freedom!
    Paul Kupperberg; Alex Saviuk & Mike DeCarlo
    The Master Jailer uses a device from the Monitor to erase Superman's knowledge of his identity and places him in that of a dock worker. Superman helps an alien slave escape.

  • Superman: The Secret Years #1 (February)
    "Dreams and Schemes and Feeling Proud!" - Four Issue Limited Series.
    Bob Rozakis; Curt Swan & Kurt Shaffenberger
    Clark must deal with the blues surrounding parents weekend at college, dreams of failure to save his family and friends from disaster, a lonely boy from home, an escaped Luthor and a roommate with a drinking problem.

  • Superman #405 (March)
    "The Mystery of the Super-Batman!" - Backup story: Yes, Lowell, There is a Superman
    Craig Boldman; Alex Saviuk & Karl Kesel
    An ancient magic horn causes Superman to grow horns, which he hides under Batman's cowl. A boy from Canada doubts Superman is real.

  • DC Comics Presents #79 (March)
    "Superman- -Meet Clark Kent!"
    Paul Kupperberg; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    Superman is split into two super-powered beings, but one must be in the Clark persona, while the other is in the Superman persona. Superman finds it to be the result of an alien wager.

  • Action Comics #565 (March)
    "The Wizard City Warrior" - Backup story: Ambush Bug: "Sellout" or "Manna From Mando"
    Mort Todd; Kurt Shaffenberger
    An escapee is led to the remains of a Kryptonian armory that crashed in an African jungle years before and goes on a crime spree. Ambush Bug promotes his mini-series.

  • Superman: The Secret Years #2 (March)
    Reach Out and Touch - Four Issue Limited Series.
    Bob Rozakis; Curt Swan & Kurt Shaffenberger
    Superboy is still haunted by dreams of failure, but discovers the secret of the Bermuda Triangle. Clark meets Lori LeMaris and after Billy becomes his roommate he reveals his secret life as Superboy.

  • Superman #406 (April)
    The Fight for the Right to be Superman! - Backup story: "Can you Stump Superman?"
    Paul Kupperberg; Irv Novick & Dave Hunt
    An old wrestler, once called 'Superman,' has dreams that come true and he dreams of defeating Superman. Superman participates in a 'Stump Superman contest' to raise money for a charity.

  • DC Comics Presents #80 (April)
    "A World Full of Supermen!"
    Paul Kupperberg; Curt Swan & Dave Hunt
    Brainiac uses an army of Superman robots to attack the Legion in replica of Metropolis and trick them into attacking the real Superman on his arrival. The Legion tricks Brainiac and rescues Superman.

  • Action Comics #566 (April)
    "Traumas in the Bahamas!" - Backup story: Superman: With Love from Superman!
    Craig Boldman; Ron Randall & Karl Kesel
    Clark and Lois join Captain Strong on a cruise in which he searches for the fountain of youth, but finds his lost father and a witch. Superman helps a girl join an autograph club.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April)
    The Summoning! - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Earth-3, Super-Woman, Owlman, Johnny Quick, Ultraman, Power Ring, Lois Luthor, Alexander Luthor.
    Marv Wolfman, Bob Greenberger & Len Wein; George Perez & Dick Giordano
    An anti-matter force is destroying the multiverse. Earth-3 and the crime syndicate are destroyed, but Alexander Luthor's baby is sent to Earth 1. The Monitor gathers heroes and villains, who are attacked by shadows.

  • Superman: The Secret Years #3 (April)
    Terminus - Four Issue Limited Series.
    Bob Rozakis; Curt Swan & Kurt Shaffenberger
    Clark falls in love with Lori, but when it is revealed to him that she is a mermaid , he knows it can never be. Superboy's nightmares come true. As Superboy fights a tidal wave, Billy is killed in a fire because Superboy can't get to him in time.

  • Superman #407 (May)
    Peril of the Pass-Along Powers!
    Gerry Conway & Carla Conway; Irv Novick & Dave Hunt
    Mxyzptlk casts a spell on Superman that causes him to pass along - Part of his powers to the first friend he comes in contact with. Superman is weakened and must battle a genetically created indestructible, giant worm to save Metropolis.

  • DC Comics Presents #81 (May)
    "All This and Kobra Too!" or "Turning Kryptonese I Think I'm Turning Kryptonese I Really Think So" or "Tora Tora Tora!"
    Keith Giffen & Robert Loren Fleming; Keith Giffin & Bob Oksner
    Korbra is trying to steal Ambush Bug's powers of teleportation, but a piece of red Kryptonite has caused Ambus Bug to switch bodies with Superman.

  • Action Comics #567 (May)
    "Peri(L) in Paradise!" - Backup story: Superman: "The League of Superman Watchers!"
    Bob Rozakis; Kurt Schaffenberger & Dave Hunt
    When Lois and Clark investigate a real estate scam they find the Yellow Peri and her husband and spell causes everyone to lose their inhibitions and Superman must act to protect his secret. A blind man wants to join the Superman watches.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 (May)
    Time and Time Again! - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Dick Giordano
    The Monitor sends his heroes into various times to protect devices, but the Harbinger and Psycho Pirate have been turned. Time is being interupted and the Flash's image appears predicting doom as the anti-matter wave approaches. Guardians neutralized.

  • Superman: The Secret Years #4 (May)
    Beyond Terminus - Four Issue Limited Series.
    Bob Rozakis; Curt Swan & Kurt Shaffenberger
    Superboy must return from a self imposed exile to battle Luthor and excises his ghosts of the past. Clark graduates college and is hired by new Planet editor Perry White. Superboy adopts the mantle Superman.

  • Superman #408 (June)
    The Day the Earth Died! - Backup story: Superman: Warship!
    Paul Kupperberg & Ed Hannigan; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    The threat of nuclear war weighs heavily on Superman's mind. Superman discovers an generational spaceship with a war going on in it.

  • DC Comics Presents #82 (June)
    "The Ghost of Krypton Past!"
    Cary Bates; Klaus Janson
    Alanna Strange begins to chant in Kryptonese in her sleep and have dreams in which she sees planet Rann's doom. Superman joins Adam Strange and discovers she is possessed by a Kryptonian demon intent on destroying Rann.

  • Action Comics #568 (June)
    Disappearing Act! - Backup story: Superman: "The Amazing Matchmaker of Metropolis!"
    Elliot S! Maggin; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    A magician with real powers accidentally transports an audience of children and Perry begins to exhibit signs of forgetfulness. Jimmy finds a devices that turns dreams of love into reality.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 (June)
    Oblivion Upon Us - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Capt. Storm, Johnny Cloud, Gunner, Sarge, Nighthawk, Kid Psycho.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Dick Giordano
    The anti-matter wave consumes the Earth in the past present and future. The heroes try to save lives, battle the shadows in World War II and the old west, and Harbinger moves against the Monitor.

  • Superman #409 (July)
    The Sleepwalker From Krypton - Backup story: Superman: "On Life Too Many!"
    Craig Boldman; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    A Kryptonian disease leaves Superman unable to move without directions from his friends and a battle to fight with the thief of an alien craft. Superman contemplates the need for Clark Kent.

  • DC Comics Presents #83 (July)
    "Shadow of the Outsider!"
    Mike W. Barr; Irv Norvick & Dave Hunt
    I.Q. seeks revenge upon Superman and Batman by transforming Alfred into the all powerful Outsider. Superman is joined by Batman and the Outsiders to stop I.Q. and prevent a future crime.

  • Action Comics #569 (July)
    The Force of Revenge - Backup story: Superman: "Casting Call"
    Paul Kupperberg & Dennis Yee; Dennis Yee, Irv Norvick & Rodin Rodriguez
    An embittered girl's hatred conjures up an evil entity that attacks a school dance and revives Lois' anger at Superman. Aliens seek an actor to play Superman in a movie.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (July)
    And Thus Shall The World Die! - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Lord Volt, Liana, Monitor.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Mike DeCarlo
    More worlds die and only Earths 1 and 2 are left with the Monitor's devices. Pariah saves a hero from a destroyed Earth. New heroes are created and others die. Harbinger kills the Monitor and the last two Earths appear destroyed.

  • Superman #410 (August)
    "Clark Kent- -Fired!" - Kent Fired - Part 1 of 3)
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    Luthor uses a device that causes Superman to hallucinate a satellite rescue. When he publishes the story as Clark, he is fired by the Planet and WGBS for fabricating a story.

  • DC Comics Presents #84 (August)
    "Give Me Power . . . Give Me Your World!"
    Bob Rozakis; Jack Kirby, Alex Toth & Greg Theakston
    Superman must team up with the Challengers of the Unknown to stop a Kryptonian criminal, who has the power to turn people into slaves. His power to control ultimately proves his undoing.

  • Action Comics #570 (August)
    "The Mystery of Jimmy Olsen's Alter Ego!" - Backup story: The Superman Who Came to Dinner
    Paul Kupperberg; Kurt Schaffenberger & Dave Hunt
    A burst of cosmic rays creates an evil alter ego of Jimmy Olsen that engages in an egotistical crime spree. The Super-guest that overstayed his welcome.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (August)
    Worlds in Limbo - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Jerry Ordway
    Through the Monitor's death energy has been channeled to begin merging Earths 1 and 2 together. Time and worlds become mixed and all Earths heroes and villains join the fight. The anti-matter Monitor reveals himself to the captured Flash.

  • Superman #411 (September)
    The Last Earth-Prime Story
    Elliot S! Maggin; Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson
    Earth-1's Julius Schwartz's career is comic books fizzled because real heroes outshines the fictional ones. Superman must help Schwartz on his 70th Birthday.

  • DC Comics Presents #85 (September)
    The Jungle Line
    Alan Moore; Rick Veitch & Al Williamson
    After contracting a deadly Kryptonian fever, Superman collapses in a swamp to die. He is found by the Swamp Thing, who bonds with him and helps bring him out of his delirium and break the fever.

  • Action Comics #571 (September)
    Mission to Earth!
    Elliot S! Maggin; Alex Saviuk & Dave Hunt
    An alien robot fills in for Clark during an interview with Superman, but suffer an had explosion on the air. Superman must not only help the robot, but save his alter ego's secret and stop a scientist seeking revenge.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #6 (September)
    3 Earths! 3 Deaths! - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Jerry Ordway
    The Anti-Monitor uses Psycho-Pirate to throw the populations and heroes of Earths 4, X and S into suicidal panic, but the Harbinger sacrifices her powers to stall their destuction by placing them with Earths 1 and 2. Luthor and Brainiac join forces.

  • Superman #412 (October)
    Luthor- -Today You Die! - Kent Fired - Part 2 of 3)
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    Luthor continues to make Superman question his sanity, when he implants a vision of Superman killing him and setting off a fail safe device that destroys Metropolis. Luthor plants rods around the City as - Part of his plan.

  • DC Comics Presents #86 (October)
    "Into the Valley of the Shadow . . .!" - Special Crisis Cross-Over
    Paul Kupperberg; Rick Hoberg & Dave Hunt
    It is during the Crisis and Supergirl and Superman go into space to investigate an anomaly. They meet Blackstarr and after a battle work together to try to restore the universe. The slow its destruction, but Supergirl feels something ominous.

  • Action Comics #572 (October)
    "The World of Superman Masqueraders!" - Backup stories: Superman: "SOS from Nowhere!"; "The Puzzle of the Purloined Fortress!"
    Craig Boldman; Wayne Boring & Dave Hunt
    Superman must help alien fan shape-shifters fend off natural attackers. Superman battles an intergalactic poacher. Jon Ross and Superman team up to tackle computer problems.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (October)
    Beyond the Silent Night - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Supergirl Earth-1.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez, Jerry Ordway & Dick Giordano
    The origin of the Crisis is told, while Luthor and Brainiac raise a force of villains. The heroes attack the Anti-Monitor. Supergirl destroys his machines that are merging the Earths, but she is killed. Anti-Monitoris injured and flees.

  • Superman #413 (November)
    Superman- -Your World is Mine! - Kent Fired - Part 2 of 3)
    Cary Bates; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    Luthor creates an illusion that the world has disappeared around Superman. The faith of Clark's friends helps Superman escape Luthor's trap and clear Clark's name, but Luthor disappears into a vortex.

  • DC Comics Presents #87 (November)
    Year of the Comet - Special Crisis Cross-Over
    Elliot S! Maggin; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    As Superman mourns the death of Supergirl, he is attacked by the Superman Revenge Squad and sent to Earth-Prime, where he meets the Superboy of Earth-P. They return to Earth-1 and the Crisis, where Superboy is taken by a vortex. Origin of Superboy E-P.

  • Action Comics #573 (November)
    "The Sale of the Century!" - Backup stories: Superman: "If I Were Superman . . ."
    Craig Boldman; Kurt Schaffenberger & Bob Oksner
    Conman J. Wilbur Wolfingham sells the Earth to an alien con artist and Superman must help get it back. A vendor dreams up ways to solve Superman's problems.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (November)
    A Flash of the Lightening! - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Flash Earth-1.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Jerry Ordway
    The Flash escapes and destroys the Anti-Monitor's Anti-Matter cannon, but at the cost of his life. Red Tornado appears to explode, the Lanterns regain their power and the Spectre screams.

  • Superman #414 (December)
    "Revenge is Life- -Death to Superman!" - Special Crisis Cross-Over
    Elliot S! Maggin; Curt Swan & Al Williamson
    Superman and his Fotress are attacked by the Superman Revenge Squad as - Part of a plan to enslave New Krypton and kill Superman. Superman returns Supergirls body to New Krypton.

  • DC Comics Presents #88 (December)
    "Prophecy of the Demon Plague!" - Special Crisis Cross-Over
    Steve Englehart; Keith Giffen & Karl Kesel
    As the Crisis continues Clark confronts Jack Ryder about his irresponsible reporting of it. Superman must team with the Creeper to stop a demon intent on destroying the world.

  • Action Comics #574 (December)
    May the Best World Win! - Backup stories: Superman: Tomorrow is Canceled!
    Craig Boldman; Kurt Schaffenberger & Dave Hunt
    An alien from Krypton's solar system arrives on Earth seeking an olympic competition with Superman. Mxyzptlk has a baby and wants to freeze today in time forever.

  • Crisis on Infinite Earths #9 (December)
    War Zone - Twelve Issue Limited Series. Remaking of the DC Universe. KIA: Lex Luthor E-2, Aquagirl.
    Marv Wolfman; George Perez & Jerry Ordway
    Luthor and Brainiac lead an army of Super-Villains to take over the surviving Earths. As the battle rages Pariah indicates the Crisis isn't over and Psimon turns on Luthor an apparently destroys Brainiac.


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.