Post-Return Era (1993-1995) The era after Superman's return was characterized by the increased violence already seen in "The Reign of the Superman," previously unknown in the title, and by a nearly constant desire to ape or somehow repeat the commerical success of Superman's death. While "The Death of Superman" had simply been good storytelling, it was the massive press coverage that made the more violent and gimmicky "Reign of the Supermen" an even bigger success. Sensationalism sold, and Superman had learned the lesson well: sales were still quite high. In an early issue after Superman's return, a Metropolis bridge collapsed: had this occurred prior to Superman's death, Superman would have (at least implicitly) rescued everyone in danger; now, the reality of casualties was made clear, with cars plunged underwater. The Toyman, always a bit of a laugh as a villain, suddenly became vicious, killing the son of Cat Grant, a longstanding character. But longstanding villains were almost never used in this period, as if the success of Doomsday and the previously obscure Cyborg Superman demanded new or newly more powerful and violent villains instead. Thus were new villains like Massacre were introduced, many defined by their Doomsday-like power for violence. The phenomenon of "enhanced" covers, introduced with Superman's death and used rather copiously during "Reign of the Supermen," also continued during this period. The granting of these special covers reached a new low when one was given to nothing more than yet another battle with Lobo (Superman: The Man of Steel #30). As if emphasizing their innane nature, that special cover featured vinyl clings, like children's playthings, that could presumably be positioned to look like they were fighting (though, of course, they did not move). This phenomenon might not have been terribly annoying by itself, but certainly caused annoyance on the part of readers disappointed with the issues' content. Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey, a three-issue prestige format mini-series, offered a sort of sequel to "The Death of Superman" and featured the two characters' rematch. An able series, it also revealed Doomsday's origin. Attempts within the Superman titles themselves to capitalize upon the recent successful past would prove less successful, however. There was also a good degree of confusion during this era. The four-issue mini-series Supergirl sought to tie into the Superman titles: a virus running through the titles' various clones, including Lex Luthor, and subsequent storylines. The monthly publication of Supergirl, however, led to her strangely doing very little while Superman seemed to be doing an awful lot in the same span of time. At least her relationship with Luthor was finally severed in the series' conclusion. "The Fall of Metropolis" storyline overlapped with "Worlds Collide," a crossover with Milestone Comics (which were distributed by DC): Metropolis was literally levelled just as a rift between dimensions was opening. The effect was rather confusing, especially given the inconsistencies between all the various writers and artists involved, but this was nothing compared to the fact that Metropolis was suddenly rebuilt without explanation in the wake of the universe-wide crossover Zero Hour. (An unsatisfactory explanation was later offered in a flashback filling less than one issue, but the sense of consequence that might make a city's destruction exciting was severely undermined.) The "Dead Again" storyline started with an interesting premise: Superman's body was found in his tomb, leading characters and readers to question whether Superman had returned at all. This corresponded nicely with the rather unsatisfactory explanations in "Reign of the Supermen" of how, exactly, Superman had come back to life. Superman became unhinged as a result of the news of his recovered body, but he needn't have been any more than readers needed to have been interested: it was all ultimately revealed to be a Brainiac-induced illusion. The new -- and utterly uninteresting -- villain Conduit was introduced. Aided by the new -- and utterly uninteresting -- character Shadowdragon, he discovered Superman's identity and struck out against Clark Kent, his family, and his friends. Superman thus dediced to forsake his Clark Kent persona, even creating a new one. This was the premise of the provocatively titled "Death of Clark Kent" storyline. Unfortunately, this change was somewhat less satisfying than Superman dying, and not only because it was only an alter ego dying: with the end of the storyline, Clark Kent simply returned. Sales were dropping off, however, and nothing seemed able to strike a chord like "The Death of Superman" had. The gimmicky storyline, organized around a basic idea and often hurt by disappointing writing or art, would remain a part of the Superman titles as they continued. Superman had morphed, but he had returned -- and "The Death of Clark Kent" would be the last storyline clearly in the shadow of "The Death of Superman." While there was a lot to complain about during this period, not all of it was bad. The stories were fluff, but generally readable fluff: even exploitative storylines like "Dead Again" or "The Death of Clark Kent" had an interesting gem of an idea behind them, even if the execution could frustrate. The addition of artwork by Stuart Immonen was a welcome move, and works like Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey or the even more entertaining Superman Vs. Aliens (also a three-issue prestige format mini-series) were certainly considerably fun, if not quite high art. In 1993, with Superman at a new height in his popularity, a new television series was launched on ABC. An hour-long drama emphasizing the romance between the title characters, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman starred Dean Cain as Clark and Teri Hatcher as Lois. But the series couldn't figure out exactly what it wanted to be, and often silly super-powered threats contended for time and episodes with the series's romance. Initially successful, making Hatcher a bit of a sex symbol (sometimes called "Teri Snatcher" as a result), the show's quality waned -- a pattern not unlike the Superman comics themselves at this time. The show would run for four seasons.

IMAGE	TITLE	DESCRIPTION	STATUS
1. A More Violent Status Quo
Action Comics #693-694, Adventures of Superman #506-507, Superman (second series) #84, Superman: The Man of Steel #28: no data entered
	Adventures of Superman #506	Superboy and Superman fight off Payback D.N.Aliens; Superboy publicly mentions Cadmus' cloning; at Cadmus, Superboy learns how he was cloned and of his telekinetic powers; Dubbilex is assigned to accompany Superboy; Superboy accepts being called Superboy and will leave Metropolis; cover-dated November 1993	0
	Action Comics #693	Superman learns how the Fortress was destroyed from a Fortress robot; Superman confronts Superman cultists; Dr. Connor's mind somehow combines with the Eradicator's body; cover-dated November 1993	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #28	with his armor destroyed by the Cyborg, Irons tells Superman he is going to Washington, D.C.; cover-dated December 1993	0
	Superman (second series) #84	Superman rescues a ship and finds sunken treasure; Toyman kidnaps Adam Morgan, and kills him when Adam defies him; Jimmy accompanies Cat to the morgue; cover-dated December 1993	0
Adventures of Superman #507, Action Comics #694, Superman: The Man of Steel #29: "Spilled Blood" storyline
	Adventures of Superman #507	Bloodsport attacks civilians; Lois consoles Cat Grant; cover-dated December 1993	0
	Action Comics #694	cover-dated December 1993	0
Superman: The Man of Steel #0, 29-39: Louise Simonson script
Superman: The Man of Steel #0, 29-37, 39: Dennis Janke inks
Superman: The Man of Steel #0, 29-30, 32-37, 39: Jon Bogdanove pencils
	Superman: The Man of Steel #29	Superman fights Bloodthirst; cover-dated January 1994	0
Superman (second series) #0, 85-95; Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #1-3, Superman Vs. Aliens #1-3: Dan Jurgens script
Superman (second series) #0, 85-86, 89, 91-95: Dan Jurgens pencils
Superman (second series) #85, 87-93: Joe Rubinstein inks
	Superman (second series) #85	Cat Grant confronts Toyman in jail; cover-dated January 1994	0
Action Comics #695, 701; Adventures of Superman #0, 508-518: Karl Kesel script
Adventures of Superman #0, 508-513, 515-517: Barry Kitson pencils
Adventures of Superman #0, 508-510, 512-513, 515-517: Ray McCarthy inks
	Adventures of Superman #508	Superman helps the Challengers of the Unknown; features Adam's funeral; cover-dated January 1994	0
Action Comics #0, 695-698, 701-705: Jackson Guice pencils; Denis Rodier inks
	Action Comics #695	Cadmus' new creation, Cauldron, debuts; foil-embossed cover; cover-dated January 1994	0
2. Space Stories and Superman / Doomsday
	Superman: The Man of Steel #30	Superman fights Lobo, leaving Superman in deep space; published in a bag with vinyl clings that attach to the cover, allowing readers to imitate the fight	0
	Superman (second series) #86	Steve Mitchell inks	0
	Adventures of Superman #509	contains the first appearance of Massacre; Auron dies	0
Action Comics #696, 698-700: Roger Stern script
	Action Comics #696	Superman uses a wormhole to return to Earth; Doomsday makes a cameo appearance	0
Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #1-3: no art data entered
	Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #1	published during the first week of the month cover-dated June 1994	0
	Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #2	published during the final week of the month cover-dated June 1994	0
	Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #3	cover-dated July 1994	0
	Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey	collects Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #1-3	0
3. Bizarro's World and Power Problems
Supergirl (second series) #1-4: no data entered
	Supergirl (second series) #1	cover-dated February 1994	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #31	dying Underworlders kidnap Westfield; Luthor is shown losing his hair; M.D. Bright pencils	0
Superman (second series) #87, Adventures of Superman #510, Action Comics #697, Superman: The Man of Steel #32, Superman (second series) #88: "Bizarro's World" storyline
Superman (second series) #87-88: Stuart Immonen pencils
	Superman (second series) #87	Luthor, sick, has Sydney Happersen create another Bizzaro; Bizzaro escapes and kidnaps Lois	0
	Adventures of Superman #510	continues from Superman (second series) #87; Lois escapes and Superman rescues her; Cat sues Vincent Edge for sexual harassment	0
	Supergirl (second series) #2	occurs soonafter Superman (second series) #87	0
	Action Comics #697	Superman sees that Luthor is ill; Bizarro finds Lana Lang	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #32	Lois helps capture Bizarro; Luthor learns Cadmus may have caused the disease hurting all clones; Luthor takes Bizarro	0
	Superman (second series) #88	Lois finds an ill Luthor; Bizzaro is killed; Superman's size and powers are clearly increasing	0
Action Comics #699, Adventures of Superman #511: James Pascoe inks
	Adventures of Superman #511	Hamilton diagnoses Superman as uncontrollably absorbing radiation after exposure to Kryptonite X through the Eradicator (in Superman #82); Luthor publicly calls for shut down of Cadmus	0
	Action Comics #698	Superman and Guardian fight clones at Lexcorp; Superman loses control of his heat vision	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #33	Lois tells Superman that Luthor is a clone; Cadmus has Parasite absorb Superman's excess energy	0
	Supergirl (second series) #3	Supergirl remembers impersonating Eller while flying to assist Happersen	0
	Superman (second series) #89	Cadmus puts Superman into space in an attempt to help him; Lois Lane is fired	0
	Adventures of Superman #512	Parasite drains more from Superman and escapes; has Happersen back in Metropolis; continues into Action Comics #699	0
	Supergirl (second series) #4	final issue; Supergirl confronts Luthor; Superman appears; cover-dated May 1994	0
4. Battle for / Fall of Metropolis and Worlds Collide
Action Comics #699, Superman: The Man of Steel #34, Superman (second series) #90, Adventures of Superman #513: "Battle for Metropolis" storyline
	Action Comics #699	Superman saves Luthor from Supergirl; Underworlders attack Lexcorp forces (this issue thus encompasses events in Supergirl (second series) #4); Norman Felchle pencils	0
	Superboy (third series) #5	continues into Superman: The Man of Steel #34	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #34	Lois receives evidence of her allegations against Luthor; Dubbilex and Superboy arrive; Luthor shown to have had bombs planted	0
	Superman (second series) #90	Luthor's bombs explode; Donovan kills Westfield; Brent Anderson pencils	0
	Adventures of Superman #513	Dr. Carl Packard reveals that the clone disease is caused by fallout from Engine City	0
Action Comics #700, Superman: The Man of Steel #35, Superman (second series) #91, Adventures of Superman #514, Action Comics #701: "The Fall of Metropolis" storyline
	Action Comics #700	Lois is rehired; Lois publicly proves that Luthor attempted the murder of Green and is really the elder Lex Luthor, Sr.; Dr. Gretchen Kelley is revealed to be Lois's informant because of how Luthor treated Supergirl; Happersen killed by Luthor when Happersen lauches weapons that will destroy Metropolis; Lord Satanus secretly helps Superman; Luthor is arrested; Pete Ross marries Lana Lang; Jackson Guice & Curt Swan pencils; Denis Rodier & Murphy Anderson inks	0
Superman: The Man of Steel #35, Hardware #17, Superboy (third series) #6, Icon #15, Steel #6, Blood Syndicate #16, Worlds Collide #1, Superboy (third series) #7, Hardware #18, Superman: The Man of Steel #36, Icon #16, Steel #7, Blood Syndicate #17, Static #14: "Worlds Collide" storyline
	Superman: The Man of Steel #35	mailman Fred Bentson gets help for his dreams about Dakota (of Milestone Comics)	0
Hardware #17 occurs here
	Superboy (third series) #6		0
Wonder Woman (second series) #88 was published about here
	Superman (second series) #91	with Luthor catatonic, Superman fights Lexcorp robots	0
	Adventures of Superman #514	S.T.A.R. Labs finishes its clone cure; an hallucinatory gas hits city; Professor Hamilton loses his left arm; Pete Krause pencils; Ron McCain inks	0
	Action Comics #701	Luthor uses a Kryptonian battle suit to attack Superman	0
Icon #15 occurs here
	Steel #6		0
Blood Syndicate #16 occurs here
Worlds Collide #1 occurs here
	Superboy (third series) #7		0
Hardware #18 occurs here
	Superman: The Man of Steel #36	continued from Hardware #18; Superman and the Milestone heroes fight Rift (Fred Bentson); continues in Icon #16	0
Icon #16 occurs here
	Steel #7		0
Blood Syndicate #17 occurs here
Static #14 occurs here
5. Massacre in Metropolis, Zero Hour, and Peer Pressure
Superman (second series) #92, Adventures of Superman #515: "Massacre in Metropolis" storyline
	Superman (second series) #92	Massacre comes to Earth to fight Superman, searching even in Metropolis, IL	0
	Adventures of Superman #515	Lucy Lane meets the Riot Grrrls	0
Action Comics #0, 702-705: David Michelinie script
	Action Comics #702	Ron Troupe sabotages Bloodsport's weapon cache	0
Superman: The Man of Steel #37, Superman (second series) #93, Adventures of Superman #516, Action Comics #703, Superboy (third series) #8, Steel #8: participates in DC's Zero Hour crossover event; cover-dated September 1994
	Superman: The Man of Steel #37	Superman encounters different versions of Batman; Jor-El and Lara visit the Kents	0
	Superman (second series) #93	Superman summons Supergirl for help; Superman talks with Jor-El and Lara	0
	Adventures of Superman #516	Superman finds an alternate Metropolis with a hero called Alpha Centurion (who first appears here)	0
	Action Comics #703	Superman finds a Smallville with young Kents; chronal disruptions destroy the present	0
Superman: The Man of Steel #0, Superman (second series) #0, Adventures of Superman #0, Action Comics #0: "Peer Pressure" storyline; cover-dated October 1994
	Superman: The Man of Steel #0	contains Conduit's first appearance; Kenny Braverman (Conduit) is born as Kal-El's rocket lands in Smallville; Clark receives photos, showing his childhood with Kenny, that have Clark's image torn out	0
Superman (second series) #0, 94: Brett Breeding inks
	Superman (second series) #0	Lois helps Clark move into his Clinton St. apartment; has flashbacks to Clark and Kenny in high school; Conduit tries to kill Clark; Conduit is revealed to be Kenny Braverman	0
	Adventures of Superman #0	has flashbacks to Clark and Kenny in France after college; Conduit attacks Clark again with a kryptonite beam	0
	Action Comics #0	has a flashback to the C.I.A. using Conduit; features Pipeline, Conduit's rival intelligence group; Conduit attacks Clark; a body is discovered in Superman's tomb	0
6. Dead Again
Superman: The Man of Steel #38, Superman (second series) #94, Adventures of Superman #517, Action Comics #704, Superman: The Man of Steel #39, Superman (second series) #95, Adventures of Superman #518, Action Comics #705, Superman: The Man of Steel #40, Superman (second series) #96, Adventures of Superman #519: "Dead Again" storyline
	Superman: The Man of Steel #38	Conduit escapes S.T.A.R. Labs and attacks Superman; Erwin pencils; Jackson Guice inks	0
	Superman (second series) #94	Superman stops Conduit; Kenny confronts his Dad; Professor Hamilton's tests prove that the body in Superman's tomb is Superman's	0
	Adventures of Superman #517	Deathtrap appears (for the first time) and uses a force field on Superman	0
	Action Comics #704	The Kents and Lois have doubts about Superman; Superman confronts the Eradicator	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #39	Keith's mother dies from AIDS; the Whites want to adopt Keith; Hamilton's test says Superman is not really Superman	0
	Superman (second series) #95	Superman visits New Genesis with a Mother Box to check on Brainiac, being held there since his defeat (in "Panic in the Sky"); the now-17-year-old Atom (Ray Palmer) appears; Mike Manley inks	0
	Adventures of Superman #518	Superman goes to Apokolips and is attacked by Kanto; Darkseid hints at who produced the body, then sends Superman back to Earth; Ray McCarthy, Montano, & Karl Kesel inks	0
	Action Comics #705	Superman suspects Mr. Mxyzptlk is the culprit; the S.C.U. attacks Superman when he breaks into S.T.A.R. Labs; Brainiac attacks the New Gods on New Genesis	0
Superman: The Man of Steel #40-45: no data entered
Superman: The Man of Steel #40, Superman (second series) #96, Adventures of Superman #519, Action Comics #706: cover-dated January 1995
	Superman: The Man of Steel #40	features Keith's mother's funeral; a female (Brainiac) possesses bodies, including Lois's; cover-dated January 1995	0
Superman (second series) #96-101: no data entered
	Superman (second series) #96	Superman hallucinates being attacked by various foes until Brainiac shows himself; cover-dated January 1995	0
Adventures of Superman #519-524: no data entered
	Adventures of Superman #519	Superman battles Brainiac; cover-dated January 1995	0
7. Alive Again
Action Comics #706-711: no data entered
	Action Comics #706	Supergirl visits Smallville to talk with the Kents and Clark; cover-dated January 1995	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #41	Lock has trouble controlling his dimension powers; Babe kills someone and loses control again, attacking Jimmy	0
	Superman (second series) #97	Shadowdragon steals data from S.T.A.R. Labs; Superman helps deliver a baby	0
	Adventures of Superman #520	in a Christmas story, Superman stops a wave of criminals including Loophole, Captain Boomerang, the Royal Flush Gang, and Punch & Jewelee	0
	Action Comics #707	Shadowdragon escapes Superman with a stolen circuit design to give to Bhutan	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #42	Lock and Superman help Babe escape the vampire Ruthven, who was possessing her	0
	Superman (second series) #98	Toyman explains why he changed	0
	Adventures of Superman #521	Shadowdragon delivers data on Superman to Conduit	0
	Action Comics #708	Conduit escapes from prison; Deathtrap traps Superman and Mister Miracle (Scott Free)	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #43	Mister Miracle and Superman escape a looped Boom Tube	0
	Superman (second series) #99	Agent Liberty and Superman save Lois in Washington, D.C.	0
	Adventures of Superman #522	Perry White explains how Metropolis was rebuilt	0
Guy Gardner: Warrior #29, Action Comics #709, Guy Gardner: Warrior #30: "Reign of the Warrior" storyline
	Action Comics #709	continues from Guy Gardner: Warrior #29; police arrest Senator Fulton's killer; continued into Guy Gardner: Warrior #30; cover-dated April 1995	0
Guy Gardner: Warrior #30, featuring Superman, occurs here
8. The Death of Clark Kent
	Superman: The Man of Steel #44	Superman stops two bombings and learns that someone knows his identity	0
Superman (second series) #100, Adventures of Superman #523, Action Comics #710, Superman: The Man of Steel #45, Superman (second series) #101, Adventures of Superman #524, Action Comics #711: "The Death of Clark Kent" storyline
	Superman (second series) #100	Conduit attacks Clark Kents's apartment, captures Jimmy, tries to kill Lana Lang, and blows up the Kents' farmhouse; cover-dated May 1995	0
	Superman (second series) #100 [alternate cover]	"enhanced" cover	0
	Adventures of Superman #523	Plasmus and Neutron attack the Kents and Superman in Denver	0
	Action Comics #710	looking for Lois, Superman is attacked by Metallo (who has a new body); Superman decapitates Metallo	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel #45	after Conduit has the Kents' Colorado cabin attacked, he attacks Bibbo and apparently blows up Lois; Superman decides to not be Clark Kent anymore; cover-dated June 1995	0
	Superman (second series) #101	Superman is attacked by planes in Colorado; Clark takes the Kents to northern California and starts a new identity (Wayne Jordan); Lois finds the Colorado cabin; cover-dated June 1995	0
	Adventures of Superman #524	Superman helps with a forest fire; Conduit kills his new boss and captures Superman; Lois finds the California cabin, where Shadowdragon tells her that Jimmy is alive and that he has had Conduit's data on Superman destroyed; cover-dated June 1995	0
	Action Comics #711	Superman defeats Conduit in a mock-up of Smallville; cover-dated June 1995	0
Larger Version Available	Superman: The Death of Clark Kent	collects the storyline though the precise issues are unknown [REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]	0
ANNUALS
	Superman: Under A Yellow Sun	a.k.a. Superman: Under a Yellow Sun -- A Novel by Clark Kent; a decent notion, juxtaposing the main narrative with scenes from Clark Kent's (semi-autobiographical) novel; John Francis Moore script; art by Barreto, Gammill, and Janke; no creative data entered; published in 1994	0
Superman Vs. Aliens #1-3: 48 pages; introduces Kara and Argo City in the post-Crisis continuity; features the Aliens (from the movies); no interior or cover art data entered; prestige format; co-published in 1995 with Dark Horse Comics
	Superman Vs. Aliens #1		0
	Superman Vs. Aliens #2		0
	Superman Vs. Aliens #3		0
	Superman Vs. Aliens	collects Superman Vs. Aliens #1-3	0
GALLERIES
	Superman Gallery #1	cover-dated 1993	0
	Superman: The Man of Steel Gallery #1	cover-dated 1995	0
SUPERBOY
Superboy (third series) #0, 1-18: no data entered
	Superboy (third series) #1	cover-dated February 1994	0
	Superboy (third series) #2		0
	Superboy (third series) #3		0
	Superboy (third series) #4		0
	Superboy (third series) #8	Superboy meets the pre-Crisis Superboy	0
	Superboy (third series) #0	cover-dated August 1994	0
	Superboy (third series) #9	Superboy battles the Silicon Dragons	0
	Superboy (third series) #10	Superboy battles a stupid monster	0
	Superboy (third series) #11	Superboy is manipulated by the Silicon Dragons	0
	Superboy (third series) #12		0
	Superboy (third series) #13		0
	Superboy (third series) #14		0
	Superboy (third series) #15		0
	Superboy (third series) #16	Superboy is conveniently tricked into fighting Loose Cannon	0
	Superboy (third series) #17		0
	Superboy (third series) #18		0
STEEL
Steel #0, 1-18: no data entered
	Steel #1	cover-dated February 1994	0
	Steel #2		0
	Steel #3		0
	Steel #4	Steel battles a Tar addict without armor	0
	Steel #5	Steel battles his own nephew	0
	Steel #8		0
	Steel #0	Steel acquires new capabilities for armor	0
	Steel #9		0
	Steel #10	Steel is arrested and accused of murder	0
	Steel #11		0
	Steel #12		0
	Steel #13		0
	Steel #14		0
	Steel #15		0
	Steel #16	Steel conquers his own armor	0
	Steel #17		0
	Steel #18		0

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