Overview:
New Krypton is a DC Comics story arc published between 2008 and 2010, written by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, and Sterling Gates. Artists like Pete Woods and Gary Frank contribute to the visuals. The storyline takes place primarily in Action Comics, Superman, and several spin-off titles, including Supergirl and World of New Krypton.
The story revolves around the sudden appearance of 100,000 Kryptonians on Earth, following the events of the Brainiac arc. Superman finds himself torn between his loyalty to Earth and his Kryptonian heritage as these new Kryptonians, led by General Zod, struggle for acceptance. While Superman and Supergirl are the key protagonists, familiar antagonists like Lex Luthor and Zod play crucial roles in shaping the conflict.
Critically, New Krypton received a generally positive reception for its bold take on Superman’s mythos and its exploration of xenophobia, though some fans felt the crossover was uneven in pacing due to the various interconnected series. Artists like Gary Frank were praised for capturing both the grandeur of Krypton and the grounded nature of Earth.
The storyline serves as a lead-up to War of the Supermen and is significant for adding depth to Superman’s internal struggles with identity and belonging.
Background Reading:
- TBD
Related Guides
- Superman
Best Way To Read:
- Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1
- Collects: New Krypton Special #1, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #1, Superman #681, Action Comics #871, Adventure Comics Special Featuring the Guardian #1
- Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2
- Collects: Supergirl #35, Superman #682, Action Comics #872, Supergirl #36, Superman #683, Action Comics #873
- Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3
- Collects: Superman: World of New Krypton #1-6, Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4
- Collects: World of New Krypton #7-12
- Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1
- Collects: Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1-2, Adventures of Superman #8-9, Superman #698, Supergirl #51
- Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2
- Collects: Superman: The Last Stand of New Krypton #3, Adventures of Superman #10-11, Supergirl #52, Superman #699
- Superman: War of the Supermen
- Collects: War of the Supermen #0-4, Superman #700
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
New Krypton
After thousands of Kryptonians are freed from Brainiac’s ship, they settle on Earth, causing tension between them and humanity. Superman attempts to mediate but struggles with the leadership of General Zod and growing hostility from Earth’s governments. The storyline focuses on the political and cultural clash between Kryptonians and Earthlings.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen Vol. 2 #1 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Superman: New Krypton Special #1 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Superman #681 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Adventure Comics Special Featuring The Guardian #1 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Action Comics #871 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #35 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Superman #682 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Action Comics #872 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #36 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Superman #683 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Action Comics #873 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #37 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #684 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Action Comics #874 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #38 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #685 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
World of New Krypton
Superman leaves Earth to live on New Krypton, a new home for Kryptonians built in Earth’s solar system. There, he navigates Kryptonian society, becoming a soldier under Zod and dealing with their strict military culture. The arc focuses on Superman’s challenge of balancing his Earthly morals with Kryptonian laws and customs.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Superman: World of New Krypton #1 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #875 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #39 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #686 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #2 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #876 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #40 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #687 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #3 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #877 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #41 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #688 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #4 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #878 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #42 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #689 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #5 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #879 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #43 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #690 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: Secret Files 2009 #1 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #6 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3 |
| Action Comics #880 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #44 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #691 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen Vol. 2 #2 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #7 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #881 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #45 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #692 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #8 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #882 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #46 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #693 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #9 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #883 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #47 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #694 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #10 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #884 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #48 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #695 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #11 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #885 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #49 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #696 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman: World of New Krypton #12 | Main Story | Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4 |
| Action Comics #886 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #50 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Superman #697 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
Last Stand of New Krypton
Tensions between Earth and New Krypton escalate as Brainiac returns, intent on reclaiming the bottled cities. Superman, alongside Supergirl and other Kryptonians, battles Brainiac’s forces to prevent a catastrophic war between the two worlds. The storyline serves as a lead-up to the ultimate fate of New Krypton and its inhabitants.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure Comics Vol. 2 #8 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 | Main Story | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Action Comics #887 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #51 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Superman #698 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Adventure Comics Vol. 2 #9 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #2 | Main Story | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 1 |
| Action Comics #888 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Adventure Comics Vol. 2 #10 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Supergirl Vol. 5 #52 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Superman #699 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #3 | Main Story | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2 |
| Action Comics #889 | Tie-in | Not Collected |
| Adventure Comics Vol. 2 #11 | Tie-in | Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2 |
War of the Supermen
The climactic conclusion to the New Krypton saga, where the fragile peace between Earth and New Krypton fully collapses into open war. General Zod leads the Kryptonians in a full-scale invasion of Earth, while Superman and a few allies work to stop the conflict before it leads to mutual destruction. The event is fast-paced and heavily action-driven, focusing on the devastating consequences of the Kryptonian-Earth tension that has been building throughout the previous arcs.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| War of the Supermen #0 | Main Story | Superman: War of the Supermen |
| War of the Supermen #1 | Main Story | Superman: War of the Supermen |
| War of the Supermen #2 | Main Story | Superman: War of the Supermen |
| War of the Supermen #3 | Main Story | Superman: War of the Supermen |
| War of the Supermen #4 | Main Story | Superman: War of the Supermen |
| Superman #700 | Aftermath | Superman: War of the Supermen |
References:
Feature Image from Superman: World of New Krypton Special #1 cover art by Brad Anderson, Renato Guedes, and Gary Frank
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