Panic in the Sky Reading Guide

Overview:

Panic in the Sky is a 1992 DC Comics storyline that spans multiple Superman titles. The arc is primarily written by Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, and Louise Simonson, with art contributions from Jurgens, Bob McLeod, and Jon Bogdanove, among others.

The story focuses on Brainiac launching a massive assault on Earth using Warworld, a planet-sized weapon. Superman, realizing the scope of the threat, assembles a large team of heroes to defend Earth. Major characters in this event include Superman, Supergirl, and the Justice League, who join forces to battle Brainiac and his formidable forces. On the villain side, Brainiac is the main antagonist, using Warworld to try and impose his will on the planet.

When it was released, Panic in the Sky was met with positive fan reception. Critics appreciated the large-scale action and cross-title collaboration, praising the tight plotting and character dynamics, particularly how Superman’s leadership is portrayed. The artwork is generally well-received for effectively capturing the epic nature of the conflict.

While not as iconic as some other Superman storylines, Panic in the Sky is remembered as a fun and cohesive crossover event that delivers a classic superhero team-up against a galactic-level threat.

Best Way To Read:

Not Collected

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:

References:

• Wikipedia
• Comic Book Reading Orders

Feature Image from Adventures of Superman #488 cover art by Jerry Ordway, Dennis Janke, and Tom Grummett