Trial of Superman Reading Guide

Overview:

The Trial of Superman is a 1995 DC Comics arc that spans multiple Superman titles, featuring work by writers such as Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, and Karl Kesel, and art from Ron Frenz and others. In this story, Superman is taken off Earth by an alien tribunal and put on trial for crimes allegedly committed by Kryptonians. The arc explores Superman’s morality and the consequences of his lineage, with Superman trying to prove his innocence while battling physical and ethical challenges.

The narrative features major appearances from Superman himself, alongside supporting characters like Superboy and Steel, while antagonists include various members of the tribunal and some new alien enemies. The story plays on themes of justice and responsibility, adding a cosmic layer to Superman’s usual Earth-bound heroics.

At the time of release, critical and fan reactions were mixed. While some appreciated the storyline for taking Superman out of his usual setting, others felt the pacing across multiple titles was uneven. The art received generally favorable feedback for maintaining the classic Superman look, though nothing revolutionary. Overall, it’s remembered as an ambitious but polarizing arc in Superman’s long history.

Best Way To Read:

• The Trial of Superman
  • Collects: Superman: The Man of Steel #50-52, Superman #106-108, Adventures of Superman #529-531, Action Comics #716-717, and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #3

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 Superman #106 cover art by Dan Jurgens and Joe Rubinstein