With Superman is often misjudged as being a boring, overpowered boy scout, a cursory glance at his stories shows they aren't all sunshine and rainbows.
Sometimes when writers attempt to write dark Superman stories, they feel try-hard, with stories like "For Tomorrow" and the majority of New 52 Superman stories sacrificing Superman's character in favor of pure edginess. However, the best dark Superman stories are the ones that test his positivity in negative scenarios.
Superman: Earth One
J. Michael Straczynski, Shane Davis, and Adrian Syaf's trilogy of Superman: Earth One graphic novels do ittedly alter Superman to make him a darker character, but there is a decent reason for this. Earth One presents a Clark Kent in his early days, unsure of what he wants to do with his life like so many people trying to strike out on their own.
The world this Superman exists in feels more natural, the villains feel more threatening, and the epic superpowered battles have real-world consequences. Though he struggles at first, by the end of the third volume, Clark begins to resemble the Man of Steel fans know and love.
American Alien
Much like Earth One, Superman: American Alien is a darker take on Superman's earlier days, presenting a far less polished take on The Man of Tomorrow. Described as a "Clark Kent story," American Alien focuses less on the insane powers of Superman and more on the humanity of Clark Kent, the keyword of which being "human," as the series shows Clark Kent struggle throughout his life with his godlike gifts, making a whole load of mistakes in the process.
Though the writer isn't a very popular person right now, his work on American Alien is pitch perfect, with each issue featuring a new artist that adds to the story told. While Warner Bros and DC struggle to make Superman "relatable," this single miniseries does it flawlessly.
What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, And The American Way
Written by Joe Kelly, with art by Doug Mahnke and Lee Bermejo, Superman #775, or "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way," is one of the best Superman issues of the 2000s. When a more ruthless team of "heroes" called The Elite begins a campaign of callously slaughtering criminals, people start to question whether or not Superman is even needed anymore.
At a time when the anti-hero team The Authority was popping the charts and Superman's morals were being questioned, this story shows why Superman is still relevant regardless of how seemingly anachronistic his character seems. The glimpse of a darker Superman the story presents is terrifying and his speech to The Elite's leader Manchester Black at the end is one of his best.
Funeral For A Friend
"The Death of Superman" is a dark moment in Superman's history, but its immediate follow-up "Funeral for a Friend" isn't just one of the darkest Superman stories, it's one of the saddest Superman stories of all time. Told in all four Superman-related titles, "Funeral for a Friend" shows how the people in Superman's life are affected by his death at the hands of Doomsday.
Moments like Martha Kent being glued to the TV watching the funeral and a tearful Lois Lane calling The Kents to apologize for not calling them sooner because she didn't want to accept it was real are heartbreaking. However, the darkest, most heartwrenching scene is when Superman's biggest fan Bibbo Bobowski cries out to God wanting to know why Superman died and not him.
Superman Reborn
When DC Rebirth came along, not only did the Superman fans wanted find himself replacing the reviled New 52 incarnation, but he and Lois Lane were now parents. This is what makes the "Superman: Reborn" storyline so intense, as it's this family dynamic that is put in danger, as when their son Jonathan is kidnaped by a different version of Clark Kent, a dark secret of the post-New 52 DC Universe is laid bare.
The story goes from personal to cosmic swiftly and turns a villain that many saw as a bit campy into a true threat. The fact that "Superman: Reborn" was written by four different writers and drawn by ten different artists doesn't feel jarring whatsoever, as each handles the story well and the story's dark tone and ever-rising tension remain consistent.
Up In The Sky
Tom King and Andy Kubert gave fans one of the darkest and tensest Superman stories in recent memory...in a Walmart-exclusive comic! Superman: Up In The Sky sees Superman travel from his iconic city home of Metropolis to the furthest reaches of space all to save a little girl.
That may not seem all that dark, but Superman's journey in Up In The Sky puts him through the wringer, wearing him down both physically and mentally until he is forced by Darkseid to make a critical decision that will compromise his character regardless of his choice. King and Kubert present a Superman pushed to his limits, but nonetheless so dedicated to doing the right thing he is willing to do some questionable things.
Kingdom Come
Ranking Kingdom Come among dark Superman stories feels a bit off, as it's technically a dark DC story, but without Superman as its main focus the story wouldn't work. Set in a dark future timeline, the heroes of the DC Universe return after years of retirement to thwart a new generation of reckless heroes and dangerous villains, however, their more dictatorial approach puts the fate of the world in the balance.
Writer Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross craft a story dealing with themes of the corruption of icons, 90s excess, religion, and hope. Seeing a Superman who has lost hope is truly disturbing, as such a lack of hope warps his view on what he does.
Brainiac
Writer Geoff Johns has written some pretty cheerful Superman stories, but his most famous Superman-centric yarn isn't among them. Told in the pages of Action Comics, "Brainiac" sees Johns reinvent classic Silver Age concepts for the 21st Century such as Supergirl, the bottle city of Kandor, and of course, the villain known as Brainiac.
What makes the story so grim is more than just the execution of Johns' plot, but Gary Frank's beautiful, albeit eerily realistic artwork which presents the gristly violence and heartbreaking tragedy of "Brainiac" in almost uncomfortable detail. Not to mention, the story ends on a sad note with a gut-punch of an ending that won't be spoiled but will tug at the heartstrings.
For The Man Who Has Everything
Alan Moore's Superman stories are like a twisted Cadbury Crème Egg, on the outside is a zany comic book presentation but on the inside is something much darker, "For The Man Who Has Everything" is no exception. Drawn by Dave Gibbons, the story sees Mongul ensnare Superman in The Black Mercy, an alien plant that feeds off its victim whilst trapping them in their fantasy.
From the very first glimpse of Superman's Krypton-set fantasy, the reader knows that it's doomed, which makes the moment where Superman has to explain to his son that he isn't real all the rougher. Even after Superman is freed and Mongul is defeated, a wistful air is pervasive throughout the remainder of the story.
Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow
With Crisis of Infinite Earths primed to do away with the previous continuity, it was up to Alan Moore and iconic Superman artist Curt Swan to play the Pre-Crisis Man of Steel out. "Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow" showcases the final days of this Superman, with Swan's style oddly complimenting Moore's grim storytelling.
These last days are filled with dark events, with many of Superman's allies and enemies being killed off, which leads to The Man of Steel hanging up the cape forever. However, like many dark Superman stories, "Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow" gives The Last Son of Krypton a happy ending.
