[[{“value”:”
The legacy of Superman: his nearly 90-year history in comic books. Ever since the car-smashing Man of Steel debuted in the pages of Action Comics #1 in 1938 — which ended with the prescient declaration that creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s superhero was “destined to reshape the destiny of a world” — the DC comics have inspired decades of radio serials, live-action and animated shows, television series, and films, including James Gunn’s Superman movie.
Whereas Zack Snyder drew from such seminal stories as John Byrne’s The Man of Steel and The Death of Superman for a high-octane take on the Kryptonian in the DC Extended Universe, the newly-rebooted DC Universe is influenced by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s altruistic All-Star Superman and Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s coming-of-age tale Superman For All Seasons.
Formerly titled Superman: Legacy, Gunn’s reboot is “very inspired by” All-Star Superman, according to the filmmaker and DC Studios co-chief, who has shared Superman‘s comic book influences on social media. And just in time for the new movie to fly into theaters on July 11th, 2025, DC will release The Superman Box Set: a four-graphic novel box set that collects “some of Superman’s greatest and most influential tales.”
The set, which retails for $85 and is scheduled for release on June 24th, 2025, includes these softcover editions:
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly, ranked as the number one Superman story by IGN
Superman for All Seasons by Batman: The Long Halloween team Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, a critically acclaimed standalone story stuctured thematically around the four seasons
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, a tale of Superman’s last adventuresby Watchmen writer Alan Moore and definitive Superman artist Curt Swan
Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, a near-future clash between old-guard and new-guard super heroes that was called “One of the best comic stories ever told” by the Washington Examiner
The publisher released a similar box set for the comics that inspired Matt Reeves’ 2022 movie The Batman, containing Batman: Year One, Batman: The Long Halloween, and Batman: Ego. Also available from DC is the recently reprinted new edition of the 12-issue Absolute All-Star Superman and the new deluxe hardcover edition of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Apparel and the first-to-market Superman movie merchandise is available for purchase and pre-order here.
“}]] The Superman Box Set collects some of the comics James Gunn named as influences on the 2025 movie. Read More