10) Manage your budget.

Think about the money you want to spend every month for comics. Having some knowledge on your consuming capabilities helps a lot. Obviously.

9) Actually create a list.

Putting things in paper always helps concentration. Think about the titles you want and which you think you can trade-wait. Rank them from favorite to least favorite. Then you will see which ones you truly care about.

8) Drop the Collector's habit.

If you are buying comics because "you want the complete set" or think about its future worth then you are wasting money. Most of these comics you are "completing" aren't worth the money you spend on them. If you don't like them, drop them. So new better titles can take their place.

7) Think about the price of the titles you buy.

Some titles cost more than others. So think about that too. If you buy more 2.99 titles you will have money left to add more titles.

6) Diversify.

Don't stick only to a company or genre. You will get a much better, more complete experience if you expand wider than the ten obvious Super-hero titles.

5) Be vigilant!

New titles come out all the time. Try to be up to date. You will always find something more interesting out there.

4) Choose which titles to buy monthly and which to trade-wait.

Batman, Spider-man, Avengers and other AAA titles will always make money and they aren't in danger of being cancelled. Titles like those get collected in trades very quickly too. If you like titles that don't sell well, don't trade-wait for them. If you do, it is highly possible that they will get cancelled. And not all of them are collected in the end....

BONUS TIP: See which stories read better in a monthly basis and which collected. Some writers, write with the trade in mind.

3) Leave an open slot.

Why not? Leave some money open for some "emergency buying" or even better for an impulse read. You never know, you may hear, see or pick up a title that seems to be good why not give it a chance. That may just as well be your new favorite.

2) Don't follow only characters....

Yes, I know Super-heroes are what brought most of us into comics but that doesn't mean their titles are always good. If a title of your favorite Super-hero isn't good, just drop it. That way the company will understand they are doing something wrong. Its a win-win situation.

If you think a certain creator is a good fit for your tastes, give their other titles a chance. And even better their creator owned stuff. Most creators give their best selves on those.

1) You will never get everything you want.

Well, except if you are Richy Rich. Understand that there will always be something you are missing out. But it is okay. Everything is only one comixology sale away :P

Guys this is where I will post all my Superman reviews.

I will try to review every issue coming out (except B/S and Sm/Ww). And I will also review tpbs. I will also try to keep most of my reviews on the vine.

Monthly Reviews:

• Action Comics # 29
• Action Comics # 30
• Superman Unchained # 6
• Superman # 37
• Adventures of Superman # 15

Tpbs:

• Superman: Secret Origin

Hello fellow Viners!

Its been two years since @the_poet took the initiative and created the first Top 100 Superman Universe stories list with the help of the comicvine community.

In those two years the community has changed, evolved and while some viners left, some new have entered our ranks. And with that it is only logical to update the list to mirror the community better.

Now to make things clear, this is a Superman UNIVERSE stories list. Meaning this is the collection of the best stories featuring Superman, his main cast,spin-offs, friends and foes ex. Supergirl, Lois Lane, JLA, Lex Luthor.

STEP ONE: Finding the Nominators.

Right now we are looking for 20 viners that will create the core of our list.

What does a nominator do? Each one will nominate 5 stories (two nominators can't nominate the same story) and write a short text(3-5 sentences) about why they should be included on the list. You just have to type below that you want to be a nominator.

Ex.

Superman Red Son:

What if? What if Superman's rocket had landed in Soviet Russia and he had to fight an unending battle for Stalin? Of course such a great story could have only been written by the talented Mark Millar. Throughout the book, we see Superman fighting for the same desire as the regular Kal-El. Superman: Red Son is a must read tale for any Superman fans. - tomlikesfries

The nominators will get a PM with more details.

12 SLOTS LEFT.

Our Nominators:

• Dagmar_merrill
• TheIncredibleSuperHulk8642
• life_without_progress
• JakeN7
• Saint_wildcard
• Onemoreposter
• Lvenger
• Z3RO180

Now for the rest of you that you don't see your favorite stories on the list don't get disheartened. You will get your chance in our second step, community nominations!

Everyone who has read comics, has at least once heard of the (in)famous phrase "For truth, justice and the American Way".

A phrase first heard during the early stages of Superman's life, to be more specific it was first heard in the Adventures of Superman radio show in 1942 to raise moral during World War II. Before that Superman was content with his self to fight just for "truth and Justice". After the war ended, the phrase was forgotten and Superman returned to fighting for more...simple concepts, like "tolerance". But during the Cold War the phrase returned again in the "Adventures of Superman" Tv series, this time to become a staple of the character.

And now that we have finished with the historical recursion its time to ask the question, what now?

Superman isn't an "American" thing now, its target audience isn't just americans, so what do you do with the phrase? Do you change it back? Or let it stay, as it is?

The thing is many readers don't read Superman because of their belief that Superman is TOO patriotic. Personally I see the American Way as more of the ideal that it was, meaning: the pursuit of happiness, a life that adheres to principles like liberty and tolerance. Principles that are actually very good at describing Superman. So I ask again what would you do?

Hello, I usually comment on the DC related forums, so why not make an ask thread to meet other viners.

Ask me anything, I will try to answer every question :-)

Finally. It took me a while to reduce the number to 50. I had so much trouble so I decided to remove stories that weren't as Superman-centric like Luthor:Man of Steel. It hasn't changed a lot. The obvious favorites are taking half of the list.

Unranked btw. Can't take the time to put them into proper order.

Squalleon's 50 Favorite Superman Stories!

	. All Star Superman
	. Action Comics: Superman and the Men of Steel
	. For the Man Who has Everything...
	. Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
	. Volume 3
	. What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & The American Way?
	. Superman For All Seasons
	. Superman: Birthright
	. Red Son Superman
	. Superman: Brainiac
	. Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
	. Kingdom Come
	. Superman: Up, Up and Away!
	. Zero Year: Stormbreaker; Lunch Break
	. Of Thee I Sing
	. 22 Stories in a Single Bound
	. Superman: Secret Identity
	. The Road to Ruin: Narrative Interruptus Tertiarius
	. Walking Midnight
	. Superman: Peace on Earth
	. Superman: Last Son
	. Superman/Batman: Supergirl
	. Dear Superman
	. Superman: Escape From Bizarro World
	. Volume Two
	. Clark Kent's Incredible Delusion! / Super-Mxyzptlk... Hero! Super-Mxyzplk!!!
	. For Tomorrow
	. The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman!
	. Superman: Secret Origin
	. Lost Boy, A Tale of Krypto the Superdog
	. The Way These Things Begin, Part 1 of 1
	. Superman: World of New Krypton
	. Superman: Camelot Falls
	. Superman: Earth One
	. Bittersweet
	. Superman/Batman: The Search for Kryptonite
	. Must there be a Superman? / When on Earth...
	. Superman: Kryptonite
	. Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D
	. The Living Legends Of Superman The legend of Earth Prime.
	. Superman's Other Life!
	. Captive of the Red Sun!
	. For A Thousand Years...
	. Back In Action
	. Look... Up in the Sky
	. Superman: The Power Within
	. Executive Action
	. The Einstein Connection! / The Ghost of Superman Future!
	. Yesterday's Man of Tomorrow
	.

This is an idea that came to my mind recently. Could Zod/Faora BE Doomsday? Here is some proof that strengthen this theory.

Zod is Doomsday.

1. Zod beat Doomsday back on krypton
   In Batman/Superman: Doomsday we saw that Zod beat the monster and we know that Doomsday can somehow "infect" other beings and transform them. Something that we know will happen to Superman in Superman: Doomed.

2. Zod and Doomsday don't share any panel time.
   Yes, Zod and Doomsday don't share any paneltime except from the moment he beat the monster. Also in B/S: Doomsday Zod appears to a young Kara Zor-El and the moment he fades Doomsday appears, talk about timing...
3. Zod doesn't appear in Superman: Doomed solicitations.Well he doesn't.
4. Zod will always be our monster
   "My Name is Zod...and No matter what you do-- no matter where you send me, I promise you this: I...will always...be your Monster!"

Faora is Doomsday.

1. Faora doesn't share any panel time with Doomsday
   Same with Zod.
2. Faora doesn't appear in Superman: Doomed solicitations
   Same with Zod
3. Zod loves the monster.
   Zod seems to be attached to the monster. Although this could be metaphorical because new 52 Zod thinks that monsters make us better, It could also have a double meaning since Faora is Zod's romantic interest.

After reading some comments on another site, something has troubled by mind. DC's lack of faith in Superman. Superman has been constantly rebooted the last 20 years(Red/Blue,Superman 2000,Birthright,John's Action Comics/Secret Origin,New 52 and now Geoff Johns goes for a soft reboot AGAIN in his run on Superman although that's too early to tell). Ιn an attempt to "modernize" Superman, DC is constantly rebooting his universe and as a result Superman lacks:

• Clear Personality
• Expanded Supporting Cast
• Clear direction

And more importantly a stable reader-base. Yeah,yeah I know what are you gonna say, Superman is one of the most popular characters and "bla bla bla bla" and yet even here I can name more than a handful of users who can't even open a Superman title because of how lost and alienated they feel.DC is trying to appeal to the masses and ends up appealing to none.
The characters don't evolve, there is no natural progression, no vision. Just writers and editors desperately trying to find a Superman that works but not determined enough to fight for it. They build a mythology and wreck it before it even finds a solid footing. The most recent example in my mind is Grant Morrison's Action Comics. It didn't even stick to the next writer! Lobdell, Diggle, Snyder all writing a completely different Superman, from Snyder's Pre-52ish Superman to Diggle's silent guardian to Lobdell's complete jerk. Off course all writers can't write the same but at least the characters and their universe should feel consistent if they are part of a mutual continuity.
No time for the character, to build his fanbase, expand his universe and create a familiar environment around him. New 52 Supes doesn't even have a stable supporting cast and we are two years in! Let's compare some franchises shall we, the exact opposite of the Superman franchise, Batman. With twenty years of continuity on his back and still feeling fresher than ever. Yeah he had his ups and downs but that didn't stop DC from sticking to the magnificent lore, the familiar diverse cast, with a past behind it open to the reader so they can invest on it.

One thing that ease my mind is that Geoff Johns may be planning for a long run, which would at least create a stable status quo.

Thanks for reading :-)

Since 2013 is ending I decided to do a list about my favorite Superman issues of 2013!

1. Action Comics #25.

A perfect Stand-alone story that is one of the best examples of the potential of new52 Superman. Well a bit more “hardcore” than Morrison’s early Supes but Grek Pak’s characterization delivered in the end. Still green, this t-shirt and jeans Superman charges to fight something that not even he can beat: Mother Nature! Good characterization, strong plot, a very good appearance of Lana Lang and in the end a strong moment between the thing that gives Superman the drive to go on, human kindness.

2. Action Comics #26.

When Grek Pak took over Action Comics I was cautious, he was writing way to many titles and I thought that his work would suffer from that. But I am glad I did pick AC up. He and Aaron Kuder have brought something on the table that was missing since Morrison’s last issue, fun! Superman stories have become too serious, that’s not a bad thing but when every Superman comic out there is like this you wish for more variety, you would expect Superman to be a little more light-hearted. For the most part Superman is a character that when you finish a story with him you should feel hopeful and happy, and this story delivered.

3. Adventures of Superman #28.

Ok, first I have to say this, go and pick up Adventures of Superman it is brilliant and it may be the most underrated title out there even among Superman fans. This particular issue is my favorite, it’s touching, full of emotion, it’s told by the perspective of a little girl who is a big Superman fan and gets caught up in a fight between him and Metallo. The last 3-4 pages deliver a great twist that is so emotional and strong that I couldn't stop thinking about it.

4. Action Comics #18.

First I want to make a thing clear, I LOVE MORRISON’S RUN. I don’t know why, is it the parallels between Superman's maturity as a person and his change as a comic book hero , the jeans and T-shirts, the fun Silver age-y villains, I really don’t know, probably it’s a mix of all of them but it certainly made it one of my favorite Superman stories. Plus the gorgeous cover courtesy of Rags Morales doesn't hurt at all.

5. Superman Unchained #1.

When Snyder said he will be working with Jim Lee on a Superman title, I didn’t know what to expect, Snyder is more of a mystery writer so I couldn’t imagine how his type of writing would connect with a Superman book. Anyway this issue was great! It had Superman being Superman and being damn good in it. Jim Lee delivered like he usually does, and Snyder gave a good characterization of Superman’s supporting cast especially his Lex Luthor.

HONORABLE MENTION: Adventures of Superman #15.

This is the exact opposite of what Pak does with Action Comics. In this story narrated by Lex Luthor, Superman is doomed to fail. Its premise is simple, not even Superman can be everywhere and he will not always be there for you. The story follows two teenagers that go into trouble deliberately so Superman can save them. The ending has such impact, you can’t seem but thing Luthor’s victory in the long scheme of things is sure and Superman’s battle is a lost cause.

Hello viners, this is a series of blogs that I wanted to do for some time now and i finally had the time to. It's pretty much me giving three stories(usually) that i really like or not about a certain character(the third option might change for time to time just for variety). So for my first of these series of blogs, i thought i should start with my favorite character: Superman

THE GOOD

Superman:Secret Identity

This was a difficult pick because I didn’t want to put a well-known Superman story(like All Star or Birthright) neither I wanted to compromise the quality of the story i would choose. I think Secret Identity fits the criteria perfectly. In a world like ours where superman exists only in comic books a boy named Clark Kent who was picked all his life about his name gains tremendous powers like Superman's. The story follows Clark in all of his life and shows the kind of struggles and privileges this powers give. This story also features great art by Stuart Immonen.

THE BAD

Superman: at Earth's End

Ahh!! Where do I start with this story. For those who haven't read anything about it let me give you a brief summarize: In a post-apocaliptic world Superman who looks like Gandalf the white in stereoids and holds a gun that looks like a ball of chain guns glued together called the "EXPUNGER" is trying to stop TWIN clones of HITLER from cloning Batman again and again. Who thought publishing this story was a good idea? Take everything that makes the 90s so infamous and voila you have Superman: at Earth's End. Worth mentioning is that this story is a SEQUEL of another horrible story called Kamandi: at Earth's End.

THE UNDERRATED

Adventures of Superman #638

Most of Greg Rucka's run is underrated for me but AoS 638 is definetely a great story worth mentioning. The premise is simple can Superman and Lois have a baby, is their life too dangerous to bring a kid to this world, well Mr.Mxyzptlik has the answer. Anyone who can read this i recommend it, from the art to the story this is a very good comic that actually shows a side of Superman we haven't seen in comics enough,the father, also for anyone who has children out there i think you can relate to Superman because like any parent he worries about his kid showing another human side of the man of steel.

If you liked what you saw please tell me which character would you like to see next :-)