Since the Superman-movie from 2025, the hero has been on everyone’s lips. He has existed since 1938. A legendary story shows why he is still important, although it is actually about his death.
How can Superman even die? In the comic series All-Star Superman (2006 to 2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly, the Man of Steel has been serving for several years. At the beginning of the story, Superman saves the character Dr. Leo Quintum and his partner, who wanted to steal fire from the sun.
As one learns shortly thereafter, Superman had been exposed to the sun for too long. Quintum explains to him shortly afterward that he was exposed to too great a quantity of star radiation. Superman actually gets his many powers from the Earth’s sun. However, he was now exposed to such a high amount of energy that his cells cannot process it. They die, and Superman dies with them.
It turns out: This was all part of a plan by Lex Luthor. He killed Superman without actively attacking him. Later in the story, Superman, disguised as Clark Kent, meets Lex Luthor, who is sitting in death row. He is to conduct an interview for the Daily Planet.
During this, Luthor reveals that he orchestrated everything. He even says: I killed Superman.
He also makes it quite clear what his relationship with the hero is:
There is no deeper psychology behind the fight between Superman and me. It’s very simple. How would you feel if someone kept getting in your way? If Superman didn’t exist, I would dominate this world.
Lex Luthor about his relationship with Superman (Source: DC Must-Have: All-Star Superman by Panini)
Instead of desperately searching for a solution to his death, Superman prefers to spend time with his friends and family. Although the action is not at the forefront, this is one of the most important Superman stories, as it shows what he actually symbolizes.
Superman is still a great hero after 87 years
What does MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes think about All-Star Superman
? Panini sent us the new collection volume DC Must-Have All-Star Superman
as an editorial review copy. Even though I initially didn’t know what to expect, I ended up being quite excited.
All-Star Superman can compete with iconic works like The Death of Superman
. But for entirely different reasons. Superman is like a hero from Greek mythology; after all, he solves several tasks presented to him throughout the story. During the story, it becomes clear that the world has gotten used to Superman. He solves all the problems, yet no one knows that he will soon die.
All-Star Superman works for me mainly on two levels: the relationships between Superman and the characters and the symbolism behind the hero.
All-Star Superman shows many aspects of his life and the figures he has met. There are romantic scenes with Lois Lane that worked incredibly well and created beautiful panels. Jimmy Olsen shows that even Superman sometimes needs friends who are willing to sacrifice everything to save him.
Especially notable is the story with Luthor, as it shows why he is such a nasty villain. Luthor hates Superman, even if he has no concrete reasons. He would do anything to kill him, even at the risk of facing the death penalty.
On the other hand, Superman cannot hate him. He even saves him if necessary. The only time he feels anger towards him is after Luthor has risked his own life. Superman is not just a strong hero; he is a symbol not only for the fictional Metropolis but also for the readers.
A role model for all
What is meant by symbolism? What impressed me the most was the feeling while reading. You empathize with Superman. Whether it’s his love, his sorrow, and most importantly, his humanity. In one of the best pages of the comic, he saves a simple girl from death and says to her:
It’s never as bad as it seems. And you are stronger than you think. Trust me.
The page is quite detached from the rest of the plot, but it shows: Superman is at his best when he is not fighting powerful aliens, but when he helps ordinary
people.
He is not only a symbol for the citizens of Metropolis; he shows how every person should be. He always helps unconditionally and uses all his powers to do so. But he is also human. He experiences doubts, sorrow, and love.
No comic that I have read from him has shown that so well. Superman is the symbol of hope. That’s what the S on his logo and his curl on the cover represent. And with all the difficult news that has plagued us in recent months, a hero who simply does good is a nice refreshing change.
How does All-Star Superman read? Even though I had to get used to the art style at first, a nice flow of reading quickly developed. There are several panels that stick in your memory, and the rounder art style fits perfectly with the emotional story.
How can I read All-Star Superman? If you are a collector or just want to catch up, the hardcover collection by Panini, available since July 15, 2025, is a good choice. It contains All-Star Superman 1-12 and the paper and print quality is quite good.
Otherwise, there are also paperback versions available on common platforms that are mostly in English. If you want the single issues, they are still available and reasonably priced. If you prefer to read digitally, there are also English Kindle versions you can opt for. Read more about the Superman universe here: A character in the Superman universe acts like Deadpool, gaining the perfect power for even more mischief
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