Top 10 Superman Moments

Choices and memories.

After a long mission in space, Superman returns to Earth, tired and waiting to get some rest. Unfortunately, a building is about to collapse. Everyone is safely evacuated, but an old man begs Superman to save the photographs of his wife before they are lost forever. Superman goes inside the building and finds a dog trapped in a room. As the building collapses around him, Superman uses his body to protect the dog but is unable to find the photos. As he returns to the old man, Superman gives him the dog, telling him to take good care of her. As the old man laments the loss of his wife's photos, because they were the only thing that reminded him of her, Superman says that the really important memories never abandon people; instead, they become a part of them.

Superman in the future

Action Comics #1000 was, by and large, an excellent and fun celebration of everything that makes Superman great. The issue was filled with incredible stories that explore several aspects of Superman as a character. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be "Of Tomorrow", which features Superman visiting Earth billions of years into the future. Humanity has long abandoned Earth and the sun has become a red giant will soon consume the planet, but not before Superman visits the Kents' grave and says goodbye to the family and world that raised him. The story is a great combination of tragedy and hopefulness, as Superman learns to let go of old memories and looks forwards to the life he can have with his family.

Superman #701: Superman prevents a suicide.

In the beginning of his walk across America, Superman reaches Philadelphia, where he sees a woman about to commit suicide. The woman had lost her mother and become depressed. Instead of trying to stop her, Superman talks with her about her problems and inspires her to believe in a better future. Their conversation lasts until nightfall, where the woman finally decides she wants to keep living after all and jumps into Superman's arms. And so, Superman saves day, not by punching bad guys or foiling some evil scheme, and hardly using any superpowers; just by listening and showing that he cares. A lot of people might prefer the iconic suicide prevention scene from All-Star Superman, but I prefer this one for being more developed and nuanced.

Convergence: Superman #2: Superman delivers his son

Superman, Lois Lane and many other characters across the multiverse are trapped by the mysterious Telos and forced in a massive fight for their survival. After discovering the Superman from the Flashpoint timeline has kidnapped his pregnant wife, Superman flies out to save her and discover Lois is about to give birth. Under the guidance of Thomas Wayne, the Flashpoint Batman, Superman safely delivers his son, Jonathan Samuel Kent. This was a huge event that changed Superman and Lois' lives forever, marking their start of their family life.

Superman vs Darkseid

Clark and Kara are just trying to visit Jonathan and Martha Kent at Smallville, until they get attacked by Darkseid. After defeating Kara, Darkseid turns his attention to Superman, starting a huge brawl all over the Kent farm. While Superman fights valiantly, Darkseid eventually gains the advantage and tries to kill him. Thanks to Kara's quick thinking, Superman throws Darkseid through a boom tube into outer space, where he freezes instantly. After that, Clark and Kara are forced to explain what happened to Clark's parents, who suddenly discover their farm has been devastated.

Superman vs. the Elite

The entire movie is a huge ideological fight between Superman, who advocates for non-lethal actions against criminals, and the Elite, who kill criminals so often they have been desensitized to killing in general. Superman decides to show how flawed their way of thinking is by pretending to go insane and easily defeating the Elite. When he reveals the deception to Manchester Black, he teaches the people of the world that killing is easy, but true justice comes from dignity and honor.

Superman vs. Doomsday

The Man of Steel's iconic fight with Doomsday has been adapted several times since The Death of Superman was released in the 1990s, but my personal favorite has to be the version featured in Superman: Doomsday. The two opponents have a brutal and gritty fight all over the city. Despite Superman's valiant efforts, Doomsday gains the upper hand and tries to continue his rampage. To save Metropolis, Superman flies Doomsday into space and throws him back into the city, killing the monster but sacrificing his life in the process. The world mourned the death of Superman and while Superman returned to life, the memory of his temporary death would linger for a long time to come.

Superman vs. General Zod

Say what you will about Zack Snyder, but the man can definitely direct an action sequence. In an age where superhero movies constantly up the ante in regards to audience expectations towards costumes, fights, quality and, of course, CGI, Man of Steel is the first movie that does Superman justice as an action hero. After Superman destroys General Zod's world engine and prevents him from recreating Krypton on Earth, the two Kryptonians engage in a devastating fight that goes from the streets of Metropolis to Earth's orbit. The fight culminates with Zod trying to kill some innocent bystanders and Superman is forced to kill Zod to end his rampage. This move may have generated controversy among Superman fans and moviegoers in general but it did a good job in giving Superman humanity, moral complexity and emotional nuance never before seen in a media adaptation.

Superman lifts a Kryptonite landmass

Superman Returns is a movie that I can appreciate on some theoretical perspective despite its flaws. While the movie did deliver a more classic, traditional portrayal of Superman, it did also feature some outlandish feats, like Superman preventing a plane crash or stopping several disasters across Metropolis. The moment that takes the crown, however, is in the climax, where Lex Luthor creates an entire Kryptonite continent that will potentially cause massive devastation across the world. To save the day, Superman tunnels deep under the new landmass and, using the last of his strength, is able to fly it off into space before it absorbs more land.

Superman's rebirth

DC Rebirth has delivered some of the best Superman comics in recent years, with Superman becoming a father and teaching his son, the new Superboy, how to become a superhero. A major stepping stone in that development is in the story arc Superman Reborn, where Superboy is kidnapped by Mr Mxyzptlk and challenges Superman and Lois to a cosmic game to get him back. During that experience, Superman and Lois become bodiless entities of pure energy and their place in the universe is taken by their New 52 selves, who are not married and do not remember Jon. Fortunately, the Kents' family love prevails and Superman and Lois are reborn into complete beings that combine the histories and elements from the pre-Flashpoint and New 52 continuities. This story should prove that the Kents' family love truly knows no limits.