Adventures of Superman #500 [Collector's Set]
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAdventures of Superman #500 is the pivotal bridge between the 'Funeral for a Friend' mourning arc and the full 'Reign of the Supermen!' crossover — the issue that formally reopened the door to Clark Kent's resurrection after a months-long Superman-less hiatus across all DC titles. Within its 64 pages, it delivers the first appearances of four characters who would each reshape the Superman mythology for the rest of the decade: John Henry Irons (Steel), the teenage clone Superboy (Kon-El), the villainous Cyborg Superman (Hank Henshaw), and the Eradicator — all introduced as competing claimants to the vacant Superman mantle. Two of those debuts, Steel and Superboy, proved durable enough to sustain their own ongoing solo series, and the Cyborg Superman's treachery would trigger the destruction of Coast City and ignite the 'Emerald Twilight' transformation of Hal Jordan, giving the issue reverberations far beyond the Superman titles.
In the landmark Adventures of Superman #500, Jerry Ordway and Tom Grummett deliver a poignant, otherworldly journey as Jonathan Kent’s spirit appears to Clark in the astral plane after a fatal heart attack. With the help of Doug Hazlewood’s dynamic inks and Glenn Whitmore’s evocative colors, the story unfolds as Jonathan guides Clark through a fragile mental landscape—where one misstep could trap him in Blaze’s domain for eternity. Jerry Ordway’s bold cover pencils and inks capture the emotional weight of this pivotal moment, making this a must-have for any collector.
In "Life After Death!" from *Adventures of Superman* #500, Jonathan’s spirit lingers in the astral plane after a heart attack, guiding Clark through a fragile, dreamlike realm where thoughts take shape. With time running short and the edge of oblivion looming, father and son must confront more than just memory—something deeper, older, is waiting in the shadows.
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The issue was scripted by Jerry Ordway — whose tenure on the Adventures of Superman title stretched back to 1987 and who had co-plotted 'The Death of Superman' itself — making #500 the capstone of his long run before he largely stepped away from the franchise. The broader Death and Return of Superman saga was conceived by editor Mike Carlin in collaboration with the Superman writing team of Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Ordway, and Karl Kesel, with interior art on this issue contributed by Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood, Jon Bogdanove, Butch Guice, Denis Rodier, Dennis Janke, and Brett Breeding. As a 500th-issue milestone, DC published the Collector's Set edition in a white polybag — deliberately echoing the packaging of Superman #75 — with eight additional story pages replacing ads, a removable translucent sticker overlay on the cover, and a Skybox 'Bloodlines' trading card; a separate Platinum Edition in a black polybag also exists, along with several signed retailer-exclusive variants.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of John Henry Irons, who becomes Steel — created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove, and inspired by the African American folk hero John Henry.
- First appearance of Superboy (Kon-El / Conner Kent), a teenage clone introduced as one of four Superman replacements; art by Tom Grummett.
- First appearance of Cyborg Superman (Hank Henshaw), who would go on to destroy Coast City and trigger the 'Emerald Twilight' Green Lantern arc.
- First appearance of the Eradicator in his Superman-replacement role, as well as the first appearance of Angora Lapin (White Rabbit), a recurring Steel antagonist.
- The issue serves as the prologue chapter of the 'Reign of the Supermen!' crossover (June–October 1993), which ran across all four concurrent Superman titles: Adventures of Superman, Action Comics, Superman, and Superman: The Man of Steel.
- Written by Jerry Ordway as the concluding chapter of his years-long Adventures of Superman run (issues #445–500); the Collector's Set edition is 64 pages, with 8 extra story pages not present in the standard newsstand edition.
- The Collector's Set was polybagged in a white bag with a removable translucent cover sticker and included a Skybox 'Bloodlines' trading card; a Platinum Edition variant came in a black polybag.
- The overarching Death and Return of Superman storyline was later adapted into the 2007 animated film Superman: Doomsday; both Steel and Superboy went on to star in their own ongoing series launched in 1993–1994.
Cast · 32 characters
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus #[nn] (2007), Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus #[nn] (2013), Superman #2 (2016), Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus #[nn] (2019), Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Compendium #[nn] (2025)
Key issues in Adventures of Superman
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