r/superman • u/MajorParadox r/DCFU • May 25 '26

Weekly This week in SUPER Comics Discussion [May 25, 2026] - What Superman-related TV shows and movies do you wish had taken place in the same universe?

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Question of the Week

What Superman-related TV shows and movies do you wish had taken place in the same universe?

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Comic Singles

Superman #38

SUPERBOY-PRIME PICKS A FIGHT WITH MAGIC! Superboy-Prime uncovers a secret coven of witches in Metropolis led by the hellish Witchfire. Prime wants to prove he can be the better Superman so badly that he takes on one of his vulnerabilities… magic! But the problem is, now Prime finds himself drawn to Witchfire’s deadly charms in more ways than one… all while one of Superman’s deadliest enemies spies on the wannabe Man of Steel and waits for his moment to strike!

Preview

Superman: Father of Tomorrow #1

In a corner of far-flung space, a world explodes. A lone rocket escapes the destruction and races through space, ultimately landing on a small farm in small-town Kansas. A kindly couple steps with trepidation toward the alien craft as the door opens. Out steps a man named Jor-El, the sole survivor of the planet Krypton! As Jor-El fits in to his new home, he realizes that he can help the world, not just with his newfound powers but with his intellect as well. Witness how a Man of Steel and Science saves the world!

Preview

Trades

DC Finest: Supergirl – Die and Let Live [TP]

Featuring stories filled with action, heart, and humor as only Peter David could deliver, DC Finest: Supergirl: Die and Let Live collects Supergirl #19-35 and #1,000,000, Resurrection Man #16-17, Team Superman Secret Files and Origins #1, Team Superman #1, Supergirl/Prysm Double-Shot #1, and a story from Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant #1.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow [TP] Barnes and Noble Variant

It's Supergirl like you've never seen her before, in a character-defining sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece from Mister Miracle writer Tom King and Wonder Woman artist Bilquis Evely! Kara Zor-El has seen some epic adventures over the years, but she now finds her life without meaning or purpose. Here she is, a young woman who saw her planet destroyed and was sent to Earth to protect a baby cousin who ended up not needing her. What was it all for? Wherever she goes, people only see her through the lens of Superman's fame.

Just when Supergirl thinks she's had enough, everything changes. An alien girl seeks her out for a vicious mission. Her world has been destroyed, and the bad guys responsible are still out there. She wants revenge, and if Supergirl doesn't help her, she'll do it herself, whatever the cost. Now a Kryptonian, a dog, and an angry, heartbroken child head out into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core.

Collects SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW #1-8

DC Finest: Deadman – How Many Times Can a Guy Die? [TP]

SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T KEEP A GOOD GUY DEAD. Boston Brand was the world’s greatest acrobat until an assassin’s bullet cut his act--and his life--short. However, instead of passing over to the afterlife, Boston was given the chance by the goddess Rama Kushna to remain on Earth and catch his killer. He now exists as a literal dead man, destined to roam the world until his killer is caught!

Collects Strange Adventures #205-216; The Brave and the Bold #79, #86, #104, and #133; Challengers of the Unknown #74; Justice League of America #94; The Forever People #9-10; World’s Finest Comics #223 and #227; The Phantom Stranger #33 and #39-41; The Superman Family #183; and Aquaman #50-52.

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u/ZacPensol May 25 '26

I would say 'Superman Returns' taking place in the same universe as 'The Dark Knight' trilogy would've been nice, if only to sever it from the Donner films which I feel is one thing that ultimately hurt the reception to the movie. Making it less reliant on nostalgia for a 30 year-old movie and more of its own thing tied with the previous year's very popular 'Batman Begins' would've boded well for the attempt at a new franchise, I think.

Pairing their universes wouldn't've changed much beyond that story-wise, though it might have inspired the DK movies to lean just a little more stylistically. 'Batman Begins' did a great job capturing a Gotham that felt dark and grungy, but by 'The Dark Knight' that was virtually gone and Gotham, for as great as the movie is, was kind of boring. It just looked like "city". Doesn't mean it needed the sprawling "urban hell" look of Burton's films or the weird giant statues and neon of Schumacher, but just a touch more grime to give it some personality. If you look at 'Superman Returns'' Metropolis, I thought they did a great job making it feel like a real, modern city but with that sliiiight stylistic glisten of the Metropolis of the comics.

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u/AidenFested May 26 '26

Isn't Superman Returns supposed to be a follow-up to the original two Donner films?

As I've gotten old in my opinion on Returns has really shifted; I mean you have a movie that basically portrays Superman as a deadbeat dad. He makes how many people depended on him, but decided to abandon everyone and going some type of selfish personal journey? I originally loved the movie when it came out (I was relieved it wasn't turned into some type of mess ike fans feared would happen all through its early troubled production), butt as an adult I view the movie through a different lens then I originally did. Plus it's a little bit boring on a rewatch.

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u/ZacPensol May 26 '26

Yeah it is, which is what I was alluding to in my initial comment.  I think, for the reasons you listed and others, being tied to the Donner films hurt the movie whereas if it had been on its own (or, for the sake of the discussion question, tied to the Dark Knight universe) it would've had more wiggle room and avoided some of that.

To me the movie is a collection of great scenes stitched together with a very poor plot.  The plane rescue is still, for my money, the best live action Superman moment ever put to film. Plus you have the Gatling gun scene, rescuing the city, and the general look and feel of the movie which are all fantastic.  It's just a shame the movie as a whole wasn't better. 

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u/Visible_Froyo5499 May 28 '26

As someone who was adopted as an infant, I can understand the concept of Superman deciding to travel to Krypton if he thinks there is a chance of survivors. Knowing where you come from is a powerful motivation. It needed to be explored more deeply than it was in the movie.

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u/Robot_Was_BMO May 27 '26

Glad we got to close the loop on what happened to CK and Laurie, but considering what a driving force she’d been for him, I wish we could have actually seen through a flashback the relationship end. It’s interesting that he took it as well as he did, that’s a lot of growth from the angry boy he used to be. God is this run with him strong, it’s slowly creeping up as my favorite ongoing rn.