The World’s Finest Review
Superman Adventures, Compendium One
Written by: Written by Paul Dini, Scott McCloud, Mark Millar, and others
Art by: Rick Burchett, Terry Austin, and others
Cover by: Rick Burchett
Synopsis: This first of two volumes based on the hit cartoon show collects the animated Superman’s first appearance in The Batman Adventures #25 plus Superman Adventures #1-28 and Superman Adventures Annual #1. This edition also includes bonus stories from Superman Adventures Special: Superman vs. Lobo – Misery in Space #1, Superman Adventures Titus Game Edition #0, and the comic adaptation of the TV crossover episode, Batman & Superman Adventures: World’s Finest #1.
Publisher: DC Comics
Format: Softcover Collected Edition
Release Date: June 17, 2025
Pages: 928
Price: $59.99US
Review by James Harvey
Bringing the brilliant Superman: The Animated Series to the printed page, Superman Adventures delivered fun-filled stories brimming with heart, wit, and clever plotting. Inspired by the acclaimed The Batman Adventures, the groundbreaking comic based on Batman: The Animated Series, Superman Adventures provided readers with consistently accessible and exhilarating tales, perfect for readers of any age. The series also featured some career-best work by some of the comic industry’s biggest names at the time. Though it often flew under the radar for many fans, hopefully that’ll change thanks to Superman Adventures, Compendium One, a long-overdue, oversized collection from DC Comics which gathers over 30 issues of supercharged adventures.
Following the success of Batman: The Animated Series, the Man of Steel earned his own Saturday-morning cartoon show, Superman: The Animated Series, which premiered on TV screens in 1996. Like Batman: The Animated Series, Superman’s series was universally praised for its voice acting, writing, music, and art direction, and won multiple awards during its run. Simply, Superman: The Animated Series defined the Man of Steel for a whole generation of viewers and set the stage for the larger DCAU.
Fans of the show, and of the world’s greatest hero himself, got to further explore the world of Superman: The Animated Series with Superman Adventures! The acclaimed series from DC Comics, set in the continuity of the show, featured stories written by both the creators behind the animated series and some of the comic industry’s biggest names. After a few attempts at collecting the long-running series fell a little short, DC Comics is finally releasing the entire title across two oversized collections, starting with Superman Adventures, Compendium One.
The first of a two volumes collecting the entire acclaimed comic series – and then some – Superman Adventures, Compendium One includes The Batman Adventures #25, Superman Adventures #1 – 28, Superman Adventures Annual #1, Superman Adventures Special: Superman vs. Lobo – Misery in Space #1, Superman Adventures – Titus Game Edition #0, and Batman & Superman Adventures: World’s Finest #1. Clocking in at over 900 pages, there’s a wealth of fantastic Superman stories found within, with nearly every single issue collected a home run (not all, though, unfortunately). And, really, regardless of one’s familiarity with Superman: The Animated Series, these are still darn good comics nevertheless.
Scott McCloud and Mark Millar write the lion’s share of the issues included in Superman Adventures, Compendium One, with the likes of Paul Dini, Hilary J. Bader, Kelley Puckett and Mark Evanier, among a few others, also lending their talents. Rick Burchett and Aluir Almancio pencil the majority of the featured stories, with additional work provided by Mike Manley, Bret Blevins, Neil Vokes, Joe Staton, John Delaney, and Mike Parobeck. Terry Austin, Stan Woch, Terry Beatty, Dan Davis, Mike Manley, Rick Burchett, and Mike DeCarlo provide the inks. For long-time comic readers, both of DC Comics’ animated tie-in titles and its regular continuity books, the majority of these names should sound a little familiar.
When it comes to the stories collected within, it’s mostly a series of one-offs with a handful of two-parters, with two of the latter being legitimately thrilling page-turners. There’s also some loose continuity here with issues frequently referencing events in Superman: The Animated Series, or previous issues, but Superman Adventures always makes sure it fits snugly with what came before and keeps things (mostly) clear for what’s to come. For example, an early Metallo story picks up shortly after the events of “The Way of All Flesh” and ends in a way that doesn’t cause any real hiccups for the foe’s next animated appearance in “Action Figures.”
There appears to be a deliberate effort on part of the writers, specifically McCloud, to respect what happens in the animated source material, though some attempts are smoother than others. Similarly, nearly every panel jumps off the page here when it comes to the artwork, with the exception of some shaky work by occasional fill-in artist Neil Vokes. Still, even with these little hiccups, this hearty collection is an undeniably fantastic collection of fun, character-driven and action-heavy adventures starring the Man of Steel and his super pals. Much like The Batman Adventures, Superman Adventures was usually the default “best Superman comic on stands” for a significant portion of the title’s run.
However, before getting to the main course, Superman Adventures, Compendium One opens with a fun appetizer in the form of The Batman Adventures #25, which features a non-DCAU canon team-up between Superman and Batman. With Superman rocking a mullet and Lex Luthor a beard and long hair, it’s fairly obvious these are simply “animated” takes on the then-current (and very 90s) designs for the Man of Steel and his top foe. Still, it’s a fun kinda “DCAU Elseworlds” tale and a sort-of trial run for their first true team-up in the three-part Superman: The Animated Series “World’s Finest” episode (the adaptation of which is also included in this collection).
Digging into the collected Superman Adventures issues within and, really, nearly every comic here is a hearty feast. Issue #1 kicks off the main series with a great Dini-penned follow-up to Superman: The Animated Series‘ three-part “The Last Son of Krypton” series opener. After having his battlesuit plans ruined by Superman, Luthor decides to create his own Man of Steel to take down Superman. Naturally, things don’t go Luthor’s way in this enjoyable exploration of the burgeoning rivalry between the morally bankrupt billionaire and the Man of Tomorrow.
McCloud’s consistently strong and superb 12-issue world-building run on the series kicks off with issue #2. Metallo returns in this fun one-off where he mistakes a Superman super-fan for the Man of Steel’s girlfriend and kidnaps her. Other highlights from his run include a legitimately tear-jerking Brainiac tale in issue #3, where Superman gets the opportunity to learn more about Krypton, a fantastic time-twisty thriller titled “Seonimod” in issue #6, and a fun Silver Age-esque two-parter in issues #7-8 featuring Jax-Ur, Mala, and a pocket-sized Superman.
A tense two-parter in issues #11-12, and a fun game of baseball, wrap up McCloud’s super stint on the title. From here, Superman Adventures jumps from writer-to-writer for a couple issues before settling down with Mark Millar (yes, that Mark Millar) for a solid run of 20+ issues (though peppered with the odd fill-in writer). Roughly half of Millar’s run on the title is collected here, including one of the best Lex Luthor stories ever written with issue #27.
Standouts from the second half of Superman Adventures, Compendium One includes #16, Millar’s first issue and a fun mystery with a great villain reveal, Superman playing bodyguard for the president in issue #19, a nifty team-up with Batgirl in issue #25, and a two-part blockbuster in issues #22-23 with Superman teaming up with Livewire to stop a major threat. Also, writers Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer step in to write the double-sized issue #21, which stupendously builds on Supergirl’s debut in the Superman: The Animated Series two-parter “Little Girl Lost.” Plus, keep an eye out for a super-quick sorta-cameo by a certain Knight in Superman Adventures Annual #1, which shares a plot thread with The Batman & Robin Adventures Annual #2.
There’s still so many more great adventures worthy of a nod here, like (but not limited to) Superman Adventures Special: Superman vs. Lobo – Misery in Space #1 written by David Michelinie, and that’s a testament to the overall commendable quality of this tie-in title. Sure, a few issues ultimately underwhelm, but the heroic highs far outweigh the very shallow lows. And, thankfully, all this superb story-telling is housed in a pretty polished package.
Superman Adventures, Compendium One looks sleek inside and out, with an attractive trade dress on the outside and solid interior dress and strong reproduction efforts on the inside. In fact, the reproduction here looks a little brighter and bolder compared to the Superman Adventures thick trade paperback collections released by DC Comics between 2015 to 2017. While it’s unfortunate it’s not a hardcover or omnibus release, what’s here is still a truly commendable effort and the best-looking collection of this material to date.
That’s a great thing, too, as the art here really deserves a quality showcase and readers get that here. With the superb one-two punch of Burchett and Almancio as the lead artists, both of whom just dish out page after page of jaw-dropping work – plus Superman Adventures‘ impressive roster of guest artists – this title is jam-packed with truly gorgeous visuals. DC Comics has clearly put effort into making sure this is the best these issues have looked, and the results are pretty superb.
Moving to the collection’s extra material and Superman Adventures, Compendium One offers up just a small dash of content. Up first is Superman Adventures – Titus Game Edition #0, labelled here as a “special bonus issue.” A 16-page prelude to the much-maligned Superman: The New Superman Adventures (aka Superman 64) video game, this short comic was a piece of promotional material for the game that’s actually never been reprinted until this very collection, making it a great addition and an excellent surprise for fans.
After that, the remaining extras consist of a pin-up taken from the art gallery in The Batman Adventures #25, featuring both Batman and Superman, and the original cover art to the very first Superman Adventures collection (Superman: Adventures of the Man of Steel, from back in 1998). It’s not a bad batch of bonus material, nor is it a copius amount, but it still serves as a nice closer to this first compendium for Superman Adventures. Really, from front to back, this is a well-built collection and probably the best presentation we’ll likely ever get for this terrific tie-in title.
A truly stupendous effort on the part of DC Comics, Superman Adventures, Compendium One is an awesome assemblage of excellent Man of Steel escapades. Packing in over 30 comics, there’s so many superb Superman adventures to enjoy here, with all of them housed in a hefty and handsome package that looks absolutely tip-top. Even fans unfamiliar with Superman: The Animated Series should easily fall under the sway of these fun little fables. Make some room on the shelf as this compendium belongs in every Superman fan’s collection. Must Own!
Related Reviews:
The Batman Adventures Omnibus | The Batman & Robin Adventures Omnibus
Batman Beyond: The Animated Series Classics Compendium – 25th Anniversary Edition Collection