The Man of Steel (comic book)

The Man of Steel
Cover to The Man of Steel #1. Art by John Byrne.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Twice monthly
Format	Limited series
Publication date	July–September 1986
Number of issues	6
Main character(s)	Superman
Creative team
Writer(s)	John Byrne
Penciller(s)	John Byrne
Inker(s)	Dick Giordano
Letterer(s)	John Costanza
Colorist(s)	Tom Ziuko
Creator(s)	John Byrne, Dick Giordano
Editor(s)	Andy Helfer
Collected editions
Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1 (softcover)

The Man of Steel is a 1986 comic book limited series featuring the DC Comics character Superman. Written and drawn by John Byrne, the series was presented in six issues which were inked by Dick Giordano. The series told the story of Superman's modern origin, which had been rebooted following the 1986 series Crisis on Infinite Earths.

DC editors wanted to make changes to the character of Superman, including making him the sole survivor of his home planet Krypton, and Byrne's story was written to show these changes and to present Superman's origin. The series includes the embryonic Kal-El rocketing away from the destruction of Krypton and his birth upon landing in Kansas when he emerged from the artificial womb, Clark Kent as a teenager in Smallville learning that he was found in a crashed space ship, his being hired at the Daily Planet in Metropolis, the creation of his secret identity of Superman, his first meeting with fellow hero Batman, and how he finally learned of his birth parents and from where he came. The series also included the reintroduction of a number of supporting characters, including fellow reporter and love interest Lois Lane and archenemy Lex Luthor, who was re-branded from a mad scientist to a powerful businessman.

The series's legacy persisted, as it set the new status quo for all of the ongoing Superman comic series for many years after it was published. The story stayed in DC Comics continuity as the origin of Superman until it was expanded upon in the 2003 limited series Superman: Birthright, which stayed canon until 2009. The title is a reference to one of Superman's nicknames which touted his invulnerability making him the "Man of Steel." It was later used as the title of an ongoing comic series and in a film reboot in 2013.