It was the superhero storyline that made headlines. In 1992 DC killed off their flagship hero in “The Death of Superman,” a sprawling saga that sent shockwaves through the comic book community. Superman #75 by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding chronicled the climax of a brutal battle that had played out over several preceding issues, with Superman fighting a rampaging monster called Doomsday. Eager fans lined up around the block at comic shops in hopes of purchasing the black bagged issue where Superman met his match. Some envisioned the limited-edition comic putting their kids through college. Many just wanted to know how the Man of Steel could possibly die. Everyone felt like they were experiencing a piece of history.

You can’t keep a good hero dead for long, especially when they’re a comic company’s cash cow. In the months that followed, four ersatz Supermen appeared on the scene, each teasing the possibility that they were somehow a reincarnated version of the original. These newcomers included John Henry Irons and his suit of steel armor; a Kryptonian artificial intelligence known as The Eradicator; a super-powered cyborg with dubious intentions; and a teenage clone who didn’t appreciate being called Superboy.

Ultimately, none of the members of this super-powered quartet proved to be the real deal. Superman did eventually return to life, resurrected by some advanced technology in the Fortress of Solitude and sporting a new shoulder-length hairdo. (Artist Dan Jurgens has repeatedly insisted it was NOT a mullet.)

The storyline has remained a fan favorite for decades and has inspired or been adapted into novels, video games, trading cards, action figures and more. It should come as no surprise that it has influenced many of the Superman movies and TV shows that have followed in the years since 1992. Let’s take a look at some of these projects. We’ll even tell you where you can watch most of them, but keep in mind that these streaming services are subject to change!

“LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain brought the super-couple into the 1990s in this “love triangle with two people.” The series focused less on action and adventure and more on romance and reporting as Lois Lane and Clark Kent’s careers at the Daily Planet were front and center.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Somewhat surprisingly considering the show was a contemporary of the “Death of Superman” comics, they never attempted to incorporate any of that storyline. (Doomsday surely would’ve killed ABC’s budget long before he killed the Man of Steel.) However, a New Krypton storyline late in the series did have Dean Cain sporting a black suit that was reminiscent of what Superman briefly wore post-resurrection in the comics.

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons are included with a Max subscription, and they are also free to watch on Tubi! For the black suit episodes, check out the season three finale “Big Girls Don’t Fly” and the season four premiere “Lord of the Flys.”

“STEEL” (FILM)

SUMMARY: When a weapons designer learns that his inventions have fallen into the wrong hands, he dons a suit of armor to fight back against corruption and make the world safe again. No, we’re not talking about “Iron Man.” A decade before Robert Downey Jr. suited up as Tony Stark, Shaquille O’Neal played John Henry Irons, a character from the Reign of the Supermen comics who took the idea of a “Man of Steel” quite literally.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Beyond the name of the character and the concept of a steel super-suit, essentially none. Any ties to Superman or his supporting cast are noticeably absent from this flick.

WHERE TO WATCH: It’s not currently included on any streaming services, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc.

“SUPERMAN LIVES” (CANCELED FILM)

SUMMARY: A film that never quite took flight, “Superman Lives” (originally titled “Superman Reborn”) was an attempt to bring the Superman franchise back to life beyond the Christopher Reeve movies by adapting the death and resurrection of the Man of Steel.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The script, which went through multiple drafts by writers including Kevin Smith, Dan Gilroy, and Wesley Strick, loosely followed the Death of Superman arc in that Superman would die fighting Doomsday (with Brainiac and Lex Luthor pulling strings behind the scenes) and then come back to life via Kryptonian tech. Tim Burton was set to direct, Nicolas Cage was signed on to play Superman and even did some costume tests, and other names circulating were Sandra Bullock for Lois Lane and Chris Rock for Jimmy Olsen. Burton wanted Christopher Walken for Brainiac. Producer Jon Peters famously insisted that Superman should fight a giant spider in the last act of the film.

WHERE TO WATCH: You can’t, because the project (appropriately?) died in pre-production, but there is a great documentary called “The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?” which can be found on YouTube. And if you want a glimpse of what Nic Cage’s Superman might have been like, he has a cameo in the movie “The Flash,” which is available on Max. And yes, Jon Peters got his wish.

“JUSTICE LEAGUE” / “JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED” (ANIMATED SERIES)

SUMMARY: Spinning out of the world of “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Superman: The Animated Series,” Bruce Timm and co. brought together the most powerful members of DC’s catalog of characters for large-scale adventures too big for any one hero to handle.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Interestingly, “JL” did a storyline where Superman died and they did a Doomsday storyline but they were not one and the same. In the two-part “Hereafter,” Superman is believed to be killed by a group of villains (don’t worry, he’s actually just time-displaced), and a mourning Metropolis holds a funeral and erects a memorial to him not unlike the “Funeral for a Friend” comics that followed Superman #75. Then in part one of “A Better World,” Doomsday arrives on Earth, but is lobotomized by a more ruthless Superman from an alternate universe. (There was a lot going on.) Doomsday returned once more in the follow-up series “Justice League Unlimited,” slugging it out with Superman inside of a volcano after being restored to full power in the episode “The Doomsday Sanction.”

WHERE TO WATCH: All seasons of “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited” are on Max.

“SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY” (ANIMATED FILM)

SUMMARY: One of DC’s first forays into the world of Direct-to-DVD animated films was this attempt at adapting the Death of Superman story.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Although the broad strokes were there, the 77-minute runtime meant that the story was quite condensed. Superman (voiced by Adam Baldwin) is killed by Doomsday, but instead of four newcomers taking up the mantle, he’s replaced by a solitary clone created by Lex Luthor. When the clone turns out to be missing the Man of Steel’s morality, the real Superman returns from the grave to reclaim the cape.

WHERE TO WATCH: It’s not currently included on any streaming services, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc.

“SMALLVILLE” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: These are the tales of a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), coming of age while coming to terms with his burgeoning super powers. Despite being set in a decidedly pre-Superman era (flights and tights strictly off limits), many members of the Man of Steel’s future rogues gallery show up in some way, shape or form throughout the course of the show’s decade-long run.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Doomsday is the primary antagonist of the show’s eighth season, but with a twist: he isn’t always a monster. In his humanoid form, Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer) is a paramedic for Metropolis General Hospital with a soft spot for gal pal Chloe Sullivan. Although Doomsday doesn’t succeed in killing Superm— uhh, we mean, the Red-Blue Blur… Davis does kill someone close to Clark, and the monstrous side of his persona is buried underground for a presumable rematch in the future.

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten seasons of Smallville are on Hulu. For some prominent Doomsday-centric episodes, check out the season eight episodes “Bride,” “Infamous,” “Eternal,” and “Doomsday.” (For bonus points, season ten has a Superboy that’s at least somewhat inspired by the Reign of the Supermen comics. Check out the episode “Scion.”)

“BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE” / “JUSTICE LEAGUE” (FILMS)

SUMMARY: Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) attempts to resurrect the late General Zod using Kryptonian technology, only to wind up unleashing a mindless monstrosity that begins destroying Metropolis. Despite the best efforts of not-quite-superfriends Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman (Henry Cavill), Superman dies felling the beast in the final act of “Batman v Superman.” The heroes of the nascent Justice League revive him to help stop a coming invasion in the follow-up film.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The death storyline feels almost like an afterthought here, being tacked onto an already overstuffed “Batman v Superman.” His resurrection in “Justice League” comes from a combination of a Mother Box, a Kryptonian ship, and the Flash’s lightning rather than the Fortress of Solitude. Depending on which version of “Justice League” you’re watching, Superman may come back wearing a black suit like he did during the Reign of the Supermen comics, or he might come back with an odd-looking upper lip.

WHERE TO WATCH: Both movies are included with Max. (Actually, there are THREE versions of “Justice League” on there, but that could be another whole article. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is the version recommended by the author of this column… although that may not reflect the thoughts and opinions of KryptonSite as a whole!)

“THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN” / “REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN” (ANIMATED FILMS)

SUMMARY: In order to right the wrongs of the first animated movie adaptation, DC attempted a more faithful retelling spread out over two films instead of just one.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Probably the most faithful page-to-screen translation of the comic book storyline that we’re likely to get. Although a few liberties are taken in order to align this film with some of the other DC animated outings (Superman is in his “New 52” costume, and the Justice League features a more contemporary roster than the original storyline, just as a couple of examples), the meat and potatoes are here and die-hard fans are sure to eat them up. “Reign” even gives us all four of the stand-in Supermen: John Henry “Steel” Irons (voiced by “Black Lightning” star Cress Williams), The Eradicator (Charles Halford from “Constantine”), the Cyborg Superman (“Better Call Saul” alum Patrick Fabian), and don’t-call-me-Superboy (Cameron Monaghan of “Gotham” fame).

WHERE TO WATCH: “Death of…” is included on Max. “Reign of…” is not, but can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, etc. Some platforms also offer the two movies edited together into one long super-movie as “The Death and Return of Superman.”

“TITANS” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: Not to be confused with the zany kids’ show, this more mature version of the teen heroes has a level of violence and swearing that would never fly on Cartoon Network. (Robin defiantly exclaims “F*** Batman!” in the first episode.)

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Although we don’t get a Doomsday storyline here, we do get a Superboy that’s very comic-accurate to the one that was introduced during the Reign of the Supermen. Conner (Joshua Orpin), a clone who shares some of Superman’s DNA, escapes from CADMUS Labs in search of answers about how he came to be. But there’s not just Kryptonian chromosomes in the mix… the other half of those helixes belong to Lex Luthor.

WHERE TO WATCH: The whole series is on Max. For Superboy’s introductory ep, check out season two, episode six, “Conner.”

“KRYPTON” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: If you thought “Smallville” was a deep dive into Superman’s past, you ain’t seen nothing yet. “Krypton” chronicled the Man of Steel’s homeworld well before it exploded, giving us new insight into the House of El with a focus on Kal-El’s grandfather, Seg-El.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: Kryptonian soldier Dax-Baron (Staz Nair) is subjected to repeated deaths and resurrections to evolve into what is easily the best-looking live action Doomsday in any media. (And no, we don’t mean he’s winning any beauty contests!)

WHERE TO WATCH: The two-season run of Krypton is available for free on Tubi. Be sure to check out the episodes “The Phantom Zone,” “Ghost in the Fire,” “In Zod We Trust,” and “Zods and Monsters” for plenty of Doomsday content.

“CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS” (CW TV CROSSOVER)

SUMMARY: Cameos aplenty in this 2019 crossover of the various CW “Arrowverse” shows, including “Supergirl,” “Batwoman,” “The Flash,” “Arrow,” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” which saw heroes from every corner of the DC multiverse come together to save all of reality.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: While on Argo, Lois (Bitsie Tulloch) refers to Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) having faced off with Doomsday. And on an alternate Earth’s version of Metropolis, we see Lois crying over Superman’s dead body while his cape flies like a memorial flag in a recreation of the final page of Superman #75.

WHERE TO WATCH: Frustratingly, the shows that comprise the Crisis crossover are not all on a single streaming service. For the moments we mentioned here, check out “Supergirl,” season 5, episode 9 on Netflix, and “Batwoman” season 1, episode 9 on Max. (For bonus points, Tyler Hoechlin wore a black Superman suit in the “Elseworlds” crossover the year prior; see “Arrow,” season 7, episode 9, and “Supergirl,” season 4, episode 9, both on Netflix. Whew!)

“SUPERMAN & LOIS” (TV SERIES)

SUMMARY: A married Lois and Clark return to Smallville, Kansas to raise their twin sons Jordan (Alexander Garfin) and Jonathan (Jordan Elsass in seasons one and two, Michael Bishop in three and four). But maintaining a secret identity in a rural setting isn’t as easy as one might think, and balancing super heroics with family time turns out to be super-complicated. The Kent Family’s safety is further threatened by the return of an old enemy with a long-standing grudge when Lex Luthor is released from prison.

COMICS CONNECTIONS: The show had been teasing a “Death of Superman” payoff since the beginning. John Henry Irons was a main character from season one, and Bizarro’s arrival in season two was a direct homage to Doomsday’s debut. Heck, the show even did their version of The Eradicator, and one of the Kent sons could’ve easily become a new Superboy… in fact, the Jonathan of an alternate Earth had a costume much like the one worn by the Conner Kent Superboy of the comics, complete with a “Death of Superman”-style “S.” As season three came to a close, Lex Luthor repeatedly resurrected Bizarro to force him to mutate into a Doomsday-like form. With the premiere of season four, the Bizarro/Doomsday creature did indeed kill Superman in a fight scene that pushed the limits of what could be shown on the CW. Clark’s revival a few episodes later was made possible due to a heroic sacrifice by Sam Lane that could only be described as heartbreaking.

But the series had one last surprise in store that few fans could’ve seen coming. Superman died again (is that overkill…?) in a flash-forward in the series finale. This time it wasn’t Doomsday, kryptonite, or a supervillain that did him in. Predeceased by Lois, Clark passed away quietly at home with his super-powered sons by his bedside. This was a first for any adaptation of the Superman mythology, as no other version has ever given his story such a definitive conclusion. The closest thing we can think of is Alan Moore’s classic “Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?” comic book. But, as Mr. Moore famously said, that was an imaginary story… aren’t they all?

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten episodes of the show’s final season are currently available for free on the CW app and CWTV.com. You can catch up on the three previous seasons on Max.

Today, Creation Entertainment revealed that Alaina Huffman (Dinah Lance, the Black Canary) has been added to their second “Salute to Smallville” convention happening in Chicago in September 2025. This will offer fans the opportunity to meet her and purchase autograph and photo opportunities, as well as hearing stories from her in dedicated panels.

You can read more about Salute to Smallville 2025 here.

DISCLAIMER: KryptonSite’s Craig Byrne was involved with the making of Creation’s Salute to Smallville convention and served as a co-host/emcee with Derek Russell at the 2024 event.

In October, Creation Entertainment hosted their first-ever “Salute to Smallville” convention – featuring such guests as Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristin Kreuk, Erica Durance, Laura Vandervoort, Aaron Ashmore, and John Glover. The first event was a fantastic experience for all, with fans and talent alike having a great time surrounding themselves with others who love Smallville. Like Creation’s Supernatural “Creation Tour,” friends were made, friends reunited… and we can’t wait to do it again. As a bonus, KryptonSite’s very own Craig Byrne (the writer of this article!) got to host/emcee the event with our good friend and Starkville’s House of El podcaster (the OG of SV Podcasters!) Derek Russell.

Well, you’re in luck: Today, Creation formally announced their next Smallville event! Held September 13-14, 2025 in the Chicago area, the second “Salute to Smallville” has already announced that Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Erica Durance, and Kristin Kreuk are scheduled to attend, with more to come — and the announcement comes with a new website which should have a somewhat familiar design. (Full disclosure: It was purposely designed to look like KryptonSite, and it was largely put together by the author of this very article.) As a bonus, the new website includes some exclusive short videos from last month’s event!

Even better: Gold Weekend Experience passes are already available to order for the absolute best seats, the exclusive Gold Panel, and additional perks. If you order yours now you can be the among the first to sign up, and ideally, to show Creation that we’d like to see more of these things! Several autographs and photo opportunities are also up to pre-order, so you can get in before they all sell out. Frankly, ordering now also shows Creation that putting together this new website was a good investment, as well, which would make this author extremely grateful.