Superman
Superman (Volume 3) was DC Comics' 2011–2016 relaunch of its main Superman comic-book series under The New 52 publishing initiative.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Superman (Volume 3) was a monthly DC Comics series centered on the superhero Superman and his civilian identity, Clark Kent. It was the third volume of the main Superman title and formed part of The New 52, DC Comics' broad publishing reboot launched in the aftermath of the 2011 Flashpoint crossover. The initiative revised or reintroduced many of DC's continuity settings and characters, giving the Superman line a new starting point after the cancellation of the preceding volume in 2011. The series began with Superman #1, released in September 2011 with a November 2011 cover date. Its launch positioned the title as one of the principal pillars of The New 52 line. Early issues were written and broken down by George Pérez, whose involvement helped establish the initial direction of the relaunched title. Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen subsequently became the principal writer-artist team for a period, beginning with issue #7. Their work was followed by a creative transition involving Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort around issue #0 in September 2012. The title continued to change creative direction during its run. In 2014, John Romita Jr. drew the series in collaboration with writer Geoff Johns, with Klaus Janson providing inks. This team gave the book a prominent visual and narrative reset while retaining the central premise of Superman as a powerful but morally driven protector. Across its New 52 period, the series used conventional superhero action, science-fiction threats, Kryptonian mythology, and questions about Superman's public and private identities as its principal storytelling material. One of the most consequential developments occurred in 2015, when writer Gene Luen Yang produced a storyline in which Clark Kent's secret identity was revealed to the world. The change altered a foundational element of the character's status quo and became one of the defining narrative decisions of the volume. It demonstrated the series' willingness to use a long-established Superman convention as a source of sustained dramatic conflict rather than treating the secret identity as fixed background lore. Superman (Volume 3) concluded with issue #52, released in July 2016. Its cancellation coincided with the transition from The New 52 to DC Rebirth, another company-wide publishing initiative that restored or reworked elements of earlier DC continuity. The Superman title was then relaunched as part of the Rebirth publishing line. As a result, Volume 3 is best understood not as a continuing standalone commercial company but as a defined publishing iteration within the larger Superman and DC Comics franchises. Its principal product was the comic series itself, supplemented by annual issues, a Future's End tie-in special, and collected editions.
History
Superman (Volume 3) emerged from DC Comics' 2011 company-wide publishing restructuring. The initiative, known as The New 52, followed the Flashpoint limited series and was designed to provide a new entry point for DC's major characters and titles. The previous second volume of Superman had been cancelled, allowing DC to restart the numbering with Superman #1 rather than continue the earlier sequence. The first issue was published in September 2011 with a November 2011 cover date. Although the title retained the familiar Superman premise, the New 52 framework gave the character and his supporting mythology a revised continuity context. George Pérez handled the initial scripting and breakdowns for the first three issues. The early period established the series as a modernized version of DC's flagship Superman publication while retaining the character's core role as a super-powered defender of humanity. Creative responsibilities changed several times during the run. Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen began co-writing and drawing the title with issue #7, released in May 2012. By the release of issue #0 in September 2012, Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort had become the creative team. These changes reflected the normal serialized-comics practice of rotating writers and artists, but they also gave the volume several distinct phases in tone, visual style, and characterization. In 2014, John Romita Jr. drew the series in collaboration with writer Geoff Johns, while Klaus Janson supplied the inks. The involvement of these established creators brought additional visibility to the title and represented another prominent creative reset. The book continued to use Superman's conventional superhero setting while exploring threats and conflicts associated with his powers, Kryptonian heritage, public role, and relationships. A major status-quo change arrived in 2015 through a storyline written by Gene Luen Yang. Clark Kent's secret identity was exposed to the world, removing one of the most recognizable structural devices in Superman fiction. The revelation created a new basis for stories about public accountability, personal vulnerability, and the relationship between Clark Kent and Superman. It also distinguished this volume from earlier versions of the character by making a previously protected identity an open fact within the series' narrative world. The series concluded at issue #52 in July 2016. Its ending was connected to DC's transition from The New 52 to DC Rebirth, a subsequent publishing initiative that relaunched or reconfigured a number of DC titles. Superman was therefore cancelled as a discrete volume and replaced by a later iteration rather than continuing under the same numbering. The publication history includes three annuals and a Future's End special in addition to the main monthly issues. The volume's legacy lies in its role as a principal New 52 interpretation of Superman and in the major continuity experiment involving the public revelation of Clark Kent's identity.
- 2016
Final issue and transition to DC Rebirth
[1]Issue #52 ended the volume as DC moved from The New 52 to the DC Rebirth publishing line.
- 2015
Clark Kent's identity becomes public
[1]Gene Luen Yang's storyline revealed Clark Kent's identity as Superman to the wider public within the fiction.
- 2014
Romita Jr. and Johns collaborate on Superman
[1]John Romita Jr. drew the series in collaboration with writer Geoff Johns, with Klaus Janson providing inks.
- 2012
Jurgens and Giffen begin their run
[1]Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen began co-writing and drawing the series with issue #7.
- 2012
Lobdell and Rocafort take over the title
[1]Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort became the creative team around issue #0.
- 2011
Launch of Superman (Volume 3)
[1]Superman #1 was released as part of The New 52, following the cancellation of the previous main Superman volume and DC's post-Flashpoint publishing reboot.
Products and positioning
A flagship DC Comics superhero title presented as the New 52-era interpretation of Superman. The series combined large-scale superhero and science-fiction storytelling with revisions to the character's continuity, supporting cast, costume-era presentation, and secret-identity status.
Monthly comic-book series · 2011
Superman #1–52
The principal product of the volume was the 52-issue monthly Superman series. It presented the New 52-era continuity for Superman, combining superhero action, science-fiction conflicts, Kryptonian mythology, and changes to Clark Kent's public identity. The run began in 2011 and concluded in 2016.
Annual comic-book specials · 2012
Superman Annual
The volume produced three annual issues, published as supplementary stories outside the regular monthly numbering. The annual format gave DC an additional venue for extended or companion Superman stories during the New 52 period.
Event tie-in special · 2014
Superman: Future's End #1
This one-shot special connected the Superman line to Future's End, a broader DC publishing event. It served as a supplementary publication associated with the Volume 3 era rather than as part of the regular 52-issue sequence.
Collected comic books
Collected editions
Stories from the monthly series were also made available through collected editions, including trade-format compilations. These editions packaged serialized issues into longer reading units for the bookstore and direct-market comics audience.
Brand decisions
2016
End the New 52 volume for DC RebirthStrategyBackground
DC Comics was moving from The New 52 publishing initiative to DC Rebirth, requiring several major titles to be cancelled or relaunched.
Action taken
Superman (Volume 3) concluded with issue #52 and the Superman line was subsequently relaunched within the Rebirth framework.
Aftermath
The third volume became a completed New 52-era publication rather than an ongoing title.
2015
Reveal Clark Kent's secret identityOtherBackground
The secret identity of Clark Kent had traditionally been a central protective device in Superman stories, but the New 52 series used its removal as a major narrative change.
Action taken
A storyline written by Gene Luen Yang revealed to the world that Clark Kent was Superman.
Aftermath
The revelation altered the series' status quo and became one of the defining developments of the volume before the later transition to a new Superman series.
2011
Restart the main Superman title under The New 52Generation changeBackground
DC Comics was undertaking a broad continuity and publishing reboot after Flashpoint, and the preceding second volume of Superman had been cancelled.
Action taken
The publisher launched Superman #1 as the opening issue of a new third volume and incorporated the title into The New 52 line.
Aftermath
The volume ran for 52 issues before being cancelled and replaced during the transition to DC Rebirth in 2016.
Recent events
- 2016
Superman (Volume 3) ends with issue #52[1]
Product generation
The series ended with its fifty-second issue as DC Comics moved from The New 52 into the DC Rebirth publishing line.
- 2015
Clark Kent's secret identity is revealed[1]
Product generation · Other
A storyline by Gene Luen Yang revealed Superman's civilian identity as Clark Kent to the public, changing a central element of the character's established status quo.
- 2014
John Romita Jr. and Geoff Johns work on Superman[1]
Leadership change · Other
John Romita Jr. drew the series in collaboration with writer Geoff Johns, with Klaus Janson on inks.
- 2012
New creative team takes over Superman[1]
Leadership change · Other
Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen began co-writing and drawing the series with issue #7, marking an early creative transition in the New 52 run.
- 2012
Superman receives further creative-team changes[1]
Leadership change · Other
Around issue #0, Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort became the series' creative team, continuing the title's pattern of changing authorship and visual direction.
- 2011
DC Comics launches Superman as part of The New 52[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Superman #1 inaugurated the third volume of the main Superman title and participated in DC Comics' company-wide New 52 reboot following Flashpoint.
Sources1 sources
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