Considering that he is over 80 years old, Superman is easily one of those characters who has proven to withstand the test of time. Over the years, the Man of Steel has undergone many changes and accomplished all sorts of impossible feats. Superman’s time as a character has not only allowed him to grow, but also inspired people in the real world to accomplish their dreams.

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Over the years, several key writers have tackled the Man of Steel, introducing new allies and challenges along the way. Though some have been stronger storytellers than others, every author has made an impact that has brought Superman to where he is today. To look back through Superman’s very extensive history, here is our list of the 10 best Superman writers, ranked.

10 Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Action Comics 1 cover with Superman lifting car over civilian

Of course, the original creators of Superman had to appear on this list. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster inspired millions around the world when they launched Action Comics #1. The iconic cover of Superman lifting the car over his head resonates with so many people, even today. Not only did Siegel and Shuster create comic’s first superpowered hero, but they are also directly responsible for everything that comic books would become.

Granted, Superman was a very different character at the time. He was vastly depowered, with only super strength, speed, and the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. While other authors would eventually help mold Superman into the character he is today, everything after 1938 is owed to the input of Siegel and Shuster.

9 Alan Moore

Unlike other authors on this list, Moore has actually written very few Superman titles over the years. However, the few times he tackled the Man of Steel have all been great. From titles like Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, For the Man Who Has Everything, and The Jungle Line, it makes sense that Moore would land as one of the more popular Superman authors.

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Despite not writing the character too often, Moore’s work remains some of the most powerful Superman storytelling to date. A lot of what he has written for Superman has been adapted in some form or fashion, with For the Man Who Has Everything even getting its own animated adaptation in an episode of Justice League. Moore is definitely one of the more defining Superman writers.

8 Elliot S. Maggin

Elliot S. Maggin was one of the key writers for Superman in the years before John Byrne took over the title following Crisis On Infinite Earths. Though many modern Superman fans may be unfamiliar with Maggin’s work, a lot of what he wrote served as inspiration for other writers. For example, Superman: Red Son was inspired by a one-shot written by Maggin.

Maggin really doesn’t the credit he deserves. Not only did he introduce entirely new elements to the character, but he helped solidify Superman's real-world presence with stories like Must There Be A Superman?. Without Maggin’s influence, Superman would certainly be in a much different place than he is today.

7 Peter Tomasi

superman-rebirth Clark Kent changes into Superman

After the launch of the DC Rebirth event, author Peter Tomasi was at the reigns of the solo Superman title until Brian Michael Bendis took over. Despite being a very modern Superman author, Tomasi got a very decent-sized run in with the character and did a lot with him that hasn’t been seen before.

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At the start of Rebirth, Superman was more of the family title, while Action Comics was more of Superman’s solo activities. With Tomasi exploring more of the familial aspect to the character, he had the opportunity to take Superman in a whole new direction. Since Superman had never been a father before, many fans saw this run as a breath of fresh air for the character. Since then, Bendis has built on a lot of the groundwork laid down by Tomasi, easily earning him a place among the greats.

6 Kurt Busiek

Carol and Jane revealing themselves to their father in Superman: Secret Identity

Kurt Busiek has always said that he is a massive fan of Superman. Even in his series Astro City, Busiek paints his own unique picture of the Man of Steel. For some time though, Busiek himself was writing the main Superman title. Though he didn’t do anything too groundbreaking with the character, he still wrote one of the best and strongest interpretations of Superman in the modern era.

Likewise, Busiek would really get to shine on his miniseries, Superman: Secret Identity. The story follows a real-life Clark Kent as he discovers that he has the same powers as Superman. To this day, Superman: Secret Identity is considered to be one of the best Superman stories to date. While Busiek’s actual run with the character may not be as acclaimed, he is still one of the best Superman writers.

5 Mark Waid

Superman's Kingdom Come Justice League, by Alex Ross

Mark Waid is easily one of the more defining Superman authors. Though he is most known for stories like Kingdom Come, Waid has still written Superman in many other ways. Waid has portrayed Superman across titles like JLA, the main Superman title, and even given Clark an updated origin story in Superman: Birthright.

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Though Superman’s portrayal in Kingdom Come is easily one of Waid’s strongest moments, he has definitely gone on to do a lot of other things for Superman. Elements of Superman: Birthright even found their way into the Man of Steel film. Likewise, many of Waid's JLA stories have seen an adaptation in some form of media, making it easy to see why he ranks a bit higher on this list.

4 Grant Morrison

When people think of the best Superman stories ever told, it is hard not to at least consider All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison. This 12-issue miniseries alone is easily one of the most profound takes on Superman, especially in recent years. The series also encompasses many key elements of the character and displays them to readers in a way that doesn’t feel overcrowded.

Morrison also had a celebrated run on Action Comics, in which he relaunched the character for a whole new era of readers. Though his take on the New 52 version of Superman isn’t regarded as his best, the stories themselves have been praised. Overall, it is clear that Morrison has a very in-depth understanding of the character and remains one of the most celebrated authors to date.

3 J. Michael Straczynski

Author J. Michael Straczynski is most known for his time on The Amazing Spider-Man and other projects like Babylon 5. However, the author has also had a highly celebrated run on Superman. Though he only wrote the character for a brief period, Superman: Grounded remains one of the more defining Superman stories in recent years.

Straczynski not only uses this story to explore Superman in a world where good and evil are getting grayer by the day, he also explores what Superman means to the people he protects. Furthermore, Straczynski launched DC’s series of Earth One books with the release of Superman: Earth One. This very modern take on Clark’s origin is also considered to be one of the best origin stories for the Man of Steel. With so many defining Superman stories under his belt, it is easy to see how Straczynski is one of the greats.

2 Dan Jurgens

Dan Jurgens is better known to some as the man who killed Superman. After introducing Doomsday, Jurgens had the Man of Steel face off against the unstoppable monster in a head-to-head match that resulted in the “death” of both of them. Though both characters would eventually make a return, this is still a major defining moment in Superman’s history.

Even going beyond The Death of Superman, Jurgens has still contributed a lot to the character. When DC relaunched as part of their Rebirth event, Jurgens was placed on Action Comics. Here, he brought a great sense of the “classic” Superman into the modern era once again. Considering how long Jurgens has been with the character, it is hard not to see him as one of Superman's most defining authors.

1 John Byrne

For every author that has explored the Superman character over the years, none have arguably done more for him than John Byrne. After the events of Crisis On Infinite Earths, Byrne was tasked with rebooting Superman. From there, Byrne cleaned up his origin story, giving Clark the modern origin that many know today.

He also reinvented Superman’s supporting cast, making villains like Lex Luthor far more intriguing and threatening. Byrne would then go on to carry the Superman books for several years after that, spearheading the direction for the character during that time. Though not everything Byrne has done for the character is celebrated, there’s no denying the massive impact he has had on Superman, even long after he ended his time with the Man of Steel.

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