Superman: The Man of Steel ##21
DC Comics • Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 1
Writer
Louise Simonson
Interior Artist
Jon Bogdanove
Cover Artist
Jon Bogdanove
Publication Date
April 1993
Cover Variant
Regular/Direct Edition (with UPC)
Printing
First Printing
Comic Description
Part 2 of 'The Reign of the Supermen!' following the Death of Superman. This issue features the first full appearance of John Henry Irons as 'The Man of Steel' (later known as Steel). Steel rescues a child from a building explosion caused by a gang warfare using 'Toastmasters' high-tech weaponry.
Condition & Value
Condition Grade
Fine (CGC 6.0)
Condition Details
Visible moderate spine stress with several color-breaking ticks. Corner blunting on the bottom left. Slight surface wear. Typical aging/tanning consistent with 1990s newsprint paper quality.
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $3 - $7; Graded (CGC 9.8): $40 - $60
Recent Sales
Recent raw sales range from $2 to $10 depending on condition. Graded copies at high tiers (9.8) occasionally reach $55, but the cost of grading often exceeds the book's value.
Grading Recommendation
Not recommended for professional grading. This is a common issue from the 'Reign of the Supermen' era; the grading fees would likely exceed the final market value of the book.
Notable Features
First full appearance of Steel (John Henry Irons). Part of the 'Reign of the Supermen' story arc. Cover displays the DC 'Bullet' and the Superman Shield logo with the '2' triangle indicator for the reading order of Superman titles in 1993.
Authentication Notes
Standard 1990s glossy cover stock with newsprint interiors. UPC barcode present in the bottom left corner confirms it is a Direct Edition. No known counterfeits of this specific issue exist due to high print volume.