In 2008, the story arc “Brainiac” made a lot of changes to Superman continuity – Jonathan Kent’s death and the return of the bottled city of Kandor. This arc lead to a much larger story called “New Krypton”. This page contains the reading order for this.
This story is set post Crisis and pre Flashpoint (New 52) for anyone looking to place it. It is a Superman centric storyline which doesn’t involve the Justice League or any other major characters such as Batman or The Flash and can be enjoyed pretty easily even today. Action Comics, Superman and Supergirl are all you’ll need.
It is written by Geoff Johns, a powerhouse of comic storylines before being handed to James Robinson and Greg Rucka.
Note: New Krypton is an umbrella term – it can be used to describe the whole story arc or just a part of it. Some would see New Krypton as the story up until Superman #685 where it then goes into World Without Superman, then World Against Superman etc.
Others, such as this reading order counts New Krypton as the whole thing – it is the only way to give EVERYONE what they’re looking for in one whole list. Must be said that New Krypton is in the design covers of the trades.
Superman: New Krypton Trade Reading Order
Contents
Sadly, even now in 2022 there is no Superman: New Krypton omnibus so you’ll need to collect several smaller trades to get them all. But, as is the case with most comic book events you can enjoy it just fine with only one or two. We’ll let you know which class as those.
Superman: Brainiac
New Krypton starts AFTER Brainiac, but without it you might feel a little lost as to why Jonathan Kent’s dead and how Kandor came back. When writing Brainiac Johns always intended for New Krypton to happen so to us this is a part of the reading order. Collects Action Comics #866-870.
5 issues.
- Johns, Geoff (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages - 07/10/2018 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
Superman: New Krypton Vol 1
Let’s start with the first volume which Collects Superman: New Krypton Special #1, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen Special #1, Superman #681, Action Comics #871, and Adventure Comics Special Featuring the Guardian #1.
That’s 5 issues
- Hardcover Book
- Johns, Geoff (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Superman: New Krypton Vol 2
Collects Superman #682-#683, Action Comics #872-#873, and Supergirl #35-#36.
That’s 6 issues.
Superman: New Krypton Vol. 3
Collects Superman: World of New Krypton #1-#5, Action Comics Annual #10.
That’s 6 issues again.
- Hardcover Book
- Robinson, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Superman: New Krypton Vol. 4
Collects Superman: World of New Krypton #6-12
That’s 7 issues.
- Robinson, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 169 Pages - 06/07/2011 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
New Krypton Ends, World without Superman Begins
Superman: Mon-El Vol. 1
Collects Superman #684 to #690, Action Comics #874 and Action Comics Annual #10 (which we already have).
8 issues not counting the duplicate.
Supergirl Vol. 6: Who is Superwoman?
Some issues are in New Krypton and others are a part of World without Superman. Collects Supergirl #34 and #37-#42.
7 issues.
Superman: Nightwing and Flamebird Vol. 1
This is where the Action Comics issues are. Collects Action Comics #875 to #879, Action Comics Annual #12 and Superman: Secret Files 2009 #1.
7 issues.
- Rucka, Greg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 168 Pages - 02/25/2011 (Publication Date) - Titan Books Ltd (Publisher)
This brings World Without Superman to a close and starts World Against Superman.
Superman: Mon-El Vol. 2
Collects Superman #692-#697, Superman Annual #14, Superman Secret Files 2009 #1 (a repeat) #1 and Adventure #11. #691 is in Codename Patriot.
8 issues not counting the repeat.
- Robinson, James A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 224 Pages - 10/18/2011 (Publication Date) - DC Comics (Publisher)
Superman: Nightwing and Flamebird Vol. 2
Pure Action Comics. Collects Action Comics #883 to #889. #881 to #882 are in the Supergirl trade below.
7 issues.
- Robinson, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 10/18/2011 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
Supergirl: Friends and Fugitives
Collects Action Comics #881 to #882, Supergirl #43 and #45 to #47 as well as Superman Secret Files 2009 (again!!). Supergirl #44 is in Codename Patriot.
6 issues without the repeat.
- Gates, Sterling (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 164 Pages - 09/13/2016 (Publication Date) - DC Comics (Publisher)
Superman: Codename Patriot
A 4 issue miniseries which tied World Against Superman and World Without Superman. Collects Superman World of New Krypton #6, Action Comics #880, Supergirl #44 and Superman #691.
4 issues.
- Rucka, Greg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 04/19/2011 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
Supergirl Vol. 8: Death and the Family
Right at the very end of World Against Superman. Collects Supergirl #48 to #50. Supergirl Annual #1.
4 issues.
- Gates, Sterling (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 142 Pages - 09/21/2010 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
This concludes War Against Superman and enters the final phase which is the Last Stand of New Krypton.
Superman Last Stand Of New Krypton Vol. 1
Collects Adventure Comics #8-#9, Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1-#2, Supergirl #51 and Superman #698.
6 issues.
- Robinson, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 168 Pages - 11/15/2011 (Publication Date) - Dc Comics (Publisher)
Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Vol. 2
Collects Adventure Comics #10 to #11, Supergirl #52, Superman #699, Superman Last Stand of New Krypton #1 to #3.
7 issues.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Robinson, James (Author)
Superman: War of the Supermen
This is the final arc of the entire New Krypton Saga. Collects War of the Supermen #1 to #4 and Superman #700.
6 issues.
- Gates, Sterling (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 01/24/2012 (Publication Date) - DC Comics (Publisher)
All the trades added together have 99 issues. There are 94 issues in the trade reading order so there’s a little bit of extra but they do include ALL the issues in the below reading order.
Perhaps one day there will be an omnibus but it would be over two books.
Superman: New Krypton Issue by Issue Reading Order
This is the Superman: New Krypton Saga reading order issue by issue, including the Brainiac prelude, New Krypton, World of New Krypton, World Without Superman, World Against Superman, Last Stand of New Krypton and War of the Supermen.
- Action Comics #866
- Action Comics #867
- Action Comics #868
- Action Comics #869
- Action Comics #870
- Superman: New Krypton Special #1
- Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olson #1
- Superman #681
- Adventure Comics Special featuring The Guardian #1
- Action Comics #871
- Supergirl #35
- Superman # 682
- Action Comics #872
- Supergirl #36
- Superman #683
- Action Comics #873
- Supergirl #37
- Superman #684
- Action Comics #874
- Supergirl #38
- Superman #685
- Superman: World of New Krypton #1
- Action Comics #875
- Supergirl #39
- Superman #686
- Superman: World of New Krypton #2
- Action Comics #876
- Supergirl #40
- Superman #68
- Superman: World of New Krypton #3
- Action Comics #877
- Supergirl #41
- Superman #688
- Superman: World of New Krypton #4
- Action Comics #878
- Supergirl #42
- Superman #689
- Superman: World of New Krypton #5
- Action Comics Annual #12
- Action Comics #879
- Supergirl #43
- Superman #690
- Superman: Secret Files 2009
- Superman: World of New Krypton #6
- Action Comics #880
- Supergirl #44
- Superman #691
- Superman Annual #14
- Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olson #2
- Superman: World of New Krypton #7
- Action Comics #881
- Supergirl Annual #1
- Supergirl #45
- Superman #692
- Superman: World of New Krypton #8
- Action Comics #882
- Supergirl #46
- Superman #693
- Superman: World of New Krypton #9
- Action Comics #883
- Supergirl #47
- Superman #694
- Superman: World of New Krypton #10
- Action Comics #884
- Supergirl #48
- Superman #695
- Superman: World of New Krypton #11
- Action Comics #885
- Supergirl #49
- Superman #696
- Superman: World of New Krypton #12
- Action Comics #886
- Supergirl #50
- Superman #697
- Adventure Comics #8
- Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1
- Action Comics #887
- Supergirl #51
- Superman #698
- Adventure Comics #9
- Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #2
- Action Comics #888
- Adventure Comics #10
- Supergirl #52
- Superman #699
- Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #3
- Action Comics #889
- Adventure Comics #11
- War of the Supermen #0
- War of the Supermen #1
- War of the Supermen #2
- War of the Supermen #3
- War of the Supermen #4
- Superman #700
Superman: New Krypton Reading Order FAQs
There are 17 issues in the initial New Krypton story but 94 in the entire New Krypton Saga.
Superman: New Krypton Special #1 is the official starting point which was released October 22nd, 2008.
New Krypton ended with Superman #700 which was released June 10th, 2010.
There was 596 days between the New Krypton Special and Superman 700. That’s 85 weeks or 19 months.
Last update on 2023-12-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API