Published Feb 5, 2026, 6:03 AM EST
Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.
Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.
Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.
After more than eight decades of retcons and reality-warping Crisis events, the original Golden Age Superman is finally returning to the DC Universe.
In both powers and personality, the Superman of the 1930s is very different to the Man of Steel of today...
The Golden Age Superman from the 1930s Is Back
This April, Marvel and DC will join publish MARVEL/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1 - an anthology comic telling various crossover stories between the two heroes. Now, Marvel has announced the stories and creative teams for the issue. Team-ups will include Miles Morales, Steel, Jane Foster's Thor, Wonder Woman, Ghost-Spider and Supergirl. However, the biggest news is Spider-Man Noir's team-up with the original Superman.
Coming from Dan Slott and Marcos Martin, the story will see Superman and Spider-Man Noir fighting crime in the "shadow-laden 1930s." In both powers and personality, the Superman of the 1930s is very different to the Man of Steel of today, and it will be exciting to see how well the story captures the character.
What Makes the Golden-Age Superman Unique
Debuting in 1938's Action Comics #1 and created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the original Superman had far less extreme powers. While he was still strong, fast and invulnerable, he didn't have heat vision or freeze breath and couldn't fly (instead, he could "leap tall buildings in a single bound.")
Likewise, he wasn't raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent and didn't fight supervillains, instead targeting corrupt government officials, slum landlords, irresponsible automobile manufacturers and gangsters - anyone who preyed on everyday people.
Over the years, DC has repeatedly retconned reality with its Crisis events, explicitly rewriting canon to modernize its characters and streamline its history. Canonically, Superman has now 'always' had his modern powers and was raised by the Kents, making the Golden Age version a totally different person.
It will be fascinating to see whether the '30s Superman is still a crusading man of the people, or whether DC tones him down. Given Spider-Man Noir's long history of fighting Nazis, the two may end up in a WWII adventure.
The Spider-Man/Superman Crossover Is Set to Be a Major Event
Marvel and DC's new slate of crossovers has been major news for fans, and the revealed line-up of stories emphasizes just how big of an event this is. This isn't just Spider-Man and Superman on a single adventure - it's their entire franchises clashing together, with major allies and deadly villains meeting for the first time.
The Golden Age Superman's team-up with Spider-Man Noir will bring back the most radical aspects of the Man of Steel's mythos, revealing whether he still has a place in the modern day.
MARVEL/DC: SPIDER-MAN/SUPERMAN #1 is coming April 15 from Marvel and DC Comics.
Created By Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
First Appearance Action Comics
Alias Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
Alliance Justice League, Superman Family
Race Kryptonian
Franchise D.C.
English (US) ·