Since the Golden Age of superhero comics, Superman has led the charge in defining what it means to be a comic book superhero. The powerful boy scout is practically the standard-bearer for all the traits and values that make the perfect caped hero, and many heroes have followed in his footsteps. However, the hero wouldn’t be what he is without a long line of talented artists bringing him and his world to life on the page.
Superman has had many prolific artists help craft his story throughout the almost 90 years he’s been around, and the modern era of DC has been no different. The 21st century especially has seen many talented artists leave an indelible mark on the story of Superman and Metropolis. Every artist brings their own unique style to the Man of Steel, and the modern era has seen a balance struck between wholesome, classic art and gritty, modern styles.
11 Dan Mora Is a Modern Master
Dan Mora is one of the more recent prolific artists to draw Superman, but he immediately earned a strong fan base for his art style. Mora’s work on the Man of Tomorrow channels a classic, even wholesome take on the hero, something perfect for Mark Waid’s lighter take on the hero for World’s Finest.
Dan Mora manages to channel both nostalgia and novelty, standing out as one of DC’s premier artists of the 2020s, and helped make World’s Finest the juggernaut of a title it is. Mora’s style offers current DC fans something special in a series that stands on its own as a fun callback to a younger Batman and Superman.
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9 Mikel Janin Took Superman Into A New Era
Mikel Janin may not have the long run on the Man of Steel of some of his peers, but it’s hard to deny that his style fits perfectly with a more sci-fi themed Superman. The artist introduced readers to Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s “Warworld Saga” during the Future State event and was the main artist of Superman And The Authority, which remains his best work on the hero.
Mikel Janin’s art feels like a perfect balance between realism while also sticking to a distinctly comic book-style of drawing. For people who love the likes of Alex Ross, Janin’s art offers a halfway point between Ross’ realism and DC’s comic book house style, creating something unique.
8 Daniel Sampere’s Style Was Perfect For Superman
Daniel Sampere has established himself as one of the premiere artists of the last five years at DC Comics, having worked on series like Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths. Sampere offers up a grittier style of art, something that fits epic, action-packed storytelling.
Of all the artists on Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics run, Sampere was the perfect choice for that tone for Superman, especially during the lead up to the “Warworld Saga.” As fantastic as Sampere is on interiors, it was his covers during the saga that helped sell the story, and they’re sure to go down as some of the greatest modern DC covers.
7 Patrick Zircher Gave Readers A Powerful Superman
As the mainstay artist of Superman during the initial Rebirth era of Action Comics, Patrick Zircher helped usher in a brand-new era of Superman, one dedicated to restoring hope to the hero. Zircher’s drawings of Superman were fantastic, but his artistic prowess shone through even more with the villains, such as Mongul.
Zircher’s Superman has a detailed, glossy look to him, and is one of comics’ best example of an artist whose line art is every bit as compelling as the finished page — as well some of the best contour work in comics. Zircher also drew the Man of Steel across titles like Trinity and Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps.
6 Frank Quitely Unique Style Brought Out The Best In Superman
Best known for his creative partnership with Grant Morrison for All-Star Superman, Quitely quickly established himself as a fan-favorite Superman artist of the 2000s. For a story dedicated to showcasing the final days of Superman and what makes him so great and hopeful, Morrison couldn’t have had a better partner than Quitely. When combined with the bright colors of Jamie Grant, Quitely’s Superman was elevated to fit the hopeful optimism of the hero.
Frank Quitely’s Superman was an expressive, warm and colorful Man of Steel, in a style that could feel deceptively simple, but quite brilliant. Unfortunately, Quitely’s work on the hero has been limited to the All-Star Superman book, and has left his fans wanting more.
5 Gary Frank’s Superman Was Near Perfect
As Geoff Johns’ mainstay artist partner on Superman books, Gary Frank has the distinction of drawing some of the best story arcs in the hero’s modern era. Notably, Frank’s interior work for “Brainiac,” the story that reintroduced the android villain, showed his ability to balance styles from past eras into his own unique look.
Gary Frank’s art style is especially great for slightly darker stories and science fiction tales, as was seen during the New 52 Justice League series. His style has also produced some fantastic covers for the Man of Steel, and he was the natural choice to rejoin Johns for Doomsday Clock.
4 Patrick Gleason’s Superman Was Epic
Best known for his creative pairing with writer Peter J. Tomasi on the Rebirth era of Superman, Patrick Gleason’s art came along at the perfect time for Superman. Entering an era where the hero became a family man, Gleason’s art captured a tone more evocative of pre-Flashpoint DC in its prime.
Patrick Gleason’s Superman managed to restore a hopeful tone to both the character and title following the darker vision of the New 52, and helped set the tone for the wider Rebirth era overall. Gleason didn’t just endear himself as a Superman artist, but also a co-writer on the series, co-plotting some of the hero’s best modern adventures.
3 Ed McGuinness’s Cartoony Style Captured The Power Of Superman
Ed McGuinness has worked on a few Superman projects, but he’s best known for his work alongside Jeph Loeb on Superman/Batman and Action Comics. McGuinness’ style often feels like a combination of 2000s cartoon-style art with old school Golden Age styles, creating something genuinely unique that led the way in 2000s DC art.
Ed McGuinness worked on some great stories, but “Public Enemies” stands out as the peak of his creative style, something perfect for the World’s Finest heroes. The artist managed to master an old-school cartoonist style and adapt it to action-heavy superhero stories, and remains one of the most under-utilized artists of the 21st century.
2 Rags Morales Made Superman Look Like A Million Bucks
It’s no controversial thing to state that Rags Morales is one of the greatest comic book artists of his generation. Known for his work on Identity Crisis and Grant Morrison’s Action Comics run, Morales earned a reputation for being a go-to artist for fast-paced, action-heavy stories, which made him perfect for Superman.
Most of Rags Morales’ best Superman offered readers something fresh in a younger Man of Steel as he was beginning his career as Metropolis’ guardian angel. Morales’ style was perfect for the younger, more rugged Superman as he faced his greatest enemies for the first time.
1 Dan Jurgens Has Drawn Superman For Decades
Few creators are as inextricably tied to a character as Dan Jurgens is to Superman, both as an artist and a writer. Having worked on the Man of Steel for three decades, Jurgens has perfected his style on one of comics’ greatest superheroes. Along with Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Brett Breeding and more, Jurgens was one of the architects of the iconic “Death of Superman” event.
Dan Jurgens is a master of superhero art, and has carried forward the ’80s comic book art style into the present day, representing a perfect case of balancing old and new. Jurgens has proved himself one of comics’ greatest artists of all time, and that talent can be seen across his career — but nowhere better than on Superman.
