Birthright was DC's 2004 attempt at making a modern reboot for Superman's origin story. Apparently the last version of the origin, published in 1986, was too ancient to still be used. Fortunately, Birthright is anything but a by-the-numbers retelling of the origin; it's a fully fleshed-out story that stands on its own. It introduces the primary Superman characters—Clark, the Kents, Lois, Lex Luthor—and makes them real people, not mere caricatures. Furthermore, the way it establishes the Superman/Lex Luthor dichotomy is essentially perfect. It takes the best parts of every past Superman mythos—even the Smallville TV series—and weaves them together into a story that you can't help but love. I'm not going to say that it's literally perfect from top to bottom, but I can say with certainty that it's my favorite Superman comic story of all time.
Superman: Secret Identity
This is almost not even technically a Superman book. It's an alternate-universe story that is, for all intents and purposes, set in our world, where Superman is a fictional character. The story centers on a boy coincidentally named Clark Kent who lives in Kansas... and develops Superman's powers. Secret Identity covers this boy's entire life, from childhood to old age. It's surprisingly heartwarming, with emphasis on family and the normal trials of growing up.
Yet another alternate universe story, this one deals with a world where baby Kal-El's spaceship didn't land on a farm in Kansas; he landed on a farm in Russia during the Cold War. Instead of being an American hero, Superman becomes a Communist icon—and yet, he is still the same hero he always was, merely in a different country. Red Son shows many heroes in this bizarre alternate world—Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern—but focuses primarily on Superman and his struggle to do the right thing in a world hostile to his values. This story illustrates Superman's character regardless of circumstance, and for that reason, despite the twisted nature of the premise, Red Son makes this list.
Several decades into the (possible) future, many things have gone wrong. Lois Lane has died, Superman has gone into isolation, and the world seems to have moved on from the ideals of the superheroes of old. So-called "heroes" and "villains" now kill each other without a second thought, turning city streets into war-torn battlefields. After finally emerging from his reclusion, Superman must rally together the heroes of the world to rectify the shattered state of the world. As tensions rise between Superman's army of morally-upright heroes and the forces of the corrupt, events seem to be paralleling things foretold in the book of Revelations. This could literally be the end of the world.
Kingdom Come can be a bit grim, but the fact that it pushes our heroes to the brink illustrates who they really are. The trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman get particular focus, and their characterization really shines. This is easily one of the most iconic and important comics ever made; everyone looking to get into superhero fiction should read this at some point.
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