Superman
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This will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the passing of the legendary David Lynch, but Jeannot Szwarc -- relevant to this thread for having directed Supergirl '84 and several episodes of Smallville -- has also passed.
"Supergirl" Director Jeannot Szwarc Passes Away at Age 85
I unironically love Szwarc's Supergirl, and I'm saddened to learn this news. RIP to a man who leaves a Super legacy, and whose work has brought me much enjoyment.
"Supergirl" Director Jeannot Szwarc Passes Away at Age 85
I unironically love Szwarc's Supergirl, and I'm saddened to learn this news. RIP to a man who leaves a Super legacy, and whose work has brought me much enjoyment.
Well, I can recommend World's Finest by Mark Waid and (mostly) Dan Mora, those are high quality fun superhero adventures that aren't tied to events in the main books of either hero as this series is set in the past and basically presents a very iconic version of the characters, although there was one story arc that actually tied into Waid's legendary Kingdom Come. Probably my favorite ongoing superhero book of the past five years.
Then there's the second stage of Philip Kennedy Johnson's run on Action Comics, starting with either #1051, or Tpb "Superman Action Comics, Vol. 1: Rise of Metallo". Specifically this, because you said you wanted a traditional version of the character. Kennedy Johnson's run prior to this was one big saga about freeing Warworld from Mongul, and while that was pretty cool and epic, it was not really traditional Superman. The part I mention, set after Superman's return to Earth, sees a re-establishing of the Superman Family, with Supes, his son Jon, Supergirl, Conner Kent, the Chinese Super-Man and Steel all working closer together.
Joshua Williamson's run on the main Superman title has also been varying between really good and great up until recently, and it is concurring with the Action Comics run I mentioned.
Outside of the main continuity, there's been the Space Age mini-series by Mark Russell and Mike Allred, which is a post-modern socio-philosophical re-interpretation of the Silver Age Superman. Mark Russell is one of the best comics writers currently working, if not of all time, and he has a very unique style of social commentary and political satire through the lense of popular culture. While this is not necessarily want to read as a light superhero adventure (as Mark Waid's World's Finest is), it is just so good that I still have to recommend it.
And then there's "Superman: Red & Blue", which was a mini-series similar to the classic "Batman: Black & White" format that a lot of publishers have adopted for a lot of different characters. Basically, it is an anthology with short stories of about eight pages by different creative teams with a lot of creative freedom, but with a reduced color scheme reflecting the title (so, it is black & white with Red and Blue being the only actual colors used). Obviously, the stories vary wildly both in interpretation, theme and quality, as is the nature with anthologies, especially ones with as much creative freedom as this one.
Then there's the second stage of Philip Kennedy Johnson's run on Action Comics, starting with either #1051, or Tpb "Superman Action Comics, Vol. 1: Rise of Metallo". Specifically this, because you said you wanted a traditional version of the character. Kennedy Johnson's run prior to this was one big saga about freeing Warworld from Mongul, and while that was pretty cool and epic, it was not really traditional Superman. The part I mention, set after Superman's return to Earth, sees a re-establishing of the Superman Family, with Supes, his son Jon, Supergirl, Conner Kent, the Chinese Super-Man and Steel all working closer together.
Joshua Williamson's run on the main Superman title has also been varying between really good and great up until recently, and it is concurring with the Action Comics run I mentioned.
Outside of the main continuity, there's been the Space Age mini-series by Mark Russell and Mike Allred, which is a post-modern socio-philosophical re-interpretation of the Silver Age Superman. Mark Russell is one of the best comics writers currently working, if not of all time, and he has a very unique style of social commentary and political satire through the lense of popular culture. While this is not necessarily want to read as a light superhero adventure (as Mark Waid's World's Finest is), it is just so good that I still have to recommend it.
And then there's "Superman: Red & Blue", which was a mini-series similar to the classic "Batman: Black & White" format that a lot of publishers have adopted for a lot of different characters. Basically, it is an anthology with short stories of about eight pages by different creative teams with a lot of creative freedom, but with a reduced color scheme reflecting the title (so, it is black & white with Red and Blue being the only actual colors used). Obviously, the stories vary wildly both in interpretation, theme and quality, as is the nature with anthologies, especially ones with as much creative freedom as this one.
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A few notes on Kai "the spy"'s suggestions: I thought about replying to your question with Superman: Space Age, but while it's very good, I don't know that it qualifies as "traditional." As far as recent-ish standalones, Superman: Up in the Sky is working in a more traditional vein, and it's also very good, though it's not writer Tom King's best work IMO. (He tends to treat Superman with a lot of care and respect, which on the one hand I appreciate, but which doesn't play into his greatest strengths as a writer. He's at his best when he feels free to carry characters to darker and more challenging places.)
Superman: Red and Blue is also a pretty good suggestion. As Kai notes, it's uneven, but the best of the stories are really amazing.
I can't comment on the ongoings Kai mentions, since I'm a trade-waiter, and prefer to wait until a creative team finishes its run so I can read it as a piece. I've heard very good things about all of them, however.
Superman: Red and Blue is also a pretty good suggestion. As Kai notes, it's uneven, but the best of the stories are really amazing.
I can't comment on the ongoings Kai mentions, since I'm a trade-waiter, and prefer to wait until a creative team finishes its run so I can read it as a piece. I've heard very good things about all of them, however.
Again, trade-waiting on that one. From what I've seen online, it's been controversial, which is par for the King course. Personally, I have little doubt it's as outstanding as most of his work, but his haters are gonna hate.
Featuring bonus "King's never read a comic book!" 
On "Up in the Sky", i was considering a recommendation, because it was a self-contained story and quite good, but ultimately I didn't think it was among the greats of the past few years. As evidenced by the fact that I couldn't even remember the title. I do remember, though, how it was originally released, as the original part in those 100-Page-Giants that were released for Walmart (but also found their way to comic book stores, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten them here in Germany). King's restraint probably also came from this circumstance.
As for King's Wonder Woman, it's the one contender to World's Finest as my favorite ongoing superhero book. Highly recommend it.
As for King's Wonder Woman, it's the one contender to World's Finest as my favorite ongoing superhero book. Highly recommend it.
King's Wonder Woman has been great. Almost better than the main book has been the back-up stories featuring the Super-sons and a very young Trinity.
Yes, those back-ups were comedy gold. They're over now that the narrative of the main feature has reached the point of Trinity's birth, and replaced with other, less humorous (though not less well written) anthology of back-up stories.
They have not only been a great way to give a counter-weight to the intensity and seriousness of the main feature, but they also have been a fantastic showcase of Tom King's comedic writing.
Good to hear. I haven't yet read these particular stories, but for all his reputation as Mr. PTSD or whatever (not entirely undeserved), King can be very funny.
What's the deal with Trinity--is she going to "age up" quickly to become a peer of Jonathan and Damien?
The back-ups tell future set tales of the Sons baby sitting Trinity who is about 5-ish.
I should note, since a few of those interested are trade-waiters, that the Trinity back-up features are not included in the Tpb collections of King's WW run. There have been two one-shot reprint specials, Trinity Special #1 and Trinity Special: World's Finest #1, where those stories have been collected. I'm sure at some point DC will do an omnibus version of the whole Tom King run which would include the back-up features, but that could be quite a long way away.
