What does it really mean to be Superman? This question has been asked in countless ways, in thousands of stories, through a near-century of comic book history. But now and then, each creative team responsible for a new Superman story decides to provide an answer from an entirely different point of view. That’s exactly what the team behind Superman: Up in the Sky did.
Written by Tom King and with art by Andy Kubert, this six-issue story is a cosmic odyssey focusing on Superman trying to save someone no one would ever think of, all by himself.
While it may not redefine the Man of Steel lore or his iconic characterization, it does something that’s even more important. It proves who Superman really is and how important his beliefs are to all the people. It’s not a story of world-ending stakes or cosmic-apocalyptic battles. It’s a story about one hero, one child, and one impossible journey.
[Warning: Spoilers from Superman: Up in the Sky comic book are below!]
The story of Superman: Up in the sky
The story of Superman: Up in the Sky is simple. A young girl named Alice is kidnapped from Earth by unknown extraterrestrial beings. No villain leaves a message behind. There are no demands. She’s just gone.
Abducted by something from far away, from the darkest and deepest parts of the cosmos. At first, her disappearance is not even a topic in the news, or even a rumor in the newspaper. The fact of her abduction becomes real when her sister, who is left behind, is visited by Superman in the hospital. He learns just how much faith the girl placed in him. She tells him that Alice was taken “Up. in the sky”.
That moment haunts him. There’s no world-ending threat here, no ultimate weapon, no Kryptonite crisis or Lex Luthor’s mysterious schemes. Just one girl, scared and alone, somewhere in the universe. But Superman can’t stop feeling the responsibility for the girl. Not because he’s Superman, but because he’s Clark. Because someone believed he could do the impossible. And if he doesn’t even try, who is he? Does it make him worse than the people he fights? Did all those lessons his father taught him go to waste?
So with that in mind, a journey begins that stretches across star systems. Each chapter of the series is a standalone story arc of Superman’s journey, filled with doubt, heart, responsibility, and humanity. It’s not a linear story in the traditional sense. We follow Superman as he’s tested over and over by different people, aliens, monsters, and even himself, just to save Alice.
In one segment, we see him being split into Superman and Clark. To become himself again, he must accept who he is and respect his responsibilities. In another, he must make a pact with Darkseid by breaking his most sacred vows.
Perhaps it was one of the most emotional moments in the story because it involves Superman confronting the greatest existential question of his journey, “Why does he care so much about one child?”. He could be saving thousands back on Earth. He could be preventing wars, stopping disasters before they happen, and rebuilding cities. And yet, here he is, still flying through an endless dark cosmic void just to save one single life.
In the end, Superman reaches Alice. But even then, there’s one final obstacle. I won’t tell you what it is, but it’s important. It describes perfectly who Superman is to people and why they will never stop believing in him. They know they don’t deserve his help, but he proves it, not with powers, but with his kindness, compassion, and wisdom. Because being Superman is more than saving the day. It’s being there when it matters, until someone believes in the impossible again.
Importance of this Superman story and its characters
Superman: Up in the Sky may not be part of any major DC crossover event or timeline-changing event, but that’s precisely what makes it so important and beautiful. By being so simple, it becomes an essential comic book story in Superman’s existence.
Tom King uses this story to prove that Superman’s identity, his rules, beliefs, powers, and everything in his life matter. In many ways, this is a deconstruction of the concept of Superman. Not through satire or comedy, but through quiet reflection, a simple, single journey alone, to save one person. The entire story stands on the value of one life. That’s it. No multiverse to collapse, no time bomb to diffuse, no Lex Luthor to stop and put in jail. Just one girl, one life, and that life is worth everything Superman has to offer.
Superman is not portrayed as a perfect being. He has doubts. He hesitates. He gets angry, exhausted, and loses hope. But every time he is given the choice to stop, to go home, to go to Lois, and spend time with her, he doesn’t. He keeps going not because he has to, but because he chooses to.
This version of Superman isn’t an icon. He’s a normal person, a normal human being. That choice to save Alice becomes a reflection of his deepest values. They are the values his father taught him all his life. That no one is too small to matter, and that hope, no matter how faint, is always worth chasing.
He isn’t saving her because he’s Superman. He’s Superman because he saves her. Because he chooses impossible over easy. Because he doesn’t stop, even when he can’t go anymore.
Alice is an important part of this story, as she serves as a symbol of everything Superman stands for. She represents belief, hope, love, and kindness. She is the innocent person whose faith matters more than any cosmic threat. By writing her that way, Tom King reminds us of what Superman represents to the people he protects. She never asked to be saved, but her fate is the one Superman can’t walk away from.
The art in Superman: Up in the sky
Andy Kubert’s art in Superman: Up in the Sky is deliberately stylized to be a mix of classic comic books with Superman and the modern take on his persona. Kubert captures the timelessness of Superman with bold, colorful lines and heroic poses, but he also puts a lot of humanity and significance into the panels. This Superman bleeds, disbelieves, and loses hope. You can see the weight of every decision on his face.
The panel layouts are often cinematic but kept simple. Andy Kubert chooses to focus on quiet moments just as often as the monumental ones. A single panel of Superman holding a dying person’s hand or pausing before entering another place can say more than pages of exposition. Together, the art and writing create a near-perfect symbiosis and symbolism that made me love this comic book.
Adaptations for this DC Comics series and influence on James Gunn’s Superman
Superman: Up in the Sky hasn’t been adapted into any animated series or live-action film yet. In many ways, it probably never will be. Not because it isn’t good enough, but because its strength lies in its format. The structure of short, separate, yet connected chapters wouldn’t be suited as a single, two-hour feature. It would have been a waste of the source material.
But what if, at one point, after the Superman movie is a success, James Gunn decides to create a 6-episode special, focused on adapting this story? Of course, there would have to be some changes because not everything in the DCU is set up. For instance, some characters have not appeared yet, and may not for a while.
That said, the influence of this story can be felt in modern portrayals of Superman, especially in how creators approach his sense of morality. It’s not difficult to imagine why James Gunn chose this comic book as one of the sources to inspire David Corenswet’s incarnation of Man of Steel.
Up in the Sky is the kind of story that becomes the most important story about Superman. Not because it has to be, but because it doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. It’s that good.
Final thoughts on Superman: Up in the sky
Superman: Up in the Sky is definitely my favorite standalone Superman comic book. It isn’t afraid to show a humble spectacle or rewrite the characteristics of Superman to make him an even better and more vulnerable hero. It doesn’t ask you to know ten years of backstories or dozens of characters.
This story only asks one question: “If you were in Superman’s shoes, and could save one life, would you fly across the universe to do it?” And it answers that question with seriousness, pain, beauty, and absolute conviction.
Tom King wrote a Superman who feels more real than ever. He has a perfect balance between being Clark Kent and Superman, to balance his alien and human selves, and to represent the goodness in life. It made me cry because it’s full of heartfelt moments, and those that make your heart just warm up. It made me wonder what I’d do if I had that power. How the world would change. What I’d do to help those I would be able to. Most importantly, I wondered what kind of person it would make me.
Together, Tom King and Andy Kubert created a different Superman. He is not about fighting planets, cosmic barons, or Darkseid. He is about saving one life, no matter what. Sometimes, the most powerful thing Superman can do is not give up.
This story will make you feel like there is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape. It’s about what you do… it’s about action. You can’t throw morality in the garbage just because life’s tough! There is a right and a wrong in the universe, but sometimes you have to take a leap of faith first, the trust part comes later. You’re much stronger than you think you are. Believe in second chances, believe in redemption. With your kindness, and good in your heart, you’re going to change the world. There’s always a way. When the odds are impossible… do the impossible.
Also check out: DC Showcase: Kingdom Come
