Death of Superman: 20 years later

Twenty years ago this month, Superman died.

It wasn’t the first time, or the last — but for one moment in the early 1990s, the combination of a slow news day and the growing popularity of comics collided for what many people recall as the busiest-ever day for comic-book sales.

The writers and editors of the Superman line had been leading up to a wedding between Lois Lane and Clark Kent. But with the show “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” on the air, it was decided to delay the wedding to be more in line with the TV show’s romantic plans. With issues to fill, the retreat of Superman writers and artists brought forth the idea to kill the Man of Steel.

On the day of release, Nov. 18, 1992, I watched a line of customers snake out the door and around the building of the comic shop I worked in at the time.

The Oklahoman featured the demand for the issue in an article on Nov. 20, 1992.

Planet Comics in Oklahoma City sold 2,200 copies of the issue, up from the 50 they usually ordered.

“The demand for this book has been outrageous,” co-owner Mike Kennedy said in the article, written by Nolan Clay. “We’ve got housewives, businessmen and grandmothers coming in. I’ve got secretaries being sent out by their bosses to get this. “Among the 80 fans in line outside the store Thursday were comics collectors ranging in age from 11 to 61.”

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