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Schedule Bimonthly #164-207Monthly #208-222 Format 100 pages (#164-169)64 pages (#170-176,191-204)48 pages (#177-181,205-222)80 pages (#182-190) Publication date The Superman Family: April/May 1974–September 1982Superman Family Adventures: July 2012 - June 2013 Number of issues The Superman Family: 59 (#164-222)Superman Family Adventures: 12 Main character(s) Lois LaneSupergirlJimmy OlsenKryptoNightwing and FlamebirdClark KentSuperboyKal-L and Lois Lane Kent Writer(s) ListThe Superman Family: Cary Bates, E. Nelson Bridwell, Cary Burkett, Gerry Conway, Tom DeFalco, Leo Dorfman, Scott Edelman, Jack C. Harris, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Elliot S. Maggin, Tamsyn O'Flynn, Martin Pasko, Bob Rozakis, Roy Thomas, Bob Toomey, Marv WolfmanSuperman Family Adventures: Franco Aureliani, Art Baltazar Similar Superman, Superman/Wonder Woman, Action Comics, The World's Greatest, Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity | ||
The Superman Family was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1974 to 1982 featuring supporting characters in the Superman comics. The term "Superman Family" is often used to refer to the extended cast of characters of comics books associated with Superman. A similarly titled series Superman Family Adventures was launched in 2012.
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Publication history
The Superman Family was an amalgamation of the titles Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, and Supergirl. The first issue, #164, took its numbering from Jimmy Olsen, which had reached issue #163 and thus had the most issues published. Lois Lane ended at #137, while the newly launched Supergirl book had only made it to #9 at the time. A tenth and final issue of Supergirl was published five months after Superman Family's launch.
The Superman Family went through two distinct phases. In its inception the three leads Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, and Supergirl rotated new stories each issue with reprints for the other characters. The first six issues (#164-169) of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format and Nick Cardy was the cover artist. Changes were made in the setting of Supergirl's adventures during the character's run in the title. She moves to Florida to join the faculty at the New Athens Experimental School in issue #165. In an "imaginary tale" set in a possible future in issue #200, Supergirl, now known as Superwoman, is depicted as being the Governor of Florida in her secret identity of Linda Danvers. She leaves Florida and relocates to New York City to become a soap opera actress in issue #208.
After the cancellation of Super-Team Family, a Supergirl/Doom Patrol team-up originally scheduled to appear in that title was published in The Superman Family #191–193. Supergirl battled the Enchantress in issues #204–205 and teamed with the Legion of Super-Heroes in issue #207.
The Superman Family became the first DC Comics series in the 80-page Dollar Comic format, consisting of 64 pages of new stories, beginning with issue #182 (March–April 1977). With that issue, the "framing element" was removed from the covers, and the book switched to printing all new material. It became a monthly series in 1981 starting with issue #207.
Featured series included:
DC published several other ... Family titles concurrently with The Superman Family. These included Batman Family (1975–78), Super-Team Family (1975–78) and Tarzan Family (1975–76). As a rule, DC's other ... Family titles contained mostly reprints and featured a higher page count and higher price than DC's other titles.
With issue #222 (September 1982), The Superman Family was canceled and replaced with The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, which briefly featured a "Lois Lane" backup series.
Superman Family Adventures
In 2012, DC launched a new series titled Superman Family Adventures written by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani and drawn by Baltazar. Baltazar and Aureliani are the winners of the 2011 Eisner Award in the category "Best Publication for Kids" for their work on the Tiny Titans title for DC. Fuzzy, the Krypto Mouse, a character who appeared in a single story in Superboy #65 (June 1958), inspired a similar character created by Baltazar for Superman Family Adventures. Superman Family Adventures ended with issue #12.