For many fans, it’s hard to believe that 26 years have already passed since the final episode of Superman: The Animated Series. Yet this iconic show and its era-defining visual style have now returned in an unexpected way. This time, however, it isn’t Clark Kent leading the revival, but a new Superman stepping into the spotlight.
After four seasons and 54 episodes, the two-part finale titled “Legacy,” which aired on February 12, 2000, marked the final episode of Superman: The Animated Series. The series remains one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable portrayals of the Man of Steel, with a legacy that helped define how an entire generation came to understand the hero.
DC Reveals Superman’s Most Extreme Redesign Yet, With New Weapons
DC Comics has officially unveiled the Man of Steel’s most extreme redesign yet, which also sees Superman wielding two god-killer weapons.
After 26 years since its last new release, the series has largely been remembered through nostalgia, with many fans assuming its era-defining style would remain a closed chapter in animation history. Or at least that was the case until writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora used Superboy-Prime to bring back the classic aesthetic and characters of Superman: The Animated Series, adding an unexpected new chapter to the show’s legacy.
DC’s Superboy-Prime Unleashes Epic Superman: The Animated Series Homage
Comic Pages Come from Joshua Williamson’s Superman #39 (2026) – Art by Dan Mora
As a quick recap, Superboy-Prime is serving as Superman’s replacement following the events of DC’s latest crisis event, DC K.O. This crisis event saw Superman defeat Darkseid and save the universe. However, ever since that victory, the Man of Steel has gone missing, and with Metropolis left without its hero, Prime has stepped into the role, becoming the new Man of Steel as part of his redemption arc.
Superman #39, however, sees Prime attacked by the villain Manchester Black, who drags him through multiple alternate realities. Among them is the Superman: The Animated Series universe, which brings back the show’s classic art style and features cameos of its versions of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. While this specific reality lasts only several pages, it feels like DC has delivered a mini-episode of the animated series in the issue.
It serves as an exceptionally nostalgic moment for fans, while also expanding the legacy of Superman: The Animated Series by giving Superboy-Prime and Manchester Black series-accurate redesigns. This is entirely new to the legacy of StAS, since neither character ever appeared in the original show.
While the spotlight on Superman: The Animated Series only lasts a few pages, the classic StAS design for Superman himself also appears later in the issue during one of the biggest Superman crossovers in DC Comics history, as Superboy-Prime is forced to battle multiple versions of Superman from across the character’s media history. As a result, this issue stands as a special, must-read treat for fans who miss Superman: The Animated Series.
Superman #39 from DC Comics is now available to read!
- Created By
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Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
- First Appearance
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Action Comics