History ComicBook / BrianMichaelBendisSuperman

Bendis' run with the characters comes to an end in December 2020

'''WARNING: All spoilers from the first twenty-four issues of ''Superman'' and ''Action Comics'' will be left ''unmarked'' in the tropes below. Spoilers from ''Superman'' #25 and ''Action Comics'' #1025 onward will be ''marked'' until the release of future story arcs.'''

* ArcVillain: Rogol Zaar for ''Superman'' and Leviathan for ''Action Comics''.

* BatmanGambit: The mysterious crime ring that has been starting fires across Metropolis expected Superman would start investigating their activities, so they blame Superman for the fires and correctly assume that Superman cannot help the police in their investigation because he could possibly have a vested interest in protecting himself. Fortunately, Clark uses his journalistic skills to work against them.

* FounderOfTheKingdom: {{Downplayed|Trope}}. Jon didn't ''found'' the [[TheFederation United Planets]], he merely ''suggested'' the idea of the nations of the galaxy uniting under a single banner, similar to the United Nations of Earth. Regardless, the LegionOfSuperHeroes treats with such high regard for coming up with the idea of the United Planets in the first place.

* PhantomZone: ''Phantom Earth'', the premiering story arc in the ''Superman'' flagship book, features the entire Earth being trapped in the TropeNamer. Continuous exposure to the Zone causes people all over the world to feel sick and superhumans to lose their powers.

'''WARNING: All spoilers from the first sixteen issues of ''Superman'' and ''Action Comics'' will be left ''unmarked'' in the tropes below. Spoilers from ''Superman'' #17 and ''Action Comics'' #1017 onward will be ''marked'' until the release of future story arcs.'''

* SpinOff: Events in Bendis' run will directly lead to two 12-issue miniseries starring Lois (by Greg Rucka) and Jimmy Olsen (by Matt Fraction)

* VillainTeamUp: Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom join forces with Leviathan in order to destroy Superman, even convincing Red Cloud to join them.

** On a larger note, the events of “The Unity Saga” in ''Superman'' start immediately after the end of Bendis' ''Man of Steel, and take place continuously with no room for his first ''Action Comics'' arc to take place. However, Lois' return in ''Action'' somehow happened between the events of ''Superman'' #1 and #7.

For seventeen years, Creator/BrianMichaelBendis was a driving force behind Creator/MarvelComics: creating the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel Universe, reinventing ComicBook/TheAvengers by [[ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled disassembling them]] and reassembling them as the ComicBook/NewAvengers and created highly popular characters such as ComicBook/JessicaJones and ComicBook/MilesMorales. Now, he has left the "House of Ideas" and is putting down his stakes in Creator/DCComics and its ''wunderkund'', Franchise/{{Superman}}.

Bendis' ''Superman'' era also establish new situations for ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and ComicBook/JonathanSamuelKent that will be explored in [[ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth those characters]]' [[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes2020 respective comic books]].

Bendis' ''Superman'' era also establish new situations for ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and ComicBook/JonathanSamuelKent that will be explored in those characters' respective comic books.

* FreakLabAccident: [[spoiler:How Robinson Goode became the Red Cloud. She was thrown into a chamber filled with gas that S.T.A.R. Labs had collected from a parallel universe after she threatened to expose their illegal activities.]]

'''WARNING: All spoilers from the first six issues of ''Superman'' and ''Action Comics'' will be left ''unmarked'' in the tropes below. Spoilers from ''Superman'' #17 and ''Action Comics'' #1017 onward will be ''marked'' until the release of future story arcs.'''

** Superman and General Zod are forced to work together to fight Rogol when they are both trapped in the Phantom Zone. Their uneasy alliance continues even after Rogol is defeated, with the House of El allowed to govern their own region of space, which they can use to build a New Krypton.

* KeepTheHomeFiresBurning: RareMaleExample with Clark, [[spoiler:who struggles between his faith for Lois and Jon as they travel with Jor-El and his fear that something could happen to them.]]

'''WARNING: All spoilers from the first six issues of ''Superman'' and ''Action Comics'' will be left ''unmarked'' in the tropes below. Spoilers from ''Superman'' #7 and ''Action Comics'' #1007 onward will be ''marked'' until the release of future story arcs.'''

* AloneWithThePsycho: [[spoiler:Superboy is understandably terrified at being left at the mercy of Ultraman, the evil Superman from Earth-3. His encounter with Superwoman, who so closely resembles his mother, is hardly any better.]]

* BrokenMasquerade: In ''Superman'' #18, Superman reveals his identity to the entire world. Unlike the events of ''ComicBook/SupermanTruth'', it seems that the reveal is taken in a lot better stride.
* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler:Whatever happened in space finally turned Jon against Jor-El as he immediately came back home and told his parents that he was insane.]]
* BruceWayneHeldHostage: [[spoiler:Talia al-Ghul orders the kidnapping of Clark for his investigation. Clark, hearing Leviathan's footsteps all the way from Chicago, decides to play along, hoping to get something he can use against them. Unfortunately, Talia forces him to wear a Kryptonite vest. Although she is unaware that Clark and Superman are one and the same, she thinks Clark could call Superman for help, so she isn't taking any chances. It takes Lois, Jimmy, Firestorm and Red Lantern Dex-Starr storming the Leviathan complex so that Clark can escape.]]

** Superman and General Zod are forced to work together to fight Rogol when they are both trapped in the Phantom Zone.
* EvilTwin: [[spoiler:The Crime Syndicate of America makes their return in ''Superman'' #8-9, including Ultraman and Superwoman. Superboy notes how creepy it is to look at evil versions of his own parents.]]

* InternalReveal: In ''Action Comics'' #1007, Lois tells her father, General Sam Lane, that [[spoiler:she is married to Superman]].

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:As it turns out, Jon's desire to be with Jor-El and hope he can get his help in solving his problems was a bad idea as he comes back seven years older and the realization that grandpa is insane.]]
* NebulousEvilOrganization: Leviathan, which may or may not be the same Leviathan that Batman fought [[ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsBatman a few years ago]].

* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/SuicideSquad Amanda Waller]] abandons General Lane to a creature sent by Leviathan so she can escape. At first, it appears Lane died but ''Action Comics'' #1009, he survived and was sent to the hospital.]]

* PlayAlongPrisoner: [[spoiler:Subverted. Clark ''tries'' to be this but Talia al Ghul puts a Kryptonite vest on him, severely weakening him. He only survives thanks to Lois and a group of allies attacking Leviathan's hideout.]]
* PlayingTheVictimCard: [[spoiler:Superman accuses Jor-El of portraying himself as the victim of the Circle's treason, when he helped them control the fates of countless planets and likely ordered their deaths and now, Jor-El has the gall of feeling betrayed when they turned their backs on Krypton.]]
* PlotRelevantAgeUp: [[spoiler:Happens to Jon in ''The House of El.'' He left Earth as a 10-year-old and returns only weeks later, now aged 17. It turns out this because of some years spent traveling with Jor-El and some years imprisoned by Ultraman on the Crime Syndicate's Earth.]]

* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: General Zod gets involved in ''Phantom Earth'' by drinking from the spirits of Jekuul, the planet he previously conquered, and having a vision of Rogol Zaar. Because of Rogol's involvement in Krypton's destruction, Zod willingly goes back into the Phantom Zone to attain revenge. [[spoiler:In ''The House of El'' Superman has a similar vision.]]
* RealityEnsues: While Superman revealing his identity with the world is a much more light-hearted affair than it was in ''ComicBook/SupermanTruth'', there are still a few problems with his civilian life, particularly with the ''Daily Planet'' as Supes is fired as a reporter due to the fact that he was hired hidden like he was meant he was under a ''load'' of trouble.

* TakeThat: Action Comics #1005 has one crook being afraid of using the H-E-R-O dial because he's afraid of it backfiring and doing something crazy to make it work like selling your marriage to the devil. [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay You get one guess as to what he's referring to]].

* ForegoneConclusion: Bendis announced his intention to reunite the Kents in an upcoming event. Not to mention they're together again in ''ComicBook/DoomsdayClock'', [[TimeSkip which is set a year into the future]].

* TheReveal:
** ''Action Comics'' #1005 reveals that the Red Cloud is Robinson Goode, Clark's fellow reporter at the ''Daily Planet''.
** In ''Superman'' #18, Superman reveals his identity to the entire world. Unlike the events of ''ComicBook/SupermanTruth'', it seems that the reveal is taken in a lot better stride.

* TheReveal: ''Action Comics'' #1005 reveals that the Red Cloud is Robinson Goode, Clark's fellow reporter at the ''Daily Planet''.

* SeriesContinuityError: When Jon reunites with Damian, Damian laments how Jon is now taller than him. Except Jon has always been explicitly taller than Damian since the day they met.

* TakeThat: Action Comics #1005 has one crook being afraid of using the H-E-R-O because he's afraid of it backfiring and doing something crazy to make it work like selling your marriage to the devil. [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay You get one guess as to what he's referring to]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_1.jpg]]

** ComicBook/TheLegionOfSuperHeroes make their grand return in ''Superman'' #14.

Bendis' ''Superman'' era also establish new situations for ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Jonathan Kent]] that will be explored in those characters' respective comic books.

* SoapOperaRapidAgingSyndrome: [[spoiler:Happens to Jon in ''The House of El.'' He left Earth as a 10-year-old and returns only weeks later, now aged 17.]]

* SpinOff: Events in Bendis' run will directly lead to two ongoing solo titles for Lois (by Greg Rucka) and Jimmy Olsen (by Matt Fraction)

** [[spoiler:Lois returns to Earth in the pages of ''Action Comics'', but without Jon. She takes up residence in a hotel in Chicago, and does not notify Clark that she is back. She is seen at the end of ''Action Comics'' #1001 writing an expose on her marriage to Superman, and is confronted by Clark at the end of ''Action Comics''#1002. In ''Action Comic''#1004, the pair discuss the state of their relationship. Lois assures him they're not breaking up, but that she feels at this stage neither Clark or Jon need her and she needs some space to write her book]]
*** [[spoiler: Jon Kent returns in the pages of ''Superman'', slightly older, Clark having missed out on [[NarniaTime seven formative years]] in his life]].

* EnemyMine: As much as he hates Kryptonians, Rogol is forced to work with Jax-Ur to kill Superman and destroy Earth.

* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: General Zod gets involved in ''Phantom Earth'' by drinking from the spirits of Jekuul, the planet he previously conquered, and having a vision of Rogol Zaar. Because of Rogol's involvement in Krypton's destruction, [[spoiler:Zod willingly goes back into the Phantom Zone to attain revenge.]] In ''The House of El'' Superman has a similar vision.
* TheReveal: The Red Cloud is [[spoiler:Robinson Goode, Clark's fellow reporter at the ''Daily Planet''.]]

* SoapOperaRapidAgingSyndrome: [[spoiler: Happens to Jon in ''The House of El.'' He left Earth as a 10-year-old and returns only weeks later, now aged 17.]]

* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: General Zod gets involved in ''Phantom Earth'' by drinking from the spirits of Jekuul, the planet he previously conquered, and having a vision of Rogol Zaar. Because of Rogol's involvement in Krypton's destruction, [[spoiler:Zod willingly goes back into the Phantom Zone to attain revenge.]]

* ArcWelding: Bendis has confirmed ''Superman'' and ''Action Comics'' will feature interconnnected storylines.

* SoapOperaRapidAgingSyndrome: [[spoiler: Happens to Jon in ''House of El.'' He left Earth as a 10-year-old and returns only weeks later, now aged 17.]]