Radio, movies, television and cartoons are all well and fine, but Superman began life on the printed page, and all told that's where he's spent the bulk of his 60-plus year career.

Besides the thousands of comic stories he's starred or guested in, he's also been the focus of scholarly studies, nostalgic retrospectives and the occasional prose novel. But as with most long-running sagas, Superman's career in print's had good days and bad.

Provided here is a list of the books that make my list of Superman's finest appearances on paper. I've lumped them into these categories:

Superman In The Sixties

A nostalgic collection of stories from Superman's most remarkable period of growth and innovation, not to mention schmaltz and goofiness. Included in this four-color festival are such milestones as the last days of Ma and Pa Kent, a dramatic duel against Luthor on a planet with a red sun, Lois Lane's nuttiest schemes to get Superman to the altar, encounters with JFK and Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Olsen introducing Beatlemania to the Ancient world and Bizarro-Krypto's upside-down version of a "Lassie" tale. Under the editorship of fan favorite writer Mark Waid, DC Comics presents this well-rounded look at a cherised decade, all in color for a di...er...make that 200 dimes. But well worth it.

Cost: $19.95
Status: Now Available At A Bookstore Near You

Superman: The Man of Tomorrow Archives Vol. 1

A beautiful full-color, hardcover collection of Superman's early "Silver Age" adventures assembled from Superman and Action Comics in chronological order! Lots of firsts, kicking off with the first appearance of the polar Fortress of Solitude. Scripts by the great Edmond Hamilton, Bill Finger, Jerry Coleman and Alvin Schwartz, among others, lay the foundation for the expansive and enduring Super-universe, brought to vivid life by artists Wayne Boring, Al Plastino, Curt Swan and Dick Sprang. A bit of a financial commitment at $50, but well worth it if to see the beloved mythology coming together.

Cost: $49.95
Status: Now Available At A Comic Shop Near You

Showcase Presents: Superman Vol. 1

If you're on a budget, you'll never beat this incredible deal: 500 pages of classic Silver Age Superman for a mere 10 bucks! This gargantuan tome includes the entire contents of the Man of Tomorrow Archives (above) and keeps plugging along for another 250-plus pages after that! Everything from Superman and Action comics from June 1958 to September 1959 crammed into one massive tome. The trade-off is that it's a paperback and -- more bothersome for some fans -- all in black and white. But if you're like me the stories are colorful enough even without those garish primary hues, and what's more American than a good deal? If nothing else, this is the perfect way to introduce the magic of classic Superman to an important youngster in your life.

Cost: $9.95
Status: Now Available At A Bookstore Near You

Additional Showcase Volumes:

If you like what you see in Volume 1, DC has continued the line with 2 more volumes of Superman adventures and one "Superman Family" volume featuring the adventures of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, with more on the way. Unlike the first volumes, these list for $17 each, but they're still a deal (and online retailers usually have them even cheaper)

Superman Annual No. 1 (Reprint)

DC serves up this facsimile reprint of the first-ever 80-page giant Superman Annual from 1960. If you don't want to plunge right into the feast that is Superman in the Sixties, this is lighter fare, but just as appetizing. Meet Lori the Mermaid, see Lois Lane become a witch (a worse one, that is) and later turn obese, watch Jimmy Olsen mutate into a super-brained mutant, experience the murder trial of Krypto the Superdog and thrill to the origin of Supergirl. Otto Binder, Edmund Hamilton, Curt Swan, Wayne Boring, Al Plastino and Kurt Schaffenberger dish up this 60's smorgasboard, with a map of Krypton for desert. And at a mere five bucks, it sticks to your ribs longer than a Big Mac and fries.

Cost: $6.95
Status: Now Available At A Comic Shop Near You

Whatever Happened to The Man Of Tomorrow?

by Alan Moore, Curt Swan, George Perez and Kurt Schaffenberger

In 1986, DC Comics re-launched the Superman legend, starting from square one to refashion Superman for a different kind of audience. But first, they had to bring to a close the original series. Thanks to longtime editor Julie Schwartz and master scribe Alan Moore, the old Superman went out with a bang rather than a wimper. Ancient plot-lines were wrapped up, supporting characters were killed off and old villains pulled their last desperate schemes in the "final" issues of Superman and Action Comics, reprinted in 1997 as this "prestige format" graphic novel. Whether the old Superman is unknown to you, or you're an old-time fan who really is wondering "whatever happened" to our hero, this book is a real treat. To quote Julie Schwartz, this was "Superman with a capital 'S'!" At six bucks, it's also very affordable.

Cost: $4.95
Status: Now Available At A Comic Shop Near You

Superman: The Sunday Classics

The early years of the Superman newspaper strip are reprinted in this beautifully assembled collection, originally presented in hardback from the now-defunct (and much missed) Kitchen Sink Press, and recently issued in paperback by DC Comics. The artwork of co-creator Joe Shuster and a just-starting-out Wayne Boring illustrate stories that introduced the Man of Steel to millions of Americans who might never have picked up a comic book. New cover and interior illustrations by Peter Poplaski are easy on the eye, as well.

Cost: $19.95 (paperback version)
Status: Now Available At A Bookstore Near You