Alternative versions of Superman establish a new continuity for DC, affecting not only Superman, but all of the DC Comics characters. The versions of Superman from this time period are traditionally divided into three main periods. The first version of Superman began being published by DC Comics in 1938 appearing in "Action Comics" #1. To explain discrepancies in the aging of Superman across several decades, his earliest stories were retroactively portrayed as having taken place on an alternative world called Earth-Two. These stories take place from 1938 until the late 1950s, although the exact dividing line is unclear and some stories happened identically to
The Death of Superman of Steel" #1 became the bestselling comic book issue of 1986. Byrne also wrote and illustrated "Action Comics", and scripted "The Adventures of Superman" with artist Jerry Ordway after the previous writer Marv Wolfman left. Under Byrne, a new Superman comic was released every week and each series maintained continuity with each other. He spent two years on the Superman comics before leaving in 1988, becoming dissatisfied with DC's lack of "conscious support" for him and that the version of the character which DC licensed for merchandising contradicted Byrne's representation of him in comics. As a result of Byrne's departure,