Superman

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Superman in Action Comics v1 #1000.

Superman is a male comic superhero character who featurs in DC Universe.

Biography

Golden Age

The Superman of Earth-2, during the 1940s.

Originally Kal-L, last survivor of the planet Krypton, he was rocketed to Earth as his planet destroyed itself. Raised by John and Mary Kent, a farmer family, as their son Clark, he discovered as he grew older that Earth's lighter gravity and yellow sun gave him superhuman powers. Clark's good upbringing gave him a desire to help others, so in 1938 he become the first costumed superhero, Superman.

At first, he was superhumanly strong, could execute incredible leaps taller than the tallest buildings, was faster than a speeding bullet and was invulnerable to weapons weaker than a bursting shell. However, as he grew older and absorbed more solar energy, his powers increased until he could fly and use a variety of vision powers, including x-ray vision, heat vision, telescopic vision and microscopic vision. He also gained powers such as super-breath and super-hearing. Working in Metropolis as a reporter for the Daily Star, Clark met his life-long love, Lois Lane.

Superman fought many villains, including the Ultra-Humanite and the criminal genius Luthor (who made extensive use of kryptonite, a substance that could weaken or kill him; magic was the only other thing that could especially harm him). He served with distinction as a member of the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron. Later in his career, he built his Fortress of Solitude.

The JSA disbanded in the 1950s, and Clark Kent settled down with Lois (although he continued to battle evil). Eventually, by the time of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Kent was the editor of the Daily Star.

Unfortunately, the Crisis obliterated his existence on the new merged "Earth-Sigma" in favor of his younger Earth-1 counterpart. Nearly driven mad by his loss, Clark ultimately opted to stay behind in the anti-matter universe along with Earth-Prime's Superboy to defeat the Anti-Monitor. Just as he thought his end was near, however, Alexander Luthor offered an alternative- he could be with his wife in a pocket dimension. The original Superman accepted, but despaired for a time about being trapped there and unable to return to normal reality. However, he recently learned that hypertime offers a pathway back, one which he might take- eventually.

Silver Age

The Superman of Earth-1.

Largely identical in origins, powers and motivations to the Earth-2 version, except that his real name is Kal-El and that he had his full complement of powers from childhood on, fighting crime in Smallville as Superboy. He met Lana Lang and Pete Ross in Smallville, his first love and his best friend, and also had a kryptonian dog, Krypto as a pet. His cousin Kara Zor-El, another survivor of Krypton's doom, came to Earth and became Supergirl.

Clark Kent worked for the Daily Planet, his boss was Perry White, and his co-workers included Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Later, Clark would work for WGBS-TV, with his boss Morgan Edge, and Steve Lombard and Lana Lang as co-workers. This Superman's Fortress of Solitude was much more elaborate, locked with a huge key. He also had a broader range of vulnerabilities, including numerous varieties of kryptonite.

The mightiest incarnation of Superman, his enemies included Lex Luthor (an enemy from his days as Superboy on), Brainiac and Metallo, among many others. The leader of the Justice League of America, Superman was recognized as the world's greatest hero, and his legend would endure for centuries.

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Kal-El

Largely identical to the Earth-1 version, except that Clark's powers were not fully attained until he was an adult (no Superboy era) and were much less than that of his Earth-1 predecessor. This Superman's version of Krypton was also very different. A Kryptonian artifact known as the Eradicator came to Earth with Kal-El, and influenced his life on several occasions. Superman was not a member of the original Justice League of America, but he has since become the leader of the newest incarnation of the JLA.

This incarnation's foes include businessman Lex Luthor, Darkseid, Brainiac-13 and more. Years ago, Superman died in battle against the destructive beast Doomsday, and was replaced by four ersatz Supermen (one of which, the Cyborg, was a villain in disguise) before being restored to life by his Fortress of Solitude.

Later, Lois and Clark married, although their marriage has been rocky at times. Still later, when the sun was snuffed out temporarily and he lost his powers, Superman acquired energy-based powers and even split into two beings, Superman Blue and Superman Red. However, those powers were exhausted battling the Millennium Giants. Superman continues to serve as the epitome of the superheroic ideal.

One day, Metropolis came under attack from a monstrous being known as Doomsday who went on a rampage after being freed from his imprisonment. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #18)

After the world ending threat with the sun had been resolved, Lois returned from her time abroad and reconciled with Clark; the two decided to resume their engagement and get married right away. Lucy Lane threw Lois a bridal shower and a bachelorette party, while Clark had a bachelor party thrown at the Ace O' Clubs. Jimmy Olsen and Lucy Lane were chosen as best man and maid of honor. Perry White attended the wedding ceremony, but unfortunately didn't feel well enough to make the reception. Batman revealed that an apartment building where Lois wanted to rent was owned by Bruce Wayne, and so, as a wedding gift, allowed for Clark and Lois to move into the building. (Superman: The Wedding Album v1 #1)

A growing threat came to emerge from a powerful cosmic being known as Imperiex with Earth being bound to get dragged into an intergalactic war. The Justice League rallied in space, taking on Imperiex's scout drones, but were taken out one by one. Superman watched several of his friends fall and the apparent destruction of Atlantis. (JLA: Our Worlds at War v1 #1) Every major superhero team on Earth began taking up arms against Imperiex. Even Superman fought side-by-side with Doomsday, the monster having been revived by Steel and the Suicide Squad on orders from President Luthor, with each destroying dozens of probes before the real Imperiex Prime arrived. (Adventures of Superman v1 #594) With battles against Impreiex drones taking place worldwide, Superman was distracted and missed his wife's call when her father General Sam Lane had been attacked at the White House. With Superman too busy protecting the Earth, Lois' father died. (Action Comics v1 #781)

Another Kryptonian rocket fell to Earth similar to Clark's and was discovered by Batman and Superman. The pod's passenger was none other than Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin. (Superman/Batman v1 #8) Despite Batman's suspicions, Clark was thrilled to meet Kara and was determined to take her in. Nonetheless, Wonder Woman, after listening to Harbinger's troubling prophecies, took Kara to Themyscira to keep her safe and train her. (Superman/Batman v1 #9) Diana's fears proved to be justified when Darkseid's troops invaded Paradise Island and kidnapped Kara. (Superman/Batman v1 #10) Outraged, the trinity traveled to Apokolips where Darkseid has brainwashed Kara into becoming his newest Female Fury. (Superman/Batman v1 #11) Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman forced Darkseid to give Kara back. (Superman/Batman v1 #12) After a tough battle, Superman pinned Darkseid to the Source Wall to protect his cousin, and Kara officially took on the mantle of Supergirl. (Superman/Batman v1 #13)

One day, having discovered a Brainiac drone outside of the Daily Planet, Superman learned from the robot that he had never truly fought Brainiac before, and all the earlier encounters Superman had ever had with the villain had been with one of his probes. (Action Comics v1 #866) Superman flew all through the galaxy in an attempt to track down the real Brainiac, but, during in his search, he was captured by the villain and brought about Brainiac's ship. (Action Comics v1 #867) When Superman recovered, he finally was face to face with the true Brainiac, who had been studying, shrinking, bottling and collecting civilizations throughout the galaxy in his quest for knowledge. (Action Comics v1 #868)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Kal-El

During Clark's childhood, Martha was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent chemotherapy for the affliction; Clark was not told until well into her treatment, when Clark struggled with a new student attending the school, Caleb Withers. Caleb was something of a bully, with misplaced aggression spurred on by his abusive father. Clark struggled with the urge not to respond to Caleb's behavior in kind, something his mother talked him out of, telling him that it was better to help people find the good within themselves rather than correct their behavior by force. As they were leaving, Caleb kicked a soccer ball into Martha's head, knocking her down and inadvertently removing her wig, revealing to Clark her hair loss. Later that evening, he snuck over to Caleb's house, with the intent to destroy Caleb's bicycle in retribution, only to discover Caleb's drunk father abusing him. As Caleb's father attempted to drive off, he nearly drove into oncoming traffic, with Clark saving his life. He then brought the unconscious man to the local clinic, leaving him there anonymously. Afterward, Clark attempted to cut off his own hair in solidarity with his mother, only to discover that his invulnerability made that impossible at the time. Later, Clark was able to reach Caleb, that he wasn't his father, and that he didn't have to be him. Caleb eventually apologized to Martha, revealing that he'd cut his own hair in solidarity with Martha as part of his apology. He left to live with his aunt in Metropolis, and one day would grow to run a community center for at-risk youth. (Action Comics 2022 Annual v1 #1)

During the Zero Year, Clark attempted to personally disperse Hurricane Rene as it bore down on the coastline, still unsure of the upper limits of his powers. His attempt to divert the hurricane was unsuccessful, but he did succeed in rescuing the tanker Jean-Marie, which had at the time been carrying his childhood friend, Lana Lang, as its engineer. (Action Comics v2 #25)

Overview

Personality and attributes

In one incarnation, Clark and Lois decided to adopt the child a foster-son that was a seemingly abandoned Kryptonian child that they decided protect with them giving him the name Christopher Kent. (Action Comics v1 #846) The child was in reality Lor-Zod who was the son of General Zod and his Lieutenant Ursa. (Action Comics v1 #846)

At one point, his wife Lois Lane came to give birth to a healthy baby boy where the couple decided to name their child after their respective fathers leading to him being named Jonathan Samuel Kent. (Convergence: Superman v1 #2)

Powers and abilities

His emotional state correlates to fluctuations in his solar storage. The more stress he was under then the more energy he retains from the sun. (Adventures of Superman v1 #636)

Using this ability, he could trace cell-phone signals. (The Brave and the Bold v3 #16) He could also trace frequency links with this power. (Superman v1 #664)

He could magnify this vision to the point of being able to see individual strands of DNA in someone and the genetic markers of human blood. (Superman v2 #219) Superman was shown to be capable of seeing the genetic make-up of the New Gods. (Superman Annual v1 #13)

On Earth, he came to create the Fortress of Solitude that was at first located in the Arctic Circle and served as his headquarters. (Superman v1 #392)

Notes

Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster where he made his first appearance in Action Comics v1 #1 (April, 1938).
In World's Finest v1 #63 (1953), he masqueraded as Dasher Drape a professional hitman who worked for Big Jim Paulson due to Clark Kent resembling the moustached criminal allowing for him to infiltrate the mob to capture its head
In Superman v1 #257 (1972), it was established that the name Kal-El was derived from Kryptonese with El meaning child and Kal meaning Star thus making it stand for Star Child.
In Superman v1 #42 (1946), he was forced to briefly adopt the civilian guise of Kenneth Clarkson after his Clark Kent persona walked by a sewer gas explosion making it appear that he had died.
In Action Comics v1 #178 (1953), he posed as a hoodlum named Harry Denver in an effort to infiltrate the Dreamorama.
In Superman v1 #89 (1954), he posed as a hobo named Charlie Kendall in order to uncover and apprehend a blackmailer.
In Superman v1 #124 (1958), he posed as a construction worker named Kirk Brent in an effort to uncover the illegal activities of construction manager Bart Benton.
In Superman v1 #126 (1958), after an experiment with Kryptonite he briefly lost his memory of his true identity causing him to adopt the guise of blonde haired Englishman Clarence Kelvin who was hired as a reporter at the Daily Planet.
In Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane v1 #56 (1965), he briefly took the identity of a Ideal-Man.
In Superman v1 #163 (1963), Superman after exposure to Red Kryptonite was placed in a sanitorium and gave a false identity as Cal Ellis.
In Action Comics v1 #314 (1964), a computer simulation conducted by Jor-El showed him his son Kal-El's life on other worlds. On Xann, he became Birdman who was a pigmy among the giant inhabitants on the world. On Valair, he became a hero to its underwater dwelling people. On Ntann, he became a heroic archer without powers due to living under a world with a red sun. On Saruun, where he was raised by a retired lawman on a world without sunlight leading to Kal-El becoming a vigilante named the Diro after the winged bat-like creatures of the planet. On Gangor, he was raised as a scientist where he gained the powers of a speedster from an experiment and operated as a hero on that world. Ultimately, Jor-El concluded from the simulations that his son would never find happiness on these worlds leading to him sending Kal-El to Earth.
In Action Comics v1 #322 (1965), Superman was affected by a ray from the Superman Revenge Squad that caused him to be a coward in both his civilian and hero personas. This saw him create a new identity as the moustached Brad Dexter who worked at a newspaper in Chicago. The Dexter identity retained his brave nature and his work colleague Loretta Land was smitten with him.
In Action Comics v1 #372 (1969), Superman suffered from a loss of his memories and came to believe that his civilian identity was the wrestler known as the Masked Superman. He later came to learn that the real Masked Superman person was actually a fan who took on a motif in honour of his hero and operated as a pro-wrestler.
In Action Comics v1 #374 (1969), Superman suffered from a loss of his memories and came to believe his secret identity was that of the criminal king of the underworld known as Super-Thief. This led to him believe he led a double life as a hero and a villain but came to realise the truth and that the real Super-Thief had died a while ago in a police ambush.
In Action Comics v2 #11 (2012), he briefly adopted the civilian identity of fireman Johnny Clark after his Clark kent persona was seemingly killed publicly.

Alternate Versions

In World's Finest v1 #178 (1968), an alternate version of Superman was shown on a world that was designated as Earth-178. This version lost his powers but became inspired at the heroism of Green Arrow and Speedy who operated without superpowers. Thus, he adopted a masked vigilante as The Nova where he used a glider to fight crime but his secret identity was discovered by criminal mastermind Mr. Socrates who blackmailed him into fighting Batman and Robin.
In DC Comics Presents v1 #87 (1985), an alternate version of Superman appeared as an inhabitant of the former Earth-Prime reality in the Multiverse.
In Superman v1 #423 (1986), a alternate version of Superman native to Earth-423 removed his powers through exposure to Gold Kryptonite and took the identity of Jordan Elliot where he married Lois Lane and had a son named Jonathan Elliot.
In Kingdom Come v1 #1 (1996), an alternate version of Superman was shown to inhabit the world of Kingdom Come situated on Earth-22 in the Multiverse. In an alternate future, the staff of the Daily Planet were killed by the Joker, who was in turn killed by Magog. Superman became disillusioned after public opinion overwhelmingly supported the anti-hero's murder of the Joker, and went into self-imposed exile. He was eventually drawn back after the nuclear destruction of Kansas indirectly caused by Magog's Justice Battalion, forming the Justice League of the World to rein in the new, violent generation of "superheroes." However, this eventually developed into a war between superhumans, many of which were killed by a fearful United Nations. Superman eventually settled down with Wonder Woman, and they had a child, Jonathan Kent, whom they asked Batman to be the godfather to. However, they were targeted by Gog, who believed Superman was a false messiah. He kidnapped the newborn Jonathan and took him back to the past. During the ensuing battle with Gog alongside their past selves- which resulted in the discovery of hypertime- Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman from the future believed their history had been wiped out. Instead, Hypertime- and their adult son, who had the ability to travel through it- gave them a path back home.

In other media

Television

Films

Video games

Novels

Appearances

Action Comics 1: (1938)
Superman v1:
Justice League of America v1:
JLA v1:
Superman/Batman v1:
Superman v2:
Batman/Superman v1:
Superman and the Authority v1:

Links

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Superman

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