   #copyright

Superman

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Cartoons

   Superman

   Cover to Superman (2nd series) #204 (April 2004).
   Pencils by Jim Lee, inks by Scott Williams.

   Publisher        DC Comics
   First appearance Historical:
                    Action Comics #1
                    (June 1938)
                    Modern:
                    The Man of Steel #1
                    (July 1986)
   Created by       Jerry Siegel
                    Joe Shuster

   Characteristics
   Alter ego Kal-El , adopted as
   Clark Joseph Kent
   Species Kryptonian, from Krypton
   Affiliations Batman, The Daily Planet, Justice League, Team Superman
   Notable aliases Gangbuster, Nightwing, Jordan Elliot, Nova, Superboy,
   Superman Blue, Superman Red, Superman Prime
   Abilities Superhuman strength, super speed, stamina and
   invulnerability, freezing breath, super hearing, multiple extrasensory
   and vision powers, longevity, flight, and regeneration.

   Superman is a fictional character and one of the most famous and
   popular comic book superheroes of all time. Created by American writer
   Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both
   were growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics Inc.
   the same year Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), the
   character has since appeared in radio serials, television programs,
   films, comic books, newspaper strips and video games, contributing to
   his long-standing ubiquity.

   Superman is born Kal-El on an alien planet — later named Krypton — and
   is rocketed to Earth as an infant by his scientist father moments
   before the planet's destruction. The rocket lands on Earth, where he is
   found by passing motorists who adopt him and give him the name Clark
   Kent. As Clark reaches maturity, he learns he has superhuman abilities,
   which he resolves to use to help others, fighting anything from petty
   crime to universal threats. After adopting a costume consisting of a
   blue shirt with a stylized "S" on the chest, a pair of red briefs over
   blue pants, a pair of red boots, and a red cape, he becomes Earth's
   champion, with the media giving him several nicknames including "The
   Man of Steel", "The Man of Tomorrow", and "The Last Son of Krypton". To
   keep his identity secret when not fighting evil as Superman, Clark
   lives among humanity as a "mild-mannered" reporter for the Metropolis
   newspaper The Daily Planet (originally called the Daily Star). Clark
   works alongside reporter Lois Lane, with whom he is romantically
   involved (and whom he marries in the mainstream current comics'
   continuity).

Character history

   The details of Superman's origin, relationships and abilities changed
   significantly during the course of the character's publication, from
   what is considered the Golden Age of comic books through the Modern
   Age.

Golden Age

   As shown in the original Golden Age comics — including Action Comics #1
   (1938), Superman (Vol. 1) #1 (1939), and Superman (Vol. 1) #61 (1949),
   as well as in later stories such as Secret Origins (Vol. 2) #1 ( 1986)
   — noted scientist Jor-L discovers that Krypton is about to explode, yet
   he cannot convince his fellow Kryptonians to save themselves. However,
   he manages to construct a spaceship to save his infant son, Kal-L. The
   ship launches just as the planet explodes, with Kal-L landing on Earth
   in a farm country town (later identified as Smallville) around the time
   of World War I. In this version, John and Mary Kent (passing motorists
   who witness the spaceship landing) take the infant to an orphanage and
   soon return to adopt the child, naming him Clark. In his 1942 novel,
   George Lowther changes the names Jor-L, Kal-L and Lora (Superman's
   birth mother) to the more modern Jor-El and Lara. According to an
   interview with Joe Shuster shortly before his death, the name "Clark
   Kent" was chosen as a combination of the names of two movie stars,
   Clark Gable and Kent Taylor

   Clark grows up on the Kent family farm, slowly discovering that he
   possesses various superpowers but unaware of his Kryptonian origins.
   After the deaths of his adoptive parents, Clark decides to use his
   powers for the benefit of humanity, constructing a stylized costume and
   moving to the nearby city of Metropolis. Clark begins work as a
   reporter at the Daily Star newspaper and soon makes his debut as the
   world's first superhero, Superman.

   The earliest Superman stories were written by Siegel, and drawn by
   Shuster in a style heavily influenced by comic strip artist Roy Crane.
   According to Jules Feiffer, "Shuster represented the best of old-style
   comic book drawing. His work was direct, unprettied - crude and
   vigorous; as easy to read as a diagram.... Slickness, thank God, was
   beyond his means" (Feiffer,The Great Comic Book Heroes, 1965). In the
   last interview Shuster gave before his death, he explained that he had
   modelled the visual appearance of Clark Kent on himself and movie star
   Harold Lloyd, and that of Superman on Douglas Fairbanks Senior. Lois
   Lane was modeled after Joanne Carter, who would later marry Jerry
   Siegel. The skyscape of Metropolis was inspired by that of the City of
   Toronto, where Shuster had spent most of his childhood, and the
   newspaper employing Clark Kent, originally the Daily Star, was named
   after the Toronto Star for which Shuster had been a paperboy.
   (Mietkewicz, above)

   With Superman's quick success, the demand for Superman stories exceeded
   the creator's ability to produce them. Although the stories continued
   to carry the Siegel and Shuster byline, progressively more of the work
   was done by assistants in the Siegel and Shuster studio (Les Daniels,
   Comix: A History of Comic Books in America, 1971). But the use of
   assistants was not always successful. According to Jules Feiffer,
   Shuster "could not draw well, but he drew single-mindedly -- no one
   could ghost that style. It was the man. When assistants began
   'improving' the appearance of the strip it went downhill. It looked as
   though it was being drawn in a bank" (Feiffer, above). One story in
   which Superman encountered a fictional cartoonist provided a
   tongue-in-cheek look at how such work was delegated. The story, which
   purported on the title page to tell "how comic strips are written and
   drawn", showed a studio filled with "artists -- stacks of them --
   figure men, background specialists, inkers, letterers" as well as
   script-writers, all devoted to the production of stories about a
   Superman-like character, while the original creator of the strip was to
   Superman's consternation kept busy answering his fan mail ("King of the
   Comic Books", Superman no. 25, 1943).

   In the early stories, Superman is the only science-fiction element. He
   is described as the champion of the helpless and the oppressed, and he
   combats real-world social evils: munitions manufacturers, dangerous
   conditions in mines and a hit-and-run drunk driver (in Superman #1),
   rigged prize fights and corrupt businessmen (in Superman #2), child
   abusers and wife beaters (in Superman #3) and crooked cops and
   politicians (in Superman #7). By 1940, more extraordinary antagonists
   began to appear in the stories, including giants, mad scientists and
   dinosaurs.

   Superman's powers also developed during the 1940s, including vast
   increases in strength and acquiring the ability to fly — the earliest
   comics depict Superman able to leap only an eighth of a mile at a time.
   In Superman (Vol. 1) #61 (1949), Superman finally learns of the
   existence of Krypton. Superman becomes an honorary member of the
   Justice Society of America, though he only participates in two capers
   in the original Golden Age stories (All-Star Comics #8 and #36).

   Beginning in the 1940s, Superman's life as a boy is gradually fleshed
   out. The first Superboy story appears in More Fun Comics #101 (February
   1945) but the locale is still not clearly specified though it appears
   to be a Metropolis neighbourhood, and the Kents still do not have
   names. Superboy is not established as a Smallville resident until
   Superboy (Vol. 1) #2 (May 1949) and his parents' names, Jonathan and
   Martha Kent, are not mentioned until Superboy (Vol. 1) #12 in January
   1951, twelve years after his debut in Action Comics #1.

   Other developments in the Superman mythos appear as a result of
   appearances in other media, including radio and newspaper strips. The
   Daily Star becomes the Daily Planet — possibly because newspapers
   called The Daily Star already existed — and Perry White replaces
   original editor George Taylor in the first episode of the radio serial;
   an office boy named Jimmy Olsen joins the cast soon afterward.

Silver Age

   During the 1940s and 1950s, the Superman mythos gradually added
   familiar elements firmly established by the late 1950s, such as greater
   emphasis on the science fiction elements of Superman's world, including
   his Kryptonian origins as well as an updated version of his origins.

   In the version that became extant by the early 1960s (and memorably
   summarized at the start of each episode of the 1950s Adventures of
   Superman television series), Superman is born on Krypton as Kal-El, the
   son of Jor-El (a leader-scientist) and Lara. When Kal-El is two or
   three years-old, Jor-El learns that Krypton is doomed to explode. He
   brings this warning to the Science Council, Krypton's rulers. The
   Science Council refuses to warn their fellow Kryptonians and forbids
   Jor-El to do so. Jor-El immediately begins work on a rocket that will
   allow the whole family to escape the coming disaster; however, events
   move too quickly, and only a small model is completed by the time of
   the final quakes. Lara stays by her husband's side rather than
   accompany Kal-El to Earth so that his ship will have a better chance of
   surviving the trip. Knowing that Earth's lower gravity and yellow sun
   will give the boy extraordinary powers, Jor-El launches Kal-El's
   rocketship toward Earth moments before Krypton explodes.

   Kal-El's ship lands in a field near the town of Smallville and is
   discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent. They name the child Clark after
   Martha's maiden name. After formally adopting him, the Kents raise him.
   The Kents discover his amazing powers and train their adopted son to
   use his powers constructively. At the age of eight, Clark adopts the
   superhero identity " Superboy" and fights crime, both in the present
   and in the far future as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. After
   his graduation from high school and the death of his adoptive parents,
   Clark moves to Metropolis to attend Metropolis University. During his
   junior year, Clark changes his superhero name to "Superman". After
   graduating with a degree in journalism, Clark is hired by the Daily
   Planet.

   In 1971, the Galaxy Broadcasting Station and its president, Morgan
   Edge, purchase the Daily Planet, Edge subsequently naming Clark as the
   lead anchorman for its Metropolis television station, WGBS-TV. Later in
   the 1970s, childhood friend Lana Lang joins Clark in his newscasts as
   co-anchor.

   After the establishment of DC Comics' Multiverse in the 1960s, it is
   established retroactively that the Golden Age version of Superman lives
   on the parallel world of Earth-Two and is named "Kal-L", while his
   Silver Age counterpart lives on Earth-One and is named "Kal-El."

   While the Multiverse allowed for DC Comics to bring Golden Age stories
   back into continuity, it also created problems. There had been no break
   in Superman stories between the Golden and Silver Ages; the character
   had been published in one ongoing story since his debut. Additionally,
   DC had dropped the name "Kal-L" in favour of "Kal-El" before the end of
   the Golden Age. A series of stories in the 1970s establish that the
   Earth-Two Superman had married his version of Lois Lane in the 1950s (
   Action Comics #484 ( 1978)) and had become the editor-in-chief of The
   Daily Star. In the early 1970s, Kal-L discovers a Kryptonian rocket
   that contains his cousin, Kara Zor-L. After acclimating to Earth, Kara
   becomes the superheroine Power Girl. Kal-L also continues to serve with
   the revived Justice Society; he is revealed as a founding member of the
   group in the team's origin story in DC Special #29. In the early 1980s,
   Kal-L is also shown as a member of the All-Star Squadron during World
   War II.

   During the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the various
   parallel Earths are combined into one, retroactively eliminating some
   of Earth-Two's heroes from existence. Kal-L, the Earth-Two Superman,
   his wife Lois Lane of Earth-Two, the Superboy of Earth-Prime and
   Alexander Luthor, Jr. of Earth-Three, have no reality to call their
   own, and they enter a "paradise dimension" at the end of the series.
   Kal-L isn't seen again until the limited series The Kingdom, in which
   it is revealed that he has found a means of exiting his dimension, but
   chooses not to do so yet.

   DC Comics retired the Silver Age version of Superman in 1986, after the
   publication of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Just before the character's
   revamp, the Silver Age Superman was given a sendoff in the two-part
   story Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? published in Superman
   (Vol. 1) #423 and Action Comics #583, written by Alan Moore with art by
   Curt Swan. Although the new Modern Age version of Superman is said to
   have already been active for many years, most previous Superman
   appearances and elements were rendered out of continuity by John
   Byrne's Man of Steel. Later stories such as Superman: Birthright bring
   many of the Silver Age elements back into continuity.

Modern Age

Man of Steel

   In 1986, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series, DC Comics
   hired writer/artist John Byrne to re-create the Superman character,
   reshaping the previous 48 years of stories by putting new twists on the
   established mythos.

   In Byrne's re-introductory six issue limited series, Superman, like all
   post- Crisis Kryptonians, is conceived through in-vitro fertilization
   on Krypton. While still a fetus, he escapes Krypton's destruction in a
   spacecraft (his "birthing matrix" with a warp engine attached to it),
   and lands more than 50 years later on Earth, just outside of
   Smallville, Kansas. Superman is effectively born on Earth and is as
   much a son of Earth as of Krypton. As in the original version, the
   Kents find and adopt him and raise him like a normal human being.

   In Byrne's retelling, Clark's powers develop gradually, beginning with
   his invulnerability, and he doesn't fly until he is a teenager. After
   leaving Smallville, he travels the world before settling in Metropolis,
   completing his education, and going to work at the Daily Planet.
   Although he spends years helping people and averting disasters in
   secret during his travels, Clark does not become Superman until just
   before starting work at the Daily Planet when he prevents an
   experimental spacecraft from crashing in Metropolis. The Kents remain
   alive and continue to be important supporting characters in the
   franchise to this day. In this version, the Superman costume is
   designed by the Kents and made by Clark's adoptive mother.

   The post- Crisis comics present Clark Kent as the "real" person, with
   Superman as the secret identity that he uses to prevent his enemies
   from harming family and friends. People do not suspect that Superman is
   hiding his real identity because he wears no mask. The concept that
   Clark is the real man, as well as greater emphasis on his earthly
   upbringing, is a deliberate reversal of the pre- Crisis version.

   Another significant aspect of Superman's reinvention is a reduced level
   of abilities, with powers such as time travel removed completely and
   other powers — notably his invulnerability and super-strength — vastly
   reduced. The series also introduces the idea that Superman's
   invulnerability stems from his body's creating an "energy field" when
   exposed to solar radiation from Earth's yellow sun.

   Man of Steel #3 depicts the first meeting between Superman and Batman.
   Superman attempts to take Batman into custody but realizes that Batman
   must operate outside the law. Other post- Crisis comics show that the
   relationship between the two is a trusting one, despite the unease each
   feels due to the differences in their methods: Superman relies on trust
   and strength to achieve his goals in cooperation with the law, while
   Batman operates outside the law, relying on fear and his intellect.

   Man of Steel also reduces the emphasis on Superman's Kryptonian
   heritage. Previous comic books depicted a Superman not only aware of
   his heritage but also as versed in its language, culture, and other
   elements. In Man of Steel #6, Superman first learns of his Kryptonian
   heritage as an adult when his birthing matrix generates a memory
   implant. While such Kryptonian technology is able to help bolster his
   knowledge, the revamped Superman is no longer a completely
   Kryptonian-educated man.

Death

   In 1992, DC Comics published the storyline The Death of Superman, in
   which Superman battles a monster of then-unknown origins called
   Doomsday. Both Superman and Doomsday are killed, taking each other down
   with their final blows. Funeral for a Friend follows The Death of
   Superman, chronicling Superman's funeral and examines other characters'
   reactions to the death of the hero.

   Next, DC published the Reign of the Supermen storyline, during which
   four different characters — a new Superboy, the cyborg Man of Tomorrow,
   the brutal Last Son of Krypton and Steel — are introduced as Superman,
   although none of them actually are. A de-powered Kal-El later surfaces
   in a Kryptonian battle-suit near the end of Reign of the Supermen.
   After Steel and Linda Danvers destroy the battle-suit, Kal-El is
   revealed as the pilot, wearing a black costume with a silver 'S' shield
   and long hair. The cyborg allies with Mongul and destroys Coast City.
   Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, Steel, Hal Jordan and the Eradicator
   attack the "Engine City" built on top of Coast City, and the united
   Supermen defeat the Man of Tomorrow, who is exposed as scientist Hank
   Henshaw.

   As in the original continuity, Lois Lane is Clark Kent/Superman's love
   interest, but this was the first time they were presented as a couple
   in any medium. After the Reign of the Supermen storyline, Lois and
   Clark are reunited. The television series Lois and Clark: The New
   Adventures of Superman took its cues from this incarnation of Superman.
   When they eventually marry in the mid-1990s special Superman: The
   Wedding Album, it coincided with the marriage of the two characters in
   the television show.

Birthright

   In 2004, DC published an updated version of Superman's origin in the
   12-issue limited series Birthright. Written by Mark Waid, Birthright
   restores some of the pre- Crisis elements eliminated by John Byrne,
   including an emphasis on alien heritage.

   The series was planned as an origin story meant to reconcile material
   published between Man of Steel and Birthright. It introduces elements
   from Superman adaptations such as Superman: The Animated Series and the
   Smallville television series and brings several Silver Age and some
   Golden Age concepts back into continuity. Unlike the previous Man of
   Steel origin, Birthright doesn't eliminate most of the previous
   Superman stories told, even making references to Man of Steel itself.

   In Birthright, the "birthing matrix" is replaced by the more well-known
   rocketship, with Kal-El leaving Krypton as an infant rather than a
   fetus. Clark now possesses the ability to see a living being's " aura",
   Superman's identity has more facets than just Clark vs. Superman,
   instead his identities represent different aspects of his personality.
   "Smallville Clark" is the "true" Clark Kent, the one most comfortable
   with who he is and who he is with his parents. "Metropolis Clark" is
   quiet, fairly isolated, and shy, blending into the background and not
   drawing attention to himself. He often finds himself being the odd man
   out. Superman is also quiet, but rather than being seemingly harmless
   like Clark, he is a formidable force, tearing robot assault helicopters
   from the sky and dropping a drug lord's private yacht into his pool.

Infinite Crisis

   In the 2005-2006 Infinite Crisis limited series (the sequel to the
   1985-'86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths), the Earth-Two
   Superman (Kal-L) escapes from the "paradise" dimension with Alexander
   Luthor, Jr. and Superboy-Prime . Kal-L wants to recreate the universe,
   which he believes is corrupt, making aspects of Earth-Two predominant,
   rather than those of Earth-One. He believes this will also save the
   dying Lois Lane of Earth-2. Alexander Luthor builds a machine which
   re-creates Earth-2, transporting Kal-L and Lois there where Lois
   revives briefly before collapsing and dying. In grief, Kal-L lashes out
   at the Earth-One Superman, and the two fight until Wonder Woman arrives
   and ends their battle.

   The two Supermen team up to confront Luthor and Superboy-Prime, whose
   plan to restore the Multiverse will kill billions of people. The pair
   willingly deplete their powers as they drag Superboy-Prime into Rao,
   Krypton's red sun, and use the last of their strength to defeat him on
   Mogo, the sentient Green Lantern planet. Fatally wounded in the battle,
   Kal-L dies in his cousin Power Girl's arms. He and Lois are buried next
   to the deceased Superboy.

   Infinite Crisis Secret Files & Origins 2006 shows that Superboy-Prime
   is to blame for many continuity errors in the DC Universe. In his
   attempt to escape reality, his assault on the barrier wall of the
   paradise dimension alters history, causing revisions of events to
   occur, including the Birthright origin. Alexander Luthor, Jr.'s
   attempts to manipulate the Multiverse result in New Earth, affecting
   Superman's history further. Alexander indicates that Superman's early
   years are once more similar to the Silver Age and Birthright origins.

   During the publication of the Infinite Crisis limited series, the
   majority of DC Comics' superhero line advanced one year. One year
   later, Superman remains powerless, and Supergirl defends Metropolis.
   Unburdened by his responsibility to the world, Clark Kent has
   re-solidified his reputation as a star reporter. Lex Luthor's
   reputation is damaged irreparably, partially due to Clark's writing,
   and his fortune and power dwindle. Under attack, Clark's powers
   gradually return, and he returns to action. He finds that his sensory
   powers are enhanced, as are his computational abilities and memory.

Clark Kent

   Clark Kent is the secret identity of Superman. Kent, as opposed to
   Superman, is traditionally presented as behaving in a more introverted
   or mild manner compared to his superheroic self. John Byrne's Man of
   Steel revamp drops many traditional aspects of Clark Kent in favour of
   giving him a more aggressive and extroverted personality, including
   making Kent a top football player in high school and a successful
   author. Subsequent revamps have restored the more mild-mannered Clark
   Kent that is traditionally associated with the character.

   Clark is a reporter at the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet, which
   allows him to keep track of events in which he might be able to help.
   Fellow reporter Lois Lane is often the object of Clark's affection;
   Lois's affection for Superman and rejection of Clark are a recurring
   theme in Superman comics, television, and movies. Unlike Batman,
   Superman considers himself Clark Kent first and Superman second. In an
   episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Clark says,
   "Superman is what I can do. Clark is who I am."

   Clark keeps his Superman identity a secret to protect his loved ones.
   Various methods for keeping his Superman's identity secret over the
   years include his using "super-hypnosis", subliminally causing people
   to not make the connection, compressing his spine as Clark Kent to
   become shorter, and studying the Meisner acting technique to switch
   seamlessly between personas. Furthermore, since Superman goes into
   public unmasked, most people assume that he has no other identity. As
   long as he does not let on that he has another life, there is no real
   reason to look for a secret identity. Even Batman commended him on this
   disguise.

   Modern comic book stories show that to the average observer, Superman
   is the greatest hero in the world and a larger-than-life figure. When
   first confronted by evidence that Clark Kent is Superman, Lex Luthor
   dismisses it, saying, "No one with the power of Superman would be
   living as a normal man."

Personality and character

   In the Golden Age stories, Superman's personality is rough and
   destructive. Although nowhere near as cold-blooded as the early Batman,
   the Superman featured in the comics of the 1930s and 1940s is not
   squeamish about tossing evildoers around in such a manner that
   fatalities would logically be almost inevitable (although seldom or
   never shown on the page). His actions were more socially conscious,
   such as declaring war on reckless drivers, fighting against the
   mistreatment of prisoners or tearing down insufficient housing so that
   the government would be forced to build new homes. By the end of 1940,
   however, editor Whitney Ellsworth instituted a code of conduct for his
   characters to follow, and the writers moved toward Superman's better
   known "Boy Scout" persona.

   His adoptive human parents, the Kents, imbue young Clark Kent with a
   strong sense of purpose, morality and compassion. Superman was raised
   to believe that his abilities are gifts not to be abused. In many ways,
   he is the perfect hero as he embodies all the best traits that people
   would believe to see in themselves. Unlike the Golden Age Superman,
   this Superman dislikes killing, and vows to "never take a life", and to
   retire if he ever does. All the same, when General Zod taunts Superman
   in the Phantom Zone miniseries for his resolve, Superman responds "My
   code doesn't say a damned thing about not battering you to within an
   inch of yours!"

   Recent writers have attempted to deepen Superman's persona and provide
   a rationale for his goodness. Superman is often depicted with a mix of
   idealism, restraint, fairness and compassion. The Birthright limited
   series attributes Superman's compassion for living things to his
   ability to see their " auras". He also struggles with the differences
   between what is right and what is practical.

   In Superman/Batman #3, Batman thinks, "It is a remarkable dichotomy. In
   many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then...he shoots fire
   from the skies, and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And
   how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to him." In the modern
   age of comics, the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent has
   at times been strained by their differing ideologies, which results
   from their different backgrounds and upbringing. However, they have
   come to recognize each other as not only the most trusted of allies,
   but great friends, with Batman being the one person Superman trusted
   with Lex Luthor's kryptonite ring in order for someone to be able to
   stop Superman should he ever go rogue. Although a heavy burden to bear,
   Batman has proven worthy of doing so.

Powers and abilities

   Superman possesses extraordinary powers, traditionally described as,
   "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and
   able to leap tall buildings in a single bound", a phrase first used in
   the Superman radio serials and Max Fleischer animated shorts of the
   1940s as well as the TV series of the 1950s. Although contemporary
   media still reference Superman that way, the character's powers are
   much more vast and complex. For most of his existence, Superman's
   famous arsenal of powers include flight, super-strength,
   invulnerability, super-speed, vision powers (including x-ray, heat,
   telescopic, infra-red, and microscopic vision), super- photographic
   memory, super-hearing and super-breath, which enables him to freeze
   objects by blowing on them, as well as exert the propulsive force of
   high-speed winds.

   As originally conceived and presented in his early stories, Superman's
   powers were relatively limited, consisting of superhuman strength that
   allowed him to lift a car over his head, run at amazing speeds and leap
   one-eighth of a mile, as well as incredibly tough skin that could be
   pierced by nothing less than an exploding artillery shell. Writers
   gradually increased his powers to larger extents during the Silver Age,
   in which Superman could fly to other worlds and galaxies and even
   across universes with relative ease. He would often fly across the
   solar system to stop meteors from hitting earth in advance or sometimes
   just to get his mind off things. Writers found it increasingly
   difficult to write Superman stories in which the character was
   believably challenged, so DC Comics made a series of attempts to rein
   the character in. The most significant attempt, John Byrne's 1986
   rewrite, established several hard limits on his abilities: He barely
   survives a nuclear blast, and his space flights are limited by how long
   he can hold his breath. Superman's power levels have again increased
   since then, with Superman currently possessing enough strength to hurl
   a mountain and withstand nuclear blasts with ease.

   Unlike humans, Superman cannot give blood as his skin is impenetrable.
   He cannot donate organs due to his alien physiology. It is uncertain
   whether Superman can go without food or drink or for how long; some
   writers have portrayed him as obtaining all the energy he needs from
   Earth's yellow sun, much like photosynthesis.

   The source of Superman's powers changes subtly over the course of his
   history. It is originally said that Superman's abilities derive from
   his Kryptonian heritage, making him eons more evolved than humans. Soon
   it is established that Krypton's gravity had been stronger than
   Earth's, a situation similar to that of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John
   Carter. As Superman becomes increasingly godlike, the implication that
   all Kryptonians had possessed the same abilities became problematic for
   writers, making it doubtful that a race of such beings could have been
   wiped out by something as trifling as an exploding planet. In part to
   counter this, the Superman writers established that Kryptonians, whose
   native star had been red, only possessed superpowers under the light of
   a yellow sun. More recent stories have attempted to find a balance
   between the two explanations.

   Superman is most vulnerable to Kryptonite, mineral debris from Krypton
   transformed into radioactive material by the forces that destroyed the
   planet. Exposure to Kryptonite radiation nullifies Superman's powers
   and immobilizes him with pain; prolonged exposure will eventually kill
   him. The only mineral on Earth that can protect him from Kryptonite is
   lead, which blocks the radiation. Kryptonite was first introduced to
   the public in 1943 as a plot device to allow the radio serial voice
   actor, Bud Collyer, to take some time off; for several shows, Superman
   was represented by groaning noises while he was trapped by a chunk of
   Kryptonite. Green Kryptonite is the most commonly seen form but writers
   introduced other forms over the years, such as red, gold, blue and
   black, each with its own effect. Red, for example, could split Superman
   into two people, creating Superman Red and Superman Blue. But, a lead
   suit will prevent him from being affected at all, and he becomes
   invincible.

   Superman is also vulnerable to magic; however, this is not used in his
   stories as commonly as Kryptonite, and the vulnerability has been at
   best hazily defined. The most common implication is that, like any
   other person, Superman has no special protection against it via his
   powers.

   Superman's abilities have occasionally been removed or altered for
   dramatic reasons. In the Superman comics of the late 1990s, Superman
   loses his traditional powers and transforms into a being of
   electromagnetic energy. In this form, Superman can phase through solid
   objects, see frequencies of energy, and draw power from electrical
   sources. In order to maintain physical cohesion in this form, he needs
   to wear a containment suit. During this time, he is able to transform
   into the corporeal form of Clark Kent but has no special powers in his
   human guise.

   Superman's powers also dwindle (or usually, disappear) under the light
   of a red sun. In some canonical accounts, Superman's powers are
   proportionally reduced under an orange sun (midway in the spectrum
   between yellow and red), and actually increase under a white or blue
   sun (beyond yellow on the spectrum).

   Recently, some authors have implied that Superman's powers can reach
   nearly unlimited levels, based on solar energy absorption and
   withdrawal of mental blocks. In Our Worlds at War, Superman dives into
   the sun to gain sufficient energy to overpower Brainiac 13, who was
   imbued with the Imperiex Force. In Superman/Batman, when Kara Zor-El
   claims to be more powerful than Superman, he tells her that he put
   personal mental blocks on his powers as he grew up to keep from losing
   control and causing irreparable damage, blocks that Supergirl does not
   have. While Supergirl can appear to be stronger, Superman just has
   greater self-control.

   In an interview with Joe Casey on Alvaro's ComicBoards, he states that
   Superman can re-arrange the Solar System and tear a star apart. "I've
   always seen Superman as this completely over-the-top, fantastic
   character who has no limits whatsoever," writes Casey. Unencumbered by
   mental blocks, "Superman is unbeatable."

   It is implied in the One Year Later Superman story that Superman exerts
   an element of subconscious control over his powers; to be Superman
   truly, it appears that Clark Kent must, on some level, want to be
   Superman. This is evidenced by the one-year period following the
   Infinite Crisis during which he lives happily as the powerless Clark
   Kent, with no desire to return to his former lifestyle. This lasts
   until Intergang operatives attack him and his powers return as his life
   is imperiled. After this, his other skills return (including flight and
   super-speed).

Awards

   Superman, both the character and his various comic series, have
   received various awards over the years. The Reign of the Supermen
   storyline received the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite
   Comic Book Story in 1993.

Cultural influences

   Some people incorrectly believe that Superman is partly based on German
   philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's Übermensch, which literally
   translates to "overman", but could also mean "superman." However, it is
   important to realize that in many ways Superman and the Übermensch are
   polar opposites. Nietzsche envisioned the Übermensch as a man who had
   transcended the limitations of society, religion, and conventional
   morality while still being fundamentally human. Superman, although an
   alien gifted with incredible powers, chooses to limit himself to
   conventional human moral codes and social mores. Nietzsche envisioned
   the perfect man as being beyond moral codes; Siegel and Shuster
   envisioned the perfect man as holding himself to a higher standard of
   adherence to them.

   Because Siegel and Shuster were both Jewish, it is thought that their
   creation was partly influenced by the nativity tale of Moses, and also
   by the Jewish legends of the Golem, a mythical being created to protect
   and serve the persecuted Jews of 16th century Prague and later revived
   in popular culture in reference to their suffering at the hands of the
   Nazis in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. (Superman's Kryptonian
   name, "Kal-El," resembles the Hebrew words קל-אל, which means "voice of
   God".)

   Another influence could be Hugo Danner, the main character of the novel
   Gladiator by Philip Wylie. Danner has the same powers of the early
   Superman (as do many other pulp characters of the twenties and
   thirties).

   Doc Savage may be another influence; from sharing the first name of
   "Clark" to both having an arctic Fortress of Solitude and the
   similarity between the "Man of Bronze" and "Man of Steel" monikers. The
   Fortress of Solitude, however, was a very late addition to the Superman
   mythology, and both the "Man of Steel" and "Man of Bronze" nicknames
   were probably influenced by Howard Pyle's novel Men of Iron. However,
   the sources cited by Jerry Siegel himself were Edgar Rice Burroughs'
   John Carter of Mars and Tarzan, Johnston McCulley's Zorro, and E.C.
   Seegar's Popeye. Superman also appears to have been influenced by Jack
   Williamson's The Girl From Mars.

   One sometimes overlooked early influence on early Superman stories is
   the context of the Great Depression. The left-leaning perspective of
   creators Shuster and Siegel is reflected in early storylines. Superman
   sometimes took on the role of social activist, fighting crooked
   businessmen and politicians and demolishing run-down tenements, for
   example.^[ citations needed] In the earlier storylines Shuster and
   Siegal often had Superman champion a variety of social causes. In later
   Superman radio programs Superman continued to take on a social issues
   like prejudice. For example, Superman took on a version of the KKK in a
   1946 broadcast of The Adventures of Superman (radio).

Characters

Supporting characters

   Lois Lane is perhaps the character most commonly associated with
   Superman, being portrayed at different times as his colleague,
   competitor, love interest and/or wife. Other main supporting characters
   include Daily Planet coworkers such as photographer Jimmy Olsen and
   editor Perry White, Clark Kent's adopted parents Jonathan and Martha
   Kent, childhood sweetheart Lana Lang and best friend Pete Ross, and
   former college love interest Lori Lemaris (a mermaid). Incarnations of
   Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog, and Superboy have also been major
   characters in the mythos, as well as the Justice League of America (of
   which Superman is usually a member).

   Team-ups with fellow comics icon Batman are a fan-favorite, inspiring
   many stories over the years. When paired, they are often referred to as
   the "World's Finest" in a nod to the name of the comic book series that
   features many team-up stories. In 2003, DC Comics began to publish a
   new series featuring the two characters titled Superman/Batman.

   Minor supporting characters over the years have included Superman's
   technological aid and eccentric inventors Professor Emil Hamilton and
   Professor Phineas Potter, Metropolis police officers Inspector William
   Henderson, Maggie Sawyer, and Dan Turpin, and former
   sailor-turned-bartender Bibbo Bibbowski.

   A feature shared by several supporting characters share is alliterative
   names, especially with the initials "LL", including Lex Luthor, Lois
   Lane, Linda Lee, Lana Lang, Lori Lemaris and Lucy Lane. Alliterative
   names were common in early comics.

Villains

   Superman also has a rogues gallery of enemies, including his most
   well-known nemesis, Lex Luthor, who has been envisioned over the years
   in various forms as either a rogue scientific genius with a personal
   vendetta against Superman, or a powerful but corrupt CEO of a
   conglomerate called LexCorp.

   The alien android (in most incarnations) known as Brainiac is
   considered by some as the second most effective enemy of Superman. The
   enemy that accomplished the most, by actually killing Superman, is the
   raging monster Doomsday. Darkseid, one of the most powerful beings in
   the DC Universe, is also a formidable nemesis in most post-crisis
   comics.

   Other enemies of note include the demon Satanus, the fifth-dimensional
   imp Mr. Mxyzptlk, the Ultra-Humanite, the imperfect Superman clone or
   duplicate Bizarro, criminal cyborg Metallo, Kryptonian criminal General
   Zod (and other Kryptonians imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for their
   crimes), the Parasite, the Prankster, the Cyborg Superman, Terra-Man,
   the Toyman, Composite Superman, Gog, and the Metropolis gang known as
   Intergang (which includes mad scientists such as Dabney Donovan and
   Thaddeus Killgrave).

Superman in popular culture

   In addition to comic books, Superman has made the transition to radio,
   television, movies, Broadway and video games each on multiple
   occasions. Among the actors who have played the role are Kirk Alyn (the
   1948 15-episode serial), Bob Holiday ( It's a Bird...It's a
   Plane...It's Superman, a Broadway musical), George Reeves ( Adventures
   of Superman), Christopher Reeve (the 1970s–1980s films), John Haymes
   Newton and Gerard Christopher ( Superboy), Dean Cain ( Lois and Clark:
   The New Adventures of Superman), Tim Daly ( Superman: The Animated
   Series, Superman: Brainiac Attacks), Tom Welling ( Smallville), George
   Newbern ( Justice League and Justice League Unlimited), Brandon Routh (
   Superman Returns), and Yuri Lowenthal ( Legion of Super Heroes).

   As portrayed by Christopher Reeve in the 1978 film, Superman is ranked
   at no. 26 on The AFI's Top 50 Heroes list.

   Superman has also long been a popular subject for music, inspiring
   songs by artists ranging from The Kinks to Barbra Streisand, including
   Eminem, Stereophonics, Our Lady Peace, Spin Doctors, Crash Test
   Dummies, Five For Fighting, The Flaming Lips, 3 Doors Down, 50 Cent,
   Frank Black, Sufjan Stevens, Bush, Laurie Anderson, Lazlo Bane, Dave
   Matthews, The Clique, Donovan and Robyn Hitchcock.

   Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is known to be a very big Superman fan. In many
   episodes of Seinfeld, there are many references to Superman in addition
   to various memorabilia placed in Jerry's apartment.

   Seinfeld himself later appeared alongside an animated Superman (voiced
   by Patrick Warburton, who played David Puddy in numerous episodes of
   Seinfeld) in a series of American Express commercials, most notably
   including the internet series " The Adventures of Seinfeld and
   Superman."

   Shaquille O'Neal is also known for being a big fan of the Man of Steel,
   going so far as to imprint Superman's logo on his arm. O'Neal also
   portrayed the character Steel (John Henry Irons), in Steel. Steel first
   appeared in The Death of Superman storyline.

   In addition to popular music, the Superman character has made his way
   into classical music. Superman is the inspiration for composer Michael
   Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony. This symphony is in five movements,
   which are:
    1. "Lex"
    2. "Krypton"
    3. "Mxyzptlk"
    4. "Oh Lois!"
    5. "Red Cape Tango"

   The fifth movement, "Red Cape Tango", is inspired by Superman's fight
   to the death with Doomsday. Also, Superman villain Bizarro inspired a
   jazzy Michael Daugherty piece of music of the same name.

   Superman was named the number 2 pop culture icon in VH1's top pop
   culture icons in 2004.

Additional reading

     * Superman Returns: Over Superboy's Dead Body An analysis of the
       origins of Superman.
     * Last Son of Krypton - a novel by Elliot S! Maggin: Superman's "life
       story" is told and he faces a mysterious alien ruler.
     * Superfolks - a novel about a retired superhero who serves as a
       Superman analog.
     * What makes Superman so darned American? - an Essay by Gary Engle
       about the Identity of Superman. [Note: Mr. Engle mistranslates
       Malachim (angels) as 'sons of the Gods', more accurately it would
       be translated as 'messengers'. In fact, his entire use of Hebrew is
       questionable.]
     * Miracle Monday - a novel by Elliot S! Maggin: tells the story of
       Superman trying to stop an entity of pure evil from causing
       universal chaos.
     * It's Superman! - A novel by Tom De Haven: A new interpretation of
       Superman's origins, taking place in 1935, and going more into
       Superman's motivations.
     * " For the Man Who Has Everything" - written by Alan Moore,
       illustrated by Dave Gibbons: Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman
       journey to Superman's Fortress of Solitude to celebrate his
       birthday only to find their friend rendered comatose by an alien
       parasite that grants its host the illusion of their heart's desire.
       Originally published in Superman Annual #11 (1985) and recently
       adapted for the animated series Justice League Unlimited by J.M.
       DeMatteis. Reprinted in Across the Universe: The DC Universe
       Stories of Alan Moore ( ISBN 1-4012-0087-7)
     * Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? - written by Alan Moore,
       illustrated by Curt Swan and George Pérez: The final chapter on the
       pre-Crisis Silver/Bronze Age Superman. Originally published in
       Superman #423 and Action Comics #583. Reprinted in DC Universe: The
       Stories of Alan Moore ( ISBN 1-4012-0927-0).
     * The Man of Steel - written and illustrated by John Byrne: The
       revamp of Superman's origins following Crisis on Infinite Earths.
     * The Death of Superman, World Without a Superman, and The Return of
       Superman - written by various artists, notably Dan Jurgens: the
       story of Superman's death, the world's (and his loved ones')
       reaction, and his eventual return. A novelization of the trilogy,
       entitled The Death and Life of Superman, was written by Roger
       Stern.
     * The Further Adventures of Superman - edited by Martin H. Greenberg.
       A collection of short stories written by talented authors
       presenting all-new adventures of the Man of Steel. (Bantam Books,
       November 1993, ISBN 0-553-28568-8)
     * Kingdom Come - written by Mark Waid, illustrated by Alex Ross: A
       painted epic, in which Superman has temporarily retired, giving way
       to a new breed of reckless, morally ambiguous superheroes. The
       story was novelized by Elliot S! Maggin.
     * Superman For All Seasons - written by Jeph Loeb, illustrated by Tim
       Sale: Superman as a young man in a timeless, Rockwellian America,
       maturing from confused lad to superpowered Metropolite.
     * Superman's Metropolis - written by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Roy
       Thomas, illustrated by Ted McKeever revisits the character through
       the prism of German Expressionism cinema in a story patterned after
       Fritz Lang's original Metropolis.
     * " Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter" - written and illustrated
       by Kyle Baker: Letitia baby-sits the superpowered baby Clark, who
       rampages around the Kent's farm and ends up in a microwave oven.
       The story won the Eisner Award for Best Short Story in 2000.
     * Superman: Red Son - written by Mark Millar, illustrated by Dave
       Johnson: Elseworlds story asks "What if Superman had been raised in
       the Soviet Union?" Superman now stands for workers' rights and the
       struggle for global equality, and sets out to promote world
       communism.
     * Superman: Birthright - a twelve issue limited series written by
       Mark Waid and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu: A "re-imagining" of
       Superman which brings back some old, pre-Crisis concepts and adds
       new modern ones.
     * Superman: Secret Identity - written by Kurt Busiek, with watercolor
       illustrations by Stuart Immonen, this presents the four-part story
       of a man in the real world named Clark Kent who discovers as a
       teenager that he possesses the powers of the fictional Man of
       Steel. This poignant story uses Superman as a metaphor for each
       major stage of human life (youth, adult, parent, old age).
     * " Übermensch!" - Kim Newman's 1991 short story that, à la Superman:
       Red Son, examines a Superman raised not in Kansas, but in Bavaria
       during the rise of Nazism. Several decades after fighting for
       "Strength, purity, the Aryan way," Superman is a prisoner in
       Spandau Prison who receives a visit from an aging Nazi hunter.
     * Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller's gritty four-part
       limited series is technically a Batman storyline, but Superman
       plays a very important and unique role here, facing off against his
       traditional ally.

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