Wikipedia

Jor-El

Jor-Elis a character appearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byDC Comics.Created by writerJerry Siegeland artistJoe Shuster,Jor-El first appeared in theSupermannewspaper comic stripin 1939.

Jor-El
Jor-El as depicted inThe Adventures of Superman#589 (February 2001).
Art by Paul Rivoche.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSupermancomic strip
(January 16, 1939)
Created byJerry Siegel(writer)
Joe Shuster(artist)
In-story information
Full nameJor-El
SpeciesKryptonian
Place of originKrypton
Team affiliationsScience Council
Notable aliasesJor-L (in theGolden Age)
Mister Oz (in "DC Rebirth")
Abilities
  • Genius-level intellect
  • Proficient scientist, inventor, and engineer
  • Utilizes technologically advanced equipment
  • Skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant

Jor-El is Superman's biological father, the husband ofLara,and a leading scientist on the planetKryptonbefore its destruction. He foresees his planet's fate but is unable to convince his colleagues in time to rescue most of Krypton's inhabitants. Jor-El is able to save his infant son Kal-El (Superman) by launching him towards Earth in a homemade spaceship just moments before Krypton explodes. When Superman later constructs his headquarters, theFortress of Solitude,he honors his biological parents with the inclusion of a statue of Jor-El and Lara holding up a globe of Krypton. The fortress also holds a holographic copy of Jor-El's consciousnesses, letting Superman interact with his father for advice and knowledge.

Jor-El was portrayed byMarlon Brandoin the filmsSupermanandSuperman II.Archival footage cut from the prior films was used with the permission of Brando's estate to insert the deceased Brando into 2006'sSuperman Returnsin a reprise of the role. Terence Stamp played the voice or Jor-El in the television series Smallville and was portrayed by Julian Sands. The character was then portrayed byRussell Crowein theDC Extended UniversefilmMan of Steel.Angus Macfadyenportrayed the character in the first season of the television seriesSuperman & Lois.

Fictional character biography

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Precursor (New Adventure Comics)

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Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, the creators of both Superman and Jor-L, first introduced a character named "Jor-L" in 1936, more than a year before the first Superman story was published.[1][2]The original "Jor-L" appeared inNew Adventure Comics(released in 1936,cover-datedJanuary 1937), a re-titled issue #12 of the previousNew Comics,which would be re-titled again, starting with issue #32, as the 45-year-longAdventure Comicsseries.[3]

Featured in the four-page Shuster and Siegel stripFederal Men,this "Jor-L" is not anextraterrestrialbut, instead, a far-future "acesleuth"in the service of" Interplanetary Federation Headquarters ". The character battles" Nira-Q ", the outer-space-faring" bandit queen ", in the year3000 A.D.The 1936 "Jor-L" exists as part of astory within a story,as Shuster and Siegel's strip presents the tale as a scientist's forecast of future crime-fighting told to the contemporary 1930s-eraG-manheroes ofFederal Men.[1][2]

"Golden Age" and "Silver Age" versions

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Jor-El was first referred to indirectly inAction Comics#1 in 1938, which only mentioned a scientist who sends his son to Earth. He made his first full-fledged appearance in theSupermannewspaper comic stripon January 16, 1939, where his name was spelled as "Jor-L". His name first appeared as being spelled "Jor-el" in theSupermannovelThe Adventures of Superman(1942) written byGeorge Lowther.Later comic books capitalized the "E" in "El." Jor-El's first appearance in a comic book was inMore Fun Comics#101.

Jor-El (left) and wife Lara (right), as statues in Superman'sSilver AgeFortress of Solitude.FromDC Special Series#26, June 1981. Art byRoss Andru.

In the 1960s, now known as part of theSilver Age of Comic Books,DC Comicsintroduced to its superhero stories the fictional concept of different versions of characters from real-world publication history existingin separate "universes"that could communicate with each other.[4][5]As DC developed this concept through further stories, the version of Superman's father during the previousGolden Age of Comic Bookswas identified as "Jor-L",matching the original spelling of the character's name, who lived on the Krypton of theEarth-Two"universe"(derived from the versions of characters and stories that appeared during the earlier" Golden Age "period of publication history). In contrast, the concept presented" Jor-El"as no longer another spelling of the same name but a different character entirely: the father of the then-contemporary" Silver Age "version of Superman, who lived on the Krypton of theEarth-One"universe" (used to describe the setting for then-current "Silver Age" stories and characters, some of which had been substantially changed from their "Golden Age" versions).[6]

A retelling of Superman'sorigin storyin 1948 first delved into detail about Jor-El. However, his formal and more familiar Silver Age aspects were firmly established starting in the late 1950s. Over the course of the next several decades, there was a definitive summarization in the miniseriesWorld of Kryptonin1979(not to be confused with the similarly-named post-Crisis on Infinite Earthslate-1980scomic miniseries).

His accomplishments

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As presented in theWorld of Kryptonminiseries and other stories from theSilver Age of Comic Books,Jor-El is Krypton's leading scientist, inventing, among other devices, a self-titledhovercar.He also discovers a parallel plane of existence which he calls thePhantom Zoneand invents a device that can open portals to it. This device gets him a seat on the Science Council, Krypton's ruling body. He lives in Krypton's major city ofKryptonopolis.

Even before Jor-El's birth, the El family is renowned for its contributions to Kryptonian society. Ancestors of Jor-El include Val-El, anexplorer;Sul-El, the inventor of Krypton's firsttelescope;Tala-El, the author of Krypton's first planetaryconstitution;Hatu-El, the inventor of Krypton's firstelectromagnetand electric motor; and Gam-El, the father of modern Kryptonianarchitecture.

Family life

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Familyemblemof theHouse of El,the popular logo of his son, Kal-El

Jor-El has two brothers:Zor-El,who lives in Argo City and eventually becomes the father of Kara, aliasSupergirl,and an identical twin brother named Nim-El, who lives inKandor.In several stories, Jor-El's father is established as Jor-El I, and his mother as Nimda (née An-Dor).[citation needed]Jor-El eventually meets and marries Lara, the daughter of Lor-Van and a young astronaut in Krypton's fledgling space program, which is shut down afterJax-Urdestroys Krypton's moon Wegthor.[7]

Jor-El's warnings of Krypton's doom

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When Krypton begins experiencing a series ofearthquakes,Jor-El investigates. He soon discovers, to his horror, that Krypton's core is extremely unstable and radioactive, and will eventually reachcritical massand explode, taking the entire planet and its populace with it.[8]Jor-El tries to convince the members of the Science Council of this impending disaster and urges re-establishing Krypton's space program so giant spacecraft can be built to carry the populace to another habitable world. However, the Council is dismissive of Jor-El's findings and refuses to comply with his plan. Some even accuse him of treachery, trying to cause chaos so he can take over. This had beenGeneral Zod's failed plot, causing his banishment to the Phantom Zone. Thus, the Council is wary of Jor-El's motives.

Around the time he discovers Krypton's impending doom, Jor-El meets his own son Kal-El without realizing it, after Kal-El accidentally travels back in time. There are supporters of Jor-El's theory, but when a ship is constructed to evacuate them, the city of Kandor is shrunken and stolen byBrainiac,removing the people who believe in Jor-El's work.[9]

Frustrated, Jor-El continues his work on space travel on his own, hoping to build a spacecraft to save his family. This work includes launching several smaller test rockets; one of these rockets includes the family dogKrypto.[10]However, as time runs short, Jor-El only has enough time to build a spacecraft to save his son Kal-El. He decides to send Kal-El to Earth, realizing he will gain superhuman powers under Earth's yellow sun and lower gravity. As Krypton goes through its final destructive stages, Jor-El and Lara place their son in the rocket and launch him toward Earth, before they are killed along with almost all the rest of the planet's population. Lara could have fit inside the rocket as well, but chose to stay behind to improve Kal-El's chances of reaching Earth.

Post-Crisis

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After the 1985-1986miniseriesCrisis on Infinite EarthsandJohn Byrne's 1986 miniseriesThe Man of SteelrewroteSuperman's origins, details about Jor-El's background and character were changed. In Byrne's version, Jor-El inhabits a cold and emotionally sterile Krypton where even bodily contact is forbidden. Indeed, Jor-El himself is considered a "throwback" for actually expressing emotions toward his mateLaraand favoring the less sterilized days of past Kryptonian eras. Another change in this version is Jor-El genetically altering his son'sfetus(gestating in a "birthing matrix" ) to allow him to leave Krypton (in this version of the mythos, Kryptonians are genetically "bonded" to the planet itself, not allowing them to leave) and merely attaching awarp engineto the matrix instead of constructing a ship wholesale. The result is that Kal-El is "born" when the birthing matrix opens on Earth.

In the 1990s seriesStarmanJor-El meets a time-travelingJack KnightandMikaal Tomas,two individuals who both bear at various points the name "Starman", and are accidentally sent 70 years back in time and hurled across space. Jor-El thereby first learns of Earth's existence; in return, Jor-El helps Knight and Tomas escape from his overbearing fatherSeyg-El.

In the 2004 miniseriesSuperman: Birthright,Jor-El, along with Krypton and Lara, was, more or less, reinstated to his Silver Age versions, though with such updated touches as Lara contributing equally to the effort of sending Kal-El, once again an infant while on Krypton, to Earth. In this version, Jor-El discovers Earth moments before launching his son's spacecraft. Also, the conclusion of the miniseries has the adult Superman, on Earth, seeing his parents throughLex Luthor's time-space communicator, and on Krypton, seconds before its destruction, Jor-El and Lara see their son alive and well on Earth and know that their efforts are successful. As with Byrne's conflicting view of Krypton, theBirthrightorigins of Jor-El, Krypton, and Luthor have beenretconned,and, followingInfinite Crisis,they are no longer valid in comicscanon.

However, a more recent storyline co-written byGeoff JohnsandSupermandirectorRichard Donnerpresented yet another version of Jor-El and Krypton which reintroducedGeneral Zodand the Phantom Zone criminals. With art byAdam Kubert,Jor-El is depicted for the first time with a beard and the design of Kryptonian society is distinct yet again fromBirthrightandMan of Steel,incorporating elements of Donner's work on the first twoChristopher Reevefilms, in particular the notion of Krypton's Council threatening Jor-El with harsh penalty of exile to the very Phantom Zone he himself discovered if he is to make public his predictions of their planet's imminent doom or otherwise attempt to "create a climate of panic."

Jor-El is shown here to have been mentored by friend and noted scientistNon,who corroborates Jor-El's findings regarding Krypton's impending destruction, when the two are arrested and brought to trial before the Council by Zod andUrsa.When Non defies the Council's dire prohibitions and elects to spread the word of the coming apocalypse, he is abducted by Council agents and apparentlylobotomized,thus explaining the character's mute simple-mindedness, brutality and destructiveness in line withJack O'Halloran's performance as Non in the first two Reeve films. Appalled, Zod and Ursa propose to Jor-El that they band together and overthrow the Council, but Jor-El will have none of it. When their murderous insurrection fails, the Council forces Jor-El to exile them to the Phantom Zone and never speak of his findings again, lest he face the same fate. For this perceived betrayal, Zod declares that he will escape and conquer Krypton (confident that Jor-El will discover some way to save the planet) and force the scientist and his son to kneel before him one day.

Having been re-built via a Kryptonian crystal during theOne Year Laterstory arc, the current version of the Fortress of Solitude, which is also designed to essentially be visually identical to the Donner andBryan Singerfilms, now contains an advanced interactive "recording" of Jor-El which, although visually dissimilar toMarlon Brando,is otherwise identical in function to that featured inSuperman Returns.

Superman/Batman#50 presents Jor-El sending a probe to Earth that makes contact withThomas Waynewhile he is on a drive with a pregnantMartha,the probe holographically transmitting Thomas' consciousness to Krypton so that Jor-El can better learn what kind of world Earth is to help him decide which of many possible candidates he should send his son to. Thomas tells Jor-El that the people of Earth are not perfect, but are essentially a good and kind race who will raise the child right, convincing Jor-El to send Kal-El there. Thomas records his encounter in a diary, which is discovered by his sonBruce Waynein the present day.

"The New 52" and "DC Rebirth"

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The New 52version of the character on the cover ofSuperman(vol. 3) #0 byKenneth Rocafort
Jor-El on the cover ofAction Comics#989 (2017) by Jay Leisten and Neil Edwards

Following two line-wide revisions of DC superhero comic books, branded by DC Comics as “New 52”and “DC Rebirth”,the character Jor-El was revised to be still alive due to being rescued byDoctor Manhattan.After being nursed back to health by locals, Jor-El sees firsthand the atrocities of man, as a dictator usurps all of what the people own, causing them to starve. After witnessing these atrocities, Jor-El is forced to watch the horrors of mankind over the centuries and becomesMister Oz.[11]Jor-El becomes dissatisfied with humanity and attempts to force his son and his family to leave in the belief that Earth cannot be saved, but when Superman forces him to acknowledge that he is attacking his own son, he withdraws. It is later established that Jor-El is a member of the Circle, a clandestine organization composed of five powerful cosmic beings and intergalactic rulers including theGuardian of the UniverseAppa Ali Apsa,Sardath,and Rogol Zaar, the being who destroyed Krypton.[12]Jor-El is later discovered to have created Rogol Zaar and is transported back in time to die.[13]

Other versions

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  • An alternate universe variant of Jor-El appears inSuperman: The Last Family of Krypton.This version survived Krypton's destruction and accompanied Lara and Kal-El to Earth, where he sets up the corporation JorCorp while Lara establishes the self-help movement 'Raology'.
  • An alternate universe variant of Jor-El appears inSuperman Adventures.This version is a resident of a Kryptonian city that survived Krypton's destruction. After the 'prime' Superman arrives in this world, Jor-El destroys the city to send him home.[14]

In other media

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Television

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Live-action

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Tom Wellingas young Jor-El inSmallvillein the show's third season episode "Relic"
Julian Sandsas Jor-El in the ninth seasonSmallvilleepisode "Kandor"

Animation

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Jor-El and his wife Lara as they appear inSuperman: The Animated Series.

Films

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Live-action

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1978 series
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  • Jor-El appears inSuperman(1978), portrayed byMarlon Brando.[28]The film originated the idea of Superman's iconic"S" -shield symboloriginally being the family crest of the House of El, which resembles an Earth "S" by coincidence. Originally conceived by Brando himself and suggested on-set, this origin of the famous Superman symbol has been used in many stories since. In the current comics, however, the shield is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope," and not only is it worn by Jor-El in a similar manner to Brando of the first feature film, but it adorns all manner of Kryptonian flags, clothing, spaceships, and equipment.
  • Brando filmed additional footage forSuperman II,before differences behind the scenes caused his footage to be cut. However, it was later restored for the 2006 revised version,Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.In theRichard Donner Cut,Jor-El again appears as an image, posthumously attempting to guide and inform Kal-El. Jor-El's historical crystals reveal toLex Luthorthe existence of the three Phantom Zone criminalsGeneral Zod,UrsaandNon,which makes Luthor realize just who and what they are (and that it was Superman who caused their release). Jor-El is asked by Clark if he can live a life as a human with Lois, and he tries to persuade Clark not to wish so, but Clark is firm in his wish. Jor-El then reveals the crystal chamber with the rays of Krypton'sred sunwhich will make Clark human forever. Later, Clark returns to find all the crystals and information regarding Krypton destroyed, but finds the original crystal and is able to bring back Jor-El. Jor-El sacrifices his remaining life-force to restore his son's powers so that Superman can save Earth from Zod. Superman later destroys the Fortress after it has been breached by Luthor and the Phantom Zone criminals, but then goes back in time, where it remains normal.
  • Jor-El appears inSuperman Returns,portrayed again by Marlon Brando via archival footage.[28]
DC Extended Universe
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  • Jor-El appears inMan of Steel,portrayed byRussell Crowe.[29]Rejecting the Kryptonian tradition of eugenics and artificial birth, this version stole the Kryptonian genetic codex to preserve the Kryptonian race and provide his son with the distinction of choosing his own destiny, creatingKal-El,who is then sent to Earth before Krypton's destruction. Following a 33-year imprisonment in stasis for an attempted coup in which he murdered Jor-El, General Zod and his lieutenants pursue the infant to Earth, where Clark Kent first encounters his father via an interactive computer hologram that simulates his father's personality and knowledge. The AI of Jor-El was later destroyed by General Zod.

Animation

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Video games

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Novels

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Superman: Last Son of Krypton

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In theElliot S. Maggin1978 novelSuperman: Last Son of Krypton,Jor-El is shown as having sent a navigation probe ahead of Kal-El's spaceship, to find a suitable foster parent on his new planet. In Kryptonian society, scientific achievement was a preeminent virtue, so Jor-El's probe was programmed to seek out the leading scientific mind on Earth, presumably to adopt Kal-El. The probe landed (in the early 1950s, although the date is non-specific) inPrinceton, New Jersey,where it soon appeared outside the window ofAlbert Einsteinand communicated its mission to him throughtelepathy,along with precise details of where Kal-El's rocket would land (nearSmallville,Kansas), several days later.

The Last Days of Krypton

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In the 2007 novelThe Last Days of KryptonbyKevin J. Anderson,Jor-El is shown as a science hero who is respected and admired by all of the people of Krypton and has a standing offer of a place on the Council. Yet his clashing with this conservative Council over new discoveries supplies much of the tension in the book. General Zod and his two minions make a bid to take over Krypton, first posing as Krypton's saviors.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abCronin, Brian (16 October 2008)."Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #177".Comics Should Be Good.Comic Book Resources.Archived fromthe originalon 22 October 2013.Retrieved3 September2013.
  2. ^abJerry Siegel(w),Joe Shuster(p). "Federal Men"New Adventure Comics,no. 12 (January 1937).
  3. ^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019).DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle.DK Publishing. p. 16.ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
  4. ^McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1960s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.).DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle.Dorling Kindersley.p. 103.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.This classic Silver Age story [Flash of Two Worlds] resurrected the Golden Age Flash and provided a foundation for the Multiverse from which he and the Silver Age Flash would hail.
  5. ^Flash of Two Worlds(The Flash#123)
  6. ^Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010).The Essential Superman Encyclopedia.Del Rey. pp.136–139.ISBN978-0-345-50108-0.
  7. ^Superman#233 (January 1971). DC Comics.
  8. ^Fleisher, Michael L. (2007).The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman.DC Comics. pp.97–105.ISBN978-1-4012-1389-3.
  9. ^Superman#141 (November 1960). DC Comics.
  10. ^Adventure Comics#210 (March 1955). DC Comics.
  11. ^Action Comics#987. DC Comics (Burbank, California).
  12. ^The Man of Steel(vol. 2) #1. DC Comics.
  13. ^Superman(vol. 5) #15 (November 2019)
  14. ^Superman Adventures#30-31. DC Comics.
  15. ^Richard Fielding&Whitney Ellsworth(writers);Tommy Carr(director) (1952-09-15). "Superman on Earth".Adventures of Superman.Season 1. Episode 1.Syndication.
  16. ^Dan Levine (writer);Bill D'Elia(director) (1994-02-20). "Foundling".Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.Season 1. Episode 16.ABC.
  17. ^Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming (writers);Philip Sgriccia(director) (1996-05-12). "Big Girls Don't Fly".Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.Season 3. Episode 22.ABC.
  18. ^Alfred Gough, Miles Millar (writers) & Greg Beeman (director) (2003-05-20). "Exodus".Smallville.Season 2. Episode 23.The WB.
  19. ^Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson (writers) & James Marshall (director) (2003-10-08). "Phoenix".Smallville.Season 3. Episode 2. The WB.
  20. ^Miles Millar, Alfred Gough (writers) & Greg Beeman (director) (2004-09-22). "Crusade".Smallville.Season 4. Episode 1. The WB.
  21. ^Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer (writers) & Greg Beeman (director) (2005-05-18). "Commencement".Smallville.Season 4. Episode 22. The WB.
  22. ^Alfred Gough, Miles Millar (writers) & Miles Millar (director) (2004-04-28). "Memoria".Smallville.Season 3. Episode 19. The WB.
  23. ^Burlingame, Russ (February 10, 2021)."Superman & LoisCasts Angus Macfadyen as Jor-El (Exclusive) ".Comicbook.com.
  24. ^abcdefgh"Jor-El Voices (Superman)".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  25. ^Alan Burnett,Paul Dini& Bob Goodman (writers); Dan Riba (director) (1996-09-06). "The Last Son of Krypton".Superman: The Animated Series.Season 1. Episode 1.The WB.
  26. ^Rich Fogel &Bruce Timm(writers); Dan Riba & Butch Lukic (directors) (2003-07-05). "Twilight (Parts 1 and 2)".Justice League.Season 2. Episode 1 & 2.Cartoon Network.
  27. ^"Jor-El Voice -The Looney Tunes Show(TV Show) ".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  28. ^abFreiman, Barry."One-on-One Interview with Producer Ilya Salkind".Superman Homepage.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.
  29. ^Warner, Kara (June 15, 2011)."Superman Finds A Dad: Russell Crowe JoinsMan Of Steel– MTV Movie News ".MTV. Archived fromthe originalon June 16, 2011.RetrievedJuly 14,2011.
  30. ^Lovell, Kevin (February 14, 2022)."Trailer, Artwork & Release Info ForTeen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem In The Multiverse;On Blu-ray, DVD & Digital May 24, 2022 From DC - Warner Bros ".Screen Connections.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.
  31. ^Luchies, Adam (July 3, 2022)."Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super SonsSets 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital Release ".Collider.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.
  32. ^Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013)."DC Characters and Objects -Scribblenauts UnmaskedGuide ".IGN.RetrievedJuly 14,2024.
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