Superman

This article is about the superhero. For other uses, seeSuperman (disambiguation).

Clark Kent / Kal-El Superman
Superman appearing on a variant cover ofAction Comics#1000(April 2018) Art byJason Fabok.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Action Comics#1 (cover-datedJune 1938; published April 18, 1938)
Created by	Jerry Siegel(writer) Joe Shuster(artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Kal-El (birth name) Clark J. Kent (adopted name)
Species	Kryptonian
Place of origin	Krypton
Team affiliations	Justice League Legion of Super-Heroes Superman Family
Partnerships	Supergirl(various) Superboy(various) Batman Wonder Woman
Notable aliases	Superboy The Man of Steel The Last Son of Krypton The Man of Tomorrow The Big Blue Boy Scout
Abilities	Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, senses, and durability Heat vision Wind and freeze breath Solar energy absorption X-ray vision Flight Invulnerability Skilled hand-to-hand combatant Genius-level intellect

Supermanis asuperherowho appears inAmerican comic bookspublished byDC Comics.The character was created by writerJerry Siegeland artistJoe Shuster,and debuted in the comic bookAction Comics#1(cover-datedJune 1938 and published April 18, 1938).Superman has been adapted to a number of other media, which includes radio serials, novels, films, television shows, theater, and video games.

Superman was born on the fictional planetKryptonwith the birth name ofKal-El.As a baby, his parents sent him to Earth in a small spaceship shortly before Krypton was destroyed in a natural cataclysm. His ship landed in the American countryside near the fictional town ofSmallville,Kansas. He was found and adopted by farmersJonathan and Martha Kent,who named himClark Kent.Clark began developingsuperhuman abilities,such as incredible strength and impervious skin. His adoptive parents advised him to use his powers to benefit of humanity, and he decided to fight crime as a vigilante. To protect his personal life, he changes into a colorful costume and uses the alias "Superman" when fighting crime. Clark resides in the fictional American city ofMetropolis,where he works as a journalist for theDaily Planet.Superman'ssupporting charactersinclude hislove interestand fellow journalistLois Lane,Daily PlanetphotographerJimmy Olsen,and editor-in-chiefPerry White,and hisenemiesincludeBrainiac,General Zod,and archenemyLex Luthor.

Superman is the archetype of the superhero: he wears an outlandish costume, uses a codename, and fights evil with the aid of extraordinary abilities. Although there are earlier characters who arguably fit this definition, Superman popularized the superhero genre and established its conventions. He was the best-selling superhero in American comic books up until the 1980s.

Development

Jerry Siegel,writer

Joe Shuster,illustrator

"The Reign of the Superman",a short story by Jerry Siegel (January 1933)

Jerry SiegelandJoe Shustermet in 1932 while attendingGlenville High SchoolinClevelandand bonded over their admiration of fiction. Siegel aspired to become a writer and Shuster aspired to become an illustrator. Siegel wrote amateurscience fictionstories, which he self-published as a magazine calledScience Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization.His friend Shuster often provided illustrations for his work.In January 1933, Siegel published a short story in his magazine titled "The Reign of the Superman".The titular character is a homeless man named Bill Dunn who is tricked by an evil scientist into consuming an experimental drug. The drug gives Dunn the powers of mind-reading, mind-control, and clairvoyance. He uses these powers maliciously for profit and amusement, but then the drug wears off, leaving him a powerless vagrant again. Shuster provided illustrations, depicting Dunn as a bald man.

Siegel and Shuster shifted to makingcomic strips,with a focus on adventure and comedy. They wanted to become syndicated newspaper strip authors, so they showed their ideas to various newspaper editors. However, the newspaper editors told them that their ideas were insufficiently sensational. If they wanted to make a successful comic strip, it had to be something more sensational than anything else on the market. This prompted Siegel to revisit Superman as a comic strip character.Siegel modified Superman's powers to make him even more sensational: Like Bill Dunn, the second prototype of Superman is given powers against his will by an unscrupulous scientist, but instead of psychic abilities, he acquiressuperhuman strengthandbullet-proof skin.Additionally, this new Superman was a crime-fighting hero instead of a villain, because Siegel noted that comic strips with heroic protagonists tended to be more successful.In later years, Siegel once recalled that this Superman wore a "bat-like" cape in some panels, but typically he and Shuster agreed there was no costume yet, and there is none apparent in the surviving artwork.

Siegel and Shuster showed this second concept of Superman to Consolidated Book Publishers, based in Chicago.In May 1933, Consolidated had published a proto-comic book titledDetective Dan: Secret Operative 48.It contained all-original stories as opposed to reprints of newspaper strips, which was a novelty at the time.Siegel and Shuster put together a comic book in a similar format calledThe Superman.A delegation from Consolidated visited Cleveland that summer on a business trip and Siegel and Shuster took the opportunity to present their work in person.Although Consolidated expressed interest, they later pulled out of the comics business without ever offering a book deal because the sales ofDetective Danwere disappointing.

Cover of an unpublished comic book, 1933

Siegel believed publishers kept rejecting them because he and Shuster were young and unknown, so he looked for an established artist to replace Shuster.When Siegel told Shuster what he was doing, Shuster reacted by burning their rejected Superman comic, sparing only the cover. They continued collaborating on other projects, but for the time being Shuster was through with Superman.

Siegel wrote to numerous artists.The first response came in July 1933 from Leo O'Mealia, who drew theFu Manchustrip for theBell Syndicate.In the script that Siegel sent to O'Mealia, Superman's origin story changes: He is a "scientist-adventurer" from the far future when humanity has naturally evolved "superpowers". Just before the Earth explodes, he escapes in a time-machine to the modern era, whereupon he immediately begins using his superpowers to fight crime.O'Mealia produced a few strips and showed them to his newspaper syndicate, but they were rejected. O'Mealia did not send to Siegel any copies of his strips, and they have been lost.

In June 1934, Siegel found another partner: an artist in Chicago named Russell Keaton.Keaton drew theBuck RogersandSkyroadscomic strips. In the script that Siegel sent Keaton in June, Superman's origin story further evolved: In the distant future, when Earth is on the verge of exploding due to "giant cataclysms", the last surviving man sends his three-year-old son back in time to the year 1935. The time-machine appears on a road where it is discovered by motorists Sam and Molly Kent. They leave the boy in an orphanage, but the staff struggle to control him because he has superhuman strength and impenetrable skin. The Kents adopt the boy and name him Clark, and teach him that he must use his fantastic natural gifts for the benefit of humanity. In November, Siegel sent Keaton an extension of his script: an adventure where Superman foils a conspiracy to kidnap a starfootballplayer. The extended script mentions that Clark puts on a special "uniform" when assuming the identity of Superman, but it is not described.Keaton produced two weeks' worth of strips based on Siegel's script. In November, Keaton showed his strips to a newspaper syndicate, but they too were rejected, and he abandoned the project.

Siegel and Shuster reconciled and resumed developing Superman together. The character became an alien from the planet Krypton. Shuster designed the now-familiar costume: tights with an "S" on the chest, over-shorts, and a cape.They made Clark Kent a journalist who pretends to be timid, and conceived his colleagueLois Lane,who is attracted to the bold and mighty Superman but does not realize that he and Kent are the same person.

Concept art c. 1934/1935. Note the laced sandals, based on those of strongmen and classical heroes.

In June 1935 Siegel and Shuster finally found work with National Allied Publications, a comic magazine publishing company in New York owned byMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson.Wheeler-Nicholson published two of their strips inNew Fun Comics#6 (1935): "Henri Duval" and "Doctor Occult".Siegel and Shuster also showed him Superman and asked him to market Superman to the newspapers on their behalf.In October, Wheeler-Nicholson offered to publish Superman in one of his own magazines.Siegel and Shuster refused his offer because Wheeler-Nicholson had demonstrated himself to be an irresponsible businessman. He had been slow to respond to their letters and had not paid them for their work inNew Fun Comics#6. They chose to keep marketing Superman to newspaper syndicates themselves.Despite the erratic pay, Siegel and Shuster kept working for Wheeler-Nicholson because he was the only publisher who was buying their work, and over the years they produced other adventure strips for his magazines.

Wheeler-Nicholson's financial difficulties continued to mount. In 1936, he formed a joint corporation withHarry DonenfeldandJack Liebowitzcalled Detective Comics, Inc. in order to release his third magazine, which was titledDetective Comics.Siegel and Shuster produced stories forDetective Comicstoo, such as "Slam Bradley".Wheeler-Nicholson fell into deep debt to Donenfeld and Liebowitz, and in early January 1938, Donenfeld and Liebowitz petitioned Wheeler-Nicholson's company into bankruptcy and seized it.

In early December 1937, Siegel visited Liebowitz in New York, and Liebowitz asked Siegel to produce some comics for an upcoming comic anthology magazine calledAction Comics.Siegel proposed some new stories, but not Superman. Siegel and Shuster were, at the time, negotiating a deal with theMcClure Newspaper Syndicatefor Superman. In early January 1938, Siegel had a three-way telephone conversation with Liebowitz and an employee of McClure namedMax Gaines.Gaines informed Siegel that McClure had rejected Superman, and asked if he could forward their Superman strips to Liebowitz so that Liebowitz could consider them forAction Comics.Siegel agreed.Liebowitz and his colleagues were impressed by the strips, and they asked Siegel and Shuster to develop the strips into 13 pages forAction Comics.Having grown tired of rejections, Siegel and Shuster accepted the offer. At least now they would see Superman published.Siegel and Shuster submitted their work in late February and were paid $130 (equivalent to $2,814 in 2023) for their work ($10 per page).In early March they signed a contract at Liebowitz's request in which they gave away the copyright for Superman to Detective Comics, Inc. This was normal practice in the business, and Siegel and Shuster had given away thecopyrightsto their previous works as well.

Superman's debut

The duo's revised version of Superman appeared in thefirst issue ofAction Comics,which was published on April 18, 1938. The issue was a huge success thanks to Superman's feature.

Influences

Siegel and Shuster readpulp science-fiction and adventure magazines,and many stories featured characters with fantastical abilities such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and superhuman strength. One character in particular wasJohn Carter of Marsfrom the novels byEdgar Rice Burroughs.John Carter is a human who is transported to Mars, where the lower gravity makes him stronger than the natives and allows him to leap great distances.Another influence wasPhilip Wylie's 1930 novelGladiator,featuring a protagonist namedHugo Dannerwho had similar powers.

Superman's stance and devil-may-care attitude were influenced by the characters ofDouglas Fairbanks,who starred in adventure films such asThe Mark of ZorroandRobin Hood.The name of Superman's home city, Metropolis, was taken from the1927 film of the same name.Popeyecartoons were also an influence.

Douglas Fairbanks(left) andHarold Lloyd(right) influenced the look of Superman and Clark Kent, respectively.

Clark Kent's harmless facade and dual identity were inspired by the protagonists of such movies as Don Diego de la Vega inThe Mark of Zorroand Sir Percy Blakeney inThe Scarlet Pimpernel.Siegel thought this would make for interesting dramatic contrast and good humor.Another inspiration was slapstick comedianHarold Lloyd.The archetypal Lloyd character was a mild-mannered man who finds himself abused by bullies but later in the story snaps and fights back furiously.

Kent is a journalist because Siegel often imagined himself becoming one after leaving school. The love triangle betweenLois Lane,Clark, and Superman was inspired by Siegel's own awkwardness with girls.

The pair collected comic strips in their youth, with a favorite beingWinsor McCay's fantasticalLittle Nemo.Shuster remarked on the artists who played an important part in the development of his own style: "Alex RaymondandBurne Hogarthwere my idols – alsoMilt Caniff,Hal Foster,andRoy Crane."Shuster taught himself to draw by tracing over the art in the strips and magazines they collected.

As a boy, Shuster was interested in fitness cultureand a fan ofstrongmensuch asSiegmund BreitbartandJoseph Greenstein.He collected fitness magazines and manuals and used their photographs as visual references for his art.

The visual design of Superman came from multiple influences. The tight-fitting suit and shorts were inspired by the costumes of wrestlers, boxers, andstrongmen.In early concept art, Shuster gave Superman laced sandals like those of strongmen and classical heroes, but these were eventually changed to red boots.The costumes of Douglas Fairbanks were also an influence.The emblem on his chest was inspired byheraldic crests.Many pulp action heroes such as swashbucklers wore capes. Superman's face was based onJohnny Weissmullerwith touches derived from the comic-strip characterDick Tracyand from the work of cartoonist Roy Crane.

The word "superman" was commonly used in the 1920s and 1930s to describe men of great ability, most often athletes and politicians.It occasionally appeared in pulp fiction stories as well, such as "The Superman of Dr. Jukes".It is unclear whether Siegel and Shuster were influenced byFriedrich Nietzsche's concept of theÜbermensch;they never acknowledged as much.

Comics

See also:Publication history of SupermanandSuperman (franchise)

Comic books

See also:List of Superman comics

The cover ofSuperman#6 (Sept. 1940) byJoe Shuster,the original artist and co-creator

Since 1938, Superman stories have been regularly published in periodical comic books published byDC Comics.The first and oldest of these isAction Comics,which began in April 1938.Action Comicswas initially an anthology magazine, but it eventually became dedicated to Superman stories. The second oldest periodical isSuperman,which began in June 1939.Action ComicsandSupermanhave been published without interruption (ignoring changes to the title and numbering scheme).A number of other shorter-lived Superman periodicals have been published over the years.Superman is part of theDC Universe,which is ashared settingof superhero characters owned by DC Comics, and consequently he frequently appears in stories alongside the likes ofBatman,Wonder Woman,and others.

Superman has sold more comic books over his publication history than any other American superhero character.Exact sales figures for the early decades of Superman comic books are hard to find because, like most publishers at the time, DC Comics concealed this data from its competitors and thereby the general public as well, but given the general market trends at the time, sales ofAction ComicsandSupermanprobably peaked in the mid-1940s and thereafter steadily declined.Sales data first became public in 1960, and showed that Superman was the best-selling comic book character of the 1960s and 1970s.Sales rose again starting in 1987.Superman#75 (Nov 1992) sold over 23 million copies,making it the best-selling issue of a comic book of all time, thanks to a media sensation overthe supposedly permanent death of the characterin that issue.Sales declined from that point on. In March 2018,Action Comicssold just 51,534 copies, although such low figures are normal for superhero comic books in general (for comparison,Amazing Spider-Man#797 sold only 128,189 copies).The comic books are today considered a niche aspect of the Superman franchise due to low readership,though they remain influential as creative engines for the movies and television shows. Comic book stories can be produced quickly and cheaply, and are thus an ideal medium for experimentation.

Whereas comic books in the 1950s were read by children, since the 1990s the average reader has been an adult.A major reason for this shift was DC Comics' decision in the 1970s to sell its comic books to specialty stores instead of traditional magazine retailers (supermarkets, newsstands, etc.) — a model called "direct distribution". This made comic books less accessible to children.

Newspaper strips

See also:Superman (comic strip)

Beginning in January 1939, aSupermandaily comic strip appeared in newspapers, syndicated through theMcClure Syndicate.A color Sunday version was added that November. Jerry Siegel wrote most of the strips until he was conscripted in 1943. The Sunday strips had a narrative continuity separate from the daily strips, possibly because Siegel had to delegate the Sunday strips toghostwriters.By 1941, the newspaper strips had an estimated readership of 20 million.Joe Shuster drew the early strips, then passed the job toWayne Boring.From 1949 to 1956, the newspaper strips were drawn byWin Mortimer.The strip ended in May 1966, but was revived from 1977 to 1983 to coincide with a series of movies released by Warner Bros.

Editors

Initially, Siegel was allowed to write Superman more or less as he saw fit because nobody had anticipated the success and rapid expansion of the franchise.But soon Siegel and Shuster's work was put under careful oversight for fear of trouble with censors.Siegel was forced to tone down the violence and social crusading that characterized his early stories.EditorWhitney Ellsworth,hired in 1940, dictated that Superman not kill.Sexuality was banned, and colorfully outlandish villains such asUltra-HumaniteandToymanwere thought to be less nightmarish for young readers.

Mort Weisingerwas the editor on Superman comics from 1941 to 1970, his tenure briefly interrupted by military service. Siegel and his fellow writers had developed the character with little thought of building a coherent mythology, but as the number of Superman titles and the pool of writers grew, Weisinger demanded a more disciplined approach.Weisinger assigned story ideas, and the logic of Superman's powers, his origin, the locales, and his relationships with his growing cast of supporting characters were carefully planned. Elements such asBizarro,his cousinSupergirl,thePhantom Zone,theFortress of Solitude,alternate varieties ofkryptonite,robot doppelgangers,andKryptowere introduced during this era. The complicated universe built under Weisinger was beguiling to devoted readers but alienating to casuals.Weisinger favored lighthearted stories over serious drama, and avoided sensitive subjects such as theVietnam Warand theAmerican civil rights movementbecause he feared hisright-wingviews would alienate his left-leaning writers and readers.Weisinger also introducedletters columnsin 1958 to encourage feedback and build intimacy with readers.

Weisinger retired in 1970 andJulius Schwartztook over. By his own admission, Weisinger had grown out of touch with newer readers.Starting withThe Sandman Saga,Schwartz updated Superman by making Clark Kent a television anchor, and he retired overused plot elements such as kryptonite and robot doppelgangers.Schwartz also scaled Superman's powers down to a level closer to Siegel's original. These changes would eventually be reversed by later writers. Schwartz allowed stories with serious drama such as "For the Man Who Has Everything"(Superman Annual#11), in which the villainMongultorments Superman with an illusion of happy family life on a living Krypton.

Schwartz retired from DC Comics in 1986 and was succeeded byMike Carlinas an editor on Superman comics. His retirement coincided with DC Comics' decision toreboottheDC Universewith the companywide-crossover storyline "Crisis on Infinite Earths".InThe Man of SteelwriterJohn Byrnerewrote the Superman mythos, again reducing Superman's powers, which writers had slowly re-strengthened, and revised many supporting characters, such as makingLex Luthora billionaire industrialist rather than a mad scientist, and making Supergirl anartificial shapeshifting organismbecause DC wanted Superman to be the sole survivingKryptonian.

Carlin was promoted to Executive Editor for theDC Universebooks in 1996, a position he held until 2002. K.C. Carlson took his place as editor of the Superman comics.

Aesthetic style

In the earlier decades of Superman comics, artists were expected to conform to a certain "house style".Joe Shuster defined the aesthetic style of Superman in the 1940s. After Shuster left National,Wayne Boringsucceeded him as the principal artist on Superman comic books.He redrew Superman taller and more detailed.Around 1955,Curt Swanin turn succeeded Boring.The 1980s saw a boom in the diversity of comic book art and now there is no single "house style" in Superman comics.

In other media

Main article:Superman (franchise)

Radio

The first adaptation of Superman beyond comic books was a radio show,The Adventures of Superman,which ran from 1940 to 1951 for 2,088 episodes, most of which were aimed at children. The episodes were initially 15 minutes long, but after 1949 they were lengthened to 30 minutes. Most episodes were done live.Bud Collyerwas the voice actor for Superman in most episodes. The show was produced byRobert Maxwelland Allen Ducovny, who were employees of Superman, Inc. and Detective Comics, Inc. respectively.

Stage

In 1966 Superman had aTony-nominated musical play produced on Broadway.It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Supermanfeatured music byCharles Strouse,lyrics byLee Adamsand book byDavid NewmanandRobert Benton.Actor Bob Holiday performed as Clark Kent/Superman and actressPatricia Marandperformed as Lois Lane.

Film

Main article:Superman in film

• Paramount Picturesreleased aseries of Superman theatrical animated shortsbetween 1941 and 1943. Seventeen episodes in total were made, each 8–10 minutes long. The first nine films were produced byFleischer Studiosand the next films were produced byFamous Studios.Bud Collyerprovided the voice of Superman. The first episode had a production budget of $50,000 with the remaining episodes at $30,000 each(equivalent to $621,000 in 2023), which was exceptionally lavish for the time; $9,000 – $15,000 was more typical for animated shorts.Joe Shuster provided model sheets for the characters, so the visuals resembled the contemporary comic book aesthetic.

Kirk Alynas Superman, 1948

• The first live-action adaptation of Superman was amovie serial released in 1948,targeted at children.Kirk Alynbecame the first actor to portray the hero onscreen. The production cost up to $325,000(equivalent to $4,121,000 in 2023). It was the most profitablemovie serialin movie history.A sequel serial,Atom Man vs. Superman,was released in 1950. For flying scenes, Superman was hand-drawn in animated form, composited onto live-action footage.
• The first feature film wasSuperman and the Mole Men,a 58-minuteB-moviereleased in 1951, produced on an estimated budget of $30,000 (equivalent to $352,000 in 2023).It starredGeorge Reevesas Superman, and was intended to promote the subsequenttelevision series.
• The first big-budget movie wasSupermanin 1978, starringChristopher Reeveand produced byAlexanderandIlya Salkind.It was 143 minutes long and was made on a budget of $55 million (equivalent to $257,000,000 in 2023). It is the most successful Superman feature film to date in terms of box office revenue adjusted for inflation.The soundtrack was composed byJohn Williamsand wasnominated for an Academy Award.Superman(1978) was the first big-budget superhero movie, and its success arguably paved the way for later superhero movies likeBatman(1989)andSpider-Man(2002).
• The 1978 film spawned three sequels:Superman II(1980),Superman III(1983),Superman IV: The Quest for Peace(1987).
• In 2006,Superman Returnswas released, designed after the 1978–1987 film series. Superman was portrayed byBrandon Routh,who later reprised his role in theArrowversecrossoverCrisis on Infinite Earths(2019–2020).
• Superman has appeared in a series ofdirect-to-videoanimated films produced byWarner Bros. AnimationcalledDC Universe Animated Original Movies,beginning withSuperman: Doomsdayin 2007. Many of these movies are adaptations of popular comic book stories.
• Superman appeared in the theatrical animated feature filmTeen Titans Go! To the Movies(2018), voiced byNicolas Cage.
• Superman appeared in the theatrical animated feature filmDC League of Super-Pets(2022), voiced byJohn Krasinski.

DC Extended Universe

• In 2013,Man of Steelwas released by Warner Bros. as arebootof the film series, starringHenry CavillasSuperman.
• A sequel,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016), featured Superman alongsideBatmanandWonder Woman,making it the first theatrical film in which Superman appeared alongside other superheroes from theDC Universe.
• Cavill reprised his role inJustice League(2017) and itsdirector's cut(2021).
• This version of Superman also makes cameos inShazam!(2019) and in the first season finale of the TV seriesPeacemaker(2022) but portrayed by stand-ins for Cavill.
• Cavill makes an uncreditedcameo appearanceas Superman in themid-credits sceneof the filmBlack Adam(2022).
• Nicolas Cagemakes a cameo appearance as an alternate version of Superman in the filmThe Flash(2023), Cage shooting his scenes throughvolumetric capture,before he wasdeagedwithcomputer-generated imagery(CGI).Cavill,George Reeves,andChristopher Reevealso cameo as their respective versions of Superman through the use of CGI representing their likenesses, Cavill having filmed additional scenes as the character for the film whichwere removedduring post-production.

DC Universe

• A new reboot of the film series, titledSupermanis in development, to be set in theDC Universe(DCU) franchise. The film will be written and directed byJames Gunnand produced byDC Studios.It is set to release on July 11, 2025. On June 27, 2023,David Corenswetwas cast as Superman in the film.

Television

ActorGeorge Reevesportraying Superman inStamp Day for Superman.After appearing in film, he would be the first actor to star as Superman in television.

• Adventures of Superman,which aired from 1952 to 1958, was the first television series based on a superhero. It starredGeorge Reevesas Superman. Whereas the radio serial was aimed at children, this television show was aimed at a general audience,although children made up the majority of viewers. Robert Maxwell, who producedthe radio serial,was the producer for the first season. For the second season, Maxwell was replaced with Whitney Ellsworth. Ellsworth toned down the violence of the show to make it more suitable for children, though he still aimed for a general audience. This show was extremely popular in Japan, where it achieved an audience share rating of 74.2% in 1958.
• His first animated television series wasThe New Adventures of Superman,which aired from 1966 to 1970. The show also feature a seven-minute part focused on Superboy namedThe Adventures of Superboy.
• Starting in 1974, Superman was one of the leading characters in theHanna-Barbera-produced animated seriesSuper Friendsand all its sequels until 1986.
• To celebrate his 50th anniversary,Ruby Spearsproduced an animated series partially based onSuperman(1978) and post-Crisis Superman comics created by John Byrne. The model sheets forSuperman(1988) were drawn by legendary comics artistGil Kaneand most of the episodes were written by comics writerMarv Wolfman.
• Superboyaired from 1988 to 1992. It was produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the same men who had produced the Superman films starringChristopher Reeve.
• Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Supermanaired from 1993 to 1997. This show was aimed at adults and focused on the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane as much as Superman's heroics.Dean Cainplayed Superman, andTeri Hatcherplayed Lois.
• Smallvilleaired from 2001 to 2011. The show was targeted at young adults.Played byTom Welling,the series covered Clark Kent's life prior to becoming Superman, spanning ten years from his high school years in Smallville to his early life in Metropolis. Although Clark engages in heroics, he does not wear a costume, nor does he call himself Superboy. Rather, he relies on misdirection and his blinding speed to avoid being recognized. Later seasons find him becoming a public hero called the Red-Blue Blur, eventually shortened to the Blur, in a proto-Justice League before taking on the mantle of Superman.
• Superman: The Animated Series(with the voice ofTim Dalyas the adult character) aired from 1996 to 2000. After the show's conclusion, this version of Superman appeared in the sequel showsBatman Beyond(voiced byChristopher McDonald) aired from 1999 to 2001 andJustice LeagueandJustice League Unlimited(voiced byGeorge Newbern), which ran from 2001 to 2006. All of these shows were produced byBruce Timm.This was the most successful and longest-running animated version of Superman.
• In the Arrowverse, the main Superman (played byTyler Hoechlin), appears as a guest star in several television series:Supergirl,The Flash,ArrowandLegends of Tomorrow.ASupergirlspin-off,Superman & Lois,premiered on February 23, 2021.
• Superman appears as an ensemble character in the animated showJustice League Action.He also appears as a guest character in other animated shows such asBatman: The Brave and the BoldandHarley Quinn.
• The 2023 animated seriesMy Adventures with Supermandepicts a young Superman (played byJack Quaid) at the start of his career, through the eyes of a reimaginedLois Lane,with elements ofromantic comedyalongside the standard action-adventure and science fiction tropes.

Video games

Main article:List of video games featuring Superman

• The first electronic game was simply titledSuperman,and released in 1979 for theAtari 2600.
• The last game fully centered on Superman was the adaptation ofSuperman Returnsin 2006.
• From 2006 to present, Superman appeared in a co-starring role, such as theInjusticegame series (2013–present).

Merchandising

DC Comics trademarked the Superman chest logo in August 1938.Jack Liebowitzestablished Superman, Inc. in October 1939 to develop the franchise beyond the comic books.Superman, Inc. merged with DC Comics in October 1946.After DC Comics merged with Warner Communications in 1967, licensing for Superman was handled by the Licensing Corporation of America.

The Licensing Letter (an American market research firm) estimated that Superman licensed merchandise made $634 million in sales globally in 2018 (43.3% of this revenue came from the North American market). For comparison, in the same year,Spider-Manmerchandise made $1.075 billion andStar Warsmerchandise made $1.923 billion globally.

The earliest paraphernalia appeared in 1939: a button proclaiming membership in the Supermen of America club. The first toy was a wooden doll in 1939 made by the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.Superman#5 (May 1940) carried an advertisement for a "Krypto-Raygun", which was a gun-shaped device that could project images on a wall.The majority of Superman merchandise is targeted at children, but since the 1970s, adults have been increasingly targeted because the comic book readership has gotten older.

DuringWorld War II,Superman was used to support the war effort.Action ComicsandSupermancarried messages urging readers to buywar bondsand participate inscrap drives.Othersuperheroesbecame patriots who went to fight:Batman,Wonder WomanandCaptain America.

Copyright issues

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Main article:Copyright lawsuits by Superman's creators

In a contract dated 1 March 1938,Jerry SiegelandJoe Shustergave away the copyright to Superman to their employer,DC Comics(then known as Detective Comics, Inc.)prior to Superman's first publication in April. Contrary to popular perception, the $130 that DC Comics paid them was for their first Superman story, not the copyright to the character — that, they gave away for free. This was normal practice in the comic magazine industry and they had done the same with their previous published works (Slam Bradley,Doctor Occult,etc.),but Superman became far more popular and valuable than they anticipated and they much regretted giving him away.DC Comics retained Siegel and Shuster, and they were paid well because they were popular with the readers.Between 1938 and 1947, DC Comics paid them together at least $401,194.85 (equivalent to $7,310,000 in 2023).

Siegel wrote most of the magazine and daily newspaper stories until he was conscripted into the army in 1943, whereupon the task was passed to ghostwriters.While Siegel was serving in Hawaii, DC Comics published a story featuring a child version of Superman called "Superboy",which was based on a script Siegel had submitted several years before. Siegel was furious because DC Comics did this without having bought the character.

After Siegel's discharge from the Army, he and Shuster sued DC Comics in 1947 for the rights to Superman andSuperboy.The judge ruled that Superman belonged to DC Comics, but that Superboy was a separate entity that belonged to Siegel. Siegel and Shuster settled out-of-court with DC Comics, which paid the pair $94,013.16 (equivalent to $1,192,222 in 2023) in exchange for the full rights to both Superman and Superboy.DC Comics then fired Siegel and Shuster.

DC Comics rehired Jerry Siegel as a writer in 1959.

In 1965, Siegel and Shuster attempted to regain rights to Superman using the renewal option in theCopyright Act of 1909,but the court ruled Siegel and Shuster had transferred the renewal rights to DC Comics in 1938. Siegel and Shuster appealed, but the appeals court upheld this decision. DC Comics fired Siegel once again, when he filed this second lawsuit.

In 1975, Siegel and a number of other comic book writers and artists launched a public campaign for better compensation and treatment of comic creators. Warner Brothers agreed to give Siegel and Shuster a yearly stipend, full medical benefits, and credit their names in all future Superman productions in exchange for never contesting ownership of Superman. Siegel and Shuster upheld this bargain.

Shuster died in 1992. DC Comics offered Shuster's heirs a stipend in exchange for never challenging ownership of Superman, which they accepted for some years.

Siegel died in 1996. His heirs attempted to take the rights to Superman using the termination provision of theCopyright Act of 1976.DC Comics negotiated an agreement wherein it would pay the Siegel heirs several million dollars and a yearly stipend of $500,000 in exchange for permanently granting DC the rights to Superman. DC Comics also agreed to insert the line "By Special Arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family" in all future Superman productions.The Siegels accepted DC's offer in an October 2001 letter.

Copyright lawyer and movie producerMarc Toberoffthen struck a deal with the heirs of both Siegel and Shuster to help them get the rights to Superman in exchange for signing the rights over to his production company, Pacific Pictures. Both groups accepted. The Siegel heirs called off their deal with DC Comics and in 2004 sued DC for the rights to Superman and Superboy. In 2008, the judge ruled in favor of the Siegels. DC Comics appealed the decision, and the appeals court ruled in favor of DC, arguing that the October 2001 letter was binding. In 2003, the Shuster heirs served a termination notice for Shuster's grant of his half of the copyright to Superman. DC Comics sued the Shuster heirs in 2010, and the court ruled in DC's favor on the grounds that the 1992 agreement with the Shuster heirs barred them from terminating the grant.

Under current US copyright law, Superman is due to enter the public domain on January 1, 2034.However, this will only apply (at first) to the character as he is depicted inAction Comics#1,which was published in 1938. Versions of him with later developments, such as his power of "heat vision", may persist under copyright until the works they were introduced in enter the public domain themselves.Lois Lane, who also debuted inAction Comics#1, is expected to enter public domain in 2034, but supporting characters introduced in later publications, such asJimmy OlsenandSupergirl,will pass into the public domain at later dates.

Captain Marvel

See also:National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publications

Superman's success immediately begat a wave of imitations. The most successful of these at this early age wasCaptain Marvel,first published byFawcett Comicsin December 1939. Captain Marvel had many similarities to Superman: Herculean strength, invulnerability, the ability to fly, a cape, a secret identity, and a job as a journalist. DC Comics filed a lawsuit against Fawcett Comics for copyright infringement.

The trial began in March 1948 after seven years ofdiscovery.The judge ruled that Fawcett had indeed infringed on Superman. However, the judge also found that the copyright notices that appeared with the Superman newspaper strips did not meet the technical standards of theCopyright Act of 1909and were therefore invalid. Furthermore, since the newspaper strips carried stories adapted fromAction Comics,the judge ruled that DC Comics had effectively abandoned the copyright to theAction Comicsstories and Superman, and therefore forfeited its right to sue Fawcett for copyright infringement.

DC Comics appealed this decision. The appeals court ruled that unintentional mistakes in the copyright notices of the newspaper strips did not invalidate the copyrights. Furthermore, Fawcett knew that DC Comics never intended to abandon the copyrights, and therefore Fawcett's infringement was not an innocent misunderstanding, and therefore Fawcett owed damages to DC Comics.The appeals court remanded the case back to the lower court to determine how much Fawcett owed in damages.

At that point, Fawcett Comics decided to settle out of court with DC Comics. Fawcett paid DC Comics $400,000 (equivalent to $4,555,224 in 2023) and agreed to stop publishing Captain Marvel. The last Captain Marvel story from Fawcett Comics was published in September 1953.

DC Comics licensed Captain Marvel in 1972 and published crossover stories with Superman. By 1991, DC Comics had purchased Fawcett Comics and with it the full rights to Captain Marvel. DC eventually renamed the character "Shazam" to prevent disputes withMarvel Comics,who had createda character of their own named "Captain Marvel"back when the Fawcett character had lingered in limbo.

Character overview

This section details the most consistent elements of the Superman narrative in the myriad stories published since 1938.

Superman himself

InAction Comics#1(1938), Superman is born on an alien world to a technologically advanced species that resembles humans. Shortly after he is born, his planet is destroyed in a natural cataclysm, but Superman's scientist father foresaw the calamity and saves his baby son by sending him to Earth in a small spaceship. The ship is too small to carry anyone else, so Superman's parents stay behind and die. The earliest newspaper strips name the planet "Krypton", the baby "Kal-L", and his biological parents "Jor-L" and "Lora";their names were changed to "Jor-el", and "Lara" in a 1942 spinoff novel by George Lowther.The ship lands in the American countryside, where the baby is discovered by the Kents, a farming couple.

The Kents name the boy Clark and raise him in a farming community. A 1947 episode of the radio serial places this yet unnamed community in Iowa.It is namedSmallvilleinSuperboy#2 (June 1949). The1978 Superman movieplaced it in Kansas, as have most Superman stories since.New Adventures of Superboy#22 (Oct. 1981) places it in Maryland.

InAction Comics#1 and most stories published before 1986, Superman's powers begin developing in infancy. From 1944 to 1986, DC Comics regularly published stories of Superman's childhood and adolescent adventures, when he called himself "Superboy".From 1986 on (beginning withMan of Steel#1), Superman's powers emerged more slowly and he began his superhero career as an adult.

The Kents teach Clark he must conceal his otherworldly origins and use his fantastic powers to do good. Clark creates the costumed identity of Superman so as to protect his personal privacy and the safety of his loved ones. As Clark Kent, he wears eyeglasses to disguise his face and wears his Superman costume underneath his clothes so that he can change at a moment's notice. To complete this disguise, Clark avoids violent confrontation, preferring to slip away and change into Superman when danger arises, and in older stories he would suffer occasional ridicule for his apparent cowardice.

InSuperboy#78 (1960), Superboy makes his costume out of the indestructible blankets found in the ship he came to Earth in. InMan of Steel#1 (1986), Martha Kent makes the costume from human-manufactured cloth, and it is rendered indestructible by an aura that Superman projects. The "S" on Superman's chest at first was simply an initial for "Superman". When writing the script forthe 1978 movie,Tom Mankiewiczmade it the crest of Superman's Kryptonian family, the House of El.This was carried over into some comic book stories and later movies, such asMan of Steel.In the comic storySuperman: Birthright,the crest is described as an old Kryptonian symbol for hope.

Clark works as a newspaper journalist. In the earliest stories, he worked forThe Daily Star,but the second episode ofthe radio serialchanged this to theDaily Planet.In comics from the early 1970s, Clark worked as a television journalist, which was an attempt to modernize the character. However, forthe 1978 movie,the producers chose to make Clark a newspaper journalist again because that was how most people outside of comic book readers knew him.

The first story in which Superman dies was published inSuperman#149 (1961), in which he is murdered by Lex Luthor by means of kryptonite. This story was "imaginary" and therefore was ignored in subsequent books. InSuperman#188 (April 1966), Superman is killed by kryptonite radiation but is revived in the same issue by one ofhis android doppelgangers.In the 1990sThe Death and Return of Supermanstory arc, after a deadly battle withDoomsday,Superman died inSuperman#75 (Jan. 1993). He was later revived by theEradicatorusing Kryptonian technology. InSuperman#52 (May 2016) Superman is killed by kryptonite poisoning, and this time he is not resurrected, but replaced by the Superman of an alternate timeline.

Superman maintains a secret hideout called the "Fortress of Solitude", which is located somewhere in the Arctic. Here, Superman keeps a collection of mementos and a laboratory for science experiments.Action Comics#241 (1958) depicts the Fortress of Solitude as a cave in a mountain, sealed with a very heavy door that is opened with a gigantic key too heavy for anyone but Superman to use. In the 1978 movie, the Fortress of Solitude is a structure made of white crystal.

Clark Kent

"Clark Kent" redirects here. For other uses, seeClark Kent (disambiguation).

Superman'ssecret identityis Clark Joseph Kent, a reporter for theDaily Planet.Although his name and history originate from his early life with his adoptive Earth parents, everything about Clark was staged for the benefit of his alternate identity: as a reporter for theDaily Planet,he receives late-breaking news before the general public, always has a plausible reason to be present at crime scenes, and need not strictly account for his whereabouts as long as he makes his publication deadlines. He sees his job as a journalist as an extension of his Superman responsibilities—bringing truth to the forefront and fighting for the little guy. He believes that everybody has the right to know what is going on in the world, regardless of who is involved.In theBronze Age of Comic Books,Clark Kent was featured in a series that appeared primarily inThe Superman Family,"The Private Life of Clark Kent" where Superman dealt with various situations subtly while remaining Clark.

To deflect suspicion that he is Superman, Clark Kent adopted a mainly passive and introverted personality with conservative mannerisms, a higher-pitched voice, and a slight slouch. This personality is typically described as "mild-mannered", as in the opening narration ofMax Fleischer'sSupermananimated theatrical shorts.These traits extended into Clark's wardrobe, which typically consists of a bland-colored business suit, a red necktie, black-rimmed glasses, combed-back hair, and occasionally afedora.Clark wears his Superman costume underneath his street clothes, allowing easy changes between the twopersonaeand the dramatic gesture of ripping open his shirt to reveal the familiar "S" emblem when called into action. His hair also changes with the clothing change, with Superman sporting a small curl orspit curlon his forehead. Superman usually stores his Clark Kent clothing compressed in a secret pouch within his cape,though some stories have shown him leaving his clothes in some covert location (such as theDaily Planetstoreroom)for later retrieval.

As Superman'salter ego,the personality, concept, and name of Clark Kent have become synonymous withsecret identitiesand innocuous fronts for ulterior motives and activities. In 1992, Superman co-creator Joe Shuster told theToronto Starthat the name derived from 1930s cinematic leading menClark GableandKent Taylor,but the persona from bespectacled silent film comicHarold Lloydand himself.Clark's middle name is given variously as either Joseph, Jerome, or Jonathan, all being allusions to creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Personality

In the original Siegel and Shuster stories, Superman's personality is rough and aggressive. He often uses excessive force and terror against criminals, on some occasions even killing them. This came to an end in late 1940 when new editorWhitney Ellsworthinstituted a code of conduct for his characters to follow, banning Superman from ever killing.The character was softened and given a sense ofhumanitarianism.Ellsworth's code, however, is not to be confused with "the Comics Code",which was created in 1954 by theComics Code Authorityand ultimately abandoned by every major comic book publisher by the early 21st century.

In his first appearances, Superman was considered a vigilante by the authorities, being fired upon by the National Guard as he razed a slum so that the government would create better housing conditions for the poor. By 1942, however, Superman was working side-by-side with the police.Today, Superman is commonly seen as a brave and kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality, and righteousness. He adheres to an unwavering moral code instilled in him by his adoptive parents.His commitment to operating within the law has been an example to many citizens and other heroes, but has stirred resentment and criticism among others, who refer to him as the "big blue boy scout". Superman can be rather rigid in this trait, causing tensions in the superhero community.This was most notable withWonder Woman,one of his closest friends, after she killedMaxwell Lord.Booster Goldinitially had an icy relationship with the Man of Steel but grew to respect him.

Having lost his home world of Krypton, Superman is very protective of Earth,and especially of Clark Kent's family and friends. This same loss, combined with the pressure of using his powers responsibly, has caused Superman to feellonelyon Earth, despite having his friends and parents. Previous encounters with people he thought to be fellow Kryptonians,Power GirlandMon-El,have led to disappointment. The arrival ofSupergirl,who has been confirmed to be his cousin from Krypton, relieved this loneliness somewhat.Superman'sFortress of Solitudeacts as a place ofsolacefor him in times of loneliness and despair.

Powers, abilities, and weaknesses

The catalog of Superman's abilities and his strength has varied considerably over the vast body of Superman fiction released since 1938.

SinceAction Comics#1(1938), Superman has superhuman strength. The cover ofAction Comics#1 shows him effortlessly lifting a car over his head. Another classic feat of strength on Superman's part is breaking steel chains. In some stories, he is strong enough to shift the orbits of planetsand crush coal into diamond with his hands.

SinceAction Comics#1 (1938), Superman has a highly durable body, invulnerable for most practical purposes. At the very least, bullets bounce harmlessly off his body. In some stories, such asKingdom Come,not even a nuclear bomb can harm him.

In the earliest stories, Superman's costume is made out of exotic materials that are as tough as he is, which is why it typically does not tear up when he performs superhuman feats. In later stories, beginning withMan of Steel#1 (1986), Superman's body is said to project an aura that renders invulnerable any tight-fitting clothes he wears, and hence his costume is as durable as he is even if made of common cloth.

InAction Comics#1, Superman could not fly. He traveled by running and leaping, which he could do to a prodigious degree thanks to his strength. Superman gained the ability to fly in the second episode ofthe radio serialin 1940.Superman can fly faster than sound and in some stories, he can even fly faster than the speed of light to travel to distant galaxies.

Superman can project and perceive X-rays via his eyes, which allows him to see through objects. He first uses this power inAction Comics#11 (1939). Certain materials such as lead can block his X-ray vision.

Superman can project beams of heat from his eyes which are hot enough to melt steel. He first used this power inSuperman#59 (1949) by applying his X-ray vision at its highest intensity. In later stories, this ability is simply called "heat vision".

Superman can hear sounds that are too faint for a human to hear, and at frequencies outside the human hearing range. This ability was introduced inAction Comics#11 (1939).

SinceAction Comics#20 (1940), Superman possesses superhuman breath, which enables him to inhale or blow huge amounts of air, as well as holding his breath indefinitely to remain underwater or space without adverse effects. He has a significant focus of his breath's intensity to the point of freezing targets by blowing on them. The "freeze breath" was first demonstrated inSuperman#129 (1959).

Action Comics#1 (1938) explained that Superman's strength was common to all Kryptonians because they were a species "millions of years advanced of our own". In the first newspaper strips, Jor-El is shown running and leaping like Superman, and his wife survives a building collapsing on her. Later stories explained they evolved superhuman strength simply because of Krypton's higher gravity.Superman#146 (1961) established that Superman's abilities other than strength (flight, durability, etc.) are activated by the light of Earth's yellowsun.InAction Comics#300 (1963), all of his powers including strength are activated by yellow sunlight and can be deactivated by red sunlight similar to that of Krypton's sun.

Exposure to greenkryptoniteradiation nullifies Superman's powers and incapacitates him with pain and nausea; prolonged exposure will eventually kill him. Although green kryptonite is the most commonly seen form, writers have introduced other forms over the years: such as red, gold, blue, white, and black, each with peculiar effects.Gold kryptonite, for instance, nullifies Superman's powers but otherwise does not harm him.Kryptonitefirst appeared in a 1943 episode ofthe radio serial.It first appeared in comics inSuperman#61 (Dec. 1949).

Superman is also vulnerable to magic. Enchanted weapons and magical spells affect Superman as easily as they would a normal human. This weakness was established inSuperman#171 (1964).

Like all Kryptonians, Kal-El is also highly susceptible to psychokinetic phenomena ranging along Telekinesis, Illusion casting, Mind control, etc., as shown inWonder WomanVol 2 # 219 (Sept. 2005). A powerful enough psionic can affect either the psyche or microbiology of Superman to induce strokes or mangle his internal organs, as well as disrupt his mind and perceptions of the world, something a young power-amped Gene-Bomb meta showcased inSuperman#48 (Oct. 1990).

Supporting characters

See also:Superman character and castandList of Superman supporting characters

Superman's first and most famous supporting character isLois Lane,introduced inAction Comics#1. She is a fellow journalist at theDaily Planet.As Jerry Siegel conceived her, Lois considers Clark Kent to be a wimp, but she is infatuated with the bold and mighty Superman, not knowing that Kent and Superman are the same person. Siegel objected to any proposal that Lois discover that Clark is Superman because he felt that, as implausible as Clark's disguise is, the love triangle was too important to the book's appeal.However, Siegel wrote stories in which Lois suspects Clark is Superman and tries to prove it, with Superman always duping her in the end; the first such story was inSuperman#17 (July–August 1942).This was a common plot in comic book stories prior to the 1970s. In a story inAction Comics#484 (June 1978), Clark Kent admits to Lois that he is Superman, and they marry. This was the first story in which Superman and Lois marry that was not an "imaginary tale." Many Superman stories since then have depicted Superman and Lois as a married couple, but about as many depict them in the classic love triangle. In modern era comic books, Superman and Lois are a stable married couple, and theSupermansupporting cast was further expanded with the introduction of their son,Jonathan Kent.

Other supporting characters includeJimmy Olsen,a photographer at theDaily Planet,who is friends with both Superman and Clark Kent, though in most stories he does not know that Clark is Superman. Jimmy is frequently described as "Superman's pal", and was conceived to give young male readers a relatable character through which they could fantasize being friends with Superman.

In the earliest comic book stories, Clark Kent's employer is George Taylor ofThe Daily Star,but the second episode ofthe radio serialchanged this toPerry Whiteof theDaily Planet.

Clark Kent's foster parents areMa and Pa Kent.In many stories, one or both of them have died by the time Clark becomes Superman. Clark's parents taught him that he should use his abilities for altruistic means, but that he should also find some way to safeguard his private life.

Antagonists

Main article:List of Superman enemies

The villains Superman faced in the earliest stories were ordinary humans, such as gangsters, corrupt politicians, and violent husbands; but they soon grew more colorful and outlandish so as to avoid offending censors or scaring children. The mad scientistUltra-Humanite,introduced inAction Comics#13 (June 1939), was Superman's first recurring villain. Superman's best-known nemesis,Lex Luthor,was introduced inAction Comics#23 (April 1940) and has been depicted as either a mad scientist or a wealthy businessman (sometimes both).In 1944, the magical impMister Mxyzptlk,Superman's first recurring super-powered adversary, was introduced.Superman's first alien villain,Brainiac,debuted inAction Comics#242 (July 1958). The monstrousDoomsday,introduced inSuperman: The Man of Steel#17–18 (Nov.-Dec. 1992), was the first villain to evidently kill Superman in physical combat without exploiting Superman's critical weaknesses such as kryptonite and magic.

Alternative depictions

Main article:Alternative versions of Superman

See also:Superman (Earth-Two)andSuperman (Earth-One)

The details of Superman's origin story and supporting cast vary across his large body of fiction released since 1938, but most versions conform to the basic template described above. A few stories feature radically altered versions of Superman. An example is the graphic novelSuperman: Red Son,which depicts a communist Superman who rules the Soviet Union. DC Comics has on some occasions published crossover stories where different versions of Superman interact with each other using the plot device of parallel universes. For instance, in the 1960s, the Superman of "Earth-One" would occasionally feature in stories alongside the Superman of "Earth-Two", the latter of whom resembled Superman as he was portrayed in the 1940s. DC Comics has not developed a consistent and universal system to classify all versions of Superman.

Cultural impact and legacy

The superhero archetype

Superman is often thought of as the firstsuperhero.This point can be debated:Ogon Bat,the Phantom,Zorro,andMandrake the Magicianarguably fit the definition of the superhero yet predate Superman. Nevertheless, Superman popularized this kind of character and established the conventions: a costume, a codename, extraordinary abilities, and an altruistic mission.Superman's success in 1938 begat a wave of imitations, which includeBatman,Captain America,andCaptain Marvel.This flourishing is today referred to as America'sGolden Age of Comic Books,which lasted from 1938 to about 1950. The Golden Age ended when American superhero book sales declined, leading to the cancellation of many characters; but Superman was one of the few superhero franchises that survived this decline, and his sustained popularity into the late 1950s led to a revival in theSilver Age of Comic Books,when characters such asSpider-Man,Iron Man,andThe X-Menwere created.

After World War 2, American superhero fiction entered Japanese culture.Astro Boy,first published in 1952, was inspired byMighty Mouse,which in turn was a parody of Superman.TheSupermananimated shorts from the 1940swere first broadcast on Japanese television in 1955, and they were followed in 1956 by the TV showAdventures of SupermanstarringGeorge Reeves.These shows were popular with the Japanese and inspired Japan's own prolific genre of superheroes. The first Japanese superhero movie,Super Giant,was released in 1957. The first Japanese superhero TV show wasMoonlight Maskin 1958. Other notable Japanese superheroes includeUltraman,Kamen Rider,andSailor Moon.

Fine art

Starting with thePop Artperiod and on a continuing basis, since the 1960s the character of Superman has been "appropriated" by multiple visual artists and incorporated into contemporary artwork,most notably byAndy Warhol,Roy Lichtenstein,Mel Ramos,Dulce Pinzon,Mr. Brainwash,Raymond Pettibon,Peter Saul,Giuseppe Veneziano,F. Lennox Campello,and others.

Literary analysis

Superman has been interpreted and discussed in many forms in the years since his debut, withUmberto Econoting that "he can be seen as the representative of all his similars".Writing inTimein 1971, Gerald Clarke stated: "Superman's enormous popularity might be looked upon as signaling the beginning of the end for theHoratio Alger mythof theself-made man."Clarke viewed the comics characters as having to continuously update in order to maintain relevance and thus representing the mood of the nation. He regarded Superman's character in the early seventies as a comment on the modern world, which he saw as a place in which" only the man with superpowers can survive and prosper. "Andrew Arnold, writing in the early 21st century, has noted Superman's partial role in exploring assimilation, the character's alien status allowing the reader to explore attempts to fit in on a somewhat superficial level.

A.C. Grayling, writing inThe Spectator,traces Superman's stances through the decades, from his 1930s campaign against crime being relevant to a nation under the influence ofAl Capone,through the 1940s and World War II, a period in which Superman helped sellwar bonds,and into the 1950s, where Superman explored the new technological threats. Grayling notes the period after theCold Waras being one where "matters become merely personal: the task of pitting his brawn against the brains of Lex Luthor and Brainiac appeared to be independent of bigger questions", and discusses events post9/11,stating that as a nation "caught between the terrifyingGeorge W. Bushand the terroristOsama bin Laden,America is in earnest need of a Saviour for everything from the minor inconveniences to the major horrors of world catastrophe. And here he is, the down-home clean-cut boy in the blue tights and red cape ".

An influence on early Superman stories is the context of theGreat Depression.Superman took on the role of social activist, fighting crooked businessmen and politicians and demolishing run-down tenements.Comics scholarRoger Sabinsees this as a reflection of "the liberal idealism ofFranklin Roosevelt'sNew Deal",with Shuster and Siegel initially portraying Superman as champion to a variety of social causes.In later Superman radio programs the character continued to take on such issues, tackling a version of theKu Klux Klanin a1946 broadcast,as well as combating anti-semitism and veteran discrimination.

Scott Bukatmanhas discussed Superman, and the superhero in general, noting the ways in which they humanize large urban areas through their use of the space, especially in Superman's ability to soar over the large skyscrapers of Metropolis. He writes that the character "represented, in 1938, a kind ofCorbusierianideal. Superman has X-ray vision: walls become permeable, transparent. Through his benign, controlled authority, Superman renders the city open, modernist and democratic; he furthers a sense that Le Corbusier described in 1925, namely, that 'Everything is known to us'. "

TheLibrary of Congresshosting a discussion withDan JurgensandPaul Levitzfor Superman's 80th anniversary and the1,000th issueofAction Comics

Jules Feifferhas argued that Superman's real innovation lay in the creation of the Clark Kent persona, noting that what "made Superman extraordinary was his point of origin: Clark Kent." Feiffer develops the theme to establish Superman's popularity in simple wish fulfillment,a point Siegel and Shuster themselves supported, Siegel commenting that "If you're interested in what made Superman what it is, here's one of the keys to what made it universally acceptable. Joe and I had certain inhibitions… which led to wish-fulfillment which we expressed through our interest in science fiction and our comic strip. That's where the dual-identity concept came from" and Shuster supporting that as being "why so many people could relate to it".

Ian Gordonsuggests that the many incarnations of Superman across media use nostalgia to link the character to an ideology of the American Way. He defines this ideology as a means of associating individualism, consumerism, and democracy and as something that took shape around WWII and underpinned the war effort. Superman, he notes was very much part of that effort.

An allegory for immigrants

Superman's immigrant status is a key aspect of his appeal.Aldo Regalado saw the character as pushing the boundaries of acceptance in America. The extraterrestrial origin was seen by Regalado as challenging the notion thatAnglo-Saxonancestry was the source of all might.Gary Engle saw the "myth of Superman [asserting] with total confidence and a childlike innocence the value of the immigrant inAmerican culture".He argues that Superman allowed the superhero genre to take over from theWesternas the expression of immigrant sensibilities. Through the use of a dual identity, Superman allowed immigrants to identify with both of their cultures. Clark Kent represents the assimilated individual, allowing Superman to express the immigrants' cultural heritage for the greater good.David Jenemann has offered a contrasting view. He argues that Superman's early stories portray a threat: "the possibility that the exile would overwhelm the country".David Rooney, a theatercriticforThe New York Times,in his evaluation of the playYear Zeroconsiders Superman to be the "quintessential immigrant story [...] [b]orn on an alien planet, he grows stronger on Earth, but maintains a secret identity tied to a homeland that continues to exert a powerful hold on him even as his every contact with those origins does him harm".

Religious themes

It is popularly believed that Superman took inspiration from Judaic mythology. The British rabbiSimcha Weinsteinnotes that Superman's story has some parallels to that ofMoses.For example, Moses as a baby was sent away by his parents in a reed basket to escape death and was adopted by a foreign culture. Weinstein also posits that Superman's Kryptonian name, "Kal-El", resembles theHebrewphraseqōl ʾēl(קוֹל-אֵל) which can be taken to mean "voice of God".The historianLarry Tyesuggests that this "Voice of God" is an allusion to Moses' role as a prophet.The suffix "el",meaning" god ", is also found in the name of angels (e.g.Gabriel,Ariel), who are airborne humanoid agents of good with superhuman powers. The Nazis also thought Superman was a Jew and in 1940Joseph Goebbelspublicly denounced Superman and his creator Jerry Siegel.

All that said, historians such as Martin Lund and Les Daniels argue that the evidence for Judaic influence in Siegel and Shuster's stories is merely circumstantial. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were not practicing Jews and never acknowledged the influence of Judaism in any memoir or interview.

Superman stories have occasionally exhibited Christian themes as well. ScreenwriterTom Mankiewiczconsciously made Superman an allegory for Jesus Christ inthe 1978 moviestarringChristopher Reeve:baby Kal-El's ship resembles theStar of Bethlehem,and Jor-El gives his son a messianic mission to lead humanity into a brighter future. This messianic theme was revisited in the 2013 movieMan of Steel,wherein Jor-El asks Superman to redeem the Kryptonian race, which corrupted itself through eugenics, by guiding humanity down a wiser path.

See also

• List of Superman supporting characters
• List of DC animated universe characters
• List of DC Comics characters
• Music of Superman

Bibliography

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• Eury, Michael;Adams, Neal;Swan, Curt;Anderson, Murphy (2006).The Krypton Companion.Raleigh, NC:TwoMorrows Publishing.ISBN978-1-893905-61-0.
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• Ricca, Brad (2014).Super Boys: The Amazing Adventures of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster – the Creators of Superman.St. Martin's Griffin.ISBN978-1250049681.
• Rossen, Jake (2008).Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon.Chicago Review Press.ISBN9781569765012.
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• Steranko, Jim (1970).The Steranko History of Comics vol. 1.Supergraphics.ISBN9780517501887.
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Further reading

• De Haven, Tom(2009).Our Hero: Superman on Earth.New Haven, CT:Yale University Press.ISBN978-0-300-11817-9.OCLC320132317.

External links

• Official website
• Golden AgeArchivedNovember 21, 2019, at theWayback Machine,Silver AgeArchivedNovember 6, 2019, at theWayback MachineandModern AgeArchivedNovember 21, 2019, at theWayback MachineSuperman at the Comic book database
• SupermanonDC Database,aDC Comicswiki
• SupermanonIMDb