Superman (character)
Superman is a fictional superhero character in the DC Comics universe, created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in 1933. Initially introduced as a bald villain in the short story "The Reign of the Superman," the character was reimagined as a heroic figure by the late 1930s, establishing the archetype for modern superheroes and igniting the Golden Age of Comic Books. Superman, also known as Kal-El, embodies various superhuman abilities, such as super strength, the power of flight, and super-speed, which he uses to protect humanity. His dual identity as Clark Kent, a mild-mannered journalist, allows him to blend into society while secretly fighting for justice. With a distinctive costume featuring a blue suit and a red cape, he has become a global icon and a significant part of American popular culture. Superman's origin story involves being sent to Earth from the doomed planet Krypton, raised by adoptive parents in Smallville, Kansas, and ultimately embracing his role as a hero. Over the decades, Superman's character has appeared in numerous comics, films, television shows, and other media, evolving through various storylines and adaptations, including notable developments like the "Death of Superman" arc and the introduction of a new Superman in his son Jonathan. His enduring popularity has spawned merchandise, parodies, and critical analysis, reflecting his profound impact on culture.
Superman (character)
Superman is a fictional character in the DC Comics superhero universe. Writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster created the character of Superman in 1933. At first, Superman was portrayed as a bald villain who wanted to dominate the world. He first appeared this way in the short story "The Reign of the Superman." Siegel and Shuster then revamped Superman and made him a hero in the late 1930s, establishing the prototypical superhero and helping to launch what is known as the Golden Age of Comic Books. The new image of Superman captured the hearts of readers and became hugely popular. Over time the character became the most well-known superhero in the world and an icon of American popular culture, and expanded into other media including films and television shows.
Unlike many other superheroes, Superman is the character's real identity, and his alter ego is Clark Kent, a mild-mannered journalist. Superman disguises himself as Kent in public so others do not recognize him. Superman, also called the "Man of Steel" and Kal-El, is known for his various powers, including superhuman strength and the ability to fly. He uses his powers for the good of humankind.
Appearance and Abilities
Superman looks human. He has a muscular build, dark hair, and blue eyes. As Superman, he wears a costume that most famously consists of a blue suit with an "S" on the chest and a red cape. As Kent, he wears his Superman costume under normal clothes. He also wears thick-framed glasses.
Superman's most famous abilities include superhuman strength, superhuman speed, and the power of flight. He can lift an airplane and fly to the moon in record time. His body is nearly indestructible and surrounded by a protective aura—although the aura does not shield his cape. He is not completely indestructible, however, and can suffer from temporary physical harm from enemies.
He also has super-breath; he can take a deep breath and survive underwater or in space for a little over an hour. Superman can expel this deep breath to produce gale force winds. He also can make his breath very cold and freeze his enemies with it. Other abilities include super-hearing and super-vision, which includes x-ray vision and heat vision.
Superman gets these powers because his body can absorb energy from the sun. His powers get weak when he spends too much time away from the sun or uses too much strength quickly, such as when he is battling another force. He can recharge by spending time in the sun. Superman also occasionally retreats to his Fortress of Solitude, a secret headquarters most often depicted as located in the Arctic or Antarctic.
Superman does have weaknesses. In addition to using up his solar energy, magic and kryptonite make Superman weak. He has no defense against magic. Kryptonite is a form of kryptonium and looks like a green, glowing rock. When Superman is near kryptonite, he gets weak and sick; prolonged kryptonite exposure can kill him. His only defense from kryptonite is to get away from it as quickly as possible. While lead protects Superman from kryptonite, it causes him to lose his super-vision.
Origins
Though Superman's origin story has been told and retold in various versions, most follow the same basic arc. He was born Kal-El, son of scientist Jor-El and his wife, Lara, who lived on the planet of Krypton. Jor-El and Lara sent their son to Earth on a rocket ship just as the planet Krypton exploded. Jonathan and Martha Kent, a couple from Smallville, Kansas, found the baby in a tiny rocket in a field one day. They adopted the child and named him Clark Kent.
As Kent grew up, he began to demonstrate special traits. He was trampled by a bull at the age of eight but was unharmed. When he turned seventeen, he discovered he could fly. He used some of these extraordinary talents to excel at sports and in other areas of his life. When he turned eighteen, Kent's father showed him the rocket and told him the story of how the couple had found him. Kent finally understood why he was different and vowed to use his powers to do good in the world. He left Smallville to travel the world and learn more about his powers. He also began to help people secretly.
A few years later, Kent returned to the United States and attended the University of Metropolis, receiving a degree in journalism. Shortly afterward, he prevented a plane crash and caught the attention of reporter Lois Lane, who was at the scene. She gave him the name of Superman in the newspaper article that described the incident.
At this point, Kent decided he wanted to be his true persona of Superman to help others. He and his parents then came up with a way to hide his real superhero identity. His parents helped him design a costume (blue with a red cape and an "S" chest emblem) and the disguise of Clark Kent, who looked like a regular man who wears glasses.
Kent took a job at the newspaper where Lane worked. (A romance later developed between the two.) His first assignment was an exclusive interview with Superman. Superman led a dual life, becoming a hero when needed and posing as Kent when he was not helping others. Along with Lois Lane, many other recurring characters became part of his ongoing story and grew to be well-known in their own right. These included allies such as Jimmy Olsen and Supergirl as well as villains such as Lex Luthor, Bizarro, and Brainiac.
Portrayal in the Media
Superman as he is known today first appeared in the 1938 comic book Action Comics #1. Since then, the superhero has become very popular and has appeared in thousands of comics. Owned by publisher DC Comics, he became part of a shared universe with other iconic characters such as Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Flash. Superman is often shown to be part of the Justice League, a team made up of many of DC's prominent superheroes.
Some of Superman's story lines have been considered groundbreaking events in the comic book world and attracted mainstream media attention. Examples include the 1992 "Death of Superman" event and the 2021 announcement that Clark Kent and Lois Lane's son Jonathan, who had inherited the mantle of Superman, would be shown to be in a gay relationship. As the latter example suggests, there have been many versions of Superman in the comics. These include Supermen from different timelines or alternate realities, which exist both within the standard DC universe continuity and in standalone projects such as the acclaimed miniseries Superman: Red Son (2003), which notably envisioned a version of the character raised in the Soviet Union rather than the United States.
Superman has also been featured in many radio programs, television series, films, video games, and other media. The superhero appeared in television projects such as Adventures of Superman (1952–1958), Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997), and Smallville (2001–2011) and debuted on the big screen with Superman (1978), which featured actor Christopher Reeve as the titular character. The Superman film franchise was rebooted in 2013 with Man of Steel and continued with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016. In addition, much Superman-related merchandise has been created and sold throughout the years. His enormous presence in popular culture has led to frequent parodies as well as serious literary and sociological analysis.
Bibliography
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Gustines, George Gene. "Superman Turns 80. The Red Trunks Still Fit." The New York Times, 17 Apr. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/arts/superman-turns-80-action-comics-1000.html. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
"Man of Steel: Superman." DC Comics, www.dccomics.com/characters/superman. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
"Superman." Comic Vine, comicvine.gamespot.com/superman/4005-1807/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
"Superman Biography and Superman Facts." SuperHeroStuff, www.superherostuff.com/biographies/supermanbio.html. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
"Superman in the Comics." Superman Homepage, www.supermanhomepage.com/comics.php. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.