Superman - wikipedia Superman This article is about the superhero. For other uses, see Superman ( disambiguation ). Superman Art by Alex Ross Publication information Publisher DC Comics First appearance Action Comics # 1 ( cover date June 1938 / release date May 1938 ) Created by Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster In - story information Alter ego Kal - El ( birth name ) Clark Kent ( adopted name ) Species Kryptonian Place of origin Krypton Team affiliations Justice League Legion of Super-Heroes Partnerships Batman Wonder Woman Supergirl Superboy ( Kon - El ) Superdog ( Krypto ) Power Girl Abilities Superhuman strength, speed, durability, and longevity Flight Heat vision Freezing breath Extrasensory powers, including X-ray vision Superman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, high school students living in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1933. They sold Superman to Detective Comics, the future DC Comics, in 1938. Superman debuted in Action Comics # 1 ( cover - dated June 1938 ) and subsequently appeared in various radio serials, newspaper strips, television programs, films, and video games. With this success, Superman helped to create the superhero archetype and establish its primacy within the American comic book. The character is also referred to by such epithets as the Big Blue Boy Scout, the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow, and the Last Son of Krypton. The origin story of Superman relates that he was born Kal - El on the planet Krypton, before being rocketed to Earth as an infant by his scientist father Jor - El, moments before Krypton 's destruction. Discovered and adopted by a farm couple from Kansas, the child is raised as Clark Kent and imbued with a strong moral compass. Early in his childhood, he displays various superhuman abilities, which, upon reaching maturity, he resolves to use for the benefit of humanity through a `` Superman '' identity. Superman resides and operates in the fictional American city of Metropolis. As Clark Kent, he is a journalist for the Daily Planet, a Metropolis newspaper. Superman 's love interest is Lois Lane, and his archenemy is the supervillain Lex Luthor. A close ally of Batman and Wonder Woman, he is typically depicted as a member of the Justice League. Like other characters in the DC Universe, several alternative versions of Superman have been characterized over the years. Superman 's appearance is distinctive and iconic ; he usually wears a blue costume with a red - and - yellow emblem on the chest, consisting of the letter S in a shield shape, and a red cape. This shield is used in many media to symbolize the character. Superman is widely considered an American cultural icon. He has fascinated scholars, with cultural theorists, commentators, and critics alike exploring the character 's role and impact in the United States and worldwide. The character 's ownership has often been the subject of dispute, with Siegel and Shuster twice suing for the return of rights. He has been portrayed in many adaptations of the comics as well, including films, television series, and video games. Several actors have played Superman in motion pictures and TV series including Bud Collyer, Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Tim Daly, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, and Tyler Hoechlin. Contents 1 Creation and conception 1.1 Influences 2 Publication history 2.1 Comic books and comic strips 2.2 Creative management 2.3 Aesthetic style 3 Copyright battles 3.1 Ownership lawsuits 3.2 Copyright infringement lawsuits 4 Fictional character biography 4.1 Personality 4.2 Age and birthday 4.3 Other versions 5 Powers and abilities 6 Supporting characters 6.1 Allies 6.2 Enemies 7 Cultural impact 7.1 Merchandising 7.2 In other media 7.3 Musical references, parodies, and homages 7.4 Literary analysis 7.5 Critical reception and popularity 8 See also 9 Footnotes 10 Bibliography 11 Further reading 12 External links Creation and conception `` The Reign of the Superman '' from Siegel 's Science Fiction # 3 ( January 1933 ) In January 1933, Cleveland high school student Jerry Siegel wrote a short story, illustrated by his friend and classmate Joe Shuster, titled `` The Reign of the Superman '', which Siegel self - published in his fanzine, Science Fiction. The titular character is a vagrant who gains vast psychic powers from an experimental drug and uses them maliciously for profit and amusement, only to lose them and become a vagrant again, ashamed that he will be remembered only as a villain. Siegel 's fanzine did not sell well. Siegel and Shuster shifted to making comic strips, which they self - published in a book they called Popular Comics. The pair dreamed of becoming professional authors and believed that syndicated newspaper strips offered more lucrative and stable work than pulp magazines. The art quality standards were also lower, making them more accessible to the inexperienced Shuster. In early 1933 or in 1934, Siegel developed a new character, also named Superman, but now a heroic character, which Siegel felt would be more marketable. This first prototype of Superman had no fantastic abilities and wore casual clothing. Siegel and Shuster often compared this version to Slam Bradley, a comics character they created in 1936. Siegel shared his idea with Shuster and they decided to turn it into a comic strip. The first publisher they solicited was Humor Publishing in Chicago, after having read one of their comic books, Detective Dan. A representative of Humor Publishing was due to visit Cleveland on a business trip and so Siegel and Shuster hastily put together a comic story titled `` The Superman '' and presented it to the publisher. Although Humor showed interest, it pulled out of the comics business before any book deal could be made. Inked cover of The Superman, a rejected 1933 comic story proposal by Siegel and Shuster 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. Siegel solicited multiple artists and in 1934 Russell Keaton, who worked on the Buck Rogers comic strip, responded. In nine sample strips Keaton produced based on Siegel 's treatment, the Superman character further evolves : In the distant future, when Earth is on the verge of exploding due to `` giant cataclysms '', the last surviving man sends his child back in time to the year 1935, where he is adopted by Sam and Molly Kent. The boy exhibits superhuman strength and bulletproof skin, and the Kents teach the child, whom they name Clark, to use his powers for good. However, the newspaper syndicates rejected their work and Keaton abandoned the project. Siegel and Shuster reconciled and resumed developing Superman. The character became an alien from the planet Krypton with 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 introduced his colleague Lois Lane, who is attracted to the bold and mighty Superman, but does not realize he and Kent are the same person. Siegel and Shuster entered the comics field professionally in 1935, producing detective and adventure stories for the New York - based comic - book publisher National Allied Publications. Although National expressed interest in Superman, Siegel and Shuster wanted to sell Superman as a syndicated comic strip, but the newspaper syndicates all turned them down. Max Gaines, who worked at McClure Newspaper Syndicate, suggested they show their work to Detective Comics ( which had recently bought out National Allied ). Siegel recalled, In March 1938, Siegel and Shuster sold all rights to the character to Detective Comics, Inc. for $130 ( ten dollars per page, the equivalent of $2,300 when adjusted for inflation ). It was the company 's policy to buy the full rights to the characters it published. By this time, they had resigned themselves that Superman would never be a success, and with this deal they would at least see their character finally published. Influences Siegel and Shuster read pulp science - fiction and adventure magazines, and many stories featured characters with extraordinary powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and superhuman strength. An influence was Edgar Rice Burroughs ' John Carter of Mars, a human who was displaced to Mars, where the low gravity makes him stronger than the natives and allows him to leap great distances, which were essentially the same kind of powers Superman had on Earth in the early days of the comic. While it is widely assumed that the 1930 Philip Wylie novel Gladiator, featuring a protagonist, Hugo Danner, with similar powers, was an inspiration for Superman, Siegel denied this. Douglas Fairbanks ( left ) and Harold Lloyd ( right ) influenced the look of Superman and Clark Kent, respectively. Siegel and Shuster were also avid moviegoers. Shuster based Superman 's stance and devil - may - care attitude on that of Douglas Fairbanks, who starred in adventure films such as The Mark of Zorro and Robin Hood. The name of Superman 's home city, Metropolis, was taken from the 1927 film of the same name. Popeye cartoons were also an influence. The persona of Clark Kent was inspired by slapstick comedian Harold Lloyd. Lloyd wore glasses and often played gentle characters who were abused by bullies, but later in the story would snap and fight back furiously. Shuster, who also wore glasses and described himself as `` mild - mannered '', found Lloyd 's characters relatable. Kent is a journalist, because Siegel often imagined himself becoming one after leaving school. The inclusion of a romantic subplot with Lois Lane was inspired by Siegel 's own awkwardness with girls. The pair collected comic strips in their youth, with a favorite being Winsor McCay 's fantastical Little Nemo. Shuster remarked on the artists which played an important part in the development of his own style : `` Alex Raymond and Burne Hogarth were my idols -- also Milt Caniff, Hal Foster, and Roy Crane. '' Shuster taught himself to draw by tracing over the art in the strips and magazines they collected. As a boy, Shuster was obsessed with fitness culture and a fan of strongmen such as Siegmund Breitbart and Joseph 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, and strongmen. Shuster first gave Superman laced sandals like those of strongmen and classical heroes. The emblem on his chest may have been inspired by the uniforms of athletic teams. Many pulp action heroes such as swashbucklers wore capes. Superman 's face was based on Johnny Weissmuller 's. 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 '' and Doc Savage. It is unclear whether Siegel and Shuster were influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche 's concept of the Übermensch ; they never acknowledged as much. Publication History See also : Publication history of Superman, Superman ( comic strip ), List of Superman comics, and Superman ( franchise ) Comic books and comic strips Superman debuted as the cover feature of the anthology Action Comics # 1 ( cover - dated June 1938 and published on April 18, 1938 ). The series was an immediate success, and reader feedback showed it was because of the Superman character. In June 1939, Detective Comics began a sister series, Superman, dedicated exclusively to the character. Action Comics eventually became dedicated to Superman stories too, and both it and Superman have been published without interruption since 1938 ( ignoring changes to the titles and numbering ). A large number of other series and miniseries have been published as well. Superman has also appeared as a regular or semi-regular character in a number of superhero team series, such as Justice League of America and World 's Finest Comics, and in spin - off series such as Supergirl. Sales of Action Comics and Superman declined steadily from the 1950s, but rose again starting in 1987. Superman # 75 ( Nov 1992 ) sold over 6 million copies, making it the best - selling issue of a comic book of all time, thanks to a media sensation over the possibly permanent death of the character in that issue. Sales declined from that point on. In February 2016, Action Comics sold just over 31,000 copies. The comic books are today considered a niche aspect of the Superman franchise due to low readership. Beginning in January 1939, a Superman daily comic strip appeared in newspapers, syndicated through the McClure Syndicate. A color Sunday version was added that November. The Sunday strips had a narrative continuity separate from the daily strips, possibly because Siegel had to delegate the Sunday strips to ghostwriters. By 1941, the newspaper strips had an estimated readership of 20 million. Shuster drew the early strips, then passed the job to Wayne Boring. From 1949 to 1956, the newspaper strips were drawn by Win 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. After Shuster left National, Boring also succeeded him as the principal artist on Superman comic books. He redrew Superman taller and more detailed. Around 1955, Curt Swan in turn succeeded Boring. Creative management 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. Editor Whitney Ellsworth, hired in 1940, dictated that Superman not kill. Sexuality was banned, and colorfully outlandish villains such as Ultra-Humanite and Toyman were thought to be less nightmarish for young readers. Mort Weisinger was 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 as Bizarro, Supergirl, the Phantom Zone, alternate varieties of kryptonite, robot doppelgangers, and Krypto were introduced. 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 the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, because he feared his right - wing views would alienate his writing staff and readers. Weisinger also introduced letters columns in 1958 to encourage feedback and build intimacy with readers. Superman was the best - selling comic book character of the 1960s. Weisinger retired in 1970 and Julius Schwartz took over. By his own admission, Weisinger had grown out of touch with newer readers. Schwartz updated Superman by removing overused plot elements such as kryptonite and robot doppelgangers and making Clark Kent a television anchor. 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, as in `` For the Man Who Has Everything '' ( Superman Annual # 11 ), in which the villain Mongul torments Superman with an illusion of happy family life on a living Krypton. Schwartz retired from DC Comics in 1986, and was succeeded by Mike Carlin as editor on Superman comics His retirement coincided with DC Comics ' decision to streamline the shared continuity called the DC Universe with the companywide - crossover storyline `` Crisis on Infinite Earths ''. Writer John Byrne rewrote the Superman mythos, again reducing Superman 's powers, which writers had slowly re-strengthened, and revised many supporting characters, such as making Lex Luthor a billionaire industrialist rather than a mad scientist, and making Supergirl an artificial shapeshifting organism, because DC wanted Superman to be the sole surviving Kryptonian. Carlin was promoted to Executive Editor for the DC Universe books in 1996, a position he held until 2002. K.C. Carlson took his place as editor of the Superman comics. The 1940s radio serial was produced by Robert Maxwell and Allen Ducovny, who were employees of Superman, Inc. and Detective Comics, respectively. Robert Maxwell was later hired to produce the TV show starring George Reeves. DC Comics ( then known as National Comics Publications ) felt that the first season was too violent for what they expected to be a children 's show, so they removed Maxwell and replaced him with Whitney Ellsworth, a veteran writer and editor at National Comics. DC Comics had approval rights over all creative aspects of the Superboy TV series ( 1988 -- 1992 ), from scripts to casting to shooting revisions. The first three movies starring Christopher Reeve were produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind. When Warner Bros sold the movie rights to Superman to the Salkinds in 1974, it demanded control over the budget and the casting, but left everything else to the producers ' discretion. These movies influenced future stories, with the Salkinds insisting Clark Kent be a newspaper journalist, in order to appeal to older fans. Kent left his TV anchor job and returned to the Daily Planet. Innovations such as John Barry 's crystalline set designs for Krypton and the Fortress of Solitude, Superman 's chest emblem being his family crest, and screenwriter Mario Puzo 's messianic themes were also adopted by the comics ' writers. 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, and not just in the comics : he also provided character model sheets for the Fleischer and Famous animated serial of the 1940s. After Shuster left National, Wayne Boring succeeded him as the principal artist on Superman comic books. He redrew Superman taller and more detailed. Around 1955, Curt Swan in 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. Copyright battles Ownership lawsuits Main article : Superman ownership disputes Siegel wrote most of the comic - book and daily newspaper stories until he was conscripted in 1943. While Siegel was serving in Hawaii, Detective Comics introduced a child version of Superman called `` Superboy '', based on a concept Siegel had submitted several years before. Siegel was furious, because Detective did this without having bought the character. After Siegel 's discharge from the Army, he and Shuster sued Detective Comics in 1947 for the rights to Superman and Superboy. The judge ruled that the March 1938 sale of Superman was binding, but that Superboy was a separate entity that rightfully belonged to Siegel. Siegel and Shuster settled out - of - court with Detective, which paid the pair $94,000 ( $960,000 when adjusted for inflation ) in exchange for the full rights to both Superman and Superboy. Detective then fired Siegel and Shuster. In 1969, Siegel and Shuster attempted to regain rights to Superman using the renewal option in the Copyright Act of 1909, but the court ruled Siegel and Shuster had transferred the renewal rights to Detective Comics in 1938. Siegel and Shuster appealed, but the appeals court upheld this decision. Detective had re-hired Siegel as a writer in 1957, but fired him 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 the Copyright 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 producer Marc Toberoff then 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 favored 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. Superman is due to enter the public domain in 2033. However, this would only apply to the character as he is depicted in Action Comics # 1 ( 1938 ). Later developments, such as his power of `` heat vision '' ( introduced in 1949 ), may persist under copyright until the works they were introduced in enter the public domain themselves. Copyright infringement lawsuits Superman 's success quickly spawned a wave of imitations, and Detective Comics defended its copyright vigorously. Will Eisner created a character called Wonder Man in 1939, but a lawsuit from Detective Comics forced its cancellation after just one issue. Fawcett Comics introduced Captain Marvel in 1940 and for some years that character outsold Superman, but after protracted legal battles Fawcett was forced to cease publishing Captain Marvel in 1953. Fictional character Biography In Action Comics # 1 ( April 1938 ), Superman is born on an alien world to a technologically advanced species that resembles humans. When his world is on the verge of destruction, his father, a scientist, places his infant son alone in a spaceship that takes him to Earth. The earliest newspaper strips name the planet `` Krypton '', the baby `` Kal - L '', and his biological parents `` Jor - L '' and `` Lora '' ; their names become `` Jor - el '', and `` Lara '' in a 1942 spinoff novel by George Lowther. The ship lands in the American countryside, where the baby is adopted by the Kents. In the original stories, they adopt him from an orphanage. The Kents name the boy Clark and raise him in a farming community. A 1947 episode of the radio serial places the then - unnamed community in Iowa. It is named Smallville in Superboy # 2 ( June 1949 ). New Adventures of Superboy # 22 ( Oct. 1981 ) places it in Maryland. The 1978 Superman movie and most stories since place it in Kansas. 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 suffers occasional ridicule for his apparent cowardice. Writers developed Superman 's powers gradually. Since the beginning, he has had superhuman strength and a nigh - invulnerable body. In the earliest comics, Superman travels by running and leaping. In the radio serial that began in 1940, Superman has the ability to fly. Fleischer Studios also depicted Superman flying in a theatrical animated series they produced that same decade, because this required fewer frames of animation, and their animation tests of Superman leaping looked `` silly '' anyway. X-ray vision is introduced in Action Comics # 11 ( April 1939 ) and heat vision in Superman # 59 ( Aug. 1949 ). Originally, Superman 's powers were common on Krypton, but in later stories they are activated by the light of Earth 's yellow sun, and can be deactivated by red sunlight similar to that of Krypton 's sun. Siegel understood that Superman 's invulnerability diminished his appeal as an action hero, and so wrote a story introducing `` K - metal '', whose radiation harms Superman. This draft was never published since the story had Superman reveal his secret identity to Lois, but the writers of the radio serial took inspiration and introduced the green mineral kryptonite in a 1943 episode. It first appeared in comics in the story `` Superman Returns To Krypton ! '', credited to writer Bill Finger, in Superman # 61 ( Dec. 1949 ). Clark works as a newspaper journalist. In the earliest stories, he is employed by George Taylor of The Daily Star, but the second episode of the radio serial changed this to Perry White of The Daily Planet. Action Comics # 1 introduced Clark 's colleague Lois Lane. Clark is romantically attracted to her, but she rejects the mild - mannered Clark and is infatuated with the bold and mighty Superman. This love triangle was conceived in 1934 and is present in most Superman stories. Jerry 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. For decades in comic stories, Lois suspects Clark is Superman and tries to prove it, but Superman always outwits her ; the first such story was Superman # 17 ( 1942 ). In Action Comics # 662 ( Feb. 1991 ) in a story by writer Roger Stern and artist Bob McLeod, Lois definitively learns of Clark 's dual identity, a status quo that would exist for two decades and was reflected in a 1995 episode of the TV series Lois & Clark : The New Adventures of Superman. Both in that series and in the 1996 comic book special Superman : The Wedding Album, Clark and Lois marry. The couple 's biological child, Jonathan Samuel Kent, was born in Convergence : Superman # 2 ( July 2015 ). The first story in which Superman dies was published in Superman # 188 ( April 1966 ) in which he is killed by kryptonite radiation, but is revived in the same issue by one of his android doppelgangers. In the 1990s The Death and Return of Superman story arc, after a deadly battle with Doomsday, Superman died in Superman # 75 ( Jan. 1993 ). He was later revived by the Eradicator. In Superman # 52 ( May 2016 ) Superman is killed by kryptonite poisoning, and this time he was not resurrected, but replaced by the Superman of a previous continuity. In 2011, DC Comics rebooted its continuity and relaunched its entire line of comic books under the rubric The New 52, with a new version of Superman as the protagonist of the Superman books. In this new version of events, Clark 's parents were killed by a drunk driver when he was a teenager, and he is not married to Lois. In this continuity, he first encounters Lex Luthor early in his career as a superhero. Luthor, who is working for the government, tortures him in order to find out the limits of his powers. Superman eventually manages to escape, however. In Superman vol. 2, # 43 ( October 2015 ) Superman 's identity is exposed to the world. The pre-New 52 version of Superman was re-introduced in the comic book series Superman : Lois and Clark and for a time Earth had two superheroes each called Superman. The older, more mature Superman remained on Earth after the younger Superman died in Superman vol. 3, # 52 ( May 25, 2016 ). In June 2016, DC Comics once again relaunched its comic book titles with DC Rebirth. The publisher re-established the pre-New 52 Superman as the protagonist of the new comic books, with Lois Lane as his wife once more. He and Lois also conceive a biological son, Jonathan Samuel Kent, who eventually becomes Superboy. The story arc Superman Reborn smooths over the discrepancies between the two versions of the character. According to Mister Mxyzptlk, the creation of the New 52 caused Superman to be separated into two people : the New 52 character that served as the protagonist of the Superman books and the pre-Flashpoint character that took part in the Convergence event and sired Jon. Thanks to Jon, the new Superboy, the two Supermen merge into one complete version of Superman, rearranging their shared histories and accommodating them into the restored DC Universe. This complete Superman features a new suit that combines elements from the two eras. DC Comics ended the Rebirth branding in December 2017, opting to include everything under a larger `` DC Universe '' banner and naming. The continuity established by Rebirth continues across DC 's comic book titles, including volume one of Action Comics and the fourth volume of Superman. Personality In the original Siegel and Shuster stories, Superman 's personality is rough and aggressive. The character often attacks and terrorizes wife beaters, profiteers, lynch mobs, and gangsters in a rough manner and with a looser moral code than audiences today might be used to. Superman in the comics of the 1930s is unconcerned about the harm his strength may cause. He tosses villainous characters in such a manner that fatalities would presumably occur, although these are seldom shown explicitly on the page. This came to an end in late 1940 when new editor Whitney Ellsworth instituted a code of conduct for his characters to follow, banning Superman from ever killing. The character was softened and given a sense of humanitarianism. Ellsworth 's code, however, is not to be confused with `` the Comics Code '', which was created in 1954 by the Comics Code Authority and 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 with Wonder Woman, one of his closest friends, after she killed Maxwell Lord. Booster Gold had an initial 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 feel lonely on Earth, despite having his friends and parents. Previous encounters with people he thought to be fellow Kryptonians, Power Girl ( who is, in fact from the Krypton of the Earth - Two universe ) and Mon - El, have led to disappointment. The arrival of Supergirl, who has been confirmed to be not only from Krypton, but also his cousin, has relieved this loneliness somewhat. Superman 's Fortress of Solitude acts as a place of solace for him in times of loneliness and despair. In Superman / Batman # 3 ( Dec. 2003 ), Batman, under writer Jeph Loeb, observes, `` It is a remarkable dichotomy. In many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then... he shoots fire from the skies, and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to ' him '. '' In writer Geoff Johns ' Infinite Crisis # 1 ( Dec. 2005 ), part of the 2005 -- 2006 `` Infinite Crisis '' crossover storyline, Batman admonishes him for identifying with humanity too much and failing to provide the strong leadership that superhumans need. Age and birthday Superman 's age has varied through his history in comics, with the character typically being in his 30s. His age was originally left undefined, with real - time references to specific years sometimes given to past events in Golden Age and early Silver Age comics. In comics published between the early 1970s and early 1990s, his age was usually cited as 29 years old. However, during `` The Death of Superman '' storyline, Clark 's age was given as 34 years old ( in a fictional promotional newspaper published ), while 1994 's `` Zero Hour '' timeline established his age as 35. Action Comics # 149 ( Oct. 1950 ) gives October as Superman 's birthdate. Comics of the 1960s through 1980s describe Superman 's birthday as February 29. Clark Kent, meanwhile, would celebrate his birthday on June 18, the date the Kents first found Clark ; June 18 is also the birthdate of Superman voice actor Bud Collyer. Following the 1980s editorial - revamp DC called Crisis on Infinite Earths, Kent 's birthday is given as February 29. Superman : Secret Origin # 1 ( Nov. 2009 ) depicts Kent celebrating his birthday on December 1. Other versions Main article : Alternative versions of Superman See also : Superman ( Earth - Two ) and Superman ( Earth - One ) The details Superman 's story vary across his large body of fiction published since 1938. Versions of Superman depicted on television and in movies are typically not part of the same narrative continuity presented in the comics, and even in the comic books there are many different depictions of the character, a few of which differ radically from the `` classic '' version ( e.g., the graphic novel Superman : Red Son depicts a Communist Superman who rules the Soviet Union ). DC Comics has on some occasions published crossover stories where different depictions 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 star 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 the character. Powers and abilities Main article : Powers and abilities of Superman As an influential archetype of the superhero genre, Superman possesses extraordinary powers, with the character traditionally described as `` Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound... It 's Superman ! '', a phrase coined by Jay Morton and first used in the Superman radio serials and Max Fleischer animated shorts of the 1940s as well as the TV series of the 1950s. For most of his existence, Superman 's famous arsenal of powers has included flight, super-strength, invulnerability to non-magical attacks, super-speed, vision powers ( including x-ray, heat - emitting, telescopic, infra - red, and microscopic vision ), super-hearing, super-intelligence, and super-breath, which enables him to blow out air at freezing temperatures, as well as exert the propulsive force of high - speed winds. As originally conceived and presented in his early stories, Superman 's powers were relatively limited, consisting of superhuman strength that allowed him to lift a car over his head, run at amazing speeds and leap one - eighth of a mile, as well as an incredibly dense body structure that could be pierced by nothing less than an exploding artillery shell. He could be knocked unconscious and nearly killed by powerful electric fields or bombs. Siegel and Shuster compared his strength and leaping abilities to an ant and a grasshopper. When making the Superman cartoons in the early 1940s, the Fleischer Brothers found it difficult to keep animating him leaping and requested to DC to change his ability to flying ; this was an especially convenient concept for short films, which would have otherwise had to waste precious running time moving earthbound Clark Kent from place to place. Writers gradually increased his powers to larger extents during the Silver Age, in which Superman could fly to other worlds and galaxies and even across universes with relative ease. He would often fly across the solar system to stop meteors from hitting the Earth or sometimes just to clear his head. Writers found it increasingly difficult to write Superman stories in which the character was believably challenged, so DC made a series of attempts to rein the character in. The most significant attempt, John Byrne 's 1986 rewrite, established several hard limits on his abilities : He barely survives a nuclear blast, and his space flights are limited by how long he can hold his breath. Superman 's power levels have again increased since then, with Superman eventually possessing enough strength to hurl mountains, withstand nuclear blasts with ease, fly into the sun unharmed, and survive in the vacuum of outer space without oxygen. The source of Superman 's powers has changed subtly over the course of his history. It was originally stated that Superman 's abilities derived from his Kryptonian heritage, which made him eons more evolved than humans. This was soon amended, with the source for the powers now based upon the establishment of Krypton 's gravity as having been stronger than that of the Earth. This situation mirrors that of Edgar Rice Burroughs ' John Carter. As Superman 's powers increased, the implication that all Kryptonians had possessed the same abilities became problematic for writers, making it doubtful that a race of such beings could have been wiped out by something as trifling as an exploding planet. In part to counter this, the Superman writers established that Kryptonians, whose native star Rao had been red, possessed superpowers only under the light of a yellow sun. Superman is most vulnerable to green Kryptonite, mineral debris from Krypton transformed into radioactive material by the forces that destroyed the planet. Exposure to green Kryptonite radiation nullifies Superman 's powers and immobilizes him with pain and nausea ; prolonged exposure will eventually kill him. The only substance on Earth that can protect him from Kryptonite is lead, which blocks the radiation. Lead is also the only known substance that Superman can not see through with his x-ray vision. Kryptonite was introduced in 1943 as a plot device to allow the radio - serial voice actor, Bud Collyer, to take some time off. 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 its own effect. Supporting characters See also : Superman character and cast and List of Superman supporting characters Clark Kent, Superman 's secret identity, was based partly on Harold Lloyd and named after Clark Gable and Kent Taylor. Creators have discussed the idea of whether Superman pretends to be Clark Kent or vice versa, and at differing times in the publication either approach has been adopted. Although typically a newspaper reporter, during the 1970s the character left the Daily Planet for a time to work for television, whilst the 1980s revamp by John Byrne saw the character become somewhat more aggressive. This aggressiveness has since faded with subsequent creators restoring the mild mannerisms traditional to the character. Allies Superman 's large cast of supporting characters includes Lois Lane, the character most commonly associated with Superman, being portrayed at different times as his colleague, competitor, love interest and wife. Other main supporting characters include Daily Planet coworkers such as photographer Jimmy Olsen and editor Perry White, Clark Kent 's adoptive parents Jonathan and Martha Kent, childhood sweetheart Lana Lang and best friend Pete Ross, associates like Professor Hamilton and John Henry Irons who often provide scientific advice and tech support, and former college love interest Lori Lemaris ( a mermaid ). Stories making reference to the possibility of Superman siring children have been featured both in and out of mainstream continuity. Incarnations of Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog, and Superboy have also been major characters in the mythos, as well as the Justice League of America ( of which Superman is usually a member and often its leader ) and Legion of Super-Heroes ( which Superboy traveled through time to join ). A feature shared by several supporting characters is alliterative names, especially with the initials `` LL '', including Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Linda Lee, Lana Lang, Lori Lemaris, and Lucy Lane, alliteration being common in early comics. Team - ups with fellow comics icon Batman are common, inspiring many stories over the years. When paired, they are often referred to as the `` World 's Finest '' in a nod to the name of the comic book series that features many team - up stories. In 2003, DC began to publish a new series featuring the two characters titled Superman / Batman or Batman / Superman. Following DC Comic 's The New 52 line - wide relaunch, Superman established a romantic relationship with Wonder Woman. A comic book series titled Superman / Wonder Woman debuted in 2013, which explores their relationship and shared adventures. Various enemies of Superman, as they appear on the cover of Superman Villains : Secret Files and Origins # 1 ( June 1998 ). Art by Dan Jurgens. Enemies 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 outlandish and collectively become Superman 's rogues gallery. The mad scientist Ultra-Humanite, introduced in Action Comics # 13 ( June 1939 ), was Superman 's first recurring villain. The hero 's best - known nemesis, Lex Luthor, was introduced in Action Comics # 23 ( April 1940 ) and has been envisioned over the years as both a recluse with advanced weaponry to a power - mad billionaire. In 1944, the magical imp Mister Mxyzptlk, Superman 's first recurring super-powered adversary, was introduced. Superman 's first alien villain, Brainiac, debuted in Action Comics # 242 ( July 1958 ). The monstrous Doomsday, introduced in Superman : The Man of Steel # 17 -- 18 ( Nov. - Dec. 1992 ), was the first villain to evidently kill Superman in physical combat. Other adversaries include the odd Superman - doppelgänger Bizarro, the Kryptonian criminal General Zod, and alien tyrants Darkseid and Mongul. Cultural impact Superman has come to be seen as an American cultural icon. Superman is often thought of as the first superhero. This point is debated by historians : Doctor Occult, an earlier creation of Siegel and Shuster, appeared in comic books two years earlier, and the Phantom and Mandrake the Magician had previously appeared in newspaper strips. However, there is no debate that Superman started the 20th century 's craze for costumed adventurers. His adventures and popularity have established the character as an inspiring force within the public eye, with the character serving as inspiration for musicians, comedians and writers alike. Kryptonite, Brainiac and Bizarro have become synonymous in popular vernacular with Achilles ' heel, extreme intelligence and reversed logic respectively. Similarly, the phrase `` I 'm not Superman '' or `` you 're not Superman '' is an idiom used to suggest a lack of omnipotence. Merchandising The `` S '' symbol that became iconic Superman became popular very quickly, with an additional title, Superman Quarterly, rapidly added. In 1940 the character was represented in the annual Macy 's parade for the first time. In fact Superman had become popular to the extent that in 1942, with sales of the character 's three titles standing at a combined total of over 1.5 million, Time was reporting that `` the Navy Department ( had ) ruled that Superman comic books should be included among essential supplies destined for the Marine garrison at Midway Islands. '' The character was soon licensed by companies keen to cash in on this success through merchandising. The earliest paraphernalia appeared in 1939, a button proclaiming membership in the Supermen of America club. By 1940 the amount of merchandise available increased dramatically, with jigsaw puzzles, paper dolls, bubble gum and trading cards available, as well as wooden or metal figures. The popularity of such merchandise increased when Superman was licensed to appear in other media, and Les Daniels has written that this represents `` the start of the process that media moguls of later decades would describe as ' synergy. ' '' By the release of Superman Returns, Warner Bros. had arranged a cross promotion with Burger King, and licensed many other products for sale. Superman 's appeal to licensees rests upon the character 's continuing popularity, cross market appeal and the status of the `` S '' shield, the stylized magenta and gold `` S '' emblem Superman wears on his chest, as a fashion symbol. The `` S '' shield by itself is often used in media to symbolize the Superman character. In other media Main article : Superman ( franchise ) The character of Superman has appeared in various media aside from comic books, including radio and television series, several films, and video games. The first adaptation was a daily newspaper comic strip, launched on January 16, 1939, and running through May 1966 ; Siegel and Shuster used the first strips to establish Superman 's background, adding details such as the planet Krypton and Superman 's father, Jor - El, concepts not yet established in the comic books. A radio show, The Adventures of Superman, premiered February 12, 1940, and featured the voice of Bud Collyer as Superman. It ran through 1951. Collyer was also cast as the voice of Superman in Paramount Pictures ' 17 Superman animated cartoons produced by Fleischer Studios and then Famous Studios for theatrical release in 1941 -- 1943. The first episode had a budget of $50,000 with the remaining episodes at $30,000 each ( $831,900 when adjusted for inflation ), which was exceptional for the time. The first live - action film was a 15 - part serial released in 1948. In 1948, the movie serial Superman made Kirk Alyn the first actor to portray the hero onscreen. The first feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, was released in 1951, and was intended to promote the first television series Adventures of Superman, which aired from 1952 to 1958. National had creative control over the show. Television series featuring Superman and Superboy would also debut in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. In 1966 came the Broadway musical It 's a Bird... It 's a Plane... It 's Superman, remade for television in 1975. Also in 1966, Superman starred in the first of several animated television series The New Adventures of Superman. Superman also appeared in a Filmation - produced animation segment on the children 's educational TV series Sesame Street, discussing the letter S. Superman returned to movie theaters in 1978 with director Richard Donner 's Superman, starring Christopher Reeve, which spawned three sequels and was the most successful Superman feature film. DC Comics has had little creative control over these in movies : When Warner Bros. sold the movie rights to Superman to the Salkinds in 1974, it demanded control over the budget and the casting, but left everything else to the producers ' discretion. In 2006, Bryan Singer directed the feature Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh. In 2013, director Zack Snyder rebooted the film franchise with Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill. Snyder also directed its 2016 sequel, Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice, which featured Superman alongside Batman and Wonder Woman for the first time in a live - action movie. Cavill reprised his role as Superman in the 2017 film Justice League and revealed he is under contract to play Superman for one more film.. Tyler Hoechlin plays Superman in the second season of the Supergirl TV series. Musical references, parodies, and homages See also : Superman in popular music A building with a painted caricature of Barack Obama in Superman 's clothes in its facade Superman has also featured as an inspiration for musicians, with songs by numerous artists from several generations celebrating the character. Donovan 's Billboard Hot 100 topping single `` Sunshine Superman '' utilized the character in both the title and the lyric, declaring `` Superman and Green Lantern ai n't got nothing on me. '' Folk singer - songwriter Jim Croce sung about the character in a list of warnings in the chorus of his song `` You Do n't Mess Around with Jim '', introducing the phrase `` you do n't tug on Superman 's cape '' into popular lexicon. Other tracks to reference the character include Genesis ' `` Land of Confusion '', the video to which featured a Spitting Image puppet of Ronald Reagan dressed as Superman, `` ( Wish I Could Fly Like ) Superman '' by The Kinks on their 1979 album Low Budget and `` Superman '' by The Clique, a track later covered by R.E.M. on its 1986 album Lifes Rich Pageant. This cover is referenced by Grant Morrison in Animal Man, in which Superman meets the character, and the track comes on Animal Man 's Walkman immediately after. Crash Test Dummies ' `` Superman 's Song '', from the 1991 album The Ghosts That Haunt Me explores the isolation and commitment inherent in Superman 's life. Five for Fighting released `` Superman ( It 's Not Easy ) '' in 2000, which is from Superman 's point of view, although Superman is never mentioned by name. From 1988 to 1993, American composer Michael Daugherty composed `` Metropolis Symphony '', a five - movement orchestral work inspired by Superman comics. Superman depicted as stricken by AIDS, in an awareness campaign Parodies of Superman did not take long to appear, with Mighty Mouse introduced in `` The Mouse of Tomorrow '' animated short in 1942. While the character swiftly took on a life of its own, moving beyond parody, other animated characters soon took their turn to parody the character. In 1943, Bugs Bunny was featured in a short, Super-Rabbit, which sees the character gaining powers through eating fortified carrots. This short ends with Bugs stepping into a phone booth to change into a real `` Superman '' and emerging as a U.S. Marine. In 1956 Daffy Duck assumes the mantle of `` Cluck Trent '' in the short `` Stupor Duck '', a role later reprised in various issues of the Looney Tunes comic book. In the United Kingdom Monty Python created the character Bicycle Repairman, who fixes bicycles on a world full of Supermen, for a sketch in series of their BBC show. Also on the BBC was the sitcom My Hero, which presented Thermoman as a slightly dense Superman pastiche, attempting to save the world and pursue romantic aspirations. In the United States, Saturday Night Live has often parodied the figure, with Margot Kidder reprising her role as Lois Lane in a 1979 episode. The manga and anime series Dr. Slump featured the character Suppaman ; a short, fat, pompous man who changes into a thinly veiled Superman - like alter - ego by eating a sour - tasting umeboshi. Jerry Seinfeld, a noted Superman fan, filled his series Seinfeld with references to the character and in 1997 asked for Superman to co-star with him in a commercial for American Express. The commercial aired during the 1998 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl, Superman animated in the style of artist Curt Swan, again at the request of Seinfeld. Superman has also been used as reference point for writers, with Steven T. Seagle 's graphic novel Superman : It 's a Bird exploring Seagle 's feelings on his own mortality as he struggles to develop a story for a Superman tale. Brad Fraser used the character as a reference point for his play Poor Super Man, with The Independent noting the central character, a gay man who has lost many friends to AIDS as someone who `` identifies all the more keenly with Superman 's alien - amid - deceptive - lookalikes status. '' Superman 's image was also used in an AIDS awareness campaign by French organization AIDES. Superman was depicted as emaciated and breathing from an oxygen tank, demonstrating that no - one is beyond the reach of the disease, and it can destroy the lives of everyone. Superman is also mentioned in several films, including Joel Schumacher 's Batman & Robin, in which Batman states, `` That 's why Superman works alone... '' in reference to the many troubles caused by his partner Robin, and also in Sam Raimi 's Spider - Man, in which Aunt May gives her nephew Peter Parker a word of advice not to strain himself too much, because, `` You 're not Superman, you know '', among many others. Literary analysis Superman has been interpreted and discussed in many forms in the years since his debut. The character 's status as the first costumed superhero has allowed him to be used in many studies discussing the genre, Umberto Eco noting that `` he can be seen as the representative of all his similars ''. Writing in Time in 1971, Gerald Clarke stated : `` Superman 's enormous popularity might be looked upon as signalling the beginning of the end for the Horatio Alger myth of the self - 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. Clark Kent, argued by Jules Feiffer to be the most innovative feature of Superman A.C. Grayling, writing in The Spectator, traces Superman 's stances through the decades, from his 1930s campaign against crime being relevant to a nation under the influence of Al Capone, through the 1940s and World War II, a period in which Superman helped sell war bonds, and into the 1950s, where Superman explored the new technological threats. Grayling notes the period after the Cold War as 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 post 9 / 11, stating that as a nation `` caught between the terrifying George W. Bush and the terrorist Osama 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 the Great Depression. Superman took on the role of social activist, fighting crooked businessmen and politicians and demolishing run - down tenements. Comics scholar Roger Sabin sees this as a reflection of `` the liberal idealism of Franklin Roosevelt 's New 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 the Ku Klux Klan in a 1946 broadcast, as well as combating anti-semitism and veteran discrimination. Scott Bukatman has 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 of Corbusierian ideal. 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 '. '' The Library of Congress hosting a discussion with Dan Jurgens and Paul Levitz for Superman 's 80th anniversary and the 1,000 th issue of Action Comics. Jules Feiffer has 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 Gordon suggests 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. 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 that Anglo - Saxon ancestry 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 in American culture. '' He argues that Superman allowed the superhero genre to take over from the Western as the expression of immigrant sensibilities. Through the use of a dual identity, Superman allowed immigrants to identify with both 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 theater critic for The New York Times, in his evaluation of the play, Year Zero, considers 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. '' Some see Judaic themes in Superman. Simcha Weinstein notes that Superman 's story has some parallels to that of Moses. For example, Moses as a baby was sent away by his parents in a reed basket to escape death and adopted by a foreign culture. Weinstein also posits that Superman 's Kryptonian name, `` Kal - El '', resembles the Hebrew words קל - אל, which can be taken to mean `` voice of God ''. Larry Tye suggests that this `` Voice of God '' is an allusion to Moses ' role as a prophet. The suffix `` el '', meaning `` ( of ) 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 1940 Joseph Goebbels publicly denounced Superman and his creator Siegel. Superman stories have occasionally exhibited Christian themes as well. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz consciously made Superman an allegory for Christ in the 1978 movie starring Christopher Reeve : baby Kal - El 's ship resembles the Star of Bethlehem, and Jor - El 's gives his son a messianic mission. Critical reception and popularity The character Superman and his various comic series have received various awards over the years. Superman placed first on IGN 's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes. Empire magazine named him the greatest comic book character. The Reign of the Supermen is one of many storylines or works to have received a Comics Buyer 's Guide Fan Award, winning the Favorite Comic Book Story category in 1993. Superman came in at number 2 in VH1 's Top Pop Culture Icons 2004. Also in 2004, British moviegoers voted Superman the greatest superhero. Works featuring the character have also garnered six Eisner Awards, and three Harvey Awards, either for the works or the creators of the works. The Superman films have received a number of nominations and awards, with Christopher Reeve winning a BAFTA for his performance in Superman ( 1978 ). The Smallville television series has garnered Emmys for crew members and various other awards. See also Book : Superman List of DC animated universe characters List of DC Comics characters Comics portal Fictional characters portal Speculative fiction portal Superhero fiction portal Footnotes Jump up ^ Mike 's Amazing World of Comics : Action Comics # 1 ( 1938 ) ^ Jump up to : Daniels 1998, p. 11 Jump up ^ Rhoades, Shirrel ( 2008 ). Comic Books : How the Industry Works. Peter Lang. p. 72. ISBN 0820488925. Jump up ^ Holt, Douglas B. ( 2004 ). How Brands Become Icons : The Principles of Cultural Branding. Boston, MA : Harvard Business School Press. p. 1. ISBN 1 - 57851 - 774 - 5. Jump up ^ Koehler, Derek J. ; Harvey, Nigel., eds. ( 2004 ). Blackwell Handbook of Judgment and Decision Making. Blackwell. p. 519. ISBN 1 - 4051 - 0746 - 4. Jump up ^ Dinerstein, Joel ( 2003 ). Swinging the machine : Modernity, technology, and African American culture between the wars. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 81. ISBN 1 - 55849 - 383 - 2. Jump up ^ `` Superman turns 75 : Man of Steel milestone puts spotlight on creators ' Cleveland roots ''. New York Daily News. New York City. The Associated Press. April 17, 2013. Archived from the original on December 1, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2013. ' The encouragement that he received from his English teachers and the editors at the Glenville High School newspaper and the literary magazine gave my dad a real confidence in his talents, ' ( Laura Siegel Larson ) said over the phone from Los Angeles. Jump up ^ Daniels 1998, pp. 13 -- 14 Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` What really pushed Jerry in this direction was an article about comics called `` The Funny Papers '' that he read in Fortune magazine. The article begins with the shocking fact that `` some twenty comic - strip headliners are paid at least $1,000 a week. '' The article describes in detail how syndicates such as the Chicago Tribune and even Cleveland 's Newspaper Enterprise Association ( NEA ) worked for writers and artists to put their strips into hundreds of papers. According to the article, this `` is how the strips get into Big Money. '' So much so that `` the headliners usually get 50 per cent of the gross income. '' (... ) As far as artists go, `` In many cases they were not artists at all, but just fellows with a knack for sketching who thought of a good idea or a funny character that ' made a hit ' with an editor and eventually with newspaper readers. '' '' Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 92, says, `` It was the night of Sunday, June 18, 1933 ''. Siegel says only `` early 1933 '' In Andrae ( 1983 ). Other sources, including court records, list the year as 1934. Jump up ^ In Andrae ( 1983 ), Siegel is quoted as saying : `` Obviously, having him a hero would be infinitely more commercial than having him a villain. I understand that the comic strip Dr. Fu Manchu ran into all sorts of difficulties because the main character was a villain. And with the example before us of Tarzan and other action heroes of fiction who were very successful, mainly because people admired them and looked up to them, it seemed the sensible thing to do to make The Superman a hero. The first piece was a short story, and that 's one thing ; but creating a successful comic strip with a character you 'll hope will continue for many years, it would definitely be going in the wrong direction to make him a villain. '' Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 17 : ``... usually ( Shuster ) and Siegel agreed that no special costume was in evidence, and the surviving artwork bears them out. The most important point on which ( Siegel and Shuster ) are clear is that this version of the hero had no superpowers. '' Jump up ^ In Andrae ( 1983 ), Shuster is quoted as saying : `` It was n't really Superman : that was before he evolved into a costumed figure. He was simply wearing a T - shirt and pants... '' Jump up ^ Humor Publishing Company Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Dan Dunn at Don Markstein 's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Jump up ^ Jones ( 2004 ) : A Humor comic starring the character Detective Dan ``... was n't much better than what he and Joe could do -- but it was in print. And its publication did n't depend on the distant and indifferent world of newspaper syndication but on what was, in Jerry 's mind at least, the far more familiar world of cheap magazines. ' We can do this ! ' he said. '' Jump up ^ Most sources, including Jones ( 2004 ) and Ricca ( 2014 ), agree that Siegel met with Humor Publishing in Cleveland. Tye ( 2012 ) writes that they mailed their proposal to Humor 's offices in Chicago. ^ Jump up to : Ricca ( 2014 ) ^ Jump up to : Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 99 : `` Jerry was convinced, just as he was in those early pulp days, that you had to align yourself with someone famous to be famous yourself. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` ' When I told Joe of this, he unhappily destroyed the drawn - up pages of `` THE SUPERMAN '' burning them in the furnace of his apartment building, ' Jerry recalled. ' At my request, he gave me as a gift the torn cover. ' '' Jump up ^ In an interview with Andrae ( 1983 ), Shuster said he destroyed their 1933 Superman comic as a reaction to Humor Publishing 's rejection letter, which contradicts Siegel 's account in Siegel 's unpublished memoir. Tye ( 2012 ) argues that the account from the memoir is the truth, and that Shuster lied in the interview to avoid tension. ^ Jump up to : Jones ( 2004 ), p. 112 - 113 Jump up ^ Trexler, Jeff ( August 20, 2008 ). `` Superman 's Hidden History : The Other `` First '' Artist ``. Newsarama.com. Archived from the original on August 26, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Scans of Siegel and Keaton 's collaboration '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on December 8, 2015. Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 102 : `` Jerry tried to sell this version to the syndicates, but no one was interested, so Keaton gave up. '' Jump up ^ Daniels 1998, p. 18 Jump up ^ Wallace, Daniel ; Bryan Singer ( 2006 ). The Art of Superman Returns. Chronicle Books. p. 22. ISBN 0 - 8118 - 5344 - 6. Jump up ^ Over the years, Siegel and Shuster made contradictory statements regarding when they developed Superman 's familiar costume. They occasionally claimed to have developed it immediately in 1933, but Daniels ( 1998 ) writes : ``... usually ( Shuster ) and Siegel agreed that no special costume was in evidence ( in 1933 ), and the surviving artwork bears them out. '' The cover art for their 1933 proposal to Humor Publishing shows a shirtless, cape-less Superman. Siegel 's collaboration with Russell Keaton in 1934 contains no description or illustration of Superman in costume. Tye ( 2012 ) writes that Siegel and Shuster developed the costume shortly after they resumed working together. In an interview with Andrae ( 1983 ), Siegel said : `` NEMO : When you first conceived Superman, did you have the dual - identity theme in mind ? Siegel : That occurred to me in late 1934, when I decided that I 'd like to do Superman as a newspaper strip. I approached Joe about it, and he was enthusiastic about the possibility. I was up late one night, and more and more ideas kept coming to me, and I kept writing out several weeks of syndicate strips for the proposed newspaper strip. When morning came, I had written several weeks of material, and I dashed over to Joe 's place and showed it to him. ( This was the story that appeared in Action Comics # 1, June 1938, the first published appearance of Superman. ) (... ) Of course, Joe had worked on that earlier version of Superman, and when I came to him with this new version of it, he was immediately sold. '' Jump up ^ Siegel 's unpublished memoir, The Story Behind Superman Archived September 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine., as well as an interview in Nemo # 2 in 1983, corroborate each other that Clark Kent 's timid - journalist persona and Lois Lane were developed in 1934. Jump up ^ Letter quoted in Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 146 Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 134 `` They submitted and resubmitted for several years. '' Jump up ^ Siegel, Jerry. Unpublished memoir `` The Story Behind Superman # 1 '', registered for U.S. copyright in 1978 under later version Creation of a Superhero as noted by Tye ( 2012 ), p. 309. Memoir additionally cited by Ricca ( 2014 ), p. 148, and available online at sites including `` The Story Behind Superman # 1 ''. Superman-Through-the-Ages.com. p. 5 of manuscript. Archived from the original on December 21, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015. Jump up ^ Action Comics # 1 ( June 1938 ) Archived February 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 17 Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` The facts are that it was Harry ( Donenfeld ) who signed ( Siegel and Shuster ), at Gaines 's direction, and when McClure sold the Superman strip to the newspapers, McClure bought the rights from Harry, not the boys. It was then Donenfeld who not only now owned the property, but received the lion 's share of the profits ; whatever Jerry and Joe got was parsed out by him. '' Jump up ^ Kobler ( 1941 ), p. 73 : `` Before payment, however, ( Donenfeld 's ) far - seeing general manager, Jack Liebowitz, mailed them a release form, explaining, ' It is customary for all our contributors to release all rights to us. This is the businesslike way of doing things. ' '' Jump up ^ Kobler ( 1941 ), p. 73 : `` The partners, who by this time had abandoned hope that Superman would ever amount to much, mulled this over gloomily. Then Siegel shrugged, ' Well, at least this way we 'll see him in print. ' They signed the form. '' Jump up ^ Andrae ( 1983 ) : ``... when I did the version in 1934, ( which years later, in 1938, was published, in revised form, in Action Comics # 1 ) the John Carter stories did influence me. Carter was able to leap great distances because the planet Mars was smaller that ( sic ) the planet Earth ; and he had great strength. I visualized the planet Krypton as a huge planet, much larger than Earth ; so whoever came to Earth from that planet would be able to leap great distances and lift great weights. '' Jump up ^ The History Behind Superman 's Ever - Changing Superpowers Archived March 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Steranko ( 1970 ), p. 37 : `` Wylie 's story was one of Siegel 's favorites ; he even reviewed it in his S-F fanzine. '' Jump up ^ Feeley, Gregory ( March 2005 ). `` When World - views Collide : Philip Wylie in the Twenty - first Century ''. Science Fiction Studies. 32 ( 95 ). ISSN 0091 - 7729. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2006. Jump up ^ Jones ( 2004 ), p. 346 : Wylie threatened to sue Siegel for plagiarism in 1940, but there is no evidence that he carried through with the litigation. Siegel flatly denied any plagiarism. ^ Jump up to : Andrae ( 1983 ) Jump up ^ Andrae ( 1983 ) : ``... I was inspired by the movies. In the silent films, my hero was Douglas Fairbanks Senior, who was very agile and athletic. So I think he might have been an inspiration to us, even in his attitude. He had a stance which I often used in drawing Superman. You 'll see in many of his roles -- including Robin Hood -- that he always stood with his hands on his hips and his feet spread apart, laughing -- taking nothing seriously. '' ^ Jump up to : Best, Daniel ( August 3, 2012 ). `` ' Jerry and I did a comic book together... ' Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster Interviewed ''. 20th Century Danny Boy. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Siegel : `` We especially loved some of those movies in which Harold Lloyd would start off as a sort of momma 's boy being pushed around, kicked around, thrown around, and then suddenly would turn into a fighting whirlwind. '' Shuster : `` I was kind of mild - manned and wore glasses so I really identified with it '' Anthony Wall ( 1981 ). Superman -- The Comic Strip Hero ( Television production ). BBC. Event occurs at 00 : 04 : 50. Archived from the original on December 28, 2015. Jump up ^ Andrae ( 1983 ) : Siegel : `` As a high school student, I thought that some day I might become a reporter, and I had crushes on several attractive girls who either did n't know I existed or did n't care I existed. (... ) It occurred to me : What if I was real terrific ? What if I had something special going for me, like jumping over buildings or throwing cars around or something like that ? Then maybe they would notice me. '' Jump up ^ Andrae ( 1983 ) : `` I also had classical heroes and strongmen in mind, and this shows in the footwear. In the third version Superman wore sandals laced halfway up the calf. You can still see this on the cover of Action # 1, though they were covered over in red to look like boots when the comic was printed. '' Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` What the boys did read were the magazines and papers where `` superman '' was a common word. Its usage was almost always preceded by `` a. '' Most times the word was used to refer to an athlete or a politician. '' Jump up ^ Flagg, Francis ( November 11, 1931 ). `` The Superman of Dr. Jukes ''. Wonder Stories. Gernsback. Jump up ^ `` His life work was one which called for the abilities of a superman, and Doc had been trained from the cradle, that he might have the strength to arise to any occasion. '' - Robeson, Kenneth ( September 1933 ). `` The Lost Oasis ''. Doc Savage Magazine. Street & Smith. ^ Jump up to : The Mythology of Superman ( DVD ). Warner Bros. 2006. Jump up ^ Jacobson, Howard ( March 5, 2005 ). `` Up, Up and Oy Vey ! ''. The Times. UK. p. 5. : `` If Siegel and Shuster knew of Nietzsche 's Ubermensch, they did n't say... '' Jump up ^ Muir, John Kenneth ( July 2008 ). The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television. McFarland & Co. p. 539. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 3755 - 9. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2011. Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Vendors had sold 130,000 comic books, or 64 percent of the print run. Anything over 50 percent constituted a success and guaranteed a profit. (... ) Sales, meanwhile, continued to climb -- to 136,000 for the second issue, 159,000 for the third, 190,000 for the fourth, and 197,000 for the fifth. Action No. 13, released on the first anniversary of the original, offered up 415,000 reasons to celebrate. National printed 725,000 copies of Action No. 16 and sold 625,000 -- an unheard - of success rate of 86 percent. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : ``... readers were asked to list in order of preference their five favorite stories. (... ) 404 of 542 respondents named Superman as tops, with 59 more listing him second. Jump up ^ Superman # 1 ( Summer 1939 ) Archived April 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Action Comics Archived February 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Superman Archived February 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. ( 1939 -- 1986 series ) ) and Adventures of Superman Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. ( 1987 continuation of series ) at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ `` Superman '' - titled comics Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ `` Marvel and DC sales figures ''. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Jump up ^ Miller, John Jackson, ed. `` Superman Annual Sales Figures ''. ComicChron.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Superman 75, the death issue, tallied the biggest one - day sale ever for a comic book, with more than six million copies printed. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Journalists, along with most of their readers and viewers, did n't understand that heroes regularly perished in the comics and almost never stayed dead. '' Jump up ^ `` February 2016 Comic Book Sales Figures ''. Comichron. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016. Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` The remaining audience ( by 2011 ) was dedicated to the point of fanaticism, a trend that was self - reinforcing. No longer did casual readers pick up a comic at the drugstore or grocery, both because the books increasingly required an insider 's knowledge to follow the action and because they simply were n't being sold anymore at markets, pharmacies, or even the few newsstands that were left. (... ) Comic books had gone from being a cultural emblem to a countercultural refuge. '' Jump up ^ Tumey, Paul ( April 14, 2014 ). `` Reviews : Superman : The Golden Age Sundays 1943 -- 1946 ''. The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2016... Jerry Siegel had his hands -- and typewriter -- full, turning out stories for the comic books and the daily newspaper strips ( which had completely separate continuities from the Sundays ). Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 74 Jump up ^ Cole, Neil A. ( ed. ). `` Wayne Boring ( 1905 -- 1987 ) ''. SupermanSuperSite.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016. Jump up ^ Cole, Neil A. ( ed. ). `` Win Mortimer ( 1919 -- 1998 ) ''. SupermanSuperSite.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Younis, Steven, ed. `` Superman Newspaper Strips ''. SupermanHomepage.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2016. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) ^ Jump up to : Eury ( 2006 ), p. 18 : `` In 1948 Boring succeeded Shuster as the principal superman artist, his art style epitomizing the Man of Steel 's comics and merchandising look throughout the 1950s. '' ^ Jump up to : Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 74 : ``... Superman was drawn in a more detailed, realistic style of illustration. He also looked bigger and stronger. `` Until then Superman had always seemed squat, '' Boring said. `` He was six heads high, a bit shorter than normal. I made him taller -- nine heads high -- but kept his massive chest. '' ^ Jump up to : Curt Swan ( 1987 ). Drawing Superman. Essay reprinted in Eury ( 2006 ), pp. 58 : `` For 30 years or so, from around 1955 until a couple of years ago when I more or less retired, I was the principal artists of the Superman comic for DC Comics. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Initially Harry ( Donenfeld ), Jack ( Liebowitz ), and the managers they hired to oversee their growing editorial empire had let Jerry ( Siegel ) do as he wished with the character... '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Neither Harry ( Donenfeld ) nor Jack ( Liebowitz ) had planned for a separate Superman comic book, or for that to be ongoing. Having Superman 's story play out across different venues presented a challenge for Jerry ( Siegel ) and the writers who came after him : Each installment needed to seem original yet part of a whole, stylistically and narratively. Their solution, at the beginning, was to wing it... '' Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 42 : ``... the publisher was anxious to avoid any repetition of the censorship problems associated with his early pulp magazines ( such as the lurid Spicy Detective ). '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Once Superman became big business, however, plots had to be sent to New York for vetting. Not only did editors tell Jerry to cut out the guns and knives and cut back on social crusading, they started calling the shots on minute details of script and drawing. '' Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 42 : `` It was left to Ellsworth to impose tight editorial controls on Jerry Siegel. Henceforth, Superman would be forbidden to use his powers to kill anyone, even a villain. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` No hint of sex. No alienating parents or teachers. Evil geniuses like the Ultra-Humanite were too otherworldly to give kids nightmares... The Prankster, the Toyman, the Puzzler, and J. Wilbur Wolngham, a W.C. Fields lookalike, used tricks and gags instead of a bow and arrows in their bids to conquer Superman. For editors wary of controversy, 1940s villains like those were a way to avoid the sharp edges of the real world. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Before Mort came along, Superman 's world was ad hoc and seat - of - the - pants, with Jerry and other writers adding elements as they went along without any planning or anyone worrying whether it all hung together. That worked fine when all the books centered around Superman and all the writing was done by a small stable. Now the pool of writers had grown and there were eight different comic books with hundreds of Superman stories a year to worry about. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` But Weisinger 's innovations were taking a quiet toll on the story. Superman 's world had become so complicated that readers needed a map or even an encyclopedia to keep track of everyone and everything. ( There would eventually be encyclopedias, two in fact, but the first did not appear until 1978. ) All the plot complications were beguiling to devoted readers, who loved the challenge of keeping current, but to more casual fans they could be exhausting. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Weisinger stories steered clear of the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, the black power movement, and other issues that red the 1960s. There was none of what Mort would have called `` touchy - feely '' either, much as readers might have liked to know how Clark felt about his split personality, or whether Superman and Lois engaged in the battles between the sexes that were a hallmark of the era. Mort wanted his comics to be a haven for young readers, and he knew his right - leaning politics would n't sit well with his leftist writers and many of his Superman fans. '' Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 102 : `` One of the ways the editor kept in touch with his young audience was through a letters colum, `` Metropolis Mailbag, '' introduced in 1958. '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` It did work. In 1960, the first year in which sales data was made public, Superman was selling more comic books than any other title or character, and he stayed on top through much of the decade. The Man of Steel was at the front of a charge that saw superheroes taking over from western and romance - themed comics. Some of that was a dividend from an easing of the comics scare and other, broader forces, but Weisinger 's reinventions were key ingredients in Superman 's comeback. `` Mort kept it alive, '' says Carmine Infantino, a National Comics artist who would rise to editorial director, then publisher. `` He was a damn good editor. Damn good. '' '' Jump up ^ Comichron. Comic Book Sales By Year Archived July 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine... Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` He admitted later he was losing touch with a new generation of kids and their notions about heroes and villains. '' Jump up ^ Julius Schwartz, quoted in Daniels ( 1998 ) : `` I said, ' I want to get rid of all the kryptonite. I want to get rid of all the robots that are used to get him out of situations. And I 'm sick and tired of that stupid suit Clark Kent wears all the time. I want to give him more up - to - date clothes. And maybe the most important thing I want to do is take him out of the Daily Planet and put him into television. ' I said ' Our readers are not that familiar with newspapers. Most of them get their news on television, and I think it 's high time after all these years. ' '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` ( Harry Donenfeld ) drafted Maxwell into Superman, Inc., first to oversee the licensing of toys and other products, then to bring the superhero into the world of broadcast. '' Jump up ^ Scivally ( 2007 ) : `` Superman was brought to radio by Allen Ducovny, a press agent with Detective Comics, and Robert Maxwell ( the pen name of Robert Joffe ), a former pulp fiction author who was in charge of licensing the subsidiary rights of the company 's comic book characters. '' Jump up ^ Scivally ( 2007 ) : ``... Robert Maxwell hoped for an adult time slot, so he made Superman an adult show, with death scenes and rough violence. '' (... ) `` In May of 1953, script conferences began for the second season of Adventures of Superman. The program was now under the supervision of a new producer. Robert Maxwell was out, National Comics ' editorial director Whitney Ellsworth was in. '' Jump up ^ Jenette Kahn : `` We have approval rights to everything, the casting of Superboy / Clark Kent, approval of the synopses, the scripts and revised scripts. We even have the right to be on the set as the show is being shot to oversee the revisions being made during shooting. '' McDonnell, David ; Dickholtz, Daniel ( 1988 ). ``... And the Adventures of Superboy ''. Comics Scene. No. 5. O'Quinn Studios, Inc. Jump up ^ Scivally ( 2007 ), p. 77 : `` Under the terms of the deal, Warners would have budget and casting approval and the right of first refusal for Superman films made by the Salkinds, but otherwise the financing and production of the films was up to the producers. '' Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ) : `` The Salkinds told Puzo to take Clark Kent off TV and make him a newspaperman after a survey revealed that 's how most adults remembered him. '' Jump up ^ Harvey ( 1996 ), p. 144 : `` Artistic expressiveness of a highly individualistic sort had never been particularly welcomed by traditional comic book publishers. The corporate mind, ever focused on the bottom line of the balance sheet, favored bland `` house styles '' of rendering... '' Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) : `` Max and Dave ( Fleischer 's ) composers knew what Superman, Lois, and the others should look like, thanks to model sheets provided by Joe Shuster. '' Jump up ^ Wandtke ( 2012 ) Jump up ^ `` While I was in the service they started ghosting the Superman scripts, because obviously I could n't write them while I was away in the service. '' - Siegel, in a 1975 interview with Phil Yeh for Cobblestone magazine. Quoted in Siegel and Shuster 's Funnyman by Tom Andrae and Mel Gordon on page 49. Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` Jerry felt angry and instantly very isolated : Harry had gone ahead and okayed the title without telling him -- or paying for it ? '' ^ Jump up to : Sergi ( 2015 ) Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` Jerry and Joe got a final check -- and were promptly shown the door by National. '' Jump up ^ This term was spelled out in an October 19, 2001 letter Archived February 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. from the lawyer representing the Siegel heirs. Jump up ^ Scott Niswander ( July 22, 2015 ). Why Is n't SUPERMAN a PUBLIC DOMAIN Superhero ? ? ( YouTube video ). NerdSync Productions. Event occurs at 3 : 03 ~ 3 : 33. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016. Jump up ^ Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` Harry sued these impostors -- Wonder Man, Captain Marvel, and others -- usually within days of their release. '' Jump up ^ Lloyd L. Rich ( 1998 ). `` Protection of Graphic Characters ''. Publishing Law Center. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2011. the court found that the character Superman was infringed in a competing comic book publication featuring the character Wonderman Jump up ^ `` Comic Book Success Stories ''. The Museum of Comic Book Advertising. Retrieved June 17, 2005. By the middle of the decade, Captain Marvel had received a self - titled comic book, Captain Marvel 's Adventures ( sic ), which had a circulation that reached 1.3 million copies per month. Captain Marvel 's circulation numbers exceeded National 's Superman title and the rivalry between the companies led National to sue Fawcett for plagiarism. Jump up ^ Superman comic strip, January 16, 1939 Archived October 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine., reprinted at `` Episode 1 : Superman Comes to Earth ''. TheSpeedingBullet.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016. Jump up ^ Lowther, George ( 1942 ). The Adventures of Superman. Per Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` The book is also the first time that Superman 's parents are named `` Jor - el '' and `` Lara '' -- a slight spelling change that would stick. '' Jump up ^ Second panel of Action Comics # 1 Jump up ^ The Secret Rocket per Lantz, James. `` Superman Radio Series -- Story Reviews ''. SupermanHomepage.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2016. Jump up ^ Jackson, Matthew ( December 17, 2012 ). `` The campaign to make a real Kansas town into Superman 's Smallville ''. Blastr.com ( Syfy ). Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016. Decades of comic book mythology and a hit TV series have made Superman 's hometown of Smallville, Kan., one of the most famous places in America. Jump up ^ `` Clark Kent, Reporter ''. The Adventures of Superman. Episode 2. February 14, 1940. WOR. : - Look ! Look ! There, in the sky ! It 's a man ! - Why, he 's flying ! - It ca n't be ! It 's impossible ! Jump up ^ Cronin ( 2009 ) : `` To animate Superman jumping, however, required extra frames to be drawn of Superman crouching down and then leaping upward. A way to avoid drawing these extra frames was to simply take the frame with Superman standing and move it up slowly over the background, which would make it appear as though he was flying off the ground. '' Jump up ^ `` Celebrating Superman 's Leap to the Silver Screen ! ''. Fleischer Studios. September 26, 2015. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016. But the Fleischers found all that, when animated, all that leaping was kind of... silly looking. So it was the Fleischers that granted Superman with the super power of flight. Jump up ^ Tye ( 2012 ) Jump up ^ The Meteor From Krypton ( June 1943 ). Per Ricca ( 2014 ) : `` And sure enough, elements of Jerry 's K - metal story would later surface on the radio, where it would finally be named `` kryptonite. '' '' Jump up ^ Superman # 61 Archived April 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. `` Indexer notes... Green Kryptonite introduced in this story. '' Jump up ^ Scivally ( 2007 ) : `` The episode also introduced Julian Noa as Clark Kent 's boss, whose name had evolved from Paris White to Perry White. White 's newspaper changed from The Daily Flash to The Daily Planet. Soon after the radio show appeared, the comic books also changed their Daily Star editor George Taylor to Daily Planet editor Perry White... '' Jump up ^ `` If Lois should ACTUALLY learn Clark 's secret, the strip would lose about 75 % of its appeal -- the human interest angle. I know that a formula can possibly prove monotonous through repetition but I fear that if this element is removed from the story formula that makes up SUPERMAN, that this strip will lose a great part of its effectiveness. '' Siegel, in his script notes, quoted in Ricca ( 2014 ). Jump up ^ Superman # 17 Archived April 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Cronin, Brian ( June 28, 2011 ). `` When We First Met ''. ( column # 30 ) ComicBookResources.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2016. Jump up ^ Action Comics # 662 Archived April 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. ^ Jump up to : McMillan, Graeme ( July 28, 2015 ). `` The Many Times Lois Lane Has Discovered the Truth About Superman ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 31, 2015. Jump up ^ Superman : The Wedding Album ( 1996 ) Archived April 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Rogers, Vaneta ( July 18, 2011 ). `` DiDio, Lee Say DCnU Superman Changes Make Him `` Accessible ' ''. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016. Jump up ^ Truitt, Brian ( July 27, 2015 ). `` Superman 's new reality ? No secret identity ''. USA Today. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Superman ( DC, 2011 series ) Archived April 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ Narcisse, Evan ( October 14, 2015 ). `` DC Comics ' Handling Of Superman Just Got More Convoluted ''. Kotaku.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Rogers, Vaneta ( May 27, 2016 ). `` Rebirth Superman 's New Status Quo -- Being a Super-Dad ''. Newsarama.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Tomasi, Peter, Gleason, Patrick ( w ). Superman v4, 18 -- 19 ( March 2017 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Jurgens, Dan ( w ). Action Comics 975 -- 976 ( March 2017 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Johnston, Rich ( October 6, 2017 ). `` The End Of DC Rebirth Announced At New York Comic - Con ''. bleedingcool. Retrieved March 11, 2018. Jump up ^ Bonthuys, Darryn ( December 1, 2017 ). `` The Rebirth era is over, as a new direction begins in DC Universe ''. criticalhit. Retrieved March 11, 2018. ^ Jump up to : Daniels ( 1995 ), pp. 22 -- 23 ^ Jump up to : Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 42 Jump up ^ Lee, Jim. `` From the Co-Publishers '', `` The Source '' ( column ), DC Comics, January 20, 2011. WebCitation archive. Jump up ^ Weldon 2013, p. 33 Jump up ^ Glen Weldon ( 2013 ). Superman the Unauthorized Biography. p. 55. Jump up ^ `` The religion of Superman ( Clark Kent / Kal - El ) ''. Adherents.com. August 14, 2007. Archived from the original on August 28, 2012. ^ Jump up to : Rucka, Greg ( w ), Lopez, David ( p ). `` Affirmative Defense '' Wonder Woman v2, 220 ( Oct. 2005 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Action Comics # 594 ( 1987 ) Jump up ^ Woody Evans ( 2014 ). `` Why They Wo n't Save Us : Political Dispositions in the Conflicts of Superheroes ''. Jump up ^ Johns, Geoff ( w ), Conner, Amanda ( p ), Palmiotti, Jimmy ( i ). `` Power Trip '' JSA : Classified 1 ( September 2005 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Johns, Geoff Donner, Richard ( w ), Wight, Eric ( p ), Wight, Eric ( i ). `` Who is Clark Kent 's Big Brother ? '' Action Comics Annual 10 ( March 2007 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Buskiek, Kurt, Nicieza, Fabian, Johns, Geoff ( w ), Guedes, Renato ( p ), Magalhaes, Jose Wilson ( i ). `` Superman : Family '' Action Comics 850 ( July 2007 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Wallace, Dan ( 2008 ). `` Alternate Earths ''. In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London : Dorling Kindersley. pp. 20 -- 21. ISBN 0 - 7566 - 4119 - 5. Jump up ^ Superboy # 171, January 1971 Jump up ^ For example, Superman Annual # 11 ( 1985 ). Jump up ^ Superman # 263 ( April 1973 ) Jump up ^ For example, Action Comics # 655 ( July 1990 ). Jump up ^ `` Superman Homepage -- Superman on Radio & Audio ''. supermanhomepage.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Obituaries of note ''. St. Petersburg Times. Wire services. September 25, 2003. Archived from the original on May 21, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2006. ^ Jump up to : Daniels ( 1995 ), p. 80 Jump up ^ Siegel, Jerome ( 2006 ). The Superman Chronicles. DC Comics. p. 190. ISBN 9781401207649. Jump up ^ Siegel, Jerome ( 1999 ). Superman : The Dailies 1939 - 1940. DC Comics. p. 71,108. ISBN 1563894602. Jump up ^ Siegel, Jerry ( w ), Shuster, Joe ( a ). `` A Scientific Explanation of Superman 's Amazing Strength -- ! '' Superman 1 ( Summer 1939 ), National Periodical Publications Jump up ^ Cabarga, Leslie, Beck, Jerry, Fleischer, Richard ( Interviewees ). ( 2006 ). `` First Flight : The Fleischer Superman Series '' ( supplementary DVD documentary ). Superman II ( Two - Disc Special Edition ) ( DVD ). Warner Bros... Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 133. ^ Jump up to : Sanderson, Peter ( June 1986 ). `` The End of History ''. Amazing Heroes ( 96 ). ISSN 0745 - 6506. Jump up ^ Lovett, Richard A. ( June 23, 2006 ). `` ' Superman Returns ' Science : Decoding the Movie Hero 's Powers ''. National Geographic. p. 2. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016. Jump up ^ Friedrich, Otto ( March 14, 1988 ). `` Up, Up and Awaaay ! ! ! ''. Time. p. 6. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2010. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), pp. 106 -- 107. Jump up ^ Gross, John ( December 15, 1987 ). `` Books of the Times ''. The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved January 29, 2007. Jump up ^ Roger Stern. Superman : Sunday Classics : 1939 -- 1943 DC Comics / Kitchen Sink Press, Inc. / Sterling Publishing ; 2006 ; Page xii Jump up ^ Zeno, Eddy ( December 25, 2006 ). `` From Back Issue 20 : Pro 2 Pro : A Clark Kent Roundtable ''. newsarama.com. published on web by newsarama, in print by TwoMorrow. Archived from the original ( excerpted from `` The Clark Kent Roundtable ''. Back Issue ! ( 20 ). January 2007. ) on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Eury ( 2006 ), p. 119 Jump up ^ `` Superman 's LL 's ( Text page ) '' Superman 204 ( February 1968 ), DC Comics Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 160 Jump up ^ Though created to appear in Superman # 30 ( Sept. 1944 ), publishing lag time resulted in the character first appearing in the Superman daily comic strip that year, per Superman # 30 Archived March 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. at the Grand Comics Database. Jump up ^ George, Richard ( June 22, 2006 ). `` Superman 's Dirty Dozen ''. IGN.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2007. Archive of page 2. Jump up ^ Magnussen, Anne ; Hans - Christian Christiansen ( 2000 ). Comics & Culture : Analytical and Theoretical Approaches to Comics. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 87 - 7289 - 580 - 2. a metaphor and cultural icon for the 21st century Jump up ^ Postmes, Tom ; Jolanda Jetten ( 2006 ). Individuality and the Group : Advances in Social Identity. Sage Publications. ISBN 1 - 4129 - 0321 - 1. American cultural icons ( e.g., the American Flag, Superman, the Statue of Liberty ) Jump up ^ Soanes, C. and Stevenson, A. 2004. Electronic version of The Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Eleventh Edition. England : Oxford University Press. Jump up ^ Bizarro reference Archived July 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Reference to Bizzaro logic in FCC pleading. Jump up ^ `` You 're not Superman : Despite major medical advances, recovery times for regular folks take time '' Archived September 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. PhysOrg.com. May 1, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009. Jump up ^ `` You 're Not Superman, You Know '' Archived May 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine... Scarleteen. May 25, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Stress In The Modern World -- Face It Guys, You 're Not Superman '' Archived April 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine... Natural Holistic Health. January 19, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Superman Struts in Macy Parade '' Archived May 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine... The New York Times, November 22, 1940. p. 18 Jump up ^ `` The Press : Superman 's Dilemma ''. Time. April 13, 1942. Archived from the original on January 6, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2007. Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 50 Jump up ^ Karl Heitmueller ( June 13, 2006 ). `` The ' Superman ' Fanboy Dilemma, Part 4 : Come On Feel The Toyz '' ( Flash ). MTV News. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2007. Warner Bros. has `` Superman Returns '' licensing deals with Mattel, Pepsi, Burger King, Duracell, Samsung, EA Games and Quaker State Motor Oil, to name a few. Jump up ^ Lieberman, David ( June 21, 2005 ). `` Classics are back in licensed gear ''. USA Today. Archived from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Warner Bros. Consumer Products Flies High with DC 's Superman at Licensing 2005 International ; Franchise Set to Reach New Heights in 2005 Leading Up to Feature Film Release of Superman Returns in June 2006 '' ( Press release ). Warner Bros. June 16, 2005. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2007. With a super hero that transcends all demographics ''... and... `` S - Shield, which continues to be a fashion symbol and hot trend Jump up ^ Superheroes : Fashion and Fantasy. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2008. p. 28. ISBN 1 - 58839 - 280 - 5. Jump up ^ Gormly, Kellie B. ( June 28, 2006 ). `` Briefs : Blige concert cancelled > Superman returns... to the North Shore ''. Pittsburgh Tribune - Review. Archived from the original on September 3, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2008. Jump up ^ ( ( Pointer 2017 ) ) : ``... the budget for each short -- an astonishing $30,000... '' Jump up ^ Dave Fleischer, quoted in Daniels ( 2004 ), p. 58 : `` The average short cost nine or ten thousand dollars, some ran up to fifteen ; they varied. '' Jump up ^ Weldon ( 2013 ) : ``... the last time the character had enjoyed a similar chance to reach beyond the comics shelves to a mass audience -- during the run of the fifties television show -- the comics had moved in lockstep. Yet that had been an inevitable result of DC holding creative control over all aspects of the television program... '' Jump up ^ `` Sesame Street : Superman 's Favorite Letter S ''. YouTube. Sesame Street. November 15, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Superman Movies at the Box Office ''. Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2016. Superman ( 1978 ) made $134,218,018 in North American theaters, which is about $503,591,500 when adjusted for inflation. By comparison, Batman v Superman ( 2016 ) made only $330,360,194. Jump up ^ Scivally ( 2007 ), p. 77 : `` Under the terms of the deal, Warners would have budget and casting approval and the right of first refusal for Superman films made by the Salkinds, but otherwise the financing and production of the films was up to the producers. '' Jump up ^ Zemler, Emily. `` Henry Cavill on the secrets of Superman 's return in ' Justice League ' ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 20, 2017. Jump up ^ ( June 16, 2016 ), `` Supergirl casts Teen Wolf star as Superman Archived June 19, 2016, at the Wayback Machine., '' Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 23, 2016 ) Jump up ^ Donovan. `` Sunshine Superman ''. Sunshine Superman. Epic, 1966. Jump up ^ Jim Croce. `` You Do n't Mess Around with Jim ''. You Do n't Mess Around with Jim. ABC / Vertigo, 1972. Jump up ^ Genesis. `` Land of Confusion ''. Invisible Touch. Atlantic Records, 1986. `` Ooh Superman where are you now, When everything 's gone wrong somehow ''. Jump up ^ Lloyd, John & Yukich, Jim ( Directors ) ( 1986 ). `` Land of Confusion '' ( Music video ). Atlantic Records. Jump up ^ Morrison ( writer ), Grant ; Truog, Chas ; Hazlewood, Doug ; Grummet, Tom ( artists ) ( 2002 ) ( 1991 ). `` 2 : Life In The Concrete Jungle ''. In Michael Charles Hill ( ed. ). Animal Man. John Costanza ( letterer ) & Tatjana Wood ( colorist ) ( 1st ed. ). New York, NY : DC Comics. p. 45. ISBN 1 - 56389 - 005 - 4. R.E.M. starts singing `` Superman. '' My arm aches and I 've got déjà vu. Funny how everything comes together. CS1 maint : Extra text : editors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Lyrics to `` Superman 's Song ''. Jump up ^ `` Five For Fighting : Inside Track ''. VH1. Archived from the original on July 19, 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2010. Jump up ^ Classical Music News Desk. `` The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Presents MADE IN THE USA Tonight ''. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Metropolis Symphony ''. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014. Jump up ^ Turner, Robin ( August 8, 2006 ). `` Deputy Dawg ''. Western Mail. p. 21. Jump up ^ `` Looney Tunes # 97 ''. Big Comicbook Database. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2007. Jump up ^ Clarke, Mel ( August 1, 2004 ). `` The Pitch ''. The Sunday Times. p. 34. Jump up ^ Kinnes, Sally ( January 30, 2000 ). `` The One To Watch ''. The Sunday Times. p. 58. Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1998 ), p. 185 Jump up ^ `` Steven Seagle Talks It 's a Bird ''. ugo.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2006. Retrieved January 16, 2007. the semi-autobiographical tale of Steven being given the chance to write a Superman comic, but stumbling when he ca n't figure out how to relate to the character. Through the course of the story, Seagle finds his way into Superman by looking at it through the lens of his own mortality. Jump up ^ Taylor, Paul ( September 21, 1994 ). `` Theatre ''. The Independent. UK. Jump up ^ DiPaolo, Marc ( 2011 ). War, Politics and Superheroes : Ethics and Propaganda In Comics and Film. McFarland & Company. p. 14. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 8579 - 6. Jump up ^ Eco, Umberto ( 2004 ) ( 1962 ). `` The Myth of Superman ''. In Jeet Heer ; Kent Worcester. Arguing Comics. University Press of Mississippi. p. 162. ISBN 1 - 57806 - 687 - 5. Jump up ^ Clarke, Gerald ( December 13, 1971 ). `` The Comics On The Couch ''. Time : 1 -- 4. ISSN 0040 - 781X. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2007. Jump up ^ Daniels ( 1995 ), p. 64 Jump up ^ Grayling, AC ( July 8, 2006 ). `` The Philosophy of Superman : A Short Course ''. The Spectator. UK. ISSN 0038 - 6952. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2007. Jump up ^ Sabin, Roger ( 1996 ). Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels ( 4th paperback ed. ). Phaidon. ISBN 0 - 7148 - 3993 - 0. Jump up ^ von Busack, Richard ( July 2 -- 8, 1998 ). `` Superman Versus the KKK ''. Metro Silicon Valley. San Jose, California. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2007. Jump up ^ Dubner, Stephen J ; Levitt, Steven D ( January 8, 2006 ). `` Hoodwinked ? ''. The New York Times Magazine. p. F26. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2007. Jump up ^ Glen Weldon ( 2013 ). Superman the Unauthorized Biography. p. 83. Jump up ^ Bukatman, Scott ( 2003 ). Matters of Gravity : Special Effects and Supermen in the 20th century. Duke University Press. ISBN 0 - 8223 - 3132 - 2. Jump up ^ Jules Feiffer The Great Comic Book Heroes, ( 2003 ). Fantagraphics. ISBN 1 - 56097 - 501 - 6 Jump up ^ Andrae ( 1983 ), p. 10. Jump up ^ Ian Gordon `` Nostalgia, Myth, and Ideology : Visions of Superman at the End of the ' American Century '' in Michael Ryan, ' ' Cultural Studies : An Anthology ' ' ( 2007 ). Blackwell ISBN 978 - 1 - 4051 - 4577 - 0 ( 1 ). Jump up ^ Fingeroth, Danny Superman on the Couch ( 2004 ). Continuum International Publishing Group p53. ISBN 0 - 8264 - 1539 - 3 ^ Jump up to : Engle, Gary `` What Makes Superman So Darned American ? '' reprinted in Popular Culture ( 1992 ) Popular Press p 331 -- 343. ISBN 0 - 87972 - 572 - 9 Jump up ^ Wallace, Daniel ; Bryan Singer ( 2006 ). The Art of Superman Returns. Chronicle Books. p. 92. ISBN 0 - 8118 - 5344 - 6. Jump up ^ Regalado, Aldo `` Modernity, Race, and the American Superhero '' in McLaughlin, Jeff ( ed. ) Comics as Philosophy ( 2005 ). Univ of Mississippi Press p92. ISBN 1 - 57806 - 794 - 4 Jump up ^ Jenemann, David ( 2007 ). Adorno in America. U of Minnesota Press. p. 180. ISBN 0 - 8166 - 4809 - 3. Jump up ^ Rooney, David ( June 3, 2010 ). `` Finding America, Searching for Identity ''. The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010. Jump up ^ Weinstein, Simcha ( 2006 ). Up, Up, and Oy Vey ! ( 1st ed. ). Leviathan Press. ISBN 978 - 1 - 881927 - 32 - 7. Jump up ^ Tye, Larry ( 2012 ). Superman : The High - Flying History of America 's Most Enduring Hero. Random House Digital. pp. 65 -- 67. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4000 - 6866 - 1. Like Moses. Much as the baby prophet was floated in a reed basket by a mother desperate to spare him from an Egyptian Pharaoh 's death warrant, so Kal - El 's doomed... Jump up ^ Goebbels, Paul Joseph ( April 25, 1940 ). `` Jerry Siegel Attacks ! ''. Das schwarze Korps. p. 8. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Jump up ^ Daniel Dickholtz ( December 16, 1998 ). `` Steel Dreams : Interview with Tom Mankiewicz ''. Starlog. pp. 67 -- 71. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` IGN 's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes > # 1 : Superman ''. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 7, 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2011. Jump up ^ `` The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters ''. Empire. December 5, 2006. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2010. Jump up ^ Miller, John Jackson ( June 9, 2005 ). `` CBG Fan Awards Archives ''. www.cbgxtra.com. Krause Publications. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2007. CBG Fan Award winners 1982 -- present Jump up ^ `` 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons List : The Folks that Have Impacted American Society ''. Arizona Reporter. October 27, 2003. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2006. Syndicated reprint of a Newsweek article Jump up ^ `` Superman is ' greatest superhero ' ''. BBC News. December 22, 2004. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007. Jump up ^ Hahn, Joel, ed. ( 2006 ). `` Will Eisner Comic Industry Award : Summary of Winners ''. Comic Book Awards Almanac. Joel Hahn. Archived from the original on February 16, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Alan Moore Back on Top for 2006 Eisner Awards ''. Comic - Con International. July 2006. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2007. Jump up ^ Joel Hahn ( 2006 ). `` Will Harvey Award Winners Summary ''. Comic Book Awards Almanac. Joel Hahn. Archived from the original on March 13, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2007. Jump up ^ `` CNN 's 2002 Emmy Winners ''. CNN. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` 2006 Primetime Emmy Winners ''. Emmys.org. Archived from the original on July 8, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2007. Jump up ^ `` The 2006 Creative Arts Emmy winners press release '' ( PDF ) ( Press release ). Emmys.org. August 19, 2006. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on September 29, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2007. Bibliography Andrae, Thomas ( August 1983 ). `` Of Supermen and Kids with Dreams ''. Nemo : The Classic Comics Library ( 2 ). Gary G. Groth. pp. 6 -- 19. Cronin, Brian ( 2009 ). Was Superman a Spy ?. Penguin. ISBN 9781101046562. Daniels, Les ( 1995 ). DC Comics : Sixty Years of the World 's Favorite Comic Book Heroes ( First ed. ). Bulfinch Press. ISBN 978 - 0821220764. Daniels, Les ( 1998 ). Superman : The Complete History ( 1st ed. ). Titan Books. ISBN 1 - 85286 - 988 - 7. Dean, Michael ( October 14, 2004 ). `` An Extraordinarily Marketable Man : The Ongoing Struggle for Ownership of Superman and Superboy ''. The Comics Journal ( 263 ) : 13 -- 17. Archived from the original on December 1, 2006. Retrieved December 22, 2006. Eury, Michael ; Adams, Neal ; Swan, Curt ; Anderson, Murphy ( 2006 ). The Krypton Companion. Raleigh, NC : TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978 - 1 - 893905 - 61 - 0. Harvey, Robert C. ( 1996 ). The Art of the Comic Book : An Aesthetic History. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9780878057580. Hatfield, Charles ( 2005 ). Alternative Comics : An Emerging Literature. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604735871. Jones, Gerard ( 2004 ). Men of Tomorrow : Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. Basic Books. ISBN 0 - 465 - 03656 - 2. Kobler, John ( June 21, 1941 ). `` Up, Up, and Awa - a-ay ! : The Rise of Superman, Inc '' ( PDF ). The Saturday Evening Post. Archived ( PDF ) from the original on September 13, 2016. Pointer, Ray ( 2017 ). The Art and Inventions of Max Fleischer : American Animation Pioneer. McFarland. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4766 - 6367 - 8. Ricca, Brad ( 2014 ). Super Boys : The Amazing Adventures of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster -- the Creators of Superman. St. Martin 's Griffin. ISBN 978 - 1250049681. Scivally, Bruce ( 2007 ). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway. McFarland. ISBN 9780786431663. Sergi, Joe ( 2015 ). The Law for Comic Book Creators : Essential Concepts and Applications. McFarland. ISBN 978 - 0786473601. Steranko, Jim ( 1970 ). The Steranko History of Comics vol. 1. Supergraphics. ISBN 9780517501887. Tye, Larry ( 2012 ). Superman : The High - Flying History of America 's Most Enduring Hero. Random House New York. ISBN 978 - 1 - 58836 - 918 - 5. Weldon, Glen ( 2013 ). Superman the Unauthorized Biography. New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978 - 1 - 118 - 34184 - 1. Further reading De Haven, Tom ( 2009 ). Our Hero : Superman on Earth. New Haven, CT : Yale University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 300 - 11817 - 9. OCLC 320132317. Hayde, Michael J. ( 2009 ). Flights of Fantasy : The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV 's Adventures of Superman. Albany, GA : BearManor Media. ISBN 978 - 1 - 59393 - 344 - 9. OCLC 429466149. 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Reflecto Science Police Sodam Yat Superboy ( comic book ) Time Bubble Tornado Twins United Planets Wanderers Workforce Zero Hour : Crisis in Time See also List of Legion of Super-Heroes items List of Legion of Super-Heroes members List of Legion of Super-Heroes publications Batman characters Batman family By secret identity Batman Robin Catwoman Batwoman Batgirl Huntress Nightwing Flamebird Oracle Spoiler Red Robin Red Hood Batwing Black Bat Bluebird By public identity Bruce Wayne Dick Grayson Selena Kyle Kathy Kane Bette Kane Barbara Gordon Helena Wayne Jason Todd Helena Bertinelli Tim Drake Stephanie Brown Cassandra Cain Kate Kane Damian Wayne Supporting characters Main supporting Alfred Pennyworth Julie Madison Martha Wayne Thomas Wayne Vicki Vale Knight Squire Dark Ranger Ace the Bat - Hound Leslie Thompkins Silver St. Cloud Lucius Fox Orpheus Nightrunner Bat - Cow GCPD contacts James `` Jim '' Gordon Harvey Bullock Sarah Essen Maggie Sawyer Renee Montoya Crispus Allen Michael Akins Neutral characters Mayors of Gotham City Hamilton Hill Michael Akins Professor Carter Nichols Bat - Mite Arnold John Flass Gillian B. 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Peter Other contributors Characters Wonder Women Diana Prince Orana Artemis of Bana - Mighdall Hippolyta Donna Troy Supporting characters Antiope Aphrodite Artemis Artemis of Bana - Mighdall Batman Drusilla Etta Candy Fury Hephaestus Hera Heracles / Hercules Hermes I Ching Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis Mala Nemesis ( Thomas Tresser ) Nubia The Olympian Orion Paula Philippus Poseidon Queen Hippolyta Helena Sandsmark Sarge Steel Superman Steve Trevor Wonder Girl ( Cassie Sandsmark Donna Troy ) Zeus Zola Adversaries Aegeus Angle Man Ares / Mars Baron Blitzkrieg Baroness Paula von Gunther Blue Snowman Veronica Cale Captain Wonder Cheetah Circe Dark Angel Decay Doctor Cyber Doctor Poison Doctor Psycho Duke of Deception Earl of Greed Egg Fu / Chang Tzu Eviless The First Born Genocide Giganta Hades Hypnota Kung Lord Conquest Mask Medusa Minister Blizzard Osira Queen Clea Red Panzer Silver Swan Tezcatlipoca Zara Factions Amazons of Themyscira Amazons of Bana - Mighdall Children of Ares Godwatch Gorilla Knights Olympian Gods Titans of Myth Villainy Inc. Locations Aeaea Boston, Massachusetts London, England Mount Olympus Thalarion Themyscira ( The Paradise Islands ) The Underworld Publications All Star Comics Amazonia Batman / Superman / Wonder Woman : Trinity The Blue Amazon Comic Cavalcade The Legend of Wonder Woman Sensation Comics Superman and Wonder Woman : The Hidden Killer Superman / Wonder Woman Wonder Woman ' 77 The Wonder Woman Chronicles Wonder Woman : Earth One The World 's Greatest Superheroes Storylines Introducing Wonder Woman ( 1941 ) Gods and Mortals ( 1987 ) Challenge of the Gods ( 1987 -- 88 ) War of the Gods ( 1991 ) The Contest ( 1994 ) The Challenge of Artemis ( 1995 ) Paradise Island Lost ( 2001 ) Our Worlds at War ( 2001 ) The Hiketeia ( 2002 ) Down to Earth ( 2003 -- 04 ) Who Is Wonder Woman ? ( 2006 -- 07 ) Amazons Attack ! ( 2007 ) The Circle ( 2008 ) Ends of the Earth ( 2008 ) Rise of the Olympian ( 2009 ) Flashpoint ( 2011 ) The Lies ( 2016 ) Year One ( 2016 ) The Truth ( 2017 ) Godwatch ( 2017 ) Technology Bracelets Golden Girdle of Gaea Invisible plane Lasso of Truth Mental radio Pegasi Purple Ray Sky Kangas In other media Super Friends ( episodes ) Wonder Woman ( 1974 film ) Wonder Woman ( TV series ) ( episodes ) Justice League ( episodes ) Justice League Unlimited ( episodes ) Justice League : The New Frontier Wonder Woman ( 2009 film ) Justice League : Crisis on Two Earths Superman / Batman : Apocalypse Wonder Woman ( 2011 TV pilot ) Young Justice DC Universe Online Justice League : Doom Justice League : The Flashpoint Paradox Justice League : War The Lego Movie Justice League : Throne of Atlantis Justice League : Gods and Monsters Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice Justice League vs. Teen Titans Justice League Action Wonder Woman ( 2017 film ) Justice League Miscellaneous Alternative versions Earth - Two Bizarra Olive Byrne Cultural impact Professor Marston and the Wonder Women Literature Wonder Women ! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Portal Category Golden Age of Comic Books All - American Comics The Atom ( Al Pratt ) Black Canary Doctor Mid-Nite Doiby Dickles The Flash ( Jay Garrick ) The Gay Ghost Green Lantern ( Alan Scott ) Hawkgirl Hawkman Hop Harrigan The King Justice Society of America Mister Terrific ( Terry Sloane ) Johnny Thunder Red Tornado ( Ma Hunkel ) Sargon the Sorcerer Ultra-Man The Whip Wildcat Wonder Woman Archie Comics The Black Hood Captain Flag The Comet The Firefly The Fox The Shield The Web The Wizard Centaur Comics Airman Amazing - Man The Arrow The Clock The Eye The Fantom of the Fair The Masked Marvel Minimidget National Allied Air Wave Aquaman Batman Crimson Avenger Dan the Dyna - Mite Doctor Fate Doctor Occult Genius Jones Green Arrow Guardian Hourman Johnny Quick ( Johnny Chambers ) Liberty Belle Manhunter Merry, the Girl of 1000 Gimmicks Mister America Robin Dick Grayson Robotman Sandman Sandy the Golden Boy Shining Knight The Spectre Speedy ( Roy Harper ) Star - Spangled Kid Starman ( Ted Knight ) Stripesy Superboy ( Kal - El ) Superman Tarantula TNT Vigilante Wing Zatara Seven Soldiers of Victory Fawcett Comics Bulletgirl Bulletman Captain Marvel Captain Marvel Jr. Captain Midnight The Golden Arrow Ibis the Invincible Lieutenant Marvels Mary Marvel Master Man Minute - Man Mr. Scarlet Phantom Eagle Pinky the Whiz Kid Spy Smasher Fox Comics Black Fury Blue Beetle The Bouncer Bronze Man Dynamo The Flame Green Mask Samson Spider Queen Stardust the Super Wizard U.S. Jones V - Man Wonder Man Nedor Comics American Crusader American Eagle Black Terror Captain Future Cavalier Doc Strange Fighting Yank The Ghost Grim Reaper Judy of the Jungle Lance Lewis, Space Detective Liberator The Magnet Miss Masque Princess Pantha Pyroman The Scarab The Woman in Red Quality Comics # 711 The Black Condor Blackhawk Blue Tracer Bozo the Iron Man Captain Triumph The Clock Doll Girl Doll Man Firebrand The Human Bomb The Invisible Hood The Jester Kid Eternity Lady Luck Madame Fatal Magno The Manhunter Merlin the Magician Midnight Miss America Mouthpiece Neon the Unknown Phantom Lady Plastic Man Quicksilver The Ray Red Bee Red Torpedo The Spider Spider Widow Uncle Sam Wildfire Wonder Boy Timely Comics American Ace The Angel Black Marvel The Black Widow The Blazing Skull The Blonde Phantom The Blue Diamond Breeze Barton Bucky Bucky Barnes Captain America Citizen V The Destroyer Dynamic Man Father Time Ferret Fin Golden Girl The Human Torch Jack Frost Laughing Mask Marvel Boy Miss America Mercury Namor Namora The Patriot Red Raven Sun Girl Toro Thin Man Thunderer Venus The Vision The Whizzer Misc. Bell Features Johnny Canuck Nelvana of the Northern Lights The Brain Cardal Publishing Streamline Columbia Comics The Face Skyman Crestwood Publications Atomic - Man Black Owl Green Lama David McKay Publications Vulcan Dell Comics Owl Dynamic Publications Dynamic Man Yankee Girl EC Comics Moon Girl Elliot Publishing Company Kismet, Man of Fate Eastern Color Printing Hydroman Frew Publications The Phantom Mandrake the Magician Harvey Comics Black Cat Captain Freedom Shock Gibson Spirit of ' 76 Holyoke Publishing Cat - Man and Kitten Miss Victory Lev Gleason Publications Captain Battle Crimebuster Daredevil Silver Streak Maple Leaf Publishing Iron Man Brok Windsor Novelty Press Target Comics Target and the Targeteers Blue Bolt Dick Cole, The Wonder Boy Twister Rural Home Publications The Green Turtle VIAF : 57682879 LCCN : n2015060724 GND : 129105295 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superman&oldid=837290855 '' Categories : DC Comics superheroes 1938 comics debuts 1938 establishments in the United States American comics characters American superheroes Characters created by Jerry Siegel Characters created by Joe Shuster Comics adapted into animated series Comics adapted into plays Comics adapted into radio series Comics adapted into television series Comics adapted into video games Comics characters introduced in 1938 DC Comics adapted into films DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds DC Comics characters with accelerated healing DC Comics characters with superhuman strength Extraterrestrial superheroes Fictional characters from Kansas Fictional characters with nuclear or radiation abilities Fictional characters with superhuman senses Fictional immigrants to the United States Fictional sole survivors Film serial characters Kryptonians Magazine mascots Male characters in comics Superheroes who are adopted Superhero film characters Superhero television characters Superman Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Pages containing links to subscription - only content CS1 maint : Extra text : editors list Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages Character pop Converted comics character infoboxes Converted category character infoboxes Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016 Use mdy dates from April 2018 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote አማርኛ Ænglisc Asturianu Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Български Boarisch Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Қазақша Latina Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം मराठी მარგალური Bahasa Melayu Nederlands नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Нохчийн Norsk Norsk nynorsk ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Polski Português Română Русский Sardu Scots Shqip සිංහල Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Winaray ייִדיש 粵語 中文 74 more Edit links This page was last edited on 19 April 2018, at 22 : 23. 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Question: when did superman first appear in a comic book
Answer: April 18, 1938