Superman

**Superman** is a superhero published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in *Action Comics* #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and published April 18, 1938), Superman would go on to become a national icon, popularizing the superhero genre and establishing its conventions. Born on the planet Krypton, **Kal-El** was sent to Earth in a small spaceship moments before the planet was destroyed. He was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him **Clark Kent**. Under the advise of his adopted parents, Clark would adopt the identity of Superman to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. He resides in Metropolis, working as a reporter for the *Daily Planet* alongside his love interest Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen under editor-in-chief Perry White. His main arch-enemy is Lex Luthor, the egotistical and incredibly intelligent CEO of LexCorp.

## Publication History

Superman first debuted in *Action Comics* #1 (April 18, 1938). Jerry Siegel had written a short story in his self-published magazine (called Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization) titled "The Reign of the Superman", in which a homeless vagrant was given the powers to read and control minds, and used his newly-found powers maliciously for his own profit and amusement until the drug that had been providing him with his powers wore off. Included with the story is an illustration by Joe Shuster where the titular Superman is depicted as a bald man. Wanting to become syndicated newspaper comic strip authors, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster decided to shop their ideas to various newspaper editors only to be rejected as the newspaper editors felt that their ideas weren't sensational enough. Modifying their Superman character, this second prototype version of the character would have superhuman strength and bullet-proof skin. Unlike their previous Superman character, however, this version would be heroic as comic strips with heroic protagonists tended to be more successful. Despite their attempts to modify the character further and further, their strip kept being rejected. After Siegel briefly found another partner in Buck Keaton, Siegel and Shuster would reconcile in developing their Superman character. Superman is now an alien from the planet Krypton. Inspired by circus performers, Shuster designed his costume, which were tights with an "S" on the chest, over-shorts, and a cape. They made Superman into a journalist named Clark Kent who pretends to be timid. The two would also conceive the character of Lois Lane, who is attracted to the bold and mighty Superman but does not realize that he and Kent are the same person.

In June 1935 Siegel and Shuster finally found work with National Allied Publications. In early December 1937, Siegel visited Jack Liebowitz in New York, who asked Siegel to produce some comics for an upcoming comic anthology magazine called *Action Comics*. By this time Siegel and Shuster already had a following from newspaper comics they wrote. Originally the plan was for Superman to premier in a newspaper comic strip, but Maxwell Charles “M.C.” Gaines pushed to put the comic in a magazine lie format. Since it was a new format they could pay their creators less money because it was such a new format. In the end Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to everything connected to Superman to Action Comics for a total of $130. The duo's revised version of Superman appeared in the first issue of *Action Comics*, which was published on April 18, 1938. The issue was a huge success thanks to Superman’s feature.

## Character Bio

Kal-El, the last son of the doomed planet Krypton, was sent to Earth by his parents Jor-El and Lara in a rocket. Discovered by kindly Jonathan and Martha Kent, the two raised the infant as their own son named Clark Kent. Growing up in the rural farming community of Smallville, Kansas, provides him with strong moral values. He worked as a newspaper journalist for the *Daily Planet* under his gruff boss Perry White alongside his co-workers Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. In secret, though, Clark becomes Superman, using his amazing abilities to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. His main arch-nemesis is Lex Luthor, an evil scientific genius, but he has also fought a variety of villains throughout the decades, such as the fourth-dimensional imp Mister Mxyzptlk, the alien conqueror Brainiac, and the monstrous Parasite. Lois Lane, his co-worker, became his most prominent love interest and the two would eventually marry and have a child together named Jon Kent. Superman is a member of the Justice League and the Legion of Super-Heroes.

## Powers/Abilities

Superman has various powers as a result of his status as a Kryptonian. Superman has superhuman strength, capable of breaking steel chains, shifting the orbits of planets and crush coal into diamond with his hands. His body is very durable and invulnerable for most practical purposes. Superman can fly at great speeds. He can break the sound barrier and can even fly faster than light to travel to distant galaxies. Superman can project and perceive X-rays via his eyes, which allows him to see through objects. Certain materials such as lead can block his X-ray vision, however. Superman can project heat vision from his eyes which are hot enough to melt steel. Superman possesses superhuman hearing abilities, and can hear sounds that are too faint for a human to hear, and at frequencies outside the human hearing range. Superman also possesses superhuman breath, which enables him to inhale or blow huge amounts of air, as well as holding his breath indefinitely to remain underwater or space without adverse effects. He can focus on the intensity of the breath to the point that he can freeze opponents with a blow.