Superman

> “Don’t look at me like that. SHIELD likes the world, and you happen to be one of the best in the world at protecting it. .. .. Right now you’re our first line of defense against full-scale alien invasion." (Nick Fury, Escape From Metro Mercy)
>
>

placeholder

Clark Kent is earth's mightiest hero, and the first herald of the modern Age of Heroes. He is an investigative journalist for the Daily Planet, and also an Avenger.

## History

Kal-El, as an infant, was placed in one of several escape pods launched from the planet Krypton in its final days. He arrived on earth, and was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent. He was raised as a human boy in Smallville, Kansas.

Early in his life, he realized he had special powers that other children didn't. Jonathan showed him the pod they had found him in, and told him of his true origins. His parents would subsequently help him learn to control his powers as they grew stronger.

At Smallville High, Clark met Chloe Sullivan, and the two quickly became fast friends working for the school paper together. Clark interned with the Daily Planet website, and moved to Metropolis in 2000 to work at their headquarters. It was in Metropolis that Clark met the love of his life, Lois Lane. Initially he worked as her editor. But before long he was adding contributions of his own, with her permission.

In the wake of 9/11, Clark rethought the direction of his life. He decided that his powers weren't a curse to be hidden, but a potential force for good that he had an obligation to realize. In 2002, he debuted as Superman, and shut down a majority of crime in Metropolis over the next month.

In his first year, Superman faced widespread fear and intolerance. He responded with patience, facts, and an unending plethora of unambiguously good deeds. His interviews with Lois Lane were worldwide news whenever they came. Over time, the detractors dwindled in number, as their arguments gained no points for and an increasing number of points against. But even so, the DEO was created the same year to explore methods of defending against potential extraterrestrial threats.

In 2004, his cousin Kara Zor-El landed in her own pod. Clark helped her find a home with the Danvers family. Unfortunately, Fort Rozz's simultaneous arrival on earth created more conflict for him. As Superman, he tried to eavesdrop on a United Nations conference to determine if the DEO was sharing knowledge of Fort Rozz. He was discovered, but to his surprise they invited him to sit in and watch freely.

The same year, he published his first solo article for the Daily Planet. The article received much positive attention. Lois took him out to dinner to celebrate, which he would only the next day realize had been their first date. From there, things progressed, and the two became a very close couple rather quickly.

In 2008, Superman was made an honorary United Nations representative for his homeworld, and allowed to participate in some discussions. With the surge of newfound confidence that this global trust gave him, Clark proposed to Lois. Lois then revealed that she knew he was Superman, and that she had in fact known since she had read the draft of his first solo article, which had carelessly used a turn of phrase that he had previously used with her as Superman in one of the unpublished sections of their interviews.

In 2011, Clark would fall ill due to his first exposure to Kryptonite. A woman named Xavier Bronze identified it for him, and revealed that she knew his identity as well. While they were talking, Clark took a sniper's bullet for her, which injured him severely due to the Kryptonite poisoning. He would later wake up in the hospital, where several more people discovered his identity, including James Olsen and Doctor Amelia Hamilton, as well as the SHIELD organization.

In the aftermath of this incident, Clark would renegotiate his relationship with SHIELD. And in the following months, he would even ultimately join a team of their operatives, the Avengers.

## Abilities

Flight

Superhuman durability

Superhuman strength

Regenerative healing

Solar sustenance

Heat vision

Superhuman senses

Super breath

Super speed