In the beginning_____

The series of novels featuring John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs had a major influence on Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel (the creators of Superman) "Carter was able to leap great distances because Mars was smaller than the planet Earth, and he had great strength," recalled Siegel. "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." On the Superman radio program the planet Krypton was on the other side of our sun, later Krypton would be in a distant solar system orbiting a red sun.

Jor-El and Lara are the biological parent of Kal-El, the infant that would grow up to become Superman. One of the top scientists of his planet, Jor-El predicted Krypton's distruction, although he could convince no one else on the planet of the danger. Finally, with Krypton in its death-throes, Jor-El launched his infant son to Earth.

Among Jor-El's other accomplishments is the discovery of the Phantom Zone and the decision to use it as a form of punishment for criminals.

Superman's Earthly foster parents have been a part of the legend almost since the beginning, although it took quite a while for their names to be estalished. The first time their names are given, they are called John and Mary Kent (Superman #53), on radio, television, and in George Lowther's novel ("Superman" published in 1942 by Random House.), they are Eben and Sarah Kent. In Action #158 (1951) and onward, they are Jonathan and Martha. Originally a farm couple, they moved to Smallville when their adopted son reached school age and opened a general store. It is generally accepted that they both died within a few months of each other, whereupon Clark left Smallville for Metropolis.

Until 1947, it was believed that the Kents and their son kept his super-powers a great secret, but in that year his adventures as a costumed Superboy in and around Smallville began being published.

In Argo City on Krypton, lived Zor-El, brother of Superman's father Jor-El. Though he believed his brother's predictions of Krypton's impending demise his plan for salvation was to raise a dome over the whole city. When Krypton exploded, Argo City remained intact. In time Zor-el's daughter, Kara was born there. But all was not well; the chunk of Krypton upon which Argo City rested turned to Anti-kryptonite and slowly began to kill all the inhabitants. In order to save his now teen-aged daughter, Zor-El launched her to Earth to join her cousin.

On Earth, Kara adopted the name Linda Lee (adding Danvers when she was adopted) and operated as Superman's "secret weapon." A few years later, her presence was revealed to the world and she began her public career. In her nearly three decades in comics, she appeared in Action Comics, Adventure Comics, and two different series bearing her name.

Argo City was not the only chunk of Krypton To survive it's destuction. Kandor, once the proud capital city of the planet Krypton, was stolen away from it's home planet and reduced in size by the spacefaring villain Brainiac. Intending to collect cities from across the galaxy to repopulate his homeworld, Brainiac placed the miniaturized Kandor in a protective glass bottle.

Many years later, long after Krypton had met it's fiery fate, Superman himself rescued the tiny city from Brainiac. The Man of Steel brought Kandor and all it's inhabitants to his Fortress of Solitude. There, he has toiled away for many hours in the hope of someday finding a way to restore Kandor to it's original size. As a living remnant of Krypton, Kandor holds much interest for Superman. Fortunately, Kryptonian scientist Zak-Kul discovered a way to use the rare element Illuim 349 to shrink or enlarge individual people, making it possible for Superman himself to enter Kandor. Because Kandor replicates Krypton's gravity field, however, Superman loses his super-powers when he visits the city.

In the beginning Superman didn't fly, he leaped. In Action #1 (1938) he was able to "leap 1/8 of a mile" and "hurdle a 20 story building." It wasn't until 1943 that Superman was referred to as "a being that can fly like a bird." He was soon able to outrace airplanes. In 1946 Superman could fly at the speed of light. By 1959 he could fly faster than the speed of light and was able to break the time barrier and go into the past or the future.

Like the power of flight, Superman's super-strength has been gradually amplified. As indicated on the cover of Action # 1, Superman could lift an automobile. A few months later, he could move an entire mountain peek to halt a "great, irresistible flood of onrushing water." In 1942, Superman is tearing steel. In 1947, he crushes a lump of coal into a diamond, and in 1952, he "hurls large boulders through the atmosphere with such speed that they heat up and burn, disintegrating like fiery comets." A few years later Superman creates a small earthquake with the clap of his hands! By 1962, he had the power to obliterate the Earth by colliding with it head-on!

Everyone knows Superman's invulnerabe, but even the limits to this power have evolved. In 1938 bullets ricocheted and knives shattered off the Man of Steel, but he once said that he would be killed if he was run over by a train. Fire also hurt him as well as electrical charges; a year later they did not (although lightning sometimes hurt him, and other times did not ). In 1939, it became known that Superman has "super-resistance to disease" and in 1940, he could survive a hand grenade explosion. A few years later, poison could not affect him. In 1944, Superman could swim through acid. In 1945 we learn Superman doesn't even need food! Later, he withstands the explosion of a hydrogen bomb, but reveals it gave him a headache. In 1960, it is hinted that Superman is invulnerable to the aging process.

Originally, Superman possessed no special optical powers. In Action Comics #11, he uses "X-ray eyesight" for the first time. In 1940, Superman uses "super-vision," "microscopic vision," and "telescopic vision" which all meant that he was able to see clearer and farther than normal people. In 1942, Superman is able to see into space where telescopes can't, and see things in complete darkness. Two years later, it is discovered that he cannot see through lead (which remains to this day). In Superman #59, Superman uses the "full strength of his X-ray powers" to melt an Arctic glacier; later, this would come to be known as heat vision. A short time later the Man of Steel used super-microscopic vision to see if some water contained harmful bacteria. Finally,in 1964, Superman could read the lips of individuals on a planet in another galaxy!

As far as Superman's super-hearing goes, like everything else, he didn't have it in the begining. A year later he somehow obtained this power which let him eavesdrop on a conversation in a nearby building. Later still, he could pick up radio waves. Ultimately, he could hear stuff from all over the universe. Superman also had a super-intellect. His mind-power was so strong that he could temporarily stop his heart from beating, win a strategy game the first time he played it, converse in a never before learned foreign language, solve highly complicated mathematical problems, and just "know" when someone is watching him.

Superbreath has been around since 1940. Detailed in this power is the ability to cause great winds, freeze things, and erode things. Superman also has super-sensitive nostrils that enable him to smell anything. He also has super-coordination that allows him to sign two autographs at the same time (one with each hand). In the '40s, Superman could completely alter his facial apearance with his "superb muscle control"! A few years later, though this power was discarded.

DC Comics's Revamp_____

In 1985 DC decided to "clean up" the DC universe with the Crisis on Infinite Earths story line. Supergirl dies in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.Following the 1985 Crisis mini-series, DC Comics begins revamping different heroes. Artist/writer John Byrne is hired to revamp Superman. Byrne's vision of Superman combining the best of the Superman legend from comics and other media is introduced in a 6 part biweekly mini-series The Man of Steel, followed later by three 3 part mini-series that further flesh out Superman, his history, and the supporting cast of characters: The World of Krypton (1987-1988), The World of Smallville (1988), and The World of Metropolis (1988).

Krypton was a cold, analytical world, where children were born in special matrixes in which the genetic material of their parents was mixed; no sexual relations were involved. Jor-El, an unusual Kryptonian, actually loved his mate, Lara, and their prospective offspring, already named Kal-El. But just as before, Krypton was doomed and Jor-El attached an experimental space drive to Kal's birth-matrix, telling Lara about Earth, and its yellow sun, he says "Exposed to the radiation of that star, his Kryptonian cells will become living solar batteries,making him grow even more powerful." He then launched the matrix to Earth, where Kal-El was born in the presence of Jonathan and Martha Kent.

The farm couple who discoverd the infant Kal-El in his birth-matrix were able to raise him as their natural son thanks to severe winter weather that isolated them after the discovery. As his super abilities developed, Clark became a superb athlete and student: but when advised of his origins by his father, he began using his powers secretly to aid mankind. After he was revealed to the world, Jonathan came up with the idea of a costumed identity to protect Clark from the pressures of society. If there is anyone responsible for the man who is now Superman, it is Jonathan and Martha Kent.

When the other dimensional world of the late Superboy was attacked by a trio of Kryptonian villains from that pocket universe, the Luther of that world created a protomatter duplicate of his own Lana Lang, endowed it with super-powers and sent it to "real" Earth, dressed in a feminine version of Superman's costume, to contact the Man of Steel. Together they defeated the super villains, but Supergirl was injured and reverted to a proto-humanoid form. On their return to Earth, he turned the being ( now called Matrix ) over to the Kents care. During Superman's self-imposed exile in space, Matrix took it upon herself to alter her form into a duplicate of Clark Kent, in order to protect Superman's double life. After an exile of her own, she returned to Earth during the "Panic in the Sky," and has since occasionally assisted Superman in his work.

Clark Kent's Kryptonian body acts as a solar battery absorbing solar energy which can then be used as various remarkable powers. If Earth had a red sun like Krypton's, Clark would not have these powers. Using his powers causes Clark to use up his stored yellow sun energy. He can lose his powers if he expends a lot of energy quickly (e.g. during his battle with the monster Doomsday) or if he spends too much time away from a yellow sun while in outer space. When low on solar energy, Clark can "recharge" if exposed to a source of yellow sun energy. The rate at which he "recharges" can vary. When he has absorbed excess solar energy, his power levels have been above normal until the excess power is burned up.

Superman's superpowers include:

Strength - although varying depending on his energy levels, Clark is among the strongest superheroes on Earth, capable of lifting a plane.
Flight - able to defy gravity, possibly through sheer force of will.
Invulnerability - years of exposure to yellow solar energy have caused Clark's Kryptonian body to become almost indestructible. His natural bio-electric aura also has limited force field properties protecting items near his skin e.g. his costume. His cape is not protected by his aura.
Super-speed - capable of superhuman speed, Clark can fly from Metropolis to have dinner with Lois Lane in Paris, France, or in a few minutes fly to the Moon.
Super-breath - Clark's invulnerability and strength exist internally too, affecting his skeleton and internal organs. After inhaling deeply he can expel the air in a gale-force wind.
Super-hearing - Capable of blocking out and discerning a single known voice within a city.

Clark can survive in outer space as long as he has a breathing apparatus, and doesn't lose too much solar energy. Without an air supply, Superman can last between an hour and ninety minutes in space, after taking a deep breath. Using his powers of flight and super-speed Clark can travel inter-planetary distances by himself. Interstellar distances require assistance e.g. a spaceship, teleportation belt.
Vision - Clark can detect electromagnetic energy in more than the normal visible spectrum:
X-Ray vision (lead appears opaque), Infra Red vision, Microscopic, Telescopic, and Clark can release solar energy in the form of Heat Vision as a weapon.

Besides the using up of his solar energy, Clark has two other weaknesses: Magic, and Kryptonite

Created by internal pressures that caused Krypton's explosion, kryptonite is the ore form of kryptonium. It looks like a green glowing rock. It is very hazardous to Superman. If exposed to kryptonite, Clark will experience pain and rapidly lose his powers. If exposed for much more than an hour he would die. If suffering kryptonite poisoning, Clark can recover if he gets away from the kryptonite.

After 64 years, Superman is still one of the most successful and widely-known figures in the world. But what does he represent to people, that they have taken him into their hearts and minds, and cultures so readily? Why is this "Last Son Of Krypton" so popular?

Kevin Smith (screenwriter & director) put it best when he said "I think it comes down to this Superman is the Ultimate American. He works hard, pays his bills and finds time to stop Brainiac from enslaving the Earth.

And even though he's come to ally himself not just with America but with the entire planet, he still opts for our colors. Wrapped in the flag he's come to stand for the American dream - which isn't so much the desire for a good job, a family and a home with a white picket fence as it is the never ending passion for the ideals of truth, justice, and the American way." Every generation for over a half a century has a Superman. As long as there is a fight to be fought, whether on film, video, DVD, comics/cartoon, or the web, the Man of Steel will be there.