Superman

Superman is an alien that was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton to scientist Jor-El and his wife Lara. When Jor-El learned of Krypton’s imminent destruction he placed his infant son in a spaceship and sent him to Earth before the planet was destroyed. The ship crash landed in Smallville, Kansas where it was discovered by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent who took and raised the child as their own, naming him Clark Kent.

Clark grew up in Smallville where he met his high school crush Lana Lang. During this time he began to explore his powers as Superboy. His powers are a side effect of Earth’s yellow Sun (Krypton had a red sun). Later, he finds Krypto the Superdog who arrived on Earth as part of Jor-El’s first round of tests before sending his son.

As an adult, Clark goes to work in the city of Metropolis as a reporter for the newspaper The Daily Planet which is run by Perry White. There he meets his love interest, fellow reporter Lois Lane, and cub reporter Jimmy Olsen. He begins his heroic antics donning a suit his mom made out of materials found in the ship he arrived in. Clark is able to disguise his true identity by wearing glasses and adopting a mild mannered demeanor.

Superman’s main hideout is sanctuary known as the Fortress of Solitude that is run by an A.I. robot called Kelex.

Superman’s arch nemesis is the brilliant billionaire Lex Luthor who owns Lex Corp. Other villains include Brainiac, an alien who shrinks and collects worlds. He shrunk and bottled the Kryptonian city of Kandor. General Zod, a former military leader of Krypton who escaped from his imprisonment in the Phantom Zone.

He later meets his cousin Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl who also survived the destruction of Krypton.

Superman is a symbol of Hope and stands for “Truth, Justice, and the American way.”

First Appearance:
Action Comics #1 (June 1938)

Powers:
Invulnerability, Super Strength, Super Speed, Super Vision (including X-Ray), Heat Vision, Genius Intellect, Flight, Super Breath, X-Ray Vision, Super Hearing,

Weaknesses
Kryptonite, Lead (can’t see through), Magic (vulnerable to), Compassion for Humanity

Associations:
Jor-El, Jonathan and Martha Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl, Superboy, Krypto

Villains:
Lex Luthor, General Zod, Brainiac, Doomsday, Metallo, Parasite, Bizarro

Notable Universes: