Superman
Overview
Superman. A world-famous crime-fighter and adventurer who has, for almost seven decades, battled the forces of crime and injustice with the aid of an awesome array of superhuman powers, including X-ray vision, the power of flight, and strength far beyond that of any ordinary mortal. Born on the planet Krypton, the son of the scientist Jor-El and his wife Lara, he was launched into outer space in an experimental rocket ship to enable him to escape the cataclysm that destroyed his native planet, and, arriving on Earth, was taken into the home of Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him Clark Kent and raised him to manhood as their adopted son. Endowed with mighty super-powers in the alien environment of Earth, this orphan from Krypton--named Kal-El by his parents--has, since mid-1938, battled the forces of evil as Superman, while concealing his true, extraterrestrial identity beneath the alternate identity of Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet, more recently a full-time newscaster for Metropolis television station WGBS-TV.
Superman is "Earth's mightiest hero" (S No. 128/1, Apr '59: chs. 1-2-"Superman versus the Futuremen"; "The Secret of the Futuremen"), a "colorfully-costumed, mighty-sinewed man of might" engaged in "an unrelenting battle against the forces of evil" (S No. 21/4, Mar/Apr 1943: "The Ghost of Superman!"). He is "the world's number one champion of justice and fair play" (S No. 130/3, Jul 1959: "The Town That Hated Superman!") and "mankind's foremost crusader for good" (S No. 181/2, Nov 1965: "The Superman of 2965!"), "a fighting champion of justice who is famous the world over" (Act No.45, Feb 1942). Described as "the world's most dynamic man" (WF No.8, Win 1942: "Talent, Unlimited!") and the "world's mightiest mortal" (WF No.116, Mar 1961: "The Creature from Beyond!"; and others), he is "mankind's greatest friend" (Act No.310, Mar 1964: "Secret of Kryptonite Six!"), a "mighty foe of all evil" (Act No.91, Dec 1945: "The Ghost Drum!"), a super-powered "savior of the helpless and oppressed" (Act No.18, Nov 1939).
Superman No. 1/1 calls Superman "the greatest exponent of justice the world has ever known" (Sum 1939), and other texts describe him as "the law's most powerful defender" (Act No.177, Feb 1953: "The Anti-Superman Weapon"), as "the greatest of all heroes" (Act No.210, Nov 1955: "Superman in Superman Land"), and as a "defender of democracy" (S No. 13/1, Nov/Dec 1941) who has chosen to "dedicate [his] powers to the good of all humanity!" (S No. 121/1, May 1958: "The Bride of Futureman!"). "There is one man that people throughout the world honor and respect," notes Superman No. 128/1,, "--and that man is Superman!" (Apr 1959: chs.1-2-"Superman versus the Futuremen"; "The Secret of the Futuremen").
Superman is "an incredibly muscular figure" (WF No.6, Sum 1942: "Man of Steel versus Man of Metal!"), "indestructible and cosmic in his gigantic strength" (Act No.131, Apr 1949: "The Scrambled Superman!"), a tireless "sentinel for the world" (Act No.282, Nov 1961: "Superman's Toughest Day!") whose "incredible super-powers. ..have made him a living legend...!" (S No. 160/1, Apr 1963: pts. I-II-"The Mortal Superman!"; "The Cage of Doom!"). He is also the "most famous man in America" (Act No.143, Apr 1950: "The Bride of Superman!"), "patriot number one" (S No. 12/3, Sep/Oct 1941), the indefatigable "foe of all interests and activities subversive to this country's best interests" (S No. 10/4, May/Jun 1941). Everywhere, "in big cities...small towns...rural villages...the name of Superman is honored and loved!" (S No. 130/3, Jul 1959: "The Town That Hated Superman!").
Indeed, "throughout the universe, Superman is hailed as a mighty champion of justice" (Act No.319, Dec 1964: "The Condemned Superman!"), as a "champion of the weak and helpless" (Act No.4, Sep 1938) whose life is a "constant battle against evil. .." (Act No.280, Sep 1961: "Brainiac's Super-Revenge!"). "Not only on Earth is Superman the greatest and most acclaimed of heroes," proclaims Superman No.168, "but on many other worlds across the universe as well!" (Apr 1964: pts. I-II-"Luthor--Super-Hero!"; "Lex Luthor, Daily Planet Editor!").
"Everyone knows that Superman is the greatest hero of all time!" states Superman No.165/1. "A man who can move mountains, even planets...a man who has defeated the worst villains in history!" (Nov 1963: pts. I-II-"Beauty and the Super-Beast!"; "Circe's Super-Slave").
"Today ," notes Superman No. 144/2, "Superman is the most famous crusader in the world, idolized everywhere for unselfishly using his incredible super-powers in behalf of justice" (Apr 1961: "Superboy's First Public Appearance!").
In addition, the texts contain these descriptions:
Action Comics No.6, November 1938:
Dedicated to assisting the helpless and oppressed, is a mystery-man named SUPERMAN. Possessing super-strength, he can jump over a ten-story building, leap an eighth of a mile, run faster than an express train, lift tremendous weights, and crush steel in his bare hands!-- His amazing feats of strength become more apparent day after day!
Action Comics No.7, December 1938; and others:
Friend of the helpless and oppressed is SUPERMAN, a man possessing the strength of a dozen Samsons! Lifting and rending gigantic weights, vaulting over skyscrapers, racing a bullet, possessing a skin impenetrable to even steel, are his physical assets used in his one-man battle against evil and injustice!
Action Comics No.8, January 1939:
Leaping over towering buildings, rending steel in his bare hands, lifting incredible weights high overhead, impervious to bullets because of an unbelievably tough skin, racing at a speed hitherto unwitnessed by mortal eyes...these are the miraculous feats of strength which assist SUPERMAN in his one-man battle against the forces of evil and oppression!
Action Comics No.27 , August 1940:
Heartless criminals exploit the helpless and unfortunate! Clark Kent and his dual self, dynamic SUPERMAN, battle side by side with pretty Lois Lane, courageous girl reporter, to stamp out the evil geniuses of crime and corruption!
Superman No.10/4, May-June 1941:
Foe of all interests and activities subversive to this country's best interests, SUPERMAN loses no time in going into action when he encounters a menace to American democracy. Super-strength clashes with evil super-cunning in another thrilling, dramatic adventure of today's foremost hero, the daring, dynamic MAN OF TOMORROW--SUPERMAN!!
Superman No.16/4, May-June 1942: "Racket on Delivery":
No sterner or more courageous battler in behalf of justice is there than Superman, amazingly strong champion of the helpless and oppressed!
Superman No.25/1, November-December 1943: "The Man Superman Refused to Help!":
Superman, amazing nemesis of evildoers, champion of the helpless and oppressed, comes to the aid of all worthy individuals in need of assistance.
Superman No.64/1, May-June 1950: "Professor Lois Lane!":
Faster than a speeding bullet! Able to hurdle the highest mountain! More powerful than an atomic cyclotron! That's Superman, eternal foe of the underworld, champion of the underdog!
Action Comics No.204, May 1955: "The Man Who Could Make Superman Do Anything!":
Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive Able to leap the highest mountain! That's Superman; the world's mightiest mortal.
Superman No.96/1, March 1955: "The Girl Who Didn't Believe in Superman!":
From the jungle-wilds of Africa, to the skyscrapers of New York, the name of Superman has spread its fame! His Herculean strength, his super-battles against evil, are familiar to all....
Superman No.120/3, March 1958: "The Human Missile":
Stronger than the very gravity that holds Earth in place...faster than the swiftest jet...more invulnerable than a mile-thick slab of steel, the incredible Superman can scoff at all weapons aimed at him!
Superman No.152/2, April 1962: "Superbaby Captures the Pumpkin Gang!":
Today the whole world rings with Superman's fame! In the far corners of the Earth men tell of how the Man of Steel uses his fantastic super-powers to help the forces of law and order against evildoers!
Friend and foe alike have paid tribute to Superman's heroism, and the texts have hailed him as "a giant among men" (S No.70/2, May/Jun 1951: "The Life of Superman!") and as the "mightiest of mortals" (S No, 84/2, Sep/Oct 1953: "A Doghouse for Superman!"). An unidentified U.S. Navy admiral once described Superman as "the greatest hero of all time" (Act No.284, Jan 1962: "The Babe of Steel!"), and the master of ceremonies on a television special glowingly introduced him as "our greatest American hero" (Act No.309, Feb 1964: "The Superman Super-Spectacular!").
"How fortunate we are here in America to have someone of Superman's calibre to aid us!" remarked Secretary of the Navy Hank Fox in March-April 1942. "In my opinion, he's worth several armies and navies!" (S No. 15/2).
Jimmy Olsen has called Superman "the champion of justice and the enemy of evil all over the world" (S No. 176/2, Apr 1965: "Tales of Green Kryptonite No. 2"), and Lois Lane has described him as "the smartest, handsomest, strongest man in the universe" (S No. 176/3, Apr 1965: "Superman's Day of Truth!") and as an "--American crusader, crime's greatest foe, enemy of all injustice, the most powerful force for good the world has ever seen...!" (S No.17/1, Jul/Aug 1942: "Man or Superman?").
In May 1962, an unidentified escapee from the Phantom Zone refers to Superman as "Earth's greatest defender" (S No. 153/3: "The Town of Supermen!"), and in August 1964 the extraterrestrial gambler Rokk (see Rokk and Sorban) calls Superman the "guardian of Earth" (S No. 171/1: "Super- man's Sacrifice!").
"Though he wasn't born on this world," notes scientist Mel Evans at the annual Superman's Earthday celebration in Smallville in April 1960, "he has become Earth's greatest and most generous citizen!" (S No. 136/2: "The Secret of Kryptonite!").
Indeed, preliminary indications are that Superman's fame will be even greater in the future than it is today. A scientist of the thirtieth century A.D. has called Superman "the greatest hero in history" (WF No.91, Nov/Dec 1957: "The Three Super-Sleepers!"), and a man of the fiftieth century A.D. has echoed the sentiment, describing Superman as "the greatest hero in Earth's history" (S No. 122/1, Jul 1958: "The Secret of the Space Souvenirs").
In the texts, Superman is frequently referred to as the Man of Steel and the Man of Tomorrow. He is also referred to as the Action Ace, the Champion of Democracy, and the King of Speed.
In addition, the texts describe Superman as a "champion of justice" (S No. 9/1, Mar/ Apr 1941), an "amazing champion of the helpless and oppressed" (S No. 13/4, Nov/Dec 1941), "the world's foremost crime crusader" (S No.18/3, Sep/Oct 1942: "The Man with the Cane"), "the world's foremost justice-dispenser" (S No. 25/1, Nov/Dec 1943: "The Man Superman Refused to Help!"), "Earth's mightiest warrior" (S No. 38/1, Jan/Feb 1946: "The Battle of the Atoms!"), "the world's mightiest citizen" (S No. 40/2, May/Jun 1946: " A Modern Marco Polo!"), the "world's mightiest being" (S No. 65/3, Jul/ Aug 1950: "Three Supermen from Krypton!"), "the world's most famous citizen" (Act No.150, Nov 1950: "The Secret of the 6 Superman Statues!"), "the most amazing human of our century" (Act No.171, Aug 1952: "The Secrets of Superman!"), "the world's mightiest defender of justice" (Act No.178, Mar 1953: "The Sandman of Crime!"), "the mightiest man alive" (Act No.181, Jan 1953: "The New Superman"), "the world's mightiest man" (Act No.182, Jul 1953: "The Return of Planet Krypton!"; and others), "Earth's mightiest champion of justice" (Act No.225, Feb 1957: "The Death of Superman"), the "mightiest human being in all the world" (Act No.235, Dec 1957: "The Super-Prisoner of Amazon Island"), "Earth's mighty champion" (Act No.242, Jul 1958: "The Super-Duel in Space"), "the mightiest man on Earth" (Act No.247, Dec 1958: "Superman's Lost Parents!"; and others), "the Earth's most powerful man" (Act No.269, Oct 1960: "The Truth Mirror!"), a "famed battler against crime and injustice" (Act No.287 , Apr 1962: "Perry White's Manhunt for Superman!"), "Earth's protector" and "the heroic champion of Earth " (Act No. 327, Aug 1965: "The Three Generations of Superman!"), "the world's greatest hero" (Act No.328, Sep 1965: "Superman's Hands of Doom!"), "a defender of the weak and oppressed" and "the mightiest of all men" (S No. 164/1, Oct 1963: pts. I-II-"The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman!"; "The Super-Duel!"), the "greatest lawman of them all" (S No.178/2, Jul 1965: "When Superman Lost His Memory!"), and as "a defender of the helpless, [and] a champion of the underdog" (S No.14611, Jul 1961: "The Story of Superman's Life!").
Origin
"Out of the infinite reaches of interstellar space came Superman, son of the doomed planet Krypton, to fight the forces of evil upon Earht...!" (Act No. 63, Aug '43: "When Stars Collide!").
The Original Account
"As a distant planet was destroyed by old age, a scientist placed his infant son within a hastily devised space-ship, launching it toward Earth! "When the vehicle landed on Earth, a passing motorist, discovering the sleeping babe within, turned the child over to an orphanage. "Attendants, unaware the child's structure was millions of years advanced of their own, were astounded at his feats of strength. "When maturity was reached, he discovered he could easily: Leap 1/8th of a mile; hurdle a twenty-story building...raise tremendous waits...run faster than a express train... and that nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin! "Early, Clark decided he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind. And so was created... "SUPERMAN! Champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need!" (Act No. 1, Jun '38).
Addenda and Revisions
Since the appearance of this original account forty years ago, the story of Superman's origin has been greatly revised and expanded to accomodate a wealth of new detail. Later texts, for example, gave the name of Superman's native planet as Krypton and described its people and civilization in great detail. Superman's parents, Jor-El and Lara, were introduced, and the events leading up to the cataclysm that destroyed Krypton were extensively chronicled. The "passing motorist" who found the infant Superman became a couple, Johnathon and Martha Kent, who adopted the orphan from space and named him Clark Kent. Conflicting accounts were offered of the infant's brief stay in the orphanage, including how long he remained there and whether his super-powers were actually revealed there. Later texts asserted that Superman embarked on his super-heroic career while still a youngster in Smallville rather than waiting until "maturity was reached." And, finally, the range and extent of his superhuman powers were continually expanded and the explanation of how he aquired them was periodically revised (see section 5, the super-powers). For complete accounts and analyses of all the supplementary data concerning Superman's origin, consult the various entries cross-referenced above.
The Secret Identity
in progress
The Costume
in progress
The Fortress of Solitude
in progress
The Super-Powers
"The super-powers of the Man of Steel are legendary! The whole world marvels at his invulnerability, super-spped, super-strength, and other super-skills" (Act No. 251, Apr '59: "The Oldest Man in Metropolis!").
Derivation of the Super-Powers
Superman's super-powers are by and large, extraordinary magnifications of ordinary human abilities. Just as an ordinary man can hurl a baseball, Superman can hurl an entire Planet. Just as an ordinary man can see across the room, Superman can see across the universe.
Compared with the powers he possesses today, however, the powers employed by Superman in the early texts are modest indeed. Action Comics # 1 (1938), the first comic book in which Superman appeared, claimed only that its hero could "leap 1/8th of a mile; hurdle a twenty-story building... raise tremendous weights... run faster than an express train... and that nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin!" (Jun 1938).
As the years passed, however, the chroniclers endowed the Man of Steel with ever more spectacular powers to enable him to meet ever more exacting challenges. Today Superman can withstand the heat at the core of the sun, soar through the air at a speed thousands of times the speed of light, and extinguish a star with a puff of his breath as though it were merely a candle on a birthday cake.
Along with a steady expansion of Superman's powers has come a series of changing explanations of how he came to acquire those powers. Action Comics # 1, for example, contains this "scientific explanation of his amazing strength":
Kent had come from a Planet whose inhabitants' physical
structure was millions of years advanced of our own.
Upon reaching maturity, the people of his race became
gifted with titanic strength!
--Incredible? No! For even today on our world exist creatures
with super-strength!
The lowly ant can support weights hundreds of times its own.
The grasshopper leaps what to a man would be the space of several
city blocks. {Jun 1938}
For approximately the first decade of Superman's career, the texts advanced the thesis that Superman's powers were merely those possessed by all the inhabitants of his native Planet. These texts described the men and women of Krypton as a "super-race" (S No. 73/2, Nov/Dec '51: "The Mighty Mite!") who were gifted with X-ray vision and other powers and who were thousands of eons ahead of earthlings, both mentally and physically. (S No. 53/1, Jul/Aug '48: "The Origin of Superman!").
According to Superman No. 33/1, "...Superman-- a native of the ill-fated planet of Krypton---is of a different structure than than the natives of Earth! Neither his mind nor his body are susceptible to the influences that can overcome other human beings!" (Mar/Apr '45: "Dimensions of Danger!").
"Where we come from," gloats the Kryptonian villian U-Ban in July-August, "everyone has see-through vision, extra-strength and extra-speed!" (S No. 65/3: "Three Supermen from Krypton!").
By the late 1940s, however, the texts had begun to describe the people of Krypton as more or less ordinary human beings and to attribute Superman's powers to the vast differences between the gravitational pull and atmospheric conditions of Krypton and those of the Planet Earth. In the words of Superman #58,
Everyone knows that Superman is a being from another Planet, unburdened by the vastly weaker gravity of Earth. But not everyone understands how gravity affects strength! If you were on a world smaller than ours, you could jump over high buildings, lift enormous weights... and thus duplicate some of the feats of the Man of Steel! [May/June '49: "The Case of the Second Superman"].
Subsequent texts continued to cite the importance of the gravitational difference between Earth and Krypton while laying increasingly greater stress on the significance of Krypton's unique atmosphere in accounting for the awesome powers a Kryptonian acquired once he was free of his native Planet. "Obviously, Krypton is such an unusual Planet," Superman's father, Jor-El, once noted, "that when a native Kryptonian is elsewhere, free of Krypton's unique atmosphere and tremendous gravitational pull, he becomes a superman!" (Superman #113, May '57: chs. 1-3-"The Superman of the Past"; "The Secret of the Towers"; "The Superman of the Present").
Since, according to this theory, Superman owes the existence of his super-powers to the fact that he is no longer on the Planet Krypton, it follows that Superman has no super-powers wherever atmospheric and gravitational conditions prevail that are identical to those of his native planet.
Indeed during a visit to a man-made duplicate of the planet Krypton, in July 1953, Superman finds that he can no longer fly, "since [the planet's] tremendous gravitational power neautralizes [his] strength!"
"And because of the greater atmospheric density on this world," notes Superman, "I can't (ugh) use my X-ray vision here either!" And moments later he adds, "I--I could stay under water almost indefinitely on Earth---but not on [the duplicate] Krypton! Because of the greater exertion, I need more oxygen!" (Act No. 182: "The Return of Planet Krypton!").
An identical loss of super-powers befalls Superman whenever he journeys through the time barrier to Krypton at a time prior to the its destruction or pays a visit to the bottle city of Kandor. "...[W]here Krypton's non-earthly gravity conditions are in force," muses Superman during a visit to Kandor in October 1958, "I have no super-powers!I-I'm just an ordinary man!" (Act No. 245: "The Shrinking Superman!").
According to a revised theory of Superman's powers, first advanced in 1960, the Man of Steel derives his super-powers partly from [the] lesser gravity of Earth and partly from the unique "ultra solar rays that penetrate Earth day and night."
"These rays," explains Superman to Supergirl in March 1960, "can only affect people who were born in other solar systems than Earth's! And only yellow starts like Earth's sun emit those super-energy rays! On Planets of non-yellow suns, we would not be super-powered, even under the low gravity!" (Supergirl story in Act No. 262: "Supergirl's Greatest Victory!").
This theory is restated in Superman No.141. “What gave me super-powers on Earth,†explains Superman, “was Earth’s lesser gravity and the fact that, unlike Krypton’s red sun, Earth’s solar system has a yellow sun....Only yellow stars radiate super-energy rays which give super-powers to people born in other solar systems!†(Nov ’60: pts. I-III-“Superman Meets Jor-El and Lara again!â€; “Superman’s Kryptonian Romance!â€; “The Surprise of Fate!â€).
Superman No. 146/1 refines this theory still further, attributing Superman’s “muscular powers†- super-strength, super-breath, super-speed, and the power of flight – to Earth’s light gravity, and his “super-senses and mental powers†- X-ray vision and other optical powers, super-hearing, and various intellectual powers – to the ultra solar rays of Earth's yellow sun. In a flashback sequence, Superman explains that, as the result of his having been born
on a giant world with heavy gravity, my muscles automatically became super-strong in Earth’s light gravity! I’m like the ant, which, if it were man sized, could carry a locomotive! Grasshoppers could leap over buildings! Now notice that Krypton had a red sun…! But only the ultra solar rays of Earth’s yellow sun can super energize my brain and five senses to give me the other non-muscular super-powers! Also, those yellow-sun rays, which only tan Earth people’s skin, hardened mine like steel! Radium rays…lightning…fire…nothing can harm me! [Jul 1961: “The Story of Superman’s Life!â€].
In the logic of this latest refinement, all Kryptonian objects acquire indestructibility in the yellow-sun environment of Earth, and all native Kryptonians - such as Supergirl or Krypto the Superdog - acquire super-powers identical to Superman's. However, the indestructibility of these objects and the super-powers of the various Kryptonian survivors remain proportional to what they would have been had they remained in their native Kryptonian environment. Superman is stronger than Supergirl, for example, just as an ordinary human male is normally stronger than his female counterpart. Similarly, a Kryptonian gorilla on Earth would be stronger than Superman, just as an ordinary gorilla is more powerful than an ordinary man.
It is this phenomenon to which Superman refers in February 1962, when, after having been bitten severely on the hand by a Kryptonian “flame dragon†(see Flame Dragon), he remarks that “The beast’s bite penetrated my skin…which is invulnerable to everything to everything except the bite of a Kryptonian creature who would have normally been stronger than me if both of us were on Krypton, minus our super-strength!†(S No. 151/3: “Superman’s Greatest Secret!â€).
Because Superman is now said the derive his powers, in part, from the ultra solar rays of Earth's yellow sun, he has no powers on any Planet revolving about a red sun, such as the Planet Lexor (Act No. 318, Nov ’64: “The Death of Luthor!â€; and others) or the world of the Thorones (Act No. 321, Feb ’65: “Superman—Weakest Man in the World!â€).
The mighty super-powers that Superman employs today are the products of a gradual evolution spanning decades of texts. Following is an inventory of Superman's super-powers, along with the history and evolution of each super-power.
Super-Speed and the Power of Flight
In the early years of his super-heroic career, Superman was not endowed with the power of flight. Although he possessed superhuman speed, he moved from place to place by running or by executing gigantic leaps. Month by month, however, Superman's running speed increased, along with the length of his leaps and the complexity of the aerial maneuvers he was able to perform once he had left the ground. The transition from leaping to actual flying was extraordinarily gradual and was punctuated with a great deal of inconsistency. Not until May 1943 is Superman explicitly referred to as a "being who can fly like a bird" and not until later that same year can it be said, without qualification, that Superman actually possesses the power of flight.
By 1945, Superman is able to fly from Metropolis to Burma in the wink of an eye. "Light travels 186,000 miles a second, but has nothing on Superman," notes the text, "who finds himself hovering over the jungles of Burma in the wink of an eye!"
In November 1946, Superman demonstrates the ability to stand invisibly on one spot by oscillating his body so fast that the human eye cannot see him. During this same period, Superman protects bystanders at a navy yard from the effects of a devastating explosion by spinning around the blast area at super-speed. With the speed of light, Superman makes a wall of his revolving body, through which the expanding gases of the explosive cannot penetrate. Then, funneling upward, Superman directs the blast toward the sky.
In August 1947, Superman successfully photographs a series of past events by flying into outer space faster than the speed of light and overtaking the light waves leaving Earth which contain the images of the events he wants to record on film.
Later in 1947, Superman single-handedly constructs an entire underground city in a matter of seconds. (Superman #48) During this same period, Superman uses his command of super-speed to travel through the time barrier into the past.
Virtually all texts agree that to penetrate the time barrier, Superman must move at a speed exceeding that of light.
Super-Strength
There have been many strong men in the world, but none with the amazing power of Superman, whose rippling steel muscles can blast boulders to dust and move mountains.
Like Superman's other powers, his strength has been continually magnified over the years.
In June 1938, Superman, described as a man of titanic strength with the ability to raise tremendous weights, lifts an automobile over his head with one hand, shakes its hoodlum occupants out on the the ground, then smashes the car to bits against the base of a cliff.
In Spring 1940, when Metropolis is ravaged by a man-made earthquake, Superman supports tottering buildings while terrified occupants dash to safety.
In 1941, Superman swims through a raging flood using only one hand, while holding a mansion aloft with the other hand. To divert the floodwaters, Superman digs a huge, mile-long ditch with his bare hands in a matter of moments.
In 1942, Superman seizes a set of brass knuckles and crushes the cowardly instrument in his palm as easily as though the metal were putty; he smashes his way through the side of a mountain; and, while clinging to the side of a moving train, Superman performs an amazing stunt - he opens a Pullman window! By September of the same year, his strength has grown to the point where he can wrench apart a pair of twin mountain peaks with his bare hands.
In 1943, when Superman acts to avert the collapse of a massive undersea cavern, his mighty shoulders bear the weight of thousands of tons of rock and the terrific pressure of the ocean above it. (Action Comics #62, "There'll Always Be a Superman!") He also hits a baseball so hard that it circles the world.
In 1946, Superman uses his super-strength to mend a gaping hole in the hull of a sunken freighter, welding the torn steel plates into place by rubbing them with his hands until they're white hot. Later texts refer to this process as the application of "super-friction."
1947 brings us the first time that Superman transforms a lump of coal into a glittering diamond. In the words of the text, "Incalculable tons of pressure exerted by the Man of Steel's mighty fist duplicate the work of eons to fuse the opaque coal carbons into the translucent perfection of a glittering diamond!" (Action Comics #115)
In 1948 he uses the super-pressure of his thumbnail to cut sheet metal.
By 1949 he has single-handedly created a sun for the Planet Uuz by crashing together its two uninhabited moons and then fueling the resultant atomic blaze with drifting meteors.
In November 1953, when a great dark star that's rushing through the solar system begins causing the Earth to spin faster on its axis, Superman finds himself confronted by the greatest challenge of his career, that of devising a means of slowing down the Earth. After fashioning a gigantic metal drill from ore-bearing rock, Superman drills through the Earth to the red-hot rocks inside Earth's crust and then, using his own body as a high-speed chisel, gouges a canal from the sea to the hole he has drilled in the Earth. When the seawater rushing through Superman's man-made canal washes over the red-hot rocks at the Earth's core, the result is a continuous blast of steam that makes a great jet-blast, pushing against the rotating Earth to slow it down. When it's back to normal, Superman closes off the canal.
But by 1957, Superman is able to hurl an uninhabited Planet through space (Superman #110) and in 1958 can produce a small earthquake with a super-clap of his hands.
In March 1965 Superman seizes a spacecraft manned by members of the Superman Revenge Squad and hurls it into a far distant galaxy light-years away from Earth.
Invulnerability
Of all the awesome capabilities of Superman, one of the most important is his invulnerability. Fire can't burn him, knives can't cut him, bullets can't hurt him. In fact, there's nothing known to man that can harm even a hair of Superman's head.
In June 1938, a bullet ricochets off Superman's tough skin and a knife blade shatters when it strikes his body. Nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin. Subsequent texts describe Superman as possessing a skin impenetrable to even steel and as being impervious to bullets because of an unbelievably tough skin. A text dated January 1945 notes that "Unlike ordinary people, the Man of Steel can do without food if necessary," but a later text contradicts this, noting that Superman could indeed "starve to death."
In September 1945, Superman holds open an earthquake fissure with his bare hands until Lois Lane has had a chance to climb to safety. "The most powerful muscles on Earth," notes the text, "withstand the tremendous pressure of thousands of tons of rock!" "If the fissure had closed on me," remarks Superman, "the only damage would have been to the rock!"
In 1946, Superman flies onto an atomic-bomb test site and withstands the successive impact of two atomic bombs. He also withstands the intense heat of the Earth's molten core. (Superman #43)
In 1950, Superman swims underwater thousands of fathoms deep, down to the ocean bed itself, and suffers no ill effects from the crushing water pressure. He withstands the heat at the rim of the sun, estimated at a few billion degrees.
By 1951, Superman can withstand the heat at the core of the sun. (Action Comics #161) By this date, Superman's Herculean body has become immune to all ills and it's impossible for him to get sick. Superman is not immune, however, to certain extraterrestrial illnesses, such as the mysterious space virus that temporarily transforms his X-ray vision into "deep-freeze" vision in November, 1957, and Virus X, native to the Planet Krypton.
In February 1954, Superman withstands the explosion of a hydrogen bomb, although it does leave him with a slight headache. (Superman #87)
A text dated April 1960 observes that the rifle-like non-super-ray weapon employed by the Bizarros of the Planet Htrae could permanently rob Superman of his super-powers. Another text for this period strongly implies that Superman is invulnerable to the aging process and therefore immortal (Superman #136, April 1960), but Superman #181 contradicts this, noting that "Though Superman is the mightiest man on Earth, even he cannot live forever!" (November, 1965, "The Superman of 2965!")
A text dated April 1965 notes that Superman is invulnerable to drowning, and can remain underwater as long as he wishes.
Because Superman is invulnerable, he cannot blush and because his skin is never affected by the sun, he is impervious to sunburn.
Superman's hair is indestructible and can neither be cut nor can it grow in Earth's atmosphere. (Superman #132, October 1959)
Any attempt to cut Superman's hair by ordinary means results only in the shattering of whatever scissors are being used, but Superman can cut his own hair when absolutely necessary by subjecting it to the concentrated power of his own X-ray vision. In a red-sun environment, however, where Superman has no super-powers, his hair loses its indestructibility and begins to grow. If Superman undertakes a mission to a red-sun Planet, it is best for him to shave and trim his hair before returning to the yellow-sun environment of Earth, where his hair will once again become indestructible.
Similarly, Superman's fingernails and toenails, which are indestructible and do not grow in the earthly environment, do grow and are destructible on Planets revolving about a red sun.
X-Ray Vision and the Other Optical Powers
With telescopic vision, he has spanned the solar system - his microscopic vision has seen the tiniest dust particle - while his X-ray vision has pierced every substance except lead.
Today's Superman possesses a wide range of optical super-powers, including X-ray vision, which enables him to see through all substances except lead; telescopic vision, which enables him to focus on objects millions of miles away; super-vision, a combination of X-ray vision and telescopic vision, which enables him to perform such optical feats as peering through the wall of a house thousands of miles away; microscopic vision, which enables him to examine the tiniest atomic particles; heat vision, which enables him to apply intense heat to any substance except lead; infrared vision, which enables him to see objects lying outside the visible spectrum at its red end; radar vision, a term denoting infrared vision used at low power, which enables him to see in pitch darkness; and photographic vision, which enables him to perform such feats as memorizing whole books at a single glance.
In Superman's earliest adventures, however, he exhibited no special optical powers, and the vision abilities he employs today are the products of a gradual evolution spanning many years of texts. Tracing the evolution of these abilities is difficult, for the terminology used to describe them is often haphazard and confusing. "Telescopic X-ray vision," for example, used as a general term in many early texts to denote Superman's ability both to see through objects and to see objects from far away, later comes to refer to the use of both of these visions simultaneously.
"Super-vision," however, both with and without the hyphen, has been employed at various times in the chronicles as a synonym for telescopic vision; as a means of describing Superman's ability to perform some complex optical feat, such as tracing television broadcast signals to their source; and as a term denoting a combination of X-ray vision and telescopic vision, the meaning it has today.
Similarly, Superman used his X-ray vision to analyze the chemical composition of substances, to melt solid objects, and to see in pitch darkness long before the more specialized terms microscopic vision, heat vision, and radar vision ever appeared in the chronicles.
Some terms, such as "super-sensory sight," "super-sensory-vision," and "supernormal vision" are used in the texts without ever being defined precisely.
Super-Hearing
in progress
Super-Breath and Related Powers
in progress
Vocal and Ventriloquistic Powers
in progress
Mental and Intellectual Powers
in progress
Miscellaneous Powers
in progress
The Vulnerabilities
in progress
Kryptonite
in progress
Green Kryptonite
in progress
Red Kryptonite
in progress
Gold Kryptonite
in progress
Blue Kryptonite
in progress
White Kryptonite
in progress
Magic
in progress
Virus X
This deadly Kryptonian virus, for which no cure has ever been discovered, is described in Superman No. 156 as "a contagion fatal in 30 days to any native of Krypton...." Because living X viruses—if, indeed, any survived the destruction of Superman's native planet—would acquire super-virulence in the alien environment of Earth in the same manner whereby Superman acquired his super-powers, Superman and all other surviving natives of Krypton are vulnerable to this killer virus just as they would have been had Krypton never exploded and they, and the virus, remained on Krypton.
In his experiments with Virus X prior to the death of Krypton, the Kryptonian scientist Tharb-El discovered that he could destroy the virus with "element 202." Because element 202 is fatal to human beings, however, Tharb-El was unsuccessful in his efforts to produce a viable cure (S No. 156, Oct 1962: "The Last Days of Superman!" pts. I-III—"Superman's Death Sentence!"; "The Super-Comrades of All Time!"; "Superman's Last Day of Life!").
Other Vulnerabilities
in progress
The Equipment
in progress
Lead Armor
in progress
Dummies, Robots, and Androids
in progress
(see also the list of Superman Robots)
Miscellaneous Equipment
in progress
The Man Himself (as Clark Kent)
The chief protagonist of the Superman chronicles is in one sense really two men. He is, of course, Superman, the world's mightiest hero, but he is also Clark Kent, mild-mannered journalist, for more than 60 years the star reporter of the Daily Planet, more recently a full-time newscaster for Metropolis television station WGBS-TV (S No.233, Jan 1971: "Superman Breaks Loose!"; and many others).
Clark Kent has black hair and blue eyes. He is 6'2" tall, with chest measurements of 44" and a waist measurement of 34" (Act No.297, Feb 1963: "The Man Who Betrayed Superman's Identity!"; S. No.178/1, July 1965: "Project Earth-Doom!"). According to one text, his blood conforms to ALL FOUR types!" (S. No.6/4, Sep/Oct 1940).
Since Clark Kent and Superman are one and the same man, it is not surprising that some have noticed a strong resemblance between them. In February 1963 Perry White observes that Clark Kent "strongly resembles Superman" (Act No.297: "The Man Who Betrayed Superman's Identity!"), and in November 1963 General Pedro Valdez informs Kent that "Without glasses and dressed like Superman, you could pass anywhere as his double!" (Act No.306: "The Great Superman Impersonation!").
"Hmm ... there is a resemblance!" notes Lois Lane in December 1965. "That's why I've often suspected Clark might be Superman!" (Ac No.331: "Clark Kent's Masquerade as Superman!"). Despite this perceived resemblance, however, Clark Kent has succeeded in keeping his dual identity one of the world's most closely guarded secrets (see Secret Identity).
The identity of Clark Kent was conferred upon the infant Superman by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who adopted the orphan from the doomed planet Krypton soon after the rocket that that had brought him safely to Earth had landed in an open field (Act No.141, Feb 1950: "Luthor's Secret Weapon") on the outskirts of Smallville (WF No.57, Mar/Apr 1952: "The Artificial Superman!"; and others). The proud foster parents named their new son Clark, which was Martha Kent's maiden name (S No.146/1, Jul 1961: "The Story of Superman's Life!"; and others).
Clark Kent's early childhood years were spent on his foster parents' farm outside of Smallville (S No.152/2, Apr 1962: "Superbaby Captures the Pumpkin Gang!; and others). By the time Clark was old enough to attend elementary school, the Kents had sold their farm and moved to Smallville, where Jonathan Kent opened up a general store (S No.146/1, Jul 1961: "The Story of Superman's Life!"); and others).
According to Superman 46/3, Clark Kent attended high school at Metropolis High, where he was nicknamed "Specs" and became known as his class's "quietest boy" (May/Jun 1947: "that Old Class of Superboy's!"). However, numerous other texts assert, far more plausibly, that Clark Kent grew up in Smallville, attending Smallville High School (WF No.69, Ma/Apr 1954: "Jor-El's Last Will!"; and many others) and working afternoons after school in his foster father's general store (S No.116/2, Sep 1957: "Disaster Strikes Twice"). His high school principal thought of him as "the shyest boy in our graduating class (S No.125/2, Nov 1958: "Clark Kent's College Days"), but his senior yearbook described him this way: "highest grades --boy most likely to become famous --" (S No.144/2, Apr 1961: "Superboy's First Public Appearance!").
Following his graduation from Smallville High School, Clark Kent attended college at Metropolis University (S No.125/2, Nov 1958: "Clark Kent's College Days"; and others). He lived in a dormitory, joined a fraternity (S No.129/3, May 1959: "The Girl in Superman's Past!"), and yelled his heart out as a cheerleader for the college football eam (S No.125/2, Nov 1958: "Clark Kent's College Days").
He had already decidd upon a career in journalism (Act No.144, May 1950: "Clark Kenbt's Career!"). Nevertheless, he studied advanced science under Professor Thadeus V. Maxwell (S No 125/2, Nov 1958: "Clark Kent's College Days") and took courses in biology, astronomy, art, music, and other subjects. In his senior year he had a bittersweet romance with Lori Lemaris (S No.129/3, May 1959: "The Girl in Superman's Past!").
Following his college graduation, Clark Kent returned to Smallville, but not long afterward, both his foster parents passed away. It was a bereaved Clark Kent who departed Smallville to embark o his chosen career as a newspaper reporter in Metropolis (S No.146/1, Jul 1961: "The Story of Superman's Life!").
Kent actually began his career as a reporter for the Daily Star, the forerunner in the chronicles of the Daily Planet. By thwarting a lynching at the county jail as Superman, and then phoning in an exclusive account of the events as would-be reporter Clark Kent, Kent pursuaded the paper's editor to hire him despite his lack of experience (S No.1/1, Sum 1939). Since the appearance of this early account, however, two other, widley disparate, texts have appeared purporting to tell the true story of how Clark Kent came to acquire his job as a newspaper reporter (Act No.144, May 1950: "Clark Kent's Career!"); S No.133/2, Nov 1959: "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent!"). Both these accounts may safely be regarded as spurious. (See Daily Planet.)
Working as a reporter for a major newspaper enables Clark Kent to "investigate criminals without their suspecting [he's] really Superman" (S No.133/2, Nov 1959: "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent!") and provides him with "the best opportunity for being free to help people as Superman" without having to explain his frequent absences from his place of employment (Act 144, May 1950: "Clark Kent's Career!"); and others. "As a reporter," notes Kent in December 1949, "I have a hundred underworld and police contacts that make it easier for Superman to fight crime!" (Act No.139: "Clark Kent ... Daredevil!").
Over and above its usefulness to him in his career as Superman, it is clear that Clark Kent values his career in journalism purely for its own sake. 'Just remember," exclaims Kent to newsboy Tommy Blake in Summer 1945, "a good reporter gets the news ... and gets it first! But there's more to being a reporter than that!
"He lives by the deadline! The thunder of the presses is the pounding of his heart! And most important --all his personal feelings remain in the background! It's his story that counts! Always remember that!" (WF No.18: "the Junior Reporters!").
According to Superman 25/2, Clark Kent tried to enlist in the U.S. Army during World War II, only to be rejected on the ground of faulty eyesight when, in the midst of his preinduction eye exam, he absent-mindedly peered through the wall of the examining room wth his X-ray vision and, instead of reading aloud the letters of his own eye chart, recited those on a different eye chart posted on a wall in the adjoining room. Kent might have renewed his efforts to join the Armed Forces had he not soon realized that, as Superman, he "could be of more value on the home front operating as a free agent!" (Nov/Dec 1943: "I Sustain the Wings!").
And so, for more than six continuous decades, Clark Kent has been the Daily Planet's "star reporter" (Act No.25, Jun 1940; and others). Renowned for his ability to root out local news (S No.44/3, Jan/Feb 1947: "Shakespeare's Ghost Writer!"; and others), particularly stories dealing with crime and corruption (S No.83/3, Jul/Aug 1953: "Clark Kent---Convict!"; and others), he has performed in numerous other capacities for the Daily Planet, including that of war correspondent (Act No.23, Apr 1940), lovelorn editor (S No.18/3, Sep?oc 1942: "The Man with the Cane"; and others), editor of the Daily Planet's Bombay edition (Act No.203, Apr 1955: "The International Daily Planet!"), and editor of the entire newspaper in the abence of Perry White (Act No.297, Feb 1963: "The Man Who Betrayed Superman's Identity!").
In addition to wearing ordinary street clothes and slightly altering his facial appearance with eye-glasses to conceal the fact that he is secretly Superman, Clark Kent exhibits qualities of personality far removed from the ones he displays a a super-hero. The chronicles repeatedly describe Clark Kent as "meek" (S No.7/1, Nov/Dec 1940; and many others), "timid" (WB No.1 Spr 1941; and many others), "mild-mannered" (Act No.169, Jun 1952: "Caveman Clark Kent!"; and many others), "sickly" (S No.106/2, Jil 1956: "The Thefts of Clark Kent!"), "weak" (S No.155/1, Aug 1962: pts.I-II 00"Superman Under the Green Sun!"; "The Blind Superman!"; and others), "cowardly" (Act No.322, Mar 1965: "The Coward of Steel!"; and others), "submissive" (Act No.155/1), and even "spineless" (Act No.1, Jun 1938; and others).
Clark Kent is afraid of dogs (S No.31/2, Nov/Dec 1944: "A Dog's Tale!"), afraid of heights (S No.136/3. Apr 1060: "The Super-Clown of Metropolis!"; and others), willing to let almost anyone push him around (Act No.1, Jun 1938; and many others).
Kent tends to rationalize his meek behavior --which is a caricature of a timid person's behavior rather than a skilled imitation of it-- as "the perfect camouflage for my real identity as Superman" (Act No.166, Mar 1952: "The Three Scoops of Deah!"), but there is a deeper significance behind the choice of traits with which Superman has equipped his alter ego, for this selection reveals a great deal about the personality and inner life of Superman [see The Man Himself (as Superman)].
Clark Kent lives in apartment 3-B at 344 Clinton Street (S No.112/1, Mar 1957: "Superman's Neighbors"), a high-rise apartment building (WF No.92, Jan/Feb 1948: "The Boy from Outer Space!"; and others) in the midtown area (S No.8/2, Jan/Feb 1941) of Metroplois (S No.15/2, Mar/Apr 1942; and many others), "across town" from the Daily Planet Building (S no.181/1, Nov 1965) and not far away from the apartment building where Lois Lane lives (S No.40/1, May/Jun 1946: "The Mxyztplk-Susie Alliance!"). World's Finest Comics No.35 portrays Clark as residing in a house at 906 Warmon as opposed to an apartment, but this information is almost certainly erroneous (Jul/Aug 1948: "Daddy Superman!").
Inbe room of Kent's apartment houses his extensive collection of antique clocks (Act No.73, Jun 1944: "The Hobby Robbers"). A "fake wall" in the apartment, which slides open at the touch of a secret button (S No.174/1, Jan 1965:pts.I-II --"Clark Kent's Incredible Delusion!"; "The End of a Hero!") mounted on the apartment wall (S No. 126/1, Jan 1959: "Superman's Hunt for Clark Kent!"), conceals a "secret closet" (Act Mo.282, Nov 1961: "Superman's Toughes Day!"; and others) --or "secret trophy closet" (S No.126/1, Jan 1959: "Superman's Hunt for Clark Kent!") --housing a number of Superman's sophisticated robots (Act No.247, Dec 1958: "Superman's Lost Parents!"; and many others) several numbered boxes of Superman trophies and samples of Kryptonite, and various other "Superman mementoes". When he is not wearing hsi Siperman costume, Clark Kent sometimes hangs it in this secret closet.
Clark Kent has been a member of the Anti-Superman Club, the Atlas Club, and the Round Table Club. He was honored as the Meek Man's Hero of the Week by the Metropolis Meek Man's Club in November 1955.
Clark Kent's closest friends are Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White. His living Kent-family relatives include his cousin "Digger" Kent, a gold-prsopector; his cousin Louis Pateur Kent, a country doctor; his cousin Titus Kent, a wheelchair-bound recluse who lost his fortune during the great Depression; his first cousin Carol Kent, an actress; and his aunt Minerva Kent, his father's younger sister.
Because Clark Kent is widely know as Superman's "best friend"m people often contact Kent, usually at the Daily Planet, as the most reliable means of getting in touch with Superman.
In January 1971, the Galaxy Broadcasting System, which owns the Daily Planet, removes Clark Kent from the Planet staff and installs him as a full-time newscaster on another Galaxy property, Metropolis televison station WGBS-TV, a post Clark Kent continues to occupy for some time.
The Man Himself (as Superman)
in progress
The Women of the Chronicles
in progress
The Relationship with Lois Lane
in progress
The Relationship with Lana Lang
in progress
The Relationship with Lori Lemaris
in progress
The Relationship with Lyla Lerrol
in progress
The Relationship with Sally Selwyn
in progress
The Relationship with the Law-Enforcement Establishment
in progress
The Texts
in progress
Locales
in progress
Developments
in progress
The Early Adventures
in progress
The Wartime Adventures
in progress
The Postwar Adventures
in progress
The Later Adventures
in progress
