Editing Superman (section)

==Character overview==
Several elements of the ''Superman'' narrative have remained consistent in the myriad stories published since 1938.

===Superman===
In ''[[Action Comics]]'' [[Action Comics 1|#1]] (1938), Superman is born on an alien world to a technologically advanced species that resembles humans. Shortly after he is born, his planet is destroyed in a natural cataclysm, but his scientist father foresaw the calamity and saves his baby son by sending him to Earth in a small spaceship. The ship is too small to carry anyone else, so Superman's parents are forced to stay behind and die in the cataclysm. The earliest newspaper strips name the planet Krypton, the baby Kal-L, and his biological parents Jor-L and Lora;<ref>[http://www.thespeedingbullet.com/daily/ep01_15/episode1_1.jpg ''Superman'' comic strip, January 16, 1939] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008215921/http://www.thespeedingbullet.com/daily/ep01_15/episode1_1.jpg |date=October 8, 2016 }}, reprinted at {{cite web|url=http://www.thespeedingbullet.com/daily/ep01_15/ep1.html |title=Episode 1: Superman Comes to Earth |publisher=TheSpeedingBullet.com |access-date=March 27, 2016 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306164334/http://www.thespeedingbullet.com/daily/ep01_15/ep1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> their names were changed to Jor-el, and Lara in a 1942 spinoff novel by George Lowther.<ref>Lowther, George (1942). ''The Adventures of Superman''. Per {{harvp|Ricca|2014|p=204}}: "The book is also the first time that Superman's parents are named "Jor-el" and "Lara"—a slight spelling change that would stick."</ref> The ship lands in the American countryside, where the baby is discovered by the Kents, a farming couple.

The Kents name the boy Clark and raise him in a farming community. A 1947 episode of the radio serial places this yet unnamed community in Iowa.<ref>''The Secret Rocket'' per {{cite web|url=http://www.supermanhomepage.com/radio/radio.php?topic=radio-reviews/102347-secretrocket |title=Superman Radio Series – Story Reviews |publisher=SupermanHomepage.com |first=James |last=Lantz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626134324/http://supermanhomepage.com/radio/radio.php?topic=radio-reviews%2F102347-secretrocket |archive-date=June 26, 2016 }}</ref> It is named [[Smallville (comics)|Smallville]] in ''Superboy'' #2 (June 1949). The [[Superman (1978 film)|1978 Superman movie]] placed it in Kansas, as have most Superman stories since.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blastr.com/2012/09/the_campaign_to_make_a_re.php|title=The campaign to make a real Kansas town into Superman's Smallville|first=Matthew |last=Jackson|work=SyfyWire |date=December 17, 2012|access-date=March 22, 2016 |publisher=Blastr.com ([[Syfy]]) |quote=Decades of comic book mythology and a hit TV series have made Superman's hometown of Smallville, Kan., one of the most famous places in America. |archive-date= March 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322225128/http://www.blastr.com/2012/09/the_campaign_to_make_a_re.php |url-status=live}}</ref> ''New Adventures of Superboy'' #22 (Oct. 1981) places it in Maryland.

In ''Action Comics'' #1 and most stories published before 1986, Superman's powers begin developing in infancy. From 1944 to 1986, DC Comics regularly published stories of Superman's childhood and adolescent adventures, when he called himself "[[Superboy (Kal-El)|Superboy]]". From 1986 on (beginning with ''Man of Steel'' #1), Superman's powers emerged more slowly and he began his superhero career as an adult.

The Kents teach Clark he must conceal his otherworldly origins and use his fantastic powers to do good. Clark creates the costumed identity of Superman so as to protect his personal privacy and the safety of his loved ones. As Clark Kent, he wears eyeglasses to disguise his face and wears his Superman costume underneath his clothes so that he can change at a moment's notice. To complete this disguise, Clark avoids violent confrontation, preferring to slip away and change into Superman when danger arises, and in older stories he would suffer occasional ridicule for his apparent cowardice.

In ''Superboy'' #78 (1960), Superboy makes his costume out of the indestructible blankets found in the ship he came to Earth in. In ''Man of Steel'' #1 (1986), Martha Kent makes the costume from human-manufactured cloth, and it is rendered indestructible by an aura that Superman projects. The "S" on Superman's chest at first was simply an initial for "Superman". When writing the script for [[Superman (1978 film)|the 1978 movie]], [[Tom Mankiewicz]] made it the crest of Superman's Kryptonian family, the House of El.<ref name=MankiewiczCrane2012p203/> This was carried over into some comic book stories and later movies, such as ''[[Man of Steel (film)|Man of Steel]]''. In the comic story ''[[Superman: Birthright]]'', the crest is described as an old Kryptonian symbol for hope.

Clark works as a newspaper journalist. In the earliest stories, he worked for ''The Daily Star'', but the second episode of [[The Adventures of Superman (radio)|the radio serial]] changed this to the ''[[Daily Planet]]''. In comics from the early 1970s, Clark worked as a television journalist, which was an attempt to modernize the character. However, for [[Superman (1978 film)|the 1978 movie]], the producers chose to make Clark a newspaper journalist again because that was how most people outside of comic book readers knew him.<ref name=Daniels1998/>

The first story in which Superman dies was published in ''Superman'' #149 (1961), in which he is murdered by Lex Luthor by means of kryptonite. This story was "imaginary" and therefore was ignored in subsequent books. In ''Superman'' #188 (April 1966), Superman is killed by kryptonite radiation but is revived in the same issue by one of [[Superman robots|his android doppelgangers]]. In the 1990s ''[[The Death of Superman|The Death and Return of Superman]]'' story arc, after a deadly battle with [[Doomsday (comics)|Doomsday]], Superman died in ''Superman'' #75 (Jan. 1993). He was later revived by the [[Eradicator (comics)|Eradicator]] using Kryptonian technology. In ''Superman'' #52 (May 2016) Superman is killed by kryptonite poisoning, and this time he is not resurrected, but replaced by the Superman of an alternate timeline.

Superman maintains a secret hideout called the "Fortress of Solitude", which is located somewhere in the Arctic. Here, Superman keeps a collection of mementos and a laboratory for science experiments. ''Action Comics'' #241 (1958) depicts the Fortress of Solitude as a cave in a mountain, sealed with a very heavy door that is opened with a gigantic key too heavy for anyone but Superman to use. In the 1978 movie, the Fortress of Solitude is a structure made of white crystal.

===Clark Kent===
{{redirect|Clark Kent}}
Superman's [[secret identity]] is Clark Joseph Kent, a reporter for the ''[[Daily Planet]]''. Although his name and history originate from his early life with his adoptive Earth parents, everything about Clark was staged for the benefit of his alternate identity: as a reporter for the ''[[Daily Planet]]'', he receives late-breaking news before the general public, always has a plausible reason to be present at crime scenes, and need not strictly account for his whereabouts as long as he makes his publication deadlines. He sees his job as a journalist as an extension of his Superman responsibilities—bringing truth to the forefront and fighting for the little guy. He believes that everybody has the right to know what is going on in the world, regardless of who is involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.batman-superman.com/superman/cmp/index.html |title=The New Batman/Superman Adventures |publisher=[[Warner Bros.]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202074631/http://www.batman-superman.com/superman/cmp/index.html |archive-date=February 2, 2007}}</ref> In the [[Bronze Age of Comic Books]], Clark Kent was featured in a series that appeared primarily in ''[[The Superman Family]]'', "The Private Life of Clark Kent" where Superman dealt with various situations subtly while remaining Clark.

To deflect suspicion that he is Superman, Clark Kent adopted a mainly passive and introverted personality with conservative mannerisms, a higher-pitched voice, and a slight slouch. This personality is typically described as "mild-mannered", as in the opening narration of [[Max Fleischer]]'s [[Superman (1940s cartoons)|''Superman'' animated theatrical shorts]]. These traits extended into Clark's wardrobe, which typically consists of a bland-colored business suit, a red necktie, black-rimmed glasses, combed-back hair, and occasionally a [[Fedora (hat)|fedora]]. Clark wears his Superman costume underneath his street clothes, allowing easy changes between the two [[persona]]e and the dramatic gesture of ripping open his shirt to reveal the familiar "S" emblem when called into action. His hair also changes with the clothing change, with Superman sporting a small curl or [[spit curl]] on his forehead. Superman usually stores his Clark Kent clothing compressed in a secret pouch within his cape,<ref>{{Cite comic |penciller=John Sikela|story=The Origin of Superboy's Costume! |title=Superboy |volume=1 |issue=78 |date=January 1960 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |location=New York, NY}}</ref> though some stories have shown him leaving his clothes in some covert location (such as the ''Daily Planet'' storeroom)<ref>{{Cite comic |writer=[[Steven T. Seagle|Seagle, Steven T.]] |penciller=[[Scott McDaniel|McDaniel, Scott]] |inker=Owens, Andy |story=Truth |title=Superman: The 10¢ Adventure |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=March 2003 |publisher=[[DC Comics]] |location=New York, NY}}</ref> for later retrieval.

As Superman's [[alter ego]], the personality, concept, and name of Clark Kent have become synonymous with [[secret identity|secret identities]] and innocuous fronts for ulterior motives and activities. In 1992, Superman co-creator Joe Shuster told the ''Toronto Star'' that the name derived from 1930s cinematic leading men [[Clark Gable]] and [[Kent Taylor]], but the persona from bespectacled silent film comic [[Harold Lloyd]] and himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://davidschutz.tripod.com/superman3.html |title=When Superman Worked at The Star |last=Schutz |first=David |website=The Adventures of Superman |date=April 26, 1992 |access-date=December 25, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717013550/http://davidschutz.tripod.com/superman3.html |archive-date=July 17, 2010 }}</ref> Clark's middle name is given variously as either Joseph, Jerome, or Jonathan, all being allusions to creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

===Personality===
In the original Siegel and Shuster stories, Superman's personality is rough and aggressive. He often uses excessive force and terror against criminals, on some occasions even killing them. This came to an end in late 1940 when new editor [[Whitney Ellsworth]] instituted a code of conduct for his characters to follow, banning Superman from ever killing.<ref name="TCS42">{{harvp|Daniels|1998}}. ''Superman: The Complete History'', p. 42</ref> The character was softened and given a sense of [[humanitarianism]]. Ellsworth's code, however, is not to be confused with "[[Comics Code Authority|the Comics Code]]", which was created in 1954 by the [[Comics Code Authority]] and ultimately abandoned by every major comic book publisher by the early 21st century.

In his first appearances, Superman was considered a vigilante by the authorities, being fired upon by the National Guard as he razed a slum so that the government would create better housing conditions for the poor. By 1942, however, Superman was working side-by-side with the police.<ref name="Weldon33"/><ref>{{harvp|Weldon|2013}}. ''Superman the Unauthorized Biography'', p. 55</ref> Today, Superman is commonly seen as a brave and kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality, and righteousness. He adheres to an unwavering moral code instilled in him by his adoptive parents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Superman.html |title=The religion of Superman (Clark Kent / Kal-El) |work=Adherents.com |date=August 14, 2007 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828014317/http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Superman.html |archive-date=August 28, 2012 }}</ref> His commitment to operating within the law has been an example to many citizens and other heroes, but has stirred resentment and criticism among others, who refer to him as the "big blue boy scout". Superman can be rather rigid in this trait, causing tensions in the superhero community.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite comic |Writer = [[Greg Rucka|Rucka, Greg]] |Penciller = [[David Lopez (artist)|Lopez, David]] |Title = [[Wonder Woman]] |Volume =2 |Story = Affirmative Defense |Issue = 220 |date = Oct. 2005 |Publisher=DC Comics }}</ref> This was most notable with [[Wonder Woman]], one of his closest friends, after she killed [[Maxwell Lord]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> [[Booster Gold]] initially had an icy relationship with the Man of Steel but grew to respect him.<ref>''Action Comics'' #594 (1987)</ref>

Having lost his home world of Krypton, Superman is very protective of Earth,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/8360363 |title=Why They Won't Save Us: Political Dispositions in the Conflicts of Superheroes |first=Woody |last=Evans |author-link=Woody Evans |date=2014}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and especially of Clark Kent's family and friends. This same loss, combined with the pressure of using his powers responsibly, has caused Superman to feel [[loneliness|lonely]] on Earth, despite having his friends and parents. Previous encounters with people he thought to be fellow Kryptonians, [[Power Girl]]<ref>{{cite comic |Writer = [[Geoff Johns|Johns, Geoff]] |Penciller = [[Amanda Conner|Conner, Amanda]] |Inker = [[Jimmy Palmiotti|Palmiotti, Jimmy]] |Title = JSA: Classified |Volume =1 |Story = Power Trip |Issue = 1 |date = September 2005 |Publisher=DC Comics }}</ref> and [[Mon-El]],<ref>{{cite comic |Writer = [[Geoff Johns|Johns, Geoff]] [[Richard Donner|Donner, Richard]] |Penciller = [[Eric Wight|Wight, Eric]] |Inker = [[Eric Wight|Wight, Eric]] |Title = Action Comics Annual |Volume =1 |Story = Who is Clark Kent's Big Brother? |Issue = 10 |date = March 2007 |Publisher=DC Comics }}</ref> have led to disappointment. The arrival of [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]], who has been confirmed to be his cousin from Krypton, relieved this loneliness somewhat.<ref>{{cite comic |Writer = [[Kurt Busiek|Buskiek, Kurt]], [[Fabian Nicieza|Nicieza, Fabian]], [[Geoff Johns|Johns, Geoff]] |Penciller = Guedes, Renato |Inker = Magalhaes, Jose Wilson |Title = Action Comics |Volume =1 |Story = Superman: Family |Issue = 850 |date = July 2007 |Publisher=DC Comics }}</ref> Superman's [[Fortress of Solitude]] acts as a place of [[solace]] for him in times of loneliness and despair.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book |last=Wallace |first=Dan |contribution=Alternate Earths |editor-last=Dougall |editor-first=Alastair |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia |pages=20–21 |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |location=[[London]] |date=2008 |isbn=978-0-7566-4119-1}}</ref>

===Abilities and weaknesses===
<!--'Heat vision (fiction)' redirects here-->
The catalog of Superman's abilities and his strength has varied considerably over the vast body of Superman fiction released since 1938.

Since ''[[Action Comics]]'' [[Action Comics 1|#1]] (1938), Superman has superhuman strength. The cover of ''Action Comics'' #1 shows him effortlessly lifting a car over his head. Another classic feat of strength on Superman's part is breaking steel chains. In some stories, he is strong enough to shift the orbits of planets<ref>Example: ''DC Comics Presents'' #3 (1978)</ref> and crush coal into diamond with his hands.

Since ''Action Comics'' #1 (1938), Superman has a highly durable body, invulnerable for most practical purposes. At the very least, bullets bounce harmlessly off his body. In some stories, such as [[Kingdom Come (comics)|''Kingdom Come'']], not even a nuclear bomb can harm him.

In the earliest stories, Superman's costume is made out of exotic materials that are as tough as he is, which is why it typically does not tear up when he performs superhuman feats. In later stories, beginning with ''Man of Steel'' #1 (1986), Superman's body is said to project an aura that renders invulnerable any tight-fitting clothes he wears, and hence his costume is as durable as he is even if made of common cloth.

In ''Action Comics'' #1, Superman could not fly. He traveled by running and leaping, which he could do to a prodigious degree thanks to his strength. Superman gained the ability to fly in the second episode of [[The Adventures of Superman (radio)|the radio serial]] in 1940.<ref name=radioserialep2>{{Cite episode |title=Clark Kent, Reporter |series=The Adventures of Superman |number=2 |station=WOR |date=February 14, 1940}}: <br />–''Look! Look! There, in the sky! It's a man!'' <br />–''Why, he's flying!'' <br />–''It can't be! It's not possible!''</ref> Superman can fly faster than sound and in some stories, he can even fly faster than the speed of light to travel to distant galaxies.

Superman can project and perceive X-rays via his eyes, which allows him to see through objects. He first uses this power in ''Action Comics'' #11 (1939). Certain materials such as lead can block his X-ray vision.

Superman can project beams of heat from his eyes which are hot enough to melt steel. He first used this power in ''Superman'' #59 (1949) by applying his X-ray vision at its highest intensity. In later stories, this ability is simply called "heat vision".

Superman can hear sounds that are too faint for a human to hear, and at frequencies outside the human hearing range. This ability was introduced in ''Action Comics'' #11 (1939).

Since ''Action Comics'' #20 (1940), Superman 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 has a significant focus of his breath's intensity to the point of freezing targets by blowing on them. The "freeze breath" was first demonstrated in ''Superman'' #129 (1959).

''Action Comics'' #1 (1938) explained that Superman's strength was common to all Kryptonians because they were a species "millions of years advanced of our own". In the first newspaper strips, Jor-El is shown running and leaping like Superman, and his wife survives a building collapsing on her. Later stories explained they evolved superhuman strength simply because of Krypton's higher gravity. ''Superman'' #146 (1961) established that Superman's abilities other than strength (flight, durability, etc.) are activated by the light of Earth's yellow [[sun]]. In ''Action Comics'' #300 (1963), all of his powers including strength are activated by yellow sunlight and can be deactivated by red sunlight similar to that of Krypton's sun.

====Weaknesses====
Exposure to green [[kryptonite]] radiation nullifies Superman's powers and incapacitates him with pain and nausea; prolonged exposure will eventually kill him. Although green kryptonite is the most commonly seen form, writers have introduced other forms over the years: such as red, gold, blue, white, and black, each with peculiar effects.<ref name="TCS106107">Daniels (1998), pp. 106–107.</ref> Gold kryptonite, for instance, nullifies Superman's powers but otherwise does not harm him. [[Kryptonite]] first appeared in a 1943 episode of [[The Adventures of Superman (radio)|the radio serial]].<ref>''The Meteor From Krypton'' (June 1943). Per {{harvp|Hayde|2009}}: "Only one arc in 1943 managed to transcend its era: "The Meteor from Krypton." Debuting on June 3, it marked the debut of kryptonite..."</ref> It first appeared in comics in ''Superman'' #61 (Dec. 1949).<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/7882/#74473 ''Superman'' #61] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427020730/http://www.comics.org/issue/7882/ |date=April 27, 2016 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]]. "Indexer notes ... Green Kryptonite introduced in this story."</ref>

Superman is also vulnerable to magic. Enchanted weapons and magical spells affect Superman as easily as they would a normal human. This weakness was established in ''Superman'' #171 (1964).

Like all Kryptonians, Kal-El is also highly susceptible to psychokinetic phenomena ranging along Telekinesis, Illusion casting, Mind control, etc., as shown in ''Wonder Woman'' Vol 2 # 219 (Sept. 2005). A powerful enough psionic can affect either the psyche or microbiology of Superman to induce strokes or mangle his internal organs, as well as disrupt his mind and perceptions of the world, something a young power-amped Gene-Bomb meta showcased in ''Superman'' #48 (Oct. 1990).

===Occasional equipment===
{{expand section|date=February 2025}}
On occasion, Superman has made use of a special aeroplane called the '''Supermobile''' which has the same abilities as him and can protect him from the radiation of a red sun.<ref>''Action Comics'' #481. DC Comics.</ref>

Superman has used several [[List of fictional robots and androids|fictional robots]] that resemble his appearance and have similar abilities. '''Superman robots''' played a particularly dominant role in the late 1950s and 1960s era Superman comics, when readers were first introduced to Superman possessing various robot duplicates. These robots each possessed a fraction of Superman's powers, and were sometimes used to substitute for him on missions or protect his [[secret identity]].<ref>''Action Comics'' #282 (November 1961)</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=Dan |title=Famous Robots and Cyborgs: An Encyclopedia of Robots from TV, Film, Literature, Comics, Toys, and More |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing]] |year=2014 |isbn=9781626363892 |pages=}}</ref> One notable Superman robot was named Ajax, also known as [[Wonder Man (DC Comics)|Wonder Man]].<ref>''Superman'' #163 (August 1963)</ref> Other Superman robots had other names, including Robot Z,<ref>''Action Comics'' #274 (March 1961)</ref> Robot X-3,<ref>''Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane'' #30 (January 1962)</ref> and MacDuff.<ref>''Superman'' #414 (December 1985)</ref>

The idea of Superman robots extended into [[Superboy (Kal-El)|Superboy]] and [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]] stories of the period as well, with the two also possessing robotic duplicates.<ref>''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #37 (June 1959)</ref><ref>''Action Comics'' #270 (November 1960)</ref> In the early 1970s, the Superman comics largely abandoned the Superman robots as part of a change in tone and writing style. In-universe, the robots are rendered unusable by Earth's pollution levels and artificial radiation.<ref>''World's Finest Comics'' #202 (May 1971)</ref> The notion of Superman robots was reintroduced for [[Crisis on Infinite Earths|post-Crisis]] comic continuity in a late 1990s storyline. While under [[Dominus (DC Comics)|Dominus]]' control, Superman builds a series of robots to oversee the Earth. Unlike the original Superman robots, they possess a more mechanical appearance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Weldon |first1=Glen |title=Superman: The Unauthorized Biography |publisher=[[Turner Publishing Company]] |year=2013 |isbn=9781118483824 |pages=}}</ref> In ''Superman'' (vol. 2) #170, [[Krypto]] nearly kills [[Mongul]] and is confined to the [[Fortress of Solitude]] as punishment. A Superman robot nicknamed "Ned" is employed as Krypto's caretaker. In a later storyline, [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac 8]] revived and increased the power to a forgotten Superman robot. The robot attacked the [[Teen Titans]], killing [[Donna Troy|Troia]] and [[Lilith Clay|Omen]] before it was defeated.<ref>''Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day'' #3 (August 2003)</ref>

===Supporting characters===
{{See also|Superman character and cast|List of Superman supporting characters}}
Superman's first and most famous supporting character is [[Lois Lane]], introduced in ''Action Comics'' #1. She is a fellow journalist at the ''[[Daily Planet]]''. As Jerry Siegel conceived her, Lois considers Clark Kent to be a wimp, but she is infatuated with the bold and mighty Superman, not knowing that Kent and Superman are the same person. Siegel objected to any proposal that Lois discover that Clark is Superman because he felt that, as implausible as Clark's disguise is, the love triangle was too important to the book's appeal.<ref>"If Lois should ACTUALLY learn Clark's secret, the strip would lose about 75% of its appeal—the human interest angle. I know that a formula can possibly prove monotonous through repetition but I fear that if this element is removed from the story formula that makes up SUPERMAN, that this strip will lose a great part of its effectiveness." Siegel, in his script notes, quoted in {{harvp|Ricca|2014}} (''Super Boys'').</ref> However, Siegel wrote stories in which Lois suspects Clark is Superman and tries to prove it, with Superman always duping her in the end; the first such story was in ''Superman'' #17 (July–August 1942).<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/2212/ ''Superman'' #17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415134500/http://www.comics.org/issue/2212/ |date=April 15, 2016 }} at the Grand Comics Database.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2011/06/28/when-we-first-met-30/ |title=When We First Met |publisher=(column #30) [[ComicBookResources.com]] |first=Brian |last=Cronin |work=Comics Should Be Good @ CBR |date= June 28, 2011 |access-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-date= October 17, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131017031635/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2011/06/28/when-we-first-met-30/ |url-status=live}}</ref> This was a common plot in comic book stories prior to the 1970s. In a story in ''Action Comics'' #484 (June 1978), Clark Kent admits to Lois that he is Superman, and they marry. This was the first story in which Superman and Lois marry that was not an "imaginary tale". Many Superman stories since then have depicted Superman and Lois as a married couple, but about as many depict them in the classic love triangle. In modern era comic books, Superman and Lois are a stable married couple, and the ''Superman'' supporting cast was further expanded with the introduction of their son, [[Jon Kent (comics)|Jonathan Kent]].

Other supporting characters include [[Jimmy Olsen]], a photographer at the ''[[Daily Planet]]'', who is friends with both Superman and Clark Kent, though in most stories he does not know that Clark is Superman. Jimmy is frequently described as "Superman's pal", and was conceived to give young male readers a relatable character through which they could fantasize being friends with Superman.

In the earliest comic book stories, Clark Kent's employer is George Taylor of ''The Daily Star'', but the second episode of [[The Adventures of Superman (radio)|the radio serial]] changed this to [[Perry White]] of the ''[[Daily Planet]]''.<ref>{{harvp|Scivally|2007}}. ''Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway'': "The episode also introduced Julian Noa as Clark Kent's boss, whose name had evolved from Paris White to Perry White. White's newspaper changed from ''The Daily Flash'' to the ''[[Daily Planet]]''. Soon after the radio show appeared, the comic books also changed their ''Daily Star'' editor George Taylor to ''[[Daily Planet]]'' editor Perry White..."</ref>

Clark Kent's foster parents are [[Ma and Pa Kent]]. In many stories, one or both of them have died by the time Clark becomes Superman. Clark's parents taught him that he should use his abilities for altruistic means, but that he should also find some way to safeguard his private life.

===Antagonists===
{{Main|List of Superman enemies}}
The villains Superman faced in the earliest stories were ordinary humans, such as gangsters, corrupt politicians, and violent husbands; but they soon grew more colorful and outlandish so as to avoid offending censors or scaring children. The mad scientist [[Ultra-Humanite]], introduced in ''Action Comics'' #13 (June 1939), was Superman's first recurring villain. Superman's best-known nemesis, [[Lex Luthor]], was introduced in ''Action Comics'' #23 (April 1940) and has been depicted as either a mad scientist or a wealthy businessman (sometimes both).<ref name="TCS160">{{harvp|Daniels|1998}}. ''Superman: The Complete History'', p. 160</ref> In 1944, the magical imp [[Mister Mxyzptlk]], Superman's first recurring super-powered adversary, was introduced.<ref>Though created to appear in ''Superman'' #30 (Sept. 1944), publishing lag time resulted in the character first appearing in the ''Superman'' daily comic strip that year, per [http://www.comics.org/issue/3811/ ''Superman'' #30] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311072244/http://www.comics.org/issue/3811/ |date=March 11, 2016 }} at the [[Grand Comics Database]].</ref> Superman's first alien villain, [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]], debuted in ''Action Comics'' #242 (July 1958). The monstrous [[Doomsday (DC Comics)|Doomsday]], introduced in ''[[Superman: The Man of Steel]]'' #17–18 (Nov.-Dec. 1992), was the first villain to evidently kill Superman in physical combat without exploiting Superman's critical weaknesses such as kryptonite and magic.

===Alternative depictions===
{{unsourced section|date=March 2025}}
{{Main|Alternative versions of Superman}}
{{See also|Superman (Earth-Two)|Superman (Earth-One)}}
The details of Superman's origin story and supporting cast vary across his large body of fiction released since 1938, but most versions conform to the basic template described above. A few stories feature radically altered versions of Superman. An example is the graphic novel ''[[Superman: Red Son]]'', which depicts a communist Superman who rules the Soviet Union. DC Comics has on some occasions published crossover stories where different versions of Superman interact with each other using the plot device of parallel universes. For instance, in the 1960s, the Superman of "Earth-One" would occasionally feature in stories alongside the Superman of "Earth-Two", the latter of whom resembled Superman as he was portrayed in the 1940s. DC Comics has not developed a consistent and universal system to classify all versions of Superman.