Editing Superman (section)

===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.