Superman

Superman is a DC Comics superhero who first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938. The character, created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel for National Comics (as DC Comics was known at the time), subsequently has appeared in various radio serials, television programs, films, and video games. The origin story of Superman relates that he was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton and, as an infant, was rocketed to Earth by his scientist father, Jor-El, moments before Krypton exploded. The rocket landed on Earth outside the town of Smallville, where young Kal-El was discovered and adopted by the amiable Jonathan and Martha Kent. As he grew, he discovered that he possessed powers far beyond those of mortal men and women and resolves to use them to help others.

When not fighting the forces of evil as Superman, he lives among humanity as Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered reporter" for the Daily Planet. Clark works alongside reporter Lois Lane, with whom he is romantically involved. The character's adventures are today published in a number of comic books, and he has, naturally, starred in several cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and has appeared in film, radio, and television.

He has been portrayed in film by Christopher Reeves in the 1977 film Superman and its sequels, Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, and Henry Cavill in Man of Steel. On television, he was portrayed as a teenager by Tom Welling in Smallville.