Superman

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Learn about the evolution of the definition of a hero from ancient Greeks to modern times

Discover

earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.

The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950

A ball swishes through the net at a basketball game in a professional arena.

Why Are Basketball Hoops 10 Feet High?

Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. America, Soviet Union, U.S.S.R., space exploration

Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69

Young boys working in a thread spinning mill in Macon, Georgia, 1909. Boys are so small they have to climb onto the spinning frame to reach and fix broken threads and put back empty bobbins. Child labor. Industrial revolution

The Rise of the Machines: Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution

African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

Groups of depositors in front of the closed American Union Bank, New York City. April 26, 1932. Great Depression run on bank crowd

Causes of the Great Depression

Small, white rat (genus Rattus) on a glass table. (rodent, laboratory, experiment)

Cruel and Unusual Punishments: 15 Types of Torture

Superman

Q: Who is Superman?

Superman is an American superhero created for DC Comics by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster. Superman first appeared in 1938, in Action Comics no. 1.

Q: What is Superman’s real name?

The name given to Superman at birth by his biological parents, Jor-El and Lara, on the planet Krypton is Kal-El. The name given to Superman by his adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, when he arrives in Smallville on Earth is Clark Kent, which continues to be the name of his alter ego.

Q: Where was Superman born?

Superman was born on the doomed planet Krypton to scientists Jor-El and Lara. He was given the Kryptonian name Kal-El at birth.

Q: Who does Superman love?

Superman’s canonical love interest in DC Comics is Lois Lane, who is a coworker of his alter ego, Clark Kent, at the Daily Planet .

Q: How is Superman able to fly?

According to the comics, Superman can fly because of a combination of powers he derives from Earth’s “yellow” Sun and from his extraterrestrial biology. On his birth planet, Krypton, gravity was much stronger than it is on Earth, so Kryptonians developed a physique that could resist its pull. When he’s on Earth, Superman’s physique can defy the planet’s weaker pull easily, and that ability, enhanced by solar energy, allows him to fly.

fictional character

Also known as: Clark Kent

Written by Michael Eury, Peter Sanderson•All

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 2, 2025 • Article History

Who is Superman?

What is Superman’s real name?

Where was Superman born?

Who does Superman love?

How is Superman able to fly?

News •

James Gunn predicts summer of 'Superman' to the rescue of the box office • Apr. 2, 2025, 10:50 AM ET (AP)

Superman, American comic strip superhero created for DC Comics by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster. Superman first appeared in Action Comics, no. 1 (June 1938).