Superman™
The Man of Steel - The original superhero
Superman™, the first widely known superhero, made his debut in a 1938 edition of Action Comics. Such was the popularity of the iconic Man of Steel, that other stories from the comic-book periodical were soon jettisoned in favor of cover-to-cover Superman adventures.
In 1940, Superman made his first appearance outside of comic books, on a radio serial titled The Adventures of Superman, which ran until 1951. Animated shorts were shown in cinemas in the early 1940s, followed by a live-action serial in 1948, which became the most profitable serial in movie history.
The first Superman movie was released in 1951 – Superman and the Mole Men – and in 1978, the first big-budget superhero movie hit the cinema screens: Superman. This was followed by Superman II in 1980, Superman III in 1983, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 1987 and Superman Returns in 2006.
A reboot of Superman’s cinematic adventures began in 2013 with Man of Steel. This was followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016 – the first movie to feature Superman with another DC superhero – and Justice League, released in 2017.
Since 1939, everything from action figures to artworks have carried the Superman image. And, of course, the LEGO® DC Superman minifigure is still a popular gift for kids as well as adults, as Superman’s fans have grown older.
Superman™ and Clark Kent, the Man Behind the Original Superhero
The only survivor of the distant planet Krypton was found by farmers in Smallville, Kansas. They named him Clark Kent. With superhuman strength and a seemingly indestructible body, it soon became apparent that Clark was no ordinary boy.
Clark was determined to use his amazing abilities for good. Donning a costume and using the name ‘Superman’ when fighting crime, he manages to protect his privacy and maintain a relatively normal life, working as a reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper.
Superman’s only weakness is the alien mineral, kryptonite. Kryptonite incapacitates Superman and deprives him of his powers. Prolonged exposure would eventually kill him.
