Originally posted by: MisterCornell
I was studying with some friends today, and somewhere we got sidetracked discussing Superman, specifically kryptonite.
My claim was that Superman's planet, Krypton, was made out of Kryptonite, which was poisonous to its inhabitants, so they all lived indoors. When Krypton blew up, some chunks of Kryptonite landed on Earth.
We didn't agree on the link between Krypton and Kryptonite. One of my friends claimed that Kryptonite was only created after Krypton blew up, and that it didn't exist before then.
So what's the story?
THE BIG ONE
Q1: Who is Superman?
A1: Superman is probably the best-known superhero in the world. Superman comic books have been around since 1938 (see Q10), though his appearances in movies and television (see Q18) have probably done more to make him famous.
Superman has various superhuman abilities (see Q11) that he uses to uphold good. He captures criminals, rescues people in danger, strives for justice, and has a strong sense of morals. In short, Superman fights for Truth and Justice.
Superman wears a special costume while fighting crime, but he also has a life outside of being a superhero. As Clark Kent, he grew up in the town of Smallville, Kansas (see Q38), and attended Metropolis University. Clark is a Pulitzer prize-winning newspaper reporter for the DAILY PLANET (see Q19), and he strives to keep his Superman identity secret. Clark Kent is well-known for his DAILY PLANET articles, and he has published several books.
Superman escaped from the doomed planet Krypton as the baby Kal-El in a rocketship built by his father Jor-El. (see Q31)
Superman is 6'3" tall and weighs 225 pounds. He has black hair and blue eyes. (WHO'S WHO #1, Aug 1990)
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THE COMIC
Q2: What Superman comics are published regularly?
A2: SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS, THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, and SUPERMAN/BATMAN are monthly comics published by DC Comics. A Superman book entitled SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL was another regular monthly comic which ran from 1991-2003, but it was cancelled after 134 issues. Yet another Superman book entitled SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF TOMORROW was published on a somewhat quarterly schedule from 1995-99, but it was cancelled after 15 issues.
There are several additional Superman family monthly series. Superboy (see Q27) had his own monthly title (which was cancelled with issue #100) and still appears in TEEN TITANS. A version of Supergirl (see Q25) also starred in her own regular series which ran for 80 issues before being cancelled in 2003. A new SUPERGIRL monthly title began in 2005. John Henry Irons (see Q28) starred in the now-cancelled STEEL title in the mid-1990s, and he now often co-stars in the regular Superman comics. Other occasional limited series also feature Superman and his supporting cast. Since Superman is a member of the latest incarnation of the Justice League of America, he also appears in the latest JLA comics.
Based on the success of the Batman and Superman animated television series, DC also publishes comics based upon these cartoons. These titles are aimed at a slightly younger audience and are independent of mainstream DC continuity. Superman starred in SUPERMAN ADVENTURES and JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES before they were cancelled, and continues to appear in JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED which is based on the Cartoon Network JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED animated series.
Q3: I only want to read one Superman title. Which one should I choose?
A3: Currently each comic title contains a story unto itself, with a loose connection across the titles. One suggestion for choosing a title is to consider the writers and art teams.
Q4: On the cover of some older comic there is a triangle or shield with numbers in it. What do the numbers mean?
A4: These were called "triangle numbers" or "shield numbers." The lower, boldfaced number indicated the order in which the stories flow. Because the story line sometimes flowed continuously from title to title each week, it is difficult to otherwise discern in which order the comics should be read. For example, issue numbers do not indicate whether ACTION COMICS #761 precedes SUPERMAN #153, but triangle numbers (4 vs. 5) show that it does. The top number is the year; triangle numbers started over at 1 each year.
Triangle numbers no longer appear on the regular titles.
Q5: How do I subscribe to Superman comics?
A5: Many comic-book stores will hold incoming comics each week for customers in what they call a "subscription service" or "standing order". In addition, you can find a Comics Specialty Shop in your area by calling 1-888-COMIC-BOOK in the U.S. or you can subscribe direct from DC Comics via their website at
www.dccomics.com/about/subscriptions.html.
Q6: How do I find old Superman comic books?
A6: Many comic-book dealers will sell old comics. Comic book conventions feature many new and used comics for sale. Furthermore, many current comics will include advertisements for dealers who sell old comics by mail order. Finally, DC reprints some collections of Superman stories in books. Do not try to contact the publisher for old issues of comics. In addition to current titles (see Q2), comics from the past that featured Superman include THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY, DC COMICS PRESENTS, WORLD'S FINEST, SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL, and SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF TOMORROW.
Q7: How much money are old Superman comics worth?
A7: The crude answer is that they are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them. In general, the value depends on the importance of the story, the number of copies printed, the physical quality of the book, and whether it is the first printing or a reprint. For example, the comic in which Superman died (SUPERMAN #75; Jan.93) is valuable because fans consider the story important and the demand exceeded the supply. Second and third printings of that book are worth much less, and a poor-condition copy would not be worth as much. The OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE is often accepted as the best guide to comic prices, while several fan magazines print clearly inflated prices. Another good cource for discovering comic book prices is the Comics Price Guide website located at
www.ComicsPriceGuide.com.
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THE LETTERS PAGES
Q8: How do I contact the creators of Superman comics?
A8: The address for DC Comics is 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. USA.
Due to the continued popularity of the Man of Steel, a personal reply is unlikely, but the team is likely to read your correspondence.
In addition, you can email comments to DC Comics about Superman, by visiting the DC Comics website and posting a question to their "Ask the Editors" feature located at
www.dccomics.com/about/contact.html.
Q9: What is a Baldy?
A9: In the old letters page of each Superman comic, the editor sometimes bestowed a Baldy award to the best printed letter. An actual award was mailed to recipients, and in a few cases the editors have mentioned what the prize was (e.g., platinum-edition SUPERMAN #75). Even aside from the physical prize, receipt of a Baldy is a great honor to Superman fans.
Doug Shaw (doug.shaw@math.lsa.umich.edu) received a Baldy in 1990. He reports that the actual award is a personalized postcard signed by Lex Luthor. In 1994, editor Mike Carlin sent the original author of this FAQ (David Chappell) "an honorary Baldy for keeping such complete tabs on us!" David's award was also a personalized postcard.
DC has explained that, in the comic-book world, the Baldy is a special award established by Lex the First for journalistic achievement in Metropolis. The official name for the award is the Zenith Award for Excellence in Journalism, and Metropolis journalists provided the nickname (ACTION #693, Nov.93).
DC Comics no longer includes a letters page at the back of the current comic books, instead replacing it with a news page of up-coming comics information.
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SUPERMAN HISTORY
Q10: Who created Superman? When did Superman first appear?
A10: Superman was created by Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist). In the 1930s, the two teenagers from Cleveland failed to convince comics publishers and newspapers to print their stories until Superman finally made his first appearance in ACTION COMICS #1 (cover date June 1938).
Q11: What are Superman's powers? How did he get his powers? How have his powers changed over the years?
A11: In the first stories from the 1930s, Superman relied primarily on his superhuman strength. Over the years, he gained more powers and greater strength. After the Crisis (see Q12) and revamp (see Q13), Superman's powers were lessened to make him more mortal.
Superman's powers include unusual strength, flight, invulnerability, super hearing, and super-speed. As a result of his super strength, he also has a powerful breath. An electro-chemical aura that surrounds Superman's body protects him (and his costume) and seems to be part of his flight ability.
The Man of Tomorrow also has several forms of super-vision. With his x-ray vision, he can see through solid objects (with the exception of dense materials such as lead). Superman's heat vision has been explained as either telekinesis or the release of excess solar energy through his eyes. His telescopic and microscopic visions allow him to see farther and in greater detail than normal humans. With infrared vision, he can see heat sources.
Superman's ability to fly has been explained as a result of Earth's gravity being much less than that of his home world, but it seems to be at least partially psychokinetic in nature. Most of his other powers are due to Earth's yellow sun (Krypton had a red sun).
Superman was not born with his powers, but they developed as he grew. They began to show themselves during puberty, but he did not fully realize his powers until he became an adult.
At one point, Superman's powers greatly increased after his return from death (see Q16). His strength, speed, and vision powers were greater than before. He could also survive in space without oxygen for extended periods of time. Superman's powers increased because his exposure to Kryptonite passing through the Eradicator (see Q26) changed his metabolism (SUPERMAN #82, Oct.93). His strength grew to the point where it was nearly uncontrollable and he was a danger to everyone around him. Eventually, an encounter with the Parasite removed Superman's extra powers and reduced him to his normal levels (ADVENTURES #512, May 94). After the entire sequence, Superman's powers returned to their pre-Death levels with no net increase or decrease (ACTION #699, May 94).
After the sun's energy was temporarily blocked during the Final Night (late 1996), Superman's powers faded. He eventually regained his super-powers, but his "Power Struggle" (early 1997) was to a more important change. In the subsequent "shocking" story line, Superman's powers greatly changed to become more energy based. Superman essentially became an energy being with electromagnetic powers, and he donned a new suit able to contain his new form. Hints were given as to possible causes of this transformation, but details were never revealed. The transformation became even stranger when a device split Superman into two energy beings--Superman Red and Superman Blue--with different colors and even different aspects (mild vs. strong) of Clark's personality. Thankfully, Superman was returned to his classic powers and appearance after both Red and Blue expended their energy powers to save the Earth in the "Millennium Giants" story line (early 1998).
Q12: What was the Crisis?
A12: The Crisis on Infinite Earths was a major event in DC stories. In 1985, the 50th anniversary of DC Comics was highlighted by a comic-book maxi-series, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, which included all of DC's heroes and also had cross-overs in most DC titles.
Prior to the Crisis, DC explained the existence of many heroes in different times by having multiple universes. On Earth-1, for example, all the major heroes were in their prime in modern times, whereas the Earth-2 heroes were in their prime during the 1940s. This explained how Superman stories from both WWII and today showed him at roughly the same age.
In the Crisis on Infinite Earths, an evil force (the Anti-Monitor) tried to destroy the multiverse, but a good force (the Monitor) combined a few surviving universes into one while the major heroes battled the Anti-Monitor. Afterwards, everyone in the universe forgot about the events of the Crisis and everything proceeded as though there had only ever been one Earth. In the modern story, the one and only Superman arrived on Earth a few decades ago, and other heroes (mystery men) existed during WWII. The entire Crisis story is much more detailed than presented here, and interested readers are encouraged to read other Internet Crisis discussions (see Q44) or read the comic books. The Crisis affected Superman in several ways (see Q14).
A sequel to the original "Crisis on Infinite Earths" was "Zero Hour: A Crisis in Time". It centered around an attempt to remake the universe into a multiverse. Superman joined other heroes to streamline the proper flow of time. Although the DC universe was again rebooted after the Crisis in Time, it did not affect Superman's past.
Q13: When and how was Superman revamped in the 1980s?
A13: Following the Crisis (see Q12), DC decided to streamline Superman in 1986. They hired John Byrne to return Superman to his position as DC's paramount hero. Marv Wolfman and other comics experts joined the team. A special six-part mini-series, THE MAN OF STEEL, retold Superman's origin from the destruction of Krypton to his early years as the first modern superhero. THE MAN OF STEEL trade paperback reprints this recent classic series.
At that time, the SUPERMAN title was renamed to THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN and a new SUPERMAN title was started. In addition, three mini-series helped redefine more about the characters in Superman comics: THE WORLD OF KRYPTON (1987), THE WORLD OF SMALLVILLE (1988), and THE WORLD OF METROPOLIS (1988).
The revamp was done for several reasons. DC wanted to make Superman seem more human (i.e., a real person rather than a two-dimensional character). His powers were lessened (see Q11) to keep him from being god-like. Other changes have made Superman the ONLY survivor of Krypton. While Superman is still the same character, the changes made during the revamp were substantial (see Q14). This FAQ includes only information about the revamped Superman.
"Zero Hour" did not retcon any of the "modern" Superman history.
Q14: How did Superman change after the Crisis and revamp?
A14: During the Crisis on Infinite Earths (see Q12), Supergirl saved Superman (of Earth-1) when he was battling the Anti-Monitor, and--at the cost of her own life--she destroyed a machine that the Anti-Monitor planned to use to destroy the Earths. Her death was the main effect that the Crisis directly had on the Superman saga.
The Byrne revamp (see Q13) of 1986 was actually responsible for most changes in Superman. Since the revamp was done soon after the Crisis, most people treat the Crisis as the dividing line and refer to "pre-Crisis" or "post-Crisis" events.
Several elements may differ from new readers' expectations because they changed after the Crisis and revamp. The original Supergirl (Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin) no longer exists, and the bottled city of Kandor is not from Krypton. Pre-Crisis stories had a young version of Superman--Superboy; in the post-Crisis stories, Superman developed his powers later in life (see Q11), and he never was Superboy. In the current continuity, Lex Luthor (see Q24) is a brilliant but corrupt businessman and scientist and no longer a convicted criminal. Ma and Pa Kent are alive in the post-Crisis universe, while they had died during Clark's teen years in the pre-Crisis version. Streaky, Beppo, and the other super-powered animals do not exist in the current stories. There are numerous other changes in elements such as super-villains, the supporting cast of characters, and the extent of Superman's powers (see Q11). All of these changes are retroactively permanent. Thus, in the current universe, Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) did not die battling the Anti-Monitor: she simply NEVER EXISTED.
Most Superman stories from the pre-Crisis years are no longer part of the continuity.
Q15: What happened in the Death of Superman? What is Doomsday?
A15: In 1992, Superman endured an extensive battle with a monster called Doomsday. The Creature destroyed numerous towns and much of Metropolis before Superman was able to stop it. At the end of the battle (SUPERMAN #75, Jan.93), Superman and Doomsday apparently killed each other with their final blows.
According to interviews with DC staff, they decided to create a new enemy to defeat Superman rather than have one of his old enemies accomplish the heinous deed.
Two compiled books reprint the comics that make up the story of the Death of Superman. THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN includes the battle with Doomsday. The Funeral for a Friend series is reprinted in WORLD WITHOUT A SUPERMAN. These trade paperbacks are published by DC Comics and are available at comic-book stores. Furthermore, the hardback novel THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SUPERMAN by Roger Stern retells the entire story from the battle with Doomsday to the end of the Reign of the Supermen.
After his return to life, Superman had a rematch with Doomsday in the SUPERMAN/DOOMSDAY: HUNTER/PREY mini-series (1994). The story revealed that Doomsday was an artificially engineering being created millennia ago on the planet Krypton. The two also battled in SUPERMAN: THE DOOMSDAY WARS (1999), a mini-series in which Brainiac took control of Doomsday's body.
Superman has since come across Doomsday again (during the OUR WORLD'S AT WAR storyline of 2001) and defeated him each time.
Q16: How did Superman return to life?
A16: Due to a coincidental chain of circumstances, Superman was able to return from his apparent death. On the physical level, his dying body still contained some residual energy, and it absorbed more energy from the Sun and the experiments performed on it. The Eradicator (see Q26) stole Superman's body from its tomb and took it to the Fortress of Solitude (see Q39), where it used the body to convert solar energy to energy it could use. Meanwhile, Superman's spirit was trapped between life and death, and various demons struggled for possession of it. With the assistance of Pa Kent's spirit, Superman decided to return to Earth (ADVENTURES #500, May 93).
Superman's essence returned to his physical body, but he lay dormant in the Fortress of Solitude for many days until he was able to escape the energy-siphoning device. A much-weakened Superman traveled to Coast City to battle alien invaders. At the end of the battle, the Eradicator gave most of its energy to Superman and restored him to full strength.
Q17: What was the Reign of the Supermen?
A17: In the weeks following Superman's death, several heroes appeared claiming to be Superman. These include Superboy (see Q27), Steel (see Q28), the Eradicator (see Q26), and a Cyborg. With the exception of Steel, all claimed to be the original Superman (or, in the case of Superboy, his true heir).
After much media hype and a few encounters between the Supermen, it was uncertain which, if any, of them was the true Superman. Eventually, the Cyborg was revealed to be an insane, formerly-human life force in alliance with alien invaders. It wanted to get revenge on Superman, but upon learning that he had died, the Cyborg tried to conquer the Earth and destroy the other Supermen while pretending to be the real Superman. Superboy, Steel, the Eradicator, Supergirl, Green Lantern, and the true, now-revived Superman joined forces to defeat the Cyborg and the aliens. THE RETURN OF SUPERMAN trade paperback collects the entire Reign of the Supermen story line into one book.
[Historical Note: A 1932 science-fiction story by Jerry Siegel entitled "Reign of the Superman" led to his creation of the Superman comic-book character.]
Q18: In what other media has Superman appeared?
A18: Although comic books are the first and foremost medium for Superman stories, the Man of Steel has appeared in several others over the years. Examples include a serialized radio program, movie serials, animated movie cartoons, television programs, novels, feature films, and a syndicated newspaper strip. Moreover, there are over 300s songs mentioning Superman. Details are too numerous to list here, and this FAQ deals primarily with the comic series. For the most part, the stories in these other media do not fit into the continuity of the regular comic books.
The ABC television series LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN aired during the 1990s and was set during Clark's early years as Superman and borrowed slightly from the comic stories from the early years (after Byrne's revamping). Thus, in the TV series, there is no Supergirl, Doomsday has not killed Superman, and other important events have not happened. The series emphasizes the relationship between the two title characters, and they did get married on the show in the fall of 1996. The series ran for four seasons.
In addition, the WB television network created three seasons of "Superman: The Animated Series" in the late 1990s, and included Superman in the "Justice League" animated series in the early 2000s (renamed "Justice League Unlimited" in 2004).
Also of special mention is the 2001-2005 television series SMALLVILLE which highlights the teenage years of Clark Kent growing up in Smallville. This series is also outside the regular Superman comic book continuity.
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