| This page is similar in name or subject to other pages.
See also Superman for a complete list of references to clarify differences between these closely named or closely related articles. |
 | |
| Superman | |
| Aliases: | Superman Clark Kent |
| Franchise: | Superman film series DC Extended Universe |
| Notability: | Main character |
| Type: | Superhero |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Kryptonian |
| Location: | Metropolis Smallville, Kansas |
| Associations: | Justice League |
| Known relatives: | Jor-El Lara Lor-Van Jonathan Kent Martha Kent Kara Zor-El |
| Status: | Formerly deceased |
| First: | Atom Man vs. Superman |
| Actor: | Kirk Alyn Christopher Reeve Brandon Routh Henry Cavill |
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero as seen in comic book magazine titles published by DC Comics. He was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster and first appeared in Action Comics #1 in June, 1938. He has become one of the most popular recognized pop culture icons of all time, having made numerous appearances in not only comic books, but also film serials, feature films, animated programs and movies, novels, video games, roleplaying games, and an unending supply of merchandise. The character's first cinematic appearance was in the 1948 film serial Superman. The character's feature film debut was in 1950 in the movie Atom Man vs. Superman, where he was played by actor Kirk Alyn. This was followed by Superman and the Mole Men in 1951, which was actually just scenes from the two-part episode of The Adventures of Superman titled "The Unknown People", which was just edited together as a single feature. Arguably, Superman's most popular film appearances began in 1978 with Superman: The Movie, when Christopher Reeve first donned the tights and red cape. Reeve reprised the role three more times for Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. In 2006, director Bryan Singer presented a quasi-sequel to the first two movies in the form of Superman Returns. This time, he was played by actor Brandon Routh. In 2013, Warner Bros. began what would become known as the DC Extended Universe shared continuity, which began with the film Man of Steel. It is notable that this is the first movie that does not have Superman's name as part of the title. The titular Man of Steel was played by actor Henry Cavill, who reprised the role for the film's sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as the 2017 film Justice League.