Superman Villains (From Right to Left) Biography: Overview Abilities
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SUPERMAN: Man of Steel General Information: Superman is a superhero published by DC Comics since 1938. An alien named Kal-El from the destroyed planet Krypton. He was sent to Earth and raised as Clark Kent by human foster par- ents, Martha and Jonathan Kent. As an adult, Superman became the protector of Earth, working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent alongside his partner and wife Lois Lane. Biography: Sent as a baby to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, Kal-El was adopted by Martha and Jonathan Kent of Smallville, Kansas. Growing up as Clark Kent, he devoted his life to help- ing others with the abilities he developed from Earth's sun. Moving to Metropolis, he became Superman, while still main- taining his secret identity as Clark Kent, who works at the Daily Planet newspaper. CLARK KENT: Mild-Mannered Reporter Overview Clark Kent's name is a combination of the names of actors, Clark Gable and Kent Taylor. His physical design is believed to be modeled after science ction fan Walter Dennis, who sent Joe Shuster his photograph. Through the popularity of his Superman alter ego, the personality, concept, and name of Clark Kent have become in- grained in popular culture as well, becoming synonymous with secret identities and innocuous fronts for ulterior motives and ac- tivities. Kent wears his Superman costume underneath his street clothes, which lends itself to easy transference between the two personali- ties. However, the purpose of this convention outside of ction is largely dramatic, allowing Kent to rip open his shirt and reveal the familiar "S" insignia when called into action. When in action, Super- man usually stores his Clark Kent clothing shrunken down inside a secret pouch hidden inside of his cape, though some stories have shown him leaving his clothes in some covert location (usually places like phone booths) for later retrieval. Superman’s Powers Abilities Superman possesses the ability to y under his own power, incredi- ble strength and near invulnerability, as he can only be harmed by the element Kryptonite. His eyes can emit bursts of heat, while vision ranges from the microscopic to the telescopic. His vision is also capable of a broader spectrum than human eyes, able to see x-rays and radio waves. He can hear faint sounds amongst a bustle of noises by concentrating. His lungs are capable of holding air for long periods of time in environments without oxygen, and the abil- ity to compress this air and exhale it in a freezing capacity. Super- Superman’s Weaknesses Kryptonite: Kryptonite is a ctional element created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in 1934 for their comic book series Superman. The element is Superman's weakness. It is said to be the ore form of a radioactive element (prior to Crisis on Innite Earths) or compound from Superman's home planet of Krypton. Kryptonite should not be con- fused with the actual element krypton, a noble gas. First mentioned in The Adven- tures of Superman radio show in June 1943, Kryptonite has been featured in a variety of forms and colors (each with its own eect) in DC Comics publications and other media, including feature lms, television series, and novelty items such as toys and trading card sets. Superman and other Kryptonian characters are susceptible to its radiation. Magic: Superman's biomatrix is his most powerful asset, but the strength of this eld is also its greatest weakness. Its permeability to certain wavelengths makes him vulnerable to certain radiations, particularly magical energies whose chaotic electromagnetic or extra dimensional signatures disrupt this force eld. Superman's vulnerability to magic varies depending upon the special eects of the magic. No magic seems to be able to directly destroy him unless it comes from a semi-divine or divine source. He can be injured and worn down by magical entities. Magic can have powerful and un- predictable eects on Superman and his magical enemies have often proven to be the most dangerous. Superman’s Villains Superman Villains (From right to left) Lex Luthor, Bizarro, Braniac Metallo, Parasite, General Zod Doomsday, Darkseid, Cyborg Superman.