# Kal-El.co.uk

> Kal-El.co.uk is an independent Superman fan site: daily Superman news, film and comics guides, character history and release dates for the Man of Steel.

Independent, unofficial Superman fan site based in the UK. News items are original summaries that cite and link their sources. Guides are kept up to date and show a last-updated date.

## About this content
- Every Codex fact cites a comic issue, film, episode or trade report, and is labelled by continuity: Golden Age (to 1955), Silver Age (1956 to 1985), Post-Crisis (1986 to 2011), New 52 (2011 to 2016), Rebirth and today (2016 on), Elseworlds, and screen versions by film or series and year.
- Confidence labels: Confirmed (primary or two independent sources), Likely (one good source), Disputed.
- Pages show a last-updated date. News posts are original summaries that link to the original reporting.
- Unofficial fan site; not affiliated with DC or Warner Bros. Discovery.
- When quoting, please cite the page URL. Corrections: hello@kal-el.co.uk

## Guides
- [Man of Tomorrow (2027): release date, cast and villain](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/man-of-tomorrow/): Man of Tomorrow is James Gunn's sequel to Superman (2025). It opens in the US on 9 July 2027; the UK date hasn't been announced yet. Superman (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) reluctantly team up against Brainiac (Lars Eidinger). Filming ran from 20 April to 26 August 2026, including scenes in the UK. There's no trailer yet, and James Gunn has said not to expect one in December 2026. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman films in order: every movie by release date](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-movies-in-order/): Watch Superman in release order: Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV (1987), Superman Returns (2006), Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman (2016), Justice League (2017/2021), Superman (2025), Supergirl (2026), then Man of Tomorrow (July 2027). They belong to four separate continuities. (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Superman release dates: upcoming films, TV and comics](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-release-calendar/): The next big Superman film is Man of Tomorrow, out in the US on 9 July 2027 (UK date to be announced). In comics, new Superman-family issues come out every Wednesday; highlights include the Superman #199 Facsimile on 11 November 2026 and Superboy-Prime Special #1 on 27 January 2027. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman (2025): cast, story and where to watch in the UK](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-2025-film-guide/): Superman (2025) is James Gunn's reboot starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. It opened in UK and US cinemas on 11 July 2025, runs 129 minutes and grossed $618.7 million worldwide. In the UK you can stream it on HBO Max, NOW Cinema and Sky Go (checked 6 November 2026). It has two credits scenes. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman actors in order: everyone who played him](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-actors/): The main live-action Supermen are Kirk Alyn (1948), George Reeves (1951–1958), Christopher Reeve (1978–1987), Dean Cain (1993–1997), Tom Welling (2001–2011), Brandon Routh (2006), Henry Cavill (2013–2022), Tyler Hoechlin (2016–2024) and David Corenswet (2025–). (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Supergirl (2026): cast, story, reviews and box office](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/supergirl-2026-guide/): Supergirl (2026) is the second DC Studios film, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin. It opened on 26 June 2026 in the UK and US, rated 12A and running 108 minutes. Alcock was widely praised, but reviews were mixed and it took $126.4 million worldwide against a budget of $170–186 million. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman comics reading order: where to start](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-comics-reading-order/): New readers should start with All-Star Superman (Morrison and Quitely), then Superman: Birthright and Superman for All Seasons. Fans of Superman (2025) can follow James Gunn's own reading list, and Silver Age lovers should start with Superman: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1. In the UK, look for collected editions at Waterstones and Forbidden Planet, or read digitally on DC Universe Infinite. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [DCU watch order: every DC Studios film and show](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/dcu-watch-order/): Watch the DCU in release order: Creature Commandos (Dec 2024), Superman (Jul 2025), Peacemaker season 2 (Aug 2025), Supergirl (Jun 2026), Lanterns (Aug 2026) and Clayface (Oct 2026), then Man of Tomorrow (9 July 2027). (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Superman's powers and weaknesses explained](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-powers-and-weaknesses/): Superman's powers come from Earth's yellow sun charging his Kryptonian cells. He has super-strength, flight, invulnerability, super-speed, heat vision, X-ray vision, freeze breath and super-hearing. His main weaknesses are kryptonite, magic and red sunlight. (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Superman villains: the Man of Steel's greatest enemies](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-villains/): Superman's archenemy is Lex Luthor. His other major villains are Brainiac, General Zod, Darkseid, Doomsday, Bizarro, Metallo, Parasite, Mongul and Mr. Mxyzptlk. Brainiac is the main threat in Man of Tomorrow (2027). (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Lois Lane actresses: everyone who played her, in order](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/lois-lane-actors/): Lois Lane is the Daily Planet's star reporter and Superman's great love, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in Action Comics #1 (1938). She has been played by Noel Neill, Phyllis Coates, Margot Kidder, Teri Hatcher, Erica Durance, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Elizabeth Tulloch and, in the DCU, Rachel Brosnahan. (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Superman history: from Action Comics #1 to the DCU](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-history/): Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and first appeared in Action Comics #1 (1938). He is Kal-El of Krypton, raised as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas. Through radio, cartoons, TV and film he became the world's first and most famous superhero. (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Krypton explained: Superman's home planet and lore](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/krypton-explained/): Krypton was an advanced planet orbiting the red sun Rao. Its scientist Jor-El predicted the planet's destruction, and he and Lara sent their son Kal-El to Earth just before Krypton exploded. Survivors and relics include Supergirl, the bottled city of Kandor and the criminals of the Phantom Zone. (updated 2026-11-05)
- [Lex Luthor explained: history, baldness and every actor](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/lex-luthor/): Lex Luthor is Superman's archenemy: a genius who sees an all-powerful alien as a threat to humanity and to his own ego. He first appeared in Action Comics #23 (April 1940) with red hair, and went bald through an artist's mistake in 1941. He has been a mad scientist, a corporate billionaire and even US President. Nicholas Hoult plays him in Superman (2025) and Man of Tomorrow (2027). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman in the UK: events and dates for 2026–27](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-uk-events/): The next big UK comics event is the Thought Bubble convention in Harrogate on 14–15 November 2026. In 2027, MCM Comic Con visits London on 28–30 May and 22–24 October and Birmingham on 30 July–1 August, and London Film and Comic Con returns to Olympia on 14–15 August. Man of Tomorrow opens in the US on 9 July 2027; its UK date hasn't been announced. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Collecting Superman comics in the UK: a beginner's guide](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/collecting-superman-comics-uk/): The most valuable Superman comics are Action Comics #1 (1938) and Superman #1 (1939), whose best copies have sold for millions. Most 'loft finds' of Action Comics #1 are reprints, so measure before you get excited. UK collectors also look for pence-priced DC comics from the 1970s and British Superman annuals. Values vary widely; this isn't financial advice. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman for kids: a UK parents' guide](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-for-kids-uk/): In the UK, the Christopher Reeve Superman films (1978–87) are rated PG, and every live-action Superman cinema release since 2006 is 12A in cinemas and 12 at home, including Superman (2025). Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) is the exception at 15. For under-8s, DC League of Super-Pets (PG) and the LEGO Justice League films (U) are the gentlest picks. My Adventures with Superman is rated 12, PG and 12 by season, and two DC animated films, Superman Unbound and Justice League: Warworld, are rated 15. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Superman animation guide: every cartoon from 1941](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-animation-guide/): Superman's animated history starts with 17 theatrical shorts from Fleischer and Famous Studios (1941–43). The best-known series are Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), voiced by Tim Daly, and My Adventures with Superman (from 2023), voiced by Jack Quaid, which is waiting on a season 4 decision. The Fleischer shorts are public domain in the US, but their UK copyright status is unclear. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman music: themes and scores](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-music/): John Williams' Superman theme was recorded in England in 1978, by the London Symphony Orchestra at Anvil Studios in Denham, Buckinghamshire. It was nominated for an Oscar and returns, reimagined, in Superman (2025), scored by John Murphy and David Fleming. Man of Steel (2013) was the first Superman film not to use it. In the UK charts, Laurie Anderson's O Superman reached No. 2 in 1981. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman cosplay in the UK: suits, props and etiquette](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-cosplay-uk/): Superman is one of the easiest heroes to take to a UK con, because he needs no weapon. The suits range from the very easy (Smallville's red jacket, or the 2015 jeans-and-T-shirt look) to the hard (Henry Cavill's textured suit). Officially licensed costumes in the UK are mainly made by Rubie's, a DC licensee. UK cons ban anything that could be mistaken for a real weapon, and the golden rule for photos is to ask first: cosplay is not consent. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman filmed in Britain: the UK locations](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-filmed-in-britain/): The Christopher Reeve Superman films were largely British productions. Superman (1978) was made at Pinewood and Shepperton, Superman II and III at Pinewood, and Superman IV (1987) at Elstree, which also turned Milton Keynes into Metropolis, used London's disused Aldwych tube station as the Metropolis subway and filmed Smallville in Hertfordshire. Man of Tomorrow (2027) also filmed in the UK, though no location has been named. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Supergirl (1984): the British-made film explained](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/supergirl-1984/): Supergirl (1984) starred Helen Slater as Kara Zor-El, with Faye Dunaway as the villain Selena and Peter O'Toole as Zaltar. It was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, where the town of Midvale was built on the backlot. The UK saw it first, on 19 July 1984, four months before the US release on 21 November. It was a box-office disappointment in North America. Its current UK streaming version is rated 12. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, the British Superman](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/superman-iv-the-quest-for-peace/): Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) was Christopher Reeve's last Superman film. Cannon made it at Elstree Studios from September 1986 after cutting the budget from $36 million to $17 million, and turned Milton Keynes into Metropolis. It had a royal premiere in Leicester Square, opened at No. 1 in the UK and was the eighth-biggest film of 1987 in Britain, but critics hated it and it took only $15.6 million in the US. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Real kryptonite: the science behind Superman](https://kal-el.co.uk/guides/real-kryptonite-science/): The closest thing to real kryptonite is jadarite, a mineral from Serbia confirmed with help from London's Natural History Museum in 2006 and publicised in April 2007. Its formula almost matches the label on the kryptonite in Superman Returns (2006), but it's white, powdery and not radioactive. Physics students at the University of Leicester have also put Superman to the test: as a solar-powered hero, he'd need to be about 656,000% efficient just to fly for eight hours. (updated 2026-11-07)

## The Superman Codex
Cited reference pages about Superman, labelled by continuity. Hub: https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/

### Powers — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/
Every power, how it works, its limits and how it changed over the decades.
- [Powers](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/list-of-powers/): Superman's core powers are super-strength, flight, invulnerability, super-speed, heat vision, X-ray vision, super-breath and freeze breath, super-hearing, super-intelligence and fast healing. In modern stories they all come from Earth's yellow sun, whose energy his Kryptonian cells store like a battery. In Action Comics #1 (1938) he could only leap, run fast and lift a car. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Solar battery](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/solar-battery/): Superman's powers come from the yellow sun. Since the 1986 reboot his cells work like solar batteries, storing sunlight so his powers work at night and indoors, and one comic puts his intake at about 140 gigawatts. Earlier stories credited evolution (1938) and Earth's lower gravity (the 1940s). A red sun, or using everything in a solar flare, drains him. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Super-strength](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/super-strength/): Superman's strength has no fixed limit: it depends on the era and the writer. In Action Comics #1 (1938) he lifted a car over his head. Silver Age stories had him towing planets, John Byrne's 1986 reboot deliberately weakened him, and modern comics make him very strong again. His strength comes from yellow-sun energy stored in his cells. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Flight](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/flight/): Superman couldn't fly when he debuted in Action Comics #1 (1938): he could leap about an eighth of a mile. He flew first on radio (1940) and in the Fleischer cartoons (1941), and was clearly flying in the comics by 1943. Comics have never fully explained how; most stories credit the same yellow-sun energy behind all his powers. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Heat vision](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/heat-vision/): Superman's heat vision lets him fire beams of intense heat from his eyes, using the yellow-sun energy stored in his cells. It first appeared in Superman #59 (1949), when he melted a glacier with his eyes, but at the time it was treated as a stronger form of X-ray vision. It was first named as a power of its own in April 1961, in Action Comics #275 and Superboy #88. DC has never given an official temperature. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [X-ray vision](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/x-ray-vision/): Superman's X-ray vision lets him see through solid objects, but it cannot see through lead. That rule dates from the Golden Age and is still used today. X-ray vision first appeared in Action Comics #11 (1939), alongside super-hearing, and it gave rise to heat vision in Superman #59 (1949). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Super-speed](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/super-speed/): Superman's super-speed lets him run, fly, react and think far faster than any human, powered by yellow-sun energy stored in his cells. It dates from Action Comics #1 (1938), where he outruns an express train. His first race against the Flash, in Superman #199 (August 1967), ended in a tie, and most later comics give the Flash the edge. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Invulnerability](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/invulnerability/): Superman is very hard to hurt, but he isn't truly invulnerable. His solar-powered Kryptonian cells make him bullet-proof, yet kryptonite, magic, red sunlight and equally powerful foes can injure or kill him. Doomsday killed him in Superman (vol. 2) #75 (January 1993), and Superman (2025) shows him bleeding before he heals in sunlight. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Super-breath](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/super-breath/): Superman's super-breath is a powerful gust of air, and his freeze breath freezes what it hits. Super-breath first appeared in Action Comics #20 (1940) and freeze breath in Superman #129 (1959), according to Wikipedia. Neither works in space, because there's no air to blow. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Super-hearing](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/super-hearing/): Superman's super-hearing lets him hear sounds across a city or further and pick out a single voice or heartbeat. Its first appearance is Disputed: it's usually dated to Action Comics #11 (1939), alongside his X-ray vision, but Action Comics #8 (1938) is also claimed. Too much noise can overwhelm him, as Man of Steel (2013) shows in a scene of young Clark in a classroom. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Kryptonian biology](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/kryptonian-biology/): Superman's cells store sunlight like solar batteries, so in most modern versions he doesn't need to eat or sleep, but he does both to live as Clark. He ages slowly but can die. He shaves with heat vision bounced off a piece of his rocket, and alcohol has no effect while his powers are on. He can fall ill, most famously with Virus X. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman's heart](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/powers/superman-heart/): Superman's heart stopped after his battle with Doomsday in Superman (vol. 2) #75 (1993), the most famous death in comics. During Reign of the Supermen, his body was revived in the Fortress of Solitude's regeneration matrix, powered by the sun. In his stories, the best-known heart besides his own is Metallo's, which is made of kryptonite. (updated 2026-11-07)

### Weaknesses — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/
Kryptonite in every colour, magic, red sunlight and the things that really hurt him.
- [Weaknesses](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/list-of-weaknesses/): Superman's biggest weaknesses are green kryptonite, red sunlight, magic and running out of stored solar energy. Red sunlight, first shown in Superman #141 (1960), turns him effectively human. Magic affects him like anyone else because his invulnerability doesn't protect against it. Writers also use his moral code and his love for his family as weak points. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Kryptonite](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/kryptonite/): Kryptonite is radioactive rock from Superman's destroyed home planet, Krypton. Green kryptonite weakens him and long exposure can kill him; red, gold, blue, black and more than a dozen other colours have different effects. Kryptonite was invented for The Adventures of Superman radio serial in June 1943, reached the comics in Superman #61 (1949) and was codified as green in Action Comics #161 (1951). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Red sun](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/red-sun/): Under a red sun Superman loses his powers and is effectively an ordinary man. His powers come from yellow-sun energy stored in his cells, and red sunlight doesn't recharge them. The rule was set in 'Superman's Return to Krypton' in Superman #141 (November 1960), where Krypton's red sun, Rao, leaves him powerless. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Magic](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/magic/): Superman is weak to magic because his invulnerability comes from solar-powered Kryptonian cells, and that protection does nothing against spells or enchanted weapons. Magic simply affects him as it would an ordinary person. Wikipedia cites Superman #171 (1964) for the idea, and magical foes include Mr. Mxyzptlk, who first appeared in Superman #30 (1944). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Virus X](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/weaknesses/virus-x/): Virus X is a deadly Kryptonian disease, nicknamed Kryptonian leprosy. It first appeared in Superman #156 (October 1962), “The Last Days of Superman!”, by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan. Lex Luthor infected Superman with it in Action Comics #363–366 (May–August 1968), and white kryptonite cured him. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Personality — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/personality/
Likes and dislikes, values, habits and how Clark differs from Superman.
- [Personality](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/personality/likes-and-dislikes/): Superman has no single canon list of favourite things. The best-sourced likes are writing (he's a reporter in every era), farm life in Smallville, his parents' home cooking and, in post-Crisis comics, high-school American football. He has refused to kill since an editor's rule of 1940 or 1941 (sources disagree), and his deepest fear in modern comics is failing the people he loves. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [No-kill rule](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/personality/no-kill-rule/): Superman's no-kill rule began as an editorial decision, not in the first comics. The early Superman (1938–40) could be deadly, until a DC editorial code, usually credited to editor Whitney Ellsworth, banned killing in 1940 or 1941; the year is disputed. He has broken the rule rarely: in Superman (vol. 2) #22 (1988) and in Man of Steel (2013). Every famous evil Superman, from Injustice to the Justice Lords, comes from outside the main continuity. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Family — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/
Jor-El and Lara, the Kents, Kara, Jon, Conner, Krypto and the wider Super-family.
- [Family tree](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/family-tree/): Superman's birth parents are Jor-El and Lara of Krypton, and his adoptive parents are Jonathan and Martha Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He married Lois Lane in Superman: The Wedding Album (December 1996), and their son is Jon Kent. His cousin is Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), Conner Kent (Superboy) is his clone, and Krypto is the family dog. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Jon Kent](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/jon-kent/): Jon Kent is the son of Superman and Lois Lane. He first appeared in Convergence: Superman #2 (July 2015), became Superboy in Rebirth comics, was aged up to about 17 in 2019, and took over as Superman in Superman: Son of Kal-El (2021–22). He came out as bisexual in Son of Kal-El #5 (2021). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Krypto](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/krypto/): Krypto is Superman's super-powered dog. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #210 (March 1955) as the test passenger in Jor-El's prototype rocket. In today's comics he's the Kent family dog, but in Superman (2025) he belongs to Supergirl and Superman is only looking after him. James Gunn based the film's Krypto on his own rescue dog, Ozu. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Supergirl](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/kara-zor-el/): Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, is Superman's cousin. Her father Zor-El is Jor-El's brother, and she grew up in Argo City, a surviving piece of Krypton. She first appeared in Action Comics #252 (May 1959), by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. In the DC Studios films she's played by Milly Alcock, first in a cameo in Superman (2025) and then in Supergirl (2026). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Conner Kent](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/conner-kent/): Conner Kent, also called Kon-El, is the Superboy who is a clone of Superman. He first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993) during Reign of the Supermen, and since Teen Titans (vol. 3) #1 (September 2003) he has been made from the DNA of both Superman and Lex Luthor. He died in 2006 and returned in 2009. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Power Girl](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/power-girl/): Power Girl is Kara Zor-L, the Earth-Two version of Superman's cousin. She first appeared in All Star Comics #58 (January–February 1976), created by Gerry Conway, Ric Estrada and Wally Wood. She has the same Kryptonian powers as Supergirl, but she's older, uses the identity Karen Starr and wears a different costume. She had new solo series in 2009 and 2023. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superboy](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/family/superboy/): Three main characters have been Superboy. The first was Clark Kent himself as a teenager, from More Fun Comics #101 (1945). Conner Kent, a clone of Superman and (since 2003) Lex Luthor, debuted in 1993. Jon Kent, Clark and Lois's son, was born in 2015 and later became Superboy. Superboy also inspired the Legion of Super-Heroes. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Allies and friends — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/
Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Lana, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League.
- [Allies](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/friends-and-allies/): Superman's closest ally is Lois Lane, who debuted with him in Action Comics #1 (1938) and married him in 1996. Jimmy Olsen and Perry White were both invented for the 1940 radio serial before they reached the comics. His first real team-up with Batman came in Superman #76 (1952). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Lois Lane](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/lois-lane/): Lois Lane debuted alongside Superman in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. She had her own comic, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, for 137 issues (1958–74), married Clark in Superman: The Wedding Album (1996), and their son Jon was born in 2015. She has become Superwoman several times, starting in 1943. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Batman](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/superman-and-batman/): Superman and Batman are DC's most famous partnership. Their first real team-up was in Superman #76 (1952), where they learn each other's secret identities, and they teamed up regularly in World's Finest Comics from 1954. Because every reboot retells it, they have 'met for the first time' at least 13 times. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Wonder Woman](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/superman-and-wonder-woman/): Superman and Wonder Woman first appeared together in All-Star Comics #36 (1947) and became allies when the Justice League debuted in 1960. They agreed to stay friends in Action Comics #600 (1988). In the New 52 they kissed in Justice League #12 (2012) and dated for a time, but Lois Lane remains his wife in canon. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Steel](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/allies/steel/): Steel is John Henry Irons, a genius engineer who fights in a suit of armour with a hammer. He has no superpowers. He first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993), with his first full armoured appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #22 the same month, as one of the four heroes who took Superman's place after his death. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Villains — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/
Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Zod, Darkseid, Doomsday and the rest of the rogues gallery.
- [Lex Luthor](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/lex-luthor/): Lex Luthor is Superman's archenemy: a human genius with no powers, driven by ego and envy. He first appeared in Action Comics #23 (April 1940), by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, with red hair. Since John Byrne's 1986 reboot he's usually a billionaire businessman, and in the comics he even became US President. Nicholas Hoult plays him in Superman (2025) and Man of Tomorrow (2027). (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Brainiac](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/brainiac/): Brainiac is a green-skinned alien intellect from the planet Colu who collects civilisations by shrinking their cities into bottles. He first appeared in Action Comics #242 (July 1958), by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, where he stole the Kryptonian city of Kandor. Lars Eidinger plays him in Man of Tomorrow, due on 9 July 2027. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Darkseid](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/darkseid/): Darkseid is the tyrant ruler of the planet Apokolips, created by Jack Kirby. He first appeared in a cameo in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (December 1970) and in full in Forever People #1 (February 1971). He hunts the Anti-Life Equation and fires Omega Beams that can hurt even Superman. In Final Crisis (2008), Superman destroys his essence. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Doomsday](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/doomsday/): Doomsday is the monster that killed Superman. He made a cameo in Superman: The Man of Steel #17 (November 1992) and his first full appearance in #18 (December 1992). He and Superman killed each other in Superman (vol. 2) #75, the climax of The Death of Superman. He comes back immune to whatever killed him. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [General Zod](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/general-zod/): General Zod is a Kryptonian military leader and one of Superman's oldest enemies. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 (April 1961), by Robert Bernstein and George Papp, the same issue that introduced the Phantom Zone. Under a yellow sun he has Superman's powers but usually less strength, because he has spent less time under it. Terence Stamp and Michael Shannon have played him on film. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Bizarro](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/bizarro/): Bizarro is a flawed, backwards copy of Superman. He first appeared in Superboy #68 (1958), by Otto Binder and George Papp, and the adult Bizarro followed in Action Comics #254 (1959). His powers are reversed, with freeze vision and flame breath, and blue kryptonite hurts him. He lives on Htrae, a cube-shaped planet where everyone does the opposite of Earth. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Metallo](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/metallo/): Metallo is John Corben, a cyborg powered by a kryptonite heart that fires radiation at Superman. He first appeared in Action Comics #252 (May 1959), by Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino, the same issue that introduced Supergirl. Superman stops him by shielding him with lead or by removing the kryptonite. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Parasite](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/parasite/): The Parasite absorbs life force, powers and memories by touch, including Superman's, and takes on his weaknesses too. The first Parasite, Raymond Maxwell Jensen, appeared in Action Comics #340 (August 1966), created by Jim Shooter. The best-known version, Rudy Jones, first appeared in Firestorm (vol. 2) #58 (April 1987). (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Toyman](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/toyman/): Toyman is a Superman villain who uses deadly toys and gadgets rather than superpowers. The original, Winslow Schott, first appeared in Action Comics #64 (1943). Later Toymen include Jack Nimball (1974) and Hiro Okamura (2002), who later became a hero. In the 1990s Schott took a much darker turn. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Mr. Mxyzptlk](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/mr-mxyzptlk/): Mr. Mxyzptlk is an imp from the fifth dimension whose magic can bend reality. He first appeared in Superman #30 (1944), created by Jerry Siegel and Ira Yarborough. Superman beats him by tricking him into saying his name backwards, Kltpzyxm, which sends him home for at least 90 days. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Mongul](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/villains/mongul/): Mongul is an alien warlord who rules Warworld, a planet-sized battle station with gladiator games. He first appeared in DC Comics Presents #27 (November 1980), by Len Wein and Jim Starlin. In For the Man Who Has Everything (Superman Annual #11, 1985), by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, he attacks Superman on his birthday with the Black Mercy. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Places — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/places/
Krypton, Metropolis, Smallville, the Fortress of Solitude and the Phantom Zone.
- [Fortress](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/places/fortress-of-solitude/): The Fortress of Solitude is Superman's secret retreat. The classic version debuted in Action Comics #241 (June 1958) as an Arctic mountain base opened with a giant key only he could lift. It has since moved to Antarctica, the Andes and elsewhere. In Superman (2025) it sits in Antarctica, with exteriors filmed in Svalbard, Norway. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Metropolis](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/places/metropolis/): Metropolis is the fictional American city where Clark Kent works at the Daily Planet. It was first named in Action Comics #16 (September 1939). Joe Shuster based its skyline on Toronto and later New York, and DC has placed it in New York state and later Delaware. Superman (2025) filmed its Metropolis in Cleveland and Cincinnati. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Smallville](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/places/smallville/): Smallville is the small farm town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark. It first appeared unnamed in More Fun Comics #101 (1945) and was named in Superboy #2 (1949). Early stories placed it in Maryland, on the east coast or in Iowa; John Byrne fixed it in Kansas in 1986. It isn't a real town, though real ones have borrowed the name. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Suits — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/suits/costume-history/
The costume from 1938 to today: trunks in, trunks out and the black suit.
- [Costume history](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/suits/costume-history/): Superman's costume debuted in Action Comics #1 (1938) and borrowed the trunks-over-tights look of circus strongmen. DC dropped the red trunks in the New 52 (2011), brought them back in Action Comics #1000 (2018), and kept them for Superman (2025). The S began as simply 'S for Superman'; the 'S means hope' idea dates from Superman: Birthright (2003–04). (updated 2026-11-06)

### Krypton and its tech — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/krypton/
The rocket, sunstones, the Kryptonian language and the House of El.
- [Krypton culture](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/krypton/krypton-culture/): Krypton is Superman's lost home world, which circled a red sun called Rao. Each era reinvents it, from the Silver Age's Science Council to John Byrne's cold society of birthing matrices. The S began as an S for Superman, became the House of El crest in the 1978 film and came to mean hope in Superman: Birthright (2003–04). Kryptonian has been invented three times. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman's tech](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/krypton/superman-tech/): Superman's Fortress of Solitude holds Krypton's most famous technology: the Phantom Zone projector (Adventure Comics #283, 1961), the bottle city of Kandor (Action Comics #242, 1958), a giant key (Action Comics #241, 1958) and, after 1989, the robot Kelex and the Eradicator. Crystals grow his Fortress in the 1978 film, and a sunstone does it in the comics. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Feats and stats — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/feats/greatest-feats/
Cited strength and speed feats, and the big "Could Superman…?" questions.
- [Feats](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/feats/greatest-feats/): There's no official number for Superman's strength or speed: every figure online is either one story's feat or a fan calculation. His feats grew by era, from leaping a building in 1938 to dragging a solar system in 1967. The famous 200-quintillion-ton lift comes from All-Star Superman, outside main continuity, while he's overcharged and dying. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Quotes — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/quotes/famous-superman-quotes/
Short, attributed lines from the comics, films and TV.
- [Quotes](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/quotes/famous-superman-quotes/): Most of Superman's famous catchphrases come from radio, TV and film rather than the comics. 'The American way' was added to his motto on radio in September 1942, and DC changed it to 'a better tomorrow' on 16 October 2021. Many 'Superman quotes' shared online are fake or are really Christopher Reeve's own words. (updated 2026-11-06)

### Trivia and firsts — https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/
Superman trivia and firsts: cited fun facts, myths busted, his UK connections, versions and Elseworlds, and whether he's Marvel or DC.
- [Fact file](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/who-is-superman/): Superman is a DC Comics superhero created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. His Kryptonian name is Kal-El and his Earth name is Clark Kent. Born on the planet Krypton and raised by the Kents in Smallville, Kansas, he first appeared in Action Comics #1 (June 1938 cover date), which went on sale on 18 April 1938. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Fun facts](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-fun-facts/): Superman couldn't fly in 1938, kryptonite was invented for radio in 1943, and his parents were first called Jor-L and Lora. The Kents went through five sets of names before Jonathan and Martha, and Superman #330 (1978) explained the glasses as hypnotic Kryptonian lenses. Every fact on this page is sourced. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman and Britain](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-and-britain/): Superman (1978) was largely made in England, at Pinewood and Shepperton studios, and had a Royal Charity Premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square, on 13 December 1978. In 2006 London's Natural History Museum helped identify jadarite, the real-life mineral that nearly matches kryptonite's formula in Superman Returns. British writers and artists have also shaped some of his best stories. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Can Superman…?](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/can-superman/): Can Superman breathe in space? There's no single canon answer: most modern stories show him holding his breath in space, but some give him an air supply. He has survived black holes in some stories, flew through time in the Golden and Silver Ages and the 1978 film, and tied the Flash in both of their 1967 races. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman on TV](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-on-tv/): Superman has starred in TV series since Adventures of Superman (1952–58) with George Reeves. In the UK, as checked on 6 November 2026, Smallville is on Netflix and free on ITVX, Superman & Lois is on Prime Video with seasons 1–2 free on BBC iPlayer, and My Adventures with Superman is on HBO Max. Streaming availability changes often. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Elseworlds](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-versions-and-elseworlds/): Elseworlds is DC's name for stories set outside its main continuity. The first was Gotham by Gaslight (1989), and DC relaunched the label in 2024. The best-known alternative Supermen include Kingdom Come (1996), Red Son (2003), All-Star Superman (2005–08) and Superman-Prime of DC One Million (1998), who isn't the same character as Superboy-Prime. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Marvel or DC?](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/is-superman-marvel-or-dc/): Superman is a DC character, not Marvel. He first appeared in Action Comics #1, on sale 18 April 1938, and DC has published him ever since. He has met Marvel's heroes only in official crossovers: the first was Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976), he beat the Hulk by reader vote in DC vs. Marvel (1996), and the two companies marked 50 years with new team-ups in 2026. (updated 2026-11-06)
- [Superman myths](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-myths/): Many famous Superman 'facts' started outside the comics. He couldn't fly in 1938, kryptonite was invented for radio in 1943, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White began on radio, and the S only came to mean hope in 2003–04. There is no Superman curse. Whether Superman is Jewish-coded is a genuine debate, not a settled fact. And some myths are true: Siegel and Shuster really were paid $130 for the 13 pages of Action Comics #1. (updated 2026-11-07)
- [Video games](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/trivia/superman-video-games/): Superman starred in the first superhero video game, Atari's Superman (September 1979). Superman 64 (1999) is famous as one of the worst games ever made, while Injustice (2013) and Injustice 2 (2017) cast him as a tyrant. No new standalone Superman console game has been announced. In the UK today you can most easily play the Injustice games and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. (updated 2026-11-06)

## Interactive pages
- [Every Superman actor, side by side](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/actors/): compare debut, years in the role, age at debut, the red trunks and UK links.
- [Superman timeline, 1938 to 2027](https://kal-el.co.uk/superman/timeline/): 112 dated moments across comics, radio, film, TV, games and the real world, each with its source, filterable by medium and era.
- [Daily Superman quiz](https://kal-el.co.uk/quiz/): five questions a day from a bank of 0 cited questions at three levels; every answer links to its source.

## Latest Superman news
- [James Gunn says The Suicide Squad is DCU canon, Bloodsport's kryptonite bullet and all](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-11-05-james-gunn-suicide-squad-canon-superman/) (2026-11-05): James Gunn says The Suicide Squad counts as DCU canon, meaning Bloodsport's kryptonite bullet may have hit David Corenswet's Superman.
- [Superman comics in November 2026: Brainiac finale, Lex Year One and more](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-11-05-superman-comics-november-2026/) (2026-11-05): Every Superman comic out in November 2026, from the Absolute Superman #25 Brainiac finale to Action Comics' Lex Luthor: Year One and Superman #44.
- [Man of Tomorrow wraps filming, James Gunn confirms](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-08-26-man-of-tomorrow-wraps-filming/) (2026-08-26): James Gunn confirms Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow has wrapped filming, calling the shoot a joyful experience, ahead of its July 2027 release.
- [Supergirl opens below expectations with $38 million](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-06-28-supergirl-box-office-opening/) (2026-06-28): Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock, opens to $38 million in North America and $68 million worldwide, below forecasts, as DC Studios stays confident.
- [My Adventures with Superman season 3 premieres, with Superboy](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-06-13-my-adventures-with-superman-season-3/) (2026-06-13): My Adventures with Superman returns for season 3 on Adult Swim, with Darren Criss voicing Superboy and Cyborg Superman on the way.
- [Man of Tomorrow starts filming, with Lex Luthor behind bars](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-04-20-man-of-tomorrow-starts-filming/) (2026-04-20): James Gunn's Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow begins principal photography, with Gunn teasing Brainiac and Lex Luthor in jail.
- [Superman Day 2026 plans: pop-ups, a new attraction and Supergirl](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2026-04-13-superman-day-2026-plans/) (2026-04-13): Warner Bros. Discovery and DC reveal a global Superman Day for 18 April 2026, with Daily Planet pop-ups, a Burbank attraction and Supergirl and Krypto.
- [Lars Eidinger cast as Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-12-20-lars-eidinger-brainiac-man-of-tomorrow/) (2025-12-20): James Gunn casts German actor Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, the villain of Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, after a worldwide search.
- [First Supergirl trailer introduces Milly Alcock's hard-partying Kara](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-12-11-supergirl-first-trailer/) (2025-12-11): The first trailer for Supergirl reveals Milly Alcock's rough-edged Kara Zor-El, a glimpse of Krypton, Krypto and Jason Momoa's Lobo.
- [Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow announced for July 2027](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-09-03-man-of-tomorrow-announced/) (2025-09-03): James Gunn announces Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to Superman (2025), with a release date of 9 July 2027 and David Corenswet returning.
- [Superman soars to a $125 million opening weekend](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-07-13-superman-box-office-opening-weekend/) (2025-07-13): James Gunn's Superman opens to $125 million in North America and about $217 million worldwide, the third-biggest opening weekend of 2025.
- [Mark Waid and Skylar Patridge take Action Comics back to Superboy](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-06-13-action-comics-superboy-mark-waid/) (2025-06-13): Action Comics #1087 begins Mark Waid and Skylar Patridge's run, sending the series back to Clark Kent's days as Superboy in Smallville.
- [Superman Unlimited #1 launches Dan Slott's Summer of Superman series](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-05-21-superman-unlimited-1-dan-slott/) (2025-05-21): Superman Unlimited #1 by Dan Slott and Rafael Albuquerque arrives as a key title in DC's Summer of Superman, with a kryptonite-laden asteroid.
- [Superman's official trailer puts Clark in the hot seat with Lois](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2025-05-14-superman-official-trailer/) (2025-05-14): The full trailer for James Gunn's Superman arrives two months before release, featuring a tense interview between Clark and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois.
- [First Superman teaser trailer lands, with Krypto and a familiar theme](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-12-19-superman-teaser-trailer/) (2024-12-19): The first teaser for James Gunn's Superman arrives, showing David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan's Lois, Krypto and a twist on John Williams' theme.
- [Absolute Superman #1 completes DC's new Absolute trinity](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-11-06-absolute-superman-1-launch/) (2024-11-06): Absolute Superman #1 by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval goes on sale, reimagining Kal-El without his family, Fortress or home in DC's Absolute Universe.
- [Superman & Lois begins its final season on The CW](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-10-07-superman-and-lois-final-season-premiere/) (2024-10-07): The fourth and final season of Superman & Lois premieres on The CW on 7 October 2024, with Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch back as Clark and Lois.
- [James Gunn's Superman wraps filming after five months](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-07-30-superman-wraps-filming/) (2024-07-30): James Gunn announces Superman (2025) has wrapped principal photography, after shooting in Atlanta, Cleveland and beyond since February 2024.
- [First look at David Corenswet in the new Superman suit](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-05-06-superman-suit-first-look/) (2024-05-06): James Gunn shares the first official image of David Corenswet as Superman in costume, a weathered in-camera shot with the caption Get ready.
- [Superman: Legacy starts filming and becomes simply Superman](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-02-29-superman-filming-begins-title-change/) (2024-02-29): James Gunn's Superman starts filming on 29 February 2024, Superman's birthday, and the film drops its Legacy subtitle to become simply Superman.
- [Milly Alcock cast as Supergirl in the new DC Universe](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2024-01-29-milly-alcock-cast-supergirl/) (2024-01-29): House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock is cast as Kara Zor-El, the DCU's Supergirl, with James Gunn confirming the news on Instagram.
- [James Gunn confirms Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-12-11-nicholas-hoult-lex-luthor-confirmed/) (2023-12-11): James Gunn confirms Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy, promising a Lex different from anything fans have seen before.
- [Superman & Lois to end with season 4 on The CW](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-11-02-superman-and-lois-final-season/) (2023-11-02): The CW confirms Superman & Lois will end with its upcoming fourth season of ten episodes, closing the network's long run of DC series.
- [David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan cast as Superman and Lois Lane](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-06-27-david-corenswet-rachel-brosnahan-cast/) (2023-06-27): DC Studios casts David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy after full-costume screen tests.
- [My Adventures with Superman gets a 6 July premiere on Adult Swim](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-06-05-my-adventures-with-superman-premiere-date/) (2023-06-05): The animated series My Adventures with Superman, starring Jack Quaid and Alice Lee, is set to premiere on Adult Swim on 6 July 2023.
- [James Gunn confirms he will direct Superman: Legacy](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-03-15-james-gunn-directing-superman-legacy/) (2023-03-15): James Gunn confirms he will direct Superman: Legacy as well as write it, having first turned the film down, with release set for 11 July 2025.
- [Superman #1 launches a new era from Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-02-21-superman-1-williamson-campbell/) (2023-02-21): Superman #1 by Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell arrives as part of Dawn of DC, with Lex Luthor behind bars and Supercorp on the scene.
- [DC Studios unveils its slate, led by Superman: Legacy in July 2025](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2023-01-31-dc-studios-slate-superman-legacy/) (2023-01-31): James Gunn and Peter Safran reveal Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, with Superman: Legacy dated for 11 July 2025 and a Supergirl film announced.
- [James Gunn is writing a new Superman film, and Henry Cavill won't return](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2022-12-14-james-gunn-writing-superman-cavill-exit/) (2022-12-14): James Gunn confirms he is writing a new Superman film about a younger Man of Steel, and Henry Cavill confirms he will not return to the role.
- [James Gunn and Peter Safran named heads of the new DC Studios](https://kal-el.co.uk/news/2022-10-25-james-gunn-peter-safran-dc-studios/) (2022-10-25): Warner Bros. Discovery hands James Gunn and Peter Safran control of DC Studios, the moment that set Superman's big-screen reboot in motion.

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