Allies.

Superman may be the last son of Krypton, but he’s rarely alone. These are the people who keep him human, and a surprising number of them were invented for the radio rather than the comics.

Superman’s allies at a glance

Lois Lane

Lois Lane is Superman’s closest ally and, since Superman: The Wedding Album (December 1996), his wife in the comics. She debuted with him in Action Comics #1 (1938), and her surname is first given in #2. She also had her own long-running comic, Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane (1958–74). For her full history and every actress who has played her, see our guide to Lois Lane.

Jimmy Olsen

Jimmy Olsen is the Daily Planet’s young photographer and Superman’s pal. A nameless bow-tied office boy appears in Action Comics #6 (1938), but Jimmy was named on the radio in April 1940 and first named in the comics in Superman #13 (1941).

He got his own comic, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, in 1954. It gave him a signal watch to call Superman, and Jack Kirby’s run from 1970 introduced Darkseid in issue #134. The series became The Superman Family in 1974. Jimmy has been played by Jack Larson, Marc McClure, Sam Huntington, Aaron Ashmore, Mehcad Brooks and, in Superman (2025), Skyler Gisondo.

Perry White

Perry White is the editor of the Daily Planet and Clark and Lois’s boss. He was created for the radio serial, first heard on 14 February 1940, and reached the comics in Superman #7 (November 1940). His famous exclamations, Great Caesar’s ghost! and Don’t call me chief!, come from the 1950s TV series. Actors include John Hamilton, Jackie Cooper, Lane Smith, Laurence Fishburne and, in 2025, Wendell Pierce.

Lana Lang

Lana Lang is Clark’s childhood friend and first love from Smallville. She first appeared in Superboy #10 (1950), created by Bill Finger and John Sikela. Since 2016 she has been a hero in her own right as Superwoman.

Steel

John Henry Irons, Steel, is an armoured hero who appeared in 1993 during “Reign of the Supermen”, one of several heroes who stepped up after Superman’s death. He’s often treated as honorary family.

Batman and Wonder Woman

Batman and Superman had a shared Justice Society appearance in All-Star Comics #7 (dated 1940 or 1941; sources disagree), but their first real team-up was “The Mightiest Team in the World” in Superman #76 (1952). From World’s Finest Comics #71 (1954) they teamed up regularly. The full story is on Superman and Batman.

Wonder Woman is his other great Justice League partner. In the 2005 crossover Sacrifice, she kills Maxwell Lord to stop him controlling Superman’s mind. In the New 52 comics, Clark briefly dated her while his marriage to Lois was erased. They first appeared together in All-Star Comics #36 (1947). See Superman and Wonder Woman.

For the people on the other side, see Brainiac and Superman’s villains. For his family, see the Superman family tree, and for where they all work, Metropolis.