Understanding the legend of Superman

As every reader of comic books knows, the man known to the world as Superman was brought to Earth as the sole survivor of the doomed planet of Krypton. Once on Earth, he was raised in the town of Smallville, where he enjoyed an unremarkable childhood under the name of Clark Kent. As young Clark Kent grew, however, he discovered that he had remarkable powers and superhuman strength.

After the death of his parents, Clark Kent vowed to use his great powers to benefit humanity. He made a special costume and moved to the city of Metropolis, where he found work as a reporter for the local newspaper.

Clark Kent always kept his alter ego a secret, and unlike Superman he presented a shy and mild mannered face to the world and those he cared about.

Even when posing as Clark Kent, however, Superman always wore his suit under his clothes, ready to spring into action wherever evil was lurking.

Clark Kent's job as a reporter for the Daily Planet allowed his Superman persona to keep track of events and determine where his powers could be of help. Like many other superheroes, Superman is primarily a solo actor, striving to keep his identity a secret, even from his girlfriend Lois Lane. In fact, one of the running themes in the world of Superman comics has been Lois Lane's clear attraction to Superman, combined with her rejection of Clark Kent's often awkward advances.

Superman is not alone in the world of comics, and the stories have a wide range of supporting characters, including coworkers Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, Clark Kent's boss Perry White, his adopted parents Jonathan and Martha Kent and best friend Pete Ross.

Of course no superhero is complete without a villain or two, and Superman has faced some of the most notorious super villains of the comic book and movie world. Perhaps the best known Superman foe of all time is Lex Luthor. Throughout the years Lex Luthor has been portrayed as a rogue scientist with a powerful hatred of scientist and as the corrupt CEO of a powerful but evil corporation known as LexCorp.

Another famous foe of Superman is an alien android known as Brainiac. Other famous enemies of Superman include a Superman clone known as Bizarro, a criminal cyborg known as Metallo, a criminal mastermind from Krypton known as General Zod, the Parasite, Terra-Man, the Prankster and mad scientists like Dr. Killgrave and Neo Donovan.

Superman is one of the most enduring icons of popular culture, and his influence continues to be felt even today. In addition to the original comic books, the character of Superman has appeared on radio shoes, television programs, major motion pictures and video games. In addition, the likeness of Superman has graced thousands of consumer products, from lunch boxes to bed sheets, over the years.

Playing the role of Superman has been a career maker for many an actor, and some of the many actors who have brought the role to life include Kirk Alyn, Dean Cain, Tim Daly, Christopher Reeve, George Reeves, Brandon Routh, and Tom Welling. In addition to the many live action movies and television programs, there have been a large number of animated series starring the man of steel as well.

Superman is certainly firmly a part of the popular culture, and perhaps nowhere is this more on display than in the number of popular songs in which this superhero plays a role. Superman has appeared in songs from artists as varied as Barbra Streisand, the Kinks, Five for Fighting, the Crash Test Dummies and R.E.M.

About The Author:
Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com

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Understanding the legend of Superman