Top 20 Facts About Superman

#20: Superman Created Bald Luthor

Best known for being foes, Lex and Superman, in some iterations, have also been BFFs. But whats less known is that Clark Kent played a role in turning the billionaire into his big bad. In 1960s Adventure Comics #271, Lex is a big fan of Superboy as he saves the hero from a Kryptonite meteorite. Clark returns the favour by helping the human with his experiments. However, when Lex gets careless and ignites a chemical fire, Superboy arrives to blow out the blaze. However, some of the fire ends up on Lexs noggin, turning it into the shiny dome we know today. He immediately blames Superboy, ignoring the fact that he saved his life, and begins his lifelong hatred of him.

#19: The Expensive First Issue

Famously, Superman made his comic debut in 1938s Action Comics #1. Due to the importance and longevity of the character, that issue is one of the most expensive in existence. In 2010, a copy sold at auction allowed a family to save their home after it was foreclosed. In 2012, a copy believed to have belonged to Nicolas Cage sold for $2.16 million. Then, in 2021, another one was bought for a stunning $3.25 million. Yet 2024 saw the record sale for the most expensive comic book issue get smashed once again, when Action Comics #1 went for an incredible $6 million! Time to start going through your back issues in case this is hiding away.

#18: Mermaid Dating

Fun fact: Superman is a bit of a collector. He likes to accumulate love interests with the initials L.L. more on that later. Yet one thats often overlooked took place in 1959s Superman #129. In this comic, Clark meets Lori Lemaris, a woman in a wheelchair, as they both attend Metropolis University. Their romance gets passionate super quickly, leading to Clark declaring his love and proposing marriage. However, Lori, after making the realization with her telepathy, mentions she knows hes Superman. Later, he finds out her secret, that shes actually a mermaid. However, Lori had to return to the sea, ending their relationship, and making her the one that got away.

#17: Making an Adult Film

With such a long history, there are bound to be some Superman stories that are baffling. Case in point, facing off with the villainous Sleez in a couple of issues of 1987's Action Comics. The baddie had taken former New Gods member Big Barda hostage and mind-controlled her to do gross stuff for him. A misunderstanding leads to her and Superman being controlled by Sleez. So, the creature influences both to threaten an adult film creator so he can record the duo making a mucky movie that he can sell. Thankfully, before it goes too far, Scott Free, AKA Mister Miracle, managed to save his wife, Barda, and Superman from this fate. But still, its uncomfortable how close this came to happening.

#16: Fighting Muhammad Ali

Considered one of the best boxers to ever enter a ring, Ali had done it all and battled most of the elite. However, he hadnt taken on Superman yet. Well, that changed in 1978's All-New Collectors' Edition #C-56. The invading Scrubb emperor issued a challenge that Earths champion would face his, Hun'Ya, with the fate of the planet on the line. Superman and Ali argued with each other over who would fight. This led to the duo training near a red sun, which depowers Superman, allowing Ali to beat him in training. During the actual bout between the two, a powerless Clark is annihilated by Ali, who held nothing back. He then went on to beat Hun'Ya with another knockout.

#15: Natural Disaster-Man

Quite often in various media, Superman tends to hold back or avoid intimate acts in case he hurts the person hes with. Well, that wasnt the case in the miniseries, The Dark Knight Strikes Again. A sequel to 1986s pivotal Batman story, The Dark Knight Returns, at one point, the heroes, including the Caped Crusader, beat up Superman really badly. Wonder Woman finds him, leading to the duo getting hot and heavy. Real emphasis on that phrase as they slam into the Earth during the act, causing many natural disasters around the world. This included creating a 7.8 earthquake, a volcanic eruption, and hurricanes, taking the lives of untold numbers of people. Not exactly family-friendly.

#14: The Many Kryptonites

Everyone knows about Green Kryptonite and its damage to Supes. But there is a whole rainbow of other colors out there that can cause all sorts of effects on Kryptonians. One example is Black Kryptonite. The Batman Who Laughs used a variant of this to drive Supergirl, Superman, and Superboy into a killing frenzy, resulting in their deaths and their families deaths. While the Gold Kryptonite can strip Kryptonians of their powers, which Superman famously did to himself in the epic story Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Theres even a Red one that had unpredictable effects, such as excessive hair growth or new powers. There are many other versions, including Silver, Platinum, White, Purple, and even Pink more on that last one later.

#13: Beating the KKK

Superman has always been a pillar of social justice as he tackles hate groups and exposes corruption. That reputation even goes back to his early days. Inspired by Stetson Kennedys real-life story of infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan and publicizing its inner workings, the radio show The Adventures of Superman developed the 1946 story, Clan of the Fiery Cross, in which Supes battled the hate group. In 2019, inspired by the radio tale, DC released the story Superman Smashes the Klan. Taking place in 1946, Superman helps the Chinese-American family, the Lees, when they, and his other friends, are targeted by the KKK.

#12: Superman Was Originally a Baddie

Within DCs multiverse, there are several Earths where Superman is a villain. Looking at you, Injustice. However, most of the time, hes a good egg. Yet before he made his debut in the comics, Superman was originally thought of as a baddie by his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. In issue 3 of their own fanzine, Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization from 1933, one of the stories was titled The Reign of the Superman. Destitute Bill Dunn is experimented on, granting him telepathy powers as he plans to take over the world as Super Man. However, the potion he consumed was temporary. Unfortunately for Dunn, he killed the scientist before getting the formula. Whoops.

#11: The Many, Many Powers

Flight, heat vision, invulnerability, and so many more, Superman has loads of incredible powers, many of which are a blueprint for superheroes. However, in his long history, hes also had several strange powers. One of which involved him being able to use telepathy to control peoples minds to get out of binds. Another had him being able to manipulate his plastic features to create a super disguise. This Metamorphosis ability allowed Supes to pretend to be other people. Yet perhaps his weirdest was in 1958s Superman #125. After finding rays coming from his hands, it soon evolves into Supes being able to send out tiny Supermen, which also have his powers, to do his bidding. Thankfully, it didnt last long.

#10: He Couldn't Always Fly

When Superman burst on the scene in 1938's Action Comics #1, he could do a lot of things no one else could. And although he could leap 1/8 of a mile and jump over a 20-story building, he couldn't fly. He first started flying in the animated cartoons of the 1940s, because that was a lot easier to animate. The powers-that-be at DC Comics saw the result and soon the Man of Steel was regularly soaring in the clouds and beyond to save the world.

#9: Darth Vader Trained Superman

Okay, so not literally, although we would love to see that crossover on the big screen. David Prowse, the actor who physically portrayed the Sith Lord, helped the actor who played Superman on the big screen, Christopher Reeve, get in shape. When Reeve was hired for the 1978 movie, the actor had a great look and the right attitude but his body didn't have the mass that the character needed. Enter Prowse, who had just being the physical vessel for James Earl Jones' voice in "Star Wars." The bodybuilder and trainer helped Reeve pack on 30 pounds of muscle so he could appropriately fill out Supes' costume.

#8: Some People Believe in a Superman Curse

Is being in a Superman movie or TV project a curse? Probably not, but it does feel like it. Beginning with George Reeves, star of the 1950s Superman TV series, who was ruled to have taken his own life but many believe it was murder. Subsequently, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando and Richard Pryor experienced various traumas, as did Lane Smith, the actor who played Perry White on the "Lois and Clark" TV show. Even Lee Quigley, the infant who played baby Christopher Reeve, died while just a teen-ager. Eerie.

#7: He's Vulnerable to More Than Just Kryptonite

Everyone knows that the glowing green rock from his home planet can weaken or even kill Superman; but the Man of Might also has other weaknesses. Put him under a red sun, for example, and he pretty much loses all his powers. Also magic has been shown over and over to really do him in. That weakness to magic extends to creatures like werewolves and vampires, as well.

#6: One Type of Kryptonite Alters the Sexual Preferences of Straight Kryptonians

This is one of those facts that we bet Superman fans would rather we forget. In a very memorable story from 2003, set in an alternate timeline, Superman gets exposed to a new form of kryptonite pink kryptonite. As a result, he temporarily is transformed into a super gay stereotype. It's essentially confined to one panel, but it made a huge impression and not necessarily a positive one. Intended to be played for laughs, the "swish factor" involved makes it positively embarrassing.

#5: A Bizarre Number of People in Superman's Life Have the Initials "L.L."

A little alliteration is nice, but the cast of characters around superman take it to an extreme. The list of people with the initials "L.L." starts, of course, with perennial love interest Lois Lane. But there have been other girl friends that fit this category: teen sweetheart Lana Lang, college crush Lori Lemaris and Kryptonian lover Lyla Lerrol. Of course, arch enemy Lex Luthor also sports those initials, and Supergirl's original secret identity was Linda Lee. Lois's sister, Lucy, has also hung out in Metropolis on occasion. Makes you wonder what the L.L. is going on with Superman's writers.

#4: Superman and Batman's Artists Went on Double Dates

Joe Shuster was the guy who drew Superman originally, and Jerry Robinson was one of the early artists who gave Batman his classic look. In many ways, these two are the fathers of Superman and Batman so it's interesting to note that they often took out girls together. Robinson referred to these as his "Superman-Batman double dates." Shuster is reputed to have been a bit of a body builder, and Robinson was the more contemplative type, so the comparison is especially apt.

#3: Clark's Disguise Goes Beyond Just a Pair of Glasses

What kind of reporter can Lois Lane be if she can't figure out that Clark Kent is just Superman wearing glasses? In fact, Superman's efforts go beyond just putting on the specs. First, those lenses are tinted to make Clark's eyes appear a different shade. And though they share the same hair color, they part on different sides. Loose, roomy clothing disguises Clark's impressive physique, as does a tendency toward poor posture. Also, Clark's voice is higher and softer, lacking Superman's virile tones. Finally, Clark's meek personality is a disguise in itself. So cut Lois a little slack. But only a little considering how much time she spends with both of them.

#2: Kryptonite, Perry White and Jimmy Olsen First Appeared on the Superman Radio Show

Superman may have debuted in the comic books, but he quickly became a multi-media sensation. Comic strips, movie serials and radio programs quickly followed his funnybook debut. All of these fed on ideas and character created in the comic book, but the radio show made its own contributions to the Superman mythos. Kryptonite itself only exists as an excuse to put Superman out of commission for a few days to give the voice actor, Bud Collyer, a vacation from time to time. The books were quick to latch onto the radio's kryptonite as a challenge for the increasingly-powerful Man of Tomorrow.

#1: The Guys who Created Superman Sold All Their Rights for a Measly $130

Superman may be able to do just about anything, but not even he could keep his creators from making the biggest mistake of their lives. Writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster were quite happy when they sold their creation for a mere $130. Granted, $130 went a lot farther in 1938 than it does today. But it still doesn't compare to the billions that the character has generated over the years. The creators did sue and eventually received a better deal. It may be a victory for truth and justice, but it certainly is the American way.

If you could only have one of Supermans powers, any from his vast history, what would you select and why? Let us know below!