Superman

Superman - who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a neverending battle for Truth, Justice, and the American Way.". His memory was enshrined in the political ethos of the Imperial age as a paradigm of the good emperor; although every emperor adopted his name, Caesar Augustus, only a handful earned genuine comparison with him (Fagan). It's Superman! Yes, it's Superman - strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Augustus's ultimate legacy, however, was the peace and prosperity the empire was to enjoy for the next two centuries under the system he initiated. It's a plane. He directed the future of the empire down many lasting paths, from the existence of a standing professional army stationed at or near the frontiers, to the dynastic principle so often employed in the imperial succession, to the embellishment of the capital at the emperor's expense. It's a bird. Augustus's own experience, his patience, his tact, and his great political acumen also played their part.

Look! Up in the sky. The attrition of the civil wars on the old Republican oligarchy and the longevity of Augustus, therefore, must be seen as major contributing factors in the transformation of the Roman state into a monarchy in these years. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Had Augustus died earlier (in 23 BC, for instance), matters may have turned out very differently. More powerful than a locomotive. People had been born and reached middle age without knowing any form of government other than the Principate. 2#⇧ Narrator Bill Kennedy intoned at the start of each program: "Faster than a speeding bullet. In looking back on the reign of Augustus and its legacy to the Roman world, its longevity ought not to be overlooked as a key factor in its success.

1#⇧ Moses, Gilgamesh). The month of August (Latin Augustus) is named after Augustus; until his time it was called Sextilis. See also: Superdupont, Superlópez. Nevertheless, his legacy has proved more enduring. See: Superman in popular music. He was handsome, intelligent, decisive, and a very shrewd politician, but he was not perhaps as charismatic as the earlier Caesar or his rival Antony; as a result, Augustus is not as renowned as either man, and is often confused with Julius Caesar. Superman has long been a popular subject for music, inspiring songs by artists ranging from The Kinks and Barbra Streisand of one generation through The Sugarhill Gang, Genesis, R.E.M., Crash Test Dummies, and Spin Doctors to current performers like Eminem, Dream Theater , Three Doors Down, Our Lady Peace and Five For Fighting. Many consider Augustus as Rome's greatest emperor; his policies certainly extended the empire's life span and initiated the celebrated "Pax Romana" or "Pax Augusta".

The Swedish parliament was considering at the time whether to intervene and overrule the initial judgement.[3] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3701802.stm). Augustus' mausoleum also originally contained bronze pillars inscribed with a record of his life, the Res Gestae Divi Augusti. In 2004, local authorities in Sweden refused to allow a child to be named Stålmannen, which means Superman (literally: The Man of Steel). Consequently we have many excellent statues and busts of the first, and in some ways the greatest, of the Emperors. Hyperion has been revamped in a new Marvel series, Supreme Power, giving a new take on the Superman mythology. The cult of the Divine Augustus continued until Constantine the Great converted the State Religion of the Empire to Christianity in the 4th century. DC in turn introduced the "Assemblers of Angar", a thinly-veiled Avengers pastiche. Augustus was deified soon after his death, and both his borrowed surname, Caesar, and his title, Augustus, became the permanent titles of the rulers of Rome for the next 400 years, and were still in use at Constantinople fourteen centuries after his death, (and the derived titles "Kaiser" and "Tsar" would be used until the early part of the 20th century).

Hyperion stood in for Superman, the Whizzer for The Flash, etc. Who ordered his death is unknown, but the way was clear for Tiberius to assume the same powers that his stepfather had. The Squadron Supreme was created to do unofficial JLA/Avengers crossovers; the "new" characters were thinly veiled versions of their DC JLA counterparts. However, Postumus had been banished, and was put to death around the same time. One of the few Superman-like characters that DC Comics allowed to stand without litigation is Hyperion, from Marvel Comics's superhero team, Squadron Supreme. Postumus Agrippa and Tiberius had been named co-heirs. In 1998, an American Express commercial featured real-life Jerry Seinfeld and an animated Superman as buddies holding a running conversation around New York City. On August 19, AD 14, Augustus died.

Seinfeld is also famous for having a Superman reference in every episode. After the early deaths of both Gaius and Lucius in AD 4 and AD 2 respectively, and the earlier death of his brother Drusus (9 BC), Tiberius was recalled to Rome, where he was adopted by Augustus. Jerry affectionately addressed some of his girlfriends as "Lois Lane". Tiberius shared in Augustus' tribune powers, but shortly thereafter went into retirement. On the Seinfeld TV show, a Superman statue sat on the stereo in Jerry's livingroom, and a Superman refrigerator magnet was always visible in his kitchen. After Agrippa died in 12 BC, Livia's son Tiberius divorced his own wife and married Agrippa's widow. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld expressed his fandom of Superman in several ways. Augustus also showed favor to his stepsons, Livia's children from her first marriage, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus and Tiberius Claudius, after they had conquered a large portion of Germany.

Moore produced 22 issues of Supreme that paid homage to the classic "Silver Age" Superman. Augustus' intent to make the first two children his heirs was apparent when he adopted them as his own children. In the 1990s, comic book artist and writer Rob Liefeld created a Superman pastiche and starred him in his own comic book series, Supreme. The series, published by Liefeld's Awesome Comics, sold moderately well at first, but sales dwindled until the series was taken over with issue #41 by writer Alan Moore. This union produced five children, three sons and two daughters: Gaius Caesar, Lucius Caesar, Vipsania Julia, Agrippina the Elder, and Postumus Agrippa, so named because he was born after Marcus Agrippa died. Well-known spoofs of Superman include Mighty Mouse, Underdog, Super Grover, and Super Goof. After the death of Marcellus, Augustus married his daughter to his right hand man, Marcus Agrippa. One of the first Superman-like characters to emerge, Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel, sparked legal action because of its similarities to Superman. Reports of later historians that this poisoning, and other later deaths, were caused by Augustus' wife Livia Drusilla are inconclusive at best.

Nevertheless, a great many imitations and parodies of Superman have appeared over the years. However, Marcellus died of food poisoning in 23 BC. DC Comics has trademarked variations on the "super" theme, such as "superdog" and "supergal", to circumvent parody or product confusion. At first, indications pointed toward his sister's son Marcellus, who had been married to Augustus' daughter Julia Caesaris. Superman is a staple of American pop culture. Augustus' control of power throughout the Empire was so absolute that it allowed him to name his successor, a custom that had been abandoned and derided in Rome since the foundation of the Republic. Other sources cited as inspirations include Doc Savage and The Shadow. The only question was who would succeed him as sole ruler.

Additionally, Superman is believed to have been inspired in part by Philip Wylie's 1930 science fiction novel Gladiator, about a man whose superhuman strength inspires him to help the human race, but who is instead spurned by humanity precisely because of his power. However, by the time Augustus died, it was impossible to imagine a return to the old system. Both Superman's name and the premise of his character owe a debt to the concept of the Übermensch, developed by the 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and elaborated upon by George Bernard Shaw. His use of games and special events to celebrate himself and his family cemented his popularity.
. (Ovid was banished from Rome for violating Augustus's morality codes.) He eventually won over most of the Roman intellectual class, although many still pined in private for the Republic. The last two are in continuity with Batman: The Animated Series and its spinoffs, forming what some fans call the "Diniverse", named after Paul Dini, who writes and produces the shows. Horace, Livy, Ovid, and Vergil flourished under his protection, but in return, they had to pay due tribute to his genius and adhere to his standards.

There have also been numerous animated cartoon series starring the Man of Steel:. A patron of the arts, Augustus showered favors on poets, artists, sculptors, and architects, and his reign is considered the Golden Age of Roman literature. Among the actors who have played the role are George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, and Dean Cain. It was largely unsuccessful (indeed, his own daughter was banished and subsequently perished due to it). The Superman character has made the transition to radio, television, and movies, each on multiple occasions. Augustus also launched a morality crusade, promoting marriage, family, and childbirth while discouraging luxury, "interbreeding", unrestrained sex (including prostitution and homosexuality), and adultery. Current comics in which Superman does not star, but appears regularly:. He sponsored Vergil's Aeneid in the hopes that it would increase pride in Roman heritage.

Current comics starring Superman:. Augustus also strongly supported worship of Roman gods, especially Apollo, and depicted Roman defeat of Egypt as Roman gods defeating Egypt's. Pre-Crisis, Superman's foster parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, died in the summer after his high school graduation; post-Crisis, the Kents are alive and well and are regularly visited by Clark, who relies on them for advice in difficult times. Augustus settled retired soldiers on the land in an effort to revive agriculture, but the capital remained dependent on grain imports from Egypt. The Superboy name has also been the name of denizens of other dimensions, such as one from a "pocket universe" parallel dimension in the late 1980s post-Crisis Superman comics, and several individuals the current Superboy encountered during his trip through Hypertime (one of those essentially being an exact double of the pre-Crisis Superboy). The reign of Augustus is thus seen in some ways as the high point of Rome's power and prosperity. A new Superboy character who is a clone of Superman was created in the early 1990s; adventures featuring this character continue to be published. Once the Empire stopped expanding, and had no more loot coming in from conquests, its economy began to stagnate and eventually decline.

The original Superboy, introduced in 1944's More Fun Comics #101, represented "the adventures of Superman when he was a boy." This Superboy is no longer in publication, as post-Crisis continuity deemed that Clark Kent did not become a superhero until he reached adulthood. Like all the Emperors, he over-taxed agriculture and spent the revenue on armies, temples, and games. There have been a number of characters called Superboy. Roman rulers understood little about economics, and Augustus was no exception. This especially applies to the Special Crimes Unit (SCU), a police unit that deals with superpowered threats, led by Captain Margaret Sawyer, one of the few openly gay characters in mainstream superhero comics today. Augustus also founded the world's first fire brigade, and created a regular police force for Rome. In Metropolis, Superman enjoys a close relationship with the police department. He founded a ministry of transport, which built an extensive network of roads - enabling improved communication, trade, and mail.

Superman also has a rogues gallery of supervillain enemies, including:. It is recorded that he built both the Capitoline Temple and the Theater of Pompey without putting his name on them. Familiar supporting characters in the Superman mythos include:. He also built a shrine near the Circus Maximus. In 2003, DC Comics released a 12-issue maxiseries titled Superman: Birthright, written by Mark Waid and penciled by Lenil Francis Yu; this was made into a retcon of Superman's post-crisis origin, replacing Byrne's version, but yet using many elements from that version, along with elements that subtly tie into the Smallville television show. He built the Senate a new home, the Curia, and built temples to Apollo and to the Divine Julius. so far. Future editorial changes to the series may reverse some or all of these changes. He famously boasted that he "found Rome brick and left it marble".

In 1995, Superman (or rather, Clark Kent) finally married Lois Lane, and the two have had a happy marriage.. In domestic matters, Augustus channeled the enormous wealth brought in from the Empire to keeping the army happy with generous payments, and keeping the Romans happy by beautifying the capital and staging magnificent games. He returned from the dead, though his "death" gave rise to a number of new characters and storylines. He left the Parthian Empire alone. In the epic The Death of Superman storyline, the hero apparently died at the hands of supervillain Doomsday. In the east, he satisfied himself with establishing Roman control over Armenia and the Transcaucasus. Two alterations have had long-term effects. Thereafter he accepted the Rhine as the Empire's permanent border.

Most notably, his alterations to Lex Luthor, altering him from a scientific oriented villain to a businessman remain to this day. Further west, an attempt to advance into Germany ended in defeat at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in AD 9. But Byrne's changes became the template for Superman's origin and characterization for almost two decades. Rome's borders were advanced to the natural frontier of the Danube, and the province of Galatia was occupied. Byrne himself quit the books after a few years because he felt DC was not supporting the changes he made. After Gallic raids, the Alpine territories were conquered. Some fans debated whether the more drastic changes were necessary, and some of the more traditional historical elements Byrne removed from the backstory were later restored. A war in the mountains of northern Spain from 26 BC to 19 BC finally resulted in that territory's conquest.

The re-launch of Superman comic books returned the character to the mainstream, again in the forefront of DC's titles. Augustus waged no major wars. This 1986 reboot brought substantial changes to the character and met huge success at the time, being one of the top-selling books. He also reformed Rome's finance and tax systems. Writer-artist John Byrne joined Superman and re-started with his The Man of Steel retelling of his origin. A special unit, the Praetorian Guard, garrisoned Rome and protected the Emperor's person. By the early 1980s, DC Comics had decided that a major change was needed to make Superman more appealing to current audiences. He created Rome's first permanent army and navy and stationed the legions along the Empire's borders, where they could not meddle in politics.

Facing myriad perils, his powers have increased to the point that he is nearly omnipotent. This poses a challenge for writers: "How does one write about a character who is nearly as powerful as God?" (Superman's Kryptonian name, Kal-El, resembles the Hebrew words for "all that God is") This problem contributed to a decline in Superman's popularity, especially during the 1960s and 1970s, when Marvel Comics brought a new level of character development to mainstream comic books. In exchange for near absolute power, he gave Rome 40 years of civic peace and increasing prosperity, celebrated in history as the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. During a multimedia career spanning over sixty years, Superman has starred in every imaginable situation, throughout the universe, and in many eras of history. Having gained power by means of great audacity, Augustus ruled with great prudence. DC soon took Siegel's and Shuster's names off the byline. After the death of Lepidus in 13 BC he added the title of pontifex maximus. In 1946, when Siegel and Shuster sued for more money, DC fired them, prompting a legal battle that ended in 1948, when they accepted $200,000 and signed away any further claim to Superman or any character created from him. He more typically used a civilian title, however, Princeps, or "First Citizen".

The Saturday Evening Post reported in 1941 that the pair was being paid $75,000 each per year, still a fraction of DC's Superman profits. 23 BC is the date on which Augustus is usually said to have assumed the mantle of Emperor of Rome. DC copied the character without remuneration to the creators, while suing other companies for copying it. Second, he received new authority in the form of an "Imperial" power (imperium proconsulare maius, or power greater than any governor), which gave him supreme authority in all matters pertaining to territorial governance. Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to the company for $130. Since the tribuneship was an office traditionally associated with the common people, this consolidated his power further. The revised Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1, June 1938. First, he was granted the power of a tribune (tribunicia potestas), which allowed him to convene the Senate at will and lay business before it.

Occult, who made his first appearance in New Fun Comics #6, October 1935. In 23 BC, he renounced this office in favor of two other powers. In 1935, their Superman story was again rejected, but DC Comics printed another of their creations, Dr. Augustus knew that the power he needed to rule absolutely could not be derived from his Consulship, however. The story did not sell, forcing the two to reposition their character on the right side of the law. How free a hand the Senate had in these transactions, and what backroom deals were made, remain unknown. Their short story "The Reign Of The Superman" concerned a bald-headed villain bent on dominating the world. Both Antony and Octavian had purged the Senate of suspect elements and planted it with their loyal partisans.

Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster not as a hero, but as a villain. These actions were highly abnormal from the Roman Senate, but this was not the same body of patricians that had murdered Caesar. However, Superman continues to be a driving force in the medium after more than sixty years. Additionally, the harsh methods employed in consolidating his control meant that the change in name would also serve to separate his benign reign as emperor from his reign of terror as Octavian. Indeed, Batman has undergone an increasingly dark makeover. In the mindset of contemporary religious beliefs, it would have cleverly symbolized a stamp of authority over humanity that went beyond any constitutional definition of his status. On several recent occasions, Batman has faced Superman, and Batman has served as a foil to Superman's goodness; Batman, in his more recent incarnations, won't hesitate to use guile or underhanded tactics to gain an advantage, while Superman will be overly hesitant to use his natural gifts as an unfair edge. The title was associated with a religious ring in antiquity and is believed to be derived from auctoritas and the practises of augurs.

Superman fights fair long after both sides have begun swinging below the belt, knowing that his vast powers require him to act with equal restraint. Shortly thereafter, the Senate gave him the name "Augustus". Superman may seem old-fashioned and even quaint compared to the "dark avengers" who currently command the lion's share of the market, and this is intentional. Not only did the Senate turn him down, he was also given control of Hispania, Gaul, and Syria – the provinces with the greatest number of troops. Superman's "lily white" persona has been mocked, ridiculed, and spoofed, especially in recent comic book history, when "grim and gritty" comics dominated the market. In 27 BC, he officially returned power to the Senate of Rome, and offered to relinquish his own military supremacy and hegemony over Egypt. Superman's daily martyrdom is reflected tellingly in print during his reappearance in the mid-1990s miniseries Kingdom Come, where he is pictured as a bearded carpenter with a long beam of wood across his back, mirroring a Christ-like image of a man who gave himself for a world that, in that storyline, did not love him. Octavian was chosen for the powerful position of consul, the highest executive office of the Republic.

In many ways, Superman is truly one of the most "human" heroes conceived, since he responds to emotional grief in stark contrast to the way he shrugs off bullets, bombs, and death-rays. First, he disbanded his armies, and held elections. Far from a perfect individual, Superman is often pictured with a sense of childish innocence mixed with patriarchal restraint. He is also a man with an incredible depth of feeling, since he lives within his own mind as much as he does in the reality of society, often struggling with the differences between the right answer and the practical one. Octavian was clever. He writes fiction in his spare time, publishing two books, "The Janus Contract" and "Under a Yellow Sun". Moreover, Rome was not prepared to accept the control of a despot. This was a further motivation for Superman becoming a reporter, for it is then possible that his physical abilities give him no unfair advantage in a field where the critical skills are intellectual (although his editor, Perry White, praised him in Superman: The Movie as "the fastest typist I have ever seen"). After Actium, Octavian had his work cut out for him; years of civil war had left Rome in a state of near-lawlessness.

In this manner, Superman's excessive arsenal of powers is rendered secondary to his ability to convince others to act. Cleopatra also commited suicide after her coming role in Octavian's triumph was "carefully explained to her" and Caesarion, the son of Julius Ceasar by Cleopatra, was "butchered without compunction".^[3]. Through these conflicts, discussions of good and evil are formed, as Superman struggles with restraint in the face of bigotry, avarice, and cruelty. He pursued them there, and after another defeat, Antony commited suicide. It is also important that Superman often struggles with vast social issues in his fiction, including tackling world hunger, unsuccessfully, in a short wide-panel 1990s graphic novel called Peace on Earth. (with artwork by Alex Ross). Octavian defeated his rivals, who then fled to Egypt. This line of thinking, that Superman is a hero as deeply conflicted with his gifts as Batman is with his past, is key to the modern interpretation of Superman not as a better man, but what is best in man. It was quickly decided: in the bay of Actium on the western coast of Greece, the fleets met in a great battle in which many ships burned and thousands on both sides lost their lives.

In an extraordinary show of mutual respect, Superman has given Batman a ring of green kryptonite, so that if he ever lost his reason, posing a danger to himself or to humans, Batman could use the ring to defeat him. The situation grew more and more tense, and finally, in 32 BC, Octavian declared war. He therefore makes it a point of submitting to authority, helping him to feel a restraint on his actions. Antony occupied himself with military campaigns in the east and a romantic affair with Cleopatra; Octavian built a network of allies in Rome, consolidated his power, and spread propaganda implying that Antony was becoming less than Roman because of his preoccupation with Egyptian affairs and traditions. They reveal his self-doubts, and his fear that he might abuse his powers and become a monster, subject to no one. The Roman dominions were then divided between Octavian in the west and Antony in the east. Recent writers have attempted to deepen Superman's persona and provide a rationale for his goodness. Octavian then returned to Rome, while Antony went to Egypt, where he allied himself with Queen Cleopatra, the ex-lover of Julius Caesar and mother of Caesar's infant son Caesarion.

His modesty and humility catches his foes and critics off-guard, as they do not understand why he spends his life helping others and doing good. At Philippi in Macedonia the Caesarian army was victorious and Brutus and Cassius committed suicide (42 BC). He often acts behind the scenes and lets others receive the credit. Antony and Octavian then marched against Brutus and Cassius, who had fled to the east. He rescues cats from trees and participates in community fund-raisers. This went beyond a simply purge of those allied with the assassins and so the main motive was probably to raise money to pay their troops.^[2]. Superman has been willing to lay down his life or sacrifice his powers for good. The three formed a junta called the Second Triumvirate which unlike the First Triumvate was a grant of special powers lasting five years and backed by a law.^[1] They then set in motion the proscriptions in which 300 senators and 2000 Equites were deprived of their property and, for those who failed to escape, their lives.

He seems out of place and out of touch with his world because he is, in fact, the product of 'better times' more than the real world. After a tense standoff, he formed an uneasy alliance with Marcus Antonius and Marcus Lepidus, Caesar's principal colleagues. The education he received on the family farm is the most potent symbol for 'old fashioned values' one can conjure, and this helps ground the character. At Rome, he found Caesar's republican assassins, Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius, in control. While Jor-El sent Kal-El to Earth because he felt the human race had the capacity to be great and good if they wished to be, it is clear that Kal-El chose to become Superman and a force for good. He crossed over to Italy and recruited an army from among Caesar's veterans. This is why, despite the emphasis on Superman having powers "far beyond those of mortal men," his name referred also to his goodness. However, he culled support by emphasizing his status as heir to Caesar and took the name Gaius Julius Caesar (probably omitting the customary Octavianus; he is called "Octavian" by historians nonetheless).

As superhero stories became more oriented toward young readers, the writers moved toward his better known "boy scout" persona. Even so, Superman's capacity for a violent anger is a key element to many of the most 'dramatic' moments in his appearances, since it is this sort of telling snapshot into his psyche that allows readers and watchers to see that Superman's goodness is not inherent to his being, but learned, like it is with us. At the time, he was only eighteen years old, and was consistently underestimated by his rivals for power. Superman is also nearly always portrayed as having had some hand in WWII, when the timeline permits. When Caesar was assassinated in March 44 BC, his young heir was with the army at Apollonia, in what is now Albania. In one really early story in which the government would not help maintain low income areas unless a disaster occurred, Superman went on a rampage and created one. Julius Caesar Octavianus (hereafter "Octavian"). Originally, Superman's personality could be rough and destructive. By virtue of his adoption, following Roman custom, Octavius then assumed the name C.

When he had Kandor in his possession in the pre-Crisis comics, all of these improvisations were supplemented by the products of the professional tailors and lenscrafters available in the bottle city. The Roman historian Suetonius described Antony's accusation of an affair with Octavianus as political slander. Superman also sometimes carries spare change in his hollowed-out belt buckle, which also doubles as a Justice League communication device. Mark Antony charged that Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus had earned his adoption by Caesar through sexual favors. Since they were of Kryptonian origin, Clark could fire his heat vision through them without melting them (in contrast, the post-Crisis Clark has to lift his glasses [made of ordinary materials] off his eyes when he uses his heat vision). In 46 BC Caesar, who had no legitimate children, took his grand-nephew soldiering in Hispania, and adopted him by testament as his heir (see also adoption in Rome). In the original comics, Clark's eyeglass lenses were made from two small rounded pieces of glass from his spaceship. More importantly, his mother Atia was the niece of Rome's greatest general and de facto ruler, Julius Caesar.

In the post-Crisis comics, his costume is invulnerable because of the bioelectric field that his cells produce (see how it works). His father, also Gaius Octavius, came from a respectable but undistinguished family of the equestrian order and was governor of Macedonia before his death in 58 BC. While carrying passengers in flight, Superman would wrap them in his cape to protect them from air friction. Augustus was born at Rome with the name Gaius Octavius Thurinus. His armor-like costume could also protect others that wore it. . Said blankets, like everything else from Krypton under a yellow sun environment such as Earth's, shared Clark's invulnerability. He is generally known to historians by the title "Augustus" (revered one), which he acquired in 27 BC and as "Octavian" before then.

Superman's costume was created by Ma Kent; pre-Crisis, she created it out of the blankets from the rocket that brought him to Earth. He ended a century of civil wars and gave Rome an era of peace, prosperity, and imperial greatness. If his powers were disabled or he needed stronger protection, Superman also had his "Supermobile," a small flying car-like vehicle which could fly anywhere and use its powerful waldo arms to handle outside objects. Although he preserved the outward form of the Roman Republic, he ruled as an autocrat for more than 40 years. For situations involving kryptonite, Superman in the original comics had a collection of lead-lined suits for protection. Caesar Augustus (Latin: IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·AVGVSTVS)¹ (23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), known earlier in his life as Gaius Octavius or Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, was the first Roman Emperor and is traditionally considered the greatest. This one remaining robot was destroyed by superheroine Donna Troy, at the expense of her own life, though she was soon resurrected. ^  Alexander to Actium: Peter Green pp 697.

Post-Crisis, Superman at one time had built various Superman robots; however, all but one were destroyed, with the sole remaining robot currently being kept on duty at the Fortress of Solitude. ^  From the Gracchi to Nero: HH Scullard p164. He largely abandoned them when Earth's pollution began to interfere with their functions. ^  From the Gracchi to Nero: HH Scullard p163. Superman, in the pre-Crisis comics, also had androids that could impersonate himself (as both Superman and as Clark Kent). A trademark of the Fortress in all of its incarnations is a memorial statue of his Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara, holding up a globe of the planet Krypton.

Superman also stores in the Fortress various equipment, weapons, and vehicles of Kryptonian design, including a large fighting mecha called a battlesuit and a means of accessing the Phantom Zone. Superman and fellow superhero Steel encased the Fortress in a tesseract, permitting the Man of Steel to carry the Fortress wherever he travels. The device created the Fortress which contains much of Krypton's technology, including artificially intelligent robots. Post-Crisis, the Fortress was originally created by the Kryptonian artifact, the Eradicator, when Superman tried to dispose of it in Antarctica.

For years, Superman worked to reverse the city's condition, while also enjoying the opportunity to visit a native community where he was an honored guest. Most importantly, the Fortress was where Superman stored the bottle city of Kandor, which pre-Crisis, was a Kryptonian city shrunken and stolen by Brainiac prior to the planet's destruction. It also had tribute rooms to personal friends like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Batman, and Clark Kent (to throw off suspicion about his secret identity by visitors unfamiliar with it), where Superman prepared special gifts for each in the event of his death. Pre-Crisis, the Fortress included laboratories, a private zoo of alien animals, a room for communication with the Phantom Zone with a projector to place or remove people from it, a Krypton memorial, a trophy room, and a gym with custom exercise equipment.

While various 1940s comics made mention of Superman having a "mountain retreat," the Fortress in its familiar sense was first introduced in the comics in 1958. The Fortress acts as Superman's getaway, although it has communications equipment for urgent messages. The Fortress of Solitude, located in the Arctic in the pre-Crisis version of the mythos and (until recently) in Antarctica in the post-Crisis version, in recent issues of the comic book, however, the Fortress has been destroyed and Superman rebuilds it deep in the Amazon. Given his abilities, personal equipment plays less of a role for Superman than for other superheroes.

Kryptonians are also vulnerable to magical and psychic effects, although they are no more detrimentally affected by such effects than a normal human would be. The effects of the new blue kryptonite are unknown at this time. Recently, with the destruction of the Kryptonite meteor in Superman/Batman, large quantites of kryptonite have fallen to earth; new forms beyond the red and green are believed to be amongst them, however, only blue kryptonite has been seen in addition to the previously known types so far. Since that time, an updated version of red kryptonite was reintroduced into the comics.

Other variants were introduced sporadically, but after the 1986 John Byrne reboot, all versions except for green were retconned out of existence. Since Krypton was destroyed, its remains (rendered radioactive by the explosion) have been spreading throughout the universe as kryptonite, a crystalline substance which has several major variants:. As a Kryptonian, he has one specific area of vulnerability. But historically, many stories have established that Superman can in some manner have progeny.

On the television series Lois and Clark, the pair adopted a child who, like Clark, came from mysterious origins. The issue of whether Superman can father children is humorously explored in the movie Mallrats, as well as in the essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex by sci-fi author Larry Niven (originally published in his 1971 collection All the Myriad Ways.). Like humans, he needs food and water to survive. He does not sweat under earthly conditions, as no temperatures are high enough to make him secrete liquid to cool himself down.

Procedures like surgery are impossible without special equipment. Since he is not human, he cannot donate blood, tissue, or organs. There are some things Superman cannot do. It is unknown whether higher energy stars might increase his powers even more.

More recent exertions caused less of a power drain, suggesting that he is now either storing more energy, or growing stronger under the yellow sun. Earlier in his life, as in his battle with Doomsday, Superman's solar energy supply was depleted by exertion. In recent comics, Superman seems to be slowly building up immunity to kryptonite, and it is possible that its effect is in part psychological. His powers return quickly once the kryptonite is removed.

Kryptonite exposure also stops the process that converts yellow sunlight into superpowers, leaving Superman immediately weakened. Red solar radiation creates a chemical which does not lead to the super energy produced by K-ATP. Near a red sun, his powers would fail faster. He replenishes his supply even on cloudy days, and weakens only after a week without sunlight.

Superman's cells store vast amounts of yellow solar energy. He sees all wavelengths, from radio to X-rays, allowing him to detect thermal trails and other "invisible" things. His taste, smell, and touch are equally acute. Solar energy magnifies its accuracy, allowing him to fine-tune it.

Due to Earth's thinner air, he can hear things no human can. Superman's other senses are less linked to solar energy than his strength and speed. He is invulnerable to forces under 1 kt., and is harmed only by repeated blows of over 1 mt. His brain and nervous system keep up with his enhanced speed, as they too are amplified by K-ATP. When his cells become "supercharged" under a yellow sun, a Kryptonian becomes super-powered.

Superman has been shown shaving and presumably cutting his hair by reflecting his heat vision off of a piece of curved, reflective metal from the rocket in which he landed. His hair is invulnerable, too. This "aura" surrounds Superman's epidermis and teeth, and possibly his nails as well. First, cell membranes and organelles become more resistant to harm; secondly, a bioelectric field surrounds the cells, making them thousands of times tougher.

Under a yellow sun, other factors contribute to invulnerability. In addition, Krypton's gravity was 50-100 times stronger than Earth's, so Kryptonian cells are also much stronger and denser than a human's. "K-ATP" is produced rapidly, enabling a Kryptonian to build up reserves that permit days of super-powered activity in the absence of sunlight. The solar energy supplements respiration, such that when cellular materials (perhaps Kryptonian ATP) combine with glucose, they produce abilities beyond those of humans under a yellow sun.

Under a red sun, this yields increased abilities, which are multiplied a thousand-fold by a yellow sun. Kryptonian mitochondria absorb certain wavelengths of the radiation emitted by solar fusion. One such "scientific" explanation used in various recent analyses of how Superman's powers might work is as follows:. John Byrne in his 1986 reboot suggested that Superman's powers were telekinetic in their functioning (in addition to the traditional yellow sun explanation).

Krypton's red sun), as well as to a much lesser degree Earth's lower gravity; when under a red sun, a Kryptonian would be completely powerless, even if it was a low-gravity environment. In the early 1960s, after the introduction of Supergirl, this was amended to Kryptonians deriving their powers from mainly exposure to a yellow sun (vs. By the late 1940s, this was changed to Kryptonians only gaining superpowers when under a lower gravity environment such as Earth's. In the earliest comics, all Kryptonians were said to possess superpowers while on Krypton.

Various explanations have been offered over the years explaining how Superman's powers work. Superman's powers are derived from his Kryptonian biology and Earth's sun (a yellow star), and are likely increased by Earth's lesser gravity (versus Krypton's higher gravity). His strength too has increased, to the point of allowing him to move mountains again. As in the original series, writers again gradually increased his powers. Since "coming back to life" during The Death of Superman story arc, Superman can once again survive nuclear blasts, though they leave him wounded and weakened, and he can no longer fly faster than the speed of light or travel through time under his own power.

When Superman was revamped in 1986, he became more vulnerable and was no longer omnipotent. He could even vibrate his body so fast, the vibrations rendered him "invisible" to the human eye. From the 1940s through the early 1980s, Superman's powers were nearly unlimited: he could travel millions of light-years in brief periods of time; he could dive into stars unharmed; he could travel through time by moving at speeds faster than light; and he could move planets and lift any weight. His powers include:.

After Byrne's 1986 rewrite, Superman's powers were diminished, though have grown again since then. His powers were relatively limited in the early stories, but grew to become near-godlike by the 1980s. Superman possesses extraordinary powers which render him, as stated in the lead-in to the 1950s television series, "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound". Thus made invisible, he appeared to enter the building as Kent and exit seconds later as Superman.

In the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie, Kent, comically unable to use a newer, open-kiosk pay phone, entered a revolving door and changed clothes while spinning within it at superspeed. Clark sometimes has to quickly improvise in order to find a way to change unnoticed. In the comic books he rarely does so, favoring the Daily Planet's storeroom. In the Fleischer animated series of theatrical cartoons, he often ducked into a telephone booth to make the transformation.

When crises arise, Clark quickly changes into Superman. Fellow reporter Lois Lane became the object of Clark's/Superman's romantic affection. Lois's affection for Superman and her rejection of Clark's clumsy advances have been a recurring theme in Superman comics, television, and movies. Largely working on his own, his identity is easily kept secret. In Metropolis, Superman (as Clark Kent) works as a reporter at the Planet, "a great metropolitan newspaper" which allows him to keep track of ongoing events where he might be of help.

A 2004 miniseries, Birthright, introduced further changes to Superman's origin story, bringing back some of the pre-Crisis elements eliminated by John Byrne and introducing elements of the Smallville television series. Clark soon told her he was Superman, which caused a brief strain in their relationship, but they eventually married, in the mid-1990s special Superman: The Wedding Album. In the early 1990s, Lois and Clark fell in love. As in the original version, Lois Lane is Clark Kent/Superman's love interest.

The concept that Clark is the real man, and the greater emphasis on his earthly upbringing, is a deliberate reversal of the earlier, pre-Crisis version. Also post-Crisis, people do not suspect that Superman is hiding his real identity because he wears no mask. In the post-Crisis comics, Clark Kent is presented more as the "real" person, with Superman the secret identity that he presents to the world to prevent his enemies from harming his family or friends. The Kents were kept alive during Clark's transition to Superman.

The remodeled Clark did not become a superhero until just before starting work at the Daily Planet, when he prevented an experimental spacecraft from crashing in Metropolis. After leaving Smallville, he traveled the world before settling in Metropolis, completing his education, and going to work at the Daily Planet. In the retelling, Clark's powers developed gradually, beginning with his nigh-invulnerability, and he didn't fly until he was a teenager. As in the original version he was found and adopted by the Kents, and raised like a normal human.

Effectively this Superman was "born" on Earth, and was a "son" of Earth as much as Krypton. While a fetus, he escaped Krypton's destruction in a spacecraft (his "birthing matrix" with a rocket engine attached), and landed months later outside of Smallville, by which time he had fully gestated into an infant. In this "post-Crisis" version, starting with the miniseries The Man of Steel, Superman—like all "post-Crisis" Kryptonians— was created through in-vitro fertilization on Krypton. In 1986, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries, DC Comics hired writer/artist John Byrne to recreate the Superman character and retell the Superman mythos, reshaping the previous forty-eight years of stories by putting several new twists on the established mythos.

After graduating with a degree in journalism, Clark was hired by the Daily Planet. During his junior year, Clark changed his superhero name to Superman. After he graduated from high school and the Kents died, Clark moved to Metropolis to attend Metropolis University. At the age of eight, Clark adopted the superhero identity Superboy, and began to fight crime, both in the present and in a far future time as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

During this time, both Clark and the Kents had discovered Clark's amazing powers, and, with Clark realizing the good he could do with his powers, began training their adopted son to use his powers wisely. By the time Clark started school, the Kents had sold their farm and moved into Smallville, where they purchased a general store. After formally adopting him, the Kents raised him on their farm through his pre-school years. (In the earliest comics, the Kents were named "John" and "Mary"; in a 1942 text novel and the 1950s television series The Adventures of Superman, the Kents were named "Sarah" and "Eben.") They named him Clark, after Martha's maiden name.

Kal-El's ship landed in a field near the town of Smallville, and was discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent. Moments before Krypton exploded, they launched Kal-El in a rocket ship towards Earth, knowing that Earth's lower gravity and yellow sun would give the boy extraordinary powers. Disbelieving Jor-El's prediction, they refused to warn their fellow Kryptonians, and forbade Jor-El to do so. Jor-El promised that neither he nor his wife Lara would leave Krypton, and decided to use the little time remaining to save his son. When Kal-El was two or three years old, Jor-El learned that Krypton was doomed to explode, and he brought this to the attention of Krypton's ruling leaders, the Science Council.

In the legend extant in the early 1960s (and memorably summarized at the start of each episode of the 1950s Adventures of Superman television series^{[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman#fn_narration)}), Superman was born on Krypton as Kal-El, the son of Jor-El, a scientist and leader. The modern story of Superman's origin parallels that of other cultural heroes and religious figures ^{[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman#fn_narration)} who were spirited away as infants from places where they were in danger. These changes, while significant, permit the retention of the core elements that make Superman an iconic character. Editors and writers used the process of retroactive continuity, or retcon, to adjust to changes in popular culture, eliminate restrictive segments of the mythos, and permit contemporary storylines.

Superman's abilities and relationships have changed over time. Superman is a loan translation from the German Übermensch (literally "over-man" or "super-man"). Clark's love interest is fellow reporter, Lois Lane. When not fighting the forces of evil as Superman, he lives disguised as Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered reporter" for the Daily Planet.

As he grew, he discovered that he possessed superhuman powers. He was sent to Earth in a rocket by his scientist father Jor-El moments before Krypton exploded, landing on Earth outside the town of Smallville, where he was discovered and adopted by the amiable Jonathan and Martha Kent. Superman was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton. The character, who was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, subsequently appeared in various radio serials, television programs, and films.

Superman, nicknamed The Man of Steel, is a fictional character and superhero who first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938 and eventually became one of the most popular and well-known comic book icons of all time. In an episode of the television series The Monkees, the Monkees audition over the telephone in a phone booth, delaying Clark Kent from using the booth to change into Superman. Superman, who appears in the film wearing only polka-dot boxer shorts, is shown begging the astronauts for the return of his costume. In the Philippines-produced movie Fly Me To The Moon (produced around 1988), starring Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey De Leon (the hosts of Eat Bulaga!), Superman's costume got sucked into their spaceship's rocket booster while the three were on their way to the moon.

Unlike Superman, Suppaman can't fly, and instead pretends to fly by lying belly down on a skateboard and scooting through the streets. Slump, in the form of "Suppaman" (the way that Superman is written in Japanese katakana), a short, fat, pompous buffoon who transforms into a Superman-like costume by eating a sour (or "suppa" in Japanese) pickle. Japanese manga artist Akira Toriyama parodied Superman in his first series Dr. The story can be found in the collection "Superheroes", edited by John Varley and Ricia Mainhardt.

In this story, "Kyril Kentarovsky" took on the identity of "Bolshoiman", who attempted to represent Russia but only managed to get thrown into a gulag (with Leon Trotsky as his cellmate). Author John Varley wrote the short story "Truth, Justice and the Politically Correct Socialist Path", a parody where Superman does not land in the United States but in Soviet Russia. Various gag strips, including one by Sergio Aragones in which a hobo finds Clark Kent's abandoned suit inside a phone booth and steals it, and another by Don Martin in which a series of massive lifts induce a "super-hernia.". However, Incredi-Man did so by faking homosexuality;.

The character boasted such powers as incredi-hearing and incredi-viola playing, and like Superman, avoided World War 2 service. "The Incredi-Man Archives," an alleged reprint collection of a 1940s infringement of Superman (like Captain Marvel). "What If Truth in Advertising Laws Applied to Comic Book Previews," which made sport of DC Comics' killing and reviving the character;. "What If Superman Were Raised by Jewish Parents?" (in which the rabbi is unable to circumcise his super-foreskin, but he makes his mother proud by using his vision to become a radiologist);.

Other related pieces include:. Since then, numerous MAD articles about or including Superman have appeared, including parodies of the various TV and movie projects. From its earliest days, MAD Magazine has frequently spoofed the Man of Steel; some consider the parody "Superduperman!" (from issue #4) to be the magazine's first true example of what would come to be the MAD vein. The Saint from the independent comic The Pro was an obvious parody of Superman; he wore a blue spandex uniform with a red cape, had a day job as a reporter, and had an unrequited crush on his pushy co-worker.

In the darker Supreme Power reboot, Hyperion is taken from his foster family by the government and raised as a super-soldier to be acutely aware of his biological superiority, and believes himself to be better than all humans. Hyperion, originally of Marvel Comics' Squadron Supreme, was originally a tribute to Superman; like Superman, he was a solar-powered alien who fell to Earth in a spaceship and tried to live as a human. As a differentiating twist, Apollo is the gay lover of Midnighter, the corresponding Batman-pastiche. He also gets his powers from the sun, wears a spandex outfit with a triangular logo on the front, and possesses the powers of flight, heat vision and super-strength.

Apollo of the superhero teams Stormwatch and the Authority is often seen as a Superman-pastiche. 2000s: Justice League: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited by Warner Bros. Late 2000: Batman Beyond episodes "The Call Parts 1 & 2" by Warner Bros. 1990s: Superman: The Animated Series by Warner Bros.

Late 1980s: Short-lived Superman series based on the "new" DC Comics Superman produced by Ruby-Spears. Early 1980s: Super Powers: Galactic Guardians. 1970s: Hanna-Barbera Productions produces several Super Friends series. 1966: New Adventures of Superman.

1960s: Filmation's Batman-Superman Adventure Hour. 1940s: Fleischer Studios' Superman theatrical cartoons (17 in all, with Bud Collyer providing the voice of Superman). Starring Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent & Kevin Spacey as his archenemy, Lex Luthor. 2006: Superman Returns, to be directed by Bryan Singer.

2000s: Smallville television series, starring Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, and Kristin Kreuk, which places Smallville in Kansas. Mid-1990s: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television series, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. Early 1990s: Superboy television series, starring John Haymes Newton (1988-1989) and Gerard Christopher (1989-1992). 1988: Superman's 50th Birthday, TV Special.

1985: Supergirl spin-off movie, starring Helen Slater. 1980s: Superman films: Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, starring Christopher Reeve. 1978 Superman: The Movie, starring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, and Christopher Reeve. 1975: "It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman", TV special.

WTOP-TV (now W*USA) used a news theme music based on the play. 1966: "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman", a Broadway musical; lyrics by Lee Adams, music by Charles Strouse. 1951: "Superman And The Mole Men", feature film, and The Adventures of Superman TV series, both starring George Reeves. 1940s: Two Superman serials starring Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill: Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman.

1940s: Superman radio series, starring Bud Collyer and Joan Alexander. Yu: A "re-imagining" of Superman which brings back some old, pre-Crisis concepts and adds new modern ones. Superman: Birthright - a twelve issue maxi-series written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Leinil F. Superman: Red Son - written by Mark Millar, illustrated by Dave Johnson: Elseworlds story asks "What if Superman had been raised in the Soviet Union?" Superman now stands for workers' rights and the struggle for global equality, and sets out to promote world communism.

Superman For All Seasons - written by Jeph Loeb, illustrated by Tim Sale: Superman as a young man in a timeless, Rockwellian America, from confused lad to superpowered metropolite. Kingdom Come - written by Mark Waid, illustrated by Alex Ross: A painted epic, in which Superman has temporarily retired, giving way to a new breed of reckless, morally ambiguous superheroes. The story was novelized by Elliot S! Maggin. A novelization of the trilogy, entitled The Death and Life of Superman, was written by Roger Stern. The Death of Superman, World Without a Superman, and The Return of Superman - written by various artists, notably Dan Jurgens: the story of Superman's death, the world's (and his loved ones') reaction, and his eventual return.

The Man of Steel - written and illustrated by John Byrne: The revamp of Superman's origins following the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Originally published in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? - written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Curt Swan and George Pérez: The final chapter on the pre-Crisis Silver/Bronze Age Superman. Reprinted in Across the Universe: The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore (ISBN 1401200877).

DeMatteis. This story was originally published in Superman Annual #11 and recently adapted for the animated series Justice League Unlimited by J.M. "For the Man Who Has Everything" - written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Dave Gibbons: Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman journey to Superman's Fortress of Solitude to celebrate his birthday only to find their friend rendered comatose by the evil alien Mongul by an alien parasite that grants its host the illusion of their heart's desire. Miracle Monday - a novel by Elliot S! Maggin: tells the story of Superman trying to stop an entity of pure evil from causing universal chaos.

Last Son of Krypton - a novel by Elliot S! Maggin: Superman's "life story" is told and he faces a mysterious alien ruler. Justice League Unlimited. JLA Classified. JLA.

Superman/Batman. Adventures of Superman. Action Comics. Superman.

Gog: A human from the future who masters time travel, and hates Superman for allowing his parents to die. The Cyborg Superman: A reanimated astronaut cyborg who briefly impersonated Superman after his death, and also destroyed Green Lantern Hal Jordan's home of Coast City. The Toyman: An insane criminal who uses special equipment and weapons based on toys. Eventually, Superman, the superhero Steel, and Darkseid stopped Imperiex by using Doomsday as an ally, along with a powerful weapon called the Entropy Aegis.

Imperiex: An all-powerful force of nature whose purpose is destroying galaxies. Doomsday: A mindless, impossibly powerful, raging monster that "killed" Superman during the Death of Superman storyline. Intergang: A nationwide organized crime syndicate armed with weapons supplied in part by Darkseid. Parasite: A superpowered man who can absorb the powers, strength, and memories of any organic being, and wants Superman's power for himself.

Their leader is General Zod. Phantom Zone Prisoners: Pre-Crisis, these prisoners are Kryptonian criminals who hate Superman, as the son of their prison's creator, and become extremely destructive when they escape into Earth's yellow sun environment. The post-Crisis version is an alien entity who is an organic being, later converted into a robotic one, with similar ambitions. Brainiac: The pre-Crisis version is an alien android bent on conquest and Superman's death.

Mxyzptlk: A being from the fifth dimension with magical powers who delights in tormenting Superman and traditionally could only be made to return to his native dimension by being made to say or spell his own name backwards. Mr. Metallo: A criminal cyborg who prefers using kryptonite as a power source, which makes him a deadly threat to Superman. Bizarro: A grotesquely flawed duplicate of Superman who clumsily tries to emulate the original and causes a great deal of damage in the process.