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| The Superman Saga | |
| • Overview • Superman in Fiction • Superman on Television • Superman in Film • Related Films •Further Exploration • | |
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| Overview | |
The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and first appeared in Action Comics #1 in June 1938. He got his own title the following year. Superman, whose real name is Kal-El, came to Earth as a baby, sent by his father Jor-El from the dying planet Krypton. He was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent and raised in Smallville as their son Clark. As an adult Clark Kent came to Metropolis to work as a reporter for the Daily Planet; his co-workers include Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen; Perry White is his editor. He takes on the secret identity of Superman. Superman's powers come from his origin on the planet Krypton with its different sun and gravity. Superman can fly; he has X-ray vision and super hearing. He cannot be harmed by ordinary weapons. However, his X-Ray vision cannot see through lead and he is vulnerable to kryptonite, the mineral that resulted from the destruction of his home planet. |
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| Superman in Fiction | |
| It's Superman! | |
| by Tom De Haven 2005 |
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| Preview: This novel, set in 1935 at the height of the Depression, is a reimagining of Superman's origins as fanboy Clark Kent who slowly discovers his powers and meets moth Lois Lane and Lex Luthor. | |
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| Superman on Television | |
| • Adventures of Superman • Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman • Smallville • | |
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| Adventures of Superman | |
| 1952-58 Starring: George Reeves |
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| Preview: Superman, "disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way." | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman | |
| 1993-97 Starring: Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain |
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| Preview: This series is a dramatic comedy that focuses on the relationships between Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Superman. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Smallville | |
| 2001-- Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar Starring: Tom Welling as Clark, Kristen Kreuk as Lana Lang, and Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor; also starring Annette O'Toole and John Schneider as Martha and Jonathan Kent |
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| Preview: High school student Clark Kent discovers and begins to adjust to his powers and his alien origin. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Superman in Film | |
| • Superman • Superman II • Superman III • Superman IV • Superman Returns • | |
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| Superman | |
| 1978 Directed by Richard Donner Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margo Kidder, and Gene Hackman |
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| Preview: Superman reveals himself to Metropolis and battles Lex Luthor. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Superman II | |
| 1980 Directed by Richard Lester Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp |
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| Preview: Superman decides to forego his powers to marry Lois, but then must do battle with criminals from the planet Krypton who have escaped from the Phantom Zone. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Superman III | |
| 1983 Directed by Richard Lester Starring: Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor |
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| Preview: Superman is affected by synthetic kryptonite | |
| Internet Movie Database entry |
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| Superman IV: the Quest for Peace | |
| 1987 Directed by Sidney Furie Starring: Christopher Reeve |
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| Preview: Superman tries to broker nuclear disarmament. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry | |
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| Superman Returns | |
| 2006 Directed by Bryan Singer Starring Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, and Parker Posey |
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| Preview: After 5 years away searching for the remnants of his home planet, Superman returns to Metropolis to find Lois an unwed mother engaged to be married and to face Lex Luthor again. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry | |
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| Related Films | |
| • Supergirl • Hollywoodland • | |
| Supergirl | |
| 1984 Directed by Jeannot Swarc Starring: Helen Slater |
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| Preview: Kara, Superman's cousin from Krypton, comes to earth to retrieve a power source for her home world. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry | |
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| Hollywoodland | |
| 2006 Directed by Allen Coulter Starring Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane |
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| Preview: This is a fictional account of the career and death of actor George Reeves who played Superman on television in the 1950s. | |
| Internet Movie Database entry | |
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| Further Exploration | |
 Links |
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