Superman (Earth-One): Difference between revisions
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The current 2000s [[CW Network]] alternate universe series ''[[Smallville (TV series)|Smallville]]'' focus on a Clark Kent (played by [[Tom Welling]]) who does not fly or wear the suit during his adolescence or teenage years. However, the ever-thinning relationship with Lex ([[Michael Rosenbaum]]) is changed with the Meteor Shower Clark arrived in having inadvertently caused Lex's disfiguring baldness and his supposed ability to recover quicker than normal. |
The current 2000s [[CW Network]] alternate universe series ''[[Smallville (TV series)|Smallville]]'' focus on a Clark Kent (played by [[Tom Welling]]) who does not fly or wear the suit during his adolescence or teenage years. However, the ever-thinning relationship with Lex ([[Michael Rosenbaum]]) is changed with the Meteor Shower Clark arrived in having inadvertently caused Lex's disfiguring baldness and his supposed ability to recover quicker than normal. |
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==Superman Earth One graphic novel== |
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{{main|Superman: Earth One}} |
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DC Comics will release an original graphic novel written by [[J. Michael Straczynski]] and with art by [[Shane Davis]].<ref>http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2009/12/07/dcu-in-2010-welcome-to-earth-one/</ref> The story focuses on a young Superman's decisions to use his powers to help the world rather than use his powers for his own benefit.<ref name="aintitcool.com">http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43302</ref> Due to the weekly series [[Trinity (comic book)]] creating a new Earth One this may be part of the DC multiverse, as J. Michael Straczynski said that it is not part of the main DCU.<ref name="aintitcool.com"/> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 03:42, 25 June 2011
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| Superman | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Created by | Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Kal-El/Clark Joseph Kent |
| Place of origin | Krypton |
| Team affiliations | The Daily Planet Justice League Legion of Super-Heroes Team Superman |
| Notable aliases | Gangbuster, Nightwing, Jordan Elliot, Supernova, Superboy, Superman Prime |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, senses, intelligence, regeneration, and longevity; super breath, heat vision, x-ray vision, invulnerability and flight |
The Superman of Earth-One is the Silver Age of Comic Books, Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths incarnation of Superman.
Publication history
In the mid 1950s, following the decline of super-hero comics after World War II, the editors at DC decided to revive some of them with completely new origins and backstories. Starting with The Flash in 1956, new versions were introduced as completely separate characters with no connection to previous incarnations. This concept eventually became canonized as the Multiverse.
With this in mind, the new Superman named Kal-El was established as having lived on Earth-One. His Golden Age counterpart Kal-L, the Earth-Two Superman, was retconned as having been a hero on Earth-Two. In addition, Kal-L was noted for having aged with graying temples and visible wrinkles, while the new Earth-One Superman was depicted as being far more youthful.
DC Comics will release an original graphic novel entitled Superman: Earth One, written by J. Michael Straczynski and with art by Shane Davis.[1] The story focuses on a young Superman's decisions to use his powers to help the world rather than use his powers for his own benefit.[2] Due to the weekly series Trinity (comic book) creating a new Earth One this may be part of the DC multiverse, as J. Michael Straczynski said that it is not part of the main DCU.[2]
History
Nearly identical in origin, powers, and motivations to the Earth-Two version, except in Kryptonian name and that he had his full complement of powers from childhood on (usually age eight), fighting crime in Smallville as Superboy. He met Lana Lang and Pete Ross in Smallville, his first love and his best friend respectively, and also had a Kryptonian dog Krypto as a pet. His cousin Kara Zor-El, another survivor of Krypton's doom, came to Earth and became Supergirl.
Superman's human identity of mild-mannered Clark Kent worked for the Daily Planet, his boss was Perry White, and his co-workers included Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Later, Clark worked for WGBS-TV, with his boss Morgan Edge, and Steve Lombard and Lana Lang as co-workers. This Superman's Fortress of Solitude was much more elaborate, locked with a huge key. He also had a broader range of vulnerabilities, including numerous varieties of kryptonite.
This Superman is the mightiest version of the character because his powers were nearer to being god-like than other versions. This Superman is strong enough to move an entire planet and can run faster than the speed of light, and often revealed new abilities as needed (anything a human could, he could somehow do it super). His enemies include Lex Luthor (an enemy from his days as Superboy on), Brainiac, Metallo, among many others. The leader of the Justice League of America, Superman was recognized as the world's greatest hero, and his legends would endure for centuries.
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Along with his Earth-Two counterpart, Kal-El perished when the Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted all comics continuity, and their universes were erased from existence. The Post-Crisis Earth would be an entirely new continuity, but some aspects of the Earth-One version remained intact. However, Clark's career as Superboy, Supergirl, and Superman's tenure with the Legion of Superheroes was removed entirely from the new timeline. Writer John Byrne acknowledged that he intended to reintroduce several modified Silver Age aspects such as Superboy to the comics, but he was fired after two years due to "creative differences" with DC.
Infinite Crisis
One Year Later after the Infinite Crisis, a number of the Earth-One elements have been restored to the Post-Crisis Earth (dubbed "New Earth"). Although several Byrne aspects, such as his portrayal of Clark's football days and love interest in Lana, remain in continuity, the Kryptonian criminal Jax-Ur has been re-introduced into "Post-Infinite Crisis" canon in the Superman: Last Son story arc, and Clark is revealed to have been made an honorary member of the Legion of Super Heroes during his late-teens. According to Clark, he met Mon-El and wrongly assumed him to have been his long-lost brother from Krypton, based on their similar names, and Superman still has a Legion flight ring in his possession. He is shown to have been wearing glasses as far back as his adolescent Smallville years, and he has actively been saving lives in a low-profile. Although he had a quite adventurous career as a teenager, he did not wear a costume or was referred to as "Superboy" in his own time, but as revealed in Superman: Secret Origin, he used the name while travelling to the future as a member of the Legion of Superheroes.
It is revealed in Countdown to Final Crisis #34, Lex Luthor did spend some time in Smallville under the care of his Aunt Lena. He did befriend and interact with Clark, Lana, and Pete, who were a few years his junior. Unlike the Earth-One or Birthright versions, he did not burn his hair off in an accident he blamed Clark for, but he left after a few months, "under a cloud of suspicion". Instead, like Byrne showed, his hair receded over time until he was bald.
In other media
The 1980s TV series Superboy, featured John Haymes Newton (Season 1) and Gerard Christopher (Season 2-onwards) in the role of the college-aged Clark Kent/Superboy. Like the Earth-One's Superboy, he was depicted as being a peer (but not a friend) of fellow student Lex Luthor, who blamed him for the loss of his hair after he rescued him from a laboratory accident.
The current 2000s CW Network alternate universe series Smallville focus on a Clark Kent (played by Tom Welling) who does not fly or wear the suit during his adolescence or teenage years. However, the ever-thinning relationship with Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) is changed with the Meteor Shower Clark arrived in having inadvertently caused Lex's disfiguring baldness and his supposed ability to recover quicker than normal.