Ten on Tuesdays: 10 Pieces of Superman Trivia

Last night I watched the 1978 "Superman," which got me in a Superman kind of mood.  So today's Ten on Tuesday is all about the big man in blue.

1.  Kal-el, Superman's name from planet Krypton,  is Hebrew.  (Creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel were both Jewish.  Siegel named all of the characters.)  The exact meaning is debatable, but it can be read as "Son of God" (that makes Jor-El, his father, "Father God"), or "Strength of God," or "Star Child."  No matter the interpretation, Sielgel intended messianic symbolism in his name.

2.  In the original 1939 comics, Superman couldn't fly, but could only 'leap tall buildings in a single bound,' or more specifically, up to 1/8 of a mile.  (see strip to the left)

3.  In the DC universe, Clark Kent officially tied the knot with Lois Lane in 1997.  In the future though, after Lois dies and Superman doesn't age, he eventually ends up with Wonder Woman. (boo.)

4.  There is a comic trilogy called Superman: Red Son that examines what it might be like if Superman landed in Russia instead of the US.

5.  Metropolis, the city Superman calls home, has come to be representative of NYC.  Frank Miller (a Batman author) has said that "Metropolis is New York in the daytime; Gotham City is New York at night."

6.  In the DC universe, Superman gives Batman a piece of Kryptonite to take him out in case he ever gets out of control.

7.  While green Kryptonite makes Superman weak and can be lethal, red Kryptonite has a variety of effects on him (i.e. intensifying his powers, making him apathetic, etc.).

8.  Many actors and actresses closely associated with the Superman character have met tragic fates.  This has led to the conception of the "Superman Curse" (another post for another day). 

9.  In "The Death and Return of Superman" DC storyline, villian Doomsday actually kills Superman, but he is soon resurrected.

10.  The phrase the "never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way" was originally just the "never ending battle for truth and justice."  "The American Way" was added during WWII, then dropped, and then added again.  (And now dropped again it seems.)

I'm not a big comic book person, but I grew up watching and reading all of the Superman I could get my hands on.  He's a great character, with a great supporting cast, and his storylines regularly examine timeless questions of humanity, love, good and evil, morals, and identity.

P.S.- Don't forget to vote in the poll at the top left for which book I should read and review next.