Superman is one of the oldest superheroes in the genre. He’s the O.G. man in tights, flying faster than a speeding bullet, leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Like many heroes, he too has built up somewhat of an entourage; many of which also wear the crest signifying the house of El. We’ve talked about the Batman Family here on The Nerdd before, but many of the people in Superman’s family are actually related to him. So lets take a look at those people with the “S” emblazoned upon their chests and hope inscribed on their hearts.
Lois Lane-Kent
Where would Clark Kent be without Lois Lane? Lois Lane worked as a hard hitting investigative journalist at the Daily Planet in Metropolis where Clark Kent worked. Initially the shy Clark Kent went unnoticed by Lois, who was primarily fixed on Superman, but eventually Superman revealed himself to be Clark and she saw all along that she had loved this man. They were later married and had a child named Jonathan Kent. Lois is the daughter of Samuel Lane, a career military officer. During her childhood she received training under her father, and can hold her own in most situations. Skilled writer, tenacious reporter, dedicated wife and mother, and kick-butt fighter, Lois Lane is a jack of all trades and a welcome addition to the family.
First Appearance:
Action Comics #1 (1939)
Recommended Reading:
Supersons
Action Comics Rebirth
Superman Rebirth
Superboy
Jonathan “Jon” Samuel Kent was born to Lois and Clark during convergence when many DC Universes were colliding together. For a while, Jon had no idea the identity of his father or that he too was half Kryptonian. It was not until an inter-gang encounter that he learned the truth about his powers, and was later trained by his father, and later his grandfather Jor-El, to become a superhero alongside his father, and often times is seen with his best friend Damian Wayne as the “Supersons.” Jon now flies the skies as Superboy, aspiring everyday to be more and more like his father.
First Apperance:
Convergence Superman #2 (2015)
Recommended Reading:
Supersons (2016)
Superman Rebirth (2016)
Supergirl
Kara Zor-El, cousin of Kal-El and native of Argo City on Krypton, survived the disaster at Krypton and was likewise jettisoned off into space after her baby cousin. Per her father’s instructions she orbited Earth secretly in stasis. When she landed, Kal-El had grown to be Clark Kent and mentored her. She took the name Kara Danvers and became Supergirl, adopting a similar outfit to that of her cousin, and defends Earth alongside him.
First Appearance:
Superman #123 (1958)
Recommended Reading:
Supergirl: Last Daughter Of Krypton (2011)
Man Of Steel (2018)
Superman/Batman: Supergirl From Krypton (2004)
Jimmy Olsen
Superman’s pal and greatest fan. Jimmy Olsen, photographer at the Daily Planet has been getting into as many zany situations for as long as Superman has been defending the world. Always there for Superman when he needs him to be, and with no powers whatsoever, he somehow finds a way to help out (though often times he’s transformed into something crazy). He’s had many adventures and is often seen at the side of Lois, Clark, or the Big Blue Boy Scout himself.
First Appearance:
Superman #13 (1941)
Recommended Reading:
Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (1954-1974)
All Star Superman (2005)
Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (2019)
Kon-El
Kon-El, the other Superboy. Kon-El was cloned by Cadmus in order replicate Superman. He shares the powers of Superman, but is perhaps a little weaker. The continuity regarding Kon-El is somewhat murky, but the basis that he is a clone of Superman has always remained somewhat the same. Kon-El is often seen fighting alongside the Teen Titans or with Young Justice.
First Appearance:
The Adventures of Superman #500 (1993)
Recommended Reading:
The Reign Of The Supermen (1993)
Teen Titans (2011)
Young Justice (2019)
Power Girl
Karen Starr (Or Kara Zor-L) hails from Earth-Two and is Supergirl’s counterpart on that Earth. After being thrown from Earth-Two to the mainstream Prime Earth, she has had run ins with many heroes outside of the Superman family including many adventures with Harley Quinn. Head of Starr Enterprises and just as powerful as the rest of the gang, Power Girl is a strong addition to the group.
First Appearance:
All Star Comics #58 (1976)
Recommended Reading:
The Justice Society (1999)
Earth 2 (2011)
Harley Quinn and Power Girl (2016)
Krypto The Superdog
Jor-El and Lara-El had a faithful canine companion on Krypton. During an incident where the incarcerates in the Phantom Zone tried to escape, their dog Krypto fought the criminals, but in the ensuing battle was sucked into the Phantom Zone. Years later an adult Kal-El would retrieve Krypto from the Phantom Zone and bring him to Earth where he would be the loyal and faithful companion to the Superman Family for years to come.
First Appearance:
Adventure Comics #210 (1955)
Recommended Reading:
Legion of Superpets
SuperWoman
Lana Lang, childhood friend of Clark Kent back in Smallville, became Superwoman after the death of Prime Earth Superman. The leftover energy of this Superman was absorbed into Lana Lang and Prime Earth Lois Lane. Both exhibited superhuman powers. Prime Earth Lois died leaving Lana Lang as the only remaining Superwoman. After the events of Superman Reborn her powers were somewhat stripped, yet the energy in her suit remained, which was later revealed to be the power of red kryptonite. She’s been a lifelong friend of Clark and a loyal and helpful friend in times of need.
First Appearance:
Superboy #10 (1950)
Recommended Reading:
Superwoman #1 (2016)
Steel
John Henry Irons, named for the hero of legend, grew up admiring superheroes, especially Superman. He created the Metal-Zero suit and forged Superman’s symbol of hope on it in order to inspire and to protect. He protects Metropolis with his niece Natasha Irons who developed her own power armor. They both share the name of Steel and, with Lana Lang, form team Steel, working to rid the world of injustice.
First Appearance:
John Henry Irons: The Adventures of Superman #500 (1993)
Natasha Irons: Action Comics #806 (2003)
Recommended Reading:
Reign Of The Supermen (1993)
Titans (2016)
The New Superman
Son of Kuang Maitai (The Liberty Goddess of the Freedom Fighters of China), Kenan Kong was raised with the principles of truth and justice. After the death of his mother, Kong became somewhat cynical and a bully. While bullying one of his victims, they were attacked by Blue Condor. Kenan threw a soda can at Blue Condor causing him to flee. This was caught on camera and the Ministry of Self Reliance picked Kenan for their Superman of China project. He was imbued with the powers of a dead Kryptonian and became the New Superman. This newfound responsibility brought out the good and hopefulness in Kenan, who now works in the Justice League of China fighting for the good in his country.
First Appearance:
The New Superman #1 (2016)
Recommended Reading:
The New Superman (2016)
Lex Luthor
Short lived as Superman, but following the events of Forever Evil and the death of Prime Earth Superman, Lex Luthor stepped in as the defender of Metropolis in honor of his fallen comrade on the Justice League (for up until this point Lex Luthor had joined the Justice League after Forever Evil). With an Iron Man like suit, Luthor combined his smarts and his ingenuity with technology and power to become a Superman unlike anything seen before.
First Appearance:
Action Comics #23 (1940)
As Superman: Action Comics (2016)
Recommended Reading:
Action Comics (2016)
Mister Oz
Jor-El, father of Superman, survived the destruction of Krypton by means of an unknown inter-dimensional interloper. This being took Jor-El to Earth and forced him to witness the atrocities of man. He adopted the name of Mister Oz at this point and began working behind the scenes in the DC Universe. When young Jonathan Kent became of age, when his powers began to more rapidly manifest themselves, he took Jonathan and Lois into space to train the young Superboy and provide guidance. Not quite on the same page with his son Kal-El, but ultimately having the his best interests in mind, Mister Oz is a powerful being in the Superman Family.
First Apperance:
Action Comics (1939)
As Mister Oz: Superman #15 (2019)
Recommended Reading:
Detective Comics #940 (2016)
Man Of Steel (2018)
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