Besides Dick Tracy, Capp parodied many other comic strips in Li ' l Abner — including Steve Canyon, Superman ( at least twice ; first as " Jack Jawbreaker " in 1947, and again in 1966 as " Chickensouperman "), Mary Worth, Peanuts, Rex Morgan, M. D., Little Annie Rooney and Little Orphan Annie ( in which Punjab became " Punjbag ," an oleaginous slob ).

These longer strips include The Bash Street Kids Adventures written and drawn by Kev F Sutherland which since 2004 have featured parodies of famous comic strip images, including Amazing Fantasy's first Spider-Man cover, Action Comics ' first Superman cover, and most recently the cover of X Men # 100.

When most people think of a superhero or a comic book celebrity, Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman will usually be the first that comes to mind.

Four comic books to have sold for over $ 1 million USD as of December 2010, including two examples of Action Comics No. 1, the first appearance of Superman, both sold privately through online dealer ComicConnect. com in 2010, and Detective Comics No. 27, the first appearance of Batman, via public auction.

From his first introduction in 1938 to the mid-1980s, " Clark Kent " was seen mostly as a disguise for Superman, enabling him to mix with ordinary people.

2, with the character of Bill noting that Superman was not born into his alter ego ( Spider-Man was " Peter Parker " first, Batman was born " Bruce Wayne "), using the blanket he was wrapped in as his costume, and Clark Kent is a collage of mankind's less impressive traits meant to blend in with other humans ( as well as a device to pursue Lois Lane's affections ).

Reeves, who first appeared as the character in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Men, was older than subsequent Superman actors.

In 1978, the first of four Superman films was made in which Clark Kent and Superman were portrayed by Christopher Reeve ( with teenage Kent played by Jeff East in the first film ).

Famously, the first version of Superman ( a bald-headed villain ) appeared in the third issue of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's 1933 fanzine Science Fiction.

He contributed to both of the first science fiction fanzines, The Time Traveller, and the Science Fiction Magazine, published and edited by Shuster & Siegel of Superman fame, in 1932, and by 1933 had 127 correspondents around the world.

Kryptonite, in its first comic appearance ( Superman vol.

Kryptonite is most commonly depicted as green in coloring, with a few exceptions ; it was red in its first appearance in Superman # 61 ( November 1949 ).

When Superman followed the time trail of a piece of red rock that weakened him, he was able to trace his origin back to Krypton for the first time.

He returns in Superman # 4, first trying to use a stolen Earthquake machine and challenging Superman to a duel of his science vs Superman's powers, which Superman wins ; however, this was just a distraction to allow him to steal the machine.

Superman: Birthright, a limited series written by Mark Waid in 2004, offers an alternate look at Luthor's history, including his youth in Smallville, and his first encounter with Superman.

He sees his job as a journalist as an extension of his Superman responsibilities ; bringing truth to the forefront and fighting for the little guy.

Though Superman defeats it, he sees that shock has placed Lois in a coma.

It has also been implied that Mxyzptlk sees himself as serving an important purpose, in teaching Superman not to take everything seriously.

In the story, Superman has an induced fantasy where he sees what his life would be like if Krypton had not exploded.

Superman escapes from his imprisonment and sees Brainiac emerging from his " bio-shell ".

Bane buries Batman alive, Star Sapphire makes Hal Jordan lose his will by having some people ( including a fake-robot version of Carol ) die in front of him, Cheetah infects Wonder Woman with a poison that makes everyone she sees be Cheetah, making her fight them all until her heart gave out, Mirror Master planted a bomb through Flash's wrist that would explode should he remove it, do nothing, or decelerate, should he chose to run ( which he did ), Metallo shoots Superman in the chest with a Kryptonite bullet, and Ma ' alefa ' ak coats the Martian Manhunter in magnesium sulfite and lights him on fire.

He sees a report about how they are planning to kill off Superman.

When Superman encounters the Futuresmiths, they show him a horrific future, with robotic monsters attacking civilians, and he sees himself as a cybernetic Superman attacking civilians as well.

In a cutaway Peter goes to hell and sees Adolf Hitler, Al Capone and Superman.

He offers a discount to any client whose plans include Superman, as he sees the Man of Steel's involvement as " the best kind of free advertising.

Later in the film, when the need to change is more urgent ( as he believes the city is about to be poisoned by Lex Luthor ), he simply jumps out a window of the Daily Planet offices, changing at super-speed as he falls ( the film merely shows the falling Kent blurring into a falling Superman ) and flies off.

In the final season, Clark Kent marries Lois Lane ( a few years after her almost-marriage to his arch-enemy Lex Luthor, whom she refused at the altar ), finding love, happiness, and completeness in this relationship which does not jeopardize his Superman persona.

DC Comics produces material featuring a large number of well-known characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Aquaman, Hawkman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash, along with superhero teams Justice Society, the Justice League, the Teen Titans, and the Doom Patrol as well as antagonists such as Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Sinestro, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, General Zod, Brainiac and Darkseid .< ref > Benton, Mike.

His major subsequent films include The French Connection ( 1971 ), in which he played Jimmy " Popeye " Doyle ; The Poseidon Adventure ( 1972 ); The Conversation ( 1974 ); Superman ( 1978 ), in which he played arch-villain Lex Luthor ; Hoosiers ( 1986 ); Mississippi Burning ( 1987 ); Unforgiven ( 1992 ); The Firm ( 1993 ); Crimson Tide ( 1995 ); Get Shorty ( 1995 ); The Birdcage ( 1996 ); Enemy of the State ( 1998 ); and The Royal Tenenbaums ( 2001 ).

Hackman showed a talent for both comedy and the " slow burn " as criminal mastermind Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie ( 1978 ), as he would in its 1980 and 1987 sequels.

In 2006, Spacey played Lex Luthor in the Bryan Singer – directed superhero film, Superman Returns.

Metallo was soon kidnapped and his power source forcibly removed by Lex Luthor who, after discovering its debilitating effects on Kryptonians, created a ring with a kryptonite gem to keep Superman at bay.

Superman goes in and tries to make Lupo tell him who Luthor is, but the face reappears and a green ray slices the stricken General in half.

Luthor attempts to kill Superman after threatening to kill Lois, but despite being weakened by his destruction ray, Superman is able to destroy it.

At the end of the story, Luthor was apparently killed when Superman caused the dirigible to crash.

Despite Superman destroying his base, Luthor apparently escapes, with Superman destroying the machine and the scientist who made it committing suicide to prevent its reinvention.

Luthor apparently dies here after being attacked by his monsters, after which Superman breaks the city's glass cover, causing the ocean to destroy it.

However, Luthor returns in Superman # 5 with a plan to place hypnotic gas in the offices of influential people, intending to throw the nation into a depression with the help of corrupt financier Moseley.

One theory is that Novak mistook Luthor for the Ultra-Humanite, a frequent foe of Superman who, in his Golden Age incarnation, resembled a balding, elderly man.

This revised origin makes Luthor's fight with Superman a personal one, and suggests that if events had unfolded differently, Luthor might have been a more noble person.

It also leads to years of Superman, Luthor, and Supergirl concealing the truth from Luthor's sister, Lena Thorul.

Luthor observes Superman in action, and once the gunmen are dispatched, hands the hero a personal check in an attempt to hire him.

When Luthor admits that he had not only anticipated the attack, but had arranged for it to occur in order to lure Superman out, the Mayor deputizes Superman to arrest Luthor for reckless endangerment.

In Birthright, Luthor remains a wealthy corporate magnate ; in contrast to Byrne's characterization, however, LexCorp is founded upon Luthor's study of extraterrestrial life, thereby providing a link between himself and Superman.