Kal-El survived the destruction of his homeplanet of Krypton by being rocketed to Earth. He was found and adopted by Martha and Jonathan Kent, who gave him the name Clark Kent. Due to his alien physiology, Clark developed superpowers. He used his abilities as the superhero Superman and as a member of the Super Friends.[1]
History
Wanted: the Super Friends
Using magical finger puppets, Felix Faust brainwashed Superman into delivering the Red Jar of Calythos to him. Seeing himself as a danger to others, Superman turned himself into the police. Later that day, Faust had Superman break out of prison and reunite with his teammates in his apartment building. On their way their, he and Batman met Snapper Carr, a neighbor of Faust who idolized Superman. Inspired by his Superman costume, Batman had the Super Friends switch uniforms, negating Faust's powers. Afterwards, Green Lantern took the artifacts Faust was seeking off-planet.[2]
Happy Birthday, Superman!
In celebration of his birthday, the people of Metropolis built the Superman Museum in his honor. On the day of its grand opening, a parade was held for Superman, only for it to be attacked by Lex Luthor and his Mechanical Monsters. While the Super Friends were able to defeat the robots, Lex turned Superman into Superbaby. Using the Speed Force, Superman's ally, The Flash, was able to return him to his normal age. In response, Lex then aged him seventy years. Superman decided to talk out the situation instead of fighting and Lex revealed this was all because he was envious of the admiration the people of Metropolis gave Superman and didn't understand why he never received such love. Superman took him inside showed him that the people considered him the city's greatest supervillain. Remorseful, Lex deaged the elder Superman and was taken to jail.[3]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Kal-El possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. These include:
- Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Kal-El's super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. His biological make up includes a number of organs which lack analogues in humans and whose functions are unknown. It is believed that between one or more of these and his bio-cellular matrix, "yellow" solar energy is stored for later use. This allows for the use of these powers to fade when yellow solar radiation is not available instead of immediate failure.
- Heat Vision: Kal-El can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. He can vary the heat and area affected.
- Super-Hearing: Kal-El's hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill and concentration, he can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency.
- Enhanced Vision: Kal-El's vision processes the entire electromagnetic spectrum as well as allowing vast control over selective perception and focus.
This umbrella ability includes the following:- Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision: Kal-El can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. He can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, he can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows him to see the aura generated by living thing.
- Telescopic Vision: This is the ability to see something at a great distance, without violating the laws of physics. Though limited, the exact extent of the ability is undetermined. In function, it is similar to the zoom lens on a camera.
- X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through any volume of matter except lead. Kal-Els can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. He can focus this ability to "peel back" layers of an object, allowing hidden image or inner workings to be observed. The exact type of energy perceived—such as x-rays, cosmic rays, or some other energy invisible to normal humans—is unclear. This ability perceives an ambient energy source though, it does not involve the eye projecting a concentrated, possibly toxic, beam to be reflected back from objects.
- Microscopic Vision: This is the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the atomic level.
- Infrared Vision: Kal-El can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
- Flight: Kal-El is able to manipulate graviton particles to defy the forces of gravity and achieve flight. This ranges from hovering to moving in any posture, in any direction.
- Invulnerability: Due to the interaction of his dense molecular structure and supercharged bio-electric aura, Kal-El is nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, his extends this protection against toxins and diseases.
- Superhuman Stamina: Kal-El is able to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. This based on his body converting yellow solar radiation directly to energy but is limited by physiological and psychological needs to eat, drink, and sleep.
- Superhuman Strength: Kal-El's strength is augmented by yellow solar radiation interacting with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of his musculature. His strength is more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables him to perform physical feats that are beyond the mere application force, such as moving a mountain top without said rock crumbling under its own mass.
- Superhuman Speed: Kal-El is able to move at incredible speed by sheer force of will. This extends to his perceptions and allows for feats such as catching bullets in mid-flight as well as covering vast distances in little or no time.
This also confers: - Super-Breath: Kal-El is able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from his lungs. He can chill the air as it leaves his lungs to freeze targets. He can also reverse the process to pull large volumes of air or vapor into his lungs.
- Longevity: Kal-El can live longer than regular humans, remaining at his prime as long as he was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.
Abilities
Weaknesses
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Kal-El possesses the same potential weaknesses as an average Kryptonian. These include:
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Transportation
Related
- 53 Appearances of Kal-El (Earth-508)
- 45 Images featuring Kal-El (Earth-508)
- 10 Quotations by or about Kal-El (Earth-508)
- Character Gallery: Kal-El (Earth-508)
Footnotes
  This character is or was an incarnation of or an ally of Batman, and a member of the Batman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Batman Family members" category. |
 Daily Planet Staff member |
 This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 Superman Family member |