Talk:Superman

Superman popularized the genre

I disagree with the claim in the article's lead that Superman popularized the superhero genre. By 1938 the genre was ALREADY popular (and obviously Action #1 can't take credit for that). I'd say Superman had a great effect on the already popular genre and extending it into what is clearly superhuman abilities. (Note that precursors, such as The Shadow, had supernatural abilities (i.e. magical invisibility/hypnotic effect).) What Superman (and its competitors) did was push the "man of action" genre into the superhuman. (I'm not sure if this was from its inception or something that evolved over its initial years. Clearly, being an alien makes Superman a subgenre of sci-fi.) So: what was Action's market share at the end of 1938? 1940? etc. Citations please.98.22.50.44 (talk) 08:20, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

"what was Action's market share at the end of 1938? 1940? etc." I doubt that there are data for this, since the market was in its infancy. See History of American comics. "The first American-style true comic book, published independently of a newspaper (Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics), appeared in 1933. But most of the early comic books were newspaper-strip reprints, with original material and characters gradually emerging over the next few years. Before Superman, More Fun Comics (1935-1947) was the first American comic book series to feature solely original material rather than reprints. But its characters did not exactly have the star power of later anthology characters. The best remembered among them is probably the occult detective Doctor Occult (introduced in 1935), but the rest of the cast included Barry O'Neill and his archenemy Fang Gow, Sandra of the Secret Service (DC's first female action hero), the French swashbuckler Henri Duval, and several more obscure and short-lived characters. Superman is often credited with teaching publishers that the comic book market could be lucrative, and that they should try to either create or license the rights to popular characters if they wanted to attract an audience. Dimadick (talk) 09:25, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

References

Vulnerable to magic

This may be semantics but the article says Superman is vunerable to magic. In my opinion, it would be more accurate to say that he is susceptible to magic. Susceptible emphasizes an inherent nature or predisposition to be affected by something, often biologically based or a general openness. In contrast, vulnerable highlights a lack of protection, resources, or ability to cope, suggesting a more active state of being at risk due to external circumstances or internal weaknesses. You are susceptible to a disease due to your immune system, but you are vulnerable to the disease if you lack access to treatment. Christrollhealer (talk) 03:57, 10 September 2025 (UTC)

I have altered that section's wording to address this detail. IdiosyncraticLawyer (talk) 18:05, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

Protected edit request on 2 February 2026

Change the "Occasional equipment" section by expanding it with the following encyclopedic text, placed immediately under the existing section heading:

"On occasion, Superman has made use of specialized equipment, typically derived from Kryptonian technology or advanced Earth or alien science. Unlike some other superheroes, Superman does not regularly rely on tools or weapons, and such equipment is generally depicted as situational rather than integral to his crime-fighting activities.

In several stories, Superman has used vehicles designed to function under conditions that suppress his powers. One example is the Supermobile, a fictional aircraft equipped with defensive and offensive capabilities comparable to Superman’s own abilities. The Supermobile has appeared intermittently in comic books, particularly in stories in which Superman is exposed to red-sun radiation or other power-nullifying effects.

Superman has also employed advanced devices housed within the Fortress of Solitude. These include scientific instruments, containment fields, and energy-based technologies used for research, communication, and the secure storage of dangerous materials such as kryptonite. Such equipment is typically portrayed as an extension of Kryptonian science rather than as personal weaponry.

In earlier comic book stories, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, Superman made use of robotic duplicates commonly referred to as 'Superman robots.' These robots were designed to resemble Superman and possess a limited version of his abilities. They were used for purposes such as protecting his secret identity, performing hazardous tasks, or acting as decoys. In later stories, the use of these robots was reduced or reinterpreted, and they were often depicted as obsolete or ethically problematic."

This expansion summarizes well-established comic book canon, improves completeness of the section, and does not introduce original research. Skyrch (talk) 22:34, 3 February 2026 (UTC) Skyrch (talk) 22:34, 3 February 2026 (UTC)

Not done: your request appears to have been generated by a large language model. Day Creature (talk) 23:58, 3 February 2026 (UTC)

David Corenswet's Superman?

Considering the fact that there are personalized wikipedia articles on individual superman interpretations (i.e. The DCEU Superman, the Arrowverse Superman, The Christopher Reeve Superman, and the Smallville Superman), I think that similar treatment should be given to David Corenswet's DCU Superman.

As James Gunn's DCU continues to grow, the information revolving around Corenswet's iteration will quickly bloat the main superman article. Establishing a new separate article for Corenswet's Superman would provide a simple place to find information as well as allowing for more detail into what makes his character unique.

Additionally, this new article should be warranted because Corenswet's superman has crossed over from just being a film role. He's had a major influence in how regular fans view the character and news sites like the New York Times have commented on this impact as well. As for other points that would be needed for a "DCU Superman" Article, sites like "The Ringer" have delved into the development and tone of the character, both of which are unique to this iteration of superman and worth noting in a personalized article.

In conclusion, I think creating a personal article for David Corenswet's superman should be considered due to his increasing number of appearances, unique handling of the character, and growing intrigue and analysis among notable third party outlets.

~2026-31201-83 (talk) 20:20, 24 May 2026 (UTC)

Any individual article for Corenswet's version would have to satisfy the criteria established at WP:NFILMCHAR considering it would be splitting material and content from this article and others out into its own one. There is already a draft being incubated at Draft:Superman (DC Universe), until such a time that criteria is met. You are welcome to help contribute there. — Trailblazer¹⁰¹🔥 ^{(discuss · contribs)} 20:23, 24 May 2026 (UTC)

Joe Shuster Was CANADIAN

This article fails to mention that Joe Shuster was Canadian born and raised. It also fails to mention the impact that 1930’s Toronto had on Shuster on the visual development of Superman and Metropolis. ~2026-36089-73 (talk) 22:36, 20 June 2026 (UTC)