What is Superman’s real name?

The name he goes by on Earth is Clark Kent, but on his native planet Krypton he was named Kal-El. You can also call him the Man of Steel, of course.

When was the world first introduced to the superhero Superman?

Superman originally appeared as a character in a comic book in 1938. The character went on to be featured in a newspaper strip which ran for more than three decades and even today continues he still appears in DC Comics comic books distributed worldwide through 25 languages in over 40 countries. He’s been almost 70 years!

When was Superman first brought to the big screen and how many times has Superman been the subject of a movie?

The Man of Steel first appeared on the big screen in 1941 as the starring role of 17 animated shorts produced by Fleischer Studios, along with two live action serials. Since the early 40’s the character has starred in five feature films, not to mention several successful television series’. The first feature film starring superman was 1951’s Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves. This started the subsequent television series.

In the movie Superman Returns, Superman/Clark Kent returns after a long absence. How long was he away and what was he doing?

Superman had mysteriously disappeared from earth and was away for five years. During that time, Superman traveled to the far reaches of space in search of traces of his home planet and his family or others like himself. Instead, he finds a radioactive ruin where Krypton once stood and decides to return back to the Kent farm in Kansas.

Other than the strong resemblance in looks and mannerisms of previous Superman the late Christopher Reeve, what went into the decision to cast unknown newcomer Brandon Routh as Superman?

According to Warner Bros. press materials, Singer needed an actor who could embody all the qualities of Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman and who was up for the challenge of the rigorous physical and emotional demands of the role. He also wanted to cast an actor who would be a worthy successor to Reeve. But, from the very beginning, Singer was intent on casting an unknown actor. Routh fit the part in all of these ways as well as his resemblance to Reeve.