Can You Name These 25 Superman Characters?
- by Ryan Carlquist
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Superman is arguably the most iconic superhero of all time. His films, comics, and animated series speak volumes to the role he has played in popular culture. Originally he was a figure for everything red, white, and blue, but he's slowly become a global figure of justice and hope. He's been recreated, his origin has been retold, and his powers have only grown more complicated and numerous, but the true core of the character has stood the test of time. True Superman fans would be able to list off all of their favorite characters from the Man of Steel's corner of the DC Comics Universe, and it would be an incredibly long list at that.
Some of his supporting characters are as iconic as he is, and some of the lesser known entities end up being some of the most clever or strange comic book creatures ever created. With the likes of Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, and Dan Jurgens putting their devotion and energy into crafting wonderful stories around the big blue boy scout, we've gotten a wealth of captivating and sometimes philosophically challenging works revolving around the Last Son of Krypton. Without further ado, test your knowledge of the Man of Steel, and see: Can You Name These Superman Characters?
Who is Superman's foremost lady love?
Perhaps as famous of the Man of Steel himself, Superman’s love interest is known the world over because of her steadfast demeanor and her inherent bravery. She’s often been written as the spouse of Kal-El, but she’s best known as the girl of Clark’s dreams, the one that he can never have, but is always chasing after. When they are together, she inspires Clark to be better, and she is always by his side. It takes a truly powerful woman to stand next to such a strong and just individual, and this character does all that and more.
Who is Clark Kent's sidekick?
The clumsy and naïve sidekick to Clark Kent, this character has been a fan-favorite for years because he represents the “every man,” what we could imagine ourselves being like around Superman. And although this individual is not always the most intellectual, or the strongest in the room, his bravery and moral compass make him a character to look up to. And in Grant Morrison’s fantastic graphic novel, All-Star Superman, this character even ends up getting to turn into the infamous villain, Doomsday, if only for a few pages.
Who is Superman's cyborg nemesis?
Easily one of Superman’s most nefarious villains, this character is a cyborg made of an alloy bio-skeleton with a chunk of kryptonite that powers the body, buried within the chest. This character is considered by many to be one of the greatest comic-book villains of all time, as he’s constantly a nuisance for the Man of Steel. In the modern age of comics, the character was retrofitted as a young thief who got into an awful car crash, only to be saved by a doctor who had a particular hatred for Superman, and Kryptonians in general.
Which superman villain can drain energy from organic life forms??
Another great addition to Superman’s rogues gallery, this villain was made popular in the post-crisis era, due to his interesting origin and unique powers. This character was tricked by Darkseid into investigating a nuclear waste container, which Darkseid promised held an important secret. Instead of a secret, he found a strange radiation that attached itself to his body and changed his very biological structure. He then gained the ability to drain organic life of its energy, transferring it into fuel for himself. It’s truly heartbreaking because unless he drains energy from people, he will be in agony and die.
Which super-intelligent villain often shows up as an alien android?
Superman’s more intelligent nemesis, this villain is generally portrayed as an extraterrestrial android, and in the Infinite Crisis storyline, it is revealed that for decades the original character had been sending out basic probed to fight Superman, while the original slept. In the story, Superman defeats probe #242, and it finally wakes up the original. It was also revealed that this villain was obsessed with shrinking giant cities, and gaining their knowledge, which he did to Kara Zor-El’s home of Kandor. Those interested in the story can play it through its entirety in the new Injustice 2 video game.
Which Superman villain rules over Apokolips?
Superman’s most volatile and powerful foe, this new god rules over the planet of Apokolips, and commands his army of parademons to seek out the infamous “anti-life equation.” This villain was also teased as a major DCEU player in Zack Snyder’s 2016 film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The villain is famous for his great intellect and his insurmountable power. This is one of the greatest villains for Superman because he challenges him on a physical as well as mental level, forcing Superman to think further outside-the-box, rather than punching his way through.
Who pits fighters against each other in gladiatorial games?
The leader of Warworld, a space empire in which this character puts gladiatorial games to entertain the planet’s population. He searches the universe for the most powerful warriors to compete in the games, and is searching specifically for a champion that can defeat his greatest competitor, Draaga. Superman and Draaga end up fighting, but Superman is able to convince Draaga to help him bring down the Warworld leader. The character has an amazing introduction in Bruce Timm’s Justice League series, which adapts the entire Warworld arc, with a few minor alterations.
Who is this brave dog?
Everyone’s favorite superhero canine companion, this “Super Dog” has been with the Man of Steel since 1955, and he’s been depicted numerous times over the years in comics, games, television series, etc. He’s as much a hero as his faithful owner, and he has the same power set as superman and the same amount of strength (relative to his size). He was originally the test subject for Jor-El’s rocket, and miscalculations led his pod meandering through space for many years longer than baby Kal’s. He also has a disguise, he pulls his collar with his attached cape off, appearing normal.
Which Daxamite escaped the Phantom Zone?
This particular character has undergone numerous changes over the years, but he is usually portrayed as a Daxamite, who landed on Krypton right before it imploded. Jor-El informed him that the planet was about to explode, and he was left in the Phantom Zone to survive. He eventually escaped from the Phantom Zone and made his way to Earth, with a map provided to him through Jor-El. He was given his name because he landed on Earth on a Monday, and he resembled the members of the house of El.
Who is Jor-El's father and the leading Kryptonian scientist?
The biological father of Superman, and Krypton’s leading scientist, this man had all the intellect and emotional knowledge needed to keep his son alive, even lightyears away from his birthplace. He has been depicted over and over again, most recently in film in Man of Steel, but his most famous appearance is most certainly in Superman: The Movie. He’s been portrayed and voiced by some of the most famous actors in history, including Marlon Brando, Russell Crowe, and Christopher McDonald, among others.
What is supergirl's real name?
This character has been thrust into the mainstream audience’s conscious with her own show on The CW. She has teamed up with both Green Arrow, Flash, and the Legends of Tomorrow in the television world, but she’s been a Justice League member and hero-collaborator for years in the comics. She was also recently a leading protagonist in the Netherrealm Injustice 2 video game, where we get to see the heroines origin and her own quest to hunt down the nefarious Brainiac. She’s just as strong (if not stronger) than her cousin, Kal, and she’s always been confident and level headed.
What is the superhero name given to Jonathan Samuel Kent, among others?
This characters given hero title has been provided to numerous heroes over the years, but it was originally provided to a young Clark who was using his powers in his hometown of Smallville. In 1993, this title was given to a clone of both Superman and Lex Luthor, Kon-El. And then in 2016, the mantle was passed to Jonathan Samuel Kent, the son of both Clark and Lois Lane. The character is perhaps best known because of his inclusion in the Cartoon Network series, Young Justice.
What is the name of this superhero from Earth-Two?
This particular superheroine made her first appearance in All Star Comics #58. She’s the cousin of Superman, from an alternate universe within the ever expanding multiverse of the DC Comics Universe. She is from Earth-Two, and she was later stranded in the main universe that the Justice League and their companions operate within. Her origin story is very similar to Supergirl’s, in that she is the daughter of Superman’s aunt and uncle, and is from Krypton. Her parents also placed her in a pod, which took much longer than Superman’s to reach Earth, similar to Kara Zor-El.
What is the name of General Zod's son?
This particular character has one of the most interesting backstories in all of comic history, as he is the son of both General Zod and Ursa, and the adopted son of both Clark Kent and Lois Lane. He’s a fairly new character, appearing first in 2006, in the comic run, Superman: Last Son. The character has even gone so far as to assume the position of Nightwing, under Batman. And on a separate Earth, he’s teamed up with Damian Wayne (Earth-16’s Batman) and he acts as Superman.
Which character from Superman: The Animated Series can control electricity?
This character, much like fan-favorite Harley Quinn, was actually introduced in an animated program, rather than in a comic. She was introduced in Bruce Timm’s spectacular animated series, Superman: The Animated Series, and she proved to be quite the intimidating foe for the Man of Steel. She didn’t appear in comics until March of 2006, nearly 10 years after her initial appearance in the cartoon. She could turn into electric current allowing her to always be in motion, and she is able to shoot electricity.
What is Darkseid's oldest son's name?
This character was created by Jack Kirby, and was introduced as the eldest son of Darkseid, a New God in his own right, and a terrible menace to both Superman and the entire Justice League. He was trained from an early age to be a legendary warrior, and usually operates as Darkseid’s second-in-command. The character is usually waging war against Orion, and it is eventually revealed that the two of them are actually half-brothers. He is always fighting for his father’s attention, but never truly gains it.
Who tries to fight Superman using toys?
This character is a main adversary of Superman, who uses toy-based weapons or devices to bring down the Man of Steel. He might be best known for his appearance in Superman: The Animated Series, where he appears as an insane man who constantly wears an ever-smiling mask to hide his identity. He’s also in an extremely important episode of the Justice League cartoon, in which he appears to finally kill Superman. Turns out that Superman was actually sent to the future, which he escapes from with the help of Vandal Savage.
Who is this future descendant of Superman?
This character operates as the Superman of the 853rd Century, and was created by comic genius, Grant Morrison. He is a direct descendent of Kal-El, and he first appeared in DC One Million #1 in 1998. He has a lot of connections with Clark Kent, and he even works together with Superman in the 853rd century when he takes time from his solar fortress of solitude to assist in stopping a Belle-Reve prison riot. He even has an extremely wide gamut of powers that far exceed Kal-El’s.
What is Clark Kent's father's name?
The father of Superman himself, this character was the one who brought Clark up and taught him the importance of strong morals and empathy for humanity. He was able to take in the young Clark when his ship crash landed near his farm, and he was able to mold Clark into the hero he would one day show the world. He was recently portrayed by Kevin Costner in both Snyder’s films, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
What is Clark Kent's mother's name?
Memes be damned, this character has an incredible strong presence in the Man of Steel’s life, and she’s always there for him, making sure that he’s safe and sound. She was a major part of what was easily the most talked about comic moment of 2016, but her presence throughout the DCEU has been legendary for Clark. She’s consistently been behind all of Clark’s decisions, and has never questioned his view on his own position in society. She is usually portrayed as Clark’s last living (human) relative, after her dear husband passes away.
Who is the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet?
This character is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper, The Daily Planet, and he’s been consistently angry at Clark for decades, seeing as Clark is always running out at the last minute to save the day. It’s surprising that this character has allowed Clark to keep his job for as long as he has, seeing as he must never get any work done. In the DCEU, this character is portrayed by Laurence Fishburne, who has successfully made the role his own, adapting the classic persona into more of a sarcastic overseer.
Who is Lois Lane's romantic rival?
This character was first introduced as an additional love interest to Clark, apart from Lois Lane. In her very first issue, she arrives at the Daily Planet, and is well known for her personal gossip column. She was also recently divorced from her ex-husband, Joe Morgan, who had forced her to turn to alcohol because of how terrible he was to her. She sobered up and took her young son to Metropolis to attempt to start a new life. They became romantically involved for a while, before Clark finally realized that Lois was the love of his life.
Who was Clark Kent's love interest back in Smallville?
This character was first introduced in Superboy #10, and is constantly portrayed as Clark Kent’s teenage love interest. She is another famous “LL” in Clark’s life, apart from Lois Lane and the nefarious Lex Luthor. She is almost never referenced as a major player in Clark’s life once he takes up the mantle of Superman, but she’s extremely prevalent in his young life in Smallville. In Superman: The Animated Series, she was the first person that Clark confided in about his superpowers, and she’s always extremely protective of his secret.
Which villain turns his nervous energy into powerful attacks?
This character has seen two vastly different incarnations over the years at DC Comics, but he’s always been portrayed as a villain. He began working as a scientist-administrator at S.T.A.R Labs, and he was diagnosed with a nervous system disorder, which short-circuited the electrical impulses in his brain. When he could not find a cure for his rare and seemingly incurable illness, he reached out to the criminal organization, SKULL, who outfitted him with a device that would turn his neurological impulses into ranged “brain blast” attacks. And after Superman captured the only SKULL scientist that could cure him, he raged war on the Man from Krypton.
Who is Clark Kent's trusted childhood friend?
Usually depicted as Clark Kent’s childhood friend, this character also grew up in Smallville and attended the same school. In the Silver Age of DC Comics, this character was actually one of the first people to know about Clark’s secret identity. He even made an appearance in Zack Snyder’s 2013 film, Man of Steel, where he was portrayed as a bully to Clark when they were younger, but slowly became his friend after he had been saved by him. The two run into each other later in the film too, and it’s implied Pete can recognize him in Superman regalia.