Superman Comic Books

Who's Who in the Superman Comics

Introduction

This is a listing of many of the notable characters and a few places that appeared in the Superman comic books from the 1986 revamp to the 2011 "Flashpoint" relaunch.

Many of the characters listed below may no longer be in current continuity, or may have been written out of the stories altogether. They are included here to be complete.

Although Superman often appeared in other DC Comics publications, this text's information is limited mainly to what occurred in the regular Superman comic books.

Where possible the listings are displayed as follows:

  • Surname, Firstname - Text describing the character, place, object, etc...

Many thanks to writers/researchers Neal Bailey and Barry Freiman.


ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ


 A
Ace o'Clubs - Metropolis watering hole owned by Bibbo Bibbowski. Ace o'Clubs
Aethyr - Kryptonian demon with connection to Phantom Zone introduced in final issue of "DC Comics Presents". May be the last new Kryptonian introduced prior to John Byrne's "Man of Steel". [A disciple of Zod on TV's "Smallville".]
Agent Liberty - Superhero and government operative, Agent Liberty (Ben Lockwood) was killed by Superwoman (Lucy Lane) after overhearing a conversation about New Krypton between General Sam Lane and Lex Luthor. Agent Liberty
Ak-Var, Thara - Known on Earth as the super-heroine Flamebird and believing herself to be possessed by the spirit of a Kryptonian myth. Thara believes she is one-half of a Kryptonian story of unending love between the Flamebird and the Nightwing. She believes Christopher Kent (see separate listing) to be the reborn Nightwing. Displays all the powers of a Kryptonian on Earth and the fire born powers of Flamebird. Kryptonian childhood friend of Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl. In Pre-Crisis continuity, Kryptonian male Ak-Var, a paroled convict from the Phantom Zone, is Flamebird in the bottled city of Kandor. Flamebird
Alpha Centurion - Claiming to be a former Roman named Marcus Aelius, Alpha Centurion originally appeared as an alternate universe's protector of Metropolis. He eventually appeared in Superman's Metropolis. Alpha Centurion
Alura - Mother of Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), wife of Zor-El (deceased), and Superman's Aunt. After Zor-El's murder by Reactron, Alura took de facto control over the Kandorians who established New Krypton in orbit on the other side of Earth's yellow sun. Increasingly paranoid about New Krypton's security, Alura returned General Zod to his position of control over Krypton's military. Alura
Amazo - Constructed by Professor Ivo to be a "One-Man-(Person)-Justice League", Amazo is an android able to replicate the powers of the Justice League of America. Amazo can replicate the powers of anyone he encounters. Amazo
Amazons - Denizens of Themyscira/Paradise Island. Wonder Woman is a member of the Amazon people. The Amazons played a significant role in training Supergirl in the use of her powers. See "Wonder Woman". Amazons
Ambush Bug - Irwin Schwab is a nearly omniscient comedic character who has become known for breaking the "fourth wall" between the comic book and the readers. He has the power to teleport. Ambush Bug began as a Superman (and Supergirl) villain. Ambush Bug
Amerika - The proper spelling of what we call America on the parallel world home of the Crime Syndicate of Amerika, first referred to in "Earth Two" by Grant Morrison. Historically, the Crime Syndicate hailed from Earth-3 in the Pre-Crisis Multiverse.
Anomaly - Floyd Barstow, a clone of a former murderer, can remake his body into any substance he touches. Anomaly
Anti-Monitor - Anti-matter god-like creature responsible for the "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Murdered the pre-Crisis Supergirl. The Anti-Monitor's dead husk serves as the main Black Lantern battery. Anti-Monitor
Apokolips - The planet ruled over by ultimate evil DCU god Darkseid. A chaotic planet full of Hunger Dogs and Parademons enslaved by Darkseid. Fire pits erupt from the planet's core constantly. The planet is considered a polar opposite to the planet New Genesis, ruled over by the New Gods. Scott Free, a.k.a. Mister Miracle, was raised on Apokolips until he escaped to Earth. Other denizens of Apokolips include Granny Goodness, Steppenwolf, and Kalibak. New God Orion was born on Apokolips as Darkseid's son and raised on New Genesis. Apokolips
Aquaman - Orin, the born King of Atlantis. Aquaman has gone through many incarnations though most know him as either a crew cut blonde in an orange and green tunic or a wild-haired bearded one-armed warrior. Orin has great strength as one would expect of someone who can withstand the pressures of the deep. He also has the telepathic ability to communicate with all underwater sea life. He considers himself the ruler of the 70% of planet Earth that is covered by water. Aquaman
Arclight - A former mafia villain who executes his victims with electrical explosions. Arclight
Amalak - Space pirate obsessed with destruction of all things Kryptonian. Hunted "The Third Kryptonian". [In the Silver Age, Amalak unleashed a virus on a Journalism convention in Central City which incapacitated reporters Lois Lane and Iris Allen (the wife of Flash Barry Allen). The virus was part of an elaborate plan to get Superman to betray his code against killing.] Amalak
Argo City - Kryptonian city that survived the destruction of Krypton. Supergirl's birth city. Ultimately destroyed by Brainiac and its survivors relocated to stolen bottled city of Kandor including Supergirl's parents. [In the animated universe, Argo is introduced instead as an inhabited moon of Krypton on which Supergirl is born.]
Armstrong, Ashbury - See "Armstrong, Dirk". Studied under Hank Henshaw before he became the Cyborg Superman.
Armstrong, Dirk - A conservative columnist on the Daily Planet who served as a foible to Lois and Clark during the 1990s. Daily Planet owner and publisher Franklin Stern hired Armstrong to pen a right wing column for the Daily Planet in Man of Tomorrow #6. Armstrong's blind daughter Ashbury became romantically entangled with blue alien Scorn (actually a native of a bottled city named after Kryptonian city Kandor). Dirk Armstrong
Atlantis - Undersea home of Clark Kent's college girlfriend Lori Lemaris, ultimately revealed to be a mermaid. Name also used to refer to Aquaman's home. Ultimately revealed to be two underwater cities with name Atlantis, which both came from the classic city that sank under the sea and split off, evolving differently.
Atlas - A man with the powers of an old God whose motives remain uncertain, Atlas works with General Sam Lane against the Kryptonians and Superman with Project 7734. Atlas
Atom, The - Ray Palmer found a chunk of white dwarf star and, with it, discovered the means to shrink himself to microscopic size while retaining the strength of a full grown man. The Atom is a JLA ally of Superman's. Palmer's ex-wife, Jean Loring, played a pivotal role in the mini-series Identity Crisis. The Atom
Atomic Skull - Two people have used the villain name "Atomic Skull". The first was Albert Michaels, a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist and the second was Joseph Martin. Michaels had a rare neurological disorder that caused crippling brain seizures. A criminal organization implanted a device in his head that enabled him to shoot brain-blasts. Martin, a devotee of movie serial mystery men, received his powers during the "Alien: Invasion" from the Dominators. The blast that resulted in his becoming Atomic Skull caused his skin to become invisible, irradiated his body, and damaged his mind to believe he is his favorite movie serial hero (and Superman the villain). Atomic Skull
Auctioneer - An alien who comes to Earth in an attempt to take valuable items for intergalactic sale. Attempts to secure Superman as a rare commodity. Auctioneer
Auron - A clone of Jim Harper, the original Guardian. Auron is manufactured to protect Metropolis after Superman's death. Last seen leaving Earth. Auron
 B
Baron Sunday - A Metropolis crime lord with voodoo powers.
Barrage - A former member of the Superman Revenge Squad, an armored, armed villain who is missing an arm. Barrage
Batman - The Dark Knight, The Caped Crusader, also known as the World's Greatest Detective. In virtually every reality, Batman and Superman represent the two principle super hero models. Unlike Superman, Batman is a human being who has no extraordinary powers. Batman relies on physical strength, cunning, and a plethora of bat-aids. His base of operations is the Batcave. Though several people have worn the mantle of the Batman, the original and best known is secretly Bruce Wayne, one of the richest men in the DCU. Wayne's parents were murdered in front of him when he was a child and that injustice spurred him to become Batman. Batman
Batman Family - Batman's surrounding cast of heroes and sometimes anti-heroes, including Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Batwoman, Oracle, Azrael, Red Robin, Catwoman, and Alfred Pennyworth. [See separate listings as appropriate.] Bat Family
Baud - A former member of the Superman Revenge Squad. She can disrupt magnetic fields. Baud
Berkowitz, Frank - The former mayor of Metropolis, assassinated by Casey Griggs on Lex Luthor's behalf. Frank Berkowitz
Bibbowski, Bibbo - Bibbo is one of the biggest Superman fans in Metropolis - literally and figuratively. Bibbo calls Superman his "Fav'rit". Bibbo owns the Ace O' Clubs bar, which he bought with lottery winnings. A regular palooka, Bibbo is known to challenge anyone who slights Superman to a fight though his big heart is always in the right place. Bibbo
Big Barda - Mister Miracle's wife, she is a headstrong warrior of New Genesis and one of the New Gods. Trained by Granny Goodness to be a Fury of Apokolips, she escaped and later served as a member of the Justice League. Big Barda
Big Belly Burgers - Metropolis' major hamburger franchise which is owned by Lexcorp.
Big Words - A member of the Newsboy Legion and former ally of the Guardian. Big Words is actually Anthony Rodrigues who grew up to become a scientist and member of Project Cadmus and ultimately cloned himself and his Newsboy Legion friends. The Newsboy Legion played a role in allowing Superboy (Connor Kent) to escape from Project Cadmus where he was cloned following Superman's death.
Bizarro - Also known as Bizarro #1. The imperfect duplicate of Superman who lives on the backwards Bizarro World. Bizarro is known for speaking in opposites - up is down, bad is good, he says hello when he leaves and goodbye when he arrives. Bizarro
Bizarro World - The square-shaped alternate Earth filled with Bizarros, imperfect duplicates of Superman and many of his allies and enemies. Also known as Htrae. Bizarro World
Black Lightning - School teacher Jefferson Pierce, also known as Black Lightning, was one of the first major African-American comic book superheroes and a Metropolis native. He began his super-hero career taking care of the gangs and other corrupt denizens of Suicide Slum, a down-trodden area of Metropolis near the docks. Black Lightning has the power to control electricity and lightning. Black Lightning
Black, Manchester - A violent, DC analogue to the leader of The Authority. Kills bad guys, and attains much public acclaim before Superman defeats his team. He has tried to get Superman to defy the Man of Steel's own personal morality to no avail. Manchester Black
Black Racer - New God who ushers the recently deceased into the afterlife. Black Racer
Blackrock - Powered by a mystical rock, Blackrock uses dark energy and shifting hosts to attack Superman. Blackrock
Blaze - A demon who appears in human form to regularly taunt Superman, often in Machiavellian ways. Magical in nature, her brother is demon Satanus. Blaze
Bloodsport - Three villains have used the villain name Bloodsport. Each has the power to teleport weapons into their hands. The first Bloodsport is an embittered Vietnam veteran seeking recompense from the Government. The second Bloodsport is a white supremacist. Little is known of the third Bloodsport. Bloodsport
Bloodthirst - The villain of the "Spilled Blood" series, Bloodthirst is an ancient entity who seeks to manipulate from behind the scenes using other villains including the second Bloodsport. He ultimately revealed himself and fought Superman to a standstill. Bloodthirst
Bloodwynd - Ultimately unmasked as the Martian Manhunter, Bloodwynd belonged to the Justice League and was the first superhero on the scene of Superman's death at Doomsday's hands. Bloodwynd
Booster Gold - The superhero who protects the time-stream from corruption made 20th Century Metropolis his original home after stealing a Legion Time Bubble and Legion flight ring from his home in the future. He also is credited with naming the monster who killed Superman - Doomsday. Booster belonged to the Justice League team that fought Doomsday alongside Superman. Booster Gold
Bouncing Boy - An ally of Superboy (young Clark Kent) in the Legion of Super Heroes. His real name is Chuck Taine. He has the power to inflate his body and bounce. Bouncing Boy
Brainiac - A sentient alien machine created on the planet Colu. His/Its sole goal is the accumulation of all information in the universe. He is virtually as powerful as the Man of Steel. Being a machine, he is cold and emotionless and often uses Superman's emotions against him. Action Comics #242
Brainiac 5 - 31st Century organic descendant of Brainiac, Brainiac 5 of Colu is a member of the Legion of Super Heroes. His power is his 12th level intellect. He invented the Legion flight ring. He first met Superman as a teenage Clark Kent who returned to the future with a visiting Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, and Lightning Lad (the three original Legion members). Brainiac 5
Brainiac 13 - A future evolved evil Brainiac who uses future technology (B13 tech) to take control of Metropolis at the turn of the 20th Century. Brainiac 13
Braverman, Kenny - A friend of Clark Kent's from growing up in Smallville. Braverman used his knowledge of Clark Kent's secret to threaten Clark's loved ones as the costumed villain Conduit. Conduit
Brother Eye - Technology created by Batman which gained sentience and created the O.M.A.C.s. Brother Eye
 C
Cabinet (President Luthor's Cabinet) - Frank Rock (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs), Captain Atom (Secretary of Defense), Amanda Waller (Secretary of Meta-Human Affairs), and Cat Grant (Press Secretary). Cabinet
Cadmus Project - A shadowy scientific organization that operated underneath Metropolis for some time. Their main research is in cloning and weaponry. Project Cadmus' scientists include the grown up original members of the Newsboy Legion. Cadmus's former director of operations Westfield initiated the cloning operation that created Superboy Connor Kent. Cadmus cloned Jim Harper, Golden Age hero the Guardian, many times over. Their former Newsboy Legion scientists have even cloned an entire new modern Newsboy Legion. Cadmus
CAELOSS - The Citizen's Army for the Economic Liberation of Suicide Slum. Fought Luthor's desire to rework Suicide Slum into a metroplex.
Captain Atom - A military hero, Captain Atom is invulnerable, has solid metal skin, and can fire nuclear energy blasts. As Monarch, Atom killed many people, but he has reappeared claiming he wasn't in control of himself at the time. Affiliated himself with the President Luthor administration as Secretary of Defense. Captain Atom
Captain Carrot - An alternate Earth rabbit version of Superman and team leader of the Zoo Crew. Captain Carrot
Captain Marvel - Imbued with the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. Billy Batson, an orphan child, utters the word "SHAZAM!" and becomes the World's Mightiest Mortal. Captain Marvel
Carapax - A scientist fused into a suit of alien armor. A former rival of Blue Beetle. Carapax
Catwoman - Selina Kyle, cat burglar and anti-hero, and romantic foil for the Batman. Catwoman has crossed hairs with the Man of Steel on several occasions. Catwoman
Car-Vex - One of Zod's final sleeper agents, Car-Vex infiltrated Project: 7734 by taking up the guise of a disaffected member of the Science Police. She sacrifices one of her fellow Kryptonians in order to get closer to General Lane and his operations. Car-Vex
Cave Carson - A famous explorer known for adventuring. Carson is a master spelunker and inventor. Once belonged to the "Forgotten Heroes" who teamed up with Superman. Cave Carson
Central City - Hometown of Silver Age Flash Barry Allen. Sister city to Keystone City, home of the Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick.
Cerberus - A strange villain with the ability to attach heads to its body. Cerberus
Ceritak - Real name of blue alien Scorn. [See separate listing for Scorn.] Ceritak (Scorn)
Circe - One of Wonder Woman's rogues, Circe is a mythological mage who uses dark magic to manipulate behind the scenes. In Greek mythology, Circe attracted men to her island then turned them into beasts. Circe
Chameleon Boy - Reep Daggle, also known as Chameleon, is one of Superboy's teammates in the Legion of Super Heroes. He is a natural shape shifter from the planet Durla. Chameleon Boy
Checkmate - An international cartel dedicated to maintaining order in a world with superheroes. Members include Amanda Waller, Alan Scott, and Michael Holt. Checkmate was once ruled over by Maxwell Lord who used his hypnotic telepathy to take control of Superman, which left Wonder Woman with no choice but to sacrifice Lord's life on live television.
Cir-El - A creation of the Futuresmiths, Cir-El believed herself to be the future daughter of Lois Lane and Clark Kent. As Super-Girl, Cir-El ultimately sacrificed her life to prevent the future time line that spawned her. Cir-El
Circle, The - Enhanced humans who believe themselves God's first creations.
Clan MacHinery, The - A clan of villains, Scottish engineers who uploaded their consciousness into robots. Clan Machinery
Cleric - A Kryptonian cleric who preached against cloning, and gave Superman the Eradicator. Cleric
Colossal Boy - Gim Allon, an ally of Superboy's in the Legion of Super Heroes. He has the power to grow to tremendous size. Married to Chameleon Girl. Colossal Boy
Colu - Home planet of the Computer Tyrants who created Brainiac.
Composite Superman/Batman Rocket Ship - A robotic vessel (half Superman/half Batman in design) constructed by Toyman III. Composite Superman/Batman Rocket Ship
Conduit - Kenny Braverman, formerly Clark's friend from Smallville, used his knowledge of Clark Kent's secret identity to threaten Superman's closest friends. Conduit accidentally killed himself. Conduit
Contessa (Erica Alexandra Del Portenza) - Erica Alexandra del Portenza is one of the many ex-wives of Lex Luthor. Presumed dead. Contessa Erica Alexandra Del Portenza
Cosmic Boy - Rokk Krin of the planet Braal. Has the natural power to control magnetism. Cosmic Boy is one of the three founding members of the 31st Century Legion of Super Heroes. Along with the two other founders, Cosmic Boy traveled to late 20th Century Smallville to meet young Clark Kent and ultimately invited him to join the Legion in the future as a time-traveling Superboy. Cosmic Boy
Creeper, The - The superhero/anti-hero who is really the ethically challenged reporter and commentator Jack Ryder. Ryder has worked in a variety of media over the years and has found himself both allied with and foils for Lois and Clark. Creeper
Crime Syndicate - The alternate Earth anti-matter version of the JLA who are as evil as the JLA is good. The Superman of the Crime Syndicate is Ultra-Man. Historically, the Crime Syndicate hails from Earth-3; in current continuity, their Earth first appeared in Grant Morrison's "Earth Two". Crime Syndicate
Cyborg - Victor Stone almost died in a horrible accident and was saved by having his damaged body parts replaced by cybernetics. A founding member of the New Teen Titans, Cyborg has teamed up with Superman on several occasions. Cyborg
Cyborg Superman - Hank Henshaw, a former astronaut, was imbued with radiation along with his family of space travelers during a space shuttle flight. The radiation slowly killed them all and drove Henshaw mad. Now able to control and manipulate cybernetics and metals, his disembodied self found and assimilated with Kryptonian metals and Superman's DNA to become the Cyborg Superman. Unable to die. Destroyed Coast City. Allied with the Sinestro Corps. Hates Superman, and tries to discredit him. Cyborg Superman
Czarnia - Home planet of intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo. Lobo is the "Last Czarnian" because he killed everyone else on the planet.
 D
Simone D'Neige - One of Clark's former flings when he was traveling the world, she once came to be Lois' superior at the Daily Planet.
Daily Planet - The most honest (if not the most profitable) paper of record in the city of Metropolis. At times has been taken over by Lex Luthor, but always comes back. Known for Perry White's editing and the globe on top of the building, as well as being Clark Kent and Lois Lane's masthead. Daily Planet
Daily Star - A competing newspaper with the Daily Planet, and in previous continuities where Clark Kent worked.
Darkseid - The all-powerful ruler of Apokolips. A fascist despot who craves only power, on a power base similar to Supermans. His Omega Beams are capable of reducing most enemies to a cinder. Darkseid
Deathtrap (See Master Jailer) Deathtrap
Asha Del-Nar - Lieutenant Asha Del-Nar is a lieutenant in the Kryptonian Military Guild of New Krypton. She served as the second-in-command to Kal-El in the Red Shard unit. Lieutenant Asha Del-Nar
Dominus - A reality-shifting villain who tried to attack Superman by warping his sense of reality several times. Dominus
Doomsday - A genetic killing machine built on ancient Krypton, Doomsday returns to life after dying adapted to the thing that killed him, making him nearly invulnerable. Once killed Superman. Doomsday
 E
Earth-Prime - An Earth like our own where DC comics exists. The only meta superhero (now a villain) on the planet is Superboy Prime. Earth Prime
Eclipso - A villain who takes over the bodies of his/her unfortunate victims. Eclipso
Morgan Edge - A media pundit known for his slanted, biased reporting. In the pocket of Project 7734.
Eradicator - Formerly the entity designed to rebuild Krypton in the wake of its destruction, the Eradicator became a humanoid that battled Superman with Kryptonian powers on several occasions. His current origin is thought changed, but hasn't yet been implemented. Eradicator
 F
Ferro - A deformed hero who has helped Superman at varying times, with varying degrees of success.
Flamebird (Nightwing and Flamebird) - Thara Ak-Var, chief of security on New Krypton, adopts the guise of Flamebird to combat Zod's sleeper agents on Earth. Allied with Christ Kent, aka Lor-Zod or Nightwing, she believes herself to be the incarnation of a Kryptonian diety. Flamebird
Flash - The fastest man alive, Barry Allen, has recently returned from the dead to fight for justice. Also known as the Flash is Wally West, Allen's protégé. Both aid Superman and race him on a regular basis. Flash
Fortress of Solitude - Superman's home base, a Kryptonian repository and museum where he keeps mementos from his battles and comes to be alone. Often destroyed and rebuilt. Traditionally located in the Arctic. Fortress of Solitude
Jeb Friedman - A former suitor of Lois Lane, killed protecting her while at the same time vying to steal her from Clark.
Funky Flashman - A nefarious business promoter who often seeks to capitalize off the Man of Steel. Funky Flashman
Futuresmiths - Mysterious beings from the future who used an alternate version of Supergirl in an attempt to defeat Superman.
 G
Galaxy Communications - The parent company of GBS, a major broadcast entity in the DCU.
Gangbuster - Disgusted with the urban blight and community consequences of gangs, Jose Delgado armed himself and took to the streets to take on the gang problem head-on. An ally of Superman's. Gangbuster
The General - A member of the Injustice Gang, and the man responsible for the court martial of Captain Atom. The General
Giganta - A villain whose powers include her ability to grow to enormous size. Giganta
Gog - An ancient deity of the third world and a biblical figure in many apocalypse scenarios. Created MaGog, a mortal enemy of Superman's at some point in the "Kingdom" future, as a herald. Gog
Gotham City - The home of Batman, a dark city in contrast to Metropolis. Gotham City
Commander Gor - A near-fascist military guild member on New Krypton. Known for killing human authority figures. Nearly executed protesting members of the Labor Guild before Superman had him stopped. An adversary. Commander Gor
Cat Grant - A tabloid style columnist emotionally damaged by the death of her son. A spiteful and vindictive figure, Cat has had plastic surgery to supplement her need for attention and often seeks to undermine Supergirl. Cat Grant
Green Lanterns - A team of galactic guardians who wield green power rings. There are two for each sector of space, and outside of diplomatic problems, often ally with Superman to face space problems. Green Lanterns
Casey Griggs - The assassin of Mayor Berkowitz, killed by Lex Luthor.
Guardian - Jim Harper, formerly the protector of the Newsboy Legion at Cadmus, escaped his former life and lived peacefully away from society, until called back by the new threat of Project 7734 and his conscience. Armed with an indestructible shield, he leads the Science Police. Guardian
 H
Professor Emil Hamilton - A brilliant scientist, Emil Hamilton's shifting loyalties led to him being Superman's enemy, then his ally, and then his enemy again, when he adopted the persona of Ruin. Insane and violent, he nearly sent Pete Ross to prison. Professor Emil Hamilton
Hector Hammond - A Green Lantern villain who has the telepathic ability to manipulate minds, granted by a piece of meteor. Hector Hammond
Happy Harbor - A small New England town that houses the Secret Sanctuary, a JLA hideout.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl - A duo of lovers with extraordinary powers who are doomed to watch each other die and be reincarnated through time. Hawkman and Hawkgirl
Talia Head - The daughter of Ra's Al Ghul, a political force to be reckoned with and a diabolical fighter. Associated typically with Batman. Talia Head
Hellgrammite - A bug-like nemesis of Superman who often dwells in shadowy places. Hellgrammite
William James Henderson - Metropolis Police Commissioner.
Hope - Hope Taya was one of Lex Luthor's former bodyguards. Of late she has been relocated to parts unknown. Hope
Huntress - A member of the Batman Family who frequently seeks to fight mafia targets. Huntress
Hyathis - An extraterrestrial matriarch figure who figures strongly into space storylines involving Thanagar. Hyathis
 I
Ignition - A minion of the "Russian" Zod, and a figure on Our Worlds at War. Ignition
Imperiex - A malevolent entity that came from deep in space with "probes" in an attempt to remake the universe. Inspired the "Black S" Superman shield. Imperiex
Injustice Gang - Often ruled by Lex Luthor, the Injustice Gang serves as the evil counterpoint to the Justice League of America.
Injustice Society of the World - The evil counterpart to the Justice Society, often led by Johnny Sorrow.
Intergang - Metropolis' major mafia organization. Often centers around the Crime Bible of late and until recently was run by Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim.
Interlac - An intergalactic form of communication used by many alien species.
 J
Jackal - A renegade anti-hero who kills those he considers to be evil. Jackal
Jax-Ur - Destroyed one of Krypton's moons attempting space travel, causing Brainiac to come to Krypton. Hid on Earth in the guise of Dr. Pillings as a Zod sleeper agent. Saved Chris Kent from burst aging. Jax-Ur
Barbara Johnson - A religious woman who believes Superman to be an angel. Barbara Johnson
J'onn J'onzz (See Martian Manhunter)
Jor-El - Superman's father. He heralded the death of Krypton before it occurred, and was mocked. Placed his son Kal into a rocket and sent him to Earth. Perished with his wife Lara when Krypton exploded. Jor-El
Joker - Batman's arch-nemesis, a crazed clown whose unpredictable murderous actions make his every action crazy and deadly. Joker
Justice Legion A - The Justice League of the 853rd Century. Justice Legion A
Justice League of America (JLA) - A group of the major heroes of Earth who band together to confront major threats. Superman is typically a leader figure, and is accompanied traditionally by Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and Aquaman. JLA
Justice Society of America (JSA) - The first generation of heroes, forced to hang up their capes in the red scare. They reformed to teach the new generation, and serve in the same capacity as the Justice League to combat larger threats. Often features Power Girl, Green Lantern, Flash, Liberty Belle, Star Girl, Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Mr. Terrific. JSA
 K
Kal-El - Superman's Kryptonian birth name.
Kalibak - An agent of Darkseid known for his brutal fury and battle prowess. Kalibak
Kandor - Once a Kryptonian city. Kandor was captured by Brainiac, who shrank it and kept it inside a "bottle", to represent Krypton before its destruction. Survives to become the foundation of New Krypton. Kandor
Kara Zor-El - Supergirl's Kryptonian birth name.
Jonathan Kent - Clark Kent's adoptive father, a strong moral figure. Killed indirectly by a Brainiac missile strike when he suffered a catastrophic heart attack. Kents
Clark Joseph Kent - Superman's secret identity. Clark Kent
Martha Kent - Clark Kent's adoptive mother, also a strong moral figure. Has mentored many of Superman's contemporaries, and is known for crafting great superhero uniforms and pie. Kents
Chris Kent - Adopted Earth name of Lor-Zod aka Nightwing. Chris Kent
Keystone City - Home of Wally West, a current Flash, and Jay Garrick, the first Flash.
Khyber - An ancient powerful deity who rose to face Superman recently before retreating to hide again after his defeat at Superman's hands. Wears a tall blue hat. Khyber
Khyrana - A seductress cursed by Zeus to forever be "unsatisfied." Khyrana
Thaddeus Killgrave - A scientific weapons mastermind, responsible for attempting to nuke Superman. Thaddeus Killgrave
Kismet - A galactic force that tries to hide itself from Dominus, ultimately an aid in winning the Imperiex War. Kismet
Koko - Brainiac's evil pet monkey. Sometimes depicted as a gorilla, sometimes an evil gorilla/robot hybrid. Do not taunt or feed. Koko
Krypto - Superman's dog, sent out as a test of Superman's rocket. Eventually arrived on Earth, where Superman reclaimed him. Krypto
Krypton - Superman's home planet, destroyed by a cause currently unknown, but presumably involving Brainiac.
Kryptonite - Radiated chunks of Krypton after it exploded. Comes in many colors, green (deadly), red (creates strange mutations), yellow (removes powers temporarily), blue (deadly to bizarros), black (creates split personalities). There are many other varieties, but these are the most prominent recent additions. Kryptonite
Kryptonite Man - K. Russell Abernathy, a scientist working with Kryptonite, is caught in a blast and imbued with Kryptonite based powers and super-strength. Kryptonite Man
 L
La Encantadora - A mercenary who would fence stolen Kryptonite, she almost killed Superman with a Kryptonite kiss until Superman helped her reform. La Encantadora
Lois Lane - The love of Superman's life and one of the most respected journalists in Metropolis. Often fights for the underdog beyond her abilities, and often gets into trouble thereby, requiring Superman's help. Daughter of Sam Lane. Lois Lane
Lucy Lane - Lois Lane's sister. Formerly married to Ron Troupe (with a son), this has been ret-conned. Now she works for Sam Lane and adopts the persona of Superwoman before seemingly dying in an accident at Supergirl's hands, though she may have survived. Lucy Lane
Sam Lane - A xenophobic speciesist with a profound dedication to his planet, General Sam Lane controls powerful military resources in an attempt to stop alien invasion. Runs Project 7734, and is not averse to using deception and murder to promote his cause. Father of Lois and Lucy Lane. Sam Lane
Lana Lang - Clark Kent's first love in Metropolis, and also one of the first outside of his family to learn of his powers. Aimless to a fault after Clark leaves Metropolis, Lana has married and divorced Pete Ross, had a child named Clark, and more recently ran Lexcorp before moving to the Daily Planet to mentor Supergirl. Lana Lang
Lara - Jor-El's wife and Kal-El's mother. Lara
Legion of Super Heroes - A group of heroes in the far-flung future (the 3,000s) inspired by Superman's exploits to do good. Often they tamper with time to prevent catastrophic events. Legion of Super Heroes
Legion of Super Villains - The evil counterpart to the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th Century. Legion of Super Villains
Lt. Lupe Teresa Leocadio-Escudero - A disgraced former Lieutenant in the Metropolis police who worked with Superman to take down Ruin. Lupe
Father Daniel Leone - A dying priest who enlists Superman's help with his plight. Father Daniel Leone
Lobo - A space bounty hunter, and the toughest bastich out there. Lobo
Maxwell Lord - A former leader of the JLA who became militantly evil over time and headed Checkmate, a paramilitary organization that sought to prevent metahuman superiority. Killed by Wonder Woman when he would not relinquish mental control of Superman. Maxwell Lord
Lori Lemaris - Formerly a lover of Superman's and a mermaid, Lori has been adapted into a classmate of Conner Kent (Superboy) in more recent continuity. Lori Lemaris
LexCom - Lex Luthor's internet foray. Lexcom
LexCorp - Lex Luthor's company, founded with money he made killing his father, Lionel. Often changes hands, and in crisis since Luthor's imprisonment following his presidency.
Steve Lombard - The sports reporter for the Daily Planet. A blowhard, but essentially a good person. Steve Lombard
Loophole - An inefficient villain who uses teleportation to rob, but often gets caught in his own tools.
Lor-Zod - Son of General Zod and Ursa. Adopted the name Chris Kent and fights alongside Thara Ak-Var as Nightwing to her Flamebird. Chris Kent
Alexander Luthor - Can be an alternate personality of the New Earth Lex Luthor who wants to do good, or it can also be the "good" Lex Luthor of an alternate universe, now deceased after Infinite Crisis. Alexander Luthor
Lena Luthor - Formerly Lex Luthor's daughter with Contessa del Portenza, Lena has been ret-conned into his long forgotten sister (her former role in the Silver Age). Confined to a wheelchair. Lena Luthor
Lex Luthor - The greatest criminal mind of our time. The only sitting president to be removed via fighting Superman in a giant green and purple suit. A bald man bent on world domination with an extremely high IQ. Superman's greatest enemy. Lex Luthor
Lionel Luthor - Lex Luthor's alcoholic father, killed by Lex in a bid for insurance money. Depicted as abusive and evil, and likely the source of Lex's nature.
 M
Magog - The herald of Gog, a former member of the US military who may or may not become the reason Superman quits in the future, according to the Kingdom Come story. Magog
Mainframe - Led by Override, Mainframe is a technologically based group of criminal masterminds.
Mr. Majestic - The "Wildstorm" Superman analogue. Majestic
Mammoth - A brutal, but stupid villain who fought Superman during the Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite. Mammoth
Manchester Black - A scorched earth "hero" who ultimately worked with nefarious forces to fight Superman until he was killed. Manchester Black
Bruno Mannheim - Former leader of Intergang, currently MIA after being turned into a giant creature run rampant in Metropolis. Student of the Crime Bible. Bruno Mannheim
Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) - The last survivor of Mars, similar to Superman in many respects. Recently killed in Final Crisis. Martian Manhunter
Massacre - A villain Superman encounters in space who ultimately comes to Earth to fight him. Died in Our Worlds At War to save the universe. Massacre
Master Jailer - A reformed villain who specialized in creating inescapable traps for Superman. Now working with Checkmate. Master Jailer
Maxima - A villain/hero from the stars who initially came to Earth to make Superman her "mate." She died saving the universe in Our Worlds at War. Maxima
Meta-gene - The gene responsible for people being gifted with powers.
Metal Men - A team of robots made from major metals. Allies of the Justice League. Metal Men
Metallo - The man with a kryptonite heart, John Corben is a cyborg who detests Superman. He's appeared in many incarnations, including one with each of five colors of kryptonite powering his body. Metallo
Metropolis - Superman's home city, an analogue for the real-world New York. Metropolis
Metropolis Generals - Metropolis' baseball franchise.
Metropolis Mammoths - Metropolis' hockey team.
Metropolis Meteors - Another pro baseball team in Metropolis. There is also a pro football team called the Meteors.
Metropolis Metros - Another Metropolis pro football team.
Metropolis Monarchs - Another Metropolis pro baseball team.
Metropolis Union Station - The major travel hub for Metropolis, and the origin point for the "rail whale."
Mercy - Mercy Taya worked for Lex Luthor as one of his bodyguards until recently. She turned against him and worked with John Henry Irons recently in Infinity, Inc. Mercy
Mister Miracle - Big Barda's husband, and a powerful New God. Mr Miracle
Misa - A former member of the Superman revenge squad, a psychedelic themed villain.
Mongal - Mongul's evil sister. Deceased. Mongal
Mongul - An evil warlord responsible for the destruction of Coast City. A member of the Sinistro Corps until he tried to take leadership. Mongul
Mon-El - A friend of Clark's as a child from Daxam, Mon-El protects Metropolis in Superman's absence when Superman goes to New Krypton. Destined to be trapped in the Phantom Zone for a thousand years as a result of lead poisoning. Mon-El
Tom Moyers - Responsible for turning Kitty Faulkner into Rampage.
Mxyzptlk - A magical imp from the 5th dimension that plagues Superman every 90 days with pranks and insight. The only way he can be defeated is by having Superman trick him into saying his name backwards. Mxyzptlk
 N
National Whisper, The - Metropolis' tabloid newspaper.
Neutron - The living bomb, a low-level B character with an orange suit. Appears infrequently and often as an easy takedown. Neutron
NewsTime Magazine - A major Metropolis publication. Reported on Superman's death.
Nightwing (Nightwing and Flamebird) - Chris Kent's adopted hero identity while tracking down Zod's sleeper agents. Also a mystical Kryptonian hero figure. (Not to be confused with the Batman character of the same name). Nightwing
Nightwing (Dick Grayson) - Batman's former Robin, now grown up, chose a new identity in the form of Nightwing. Nightwing
Non - A former friend of Jor-El, Non was lobotomized for trying to warn Krypton of its imminent demise. Currently very simple mannered, but strong. Non
 O
Jimmy Olsen - Superman's Pal, and a photographer for the Daily Planet. Like Lois, he often gets involved in things larger than himself to protect the underdog. Jimmy Olsen
The 100 - A street gang based out of Suicide Slums, a big Black Lightning villain.
Orion - One of the New Gods, a brawler, the son of Darkseid. Orion
 P
Parasite - Rudy Jones was a lowly janitor at the Daily Planet before he gained the ability to sap the power of others to give himself strength, becoming a purple villain who menaces Metropolis. Parasite
Plastic Man - A stretching hero who serves as comic relief. Plasticman
Poison Ivy - A villain of Batman that uses plants to trap her victims. Poison Ivy
Power Girl - In Pre-Crisis Earth-2, where the initial Golden Age Superman (Kal-L) lived, Power Girl was his cousin, as Kara Zor-El is to the New Earth Superman. She survived the Crisis on Infinite Earths to become a hero in her own right on New Earth. Powergirl
Prankster - One of the goofier villains, the Prankster torments Superman with large, strange, comical machines and pranks. Of late has been more serious and business oriented. Prankster
Preus - A racist Kryptonian supremacist who escaped the bottle city of Kandor. Preus
Project 7734 - Sam Lane's xenophobic government organization committed to stopping an alien invasion through proactive lying, attacking, and manipulating aliens and Earth's people. Project 7734
 Q
Question, The - Formerly Charlie Zsasz, now Renee Montoya adopts the faceless guise of the Question, a detective superhero with a philosophical bent. Question
Quex-Ul - One of the Pocket Universe villains Superman executed (ret-conned).
Qurac - A fictional analogue for Iraq, where Joker has sought asylum.
 R
Rampage - Kitty Faulkner's deranged, massive, mohawked alter-ego. Rampage
Redemption - A religious figure who uses his power to attract cult followers. Redemption
Replikons - Aliens with the ability to mimic individuals they encounter. Used by Ruin against Superman.
Riot - A villain who splits into multiple versions of himself when struck, making him harder to defeat. Often has a strange face and cannot sleep. Riot
Rock - A LexCorp volunteer who was accidentally mutated into a rock man. Hates Lex Luthor.
Robin - Batman's sidekick, and a hero in his own right. Has been multiple people. Robin
Pete Ross - Clark Kent's best friend growing up. Married Lana Lang and served as the Vice President under Lex Luthor. Accused of being Ruin before being cleared. Father of Clark Ross with Lana Lang. Pete Ross
Royal Flush Gang - A gang that dresses up like cards in a royal flush, with varying powers associated with each card. Royal Flush Gang
Ruin - A mysterious enemy who appeared claiming that Superman would destroy the world. Framed Pete Ross, but ultimately revealed to be Emil Hamilton. Ruin
 S
Lord Satanus - A proxy for the Devil, Satanus masquerades as a television executive while seeking to influence evil on Earth. Sometimes reveals himself for what he considers a worthy evil. Lord Satanus
Vandal Savage - Cain, of Cain and Abel, a malevolent force throughout the ages who seeks to sow chaos and destruction. Vandal Savage
Saviour - A being who believes that Superman died and did not return after the fight with Doomsday, who thereby wants to kill the "false" Superman. Saviour
Maggie Sawyer - The former chief of Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. Moved to Gotham Central, but has strong ties in Metropolis. Maggie Sawyer
Science Police - A similar organization to the SCU, an organized police force designed to stop metahuman threats. Led by the Guardian. Science Police
Scorn - A citizen in Tolos' Kandor (Pre-Infinite Crisis) who escaped the bottle to become a hero in Metropolis. Ceritak (Scorn)
Secret Society of Super-Villains - A group of villains formed by Alexander Luthor (of Pre-Crisis Earth-3) to cause havoc in the wake of his plans in Infinite Crisis. Also, formerly an evil team put together by Darkseid. SSSV
Shadowdragon - A ninja-like information broker who worked for Conduit briefly. Shadowdragon
Silver Banshee - Seeking the power to lead her Gaelic clan, the Silver Banshee was cursed with a piercing wail and a need to find artifacts to end her curse. Silver Banshee
SKULL - A subversive criminal organization in Metropolis, in the style of The 100 and Intergang.
Skyhook - A bat creature that steals children. Has mind manipulation abilities. Skyhook
Solaris - A sentient sun that features in several visions of Superman's future. Solaris
Solomon Grundy - A massive, invulnerable zombie who reincarnates in different ways every time he is defeated. Solomon Grundy
Special Crimes Unit - A police unit in Metropolis, formerly led by Maggie Sawyer before she moved to Gotham Central.
Squad K - An elite squad now working for Project 7734 to stop Kryptonians when they go rogue. Squad K
S.T.A.R. Labs - A scientific organization that aids superheroes scientifically. Also responsible for many technological advances in the DC Universe. STAR Labs
Starbreaker - A cosmic vampire who seeks to suck the essences of entire galaxies. Similar to Count Dracula in appearance. Starbreaker
Starro - A starfish-like alien that, when placed over the face of a victim, controls them. Starro
Steel - John Henry Irons took up the mantle of Superman in a metal suit in the wake of Superman's apparent death. After Superman returned, Irons kept the name of Steel and serves as one of Superman's closest allies. Steel
Steelworks - John Henry Iron's base, and a haven for Superman's allies. Very secure, and filled with technical advances. (Sometimes known as "Ironworks"). Steelworks
Strange Visitor - A friend of Clark's from youth who gained powers and adopted Superman's electric blue suit in order to be a hero. Revealed to be Kismet, she died in the Imperiex War. Strange Visitor
Stryker's Island - An island prison akin to Alcatraz where supervillains are kept, off the coast of Metropolis.
Suicide Squad - A team, often associated with Amanda Waller, organized for varying and usually nefarious purposes.
Suicide Slums - The poorest section of Metropolis, a place watched over largely by Black Lightning.
Sullivan County - The broader county that holds Metropolis in its borders.
Superboy (Conner Kent) - A clone of Superman and Lex Luthor, Superboy emerged in the wake of Superman's apparent death, and since has become a hero in his own right. Has most of Superman's powers, and tactile telekenesis. Conner Kent
Superboy (Kal-El) - When Superman was a young man, he would save lives in Smallville as Superboy, though he did it much more discreetly than he would as an adult. Superboy
Superboy Prime (AKA Superman Prime) - A Superboy from an alternate Earth lost to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superboy grew disillusioned with New Earth's heroes and since has become a violent, destructive force with delusions of grandeur. An analogue for comic book fanboys in his desire to control everything and make it perfect. Superboy Prime
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) - Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin from Krypton. She has the same powers as Superman (perhaps stronger, it has been implied), and seeks to emulate her cousin as a hero. Daughter of Zor-El and Alura. Supergirl
Supergirl (Matrix) - The Post-Crisis Byrne/Wolfman era Supergirl, an alternate universe version of the character who could shapeshift and ultimately became an earthbound angel. Supergirl
Superman - Post-Infinite Crisis, the new Earth Superman replaces the Byrne Superman, with a completely new origin depicted in Secret Origin. Superman
Superman (of Earth-2) - Kal-L, the initial Golden Age Superman, killed by Superboy Prime in Infinite Crisis. Superman of Earth 2
Superman (Byrne Era) - A now-retired incarnation of Superman distinctive for having less power, notably the inability to fly into space without aid. This Superman was never Superboy. Superman #1
Superman (Birthright) - A take on Superman brought to bear before Infinite Crisis that was ultimately disregarded. This Superman was a vegetarian, had "soul-vision," and brought back a few Silver Age elements to his origin. Though stated as canon, was not treated as such. Superman Birthright
Superman Family - Superman's allies, often consisting of Supergirl, Krypto, Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Ma and Pa Kent, Superboy, Steel, and even Beppo, Comet, and Streaky. Superman Family
Superman Revenge Squad - A cadre of villains, frequently random, brought together to take down Superman. Superman Revenge Squad
Superman Robots - Sometimes Superman needs to be in two places at once. To that end, he once created the Superman robots, who helped him when he needed more than one set of hands. Unfortunately, they sometimes went bonkers. Superman Robots
Supermen of America - A group of youth who banded together to help Superman's mission. Also a fan club for Superman fans in the 1940s. Supermen of America
 T
Blackbriar Thorn - A leader of ancient Druids, and a member of the Injustice Society. Blackbriar Thorn
Thorn, The - The alter-ego of a woman named Rose, Thorn is a personality that comes out to fight evil when Rose "sleeps." Based on an older character from the Pre-Crisis period. Thorn
Tolos - A mysterious alien who (at least, before Infinite Crisis) was responsible for bottling the city of Kandor. Tolos
Toyman - Winslow Schott was a toymaker who crafted simpler toys for a simpler time until he was fired from his job because of newer toys. Swearing revenge, he attacks the world with powerful toys and kidnaps children to try and change their minds. Toyman
Ronald Troupe - Formerly married to Lucy Lane before the ret-con, Ron Troupe took Clark's place in the Daily Planet bullpen in the wake of Clark Kent's disappearance after Doomsday's rampage. A respected member of the Daily Planet staff. Ron Troupe
Dan Turpin - Dan "Terrible" Turpin served on the Metropolis police force until recently when he, uh, became Darkseid. Long story. Happened in Final Crisis. Apparently dead. Dan Turpin
Tyr-Van - Initially an ally to Kal-El on New Krypton, Tyr van served as a tour guide. Ultimately, however, he revealed himself as an ally of Zod an betrayed Superman despite a deep respect for Commander El. Tyr-Van
 U
Ultra-Humanite, The - A former incarnation of Lex Luthor who evolved in the comics into a giant white ape with mental powers. Ultra Humanite
Ultraman - Superman's evil double in the reverse universe. Ultraman
Ursa - Zod's ally. She holds an extreme jealousy and hatred for anyone threatening Zod or her relationship with him. Willing to kill her own children. Severely disturbed. Ursa
 W
Amanda Waller - The leader of the Suicide Squad, a member of Checkmate before her disgrace, and a general bureaucratic villain working against hero metahumans. Amanda Waller
Waverider - A time travelling hero who seeks to stop catastrophic events in history without altering the timeline. Waverider
Bruce Wayne - The Batman's secret identity. Often referred to as Batman's alter-ego.
Perry White - The surly editor of the Daily Planet. Strongly moral and committed to the truth over his own safety and the security of the paper's finances. Smokes cigars. Perry White
Wonder Woman - The princess of Themyscira, a warrior of Superman's equal, and a strong ally in the Justice League. Wonder Woman
 Z
Mr. Z - A strange man obsessed with collecting souls. Once tried to steal Superman's and put it in a crystal. Mr Z
Zaora - Another Pocket Universe villain Superman executed (ret-conned).
Zatanna - A magician who speaks things backwards to make them happen. Zatanna
Zatara - Father of Zatanna with similar magical powers.
General Zod - The leader of New Krypton's military guild and a longtime enemy of Jor-El and Superman. At times uses politics as a weapon as well as muscle. A devious, intellectual leader with Kryptonian powers. General Zod
Zor-El - Supergirl's father, a respected Kryptonian political figure who is killed by Reactron in the wake of New Krypton's construction. Zor-El