When Hanuman Breathes Life Into Superman

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"The Reign of the Superman", short story by Jerry Siegel (January 1933). First two pages of the "The Reign of the Superman" short story by Jerry Siegel, illustrated by Joe Shuster. This story was self-published by Siegel in his fanzine, Science Fiction #3. Image: Public domain
The incarnations of Superman show how we are all, as they say in India, “same, same - but - different, different.”

Is Superman, Jewish? Is he a miracle child of the Hindu deity, Hanuman? Could he be Christian? Is he an alien? Or, is he a mere by-product of science fiction? The short answer is–it depends on whose version you buy.

When Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster created the fictional character Superman, they envisioned him as a superhuman with a distinct American personality. He is a figment of their imagination, a character in a science-fiction book, embedded in American society.

As the story goes, he is an alien from planet Krypton. According to the first comic strip, Action Comics #1, published by DC Comics on 18 April 1938, his biological family–father Joe El and mother Lara–name him Kal-El at birth and send him to the earth, moments before Krypton gets destroyed by a catastrophic event. His spaceship lands in the American countryside in a small town, Smallville, and a farmer couple–Jonathan and Martha Kent–find the baby, adopt him, and name him Clark Kent.

As a child, Clark displays superhuman abilities–incredible strength, impervious skin, X-ray vision, and so on. When he grows up, he decides to use his abilities for the good of humanity and takes on the role of a crime-fighter.

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Cover of Action Comics #1, the comic that first featured Superman. The comic book is now regarded as the most expensive comic book of all time. Cover of Action Comics 1 (Jun 1938 DC Comics) Art by Joe Shuster, art, and Jack Adler, colour. Image: Public domain


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