Superman endures

Superman, the Kryptonian Man of Steel, was born in 1938 on the pages of "Action Comics," and he died in 1993 — at least in the comics — only to be reborn a few months later.

Actually, the character, who is arguably the most popular and longest-running superhero in history, has been repeatedly reborn in a variety of incarnations. In addition to his appearances in several comic-book titles, Superman has been the subject of theatrical cartoons, serials and movies; live-action and animated TV series, and uncountable merchandising products.

TV helped boost the character's iconic status in the 1950s, when "Adventures of Superman," starring George Reeves, was a phenomenon that is still beloved by baby boomers. The show ran for six seasons (two in black and white, four in color), until the apparent suicide of Reeves, which caused the character to disappear from the TV scene for a time.

But every decade since the 1980s has seen the character revived on television: "Superboy" in the '80s, "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" in the '90s, and the ongoing "Smallville" in the 21st century — and all can now be found on DVD, along with the four Christopher Reeve films.

And, of course, we now have the summer blockbuster "Superman Returns," directed by Bryan Singer (best known for the first two "X-Men" movies).

Needless to say, the character numbers his fans in the millions. Even filmmaker Quentin Tarantino had one of his "Kill Bill" characters extol Superman's virtues in an attempt to explain his nearly universal appeal. Or as Internet-based comic-book journalist Jennifer M. Contino explained, "I think the original tagline 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' is a concept that strikes a chord with just about everyone in the United States.

"The idea of a noble someone out there, who embodies the spirit of justice and fights for everyone, expecting nothing in return, is quite powerful." (Contino writes for the popular Comicon Pulse Web site at www.comicon.com/pulse.)

Local radio host Kerry Jackson of KXRK Radio-96's popular "Radio From Hell" program, who characterizes himself as a "professional geek," agrees, saying that Superman "makes us feel big on the outside when, really, we all feel small on the inside."

Jackson also quotes the 1978 film that starred Reeve. "Remember the message of hope summed up by his father, Jor-El: 'They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show them the way.' Isn't that the truth?"