Superman Timeline



Superman Timeline

SUPERMAN TIMELINE

A List of Major Superman Events

Version 1.50 March 2001

INTRODUCTION: This document contains a timeline of major events in Superman's life that fit into the current continuity. Ever since the 1986 revamp that restarted Superman from square one, the Superman comic books have fit into a tightly-woven continuity. Events from one story often lead into another, and subplots carry over from one major story line to the next. When a character re-appears after a long absence, he will recall and may have been affected by the events of the story in which he last appeared. Due to this tight integration, all previous stories (in the current continuity) are "real history" and thus possibly relevant to any other Superman story. I have included few events from the current comic story lines since they are recorded in the books themselves as well as my Superman Comic List. Although this timeline does not perfectly match those in the SECRET FILES series, the author believes that the SECRET FILES timelines are inaccurate and ignore the existence of several stories and facts about time relationships.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Superman and all related characters are trademarks of DC Comics. Mention of these characters in this document is without permission of DC Comics, but said use is not intended to challenge DC's trademark rights or copyrights. Readers who want to learn more about Superman are encouraged to purchase the comic books. The author strongly suggests that this document be distributed free of charge.

AUTHORSHIP: This list was compiled by David T. Chappell, and it was his opinion alone that determined whether a Superman story was worthy of inclusion in this document. It is based on the Superman comic books that he possesses. Comments, suggestions, and corrections may be sent via Internet e-mail to dtc@duke.edu.

AVAILABILITY: This list is available on the World Wide Web at the Superman Homepage () at URL .

The Superman FAQ is available at the same site.

CLARK'S AGE IN STORIES: Clark's age in comics stories matches the time line shown below up through age 34, but past that point the match is uncertain. His age has explicitly been stated only a few times in stories, including at age 28 and 34. Hence, he has clearly aged over the years. Since his return from death, however, no explicit mention has been made of Clark's age. Thus, it is not clear whether the creative team intends for him to continue aging or to be stuck permanently at a certain age. In this time line, I have continued to count his age according to comics stories that include annual holidays such as Christmas and New Years that can logically occur only once each year. Although the resulting timeline does not perfectly match those in the SECRET FILES series, the author believes that the SECRET FILES timelines are inaccurate and ignore the existence of several stories and facts about time relationships.

TITLE ABBREVIATIONS: The following abbreviations are used within the list to indicate the titles of the various comic books.

Abbreviation Title

==========================================

ACTION ACTION COMICS

ADVENTURES THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

MAN O'STEEL SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL

S:TMOS THE MAN OF STEEL mini-series

SUPERMAN SUPERMAN (Volume 2)

ZH ZERO HOUR: CRISIS IN TIME

ZERO HOUR ZERO HOUR: CRISIS IN TIME

TIMELINE: Below is a general timeline showing events in the life of Superman. References are given where appropriate from both the comics stories and the ZERO HOUR #0 timeline.

~15 Billion Years Ago (the Big Bang)

Superman and other heroes present for start of the universe (ZERO HOUR #0)

100 Million Years Ago (Cretaceous Period):

Superman in prehistoric times; dinosaurs and Chronos (Time and Time Again)

500 Thousand Years Ago (Pleistocene Period):

Superman visits city-state of A'r'ven (Time and Time Again)

Dark Ages:

Superman visits Camelot, fights Morgaine Le Fey (Time and Time Again)

1938 A.D.:

Planet Krypton explodes; Kal-El's birthing matrix launched towards Earth

1943 A.D.:

Superman joins circus, saves FDR, stops Mr. Z (Time and Time Again)

Age 0:

Winter: Kal-El born on Earth (MAN OF STEEL #1)

Kal-El arrives on Earth, landing near Smallville (ZH*33 ya)

Age 5:

Clark enrolled at Eisenhower Elementary School; met Lana Lang and Pete Ross (ACTION #655)

Age 8:

Bull trampled Clark; Jonathan Kent saw that Clark is unharmed

(MAN OF STEEL #1)

Clark lifts pickup truck; Martha Kent witnesses (MAN OF STEEL #1)

Age 9:

Clark takes lead role in 3rd grade class play: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" (SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #0)

Age 17:

Junior Year in High School

Clark voted Most Likely to Succeed; Clark is class president (SUPERMAN #0)

Clark wins race at state high school track meet (SUPERMAN #0)

Clark and Lana go to prom; elected prom king & queen (SUPERMAN #0)

Summer: Clark learns he can fly (MAN OF STEEL #1)

Age 18:

Senior Year in High School

Fall: Father reveals Clark's rocket-ship origin; Clark immediately leaves home (MAN OF STEEL #1)

Clark Kent leaves Smallville for Metropolis (ZH*15 ya)

Ages 18-22 (5-year period):

Clark secretly averts disasters and saves people; acts as hero in secret;

wanders the globe as a "free agent"

Age 23:

Clark settles in Metropolis as his adopted "home town"

Clark enrolls at the University of Metropolis as a journalism major

Clark continues to act as secret hero

Age 24:

Clark meets Lori Lemaris at the University of Metropolis (SUPERMAN #12)

Age 25:

Clark graduates from college after just two years

(THE WORLD OF METROPOLIS #3)

Clark studies journalism in Europe (ADVENTURES #0)

Clark saves Spaceplane over Metropolis;

Lois Lane writes article about "Superman"; Pa Kent designs costume; Superman goes public (MAN OF STEEL #1)

Superman makes his debut, inspiring a new heroic ago (ZH*10 ya)

Intergang forms in Metropolis (ADVENTURES Annual #7)

Superman meets Lois Lane; Clark gets a job at the Daily Planet

(MAN OF STEEL #2; THE WORLD OF METROPOLIS #3)

Superman's first encounter with magic & Dr. Occult (SUPERMAN Annual #7)

Superman's first trip to outer space (ACTION Annual #7)

Superman first meets Batman and the two become uneasy allies (8 mos. after first Superman appearance) (MAN OF STEEL #3)

Superman meets rest of original JLA (S:TMOS Annual #4)

Superman's first Christmas in Metropolis (DCU HOLIDAY BASH #1 [1997])

Age 26:

The Cadmus Project begins (ZH*9 ya)

Metropolis Police Department organizes Special Crimes Unit

Luthor offers to hire Superman; intense rivalry begins

(1.5 years after first Superman appearance) (MAN OF STEEL #4)

Age 28:

First Bizarro created by Luthor (2 years after rivalry begins)

(MAN OF STEEL #5)

The Universal Crisis: the Anti-Monitor tries to destroy the positive-matter universe (CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS; ZH*4 ya)

Clark learns about Krypton (10 years after left Smallville)

(MAN OF STEEL #6)

Modern, post-Crisis Superman stories begin

(3 mos. after Clark learns about Krypton) (SUPERMAN #1)

Lex Luthor gets his kryptonite ring (SUPERMAN #2)

Legends: Darkseid condemns the legendary status of Earth's super-heroes and turns the populace against the heroes (LEGENDS)

Bloodsport (SUPERMAN #4 [Apr 87])

Age 31:

Millennium: the Manhunters awaken their sleeper agents to destroy Earth's heroes (MILLENNIUM)

Gangbuster

An alien intelligence possesses Carnival mentalist Milton Fine, and he becomes Brainiac.

He Only Laughs When I Hurt (SUPERMAN #16 [Apr 88])

Age 32:

The Supergirl Saga: Supergirl takes Superman to the pocked universe that is her home, where they to save the world from three evil Kryptonians

Invasion: nine alien species join forces to invade the Earth

Exiled in Space: Superman exiles himself to outer space

Homeless for the Holidays (ADVENTURES #462 [Jan 90])

Age 33:

Clark Kent proposes to Lois Lane (SUPERMAN #50 [Dec 90])

Lex Luthor fakes his own death (ACTION #660)

Clark reveals his secret ID to Lois (ACTION #662)

War of the Gods: battle with various mythological pantheons & Circe

ARMAGEDDON 2001

Existence of the Linear Men revealed

Lex Luthor, Jr. comes to Metropolis

Metropolis Mailbag (SUPERMAN #64 [Feb 92])

Age 34:

Panic in the Sky

Superman joins JLA as leader

Death of Superman: Superman killed by Doomsday (SUPERMAN #75)

Funeral for a Friend: aftermath of Superman's death

Metropolis Mailbag II (SUPERMAN #76 [Feb 93])

Age 35:

Reign of the Supermen: Superboy, Steel, and the Eradicator appear as false Supermen

Superman revived from death by Kryptonian technology

Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey

The Fall of Metropolis: downtown Metropolis destroyed by Luthor's devices

Worlds Collide: cross-over with Milestone

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time (ZERO HOUR)

Dead Again: Superman's dead body appears in the tomb

Christmas Thieves (ADVENTURES #520 [Feb 95])

Age 36:

The Death of Clark Kent: Conduit learns Superman's secret ID; Clark dies

The Trial of Superman

Underworld Unleashed: Luthor makes a deal with a devil to regain his health

Kill Fee (SUPERMAN #109 [Feb 96])

Age 37:

Lois breaks off engagement with Clark (ACTION #720)

Marriage of Luthor and the Contessa (THE MAN OF TOMORROW #5)

The Bottle City: alien possesses people from city of Kandor

Superman joins new JLA

The Final Night: a Sun-Eater consumes the Sun & plunges Earth into darkness; Superman loses his solar-based powers

Marriage of Lois and Clark (WEDDING ALBUM #1)

The Benefaction of Peace (HOLIDAY BASH 1 [1997])

Age 38:

Superman Blue: Superman becomes an energy being with new energy powers and a new blue costume

Genesis: a wavefront of energy from the Source threatens the universe (GENESIS)

Rock of Ages: Lex Luthor forms an Injustice Gang to counterbalance the JLA

Lena Luthor born to the Contessa (SUPERMAN #131)

Superman Red / Superman Blue: Superman splits in two; both have energy powers but different colored costumes and different aspects of Clark's personality

The Millennium Giants: strange giants try to remake the world; Superman Red & Blue merge and Clark regains his original powers

DC One Million: JLA of the 853rd century invites modern heroes to future

King of the World: Kal-El becomes obsessed with protecting Earth

Day of Judgment: fallen angel joins with the Spectre and threatens Creation

Y2K: the futuristic Brainiac 13 tries to take over modern Earth; he remakes Metropolis with advanced technology but is defeated by Superman, Luthor, and the 20th-century Brainiac

Age 39:

Lois replaced by Parasite in Metropolis Y2K confusion

Sins of Youth

Superman suffers from kryptonite poisoning

Lois revealed as Parasite; Parasite dies

Superman: Arkham; The Reign of Emperor Joker

Lex Luthor elected President of the United States

30th century:

Superman meets Legion of Super-Heroes (Time and Time Again)

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