Jor-El, a Kryptonian scientist and Council Member, rescues his son Kal-El from the dying planet by launching the baby to Earth.

Young Clark Kent discovers his true identity; and, as an adult, presents himself to Metropolis as Superman.

Superman rescues Metropolis thug Bruno Mannheim - and Lois - from the vengeful Toyman.

Lex Luthor discovers Superman's vulnerability to Kryptonite, and attempts to exploit this weakness to rid himself once and for all of the Man of Steel.

After toxic chemicals transform janitor Rudy Jones into the energy-draining Parasite, he imprisons Superman, intent on keeping the Man of Steel as his own personal power source.

Thanks to the orchestrations of Lex Luthor, terrorist John Corben becomes Metallo, a skin-covered cyborg with a Krytonite heart. Luthor then sets the supervillain on a quest to kill Superman.

Brainiac, once Krypton's all-knowing planetary computer, comes to Earth as part of his information-gathering trek across the galaxy. But, as Superman discovers, Brainiac's intent after gathering the world's knowledge is to destroy the Earth.

Intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo is employed to capture the Man of Steel, but thanks to a double-cross by the rare-species-collecting Preserver, both Superman and Lobo end up trapped in the Preserver's personal zoo.

Superman and Lobo team up to escape the Preserver and a vile band of competing bounty hunters with their own vendetta against the "Main Man".

Clark's childhood sweetheart Lana Lang comes to Metropolis, and puts her own life in danger by trying to spy on Lex Luthor for Superman.

Bruno Mannheim's Intergang terrorizes Metropolis with hi-tech weapons from Darkseid, while SCU Inspector Dan Turpin goes on a personal hunt for answers.

When embittered scientist Earl Garver goes into a coma before revealing the location of a ticking bomb, Superman risks enlisting the Parasite to drain the information from Garver's mind.