Happy 68th Birthday Christopher Reeve RIP

He wasn't the first actor to play the Man of Steel, but he was the most iconic. He made man believe they can fly, he was Superman.

"Once more, we have survived the threat of war and found a fragile peace. I thought I could give you all the gift of freedom from war, but I was wrong. It's not mine to give. We're still a young planet. There are galaxies out there. Other civilizations for us to meet and to learn from. What a brilliant future we could have. And there will be peace - there will be peace when the people of this world want it so badly that their governments will have no choice but to give it to them. I just wish you could all see the Earth the way that I see it. Because when you really look at it, it's just one world." ~ Superman (Superman IV: The Quest For Peace)

"Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El; they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son." ~Jor-El (Superman 1978)

Christopher Reeve was one of the best live-action versions of Superman, a man who inspired us, bringing the Man of Steel to life. Christopher Reeve had a cameo in the show Smallville playing Professor Swann as he helps Kal-El find out who he really is. Sadly he passed away in 2004, but he will always be remembered as Superman.

Many years after, there were multiple shows about the Man of Steel, but Tom Welling's 2001 show Smallville was the most iconic. Smallville showed us a shared universe with Clark as he was learning his powers. This show gave us a teenage Clark Kent who was struggling to use his powers, but he still used his gift for good. While this show was for a teenage demographic it still was one of the more notable shows for Superman.

"You don't need to be indestructible to be a hero." Clark Kent (Smallville)

Jonathan Kent in Smallville is my favorite version of the character a man who would do anything to protect his family, the show does really well showing the emotion that Clark faces while trying to keep his secret.

Brandon Routh's portrayal of the Man of Steel in the movie Superman Returns was underlooked due to the film having its problems, Routh's Superman was well received but since the movie didn't do well there wasn't a sequel for the actor to play. Superman Returns was a continuation of Christopher Reeve's Superman which made Superman III and IV non-canon. He would soon reprise the role of Superman in the CW crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The version of Superman we see in the crossover event was Kingdom Come Superman, that version of the character is older which he lost most of his friends when the Daily Planet was gassed by the clown prince of crime, the Joker. He soon loses his wife Lois Lane due to a fatal injury that Clark couldn't save her from.

"You will be different, sometimes you'll feel like an outcast, but you'll never be alone. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father and the father becomes the son." ~Superman (Superman Returns)

"Even in the darkest times, hope cuts through. Hope is the light that lifts us out of darkness." ~Kingdom Come Superman (Crisis on Infinite Earths)

2013 we see a new live-action portrayal of Superman played by Henry Cavill, in the movie called Man of Steel which would help create the DCEU. Man of Steel is a movie that gets mixed views, people complaining that this movie is too dark and how Superman caused the destruction of Metropolis. The other people who defend the movie say it shows an emotional take on the character while going through Clark's transition to becoming Superman.

He would play the character again in 2016's Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice and later in 2017's Justice League which all movies had poor reviews. Though personally, I liked Batman v Superman and Man of Steel, both movies show how Superman would be like in the real world, people would want him gone while others praise him.

“You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders.” ~Jor-El (Man of Steel)

"And tonight they will. Yes. Because you, my friend, have a date! Across the bay. Ripe fruit, his hate. Two years growing. But it did not take much to push him over actually. Little red notes, big bang, you let your family die! And now, you will fly to him, and you will battle him, to the death. Black and blue. Fight night! The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world: God versus man... Day versus night. Son of Krypton versus Bat of Gotham!" ~Lex Luthor (Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice)

"He was more human than I am. He lived in this world. Fell in love, got a job, despite all that power. The world needs Superman. And the team needs Clark." ~Bruce Wayne (Justice League 2017)

Appearing in the CW show Supergirl, Tyler Hoechlin played as the Man of Steel on the show and now currently is getting his own show called Superman and Lois. He was a supporting character in Supergirl, showing up in crossover events that would cross Supergirl over with the other characters like Flash and Green Arrow.

Tyler's version of the character gets mixed views as some people downright hate his version of Superman, while there are others who would love his version of the character. Despite this, he is still an iconic portrayal of the character.

"I know you wouldn't. But what happens when you're not in charge any more? What happens if you get an order from a superior, the President herself? As long as you have kryptonite here, I can't be a part of what you do." ~Superman (Supergirl)

Now, this isn't all the live portrayals of the Man of Steel, but these actors are the most iconic. I will talk about the comics, animated, and the Superman-related stories I wrote in later chapters.