Superman may be Earth’s greatest hero, but he’s not actually of Earth. As most people know, Kal-El was born on a different planet entirely—Krypton, which was destroyed when he was just an infant. Beyond that, though, what do we really know about it? To help us prepare for DC Studios’ upcoming Superman, let’s take a deep dive into Superman’s mysterious homeworld…
 

• Krypton was first glimpsed in the very first panel of 1938’s Action Comics #1. The planet was unnamed at the time and was only seen for a single panel. According to the opening narration, the world was “destroyed by old age.”

• Krypton is named for the first time in McClure Syndicate’s Superman newspaper strip. The strip also introduces Jor-L and Lora (note the original spelling), as well as the Kryptonian Council.
• 1940’s The Adventures of Superman radio show gave us some interesting Krypton lore. According to the radio serial, Krypton was in the same solar system as Earth, on the other side of the sun. Early comics like 1952’s World’s Finest Comics #57 and Action Comics #182 referenced Krypton being in the same solar system as Earth, but later stories would drop the idea, stating the planet was in a far away galaxy.
• Baby Kal-El’s rocket wasn’t the only thing that came to Earth from Krypton. Various meteorites that once formed part of the planet also fell to Earth. First introduced in a 1943 episode of The Adventures of Superman, these irradiated fragments are known as Kryptonite, and they can weaken (and kill) any Kryptonian that gets close to them.

• Early versions of Superman’s origin stated that everyone on Krypton had the same powers he did. However, as Superman’s powers grew, this raised questions of why the citizens of Krypton couldn’t just use their powers to escape the planetary apocalypse. 1944’s More Fun Comics #101 (reprinted in Superboy: A Celebration of 75 Years) introduced the idea that Kryptonians were powerless on their own world, but would gain great powers on Earth due to the planet’s unique gravity.
• Although readers were aware of Krypton from the beginning, Superman didn’t learn about his Kryptonian heritage until 1949’s Superman #61. Incidentally, this was also the first time Kryptonite appeared in the comics.
• The citizens of Krypton were originally called Kryptonites, but this got confusing as that was also the name of the planet’s radiated meteorites. 1959’s Superman #128 referred to the race as Kryptonians for the first time, and that’s the name that has stuck ever since.

• Thanks to time travel, Superman has returned to Krypton on numerous occasions, the first being 1949’s Superman #61.
• For years, Superman was presented as the only survivor of Krypton until 1950’s Superman #65. This story introduced three Kryptonian criminals named Mala, Kizo and U-Ban. The trio had survived Krypton’s destruction because they were imprisoned on a rocket which was orbiting the planet.
• In order to trick a band of intergalactic raiders, Krypton’s top scientist built a replica of their planet. The replica Krypton was an exact copy of the authentic one, down to every building and even the pictures on the walls and the furniture. After defeating the raiders, the replica Krypton was abandoned. Needless to say, Superman was VERY CONFUSED when he came across the planet in 1953’s Action Comics #182.

• Kandor was Krypton’s capital city. Years before Krypton’s destruction, an alien collector named Brainiac shrunk Kandor and placed it inside a bottle (1958’s Action Comics #242). After Kandor’s abduction, Kryptonopolis became the planet’s new capital.
• Superman isn’t the only person to visit Krypton via time travel. Jimmy Olsen spent some time on Krypton in 1959’s Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #36 and Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #101. Lois got stranded on Krypton and began romancing Jor-El (!?!?!) in Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #59. In 1964’s Superman #170, Lex Luthor, in one of his most depraved schemes ever, traveled back in time to Krypton to romance Superman’s mother Lara. Do the citizens of Metropolis realize there is more to Krypton tourism than romancing Superman’s parents?
• The idea that Krypton orbits a red sun was first introduced in 1960’s Action Comics #262. From that point forward, the official lore was that Kryptonians were powerless under a red sun but gained superhuman abilities under a yellow sun. For more on that concept, check out this guide.

• How many moons does Krypton have? The answer is two, three or four depending on the comic. Krypton originally had four moons, until Xenon spun out of the planet’s orbit and drifted into deep space (1958’s Superman #119). The planet then was left with three moons, until Jax-Ur used a death ray to destroy the moon Wegthor (Action Comics #310). The remaining two moons, Mithen and Koron, orbited Krypton until the planet’s destruction.
• A natural wonder on Krypton is the Gold Volcano, which erupts endless supplies of gold rather than lava. Since gold is so common on Krypton, the gold from the volcano is worthless (1960’s Superman #141).
• Superman #141 also introduced the Fire Falls, another one of Krypton’s natural wonders. The Fire Falls contain streams of fire and magma which pour down from fissures in Krypton’s canyons.

• Kryptonian’s most violent and destructive criminals were imprisoned in another dimension known as the Phantom Zone. This allowed many of them to survive the planet’s destruction.
• General Dru-Zod once commanded the Krypton’s military, until he attempted to overthrow the leadership council and was sentenced to the Phantom Zone. Today, Zod is one of Krypton’s few survivors, and one of Superman’s deadliest enemies.
• Every year, Kryptonians observe a holiday called the Day of Truth where they celebrate by telling the truth, no matter the cost, for a single day. The holiday was established to honor Val-Lor, a Kryptonian who dared to speak the truth to alien invaders at the cost of his life. As seen in 1965’s Superman #176, Superman and Supergirl continue this tradition on Earth.

• Shrinkwater Lake is one of Krypton’s strangest natural phenomenons. When Kryptonians bathe in the mysterious waters, they shrink to the size of small insects. For obvious reasons, a giant protective fence was built around the lake (1965’s Action Comics #325).
• Why did Krypton explode? The answer varies depending on continuity. The original Golden Age origin said the planet was destroyed by old age. Action Comics #182 states that it was due to atomic pressure that had built up in the planet’s core. The 1978 Superman movie depicts Krypton’s red sun going supernova, causing the planet to explode. 1986’s The Man of Steel #1 stated that Krypton’s destruction occurred due to growing radiation within the planet core. The television drama Smallville depicts Krypton’s destruction as an intentional act of war, with Brainiac igniting the planet’s core. Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel stated that the destruction of Krypton was due to the population’s hubris, as they had mined the planetary core for resources until it could no longer support life.

• Kryptonians worship a deity called Rao, who is first referenced in 1972’s Superman #248. This is why Superman will occasionally say the phrase, “Great Rao,” during moments of extreme stress or excitement. In honor of Rao, the people of Krypton also named their red sun after their deity.
• Have you ever wanted to see a map of Krypton? 1981’s Krypton Chronicles #2 includes a map of the entire planet, including each continent and ocean.

• After the reality-altering events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Krypton was reimagined in the 1986 limited series The Man of Steel. This version of the planet had grown more scientifically sterile. New Kryptonians were bred by combining genetic material in birthing matrixes, and in many cases, the parents would never even meet.
• Centuries before Superman’s birth, each Kryptonian kept a trio of mindless clones in stasis to be used for organ transplants. This practice was controversial and led to a planetary war for clone rights (The World of Krypton).
• Did you know that Superman’s homeworld once had its own show? 2018’s Krypton was a science fiction TV drama that focused on the adventures of Superman’s grandfather Seg-El. It depicted the complicated politics, social classes and deadly secrets of the planet in the years before its destruction.

• Over the years, DC has published numerous comics about Krypton. The 1980 miniseries World of Krypton details Jor-El’s adventures during the planet’s final days. 1981’s The Krypton Chronicles depicts Superman researching his Kryptonian heritage. A 1987 miniseries called The World of Krypton (not to be confused with the 1980 series) details the planet’s Post-Crisis history. In 2022, a miniseries was published called (you guessed it) World of Krypton. This limited series presented a more modern take on Superman’s home planet, showcasing the rivalry between Jor-El and General Dru-Zod.
   

As you can see, Krypton was an extraordinary world, and it’s filled with extraordinary stories. From the questionable Shrinkwater Lakes to the awe-inspiring Fire Falls, it’s a planet of many wonders. However, the planet’s biggest wonder of all is its last son, Kal-El, known to the people of Earth as Superman. Check out his new film, in theaters everywhere on July 11.
 

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.