Superman appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, high school students in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1933; the character was later sold to Detective Comics (later DC Comics) in 1938. Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (cover-dated June 1938) and subsequently appeared in various radio serials, newspaper strips, television programs, films, and video games. With this success, Superman helped to create the superhero genre and establish its primacy within the American comic book. to Earth as an infant by his scientist father Jor-El, moments before Krypton's destruction. Discovered and adopted by a Kansas farmer and his wife, the child is raised as Clark Kent. Very early on he started to display various superhuman abilities, which, upon reaching maturity, he resolved to use for the benefit of humanity through a secret "Superman" identity.