How old is Superman?

There are a number of 'right' answers to your question.

The last one first: Superman is not from another galaxy. The 'Trial of Superman' arc establishes that Krypton was not only in our galaxy, but probably wasn't that far away. Geting to Tribunal Prime's planet from Earth doesn't take very long, and Mope is sent from there to what's left of Krypton in what appears to be a very short time.

More modern stories have Jor-El firing Kal-El's rocket through a space warp to send it to Earth.

The first Christopher Reeve film has it both ways: that Krypton exploded thousands of years ago (Brando's dialogue), and that it exploded in 1938 (Hackman's dialogue).

Another problem is that physicist Stephen Hawking now says that massy particles *can* travel faster than light.

Ok here is the reason for the question and it stems from a conversation I had with my brother in law who has a son who is a big Superman fan. So consider the following things and you tell me in your estimation how old Superman is: 1. In the laws of physics nothing with mass can go faster than the speed of light 2. It takes a lot of light years (not sure how many though) to go out of our galaxy 3. Superman is from another galaxy Therefore based on all those things I have listed Superman must in the literal sense be several thousand years old, am I right about this?

Let's also remember that it's a comic book and certain rules of physics are bent. It's suspension of disbelief. Whether Superman's matrix was sent through a wormhole or went faster than the speed of light (which is clearly possible in the DC Universe, hasn't Flash done it?)

As I remember it, the current comics have Krypton exploding thousands of years ago, and Supes embryo was in the matrix. He wasn't technically 'born' until he neared Earth. So he COULD have been traveling for thousands of years in a suspended state. As far as I know, Superman's 'birthdate' can basically be equated to when he arrived on Earth. I think he is perpetually meant to be around 35. When Doomsday killed him, it had been 10 years since Superman appeared in Metropolis. So basically, I have no answer Believe what you will, but I think mid-30s is a safe bet.
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/~nrollins 'Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.'

If I remember correctly, earlier this year scientists were able to make a lazer travel faster then light.

Not if you have hyperdrive.

I think Krypton is in our galaxy. Not sure of specifics, but the comics seem to hint at this.

According to a DC timeline, Krypton exploded in 1938. But Kal-El's rocket didn't reach Earth until about 33-36 years ago. Druing that time he aged very slowly, if at all. So that makes him about 33-36 years old.

Here's a link to a story about it: http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/06/ 04/stifgnusa0100...

Either the matrix ship had warp drive, or it slipped through a wormhole.

Jeremy B, Treknobabbler

Wasn't there an old (pre crisis) story which dealt with just that? '1,000 years - Lost stolen or Strayed?'

Yeah, I actually read a superman story pre-crisis where superman landed on another planet before earth, grew up there as the son of the emperor (very roman civilization) and there he became king. His powers made him very powerful and he had a family. Then as an old man the planet started to fall apart and he wished he had never interviened so he deaged himself to a baby and sent the rocket back into space where it landed on earth. He realized that he missed 1000 years and saw this in one of his machines.

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen: Lord Jeremy B wrote:

Post-Crisis, the ship had a warp drive (in fact, the 'rocket' was little more than a birth matrix + warp engine + computer with psi-holographic information on Krypton, and, it's to suppose, astronavigation info). When the Cyborg (still Hank Henshaw, in his return issue) 'learned' the capabilities of the orbiting-ship, Superman was kept from grabbing/reaching him due to the extra speed. On your feet, KalEl el Vigilante

Quick question..does anyone know which comic had the story where hank henshaw returns? -Mario

Lord Mario wrote:

After his 'disintegration' in the origin issue, he came back in search of his wife Terri on Adventures of Superman 468 (July 1990) I think 'The outlaw' was the title. At your feet, KalEl el Vigilante