As the popularity of Superman grows, so does the fashion and accessories of that industry. One of the most common clothing accessories has become the Superman Belt buckle. Superman belt buckles are available at the Superman Belt Buckles shop and include:

 Silver Superman BeltBuckle , Pink Superman Belt Buckle,  Licensed Superman Logo Belt Buckle, Licensed Superman Returns Belt Buckle, Licensed Superman Returns Belt Buckle and Licensed Superman Web Belt and Buckle.

Background:

Superman, the original superhero, fights for truth, justice, and the American way. AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.

Jerry Siegel (1914–1996) and Joe Shuster (1914–1992), two teenagers from Cleveland, Ohio, created Superman over several years during the mid-1930s. Both boys were science-fiction fans and collaborated on their own stories. In 1933, they produced a mimeographed magazine titled Science Fiction, which contained the first version of their most famous creation. Their short story called "The Reign of the Superman" (written by Siegel and illustrated by Shuster) depicted an evil character who terrorized a futuristic city. The pair spent the next several years refining the character. He was transformed into a heroic figure who wore a skin-tight costume. Siegel and Shuster were determined Superman would see publication. Their goal was achieved when DC Comics purchased the character. The contract signed by the inexperienced young men was one of the most infamous agreements in the comic-book industry's history. They sold all rights to the character for only $130. Although they worked on Superman for a number of years, Siegel and Shuster never shared in the enormous profits generated by their creation.

In creating their hero, Siegel and Shuster combined elements from Biblical stories, ancient mythology, pulp fiction, comic strips, movie serials, and science-fiction tales. The character's origin was first revealed in Superman #1 (1939). Superman was seen to be the infant son of Jor-El (a noted scientist) and his wife, Lara, citizens of the doomed planet Krypton. Moments before Krypton's explosion, the couple placed their son, Kal-El, into a small rocket and directed it toward Earth. Upon landing on Earth, the child—now the only survivor of Krypton—was discovered by the Kents, a farming couple, who named the boy Clark and raised him as their own son. Superman's fantastic powers were said to come from the effects of the Sun's yellow rays upon his alien physiology. As an adult, Clark became a reporter for The Daily Planet, a great Metropolitan newspaper in the city of Metropolis. He protected his heroic identity by portraying the bespectacled Clark Kent as a mild-mannered soul who stood in stark contrast to the courageous Superman. His most significant relationship was with Lois Lane, an aggressive reporter who loved Superman and ignored Clark Kent.

Prior to 1938, most comic books only contained reprinted material from popular newspaper strips. The characters that recurred in comic books tended to be policemen, private investigators, and exotic adventurers. Superman was the first science fiction–based comic-book superhero who boasted fantastic powers. He possessed super-strength, super-speed, and an unerring sense of morality that compelled him to fight for good. Originally, Superman did not have the power of flight. He could, however, leap great distances. As the years progressed, the character was enhanced with other super-abilities. The character's earliest stories were filled with Superman facing modern social ills. Superman was seen confronting lynch mobs, slum lords, war profiteers, and corrupt government officials. In time, a recurring "rogues' gallery" of villains was established. Superman's most constant foes include Lex Luthor, Braniac, Bizarro, Metallo, The Parasite, and Mr. Mxyzptlk.

The success of Superman was immediate as millions of comic-book readers were attracted to this new type of hero. Superman turned comic books into a big business as magazines featuring the character sold nearly a million issues per month. Less than a year after his debut, the Man of Steel was the first character to headline an entire comic on his own. Furthermore, his enormous popularity spawned a horde of other characters in the rapidly expanding superhero genre. These included Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Green Lantern, and The Flash.

Superman was not only a comic-book phenomenon, but he also successfully appeared in other media. Superman was voiced by actor Bud Collyer (1908–1969) on the popular 1940s radio program, which began with the dramatic opening lines: "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!" That decade also saw the hero appear in movie serials, in comic strips, and on thousands of toys and merchandise. In the 1950s, the character appeared on the classic TV program The Adventures of Superman, which starred George Reeves (1914–1959). By 1966, Superman arrived on Broadway in It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman, the first musical based on a comic-book character. In 1978, Christopher Reeve (1952–) appeared as Superman in a big-budget, all-star version of the hero's exploits. Its popularity led to several sequels. Superman returned to TV in 1993 in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. This series emphasized romance over action. The Last Son of Krypton again came to television in 2001 in Smallville, which depicts a teenaged Clark Kent's adventures.

In comics, Superman's popularity has waned and surged over the various decades. In 1988, celebrated writer John Byrne (1950–) revamped the character to much acclaim. Sales skyrocketed in 1992 with the infamous "Death of Superman" story line, which showed the hero being killed in action and rising from the grave. In whatever incarnation, Superman remains a potent force upon the cultural landscape.