Superman being called 'Kal' - when did it start and how much does it continue?

[Tzigone]

When did calling Superman "Kal" become a thing. It makes sense in the Silver Age. Through a good portion of that era, he had some memory of Krypton or else all his communication with AI Jor-El. I recall a Superboy story where he didn't like Jonathan Kent calling him "Clark" because he wanted to be called by his "real name" when they were in private.

I haven't read 52, but maybe it makes sense there, too.

But it seems like I've seen Diana, at least, call him that in a post-Crisis era. I remember being surprised by it. But my memory may be faulty. In any event, it really never made sense to me in post-COIE era because he'd never lived on Krypton, really, or gone by that name. He thought of himself as an Earthling...some of the time, anyway. Clark's the real guy (version I prefer).

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone knew where calling Superman "Kal" began, and how widespread it was (in regards to number of people using it or years used)?

[DochaDocha]

I always figured Wonder Woman's use of "Kal" was a combination of various things:

1) She's royalty so she uses formal titles instead of made up nicknames
2) She's close enough to Superman that she wouldn't call him "Superman"

but most importantly

3) She's not going to call him "Clark" and expose any part of his real identity; it's no secret that Superman is an alien so using his alien name doesn't reveal anything really new

Supergirl used "Kal" a lot. Basically, anyone who thinks more of his Kryptonian heritage than his human would prefer "Kal" or "Kal-El," kind of like how Vegeta always calls Goku "Kakarot."

[Osiris-Rex]

It would make sense that Kara would refer to her cousin as Kal because that is the name she first knew him as.

[Ascended]

Like DochaDocha said, it's mostly just people who are more formal, like Diana (and I think Aquaman, at least during the PAD harpoon-hand days?) and want to use his given "real" name, or people who see through Kryptonian/alien eyes like Kara and Zod and Maxima.

I'm not sure when it started, honestly. We'd need a historian like Jim to pop in and provide some answers to that.

But I'd say there's probably about a half dozen people who call Clark "Kal" on a regular basis, and at least one or two of them are probably villains (Brainiac, Zod).

[Flash Gordon]

I've always thought it was the perfect thing for him to be called.

[qwertyuiop1998]

Idem, Most using kal to call superman is the ones who are formal or close to krypton(WW, Supergirl). But where it start I have no clue.........

[Tzigone]

I always figured Wonder Woman's use of "Kal" was a combination of various things:

1) She's royalty so she uses formal titles instead of made up nicknames

I've seen this one over and over - that Kal is somehow more formal. I do not agree. Clark is not a nickname and is no more made up than Kal is or any other child (or adopted child's) name. Although (and it doesn't apply here) if a person did want to be called by a "made up nickname" or a diminutive of their own name or whatnot and Diana refused to do, I would find that to be very disrespectful of her.

2) She's close enough to Superman that she wouldn't call him "Superman"

Doesn't really make sense. Lots of people close to each other call the other by their superhero name when in costume.

I agree that Kryptonians (or those connected to them) who think of him Kal-El should use that, but not for everyone else. Those who met or primarily knew him as Superman, who's secret identity is Clark Kent, reporter.

[Robanker]

I think it's Diana's way of using a more familiar name while not revealing any intimate information. Moreover, as the Spirit of Truth, she knows that it's his proper birth name. Whatever Clark may feel is his true name (assuming he prefers one to the other, which traditionally appears to be the case though the results change pre/post Crisis), nothing changes that he was bestowed the name "Kal" by his parents. I don't think she views his name and identity as Clark Kent as inherently wrong or any less valid, but it would simply just occur to her to refer to him by his truest name unless it caused him any discomfort. For what it's worth, so many people just default to "Clark," I would think that Superman appreciates that Diana respects his dual heritage.

I would argue that someone like, say, Arthur has used it in the past because it links them as creatures of two worlds; it's kinship, even though they but heads from time-to-time. This probably extends to Diana as well.

With Kara, she knew him as Kal when he was in diapers. Makes enough sense that so long as she's not being rude (for example, if he took offense to "Kal"), she'd prefer to refer to him by that name.

I've rarely seen it as a dig at him. Even when some insensitive loudmouths (Ollie) are trying to get under Superman's skin, they still call him "Clark" or make fun of his Superman identity.

The earliest I've seen it is some old reprints of Silver Age Superman stories. I'll be honest, I've only read a handful of GA Superman material so while it may happen there, my memory is he's usually referred to as whatever identity he's using at the time.


Also, hey, post #1000. Perhaps I should stop talking so much about comics and read some more.

[DochaDocha]

I've seen this one over and over - that Kal is somehow more formal. I do not agree. Clark is not a nickname and is no more made up than Kal is or any other child (or adopted child's) name. Although (and it doesn't apply here) if a person did want to be called by a "made up nickname" or a diminutive of their own name or whatnot and Diana refused to do, I would find that to be very disrespectful of her.

Doesn't really make sense. Lots of people close to each other call the other by their superhero name when in costume.

I agree that Kryptonians (or those connected to them) who think of him Kal-El should use that, but not for everyone else. Those who met or primarily knew him as Superman, who's secret identity is Clark Kent, reporter.

"Clark" was not a nickname I was referring to. "Clark" is off limits because if she says that in public, it partially outs Superman's secret identity. By nickname, I was thinking something like "CK," or "Smallville," or "Man of Steel" etc.

In the early post-Crisis Superman era, Superman himself told WW to call him "Clark," and in my head she opted to change it to "Kal" for the secret identity reasons stated above. If Superman is cool with your knowing his secret ID, he probably doesn't want you to call him "Superman" because that's what random strangers and bad guys call him. Probably it's similar to a situation in which some celebrity who ended up taking a stage name probably wouldn't want his or her close friends to call him or her by the stage name.

[Masterff]

I think Kal gets used because its a public known name, but still gives a sense of more private.

I just read the story where Superboy and Wonder Girl have a date in Smallville after he came back to life.
In this story Brainiac refers to Superman as Kal El and Superboy also calls him Kal El as he meet him in Lex Luthors old House.

[marhawkman]

Yeah in many continuities, Superman's Kryptonian name is public knowledge. In some cases he has made public introductions of himself with his Kryptonian name as a way to feel more human and alien at the same time.

[Marvelsoldier]

When did calling Superman "Kal" become a thing. It makes sense in the Silver Age. Through a good portion of that era, he had some memory of Krypton or else all his communication with AI Jor-El. I recall a Superboy story where he didn't like Jonathan Kent calling him "Clark" because he wanted to be called by his "real name" when they were in private.

I haven't read 52, but maybe it makes sense there, too.

But it seems like I've seen Diana, at least, call him that in a post-Crisis era. I remember being surprised by it. But my memory may be faulty. In any event, it really never made sense to me in post-COIE era because he'd never lived on Krypton, really, or gone by that name. He thought of himself as an Earthling...some of the time, anyway. Clark's the real guy (version I prefer).

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone knew where calling Superman "Kal" began, and how widespread it was (in regards to number of people using it or years used)?

Could you (or anyone really) please tell me what issue this was where Superboy asked Pa Kent to call him by his kryptonian name in private? I know I've seen it somewhere before, but for the life of me just can't seem to find it.

[Jim Kelly]

I need clarification on the question. Is it when did people start calling him "Kal"? Or is it when did they start calling him "Kal-El"?

To me these are different questions. I prefer that he is always called Kal-El--not Kal. It's not like two syllables is so much harder than one syllable. And I like the sound of Kal-El--it sounds alien enough. Kal sound like a regular Earth name--and I wonder if calling him "Kal" is an attempt to normalize him--like calling Charlie Brown "Chuck."

In the Donner SUPERMAN, Jor-El always says "Kal-El," doesn't he? That just sounds so cool--Marlon Brando saying "Kal" wouldn't have the same ring.

I used to think that "Kal" was a more recent development and something that started post-1987. But in my reading I've run across this a few times in earlier comics--although, I can't remember off the top of my head the first instance. "Kal-El" becomes common enough in the Weisinger Era, because so many stories reference Krypton.

If his friends want to use a name other than Superman, Kal-El seems the wisest choice. I find it ridiculous when other super-heroes call him Clark in his Superman identity--likewise with Bruce when he's Batman. They are giving away his secret identity. It's better to get used to calling him Kal-El, so they don't slip in public and call him Clark.

Martha and Jonathan should never call him Clark when he's being Superboy--or Superboy when he's Clark. They ought to never call him Kal-El even in private when he's acting as their son. I've been reading THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY and they are very clear about this. They are the ones guiding him and establishing how he should behave as Clark and as Superboy. Even in private, they want him as Clark to always act like a regular human so it will come natural. This is an interesting angle that Cary Bates works in these stories, as we see that the adult Clark and Superman roles are essentially the legacy of Jonathan and Martha.

[Marvelsoldier]

I know my question is a separate question from this thread altogether, but do you happen to know the superboy issue where Clark asked Jonathan to call him by his kryptonian name? Not saying I agree with him calling him that. I just want to know where to find the issue out of a completionist type mindset to fully understand the context of that particular story.

[Last Son of Krypton]

I know my question is a separate question from this thread altogether, but do you happen to know the superboy issue where Clark asked Jonathan to call him by his kryptonian name? Not saying I agree with him calling him that. I just want to know where to find the issue out of a completionist type mindset to fully understand the context of that particular story.

I think you are referring to the Superboy story in The Superman Family #196.