Sprmn s sprhr wh pprs n mrcn cmc bks pblshd by DC Cmcs. Th chrctr ws crtd by wrtr Jrry Sgl nd rtst J Shstr, nd dbtd n th cmc bk ctn Cmcs #1 (cvr-dtd Jn 1938 nd pblshd prl 18, 1938). Sprmn hs bn dptd t nmbr f thr md, whch nclds rd srls, nvls, flms, tlvsn shws, thtr, nd vd gms.
Sprmn ws brn n th fctnl plnt Kryptn wth th brth nm f Kl-l. s bby, hs prnts Jr-l nd Lr snt hm t rth n smll spcshp shrtly bfr Kryptn ws dstryd n ntrl ctclysm. Hs shp lndd n th mrcn cntrysd nr th fctnl twn f Smllvll, Knss. H ws fnd nd dptd by frmrs Jnthn nd Mrth Knt, wh nmd hm Clrk Knt. Clrk bgn dvlpng sprhmn blts, sch s ncrdbl strngth nd mprvs skn. Hs dptv prnts dvsd hm t s hs pwrs t bnft f hmnty, nd h dcdd t fght crm s vglnt. T prtct hs prsnl lf, h chngs nt clrfl cstm nd ss th ls "Sprmn" whn fghtng crm. Clrk rsds n th fctnl mrcn cty f Mtrpls, whr h wrks s jrnlst fr th Dly Plnt. Sprmn's spprtng chrctrs ncld hs lv ntrst nd fllw jrnlst Ls Ln, Dly Plnt phtgrphr Jmmy lsn, nd dtr-n-chf Prry Wht, nd hs nms ncld Brnc, Gnrl Zd, nd rchnmy Lx Lthr.
Sprmn s th rchtyp f th sprhr: h wrs n tlndsh cstm, ss cdnm, s nflngly gd nd hnst, nd fghts vl wth th d f xtrrdnry blts. lthgh thr r rlr chrctrs wh rgbly ft ths dfntn, Sprmn pplrzd th sprhr gnr nd stblshd ts cnvntns. H ws th bst-sllng sprhr n mrcn cmc bks p ntl th 1980s.