Everybody knows Superman. Not just comic book geeks, everyone. He is more than just a character, he is a symbol, one who i synonymous with everything from superheroes to comic books as a whole to truth, justice and the American way. He is recognisable to a vast majority of the world's population. His costume has become such an ingrained part of the world's collective unconscious that almost every superhero since has a cape, a symbol on the chest and tights. He is both the prototypical and ultimate example of a comic book hero. Then you take into account the vast history of the character, and it's not such a surprise that he's so pervasive in popular culture. Apart from comics, he has appeared in movies, TV shows, war time propaganda, video games, and on every conceivable kind of merchandise you could imagine. Superman is everywhere, and everybody knows him. But how well do they know him? In that history, the character has taken some surprising left-turns that would seem totally out of character, even to the most casual observer. Because there's such a clear image of who Superman "should" be, these little blips are quickly forgotten, but in the obsessive archival mind of fanboys, they are never forgotten. Here are a few examples of moments in the Man of Steel's history that don't get talked about that often.