It’s natural for characters to evolve over time, gaining and losing traits, especially after being around for decades, as is the case with Superman. When the Man of Steel first appeared in the comics, he didn’t have the ability to fly, heat vision, or even Kryptonite—these elements were introduced later. Likewise, Superman was originally the last son of Krypton, but over the years, he's lost this character-defining title as well.

...the ever-growing list of Kryptonians makes Superman's 'Last Son of Krypton' status obsolete.

Every comic book character needs a ing cast, and most of them also need a family. Over the decades, Superman has gained both. While he initially had the ing cast of the Daily Planet, they couldn’t him on his adventures, so DC kept introducing more characters who could keep up with him.

The idea of giving Superman more characters who could help him save the world and interact with him was certainly a good one. However, the problem is that DC's approach ended up taking away something from Superman’s character that truly made him special.

The Overpopulation of Kryptonians in Superman's Lore

From Mon-El to Supergirl: DC's Growing Kryptonian Family

DC wanted to expand Superman's lore but went about it the wrong way. They kept adding more and more Kryptonians to his story, to the point where he is no longer the last Kryptonian in the universe. Superman first met his supposed brother, Mon-El, who technically isn’t a Kryptonian, but was still somewhat viewed as such. Mon-El was one of Superman's first experiences with a being who had powers similar to his own. However, DC knew having two Superboys would be a bit much, so they quickly shuffled him off to the Phantom Zone due to lead poisoning.

Then, DC decided Superman needed a family member who could match his powers and introduced Supergirl. This was a significant moment in Superman's lore as it marked the first time he met a fellow Kryptonian—and someone directly related to him. Supergirl became so popular that it seems DC may have taken the wrong lesson from her success. After all, if Supergirl was popular and people liked more Kryptonians, why not add even more Kryptonians? Perhaps, even an entire city of them.

The Diminishing Legacy of Superman: How Kandor and the Super-Family Undermine His Status

From the Last Son of Krypton to Just Another Member of a Super-Family

One of the most ridiculous additions to Superman's lore was the lost city of Kandor. It turns out that the alien Brainiac had visited Krypton and stolen an entire city before the planet exploded. Superman would later recover this city and keep it in the Fortress of Solitude. It’s hard to maintain the claim of being the last Kryptonian when an entire city of them is still intact. The population of Kandor was absurd, varying from seven million to as many as forty million at one point.

Superman can’t truly carry the legacy of Krypton and the title of the "Last Son of Krypton" when there were literally millions of Kryptonians in Kandor at one point. While it's true that the population was shrunk down, Superman had set up a system allowing him to shrink and visit Kandor whenever he wanted. This undermines one of the central elements of Superman’s character—his status as the last member of his race. Now, he could just visit an entire city of his people whenever he felt like it.

This doesn’t even for the entire Super-Family that has been built up over the years, including Supergirl, Power Girl, Kenan, Conner Kent, and the numerous children Superman has had or adopted. There’s now a huge network of Kryptonian-inspired heroes around him, even without the city of Kandor. While it makes sense that DC wanted to give Superman his own family, much like Batman’s Bat-Family, the key difference is that Batman isn’t the last of his race. Hence, the ever-growing list of Kryptonians makes Clark's 'Last Son of Krypton' status obsolete.

The Loss of Superman's Relatability Through the Expansion of Kryptonian Lore

How More Kryptonians Diminish Superman’s Struggle with Loneliness and His Outsider Status

A lot of people complain that Superman isn't relatable—that he's too powerful to be interesting. One of the key reasons his status as the last son of Krypton was so important is that it forced him to confront one of the most human emotions: loneliness. Everyone experiences loneliness or feels like they don’t belong at some point. This was a central aspect of Superman’s character—his desperate longing to be a part of humanity, yet knowing deep down that he never truly will be, because at the end of the day, he is an alien.

That’s an incredibly powerful sentiment, but it loses all its weight when Superman can simply enter a city of forty million people exactly like him whenever he wants. Superman’s status as an outsider was a deeply human and intricate part of his character. It’s part of why he helps humanity so much—because he yearns to be accepted by them. It's also why he has the Clark Kent identity because he wants to be a part of their world. But all of that is diminished by the constant introduction of more and more Kryptonians.

The Impact of a Growing Super-Family on Superman’s Core Character

Is Expanding Superman’s Family Worth Losing His Loneliness?

Having a giant Super-Family certainly has its benefits. Superman can now go on adventures with characters who can actually keep up with him and aren't part of the Justice League. The inclusion of a brother and cousin opens up many story possibilities, especially with Supergirl's side of the family. There's no denying that, but one must ask whether these story opportunities outweigh one of the core aspects of Superman’s character. He already had a ing cast in the Daily Planet, but now, with more friends, he has less inner turmoil.

As characters evolve in comics, it's natural for elements of their story to be added or dropped over time. Even Batman didn’t receive the backstory of the Wayne murders until months after his debut. Many additions to Superman’s lore—like Kryptonite, the Phantom Zone, and his ability to fly—have enhanced his character. However, the increasing number of Kryptonians, both related and unrelated to the Man of Steel, has undermined one of his most essential qualities: his status as the last son of Krypton. This shift diminished the powerful, solitary aspect of Superman's identity that made him so relatable and human.

Readers can follow Superman's current adventures in Superman #1 on sale now from DC Comics!