Superman Returns Henry Cavill as Superman. For the previous five years, Superman has mysteriously abandoned his adopted home of Earth while on a journey into outer space to investigate what astronomers believed to be an intact Krypton. In his absence, journalist and past love Lois Lane wrote a scathing article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman", winning her the Pulitzer Prize. Lois is engaged to Richard White, the nephew of "Daily Planet" editor-in-chief Perry White, and with whom she shares a young asthmatic son, Jason. Notorious criminal mastermind Lex Luthor secured an early release from prison due to Superman not appearing as
Superman: Doomsday entirely. Aspects of these characters were combined to form the clone Superman (Superboy was a clone, the Eradicator killed criminals, and Cyborg Superman was a villain who pretended to be the real Superman). Also, while starting up the helicopter on the "Daily Planet" roof, Lois tells Jimmy that she was an "air force brat" (while in the comics her father, General Sam Lane, was in the army). Martha Kent is depicted as a widow in the film, whereas in the comics, Jonathan Kent is alive and would possibly play a key part in bringing Superman back from the afterlife. In