There are a lot of popular superheroes, but Superman is the superhero. From the moment Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s creation debuted in 1938’s Action Comics #1, his brightly colored tights, unwavering sense of justice, and incredible powers have become synonymous with the genre he helped to create. Every other comic book hero that has followed in his footsteps is in some way a reaction or a response to the template he set. Batman, an ordinary man turned brooding antihero, has been positioned by DC Comics as Superman’s antithesis and foil for decades; Wonder Woman, similarly, is often written as his female counterpart. When Marvel Comics broke out into a viable second competitor to DC in 1961, a key selling point was how their superheroes — from the squabbling Fantastic Four to dead broke underdog Spider-Man — had the flaws and drama that the straight laced Man of Steel lacked. When a character is as inextricable a part of pop culture as Superman, a movie starring him isn’t just simply about him. It’s about what Superman means to people, and what the idea of an all powerful alien sent to Earth, determined to use his incredible strength for good, represents in a particular moment in time. Sometimes, his journey parallels the American immigrant experience. Other times, he’s space Jesus. In one weird moment during the ’80s, he was a nuke. With the possible exception of the foundational 1978 Christopher Reeve blockbuster, a film that now feels as canonical to the character as Siegel and Shuster’s old pulp stories, every movie starring the planet’s most famous superhero doubles as a referendum on what America wants from him. With the good manners of a Boy Scout and the darkness of a night light, Superman has always been a character open to “boring” allegations. He’s the ultimate overdog: an attractive, smart, well-adjusted man with strength that vastly exceeds many of his adversaries. Certainly, he’s a more difficult character to crack compared to Batman, whose success on the big screen has since surpassed the Man of Steel’s own. Not for nothing, modern films have struggled to find the tone that works best for the character. Do you go full Richard Donner-lite? Po-faced realism? Or make a live-action goofy Saturday morning cartoon? The best Superman stories are often more-so great Clark Kent stories, or more specifically great Lois and Clark stories: emphasizing his humanity, often represented by his relationship to the fearless reporter, is what makes the space operatics truly take flight. A common refrain among fans and creators has been that it’s Superman’s kindness that’s his real superpower, and while that might prove a little cheesy and pat, there’s something to it. It’s when the Man of Steel feels like flesh and blood, a beacon of the best people can be, that he’s at his most truly heroic. Here’s all nine “Superman” movies, ranked from worst to best.