Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent (often referred to as "Pa" and "Ma" Kent, respectively) are fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are the adoptive parents of Superman, and live in the rural town of Smallville, Kansas. In most versions of Superman's origin story, Jonathan and Martha find him as the infant Kal-El after he crash-lands on Earth following the destruction of his home planet, Krypton. They adopt him shortly thereafter, renaming him Clark Kent, "Clark" being Martha's maiden name.
The Kents are usually portrayed as loving parents who instill within Clark a strong moral compass, and they encourage Clark to use his powers for the betterment of humanity. In some continuities, Martha is also the one who creates Clark's superhero costume, often from the baby blankets Clark's biological parents had swaddled him in before enclosing him in the capsule, which are found to withstand virtually all hazards.
In pre-Crisis continuity, the Kents die shortly after Clark's high school graduation. In post-Crisis continuity, they both remain alive even after Clark becomes an adult, being supporting characters until Jonathan's death during an attack by the supervillain Brainiac. Martha remained a supporting character in Superman comics until 2011's "The New 52" continuity reboot, in which both she and her husband are deceased, having been killed by a drunk driver, although this accident was later revealed to be the work of Doctor Manhattan of the Watchmen universe, specifically to see how Clark would fare in becoming Superman without their guidance. As of the "DC Rebirth" relaunch (2019), both of them are alive.
Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter portrayed Jonathan and Martha in the 1978 film Superman. Annette O'Toole and John Schneider portrayed the couple in the 2001 series Smallville. Eva Marie Saint portrayed Martha in the 2006 film Superman Returns. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane portray Jonathan and Martha Kent in the DC Extended Universe. Michele Scarabelli and Fred Henderson portray the couple in the 2021 series Superman & Lois. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell portrayed Jonathan and Martha in the DC Universe film Superman (2025).
Contents
Fictional character biography
Golden and Silver Age versions
Although a "passing motorist" is described as having found the infant Kal-El in the character's first appearance in 1938's Action Comics #1, 1939's Superman #1 introduces Superman's adoptive parents to the mythos, with "Mary Kent" being the only parent given a name. The Kents' first names vary in stories from the 1940s. A 1942 Superman novel, The Adventures of Superman by George Lowther, gave the names "Eben and Sarah Kent"; Eben and Martha Kent were used in the 1948 Superman film serial; while Eben and Sarah Kent were used in the 1952 première of Adventures of Superman television series, but the first extensive retelling of Superman's origin in Superman #53 (July–August 1948, billed as the "10th Anniversary Issue!") names them "John and Mary Kent". This issue firmly establishes that it is the Kents who discover the infant Kal-El. The Kents take him to a "home for foundlings" and express an interest in adopting him, to which the home readily agrees after suffering the disruption of the infant's growing abilities. This story also establishes that "Clark" is Mary Kent's maiden name. Mary and John Kent die of natural causes as "Clark grew to manhood", with John on his deathbed imploring Clark to become "a powerful force for good" and suggesting that Clark is a "superman", a name adopted by Clark in the story's final panel.
Pa Kent is first named Jonathan in Adventure Comics v1 #149 (Feb 1950). Ma Kent is first named Marthe in Superboy v1 #12 (Jan-Feb 1951) and Martha in subsequent appearances. Her full name is given as Martha Hudson Clark Kent in answer to a letter writer's query in Superman v1 #148 (Oct 1961). Later stories, after the early 1960s introduction of DC's Multiverse system, declare that the early version of the Kents are named "John and Mary Kent" and live on the world of "Earth-Two", home of the Golden Age DC superheroes, while the more modern Jonathan and Martha Kent live on the world of "Earth-One", home of the Silver Age DC superheroes.
The Kents made few appearances in Superman stories until the introduction of the Superboy comic book series in 1949. In this series, they are regular supporting characters of the teenage superhero. The Superboy stories establish the Kents' backstory. Jonathan, a former race car driver, is a farmer on a farm just outside Smallville. After he and Martha find the toddler Kal-El in his rocket, they take him to the Smallville Orphanage and later formally adopt him, naming him "Clark". They soon discover that Clark possesses a fantastic array of superpowers. Around the time Clark starts school, the Kents sell their farm, and the family moves into Smallville, where they open a general store. During Clark's early grade school years, Jonathan trains young Clark in the use of his superpowers to the best of his knowledge while urging him to keep the use of his powers a secret. At the age of eight, Clark begins a superhero career as Superboy. Martha creates Superboy's costume out of the blankets inside the rocket that brought him to Earth, and Jonathan helps him to create a means of making Superboy and Clark appear to be different people by developing Clark's secret identity as a mild-mannered, reserved individual. The Kents assist their adopted son on many adventures as Superboy.
Modern Age versions
Comics writer John Byrne rewrote Superman's origin in the 1986 The Man of Steel limited series. In this version, Clark Kent does not become Superman until he is an adult, erasing his time as Superboy from continuity. Additionally, Jonathan and Martha Kent survive into Clark's adulthood. The Kents have the same role as in the earlier stories, instilling within Clark the morals needed to become a strong and heroic figure. A Legion of Super-Heroes/Superman team-up that was written to explain why the Legion still exists even without Superboy confirms that post-Crisis Jonathan and Martha Kent are younger than their pre-Crisis counterparts, explaining in part why they live on in Clark's adult life.
In this version of events, after a Kryptonian "birthing matrix" lands on Earth, Jonathan and Martha find a newborn infant inside. Taking the infant in just before a major snowstorm strikes, the couple decides to pass the infant off as their biological child, naming him "Clark", exploiting Martha's past miscarriages to justify their decision to keep their 'latest pregnancy' a secret. Clark's powers slowly develop, with his powers fully emerging once he reaches his late teens. After Clark's high school graduation, the Kents tell Clark about his true origins, and Clark leaves Smallville to explore the outside world. After Clark moves to Metropolis, Jonathan and Martha help Clark to create a superhero identity. They are later present when Clark finally discovers a holographic message in his ship from his biological father, Jor-El; prior to this, the Kents had assumed that the ship was from another country's space program.
The Kents' post-Crisis history is fleshed out in the 1980s limited series The World of Smallville, with Jonathan's ancestors' history more fully explored in the 1990s limited series The Kents. The Kents reveals that the Kent family were resolute abolitionists who moved to Kansas to participate in the fight to establish it as a Free State during that region's violent pre-American Civil War period known as Bleeding Kansas.
When the Matrix Supergirl arrives on earth, she moves in for a time with the Kents, who treat her a like a daughter despite such issues as her relationship with Lex Luthor and her own guilt about 'subverting' the life of Linda Danvers when Matrix unwittingly merged with Linda. After Supergirl revealed that part of her life to the Kents, Jonathan visited the Danvers to help Linda's father Fred adapt to their mutual daughter's unconventional status.
The New 52
In The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), Jonathan and Martha Kent were killed following an incident with a drunk driver and Clark Kent has to grow into his role as Superman without them.
DC Rebirth
In Doomsday Clock, it is revealed that Doctor Manhattan caused The New 52 reboot, facilitating the Kents' deaths. They are resurrected when Superman convinces Manhattan to undo his changes to the timeline.
Other versions
The Kent's Earth-Three counterparts appear briefly in the 2013–2014 "Forever Evil" storyline as part of Ultraman's origin. Young Jonathan and Martha Kent of Earth-Three are drug addicts in an abusive relationship. One day, while Jonathan is threatening Martha with a knife, Ultraman's space pod crash lands on their farm. Young Ultraman decides to blend into society until he is ready to conquer the planet, and forces Jonathan and Martha to act as his parents. It is revealed that sometime around the age of seven, Ultraman murders the Kents and burns down their farm, but keeps the name Clark Kent.
In Superman: Earth One universe, Jonathan and Martha find the Kryptonian pod while hiking.
In Absolute Superman, Krypton was not destroyed until Kal-El was a teenager. Seventeen months after the destruction of Krypton, Kal-El crash-lands on the Kent farm. The Kents take him in for a short time before he is captured by the Peacemakers for being an illegal immigrant. Six years later, Jonathan has died and Martha is in assisted living, having developed dementia. Kal goes to visit her many times, but she is unable to recognize him. After defending Smallville from the forces of the Lazarus Corporation, Kal goes to visit Martha once more, but is told she has died.
In other media
Television
Jonathan Kent appears in the Superboy segments of The New Adventures of Superman.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in Superman (1988), voiced by Alan Oppenheimer and Tress MacNeille respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by real-life married couple Shelley Fabares and Mike Farrell respectively. Introduced in Superman: The Animated Series, the Kents also appear in Justice League.
Martha Kent appears in Legion of Super Heroes, voiced by Jennifer Hale. Additionally, Jonathan appears in a photograph depicted in the episode "Fear Factory".
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in Young Justice, voiced by Mark Rolston and Zehra Fazal respectively.
Martha Kent appears in the Super Best Friends Forever episode "Grounded" (as part of DC Nation Shorts).
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in DC Super Hero Girls, voiced by Dean Cain and Helen Slater respectively.
Jonathan Kent makes a cameo appearance in the Justice League Action episode "Harley Goes Ape!", voiced by an uncredited actor.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in the Teen Titans Go! episode "Orangins".
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in My Adventures with Superman, voiced by Reid Scott and Kari Wahlgren respectively. Unlike other versions, Jonathan is alive and in good health.
Eben and Sarah Kent appear in Adventures of Superman (1952), portrayed by Tom Fadden and Frances Morris. After Eben dies of a heart attack, Sarah makes the Superman costume for Clark to bring to Metropolis.
Film
Martha Kent appears in Superman: Doomsday, voiced by Swoosie Kurtz. In this film, Jonathan has been dead for many years.
Jonathan and Martha Kent make a non-speaking appearance in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.
Martha Kent appears in All-Star Superman, voiced by Frances Conroy.
Martha Kent appears in Superman: Unbound, voiced again by Frances Conroy.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in Superman: Brainiac Attacks, voiced again by Mike Farrell and Shelley Fabares respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in Superman vs. The Elite, with Jonathan voiced by Paul Eiding while Martha appears briefly with no dialogue.
Jonathan and Martha Kent make non-speaking cameo appearances in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, voiced by Tom Gibis and Erica Luttrell respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year, voiced by Dean Cain and Helen Slater respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in the DC Animated Movie Universe films The Death of Superman (2018) and Reign of the Supermen, voiced again by Paul Eiding and Jennifer Hale respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020), voiced by Neil Flynn and Bellamy Young respectively.
Jonathan Kent appears in Injustice, voiced by Kevin Pollak. This version is a widower and is kidnapped by Mirror Master on behalf of the U.S. government, to be used as leverage against Superman. After Superman rescues Jonathan, he brings him to the Fortress of Solitude for his own protection, where Jonathan is later accidentally killed by one of Green Arrow's arrows that was deflected by Superman.
Video games
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in DC Universe Online, voiced by Brandon Young and Diane Perella respectively.
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear as character summons in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
Miscellaneous
Jonathan and Martha Kent appear in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic. The President of the United States hires Mirror Master and a team of commandos to kidnap the Kents, intending to use them as bargaining chips in an attempt to end Superman's enforced peacekeeping. Superman and the Justice League rescue the Kents, who are brought to the Fortress of Solitude for their protection. When the Insurgency breaks into the Fortress, Green Arrow accidentally hits Jonathan in the shoulder with one of his arrows while trying to combat Superman. In response, Superman beats Green Arrow to death. The Kents try to talk Superman down, just like the hologram of Jor-El, who appears and agrees with the Kents that Clark has gone too far, but he refuses to listen to them and leaves. The Kents apologize to Jor-El, as they believe they failed to raise his son properly; Jor-El in turn apologizes for sending Kal-El to Earth.