Superman protects the universe from evil, but his heart lies in one city; Metropolis. This great city, known as the Big Apricot, is the home of Lexcorp, the Daily Planet, and the classic GBS series The Midnight Show Starring Johnny Nevada, is as much a part of the Superman mythos as Krypton and Smallville. Without Metropolis, so much of what makes Superman special wouldn't exist.
But what do readers know about the City of Tomorrow? Metropolis stands tall as not only the biggest city on DC's Earth, but also one of the safest thanks not only to its very famous superhero but because of its not as famous first responders as well. The story of Metropolis starts well over three hundred years ago and stretches well into the 853rd century.
10 The Founding Of New Oberstad
The history of the small frontier outpost that would become known as Metropolis started in 1644 when a group of European settlers purchased land from a Native American tribe and named it New Oberstad. In the early days of New Oberstad, the people of the settlement built their homes and shops at the top of Oberstad Falls, believing that there was nothing of worth in the valley below. The land closest to the falls was considered the most valuable – access to constant freshwater was a luxury at the time – and would lead to the first clash between the two biggest families of Metropolis.
9 Joachim Olsson And Luthias Alexander
Jonas Olsson was one of the first Europeans to come to the land that would be named New Oberstad, and he quickly staked land near Oberstad Falls, planning to build a home there and raise his family in the new world. Two generations later, Jonas' grandson Joachim, would nearly lose his life defending the land from Luthias Alexander.
Using the newly created state government, Luthias Alexander purchased Joachim Olsson's land out from under him. When Joachim refused to leave the land, Luthias struck Olsson with a shovel and knocked him off Oberstad Falls. It was at the bottom of the falls where Joachim discovered gold, turning the small outpost into a major hub that would one day turn into the City of Tomorrow.
8 The Rise Of The Luthors
Nearly two centuries later, the ancestors of Luthias Alexander would return to New Oberstad, now called Metropolis, under a different name; Luthor. Rich from discovering oil out West, the Luthors would buy up much of Metropolis and begin to reshape as much of the city into their image as they could. The ancestors of Joachim Olsson, now known as the Olsens, used their wealth and power to keep the Luthors from buying up the whole city but was unable to keep the interlopers from taking control of much of Metropolis.
7 The Rise Of Metropolis
Under the control of the Luthor family, Metropolis continued to grow, going from a seaside town to becoming the biggest city in the United States. To show off their money and make their city really stand out, the Luthors built the Monarch of Metropolis. As the Luthors worked to tear down the past of New Oberstad and anything that didn't have their name on it, the city's second-richest family, the Olsens, fought against it, trying to save at least some pieces of the history of Metropolis. This battle led to Metropolis birthing six distinct boroughs.
6 The Six Boroughs
Metropolis is made up of six boroughs. Sitting on an island and separated from the other boroughs by the West River and Hobb's River, New Troy is the heart of the City of Tomorrow, with a skyline that is instantly recognizable thanks to the globe that sits atop the Daily Planet Building and the massive height of Lexcorp Headquarters. Bakerline is the borough that the Olsen family calls home, and thanks to their influence it is the only area of Metropolis that is free of Luthor properties. Hell's Gate, as the name suggests, is not the nicest place to live. Queensland Park, St. Martin's Island, and Park Ridge make up the other three boroughs.
5 Covering The Planet
Established in 1826, the Daily Planet was not the first paper in Metropolis, but it would become the biggest newspaper in the world. Originally located in a three-story warehouse, the building grew as the paper got bigger, becoming the art deco masterpiece with a large globe on the roof in the 1930s.
The Daily Planet has been the home to some of the greatest reporters the world has ever seen, with Lois Lane sitting comfortably at the top spot. Along with Lois, some of the Planet's best-known staff include Editor-in-Chief Perry White, photographer Jimmy Olsen, and sports columnist Steve Lombard.
4 The New Hero
Under the watchful eye of Lex Luthor, Metropolis went from being a great American city to being the greatest city in the world. Using his scientific genius, Luthor made sure that his hometown would be the most advanced city in the world, even if it meant breaking the law.
For much of his life, Lex was the biggest celebrity in Metropolis, but that all changed when Superman arrived. Not only did Superman's heroics start to take over the front page of the Daily Planet, but he embarrassed Lex by arresting him at a party. This embarrassment has led to a never-ending battle between Luthor and the Man of Steel.
3 The Greatest Police Force
Even before Superman arrived on the scene, Metropolis was seeing a rise in special crimes. Thanks to the futuristic technology of Metropolis, the criminals of the city also stepped it up in the innovation game and started using technology to take on the city's police force. To deal with these new crimes, Metropolis created the Special Crimes Unit, a task force trained to deal with crimes that are too dangerous for normal police. As supervillains have become more and more prevalent, the Metropolis SCU is always ready to do their part to keep the city safe.
2 The Fall Of Metropolis
Just two years after a large section of Metropolis had been destroyed by the alien monster Doomsday, the city once again faced annihilation when a dying Lex Luthor believed that Lois Lane was going to prove he killed a woman named Sasha Green. Rather than lose his city, Luthor planned to destroy it with ultrasonic missiles but was talked out of his plan by none other than Superman. Unfortunately, Luthor's assistant Sydney Happersen unleashed the missiles.
Superman and the Metropolis SCU did what they could to protect the city, but it was a lost cause. Almost all of New Troy was destroyed, leveling not only Centennial Park, Wireless City Movie Theater, and the Halldorf Hotel, but the Daily Planet Building as well. For a time, it seemed that Metropolis may never be rebuilt.
1 The Future
Of course, the people of Metropolis are not the kind to just give in and move. The city was rebuilt bigger and better than before, setting itself up for a great future. In the 31st century, Metropolis would become the home of the Legion of Super-Heroes, a United Planets sanctioned team that idolizes the superheroes of the past. Even further into the future, the 853rd century to be exact, Metropolis is home to superpowered humans and the headquarters of the Justice Legion A. Even that far into the future, Superman is still idolized by the citizens of Metropolis.