Sul-El (Earth-One)

Real Name: Sul-El
Nicknames: No known nicknames
Former Aliases: No known former aliases
Other Current Aliases: No other known current aliases

Status

Occupation: Astronomer; slave
Legal Status: Sul-El was a legal citizen of the planet Krypton
Identity: Public
Marital Status: Married (presumably)
Group Affiliation: House of El
Base of Operations: Jewel Mountains, Krypton

Origin

Sul-El (Earth-One) was born a citizen of Kandor on the planet Krypton several hundred years ago.

Place of Birth: Kandor, Krypton
Place of Death: Krypton (presumably)
Known Relatives: Kal-El I (ancestor, deceased); Wab-El (ancestor, deceased); Vad-El (ancestor, deceased); Hyr-El (ancestor, deceased); Jaf-El (ancestor, deceased); Tio-El (ancestor, deceased)Kil-Gor (ancestor, deceased); Bur-El (ancestor, deceased); Wenda Kil-Gor (ancestor, deceased); Val-El (ancestor, deceased); Tro-El (ancestor, deceased); Hatu-El (son, deceased); Wir-El (descendent, deceased); Shu-El (descendent, deceased); Fedra Shu-El (descendent, deceased); Thar-El (descendent, deceased); Plen-El (descendent, deceased); Nox-El (descendent, deceased); Fil-El (descendent, deceased); Sorn-El (descendent, deceased); Im-El (descendent, deceased); Yu-El (descendent, deceased); Pir-El (descendent, deceased); Tala-El (descendent, deceased); Gam-El (descendent, deceased); Pym-El (descendent, deceased); Var-El (descendent, deceased); Jor-El I (descendent, deceased); Kayla Var-El (descendent, deceased); Jor-El II (descendent, deceased); Zim-El (descendent, deceased); Zor-El (descendent); Kru-El (descendent, deceased); Kal-El (descendent); Kara Zor-El (descendent, deceased); Nim-El (descendent)

First Appearance: Krypton Chronicles #1
Final Appearance: Krypton Chronicles #2

History

Sul-El's interest in astronomy was born of an even greater passion for history and the sciences in general. Researching the work of one of his distant ancestors, Kil-Gor, he discovered a means by which to convert lenses made of volcanic glass into a working telescope. He spent endless nights out on the balcony of his laboratory staring up at the moons of Krypton.

One evening, he noticed something that he initially believed was a comet. Upon closer examination, Sul-El discovered that it was actually a space-vessel. At this point in time, Krypton had yet to make First Contact with any form of extraterrestrial life, so such a discovery excited Sul-El greatly. He rushed to the governor's office in Kandor to speak with the Drygur, Usk-Mar. He told him of his discovery, but Usk-Mar dismissed his claims as wild fancy and heresy. Sul-El warned that the vessel he sighted was on a direct course for Krypton, and it was possible that it might be an advance scout ship for an alien invasion. Still, the Kryptonian statesman paid him no mind.

As it turned out, Sul-El's greatest fears proved true. A warlike alien race known as the Vrangs invaded Krypton and took control of the continent of Lurvan. They enslaved the Kryptonian populace and put them to work in the mines of the Crystal Mountains. Even Sul-El's young son, Hatu-El, worked alongside his father, bound in chains, mining minerals for their Vrang masters. Little did Sul-El realize that Hatu-El would one day lead a slave revolt that would liberate Krypton from Vrang control.

It is not known the manner in which Sul-El eventually died, and it is just as likely that he may have passed away prior to the liberation of Krypton. A statue of Sul-El holding a telescope was erected in the House of El memorial hall at New Kandor on the planet, Rokyn.

Characteristics

Height: Height unknown
Weight: Weight unknown
Eyes: Eye colour unknown
Hair: Bald, with grey beard
Unusual Features: No unusual features

Powers

Known Powers: Sul-El (Earth-One) did not possess any superhuman powers while living under a red sun. Had he lived on a world revolving around a yellow sun, he would have developed physical attributes similar to that of Superman.
Known Abilities: Sul-El (Earth-One) was an accomplished scientist with a keen knowledge of astronomy.
Strength Level: It appears that Sul-El (Earth-One) possessed the strength level of an adult male Kryptonian his age, size and weight who engaged in minimal regular exercise.

Miscellaneous

Equipment: Telescopic lens
Transportation: No known transportation.
Weapons: No known weapons.

Notes

The character of Sul-El (Earth-One) was created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Curt Swan.

Sul-El (Earth-One)'s existence is exclusive to the continuity of Pre-Crisis Krypton.

Sul-El (Earth-One)'s final fate has never been revealed, but it is reasonable to assume that he passed away long before the ultimate destruction of Krypton. It is possible that he may have even died at some point during the Vrang occupation.

Trivia

Sul-El is an analog to the 17th century Italian physicist Galileo.

External Links

Sul-El article at Supermanica

References

The Great Superman Book
Krypton Chronicles #2