Ever since his arrival in the late 30s, the Man of Steel has never had much difficulty getting media exposure. Comic books, a television series and feature films have all chronicled the life of Superman in painstaking detail. But what about those lesser-known moments – the big guy’s first day of school, or when he finally got his driving license? These, and many more landmark events were shared with viewers of Superman, a 1988 animated series produced by Ruby-Spears and released in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the iconic superhero.

Most true fans can recite the early details of Superman’s life. Born on the distant planet of El-Kal, the super infant was hastily shipped off to Earth by his father just prior to the planet’s destruction. The young boy ended up crash-landing at a rural farm in Smalltown, USA, owned by Ma and Pa Kent, who proceeded to raise the boy as their own, giving him the name Clark. But this was no average, underachieving tyke. Clark soon realized that he could do things that none of his classmates were capable of, such as performing incredible displays of strength, using X-ray vision, and, of course, flying. Not wanting to be an outcast among his peers, Clark kept these things hidden from his peers, lest he be labeled a freak. He grew into an impressive young man and moved to the big city to pursue a career in journalism, landing a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet. He soon befriended two colleagues, young photographer Jimmy Olsen and a fellow reporter, Lois Lane, who immediately caught Clark’s amorous eye.

But when trouble arose in the city of Metropolis, Clark had more responsibilities than just covering the story. With the aid of a convenient phone booth, he would shed his alter-ego and his attire, and emerge as a cape-wearing superhero, ready to battle anyone who dared cause harm to the planet he loved. His arch nemesis was industrial heavyweight Lex Luthor, a man determined to take over the world, but there were plenty of otherworldly diabolical villains to contend with as well, such as The Defendriods and Cybron. But Superman always managed to save the day, even when a little Kryptonite was employed – the only substance that could stop the big guy in his tracks.

What made this particular series unique from the many other offerings over the years was that audiences were offered a glimpse of some of Superman’s early years. At the end of each episode, after the bad guys were successfully defeated, the “Superman Family Album” would be pulled out, showing those wonderful milestones in his formative years, from family camping trips to his first date. It turned out that even someone as amazing as Superman still had his own awkward and embarrassing moments early in life, just like everyone else.

And just when everyone felt they were getting the know the Man of Steel on a more personal level, the family album and the series were both shelved. After a mere 13 episodes, Superman would disappear from the television airwaves for another nine years, until he re-emerged for The New Superman Adventures in 1997.