SUBMITTED BY Kit-Kat

June 26, 2006 — This week's release of Superman Returns will mark more than 70 years of Superman's iconic status in American popular culture. To celebrate, award-winning resource Web site HowStuffWorks.com provides everyone from casual moviegoers to die-hard Superman fans an in- depth, entertaining examination of how the "Man of Steel" really works.

In features such as "How Kryptonite Works," fans can understand how fantasy and reality are meshed to create the mythology surrounding Superman. Using known legend in combination with actual scientific fact, this article examines the hypothetical properties of the radioactive mineral known as kryptonite, explores its origins, and speculates why it weakens Superman and his fellow Kryptonians. The piece also ponders how Superman gets his superpowers in the first place-one theory suggests by converting energy from Earth's yellow sun in a process similar to photosynthesis.

HowStuffWorks also joins director Bryan Singer on the set of Superman Returns. A series of video tours investigates what it takes to make a comic book character that has been a part of American culture since 1938 translate realistically onto the big screen in 2006. For Singer, this included everything from planting 494 acres of cornfields in Australia several months prior to filming, to more technologically-advanced set design, such as an enormous hydraulic gimbal platform beneath a reconstructed Boeing 777 aircraft cabin that took eleven weeks to construct.

A HowStuffWorks' user's question about who would win in a fight between Superman and a Jedi Knight ignited the imaginations of HowStuffWorks editors who expanded on the hypothetical match up and wrote, 'Battling Blockbusters: Fighting against Superman.' The piece puts Superman's x-ray vision, super speed and flying abilities up against the likes of Gandalf the Grey (from Lord of the Rings fame), Harry Potter, and the X-men. Additional Superman content is available on HowStuffWorks.com, the source for thousands of topics explained in a clear, easy-to-understand format that appeals to all age/education levels.

ABOUT HOWSTUFFWORKS Founded in 1999, HowStuffWorks is an online publishing company that provides objective, credible, and useful information for people to learn about the world around them. The company's award-winning Web site attracts millions of unique visitors each month and is a source for in-depth, easy-to-understand explanations on hundreds of topics ranging from science and technology to health and electronics. In 2005, HowStuffWorks became the exclusive online publisher for Publications International, Ltd. (PIL) and its Consumer Guide and Mobil Travel Guide brands. HowStuffWorks is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and is a subsidiary of The Convex Group, a media and technology company. For more information, visit http://www.howstuffworks.com .