Superman is invulnerable. The men who played Superman are not.

TV Superman George Reeves died of a single gunshot wound to the head in 1959. Thirty-six years later, big-screen Superman Christopher Reeve was paralyzed in a horse-riding accident. Then came talk of the Curse of Superman.

People even pointed to Margot Kidder’s nervous breakdown and Richard Pryor’s multiple sclerosis as more evidence that a curse existed.

Now, with “Superman Returns” about to hit theaters, the talk of a curse has again cropped up. This time, however, the evidence is weaker than ever. One crew member of the production fell down a flight of concrete steps, another punctured his lung after crashing through a glass window, and a third member cracked three ribs in an altercation with muggers. Quickly the quacks screamed, “Curse!” But “Superman Returns” director Bryan Singer pooh-poohed the idea. “No, I think they’re just referring to the tragedy of George Reeves’ suicide and Christopher Reeve’s accident,” he said. “I think that’s what people are really talking about. And I think there are other movies that have had a lot more deaths surrounding them than Superman.” Come on! They were crew members.

So, is there a curse? Here’s a rundown of the men who played the Man of Steel and their fates. Decide for yourself?

Bud Collyer: Star of the Superman radio show (1940-1951). He went on to be the voice of Superman in the Max Fleischer theatrical cartoons in the ’40s. After a successful career as host of the game show “To Tell the Truth,” Collyer returned to voice work in “The New Adventures of Superman” in 1966. Three years later, he died of a circulatory ailment.

Kirk Alyn: Star of the 1948 and 1950 Superman movie serials. Soon thereafter, his career tanked and he retired to Arizona. Died in 1999 of natural causes.

George Reeves: Star of TV’s “The Adventures of Superman” (1952-58). He was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head in 1959. It was listed as a suicide, but many people think it was murder.

Christopher Reeve: Star of four Superman movies (1978-87). He was paralyzed in a horse-riding accident in 1995. He died in 2004 of a heart attack.

Dean Cain: Star of “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” (1993-97). Still healthy as a horse. Career died in 1997.

Tim Daly: Voiced the Man of Steel in “Superman: The Animated Series” (1996-2000). He reportedly suffered from a cold during production of “Superman: The Animated Series.”

Tom Welling: Star of “Smallville” (2001-Present). Welling is the best evidence against the curse. As long as he stays away from guns and horses, he might prove the curse-mongers wrong once and for all.

Brandon Routh: Star of “Superman Returns” (2006). Still alive. Career uncertain.

But wait! There’s another piece to this puzzle. Ben Affleck is portraying George Reeves in a movie about the one-time Man of Steel’s bizarre death. If there wasn’t a Superman Curse before, ol’ Ben is sure to bring one along with him.

Next week: The Curse of Ben Affleck!