General Zod was formerly a brilliant military leader on Krypton who planned to overthrow the government and single handedly rule the planet. He was sentenced to "an eternal living death" in the Phantom Zone by Jor-EL and the Council of Elders, along with Ursa and Non. Upon escaping from the void, he set out to get revenge on Jor-El's heir Superman and take over Earth in the process. "Is there no one on this planet to even challenge me?" He is played in the first two SUPERMAN movies by Terence Stamp.
Ursa was the evil right hand to General Zod, who attempted to rule the planet Krypton. She hates all men, with the exception of The General. She escaped from the Phantom Zone, along with General Zod and Non when a Hydrogen bomb which Superman disposed of in space shattered the outer shell of the eternal void. Sarah Douglas portrayed Ursa in SUPERMAN (1978) and SUPERMAN II (1981).
Some of the prisoners in the Phantom Zone in the comics, including Jax-Ur on the left. In the comics, all of the prisoners can view Earth from the void in which they're trapped. As a result of keeping a close eye on Superman, they all know his secret identity of Clark Kent.
In the comics during the seventies, the criminals imprisoned in the Phantom Zone looked like this. Here are Jax-Ur, Kru-EL, General Zod and Professor Vakox.
On the SUPERMAN ADVENTURES TV cartoon in the 90's, a male and female team escaped from the Zone to wreak havoc on the Earth. They were Jax-Ur and a new female villainess Mala. Their behavior seemed to be based on Zod and Ursa from the Superman films. She had total devotion for Jax-UR and a total hatred for Man. Ron Perlman, who previously provided the voice of Clayface on the BATMAN ANIMATED SERIES, was Jax-UR and Mala was voiced by both Leslie Easterbrook and Sarah Douglas (Ursa in SUPERMAN II).
On a 1981 episode of TV's WORLD'S GREATEST SUPERFRIENDS, Superman fought a Phantom Zone escapee named Zi-Kree. The episode was aired in conjuction with the U.S. release of SUPERMAN II entitled THE EVIL OF KRYPTON, and although the villain's name was different than the in the film, his goal of world domination was the same. It's difficult not to notice the uncanny resemblence to the movie's General Zod, down to the black boots. The final showdown even took place in The Fortress of Solitude, Hmmmmmmmmm? Only difference was Green Lantern and Aquaman went along to help out.
A Phantom Zone Gallery would not be complete without Non, the voiceless and sometimes it seems brainless companion to General Zod. His one goal in life seems to be to obtain admiration from the General. Former Football player Jack O'Hallaron played the part in SUPERMAN and SUPERMAN II.
In SUPERMAN II, the terrible trio of Ursa, General Zod and Non descend to Earth to "rule, finally to rule." First stop, East Houston, Idaho to create a road barricade for a local sheriff (played by Clifton James). The heat vision on the deputy's shotgun. . .very cool, the levitation of the weapon . . . when did they get that power??????
Faora Hu-UL operated a kind of concentration camp, filled with the males she so despised. The males were lured there by her beauty and imprisoned. When she grew tired of tormenting a prisoner, she would kill him. At least 23 men were killed this way. She was given the second longest sentence in the Phantom Zone (next to Jax-UR).
Professor Vakox, once a respected Biochemist on Krypton, attempted to alter science by creating freaks of nature. He was sentenced to imprisonment in The Phantom Zone.
In the 1982 comic book mini-series PHANTOM ZONE, the prisoners escape to take over the Earth and place Superman in the "Eternal Twilight." Among the escapees were: General Zod, Jax-UR, Faora, Professor Vakox, Dr. Xadu, Az-Rel and Nadira.
The January 1982 cover of issue number 1 of the PHANTOM ZONE mini-series.