Superman in the Comics, 1938-1985 (Fall 2017)
Now considered to be one of the most iconic comic book covers of all time, the original Action Comics #1—although featuring other characters—is today most well known for the debut of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s now-famous creation, Superman. The cover prominently features the man of steel, cape billowing behind him, as he lifts a car with ease in order to save the innocent people around him.
Described by the Heritage Capital Corporation, the original Action Comics #1 was “68 pages long (64 interior pages plus the covers), and included stories featuring characters like Chuck Dawson, Zatara Master Magician, Pep Morgan, and cowboy Tex Thompson. Superman was the first story in the book, and was 12 pages long.” The Superman story within the issue is described by Comicvine as “Superman saves a woman who is going to be executed by finding the real killer. He stops a man who was whipping his wife with a belt and he confronts a lobbyist who is trying to get the United States involved in World War II.”
As mentioned by the Comicvine page dedicated to the issue, the original story of superman was not as well thought out as it was today in regard to the lore. His origin was mentioned only briefly, in that he came from “a 'distant planet' destroyed by old age, from which a scientist sent his infant son to Earth in a space-ship.” Similarly, instead of the story we now know, wherein Superman was adopted by the Kents as a boy, the alien child was instead discovered by a motorist and sent to an orphanage. It wasn’t until Superman gained his own comic series in June of 1939 that Krypton or the Kents were mentioned at all. In addition to this, the original incarnation of superman could not even fly and was not nearly as invulnerable as we consider him today, as it was considered too unrealistic by he creators. Comicvine states that Superman’s powers “increased gradually (and without explanation) in succeeding issues of Action Comics” over time, but the benefit of the doubt could only go so far initially, one would suppose.
Today, a mint or near-mint condition copy of this issue is considered a kind of “Holy Grail” amongst comic collectors, with an article in USA Today stating that it is considered “the world’s most expensive comic” after a copy sold for $3,207,852 in an auction on August 14, 2014.
Although a brief story, and although not the only character to be featured in this issue, Superman was the first to appear both on the cover and within the pages, and he ultimately became the one to survive the test of time, introducing the world to the “costumed superhero,” as well as being considered one of the first superhero comic books in general.
Works Cited:
“Action Comics #1 - Superman, Champion of the Oppressed... (Issue).” Comic Vine, comicvine.gamespot.com/action-comics-1-superman-champion-of-the-oppressed/4000-105403/.
“Action Comics #1 the First Appearance of Superman: the "Million Dollar Comic Book".” Heritage Auctions, comics.ha.com/information/action-comics-1-and-later-reprints.s.
Truitt, Brian. “Copy of 'Action Comics' No. 1 sells for $3.21 million.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 Aug. 2014, www.usatoday.com/story/life/2014/08/24/action-comics-no-1-most-expensive-comic-book/14545215/.
Brad Ricca’s Super Boys is a biography about Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster’s epic creation of the ever-iconic Superman. The book starts all the way back at the beginning with how the two became interested in comics. Ricca writes about how the comic strips in the newspapers was the dynamic duos first taste of comics and sparked an interest that would later change the face of comics. The two paired up in the 1920s when they were attending the same high school in Cleveland, Ohio. Schuster and Siegel bonded over their love for pulp magazines and science fiction tales. With Siegel’s writing skills and Schuster’s talent with art, the two were a match made in heaven. With this pairing, the boys started working for their high school newspaper. However, there were much bigger things planned for these two as they started to embark on their journey of creating one of America’s most loved superheroes.
The times that the boys grew up in largely shaped their creation of Superman. The 1920s and 30s had large technological innovations, the Great Depression, and also an obsession with physical fitness (which definitely influenced Schuster’s drawing of the very toned and buff Superman). And as far of the story telling goes, both men and their struggles played a huge role in the adventures they created on the pages. Siegel and Schuster were both first generation American-Jewish boys. Schuster had eye problems that set in early on in his life and Siegel lost his father at a young age. The combination of these tragic pasts is what led to fantastic and mesmerizing stories that people know and love.
So, there was an inspired illustrator and a brilliant author whose combined trials and hardships created something great. But their next task was to convince others that it was great. The duo spent 2 years trying to sell their idea to comic book companies like “New Fun Comics” and “Detective Comics”. And then in March of 1938, the two finally signed a deal with a publisher that gave D/C Comics exclusive rights to use the character and the story for $130.00. Little did they know that this comic was going to soon become a complete success and go on to make millions of dollars. Superman was integrated in to all parts of American culture.
While the book largely covers the complete history of Siegel and Schuster’s and their peaks and pits while creating the beloved Superman, it also covers a wide variety of other interesting facts about the men that could have a played a small role in the creation and development of their character. Ricca also includes some of Schuster’s other art that very few others have seen that he created while he was creating Superman. Not only that but Ricca shares some information about Siegel’s “secret work” during World War II as well. The book also goes into detail about how some of Superman’s iconic details and attributes where created such as the inspiration for the character Lois Lane and how she came to be. Overall, these two men’s creation of Superman was a combination of both the best and worst in each of them; and this rare and special combination led to a comic book that changed the face of comics forever.
n December of 1941 Germany declared war on the U.S. just days following the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was World War II and the U.S. was right in the middle of it, but that was all the way overseas, here in America at the time there was the American people rooting for our soldiers to kick Nazi butt and this message permeated throughout all of American culture at the time from commercials to sitcoms to print including comics and the Man of Steel, Superman. As shown here on the cover of the December 1941 edition of Action Comics #43, we see Superman punching Nazi soldier parachuting onto the battlefield. This image embodies everything Superman was for at the time, he was used as a symbol of American pride and patriotism. This wasn’t an anomaly either just because of the war, Superman in his Golden Age form was used by his creators Shuster and Siegel as a way to manifest the great pride of being an American into a physical form. It was so much a part of his character that his reasons for being a hero were to defend truth, justice and the American way which was a motto that was stuck to Superman for most of his comic book life. Shuster and Siegel were Jewish themselves, being able to create this cover was very special and it only enhanced their American pride which was shown through their Medium of Superman, who represented American values moreover that any other print character of the time.
As we all know by now, Joe Shuster and Jerry Seigel and their families were immigrants who came to America to live out their dreams and pursuit prosperity in this land of opportunity. This was common in that time, people migrating here looking for a better tomorrow, maybe that is one reason Superman resonated with so many people in that time, because he was made out to be an Immigrant too, but the difference was that was and actual alien, and not just a person from another country, who eventually is looked at as an all-American hero in the eyes of everyone (Hussain 1). One can imagine that this is what the two boys who created the Man of Steel aspired for, acceptance and Superman is the ultimate example of that situation. Superman is idolized and revered by all people, but his bold colors aren’t the only reason as discussed in Gary Engle’s article “What makes Superman So Darned American?” Engle states“It is impossible to imagine Superman being as popular as he is and speaking as deeply to the American character were he not an immigrant and an orphan.” (Engle 1). This goes back to my previous analysis of why Superman connected with so many people in his early days due to him being an immigrant who rises up to be the most prominent American Icon of his time and accepted and respected by his fellow Americans and that’s all both Shuster and Siegel ever wanted.
Work Cited
Hussain, Aamir; “The Man of Steel Represents American Values”; August, 2013; https://www.huffingtonpost.com/aamir-hussain/the-man-of-steel-represen_b_3446785.html
Engle, Gary; “What Makes Superman So Darned American?”; Mythic Rhetoric of the American Superhero; 2011.
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster sell Superman for $130
In 1938, two young cartoonists from Cleveland, Ohio sold the rights to a fictional comic book character for $130 which was a fairly large sum of money for that time. Unfortunately for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the comic book character they sold for $130 happened to be Superman. Superman is regarded as the first “Super Hero” ever made and created a genre that is immensely popular today, nearly 70 years after Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to Superman, he is still the main character in Hollywood blockbusters. In 2012, the $130 check that the two received for Superman sold for $160,000 in an online auction. According to Barbara Goldberg of Reuters, “Siegel and Shuster’s agreement in 1938 to sell the rights for such a paltry sum came to haunt them and, later, their heirs, who sued DC Comics and its parent company Warner Bros. Sons of Jewish immigrants, Siegel and Shuster were childhood friends from Cleveland. After creating Superman as young men in their 20s, they offered the character around before finally making the sale to DC Comics. ComicConnect said that when the first Superman movie came out in 1978, Shuster was so broke he was working as an aging delivery man.” (Goldberg). Despite the legendary status of Superman, his origin story of becoming published in “Action Comics #1” is widely regarded as a tragedy rather than a story of “The American Dream” because of the financial situation regarding his creators. A copy of “Action Comics #1” cost 10 cents when it was released in 1938. $2.16 Million was paid for a original “Action Comics #1” According to Reuters.
Shuster and Siegel would go to court attempting to reclaim ownership of their creation, however they would find little success. Danielle and Andy Mayoras write for Forbes, “Siegel and Shuster had an on-again, off-again relationship with DC, often suing over their rights, but ultimately returning to work for DC each time. Siegel and Shuster passed away in 1996 and 1992, respectively, without achieving their dream of reclaiming the rights to the Superman character. New hope came with the passage of the Copyright Act of 1976, and certain amendments to the law in 1999, which provided limited rights to creators such as Siegel and Shuster, and their heirs, to reclaim copyrights. If Warner Bros. and DC are in the role of Superman in this long-lasting battle, then surely the Copyright Act is the Kryptonite. But, that Act is riddled with exceptions and loopholes that make it very hard to successfully use.” (Mayoras). Despite creating a billion dollar industry that continues to survive and grow to this very day, Shuster and Siegel would never receive a lot of money themselves. Public pressure has been put on Warner Bros. and DC Comics to give more to the original creators of the comic book characters that they use to make billions at the box office for their blockbuster movies. Although progress is being made and creators are being given more credit, it is unfortunately far too late for the creators of Superman as their families continue to fight in court for the royalties that many believe Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster deserve.