Superman: History
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 (June 1938) thanks to the imagination of two teens from Cleveland -- Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. But the genesis of Krypton's last son traces back to an unfamiliar character created by Siegel.
In The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told (1987), a collection of Superman comic book stories, John Byrne summarized Superman's pre-history in the book's Introduction.
The precise moment of Superman's conception can only be guessed, but it was certainly no later than 1934. Jerry Siegel first used the name in 1933 in a short story he wrote for a fan-produced, amateur magazine called Science Fiction. The story, was The Reign of the Superman, and had little to do with the character we know by that name today. It was the tale of a man who gained and misused fantastic mental powers. It was illustrated by Joe Shuster.
In the mid-1980's, Eclipse Comics published early Siegel and Shuster non-Superman stories in Dateline 1930's #1 (November 1984). The stories' characters included Gloria Glamour and Bruce Verne, G-Man of the Future.
Dennis Dooley and Gary Engle analyzed Superman's appeal at the milestone of his official 50th anniversary. Dooley and Engle edited the book Superman At Fifty: The Persistence of a Legend (1988), a compilation of essays about the character. In the Preface, Dooley and Engle explain that the source of Superman's appeal is rather basic.
The characters and stories weren't complicated. It's simple entertainment combined with basic human yearnings, although they yielded a vast amount of pop culture that said a lot about American values.
Like the stories of King Arthur, the Superman myth has been passed from one generation to another and retold and reworked by many hands.
A highly significant part of the Superman legend is the bond between Superman and Batman. DC Comics marketed stories highlighting the two characters under the World's Finest banner. World's Finest #71 (August 1954) details the origin of the team-up. In this story, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne switched alter egos because Lois Lane uncovered Clark Kent's Superman identity. With cunning, trickery, and Robin's assistance, the Dark Knight and Man of Steel regain their secret identities.
World's Finest #94 (June 1958) revisits the origin in a flashback motif. When Batman and Robin bust a smuggling ring at the Gotham Import Company, they learn that Kryptonite was one of the smuggled products. Kryptonite is a piece of Superman's home planet Krypton. It is the only substance capable of weakening Superman. The Dynamic Duo travel to Metropolis to warn Superman about Lex Luthor's plan to use the deadly element to defeat Superman.
Patriotism is another theme prominent in Superman stories. The story line of Superman #395 (May 1984) borrows heavily from 1984 (1948) by George Orwell. The story The Power of the People illustrates the Man of Steel's dedication to freedom, democracy, and liberty.
The story concludes with a riveting narrative by the title character. Today, the superpowers of Earth are powers of great nations, of presidents and premiers. Their powers are greater than the power of any man, even a Superman! All great power needs restraint and protection, so it falls to me to see that the home of the brave remains the land of the free!
Engle summarizes Superman's patriotism in the essay What Makes Superman So Darned American? in Superman At Fifty.
Superman is like an American boy's fantasy of a messiah. He is the male, heroic match for the Statue of Liberty -- an immigrant here from another world to deliver humankind by sacrificing himself for others. He protects the weak and defends truth, justice and moral virtues with vigilance and modesty.
In Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes (1995), Les Daniels examines early Superman stories and the ideals of truth, justice, and freedom.
The first Superman appearance ended abruptly with the hero embarked on an even more radical campaign -- fighting corruption in the United States government. In a continued story that may remind readers of recent events in the real world, Superman discovered a lobbyist and a corrupt senator involved in a deal to sell arms to one side in a Latin American war. The munitions manufacturer behind the plot turned from his evil ways after Superman forced him to fight on the front lines.
Naturally, Superman's popularity in comic books extended to the toy shelves. Daniels details Superman's marketing beginnings.
By 1940, with the Man of Steel appearing in comic books, newspaper strips, animated cartoons and a radio show, DC Comics created Superman, Inc., to license the hero's image to manufacturers eager to jump on the bandwagon. Superman was becoming an industry, and playthings bearing his likeness became big business.
The Man of Steel became the Man of Tin, the Man of Wood, the Man of Celluloid and others as toymakers of the 1940s helped turn Superman into one of the most renowned figures in the world.
Daniels further explores the chain of events leading to Superman's exploitation in the merchandising arena. He traces the merchandising to the character's fifth appearance in Action Comics #5 (October 1938).
This story was devoted to the idea there was a lucrative market for products endorsed by Superman. In the story, a con man showed up at the Daily Star (where Clark Kent was still employed in those early days) claiming to be Superman's personal manager.
He demonstrated his client's commercial potential with a radio program sponsored by "Crackles, the energy-building breaksfast food," and pointed out a blimp promoting sales of a gasoline endorsed by the "strongest man on earth."