Thanks for Looking and Best of Luck with the Bidding!!
Superman
Article
Talk
Read
View source
View history
Tools
Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the superhero. For other uses, see Superman (disambiguation).
"Zerox" redirects here. For the song by Adam and the Ants, see Zerox (song).
Superman
Superman with his cape billowing
Superman appearing on a variant cover of Action Comics #1000 (April 2018)
Art by Jason Fabok.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Action Comics #1
(cover-dated June 1938; published April 18, 1938)
Created by Jerry Siegel (writer)
Joe Shuster (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego Kal-El (birth name)
Clark J. Kent (adopted name)
Species Kryptonian
Place of origin Krypton
Team affiliations
Justice League
Legion of Super-Heroes
Superman Family
Partnerships
Supergirl (various)
Superboy (various)
Batman
Wonder Woman
Notable aliases
Superboy
The Man of Steel
The Last Son of Krypton
The Man of Tomorrow
The Big Blue Boy Scout
Abilities
Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, longevity, senses, and durability
Heat vision
Wind and freeze breath
Solar energy absorption
X-ray vision
Flight
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book Action Comics #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and published April 18, 1938).[1] Superman has been adapted to a number of other media, which includes radio serials, novels, films, television shows, theater, and video games.
Superman was born on the fictional planet Krypton with the birth name of Kal-El. As a baby, his parents sent him to Earth in a small spaceship shortly before Krypton was destroyed in a natural cataclysm. His ship landed in the American countryside near the fictional town of Smallville. He was found and adopted by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him Clark Kent. Clark began developing various superhuman abilities, such as incredible strength and impervious skin. His adoptive parents advised him to use his powers for the benefit of humanity, and he decided to fight crime as a vigilante. To protect his personal life, he changes into a colorful costume and uses the alias "Superman" when fighting crime. Clark resides in the fictional American city of Metropolis, where he works as a journalist for the Daily Planet. Superman's supporting characters include his love interest and fellow journalist Lois Lane, Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, and editor-in-chief Perry White, and his enemies include Brainiac, General Zod, Darkseid, and his archenemy Lex Luthor.
Superman is the archetype of the superhero: he wears an outlandish costume, uses a codename, and fights evil with the aid of extraordinary abilities. Although there are earlier characters who arguably fit this definition, it was Superman who popularized the superhero genre and established its conventions. He was the best-selling superhero in American comic books up until the 1980s.[2]
Development
Jerry Siegel, writer
Joe Shuster, illustrator
"The Reign of the Superman", a short story by Jerry Siegel (January 1933)
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in 1932 while attending Glenville High School in Cleveland and bonded over their admiration of fiction. Siegel aspired to become a writer and Shuster aspired to become an illustrator. Siegel wrote amateur science fiction stories, which he self-published as a magazine called Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization. His friend Shuster often provided illustrations for his work.[3] In January 1933, Siegel published a short story in his magazine titled "The Reign of the Superman". The titular character is a homeless man named Bill Dunn who is tricked by an evil scientist into consuming an experimental drug. The drug gives Dunn the powers of mind-reading, mind-control, and clairvoyance. He uses these powers maliciously for profit and amusement, but then the drug wears off, leaving him a powerless vagrant again. Shuster provided illustrations, depicting Dunn as a bald man.[4]
Siegel and Shuster shifted to making comic strips, with a focus on adventure and comedy. They wanted to become syndicated newspaper strip authors, so they showed their ideas to various newspaper editors. However, the newspaper editors told them that their ideas were insufficiently sensational. If they wanted to make a successful comic strip, it had to be something more sensational than anything else on the market. This prompted Siegel to revisit Superman as a comic strip character.[5][6] Siegel modified Superman's powers to make him even more sensational: Like Bill Dunn, the second prototype of Superman is given powers against his will by an unscrupulous scientist, but instead of psychic abilities, he acquires superhuman strength and bullet-proof skin.[7][8] Additionally, this new Superman was a crime-fighting hero instead of a villain, because Siegel noted that comic strips with heroic protagonists tended to be more successful.[9] In later years, Siegel once recalled that this Superman wore a "bat-like" cape in some panels, but typically he and Shuster agreed there was no costume yet, and there is none apparent in the surviving artwork.[10][11]
Siegel and Shuster showed this second concept of Superman to Consolidated Book Publishers, based in Chicago.[12][a] In May 1933, Consolidated had published a proto-comic book titled Detective Dan: Secret Operative 48.[13] It contained all-original stories as opposed to reprints of newspaper strips, which was a novelty at the time.[14] Siegel and Shuster put together a comic book in a similar format called The Superman. A delegation from Consolidated visited Cleveland that summer on a business trip and Siegel and Shuster took the opportunity to present their work in person.[15][16] Although Consolidated expressed interest, they later pulled out of the comics business without ever offering a book deal because the sales of Detective Dan were disappointing.[17][18]
Cover of an unpublished comic book, 1933
Siegel believed publishers kept rejecting them because he and Shuster were young and unknown, so he looked for an established artist to replace Shuster.[19] When Siegel told Shuster what he was doing, Shuster reacted by burning their rejected Superman comic, sparing only the cover. They continued collaborating on other projects, but for the time being Shuster was through with Superman.[20]
Siegel wrote to numerous artists.[19] The first response came in July 1933 from Leo O'Mealia, who drew the Fu Manchu strip for the Bell Syndicate.[21][22] In the script that Siegel sent to O'Mealia, Superman's origin story changes: He is a "scientist-adventurer" from the far future when humanity has naturally evolved "superpowers". Just before the Earth explodes, he escapes in a time-machine to the modern era, whereupon he immediately begins using his superpowers to fight crime.[23] O'Mealia produced a few strips and showed them to his newspaper syndicate, but they were rejected. O'Mealia did not send to Siegel any copies of his strips, and they have been lost.[24]
In June 1934, Siegel found another partner: an artist in Chicago named Russell Keaton.[25][26] Keaton drew the Buck Rogers and Skyroads comic strips. In the script that Siegel sent Keaton in June, Superman's origin story further evolved: In the distant future, when Earth is on the verge of exploding due to "giant cataclysms", the last surviving man sends his three-year-old son back in time to the year 1935. The time-machine appears on a road where it is discovered by motorists Sam and Molly Kent. They leave the boy in an orphanage, but the staff struggle to control him because he has superhuman strength and impenetrable skin. The Kents adopt the boy and name him Clark, and teach him that he must use his fantastic natural gifts for the benefit of humanity. In November, Siegel sent Keaton an extension of his script: an adventure where Superman foils a conspiracy to kidnap a star football player. The extended script mentions that Clark puts on a special "uniform" when assuming the identity of Superman, but it is not described.[27] Keaton produced two weeks' worth of strips based on Siegel's script. In November, Keaton showed his strips to a newspaper syndicate, but they too were rejected, and he abandoned the project.[28][29]
Siegel and Shuster reconciled and resumed developing Superman together. The character became an alien from the planet Krypton. Shuster designed the now-familiar costume: tights with an "S" on the chest, over-shorts, and a cape.[30][31][32] They made Clark Kent a journalist who pretends to be timid, and conceived his colleague Lois Lane, who is attracted to the bold and mighty Superman but does not realize that he and Kent are the same person.[33]
Concept art c. 1934/1935. Note the laced sandals, based on those of strongmen and classical heroes.[34]
In June 1935 Siegel and Shuster finally found work with National Allied Publications, a comic magazine publishing company in New York owned by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson.[35] Wheeler-Nicholson published two of their strips in New Fun Comics #6 (1935): "Henri Duval" and "Doctor Occult".[36] Siegel and Shuster also showed him Superman and asked him to market Superman to the newspapers on their behalf.[37] In October, Wheeler-Nicholson offered to publish Superman in one of his own magazines.[38] Siegel and Shuster refused his offer because Wheeler-Nicholson had demonstrated himself to be an irresponsible businessman. He had been slow to respond to their letters and had not paid them for their work in New Fun Comics #6. They chose to keep marketing Superman to newspaper syndicates themselves.[39][40] Despite the erratic pay, Siegel and Shuster kept working for Wheeler-Nicholson because he was the only publisher who was buying their work, and over the years they produced other adventure strips for his magazines.[41]
Wheeler-Nicholson's financial difficulties continued to mount. In 1936, he formed a joint corporation with Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz called Detective Comics, Inc. in order to release his third magazine, which was titled Detective Comics. Siegel and Shuster produced stories for Detective Comics too, such as "Slam Bradley". Wheeler-Nicholson fell into deep debt to Donenfeld and Liebowitz, and in early January 1938, Donenfeld and Liebowitz petitioned Wheeler-Nicholson's company into bankruptcy and seized it.[3][42]
In early December 1937, Siegel visited Liebowitz in New York, and Liebowitz asked Siegel to produce some comics for an upcoming comic anthology magazine called Action Comics.[43][44] Siegel proposed some new stories, but not Superman. Siegel and Shuster were, at the time, negotiating a deal with the McClure Newspaper Syndicate for Superman. In early January 1938, Siegel had a three-way telephone conversation with Liebowitz and an employee of McClure named Max Gaines. Gaines informed Siegel that McClure had rejected Superman, and asked if he could forward their Superman strips to Liebowitz so that Liebowitz could consider them for Action Comics. Siegel agreed.[45] Liebowitz and his colleagues were impressed by the strips, and they asked Siegel and Shuster to develop the strips into 13 pages for Action Comics.[46] Having grown tired of rejections, Siegel and Shuster accepted the offer. At least now they would see Superman published.[47][48] Siegel and Shuster submitted their work in late February and were paid $130 (equivalent to $2,703 in 2022) for their work ($10 per page).[49] In early March they signed a contract at Liebowitz's request in which they gave away the copyright for Superman to Detective Comics, Inc. This was normal practice in the business, and Siegel and Shuster had given away the copyrights to their previous works as well[50] (see the Copyright issues section of this article for more details on this matter).
Super-man's debut
The duo's revised version of Superman appeared in the first issue of Action Comics, which was published on April 18, 1938. The issue was a huge success thanks to Superman's feature.[1][51][52]
Influences
Siegel and Shuster read pulp science-fiction and adventure magazines, and many stories featured characters with fantastical abilities such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and superhuman strength. One character in particular was John Carter of Mars from the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. John Carter is a human who is transported to Mars, where the lower gravity makes him stronger than the natives and allows him to leap great distances.[53][54] Another influence was Philip Wylie's 1930 novel Gladiator, featuring a protagonist named Hugo Danner who had similar powers.[55][56]
Superman's stance and devil-may-care attitude were influenced by the characters of Douglas Fairbanks, who starred in adventure films such as The Mark of Zorro and Robin Hood.[57] The name of Superman's home city, Metropolis, was taken from the 1927 film of the same name.[58] Popeye cartoons were also an influence.[58]
The name "Clark Kent" was created by taking the first names of actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor. "Clark" was also inspired by explorer William Clark especially when coming up with the names "Lois and Clark" a nod to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, American explorers who discovered an overland route to the Pacific Ocean.[citation needed]
Douglas Fairbanks (left) and Harold Lloyd (right) influenced the look of Superman and Clark Kent, respectively.
Clark Kent's harmless facade and dual identity were inspired by the protagonists of such movies as Don Diego de la Vega in The Mark of Zorro and Sir Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel. Siegel thought this would make for interesting dramatic contrast and good humor.[59][60] Another inspiration was slapstick comedian Harold Lloyd. The archetypal Lloyd character was a mild-mannered man who finds himself abused by bullies but later in the story snaps and fights back furiously.[61]
Kent is a journalist because Siegel often imagined himself becoming one after leaving school. The love triangle between Lois Lane, Clark, and Superman was inspired by Siegel's own awkwardness with girls.[62]
The pair collected comic strips in their youth, with a favorite being Winsor McCay's fantastical Little Nemo.[58] Shuster remarked on the artists who played an important part in the development of his own style: "Alex Raymond and Burne Hogarth were my idols – also Milt Caniff, Hal Foster, and Roy Crane."[58] Shuster taught himself to draw by tracing over the art in the strips and magazines they collected.[3]
As a boy, Shuster was interested in fitness culture[63] and a fan of strongmen such as Siegmund Breitbart and Joseph Greenstein. He collected fitness magazines and manuals and used their photographs as visual references for his art.[3]
The visual design of Superman came from multiple influences. The tight-fitting suit and shorts were inspired by the costumes of wrestlers, boxers, and strongmen. In early concept art, Shuster gave Superman laced sandals like those of strongmen and classical heroes, but these were eventually changed to red boots.[34] The costumes of Douglas Fairbanks were also an influence.[64] The emblem on his chest was inspired by heraldic crests.[65] Many pulp action heroes such as swashbucklers wore capes. Superman's face was based on Johnny Weissmuller with touches derived from the comic-strip character Dick Tracy and from the work of cartoonist Roy Crane.[66]
The word "superman" was commonly used in the 1920s and 1930s to describe men of great ability, most often athletes and politicians.[67] It occasionally appeared in pulp fiction stories as well, such as "The Superman of Dr. Jukes".[68] It is unclear whether Siegel and Shuster were influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the Übermensch; they never acknowledged as much.[69]
Comics
See also: Publication history of Superman and Superman (franchise)
Comic books
See also: List of Superman comics
The cover of Superman #6 (Sept. 1940) by Joe Shuster, the original artist and co-creator
Since 1938, Superman stories have been regularly published in periodical comic books published by DC Comics. The first and oldest of these is Action Comics, which began in April 1938.[1] Action Comics was initially an anthology magazine, but it eventually became dedicated to Superman stories. The second oldest periodical is Superman, which began in June 1939. Action Comics and Superman have been published without interruption (ignoring changes to the title and numbering scheme).[71][72] A number of other shorter-lived Superman periodicals have been published over the years.[73] Superman is part of the DC Universe, which is a shared setting of superhero characters owned by DC Comics, and consequently he frequently appears in stories alongside the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, and others.
Superman has sold more comic books over his publication history than any other American superhero character.[74] Exact sales figures for the early decades of Superman comic books are hard to find because, like most publishers at the time, DC Comics concealed this data from its competitors and thereby the general public as well, but given the general market trends at the time, sales of Action Comics and Superman probably peaked in the mid-1940s and thereafter steadily declined.[75] Sales data first became public in 1960, and showed that Superman was the best-selling comic book character of the 1960s and 1970s.[2][76][77] Sales rose again starting in 1987. Superman #75 (Nov 1992) sold over 23 million copies,[78] making it the best-selling issue of a comic book of all time, thanks to a media sensation over the supposedly permanent death of the character in that issue.[79] Sales declined from that point on. In March 2018, Action Comics sold just 51,534 copies, although such low figures are normal for superhero comic books in general (for comparison, Amazing Spider-Man #797 sold only 128,189 copies).[80] The comic books are today considered a niche aspect of the Superman franchise due to low readership,[81] though they remain influential as creative engines for the movies and television shows. Comic book stories can be produced quickly and cheaply, and are thus an ideal medium for experimentation.[82]
Whereas comic books in the 1950s were read by children, since the 1990s the average reader has been an adult.[83] A major reason for this shift was DC Comics' decision in the 1970s to sell its comic books to specialty stores instead of traditional magazine retailers (supermarkets, newsstands, etc.) — a model called "direct distribution". This made comic books less accessible to children.[84]
Newspaper strips
See also: Superman (comic strip)
Beginning in January 1939, a Superman daily comic strip appeared in newspapers, syndicated through the McClure Syndicate. A color Sunday version was added that November. Jerry Siegel wrote most of the strips until he was conscripted in 1943. The Sunday strips had a narrative continuity separate from the daily strips, possibly because Siegel had to delegate the Sunday strips to ghostwriters.[85] By 1941, the newspaper strips had an estimated readership of 20 million.[86] Joe Shuster drew the early strips, then passed the job to Wayne Boring.[87] From 1949 to 1956, the newspaper strips were drawn by Win Mortimer.[88] The strip ended in May 1966, but was revived from 1977 to 1983 to coincide with a series of movies released by Warner Bros.[89]
Editors
Initially, Siegel was allowed to write Superman more or less as he saw fit because nobody had anticipated the success and rapid expansion of the franchise.[90][91] But soon Siegel and Shuster's work was put under careful oversight for fear of trouble with censors.[92] Siegel was forced to tone down the violence and social crusading that characterized his early stories.[93] Editor Whitney Ellsworth, hired in 1940, dictated that Superman not kill.[94] Sexuality was banned, and colorfully outlandish villains such as Ultra-Humanite and Toyman were thought to be less nightmarish for young readers.[95]
Mort Weisinger was the editor on Superman comics from 1941 to 1970, his tenure briefly interrupted by military service. Siegel and his fellow writers had developed the character with little thought of building a coherent mythology, but as the number of Superman titles and the pool of writers grew, Weisinger demanded a more disciplined approach.[96] Weisinger assigned story ideas, and the logic of Superman's powers, his origin, the locales, and his relationships with his growing cast of supporting characters were carefully planned. Elements such as Bizarro, his cousin Supergirl, the Phantom Zone, the Fortress of Solitude, alternate varieties of kryptonite, robot doppelgangers, and Krypto were introduced during this era. The complicated universe built under Weisinger was beguiling to devoted readers but alienating to casuals.[97] Weisinger favored lighthearted stories over serious drama, and avoided sensitive subjects such as the Vietnam War and the American civil rights movement because he feared his right-wing views would alienate his left-leaning writers and readers.[98] Weisinger also introduced letters columns in 1958 to encourage feedback and build intimacy with readers.[99]
Weisinger retired in 1970 and Julius Schwartz took over. By his own admission, Weisinger had grown out of touch with newer readers.[100] Starting with The Sandman Saga, Schwartz updated Superman by making Clark Kent a television anchor, and he retired overused plot elements such as kryptonite and robot doppelgangers.[101] Schwartz also scaled Superman's powers down to a level closer to Siegel's original. These changes would eventually be reversed by later writers. Schwartz allowed stories with serious drama such as "For the Man Who Has Everything" (Superman Annual #11), in which the villain Mongul torments Superman with an illusion of happy family life on a living Krypton.
Schwartz retired from DC Comics in 1986 and was succeeded by Mike Carlin as an editor on Superman comics. His retirement coincided with DC Comics' decision to reboot the DC Universe with the companywide-crossover storyline "Crisis on Infinite Earths". In The Man of Steel writer John Byrne rewrote the Superman mythos, again reducing Superman's powers, which writers had slowly re-strengthened, and revised many supporting characters, such as making Lex Luthor a billionaire industrialist rather than a mad scientist, and making Supergirl an artificial shapeshifting organism because DC wanted Superman to be the sole surviving Kryptonian.
Carlin was promoted to Executive Editor for the DC Universe books in 1996, a position he held until 2002. K.C. Carlson took his place as editor of the Superman comics.
Aesthetic style
In the earlier decades of Superman comics, artists were expected to conform to a certain "house style".[102] Joe Shuster defined the aesthetic style of Superman in the 1940s. After Shuster left National, Wayne Boring succeeded him as the principal artist on Superman comic books.[103] He redrew Superman taller and more detailed.[104] Around 1955, Curt Swan in turn succeeded Boring.[105] The 1980s saw a boom in the diversity of comic book art and now there is no single "house style" in Superman comics.[citation needed]
In other media
Main article: Superman (franchise)
Radio
The first adaptation of Superman beyond comic books was a radio show, The Adventures of Superman, which ran from 1940 to 1951 for 2,088 episodes, most of which were aimed at children. The episodes were initially 15 minutes long, but after 1949 they were lengthened to 30 minutes. Most episodes were done live.[106] Bud Collyer was the voice actor for Superman in most episodes. The show was produced by Robert Maxwell and Allen Ducovny, who were employees of Superman, Inc. and Detective Comics, Inc. respectively.[107][108]
Stage
In 1966 Superman had a Tony-nominated musical play produced on Broadway. It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman featured music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams and book by David Newman and Robert Benton. Actor Bob Holiday performed as Clark Kent/Superman and actress Patricia Marand performed as Lois Lane.
Film
Paramount Pictures released a series of Superman theatrical animated shorts between 1941 and 1943. Seventeen episodes in total were made, each 8–10 minutes long. The first nine films were produced by Fleischer Studios and the next films were produced by Famous Studios. Bud Collyer provided the voice of Superman. The first episode had a production budget of $50,000 with the remaining episodes at $30,000 each[109] (equivalent to $597,000 in 2022), which was exceptionally lavish for the time; $9,000 – $15,000 was more typical for animated shorts.[110] Joe Shuster provided model sheets for the characters, so the visuals resembled the contemporary comic book aesthetic.[111]
Kirk Alyn as Superman
The first live-action adaptation of Superman was a movie serial released in 1948, targeted at children. Kirk Alyn became the first actor to portray the hero onscreen. The production cost up to $325,000[112] (equivalent to $3,959,000 in 2022). It was the most profitable movie serial in movie history.[113] A sequel serial, Atom Man vs. Superman, was released in 1950. For flying scenes, Superman was hand-drawn in animated form, composited onto live-action footage.
The first feature film was Superman and the Mole Men, a 58-minute B-movie released in 1951, produced on an estimated budget of $30,000 (equivalent to $338,000 in 2022).[114] It starred George Reeves as Superman, and was intended to promote the subsequent television series.[115]
The first big-budget movie was Superman in 1978, starring Christopher Reeve and produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind. It was 143 minutes long and was made on a budget of $55 million (equivalent to $247,000,000 in 2022). It is the most successful Superman feature film to date in terms of box office revenue adjusted for inflation.[116] The soundtrack was composed by John Williams and was nominated for an Academy Award. Superman (1978) was the first big-budget superhero movie, and its success arguably paved the way for later superhero movies like Batman (1989) and Spider-Man (2002).[117][118][119]
The 1978 film spawned three sequels: Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).
In 2006, Superman Returns was released, designed after the 1978–1987 film series. Superman was portrayed by Brandon Routh, who later reprised his role in the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths (2019–2020).
Superman has appeared in a series of direct-to-video animated films produced by Warner Bros. Animation called DC Universe Animated Original Movies, beginning with Superman: Doomsday in 2007. Many of these movies are adaptations of popular comic book stories.
Superman appeared in the theatrical animated feature film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018), voiced by Nicolas Cage.
Superman appeared in the theatrical animated feature film DC League of Super-Pets (2022), voiced by John Krasinski.
DC Extended Universe
In 2013, Man of Steel was released by Warner Bros. as a reboot of the film series, starring Henry Cavill as Superman.
A sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), featured Superman alongside Batman and Wonder Woman, making it the first theatrical film in which Superman appeared alongside other superheroes from the DC Universe.
Cavill reprised his role in Justice League (2017) and its director's cut (2021).
Superman also appears at the end of the film Shazam! (2019) very briefly, portrayed by stuntman Ryan Handley.
Superman briefly appears in the first season finale of the TV series Peacemaker (2022), portrayed by a stand-in.
Cavill makes an uncredited cameo appearance as Superman in the mid-credits scene of the film Black Adam (2022).
Nicolas Cage makes a cameo appearance as an alternate version of Superman in the film The Flash (2023), Cage shooting his scenes through volumetric capture, before he was deaged with computer-generated imagery (CGI).[120] Cavill, George Reeves, and Christopher Reeve also cameo as their respective versions of Superman through the use of CGI representing their likenesses, Cavill having filmed additional scenes as the character for the film which were removed during post-production.
DC Universe
A new reboot of the film series, titled Superman: Legacy is in development, to be set in the DC Universe (DCU) franchise. The film will be written and directed by James Gunn and produced by DC Studios. It is set to release on July 11, 2025. On June 27, 2023, David Corenswet was cast as Superman in the film.
Television
Actor George Reeves portraying Superman in Stamp Day for Superman. After appearing in film, he would be the first actor to star as Superman in television.
Adventures of Superman, which aired from 1952 to 1958, was the first television series based on a superhero. It starred George Reeves as Superman. Whereas the radio serial was aimed at children, this television show was aimed at a general audience,[121][122] although children made up the majority of viewers. Robert Maxwell, who produced the radio serial, was the producer for the first season. For the second season, Maxwell was replaced with Whitney Ellsworth. Ellsworth toned down the violence of the show to make it more suitable for children, though he still aimed for a general audience. This show was extremely popular in Japan, where it achieved an audience share rating of 74.2% in 1958.[123]
His first animated television series was The New Adventures of Superman, which aired from 1966 to 1970. The show also feature a seven-minute part focused on Superboy named The Adventures of Superboy.
Starting in 1974, Superman was one of the leading characters in the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series Super Friends and all its sequels until 1986.
To celebrate his 50th anniversary, Ruby Spears produced an animated series partially based on Superman (1978) and post-Crisis Superman comics created by John Byrne. The model sheets for Superman (1988) were drawn by legendary comics artist Gil Kane and most of the episodes were written by comics writer Marv Wolfman.
Superboy aired from 1988 to 1992. It was produced by Alexander and Ilya Salkind, the same men who had produced the Superman films starring Christopher Reeve.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman aired from 1993 to 1997. This show was aimed at adults and focused on the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane as much as Superman's heroics.[115] Dean Cain played Superman, and Teri Hatcher played Lois.
Smallville aired from 2001 to 2011. The show was targeted at young adults.[124][125] Played by Tom Welling, the series covered Clark Kent's life prior to becoming Superman, spanning ten years from his high school years in Smallville to his early life in Metropolis. Although Clark engages in heroics, he does not wear a costume, nor does he call himself Superboy. Rather, he relies on misdirection and his blinding speed to avoid being recognized. Later seasons find him becoming a public hero called the Red-Blue Blur, eventually shortened to the Blur, in a proto-Justice League before taking on the mantle of Superman.
Superman: The Animated Series (with the voice of Tim Daly on the main character) aired from 1996 to 2000. After the show's conclusion, this version of Superman appeared in the sequel shows Batman Beyond (voiced by Christopher McDonald) aired from 1999 to 2001 and Justice League and Justice League Unlimited (voiced by George Newbern), which ran from 2001 to 2006. All of these shows were produced by Bruce Timm. This was the most successful and longest-running animated version of Superman.[115]
In the Arrowverse, the main Superman (played by Tyler Hoechlin), appears as a guest star in several television series: Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. A Supergirl spin-off, Superman & Lois, premiered on February 23, 2021.
Superman appears as an ensemble character in the animated shows Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Justice League Action. He appears as a guest character in other animated shows such as Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Harley Quinn.
Video games
Main article: List of video games featuring Superman
The first electronic game was simply titled Superman, and released in 1979 for the Atari 2600.
The last game fully centered on Superman was the adaptation of Superman Returns in 2006.
From 2006 to present, Superman appeared in a co-starring role, such as the Injustice game series (2013–present).
Merchandising
DC Comics trademarked the Superman chest logo in August 1938.[126] Jack Liebowitz established Superman, Inc. in October 1939 to develop the franchise beyond the comic books.[51] Superman, Inc. merged with DC Comics in October 1946.[127] After DC Comics merged with Warner Communications in 1967, licensing for Superman was handled by the Licensing Corporation of America.[128]
The Licensing Letter (an American market research firm) estimated that Superman licensed merchandise made $634 million in sales globally in 2018 (43.3% of this revenue came from the North American market). For comparison, in the same year, Spider-Man merchandise made $1.075 billion and Star Wars merchandise made $1.923 billion globally.[129]
The earliest paraphernalia appeared in 1939: a button proclaiming membership in the Supermen of America club. The first toy was a wooden doll in 1939 made by the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.[130] Superman #5 (May 1940) carried an advertisement for a "Krypto-Raygun", which was a gun-shaped device that could project images on a wall.[131] The majority of Superman merchandise is targeted at children, but since the 1970s, adults have been increasingly targeted because the comic book readership has gotten older.[132]
During World War II, Superman was used to support the war effort. Action Comics and Superman carried messages urging readers to buy war bonds and participate in scrap drives.[133] Other superheroes became patriots who went to fight: Batman, Wonder Woman and Captain America.
Copyright issues
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Main article: Copyright lawsuits by Superman's creators
In a contract dated 1 March 1938, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster gave away the copyright to Superman to their employer, DC Comics (then known as Detective Comics, Inc.)[b] prior to Superman's first publication in April. Contrary to popular perception, the $130 that DC Comics paid them was for their first Superman story, not the copyright to the character — that, they gave away for free. This was normal practice in the comic magazine industry and they had done the same with their previous published works (Slam Bradley, Doctor Occult, etc.),[50] but Superman became far more popular and valuable than they anticipated and they much regretted giving him away.[134] DC Comics retained Siegel and Shuster, and they were paid well because they were popular with the readers.[135] Between 1938 and 1947, DC Comics paid them together at least $401,194.85 (equivalent to $7,030,000 in 2022).[136][137]
Siegel wrote most of the magazine and daily newspaper stories until he was conscripted into the army in 1943, whereupon the task was passed to ghostwriters.[138][139] While Siegel was serving in Hawaii, DC Comics published a story featuring a child version of Superman called "Superboy", which was based on a script Siegel had submitted several years before. Siegel was furious because DC Comics did this without having bought the character.[140]
After Siegel's discharge from the Army, he and Shuster sued DC Comics in 1947 for the rights to Superman and Superboy. The judge ruled that Superman belonged to DC Comics, but that Superboy was a separate entity that belonged to Siegel. Siegel and Shuster settled out-of-court with DC Comics, which paid the pair $94,013.16 (equivalent to $1,145,085 in 2022) in exchange for the full rights to both Superman and Superboy.[141] DC Comics then fired Siegel and Shuster.[142]
DC Comics rehired Jerry Siegel as a writer in 1959.
In 1965, Siegel and Shuster attempted to regain rights to Superman using the renewal option in the Copyright Act of 1909, but the court ruled Siegel and Shuster had transferred the renewal rights to DC Comics in 1938. Siegel and Shuster appealed, but the appeals court upheld this decision. DC Comics fired Siegel once again, when he filed this second lawsuit.[143]
In 1975, Siegel and a number of other comic book writers and artists launched a public campaign for better compensation and treatment of comic creators. Warner Brothers agreed to give Siegel and Shuster a yearly stipend, full medical benefits, and credit their names in all future Superman productions in exchange for never contesting ownership of Superman. Siegel and Shuster upheld this bargain.[3]
Shuster died in 1992. DC Comics offered Shuster's heirs a stipend in exchange for never challenging ownership of Superman, which they accepted for some years.[141]
Siegel died in 1996. His heirs attempted to take the rights to Superman using the termination provision of the Copyright Act of 1976. DC Comics negotiated an agreement wherein it would pay the Siegel heirs several million dollars and a yearly stipend of $500,000 in exchange for permanently granting DC the rights to Superman. DC Comics also agreed to insert the line "By Special Arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family" in all future Superman productions.[144] The Siegels accepted DC's offer in an October 2001 letter.[141]
Copyright lawyer and movie producer Marc Toberoff then struck a deal with the heirs of both Siegel and Shuster to help them get the rights to Superman in exchange for signing the rights over to his production company, Pacific Pictures. Both groups accepted. The Siegel heirs called off their deal with DC Comics and in 2004 sued DC for the rights to Superman and Superboy. In 2008, the judge ruled in favor of the Siegels. DC Comics appealed the decision, and the appeals court ruled in favor of DC, arguing that the October 2001 letter was binding. In 2003, the Shuster heirs served a termination notice for Shuster's grant of his half of the copyright to Superman. DC Comics sued the Shuster heirs in 2010, and the court ruled in DC's favor on the grounds that the 1992 agreement with the Shuster heirs barred them from terminating the grant.[141]
Under current US copyright law, Superman is due to enter the public domain on January 1, 2034.[145][c] However, this will only apply (at first) to the character as he is depicted in Action Comics #1, which was published in 1938. Versions of him with later developments, such as his power of "heat vision", may persist under copyright until the works they were introduced in enter the public domain themselves.[146] Lois Lane, who also debuted in Action Comics #1, is expected to enter public domain as well in 2034, but supporting characters introduced in later publications, such as Jimmy Olsen and Supergirl, will pass into the public domain at later dates.
Captain Marvel
See also: National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publications
Superman's success immediately begat a wave of imitations. The most successful of these at this early age was Captain Marvel, first published by Fawcett Comics in December 1939. Captain Marvel had many similarities to Superman: Herculean strength, invulnerability, the ability to fly, a cape, a secret identity, and a job as a journalist. DC Comics filed a lawsuit against Fawcett Comics for copyright infringement.[citation needed]
The trial began in March 1948 after seven years of discovery. The judge ruled that Fawcett had indeed infringed on Superman. However, the judge also found that the copyright notices that appeared with the Superman newspaper strips did not meet the technical standards of the Copyright Act of 1909 and were therefore invalid. Furthermore, since the newspaper strips carried stories adapted from Action Comics, the judge ruled that DC Comics had effectively abandoned the copyright to the Action Comics stories and Superman, and therefore forfeited its right to sue Fawcett for copyright infringement.[141]
DC Comics appealed this decision. The appeals court ruled that unintentional mistakes in the copyright notices of the newspaper strips did not invalidate the copyrights. Furthermore, Fawcett knew that DC Comics never intended to abandon the copyrights, and therefore Fawcett's infringement was not an innocent misunderstanding, and therefore Fawcett owed damages to DC Comics.[d] The appeals court remanded the case back to the lower court to determine how much Fawcett owed in damages.[141]
At that point, Fawcett Comics decided to settle out of court with DC Comics. Fawcett paid DC Comics $400,000 (equivalent to $4,375,124 in 2022) and agreed to stop publishing Captain Marvel. The last Captain Marvel story from Fawcett Comics was published in September 1953.[147]
DC Comics licensed Captain Marvel in 1972 and published crossover stories with Superman. By 1991, DC Comics had purchased Fawcett Comics and with it the full rights to Captain Marvel. DC eventually renamed the character "Shazam" to prevent disputes with Marvel Comics, who had created a character of their own named "Captain Marvel" back when the Fawcett character had lingered in limbo.[148]
Character overview
This section details the most consistent elements of the Superman narrative in the myriad stories published since 1938.
Superman himself
In Action Comics #1 (1938), Superman is born on an alien world to a technologically advanced species that resembles humans. Shortly after he is born, his planet is destroyed in a natural cataclysm, but Superman's scientist father foresaw the calamity and saves his baby son by sending him to Earth in a small spaceship. The ship is too small to carry anyone else, so Superman's parents stay behind and die. The earliest newspaper strips name the planet "Krypton", the baby "Kal-L", and his biological parents "Jor-L" and "Lora";[149] their names were changed to "Jor-el", and "Lara" in a 1942 spinoff novel by George Lowther.[150] The ship lands in the American countryside, where the baby is discovered by the Kents, a farming couple.
The Kents name the boy Clark and raise him in a farming community. A 1947 episode of the radio serial places this unnamed community in Iowa.[151] It is named Smallville in Superboy #2 (June 1949). The 1978 Superman movie placed it in Kansas, as have most Superman stories since.[152] New Adventures of Superboy #22 (Oct. 1981) places it in Maryland.
In Action Comics #1 and most stories published before 1986, Superman's powers begin developing in infancy. From 1944 to 1986, DC Comics regularly published stories of Superman's childhood and adolescent adventures, when he called himself "Superboy". From 1986 on (beginning with Man of Steel #1), Superman's powers emerged more slowly and he began his superhero career as an adult.
The Kents teach Clark he must conceal his otherworldly origins and use his fantastic powers to do good. Clark creates the costumed identity of Superman so as to protect his personal privacy and the safety of his loved ones. As Clark Kent, he wears eyeglasses to disguise his face and wears his Superman costume underneath his clothes so that he can change at a moment's notice. To complete this disguise, Clark avoids violent confrontation, preferring to slip away and change into Superman when danger arises, and in older stories he would suffer occasional ridicule for his apparent cowardice.
In Superboy #78 (1960), Superboy makes his costume out of the indestructible blankets found in the ship he came to Earth in. In Man of Steel #1 (1986), Martha Kent makes the costume from human-manufactured cloth, and it is rendered indestructible by an "aura" that Superman projects. The "S" on Superman's chest at first was simply an initial for "Superman". When writing the script for the 1978 movie, Tom Mankiewicz made it Superman's Kryptonian family crest.[153] This was carried over into some comic book stories and later movies, such as Man of Steel. In the comic story Superman: Birthright, the crest is described as an old Kryptonian symbol for hope.
Clark works as a newspaper journalist. In the earliest stories, he worked for The Daily Star, but the second episode of the radio serial changed this to the Daily Planet. In comics from the early 1970s, Clark worked as a television journalist (an attempt to modernize the character). However, for the 1978 movie, the producers chose to make Clark a newspaper journalist again because that was how most of the public thought of him.[154]
The first story in which Superman dies was published in Superman #149 (1961), in which he is murdered by Lex Luthor by means of kryptonite. This story was "imaginary" and thus was ignored in subsequent books. In Superman #188 (April 1966), Superman is killed by kryptonite radiation but is revived in the same issue by one of his android doppelgangers. In the 1990s The Death and Return of Superman story arc, after a deadly battle with Doomsday, Superman died in Superman #75 (Jan. 1993). He was later revived by the Eradicator using Kryptonian technology. In Superman #52 (May 2016) Superman is killed by kryptonite poisoning, and this time he is not resurrected, but replaced by the Superman of an alternate timeline.
Superman maintains a secret hideout called the "Fortress of Solitude", which is located somewhere in the Arctic. Here, Superman keeps a collection of mementos and a laboratory for science experiments. In Action Comics #241, the Fortress of Solitude is a cave in a mountain, sealed with a very heavy door that is opened with a gigantic key too heavy for anyone but Superman to use. In the 1978 movie, the Fortress of Solitude is a structure made out of crystal.
Clark Kent
"Clark Kent" redirects here. For other uses, see Clark Kent (disambiguation).
Superman's secret identity is Clark Joseph Kent, a reporter for the Daily Planet. Although his name and history originate from his early life with his adoptive Earth parents, everything about Clark was staged for the benefit of his alternate identity: as a reporter for the Daily Planet, he receives late-breaking news before the general public, always has a plausible reason to be present at crime scenes, and need not strictly account for his whereabouts as long as he makes his publication deadlines. He sees his job as a journalist as an extension of his Superman responsibilities—bringing truth to the forefront and fighting for the little guy. He believes that everybody has the right to know what is going on in the world, regardless of who is involved.[155] In the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Clark Kent was featured in a series that appeared primarily in The Superman Family, "The Private Life of Clark Kent" where Superman dealt with various situations subtly while remaining Clark.
To deflect suspicion that he is Superman, Clark Kent adopted a mainly passive and introverted personality with conservative mannerisms, a higher-pitched voice, and a slight slouch. This personality is typically described as "mild-mannered", as in the opening narration of Max Fleischer's Superman animated theatrical shorts. These traits extended into Clark's wardrobe, which typically consists of a bland-colored business suit, a red necktie, black-rimmed glasses, combed-back hair, and occasionally a fedora. Clark wears his Superman costume underneath his street clothes, allowing easy changes between the two personae and the dramatic gesture of ripping open his shirt to reveal the familiar "S" emblem when called into action. His hair also changes with the clothing change, with Superman sporting a small curl or spit curl on his forehead. Superman usually stores his Clark Kent clothing compressed in a secret pouch within his cape,[156] though some stories have shown him leaving his clothes in some covert location (such as the Daily Planet storeroom)[157] for later retrieval.
As Superman's alter ego, the personality, concept, and name of Clark Kent have become synonymous with secret identities and innocuous fronts for ulterior motives and activities. In 1992, Superman co-creator Joe Shuster told the Toronto Star that the name derived from 1930s cinematic leading men Clark Gable and Kent Taylor, but the persona from bespectacled silent film comic Harold Lloyd and himself.[158] Clark's middle name is given variously as either Joseph, Jerome, or Jonathan, all being allusions to creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Personality
In the original Siegel and Shuster stories, Superman's personality is rough and aggressive. He often uses excessive force and terror against criminals, on some occasions even killing them. This came to an end in late 1940 when new editor Whitney Ellsworth instituted a code of conduct for his characters to follow, banning Superman from ever killing.[159] The character was softened and given a sense of humanitarianism. Ellsworth's code, however, is not to be confused with "the Comics Code", which was created in 1954 by the Comics Code Authority and ultimately abandoned by every major comic book publisher by the early 21st century.[160]
In his first appearances, Superman was considered a vigilante by the authorities, being fired upon by the National Guard as he razed a slum so that the government would create better housing conditions for the poor. By 1942, however, Superman was working side-by-side with the police.[161][162] Today, Superman is commonly seen as a brave and kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality, and righteousness. He adheres to an unwavering moral code instilled in him by his adoptive parents.[163] His commitment to operating within the law has been an example to many citizens and other heroes, but has stirred resentment and criticism among others, who refer to him as the "big blue boy scout". Superman can be rather rigid in this trait, causing tensions in the superhero community.[164] This was most notable with Wonder Woman, one of his closest friends, after she killed Maxwell Lord.[164] Booster Gold initially had an icy relationship with the Man of Steel but grew to respect him.[165]
Having lost his home world of Krypton, Superman is very protective of Earth,[166] and especially of Clark Kent's family and friends. This same loss, combined with the pressure of using his powers responsibly, has caused Superman to feel lonely on Earth, despite having his friends and parents. Previous encounters with people he thought to be fellow Kryptonians, Power Girl[167] and Mon-El,[168] have led to disappointment. The arrival of Supergirl, who has been confirmed to be his cousin from Krypton, relieved this loneliness somewhat.[169] Superman's Fortress of Solitude acts as a place of solace for him in times of loneliness and despair.[170]
Powers, abilities, and weaknesses
The catalog of Superman's abilities and his strength has varied considerably over the vast body of Superman fiction released since 1938.
Since Action Comics #1 (1938), Superman has superhuman strength. The cover of Action Comics #1 shows him effortlessly lifting a car over his head. Another classic feat of strength on Superman's part is breaking steel chains. In some stories, he is strong enough to shift the orbits of planets[171] and crush coal into diamond with his hands.
Since Action Comics #1 (1938), Superman has a highly durable body, invulnerable for most practical purposes. At the very least, bullets bounce harmlessly off his body. In some stories, such as Kingdom Come, not even a nuclear bomb can harm him.
In the earliest stories, Superman's costume is made out of exotic materials that are as tough as he is, which is why it typically does not tear up when he performs superhuman feats. In later stories, beginning with Man of Steel #1 (1986), Superman's body is said to project an aura that renders invulnerable any tight-fitting clothes he wears, and hence his costume is as durable as he is even if made of common cloth.
In Action Comics #1, Superman could not fly. He traveled by running and leaping, which he could do to a prodigious degree thanks to his strength. Superman gained the ability to fly in the second episode of the radio serial in 1940.[172] Superman can fly faster than sound and in some stories, he can even fly faster than the speed of light to travel to distant galaxies.
Superman can project and perceive X-rays via his eyes, which allows him to see through objects. He first uses this power in Action Comics #11 (1939). Certain materials such as lead can block his X-ray vision.
Superman can project beams of heat from his eyes which are hot enough to melt steel. He first used this power in Superman #59 (1949) by applying his X-ray vision at its highest intensity. In later stories, this ability is simply called "heat vision".
Superman can hear sounds that are too faint for a human to hear, and at frequencies outside the human hearing range. This ability was introduced in Action Comics #11 (1939).
Since Action Comics #20 (1940), Superman possesses superhuman breath, which enables him to inhale or blow huge amounts of air, as well as holding his breath indefinitely to remain underwater or space without adverse effects. He has a significant focus of his breath's intensity to the point of freezing targets by blowing on them. The "freeze breath" was first demonstrated in Superman #129 (1959).
Action Comics #1 (1938) explained that Superman's strength was common to all Kryptonians because they were a species "millions of years advanced of our own". In the first newspaper strips, Jor-El is shown running and leaping like Superman, and his wife survives a building collapsing on her. Later stories explained they evolved superhuman strength simply because of Krypton's higher gravity. Superman #146 (1961) established that Superman's abilities other than strength (flight, durability, etc.) are activated by the light of Earth's yellow sun. In Action Comics #300 (1963), all of his powers including strength are activated by yellow sunlight and can be deactivated by red sunlight similar to that of Krypton's sun.
Exposure to green kryptonite radiation nullifies Superman's powers and incapacitates him with pain and nausea; prolonged exposure will eventually kill him. Although green kryptonite is the most commonly seen form, writers have introduced other forms over the years: such as red, gold, blue, white, and black, each with peculiar effects.[173] Gold kryptonite, for instance, nullifies Superman's powers but otherwise does not harm him. Kryptonite first appeared in a 1943 episode of the radio serial.[174] It first appeared in comics in Superman #61 (Dec. 1949).[175]
Superman is also vulnerable to magic. Enchanted weapons and magical spells affect Superman as easily as they would a normal human. This weakness was established in Superman #171 (1964).
Like all Kryptonians, Kal-El is also highly susceptible to psychokinetic phenomena ranging along Telekinesis, Illusion casting, Mind control, etc., as shown in Wonder Woman Vol 2 # 219 (Sept. 2005). A powerful enough psionic can affect either the psyche or microbiology of Superman to induce strokes or mangle his internal organs, as well as disrupt his mind and perceptions of the world, something a young power-amped Gene-Bomb meta showcased in Superman #48 (Oct. 1990).
Supporting characters
See also: Superman character and cast and List of Superman supporting characters
Superman's first and most famous supporting character is Lois Lane, introduced in Action Comics #1. She is a fellow journalist at the Daily Planet. As Jerry Siegel conceived her, Lois considers Clark Kent to be a wimp, but she is infatuated with the bold and mighty Superman, not knowing that Kent and Superman are the same person. Siegel objected to any proposal that Lois discover that Clark is Superman because he felt that, as implausible as Clark's disguise is, the love triangle was too important to the book's appeal.[176] However, Siegel wrote stories in which Lois suspects Clark is Superman and tries to prove it, with Superman always duping her in the end; the first such story was in Superman #17 (July–August 1942).[177][178] This was a common plot in comic book stories prior to the 1970s. In a story in Action Comics #484 (June 1978), Clark Kent admits to Lois that he is Superman, and they marry. This was the first story in which Superman and Lois marry that was not an "imaginary tale." Many Superman stories since then have depicted Superman and Lois as a married couple, but about as many depict them in the classic love triangle. In modern era comic books, Superman and Lois are a stable married couple, and the Superman supporting cast was further expanded with the introduction of their son, Jonathan Kent.
Other supporting characters include Jimmy Olsen, a photographer at the Daily Planet, who is friends with both Superman and Clark Kent, though in most stories he does not know that Clark is Superman. Jimmy is frequently described as "Superman's pal", and was conceived to give young male readers a relatable character through which they could fantasize being friends with Superman.
In the earliest comic book stories, Clark Kent's employer is George Taylor of The Daily Star, but the second episode of the radio serial changed this to Perry White of the Daily Planet.[179]
Clark Kent's foster parents are Ma and Pa Kent. In many stories, one or both of them have died by the time Clark becomes Superman. Clark's parents taught him that he should use his abilities for altruistic means, but that he should also find some way to safeguard his private life.
Antagonists
Main article: List of Superman enemies
The villains Superman faced in the earliest stories were ordinary humans, such as gangsters, corrupt politicians, and violent husbands; but they soon grew more colorful and outlandish so as to avoid offending censors or scaring children. The mad scientist Ultra-Humanite, introduced in Action Comics #13 (June 1939), was Superman's first recurring villain. Superman's best-known nemesis, Lex Luthor, was introduced in Action Comics #23 (April 1940) and has been depicted as either a mad scientist or a wealthy businessman (sometimes both).[180] In 1944, the magical imp Mister Mxyzptlk, Superman's first recurring super-powered adversary, was introduced.[181] Superman's first alien villain, Brainiac, debuted in Action Comics #242 (July 1958). The monstrous Doomsday, introduced in Superman: The Man of Steel #17–18 (Nov.-Dec. 1992), was the first villain to evidently kill Superman in physical combat without exploiting Superman's critical weaknesses such as kryptonite and magic.
Alternative depictions
Main article: Alternative versions of Superman
See also: Superman (Earth-Two) and Superman (Earth-One)
The details of Superman's origin story and supporting cast vary across his large body of fiction released since 1938, but most versions conform to the basic template described above. A few stories feature radically altered versions of Superman. An example is the graphic novel Superman: Red Son, which depicts a communist Superman who rules the Soviet Union. DC Comics has on some occasions published crossover stories where different versions of Superman interact with each other using the plot device of parallel universes. For instance, in the 1960s, the Superman of "Earth-One" would occasionally feature in stories alongside the Superman of "Earth-Two", the latter of whom resembled Superman as he was portrayed in the 1940s. DC Comics has not developed a consistent and universal system to classify all versions of Superman.
Cultural impact and legacy
The superhero archetype
Superman is often thought of as the first superhero. This point can be debated: Ogon Bat, the Phantom, Zorro, and Mandrake the Magician arguably fit the definition of the superhero yet predate Superman. Nevertheless, Superman popularized this kind of character and established the conventions: a costume, a codename, extraordinary abilities, and an altruistic mission.[citation needed] Superman's success in 1938 begat a wave of imitations, which include Batman, Captain America, and Captain Marvel. This flourishing is today referred to as America's Golden Age of Comic Books, which lasted from 1938 to about 1950. The Golden Age ended when American superhero book sales declined, leading to the cancellation of many characters; but Superman was one of the few superhero franchises that survived this decline, and his sustained popularity into the late 1950s led to a revival in the Silver Age of Comic Books, when characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The X-Men were created.
After World War 2, American superhero fiction entered Japanese culture. Astro Boy, first published in 1952, was inspired by Mighty Mouse, which in turn was a parody of Superman.[182] The Superman animated shorts from the 1940s were first broadcast on Japanese television in 1955, and they were followed in 1956 by the TV show Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves. These shows were popular with the Japanese and inspired Japan's own prolific genre of superheroes. The first Japanese superhero movie, Super Giant, was released in 1957. The first Japanese superhero TV show was Moonlight Mask in 1958. Other notable Japanese superheroes include Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Sailor Moon.[183][184][185]
Fine art
Starting with the Pop Art period and on a continuing basis, since the 1960s the character of Superman has been "appropriated" by multiple visual artists and incorporated into contemporary artwork,[186][187] most notably by Andy Warhol,[188][189] Roy Lichtenstein,[190] Mel Ramos,[191] Dulce Pinzon,[192] Mr. Brainwash,[193] Raymond Pettibon,[194] Peter Saul,[195] Giuseppe Veneziano,[196] F. Lennox Campello,[197] and others.[193][198][199]
Literary analysis
Superman has been interpreted and discussed in many forms in the years since his debut, with Umberto Eco noting that "he can be seen as the representative of all his similars".[200] Writing in Time in 1971, Gerald Clarke stated: "Superman's enormous popularity might be looked upon as signaling the beginning of the end for the Horatio Alger myth of the self-made man." Clarke viewed the comics characters as having to continuously update in order to maintain relevance and thus representing the mood of the nation. He regarded Superman's character in the early seventies as a comment on the modern world, which he saw as a place in which "only the man with superpowers can survive and prosper."[201] Andrew Arnold, writing in the early 21st century, has noted Superman's partial role in exploring assimilation, the character's alien status allowing the reader to explore attempts to fit in on a somewhat superficial level.
A.C. Grayling, writing in The Spectator, traces Superman's stances through the decades, from his 1930s campaign against crime being relevant to a nation under the influence of Al Capone, through the 1940s and World War II, a period in which Superman helped sell war bonds,[202] and into the 1950s, where Superman explored the new technological threats. Grayling notes the period after the Cold War as being one where "matters become merely personal: the task of pitting his brawn against the brains of Lex Luthor and Brainiac appeared to be independent of bigger questions", and discusses events post 9/11, stating that as a nation "caught between the terrifying George W. Bush and the terrorist Osama bin Laden, America is in earnest need of a Saviour for everything from the minor inconveniences to the major horrors of world catastrophe. And here he is, the down-home clean-cut boy in the blue tights and red cape".[203]
An influence on early Superman stories is the context of the Great Depression. Superman took on the role of social activist, fighting crooked businessmen and politicians and demolishing run-down tenements.[204] Comics scholar Roger Sabin sees this as a reflection of "the liberal idealism of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal", with Shuster and Siegel initially portraying Superman as champion to a variety of social causes.[205][206] In later Superman radio programs the character continued to take on such issues, tackling a version of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1946 broadcast, as well as combating anti-semitism and veteran discrimination.[207][208][209]
Scott Bukatman has discussed Superman, and the superhero in general, noting the ways in which they humanize large urban areas through their use of the space, especially in Superman's ability to soar over the large skyscrapers of Metropolis. He writes that the character "represented, in 1938, a kind of Corbusierian ideal. Superman has X-ray vision: walls become permeable, transparent. Through his benign, controlled authority, Superman renders the city open, modernist and democratic; he furthers a sense that Le Corbusier described in 1925, namely, that 'Everything is known to us'."[210]
Three men seated onstage, flanked by Superman material
The Library of Congress hosting a discussion with Dan Jurgens and Paul Levitz for Superman's 80th anniversary and the 1,000th issue of Action Comics
Jules Feiffer has argued that Superman's real innovation lay in the creation of the Clark Kent persona, noting that what "made Superman extraordinary was his point of origin: Clark Kent." Feiffer develops the theme to establish Superman's popularity in simple wish fulfillment,[211] a point Siegel and Shuster themselves supported, Siegel commenting that "If you're interested in what made Superman what it is, here's one of the keys to what made it universally acceptable. Joe and I had certain inhibitions… which led to wish-fulfillment which we expressed through our interest in science fiction and our comic strip. That's where the dual-identity concept came from" and Shuster supporting that as being "why so many people could relate to it".[212]
Ian Gordon suggests that the many incarnations of Superman across media use nostalgia to link the character to an ideology of the American Way. He defines this ideology as a means of associating individualism, consumerism, and democracy and as something that took shape around WWII and underpinned the war effort. Superman, he notes was very much part of that effort.[213]
An allegory for immigrants
Superman's immigrant status is a key aspect of his appeal.[214][215][216] Aldo Regalado saw the character as pushing the boundaries of acceptance in America. The extraterrestrial origin was seen by Regalado as challenging the notion that Anglo-Saxon ancestry was the source of all might.[217] Gary Engle saw the "myth of Superman [asserting] with total confidence and a childlike innocence the value of the immigrant in American culture". He argues that Superman allowed the superhero genre to take over from the Western as the expression of immigrant sensibilities. Through the use of a dual identity, Superman allowed immigrants to identify with both of their cultures. Clark Kent represents the assimilated individual, allowing Superman to express the immigrants' cultural heritage for the greater good.[215] David Jenemann has offered a contrasting view. He argues that Superman's early stories portray a threat: "the possibility that the exile would overwhelm the country".[218] David Rooney, a theater critic for The New York Times, in his evaluation of the play Year Zero considers Superman to be the "quintessential immigrant story [...] [b]orn on an alien planet, he grows stronger on Earth, but maintains a secret identity tied to a homeland that continues to exert a powerful hold on him even as his every contact with those origins does him harm".[219]
Religious themes
Some believe that Superman took inspiration from Judaic mythology. The British rabbi Simcha Weinstein notes that Superman's story has some parallels to that of Moses. For example, Moses as a baby was sent away by his parents in a reed basket to escape death and adopted by a foreign culture. Weinstein also posits that Superman's Kryptonian name, "Kal-El", resembles the Hebrew words קוֹל-אֵל (qōl ʾēl) which can be taken to mean "voice of God".[220] The historian Larry Tye suggests that this "Voice of God" is an allusion to Moses' role as a prophet.[221] The suffix "el", meaning "god", is also found in the name of angels (e.g. Gabriel, Ariel), who are airborne humanoid agents of good with superhuman powers. The Nazis also thought Superman was a Jew and in 1940 Joseph Goebbels publicly denounced Superman and his creator Jerry Siegel.[222]
All that said, historians such as Martin Lund and Les Daniels argue that the evidence for Judaic influence in Siegel's stories is merely circumstantial. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were not practicing Jews and never acknowledged the influence of Judaism in any memoir or interview.[223][224]
Superman stories have occasionally exhibited Christian themes as well. Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz consciously made Superman an allegory for Jesus Christ in the 1978 movie starring Christopher Reeve: baby Kal-El's ship resembles the Star of Bethlehem, and Jor-El gives his son a messianic mission to lead humanity into a brighter future.[225] This messianic theme was revisited in the 2013 movie Man of Steel, wherein Jor-El asks Superman to redeem the Kryptonian race, which corrupted itself through eugenics, by guiding humanity down a wiser path.[226]
See also
List of Superman supporting characters
List of DC animated universe characters
List of DC Comics characters
Music of Superman
Kryptonian
Footnotes
Consolidated Book Publishers was also known as Humor Publishing. Jerry Siegel always referred to this publisher as "Consolidated" in all interviews and memoirs. Humor Publishing was possibly a subsidiary of Consolidated.
National Allied Publications was founded in 1934 by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. Due to financial difficulties, Wheeler-Nicholson formed a corporation with Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz called Detective Comics, Inc. In January 1938, Wheeler-Nicholson sold his stake in National Allied Publications and Detective Comics to Donenfeld and Liebowitz as part of a bankruptcy settlement. On September 30, 1946, these two companies merged to become National Comics Publications. In 1961, the company changed its name to National Periodical Publications. In 1967 National Periodical Publications was purchased by Kinney National Company, which later purchased Warner Bros.-Seven Arts and became Warner Communications. In 1976, National Periodical Publications changed its name to DC Comics, which had been its nickname since 1940. Since 1940, the publisher had placed a logo with the initials "DC" on all its magazine covers, and consequently "DC Comics" became an informal name for the publisher.
See USC Title 17, Chapter 3, § 304(b) and § 305. Because the copyright to Action Comics #1 was in its renewal term on October 27, 1998 (the date the Copyright Term Extension Act became effective), its copyright will expire 95 years after first publication and at the end of the calendar year.
See Copyright Act of 1909 § 20
The copyright date of Action Comics #1 was registered as April 18, 1938.
See Catalog of Copyright Entries. New Series, Volume 33, Part 2: Periodicals January–December 1938. United States Library of Congress. 1938. p. 129.
Dallas et al. (2013), American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s, p. 208
Ricca (2014) Super Boys
Jerry Siegel (under the pseudonym Herbert S. Fine). "The Reign of the Superman". Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization #3. January 1933
Summarized in Ricca 2014, pp. 70–72 Super Boys
Jerry Siegel, quoted in Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 15: "When we presented different strips to the syndicate editors, they would say, 'Well, this isn't sensational enough.' So I thought, I'm going to come up with something so wild they won't be able to say that."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"...one of the things which spurred me into creating a "Superman" strip was something a syndicate editor said to me after I had been submitting various proposed comic strips to him. "The trouble with your stuff is that it isn't spectacular enough," he said. "You've got to come up with something sensational! Something more terrific than the other adventure strips on the market!""
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 17: "The version he was drafting would again begin with a wild scientist empowering a normal human against his will, but this time the powers would be even more fantastic, and rather than becoming a criminal, the super-being would fight crime "with the fury of an outraged avenger.""
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
p. 30: "The hero of 'THE SUPERMAN' comic book strip was also given super-powers against his will by a scientist. He gained fantastic strength, bullets bounced off him, etc. He fought crime with the fury of an outraged avenger."
50: "What, I thought, could be more sensational than a Superman who could fly through the air, who was impervious to flames, bullets, and a mob of enraged amok adversaries?"
Siegel in Andrae (1983), p. 10: "Obviously, having him a hero would be infinitely more commercial than having him a villain. I understand that the comic strip Dr. Fu Manchu ran into all sorts of difficulties because the main character was a villain. And with the example before us of Tarzan and other action heroes of fiction who were very successful, mainly because people admired them and looked up to them, it seemed the sensible thing to do to make The Superman a hero. The first piece was a short story, and that's one thing, but creating a successful comic strip with a character you'll hope will continue for many years, it would definitely be going in the wrong direction to make him a villain."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 17: "... usually [Shuster] and Siegel agreed that no special costume was in evidence, and the surviving artwork bears them out."
Siegel and Shuster in Andrae (1983), p.9-10: "Shuster: [...] It wasn't really Superman: that was before he evolved into a costumed figure. He was simply wearing a T-shirt and pants; he was more like Slam Bradley than anything else — just a man of action. [...]
Superman
Jerry SiegelJoe ShusterOther writers and artists
Characters
SupermanLois LaneLex LuthorJimmy OlsenPerry WhiteSupergirlJonathan and Martha KentJon KentList of Superman supporting charactersList of Superman enemies
Locations
Fortress of SolitudeKandorKryptonMetropolis Big Belly BurgerDaily PlanetLexCorpSuicide SlumPhantom ZoneSmallville
History and themes
Character and castDynastySupermen of AmericaKryptonianOriginPublication history Action Comics #1Action Comics #775Action Comics #1000Superman and Lois LaneSymbolSuperboy (Kal-El)
Ongoing publications
Action ComicsPower GirlBatman/Superman: World's FinestSuperman
In other media
In film
Related
Alternative versions of SupermanMetropolis, IllinoisSuperman (gene)Joanne Siegel
Category
vte
Justice League characters
Founding
members
Pre-New 52/
Rebirth
AquamanBatmanFlash/Barry AllenGreen Lantern/Hal JordanMartian ManhunterSupermanWonder Woman
Post-New 52/
Rebirth
AquamanBatmanCyborgFlash/Barry AllenGreen Lantern/Hal JordanSupermanWonder Woman
Recurring
members
Adam StrangeAgent LibertyAmazing-Man/Will Everett IIIAmbush BugAnimal ManAqualadAtom Ray PalmerRyan ChoiAtom SmasherAztekBatgirl/OracleBatwingBatwomanBig BardaBlack AdamBlack Canary/Dinah Laurel LanceBlack CondorBlack LightningBlack OrchidBloodwyndBooster GoldBlue Beetle Ted KordJaime ReyesBlue DevilBlue JayBulleteerCaptain AtomCaptain Marvel/ShazamCatwomanCommander Steel/Hank Heywood IIICongorillaCrimson FoxDetective ChimpDr FateDr LightDonna TroyElement GirlElongated ManEtrigan the DemonFireFirestormFlash Jay GarrickWally WestGeneral GloryGeo-ForceGodivaGreen ArrowGreen Lantern Guy GardnerJadeJohn StewartKyle RaynerSimon BazJessica CruzGuardianGypsyHarley QuinnHawkman Carter HallKatar HolHawkgirl and Hawkwoman Shiera Sanders HallShayera HolKendra SaundersHourman Rick TylerMatthew Tyler (Android)HuntressIceGlacierJesse QuickJohn ConstantineKasumiKatanaLightrayLoboMadame XanaduManitou DawnManitou RavenMaximaMayaMeraMetamorphoMr MiracleMr TerrificMoon MaidenMystekNaomiObsidianOrionPandoraPhantom StrangerPlastic ManPower GirlQuestionRavenRayRed ArrowRed TornadoRobin/NightwingRocket RedShade, the Changing ManSilver SorceressSnapper CarrStarfireStargirlStarman Mikaal TomasPrince GavynWill PaytonJack KnightSteelSuper-ChiefSuperboySupergirlSwamp ThingTasmanian DevilTomorrow WomanTriumphVibeVixenWonder GirlZatannaZauriel
Other
characters
Supporting
characters
Alfred PennyworthArellaA.R.G.U.S.Carol FerrisHighfatherIris WestJames GordonJimmy OlsenLois LaneLucius FoxPariahPerry WhiteQueen HippolytaSteve TrevorSue Dibny
Allies
AmazoniansAtlanteansBirds of PreyDoom PatrolGCPDJustice League Dark John ConstantineDeadmanDetective ChimpEtrigan the DemonSwamp ThingZatannaJustice Society of AmericaLantern Corps Guardians of the UniverseZamaronsBlue Lantern CorpsGreen Lantern CorpsIndigo TribeWhite Lantern CorpsLegion of Super-HeroesMarvel/Shazam FamilyNew GodsOutsidersS.T.A.R. LabsTeen Titans RobinStarfireBeast BoyCyborgRavenYoung Justice
Neutral allies
Amanda WallerBlack AdamCaptain ColdFrankensteinJonah HexKiller FrostLarfleezeLoboHarley QuinnPoison IvyStar SapphireSuicide Squad
Enemies
Central
rogues
AmazoAnti-MonitorBlack AdamBlack MantaBrainiacCaptain ColdCheetahDarkseidDeathstrokeDesperoDoctor DestinyDoctor LightDoomsdayEclipsoFelix FaustGorilla GroddJokerKanjar RoLex LuthorLibraMongulNekronNeronProfessor IvoPrometheusQueen BeeQueen of FablesSinestroStarroSteppenwolfT. O. MorrowTrigonUltra-HumaniteVandal Savage
Other
supervillains
Amos FortuneBlack HandBlockbusterBrain StormCirceDavid GravesDoctor PolarisDoctor SivanaEpochFunky FlashmanGamemnaeGeneral Wade EilingGentleman GhostGogHyathisImperiexKeyKing KullMa'alefa'akMagogManchester BlackManga KhanManhunterMatter MasterMaxwell LordMerlynMorgaine le FeyNebula ManOMACParagonPer DegatonRa's al GhulRama KhanRed KingReverse-FlashShaggy ManSirenSolarisSolomon GrundySonarStarbreakerWeapons MasterWeather WizardWizard
Organizations
Aryan BrigadeAxis AmerikaBrotherhood of EvilCadreCrime Syndicate of AmericaDarkseid's EliteFearsome FiveFemale FuriesInjustice LeagueKobraLantern Corps Black Lantern CorpsOrange Lantern CorpsRed Lantern CorpsSinestro CorpsLeague of AssassinsLegion of DoomManhuntersParademonsPhantom Zone VillainsRoguesRoyal Flush GangSecret SixSecret Society of Super VillainsWhite Martians
Alternative
versions
Alternate versions
of the Justice League
Extreme JusticeJust'a Lotta AnimalsJustice Guild of AmericaJustice League 3000Justice League DarkJustice League EliteJustice League EuropeJustice League InternationalJustice League QueerJustice League Task ForceJustice League UnitedJustice Legion AlphaJustice LordsSuper BuddiesSuper Jrs.Young Justice
Others
SupermanWonder Woman
In other
media
DC Extended Universe
SupermanBatmanWonder WomanFlashAquamanCyborg
Category
Articles and topics related to Superman
vte
Superman characters
Superman family
By code name
SupermanSuperboySupergirlSuperwomanNightwingFlamebirdEradicatorSteelPower Girl
By public
identity
Clark KentKal-ElKon-ElJon KentSodam YatMon-ElKara Zor-ElMatrixLinda DanversLaurel GandLois LaneLucy LaneLana LangLuma LynaiDonna TroyKristin WellsChris Kent/Lor-ZodThara Ak-VarDr. David ConnorJohn Henry IronsNatasha IronsKong KenanKara Zor-L/Karen Starr/Paige Stetler
Pets
Krypto the SuperdogStreaky the SupercatBeppo the Super-MonkeyComet the Super-Horse
Supporting
characters
Lois LaneJimmy OlsenJor-ElLaraJonathan and Martha KentPerry WhiteLana LangBatman/Bruce WayneLucy LaneLori LemarisGangbusterZor-ElAluraDubbilexKelexSam LaneLyla LerrolPete RossProfessor PotterLena LuthorMaximaMorgan EdgeDan TurpinSteve LombardCat GrantProfessor HamiltonMaggie SawyerBibbo BibbowskiRon TroupeStrange VisitorRampageVartox
Associated
characters
The Authority ApolloEnchantressLightrayManchester BlackMidnighterOMACSteelGuardianJustice League AtomAquamanBatmanBlack CanaryBlue BeetleCyborgFlashGreen ArrowGreen LanternJohn StewartMartian ManhunterRobin/NightwingOrionCaptain MarvelWonder WomanJustice Society of AmericaLegion of Substitute HeroesLegion of Super-Heroes Cosmic BoySaturn GirlLightning LadChameleon BoyColossal BoyInvisible KidStar BoyPhantom GirlTriplicate GirlShrinking VioletBouncing BoySun BoyBrainiac 5Ultra BoyElement LadMatter-Eater LadLightning LassDream GirlTimber WolfPrincess ProjectraFerro LadKarate KidWhite WitchShadow LassChemical KingWildfireTyrocDawnstarLaurel GandLegion of Super-PetsLegion of Super-Villains Cosmic KingLightning LordSaturn QueenLoboMaximaNewsboy LegionProject CadmusSilent KnightSuper-ChiefSupermen of AmericaWorld's Finest Team
Enemies
Archenemies
BrainiacDarkseidGeneral ZodLex LuthorUltra-Humanite
Other
central rogues
Atomic SkullBizarroBloodsportBruno MannheimCyborg Superman Hank HenshawDoomsdayLivewireManchester BlackMercy GravesMetalloMister MxyzptlkMongulParasiteSilver BansheeToyman
Recurring
adversaries
Anti-MonitorAtlasBlaze and SatanusBrainiac 2ChemoComposite SupermanConduitDev-EmDraagaEquusFaoraFunky FlashmanGogHellgramiteImperiexJax-UrJokerKalibakKobraKryptonite ManLord SatanisMagpieMalaMammothMorgan EdgeNeutronNick O'TeenNonOl-VirPranksterProfessor HamiltonQuarmerQuex-UlRampageRiotScorchSolarisSolomon GrundyTerra-ManTitanoUltramanUrsa
Organizations
Black ZeroFearsome FiveIntergangMasters of DisasterRoyal Flush GangSecret Society of Super VillainsSuicide SquadSuperman Revenge Squad
Alternative
versions
Superman
Earth-One versionUltramanEarth-Two versionSuperboy-PrimeKingdom Come version
Supergirl
Power Girl
In other media
1978–1987 film series
SupermanLois LaneLex LuthorEve TeschmacherGeneral Zod
DC Extended Universe
Clark Kent / SupermanLois LaneZodLex Luthor
Smallville
Clark KentLois LaneLex LuthorLana LangChloe SullivanLionel LuthorJustice League
Arrowverse
Kara DanversLex LuthorAlex DanversNia Nal
Superman & Lois
Clark KentLois Lane
Related
Superman and Lois LaneDaily PlanetAlien racesKryptonians
Category
vte
Superman publications and storylines
History
Current series
Action ComicsPower GirlBatman/Superman: World's FinestSuperman (vol. 6)
Former series
Adventure ComicsDC Comics PresentsSuperboySuperboy and the RaversSupergirlSuperman (vol. 2)Superman (vol. 3)Superman/BatmanSuperman ConfidentialThe Superman FamilySuperman: The Man of SteelSuperman: The Man of TomorrowSuperman: Son of Kal-ElSuperman's Girl Friend, Lois LaneSuperman's Pal, Jimmy OlsenSuperman/Wonder WomanTrinityWorld's Finest ComicsWorlds' Finest
Limited series
and one-shots
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent (2023)Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity (2003)Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame (2000)The Kents (1997–1998)Lex Luthor: Man of Steel (2005)Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography (1989)The Man of Steel (1986)The Phantom Zone (1982)Birthright (2003–2004)Superman and Wonder Woman: The Hidden Killer (1993)Superman for All Seasons (1998)Superman/Shazam: First Thunder (2006)Superman Unchained (2013–2014)Superman vs. Muhammad Ali (1978)Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton (2010)Superman: Secret Origin (2009–2010)Superman: World of New Krypton (2009–2010)Superman: The Wedding Album (1996)Superman: War of the Supermen (2010)Superman: Lois and Clark (2015–2016)World of Krypton (1979)
Outside
continuity
All-Star Superman (2005–2008)"The K-Metal from Krypton" (Unpublished)"The Sandman Saga" (1971)Son of Superman (1999)Superboy: The Comic Book (1989–1992)Superboy's Legion (2001)Superman Adventures (1996–2002)Superman: At Earth's End (1995)Superman: Earth One (Vol 1. 2010, Vol 2. 2012, Vol. 3 2015)Superman: The Last Family of Krypton (2010)Superman: The Feral Man of Steel (1994)Superman: Last Son of Earth (2000)Superman: Last Stand on Krypton (2003)Superman's Metropolis (1996)Superman: Peace on Earth (1998)Kingdom Come (1996)The Superman Monster (1999)Superman: Red Son (2003)Superman: Secret Identity (2004)Superman: Speeding Bullets (1993)Superman: A Tale of Five Cities (1990)Superman: The Dark Side (1998)Superman: True Brit (2004)Superman: War of the Worlds (1998)Superman & Batman: Generations (1999, 2001 and 2004)Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (1986)Whom Gods Destroy (1996)Dark Knights of Steel (2021–2023)
Crossovers
Superman/Aliens (1995 and 2002)Superman & Bugs Bunny (2000)Superman and Batman versus Aliens and Predator (2007)Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976)Superman and Spider-Man (1981)Superman/Fantastic Four: The Infinite Destruction (1999)Superman vs. Predator (2000)Superman/Tarzan: Sons of the Jungle (2001–2002)Superman vs. The Terminator: Death to the Future (1999–2000)
Storylines
"For the Man Who Has Everything" (1985)"The Greatest Hero of Them All" (1987)"The Death of Superman" (1992–1993)"Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey" (1994)"Worlds Collide" (1994)"The Trial of Superman!" (1995–1996)"Superman Red/Superman Blue" (Original: 1963, adaptation: 1998)"What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?" (2001)"For Tomorrow" (2004–2005)"Up, Up and Away!" (2006)"Last Son" (2006–2008)"Kryptonite" (2007–2008)"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" (2007–2008)"The Third Kryptonian" (2007–2008)"The Coming of Atlas" (2008)"Brainiac" (2008)"New Krypton" (2008–2009)"World of New Krypton" (2009–2010)"World Without Superman" (2009)"War of the Supermen" (2010)"Grounded" (2010–2011)"Reign of Doomsday" (2011)"H'El on Earth" (2012–2013)"Doomed" (2014)"Reborn" (2017)"Super Sons of Tomorrow" (2017–2018)"Warworld Saga" (2021–2022)
Other
Superman (comic strip)Superman: The Complete Comic Strips 1939-1966Action Comics #1Action Comics #1000
vte
Superman franchise media
Comic strips
Superman (1939–1966)The World's Greatest Superheroes (1978–1985)Superman: The Complete Comic Strips 1939-1966 (2013-present) - Reprint book collection
Radio
The Adventures of Superman (US, 1940–1951)The Adventures of Superman (UK, 1988)
Live-action films
Serials
SupermanAtom Man vs. Superman
1951 film series
Superman and the Mole MenStamp Day for Superman (short film)
1978 film series
SupermanSuperman II The Richard Donner CutSuperman IIISupergirlSuperman IV: The Quest for PeaceSuperman Returns
DC Extended Universe
Man of SteelBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeJustice League Zack Snyder's Justice LeagueShazam!Black AdamThe Flash
Animated films
Superman animated shorts (1941–1943)Brainiac AttacksDoomsdayAll-Star SupermanUnboundSuperman/Batman: Public EnemiesSuperman/Batman: ApocalypseSuperman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adamvs. The EliteThe Death of SupermanReign of the SupermenRed SonMan of TomorrowBattle of the Super Sons
Documentary films
Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of SupermanThe Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?
Television
Live-action
Adventures of SupermanThe Adventures of Superboy (pilot)SuperboyLois & ClarkSmallvilleSupergirlKryptonSuperman & Lois
Animation
The New Adventures of SupermanThe Adventures of SuperboySupermanThe Animated SeriesKrypto the SuperdogLegion of Super HeroesMy Adventures with Superman
Novels
The Adventures of Superman (1942)Last Son of KryptonMiracle MondayDoomsday & BeyondLois & Clark: A Superman NovelIt's Superman!ReturnsEnemies & Allies
Video games
Superman (1979)Superman: The Game (1985)Superman (1987)Superman (1988)The Man of Steel (1989)Superman (1992)The Death and Return of SupermanThe New Superman AdventuresShadow of ApokolipsThe Man of Steel (2002)Countdown to ApokolipsReturnsMultiVersus
Music
"You've Got Possibilities"Superman III (soundtrack)Superman Returns (soundtrack)"Save Me" (Remy Zero song)Man of Steel (soundtrack)Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (soundtrack)Metropolis Symphony
Other media
It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman (musical)The Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman (advertisement)
Related characters
Lois Lane in other mediaLex Luthor in other mediaSupergirl in other media
Related
Christopher and Dana Reeve FoundationHollywoodland"Lucy and Superman" (I Love Lucy episode, 1957)"Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex"National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.Sunman (1992 video game)Superman curseSuperman ice cream"Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit""The Reign of the Superman"Superman and Lois LaneSuperman '78
vte
Superman in amusement parks
Justice League: Alien Invasion 3DJustice League: Battle for MetropolisLex Luthor: Drop of DoomSuperman El Último EscapeSuperman EscapeSuperman – Ride of SteelSuperman: Escape from KryptonSuperman: Krypton Coaster (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)Superman: Krypton Coaster (Six Flags Mexico)Superman: La Atracción de AceroSuperman The RideSuperman: Tower of PowerSuperman: Ultimate EscapeSuperman: Ultimate FlightSuperman: Ultimate Flight (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)
vte
Batman and Superman
Comic books
World's Finest ComicsBatman/Superman/Wonder Woman: TrinitySuperman/BatmanSuperman and Batman versus Aliens and PredatorThe Batman
Television
The Batman/Superman HourThe Superman/Batman AdventuresThe New Batman/Superman Adventures
Books
Enemies & Allies
Film
Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesSuperman/Batman: ApocalypseBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice soundtrackBatman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons
Fan works
How It Should Have Ended
Related
Composite SupermanToymanWorld's Finest Team
vte
Justice League International
Keith GiffenJ. M. DeMatteis
Initial members
Pre-Flashpoint
BatmanBlack Canary/Dinah Laurel LanceBlue Beetle/Ted KordBooster GoldCaptain MarvelDoctor Fate Kent NelsonLinda StaussDoctor Light/Kimiyo HoshiGreen Lantern/Guy GardnerMartian ManhunterMister Miracle
The New 52
August General in IronBooster GoldFireGodivaGreen Lantern/Guy GardnerIceRocket Red/Gavril IvanovichVixen
Supporting characters
L-RonCatherine CobertMaxwell LordOberonSuperman
Enemies
Antagonists
Anti-MonitorBlack HandDarkseidDesperoDoomsdayKite ManLoboMagogMajor DisasterManga KhanMaxwell LordNeronQueen BeeSignal MenSinestroStarbreakerWeapons MasterWeather WizardWizard
Organizations
CadreExtremistsInjustice LeagueRoyal Flush GangSuicide Squad
Publications and storylines
LegendsFormerly Known as the Justice LeagueJustice League: Generation Lost
Spinoff teams
Extreme JusticeJustice League AmericaJustice League EuropeJustice League Task Force
vte
Legion of Super-Heroes
Otto BinderAl PlastinoMort Weisinger
Incarnations
1958 team1994 team2004 team
Founding members
Cosmic BoyLightning LadSaturn Girl
Notable members
BlokBouncing BoyBrainiac 5Chameleon BoyChameleon GirlChemical Kid/Chemical KingColossal BoyComet QueenComputo (Danielle Foccart)DawnstarDream GirlEarth-ManElement LadFerro LadLaurel GandGatesInvisible Kid (Lyle Norg and Jacques Foccart)Karate Kid (Val Armorr)Karate Kid (Myg)Jon KentKhundian LegionnairesKid QuantumKinetixLightning Lass/Light LassMagnoMatter-Eater LadMon-ElNight GirlDevlin O'RyanPhantom GirlPolar BoyPrincess Projectra/Sensor GirlSensorShadow LassShrinking VioletSpider Girl/WaveStar Boy/StarmanSun BoyTimber WolfTriplicate Girl/Duo Damsel/Duplicate DamselTyrocUltra BoyWhite WitchWildfireXS
Special members
Elastic Lad (Jimmy Olsen)Insect Queen (Lana Lang)Pete RossSuperboy (Kal-El)Superboy (Kon-El)Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)Superman
Supporting characters
R. J. BrandeControllersShvaughn ErinInfernoLaurel KentLegion AcademyLegion of Substitute Heroes
Antagonists
Anti-MonitorBrainiacComposite SupermanComputoDark CircleDarkseidDominatorsFatal Five Emerald EmpressPersuaderJustice League of EarthKhundsLegion of Super-VillainsMordruNemesis KidOl-VirRa's al GhulSklarian RaidersStarfingerSuperboy-PrimeUniversoVandal Savage
World
ColuDaxamItems
Publications
"One of Us Is a Traitor""The Death of Ferro Lad""The Adult Legion""Mordru the Merciless""Earthwar""The Exaggerated Death of Ultra Boy""The Great Darkness Saga"Legionnaires 3"The Universo Project""The Greatest Hero of Them All""The Terra Mosaic""End of an Era"Legion Lost (vol. 1)"The Lightning Saga""Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes"Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds
Alternate continuities
Legion of Galactic Guardians 2099Superboy's LegionLegion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century
In other media
TV seriesJLA Adventures: Trapped in TimeLego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Cosmic ClashJustice League vs. the Fatal FiveFilm
Related articles
Adventure ComicsAtmosDev-EmThe Final NightHeroes of LallorInterlacInvasion!KwaiL.E.G.I.O.N.Legion of Super-PetsR.E.B.E.L.S.Science PoliceSodam YatUnited PlanetsWanderersWorkforceZero Hour: Crisis in TimeDC League of Super-Pets
Category
vte
Lex Luthor
Jerry SiegelJoe Shuster
Supporting
BizarroEve TeschmacherInjustice LeagueIntergangJokerLegion of DoomLena LuthorLexCorpLionel LuthorMercy GravesMetalloOtisSecret SixThe Society
Antagonists
AquamanBatmanCaptain MarvelCyborgDarkseidDoomsdayFlashGreen ArrowGreen LanternJustice LeagueMartian ManhunterSteelSuperboySupergirlSupermanWonder Woman
Storylines
Lex Luthor: Man of SteelLex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography
In other media
1978–1987 film series
Lex Luthor
Smallville
Lex LuthorLionel Luthor
DC Extended Universe
Lex Luthor
Arrowverse
Lex Luthor
Related
LexCorpLex Luthor: Drop of DoomAlexander Luthor Jr.
vte
Steel
Louise SimonsonJon Bogdanove
Supporting characters
Natasha IronsJustice LeagueMetal MenDoom PatrolSupermanBatmanMartian ManhunterLana LangLois LaneIconHardware
Enemies
BlockbusterDeadlineDoctor PolarisDoomsdayGearheadLex LuthorMetalloParasitePlasmus
Locations
MetropolisS.T.A.R. Labs
Other media
Steel (1997 film)Superman & Lois
Category
vte
Suicide Squad
Created by Robert KanigherRoss AndruJohn Ostrander
Current members
Director
Amanda Waller
Field Leader
Peacemaker
Operatives
Ambush BugBloodsportChemoHeat WaveMajor ForceMatchNocturnaParasite
Notable former members
Atom SmasherBaneBlack MantaBlack MaskBlack SpiderBronze TigerCaptain BoomerangCaptain ColdCheetahCopperheadCount VertigoDeadshotDeathstrokeDoctor Light (Arthur Light)El DiabloEnchantressGeneral ZodGigantaHarley QuinnJoker's DaughterKatanaKGBeastKiller CrocKiller FrostKing FaradayKing SharkLashinaLoboNemesisNightshadeOracleParasitePeacemakerPenguinPlasmusPlastiquePoison IvyPolka-Dot ManPower GirlPunch and JeweleeRavanReactronReverse-Flash (Daniel West) Rick FlagRoy HarperSavantSlipknotSolomon GrundyThe ThinkerUnknown SoldierVixenWeasel
Antagonists
BatmanBrimstoneDarkseidEclipsoEnchantressGeneral Wade EilingImperiexJokerKobraLeague of AssassinsManhuntersProfessor ZoomRiddlerStarro
Film
Animated
Batman: Assault on ArkhamSuicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Live-action
Films
Suicide Squad accoladessoundtrackThe Suicide Squad soundtrack
Characters
Amanda WallerHarley QuinnChristopher "Chris" Smith / Peacemaker
TV series
Suicide Squad Isekai
Video game
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Related articles
CheckmateJanus Directive
Category
vte
Superboy
Jerry SiegelJoe Shuster
Superboys
Kal-ElSuperboy-PrimeKon-ElJon Lane KentJon Kent
Supporting characters
BeppoChief ParkerDubbilexHero CruzKnockoutKryptoLana LangLar GandLegion of Super-HeroesLori LemarisMa and Pa KentPete RossProfessor PotterRobinSodam YatSupergirlSupermanTana Moon
Enemies
BizarroBlack ZeroBrainiacCyborg SupermanDarkseidDev-EmDoomsdayGeneral ZodHank HenshawInsect QueenKryptonite KidKing SharkLex LuthorMatchMetalloOl-VirToyman
Publications
Adventure ComicsSuperboySuperboy and the Ravers
In other media
The Adventures of Superboy (pilot)The Adventures of SuperboySuperboySuperman & Lois
Category
vte
Supergirl
Otto BinderAl PlastinoCurt Swan
Supergirls
Kara Zor-El Kara DanversMatrixLinda DanversCir-ElLaurel GandPower GirlAriella Kent
Supporting
AluraBatgirlCat GrantCometJimmy OlsenJustice LeagueLana LangLena LuthorLucy LaneMary MarvelMaximaStreaky the SupercatSuperboySupermanZor-El
Enemies
Anti-MonitorAtomic SkullBrainiacChemoCyborg SupermanDarkseidDecayFemale FuriesGranny GoodnessInsect QueenLex LuthorLivewireProfessor IvoPsiReactronSatan GirlShrapnelSilver Banshee
Titles
Adventure ComicsSupergirlSupergirl and the Legion of Super-HeroesSuperman FamilyElseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl
Other media
Films
1984 filmSuperman/Batman: ApocalypseThe FlashWoman of Tomorrow
TV series
Supergirl charactersepisodes season 123456
Category
vte
Batman characters
Batman family
By cryptonym
BatmanRobinCatwomanBatwomanBatgirlHuntressNightwingFlamebirdRed RobinRed HoodBatwingAzrael
By public
identity
Dick GraysonKathy KaneBette KaneBarbara GordonJason ToddHelena BertinelliTim DrakeStephanie BrownCassandra CainKate KaneDamian WayneHarper RowDuke ThomasJace FoxLuke FoxMichael Washington LaneJean-Paul Valley
Pets
Ace the Bat-Hound
Core teams
Batman IncorporatedBatmen of All NationsBirds of PreyOutsidersWorld's Finest Team
Supporting
characters
Main supporting
Alfred PennyworthJulie MadisonMartha WayneThomas WayneVicki ValeKnightSquireDark RangerLeslie ThompkinsSilver St. CloudLucius FoxSuperman/Clark KentOrpheusNightrunnerHolly RobinsonLegsManhunterSasha BordeauxMisfitOnyxRagmanSimon DarkVictoria October
Gotham City Police
Department contacts
James W. "Jim" GordonHarvey BullockSarah EssenMaggie SawyerRenee MontoyaCrispus AllenJason BardSlam Bradley
Superhero allies
AquamanBlack CanaryCyborgDeadmanFlash Barry AllenWally WestGreen ArrowGreen Lantern Hal JordanJohn StewartHawkgirlHawkmanJustice LeagueJustice Society of AmericaMartian ManhunterMetamorphoPlastic ManQuestionRichard DragonRorschach (Reggie Long)ShazamSpectreSupermanTeen TitansVixenWonder WomanZatanna
Neutral characters
Amanda WallerBat-MiteBronze TigerCatwomanClayface (Basil Karlo)CreeperHarley QuinnLady ShivaLoboMan-BatMother PanicPoison IvyPunchlineSuicide SquadTalia al Ghul
Recurring
antagonists
Central rogues
gallery
BaneBlack MaskCatwomanClayfaceDeadshotDeathstrokeFireflyHarley QuinnHugo StrangeHushJokerKiller CrocKiller MothLady ShivaMad HatterMan-BatMr. FreezePenguinPoison IvyRa's al GhulRiddlerScarecrowSolomon GrundyTalia al GhulTwo-FaceVentriloquistVictor Zsasz
Mobsters
Alberto FalconeJoe ChillLew MoxonCarmine FalconeMario FalconeSofia Falcone GiganteSal MaroniSquidRupert ThorneTobias WhaleJohnny WittsTony ZuccoHamilton HillGillian B. Loeb
Other enemies
Amanda WallerAmygdalaAnarkyArkham KnightBlack SpiderBlockbusterCalculatorCalendar ManCatmanCavalierClock KingCluemasterComposite SupermanCopperheadCornelius StirkCount VertigoCrazy QuiltCrime DoctorDavid CainDeacon BlackfireDoctor DeathDoctor Double XDoctor PhosphorusDollmakerElectrocutionerEnigmaFirebugFlamingoGearheadGreat White SharkHumpty DumptyJane DoeJoker's DaughterKeyKGBeastKing SnakeKite ManKobraLex LuthorMaxie ZeusMagpieMirror ManMr. BloomMusic MeisterNight-SlayerNocturnaNora FriesNyssa RaatkoOnomatopoeiaOrcaOutsiderOwlmanPhantasmPhosphorus RexPlanet MasterPolka-Dot ManProfessor MiloProfessor PygPrometheusPunchlineRag DollRatcatcherReaperSenseiSignalmanSimon HurtSimon StaggSnowmanSpellbinderSwagmanTally ManTen-Eyed ManTiger SharkTweedledum and TweedledeeWrathZebra-Man
Organizations
Circus of StrangeCourt of OwlsLeague of AssassinsLeviathanLexCorpMutantsSuicide SquadTerrible Trio
Alternative
versions
Batman
Earth-TwoTlanoOwlmanThe Batman Who LaughsThomas Wayne (Flashpoint version)
Robin
Earth-TwoCarrie KelleyHelena Wayne
Others
Joker
Other media
1966 Batman TV series
Bruce WayneEggheadKing TutBatgirl
1989–1997 film series
Bruce WayneJokerCatwomanPenguin
DC Animated Universe
Andrea BeaumontHarley QuinnBatman Beyond Terry McGinnis
The Dark Knight Trilogy
Bruce WayneRachel DawesJoker
DC Extended Universe
Bruce WayneHarley QuinnJoker
Gotham
Bruce WayneJames GordonSelina KyleFish MooneyOswald CobblepotJerome and Jeremiah Valeska
Titans
Dick Grayson
Arrowverse
Kate Kane
Category
vte
Wonder Woman
William Moulton MarstonElizabeth Holloway MarstonOlive ByrneH. G. PeterOther contributors
Characters
Wonder Women
Diana PrinceOranaArtemis of Bana-MighdallHippolytaNubiaWonder Girls Cassie SandsmarkDonna TroyYara Flor
Supporting
characters
AntiopeEtta CandyFuryHephaestusHeracles/HerculesHermesI ChingJulia and Vanessa KapatelisJustice LeagueMalaNemesis (Thomas Tresser)The OlympianPaula von GuntherPhilippusPoseidonQueen DesiraHelena SandsmarkSarge SteelSteve TrevorWonder ManZeusZola
Enemies
AresBaron BlitzkriegBaroness Paula von GuntherBlue SnowmanVeronica CaleCheetahCirceDark AngelDecayDoctor CyberDoctor PoisonDoctor PsychoDuke of DeceptionEgg FuEvilessFirst BornGenocideGigantaHadesHypnotaKungMaskMaxwell LordMedusaMinister BlizzardOsiraQueen CleaSilver SwanSuperwomanTezcatlipocaZara
Factions
Amazons of ThemysciraAmazons of Bana-MighdallChildren of AresGodwatchOlympian GodsTHEM!Titans of MythVillainy Inc.
Locations
AeaeaThemyscira (The Paradise Islands)
Publications
All Star ComicsWonder WomanAmazoniaBatman/Superman/Wonder Woman: TrinityThe Blue AmazonComic CavalcadeCrossoverThe Legend of Wonder WomanSensation ComicsSuperman and Wonder Woman: The Hidden KillerSuperman/Wonder WomanWonder Woman '77The Wonder Woman ChroniclesWonder Woman: Earth OneThe World's Greatest Superheroes
Storylines
“Introducing Wonder Woman” (1941)Gods and Mortals (1987)Challenge of the Gods (1987–88)War of the Gods (1991)The Contest (1994)The Challenge of Artemis (1995)Paradise Island Lost (2001)Our Worlds at War (2001)The Hiketeia (2002)Down to Earth (2003–04)Who Is Wonder Woman? (2006–07)Amazons Attack! (2007)The Circle (2008)Ends of the Earth (2008)Rise of the Olympian (2009)Flashpoint (2011)The Lies (2016)Year One (2016)The Truth (2017)Godwatch (2017)Trial of the Amazons (2022)
Technology
Golden Girdle of GaeaInvisible PlaneLasso of TruthMental radioWonder Woman's bracelets
In other media
Film
1974 film2009 filmWonder Woman: BloodlinesDC Extended Universe Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice2017 film soundtrackJustice League Zack Snyder's Justice LeagueWonder Woman 1984 soundtrackPeacemaker: It's Cow or NeverShazam! Fury of the GodsThe Flash
Television
Wonder Woman episodes2011 TV pilot
Video games
Wonder Woman
Miscellaneous
Alternative versions Earth-TwoBizarraSuperwomanCultural impactProfessor Marston and the Wonder WomenLiteratureWonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines
Category
vte
Golden Age of Comic Books
Ace Comics
Captain CourageousDoctor NemesisThe FlagLash LightningThe RavenUnknown SoldierVulcan
All-American
Publications
The Atom Al PrattBlack Canary Dinah DrakeDoctor Mid-Nite Charles McNiderDoiby DicklesThe Flash Jay GarrickThe Gay GhostGreen Lantern Alan ScottHawkgirl Shiera Sanders HallHawkman Carter HallHop HarriganJohnny ThunderJustice Society of AmericaThe KingMister Terrific Terry SloaneNeptune PerkinsRed TornadoSargon the SorcererThe Terrific WhatzitThunderboltUltra-ManThe WhipWildcat Ted GrantWonder Woman Diana Prince
Centaur Comics
AirmanAmazing-ManThe ArrowThe ClockThe EyeFantom of the FairMagician from MarsThe Masked MarvelMinimidget
Charlton Comics
Atomic MouseCaptain AtomNightshadeMr. MusclesNature BoySpace AdventuresYellowjacket
Dell Comics
Doctor HormoneFlash GordonThe OwlSupermind's SonZorro
Fawcett Comics
BulletgirlBulletmanCaptain MarvelCaptain Marvel Jr.Captain MidnightDan DareHoppy the Marvel BunnyIbis the InvincibleLieutenant MarvelsMarvel FamilyMary MarvelMaster ManMinute-ManMr. ScarletNyoka the Jungle GirlPhantom EaglePinky the Whiz KidScoop SmithSpy SmasherSquadron of JusticeUncle Marvel
Fox Comics
Black FuryBlue Beetle Dan GarretThe BouncerBronze ManDynamoThe FlameGreen MaskThe MothSamsonStardust the Super WizardU.S. JonesWonder Man
Harvey Comics
Black CatCaptain 3-DCaptain FreedomGreen HornetInvisible Scarlet O'NeilKatoShock GibsonSpirit of '76
Lev Gleason
Publications
Captain BattleClawCrimebusterDaredevilLittle Wise GuysSilver Streak
MLJ Comics
The Black HoodBob PhantomCaptain FlagThe CometThe FireflyThe FoxThe HangmanThe ShieldSuper DuckThe WebThe Wizard
National Allied
Publications
Ace the Bat-HoundAir WaveAquamanBatmanBatwomanBlack PirateBoy CommandosCaptain CometChris KL-99Congo BillCrimson Avenger Lee TravisDan the Dyna-MiteDark RangerDetective ChimpDoctor Fate Kent NelsonDoctor OccultGenius JonesGimmick GirlGreen ArrowGuardianHourman Rex TylerJohnny Quick Johnny ChambersKing FaradayThe KnightKryptoLiberty BelleManhunter Paul KirkMartian ManhunterMiss XMr. AmericaNewsboy LegionPhantom StrangerRex the Wonder DogRobin Dick GraysonRobotmanRose PsychicSandman Wesley DoddsSandy the Golden BoySeven Soldiers of VictoryShining Knight Sir JustinSlam BradleyThe Spectre Jim CorriganSpeedy Roy HarperSquireStar-Spangled Kid Sylvester PembertonStarman Ted KnightStripesyStuff the Chinatown KidSuperboy Kal-ElSupermanSuperwoman Lois LaneTarantulaTNTTommy TomorrowVigilante Greg SaundersWonder WomanZatara
Nedor Comics
American CrusaderAmerican EagleBlack TerrorCaptain FutureDoc StrangeFighting YankThe GhostGrim ReaperJudy of the JungleKara the Jungle PrincessLance Lewis, Space DetectiveLiberatorThe MagnetMiss MasquePrincess PanthaPyromanThe ScarabThe Woman in Red
Novelty Press
Blue BoltDick ColeThe TargetThe TargeteersThe Twister
Prize
Publications
Atomic-ManBlack OwlFighting AmericanGreen LamaYank & Doodle
Quality Comics
#711The Black CondorBlackhawkBlue TracerBozo the Iron ManCaptain TriumphDoll GirlDoll ManFirebrandThe Human BombInvisible HoodThe JesterKid EternityLady LuckMadame FatalMagnoManhunterMerlin the MagicianMidnightMiss AmericaMiss FearMouthpieceNeon the UnknownPhantom LadyPlastic ManQuicksilverThe RayRed BeeRed TorpedoThe SpiderSpider WidowUncle SamWildfireWonder BoyWoozy Winks
Timely Comics
All-Winners SquadAmerican AceThe AngelBlack MarvelBlack Widow Claire VoyantBlazing SkullBlonde PhantomBlue BladeBlue DiamondBreeze BartonBucky Bucky BarnesCaptain AmericaCaptain WonderThe ChallengerCitizen VThe DestroyerDynamic ManFather TimeThe FerretFiery MaskThe FinGolden GirlThe Human TorchJack FrostLaughing MaskMarvel BoyMercuryMiss AmericaMiss FuryMister ENamorNamoraThe PatriotPhantom ReporterRed RavenRockmanSilver ScorpionSun GirlSuper RabbitThin ManThundererTim MulrooneyToroVenusThe VisionThe Whizzer Robert FrankThe WitnessYoung Allies
Misc.
American Comics Group SuperkattAnglo-American Publishing Commander SteelAtlas Publications Captain AtomBell Features The BrainJohnny CanuckNelvana of the Northern LightsCardal Publishing StreamlineColumbia Comics The FaceSkymanDavid McKay Publications Mandrake the MagicianThe PhantomDC Thomson The Amazing Mr XJack FlashDynamic Publications Dynamic ManYankee GirlEastern Color Printing Buck RogersHydromanPhantom MagicianEC Comics Moon GirlSuperdupermanElliot Publishing Company Kismet, Man of FateFiction House FantomahHillman Periodicals AirboyThe HeapHolyoke Publishing Cat-ManKittenMiss VictoryL. Miller & Son, Ltd. Kid MarvelmanMarvelmanYoung MarvelmanMagazine Enterprises FunnymanMaple Leaf Publishing Brok WindsorIron ManRural Home Publications Green TurtleStreet & Smith The AvengerDoc SavageThe ShadowSupersnipe
Portals:
icon Comics
icon Speculative fiction
Siegel: In later years – maybe 10 or 15 years ago – I asked Joe what he remembered of this story, and he remembered a scene of a character crouched on the edge of a building, with a cape almost a la Batman. We don't specifically recall if the character had a costume or not. [...] Joe and I – especially Joe – seem to recall that there were some scenes in there in which that character had a bat-like cape."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 17
The copyright date of Detective Dan Secret Operative 48 was registered as May 12, 1933.
See Catalog of Copyright Entries. New Series, Volume 30, For the Year 1933, Part 1: Books, Group 2. United States Library of Congress. 1933. p. 351.
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 6: "Detective Dan—Secret Operative 48 was published by the Humor Publishing Company of Chicago. Detective Dan was little more than a Dick Tracy clone, but here, for the first time, in a series of black-and-white illustrations, was a comic magazine with an original character appearing in all-new stories. This was a dramatic departure from other comic magazines, which simply reprinted panels from the Sunday newspaper comic strips."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]):
"I do recall, though, that when Mr. Livingston visited Cleveland, Joe and I showed 'THE SUPERMAN' comic book pages to Mr. Livingston in his hotel room, and he was favorably impressed."
Beerbohm, Robert (1996). "Siegel & Shuster Presents... The Superman". Comic Book Marketplace. No. 36. Gemstone Publishing Inc. pp. 47–50.:
"So this early "Superman" cover was done, replete with a "10¢" plug... and was placed on an entire comic book, written, drawn, inked, and shown to the Humor people by Jerry and Joe when they happened to come through Cleveland (trying to shop Detective Dan to the NEA newspaper syndicate)."
Ricca 2014, pp. 97–98 Super Boys
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 17: "Although the first response was encouraging, the second made it clear that the comic book was so unprofitable that its publishers put on hold any future stories."
Ricca 2014, p. 99 Super Boys: "Jerry was convinced, just as he was in those early pulp days, that you had to align yourself with someone famous to be famous yourself. [...] Over the next year, Jerry contacted several major artists, including Mel Graff, J. Allen St. John, and even Bernie Schmittke [...]"
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 18: "When I told Joe of this, he unhappily destroyed the drawn-up pages of 'THE SUPERMAN' burning them in the furnace of his apartment building. At my request, he gave me as a gift the torn cover. We continued collaborating on other projects."
In an interview with Andrae (1983), Shuster said he destroyed their 1933 Superman comic as a reaction to Humor Publishing's rejection letter, which contradicts Siegel's account in Siegel's unpublished memoir. Tye (2012) argues that the account from the memoir is the truth and that Shuster lied in the interview to avoid tension.
See also Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir by Jerry Siegel, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 18:"Next on the list was Leo O'Mealia, who drew the Fu Manchu comic and soon found in his mailbox Jerry's more fully developed script for Superman."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"Leo O'Mealia's first letter to me was dated July 17, 1933"
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 18
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"I no longer have a copy of the script of that particular version of "Superman". [...] I never saw [O'Mealia's] Superman drawings. He did not send me a copy of it."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]). Extract filed under Exhibit A (Docket 184) in Laura Siegel Larson v Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., DC Comics, Case no. 13-56243:
"In a letter dated June 9, 1934, he wrote back expressing interesting in the possibility of our teaming-up together on a newspaper syndication comic strip. [...] Russell Keaton's letter to me of June 14, 1934, was very enthusiastic. He stated that in his opinion "Superman" was already a tremendous hit and that he would be glad to collaborate with me on "Superman"."
Jones (2004). Men of Tomorrow, p. 112-113
Ricca 2014, p. 101-102 Super Boys
Excerpts of Siegel and Keaton's collaboration can be found in Exhibit A (Docket 373–3), Exhibit C (Docket 347–2), Exhibit D (Docket 347–2), and Exhibit E (Docket 347–2) in Laura Siegel Larson v Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., DC Comics, Case no. 13-56243.
(Compilation available at Dropbox).
Ricca 2014, p. 102 Super Boys: "Jerry tried to sell this version to the syndicates, but no one was interested, so Keaton gave up."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]). Extract filed under Exhibit A (Docket 184) in Laura Siegel Larson v Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., DC Comics, Case no. 13-56243:
"Keaton's next letter to me, sent November 3, 1934, stated "Superman" was in a locker in a bus station, and that he was going to show the feature to Publishers Syndicate, after that weekend. [...] I got a brief note from Russell Keaton. He wrote that he was completely withdrawing from any participation at all in the "Superman" comic strip and that as far as he was concerned: "the book is closed". Unhappily, I destroyed the letter."
Interview with Joe Shuster by Bertil Falk in 1975, quoted in Alter Ego #56 (Feb 2006):
"SHUSTER: [...] I conceived the character in my mind's eye to have a very, very colorful costume of a cape and, you know, very, very colorful tights and boots and the letter "S" on his chest.
FALK: You did that, not Siegel?
SHUSTER: Yes, yes. I did that because that was my concept from what he described, but he did inspire me [...]"
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 18
Over the years, Siegel and Shuster made contradictory statements regarding when they developed Superman's familiar costume. They occasionally claimed to have developed it immediately in 1933. Daniels (1998) writes: "... usually [Shuster] and Siegel agreed that no special costume was in evidence [in 1933], and the surviving artwork bears them out." The cover art for their 1933 proposal to Humor Publishing shows a shirtless, cape-less Superman. Siegel's collaboration with Russell Keaton in 1934 contains no description nor illustration of Superman in costume. Tye (2012) writes that Siegel and Shuster developed the costume shortly after they resumed working together in late 1934.
Siegel's unpublished memoir, The Story Behind Superman (Archived September 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine), as well as an interview with Thomas Andrae in Nemo #2 (1983), corroborate each other that Clark Kent's timid-journalist persona and Lois Lane were developed in 1934.
Andrae (1983): "I also had classical heroes and strongmen in mind, and this shows in the footwear. In the third version, Superman wore sandals laced halfway up the calf. You can still see this on the cover of Action #1, though they were covered over in red to look like boots when the comic was printed."
Wheeler-Nicholson offered Siegel and Shuster work in a letter dated June 6, 1935. See Ricca 2014, p. 104 Super Boys
Ricca 2014, p. 104 Super Boys
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).
p. 55: "In addition, I submitted "Superman" for newspaper syndication consideration by Wheeler-Nicholson."
Letter from Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson to Siegel and Shuster, dated October 4, 1935, quoted in Ricca 2014, p. 146Super Boys: "...you would be much better off doing Superman in full page in four colors for one of our publications."
Jerome Siegel, in a sworn affidavit signed 1 March 1973, filed in Jerome Siegel & Joseph Shuster vs National Periodical Publications et al, 69 Civ 1429:
"In 1935 Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, a publisher of comic books, expressed interest in Superman and tried to persuade us that the property would be more successful if published in comic book form where it would be seen in color than it would be in a black and white daily strip. Our experience with him had been such that we did not consider him the publisher to entrust with the property and his proposal was rejected."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).
p. 57 "Joe and I were not sold on Wheeler-Nicholson and hoped to place "Superman" with what we hoped would be a more responsible organization. I asked Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson to return the "Superman" strips to me. [...] I continued my marketing attempts to place "Superman" with a newspaper syndicate."
Tye (2012), Superman, p. 24: "So while they continued to write and draw for him, and to live off what payments they got, they determined not to trust him with their prize possession."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"On January 5, 1938, Liebowitz wrote to me [...] that the Nicholson Publishing Company had been petitioned into bankruptcy by its creditors. [...] On January 10, Vin Sullivan wrote to me that Nicholson Publishing Company was in the hands of receivers [...] and that "Detective Comics" was being published by the firm for which Liebowitz was the manager."
J. Addison Young, "Findings of Fact" (April 12, 1948), in Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster vs. National Comics Publications Inc. et al. (New York Supreme Court 1947) (Scan available on Scribd):
"On December 4, 1937, defendant LIEBOWITZ, representing DETECTIVE COMICS, INC., met plaintiff SIEGEL in New York City."
Siegel, Jerry. Unpublished memoir "The Story Behind Superman #1", registered for U.S. copyright in 1978 under later version Creation of a Superhero as noted by Tye (2012). Superman, p. 309. P. 5. Memoir additionally cited by Ricca (2014) in Super Boys, and available online at sites including "The Story Behind Superman #1". Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015 – via Scribd.com. Note: Archive of p. 1 only.
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"I received a telephone call early in January of 1938 from Gaines of the McClure Syndicate. This was a three-way call between Gaines, Liebowitz and myself. Gaines informed me that the syndicate was unable to use the various strips which I had sent for inclusion in the proposed syndicate newspaper tabloid. He asked my permission to turn these features, including "Superman", over to Detective Comics' publishers for consideration for their proposed new magazine, "Action Comics". I consented."
Via editor Vin Sullivan, in a letter to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, dated 10 January 1948. Quoted in Ricca (2014). Super Boys
Jerry Siegel. The Life and Times of Jerry Siegel (unpublished memoir, written c.1946; Scans available at Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]):
"Joe and I talked it over, decided we were tired of seeing the strip rejected everywhere, and would at least like to see it in print. And so we pasted our samples of a SUPERMAN daily strip into comic magazine page form, as request, and sent it on."
Kobler, John (June 21, 1941). "Up, Up, and Awa-a-ay!: The Rise of Superman, Inc" (PDF). The Saturday Evening Post. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 13, 2016.:
"[Siegel and Shuster], who by this time had abandoned hope that Superman would ever amount to much, mulled this over gloomily. Then Siegel shrugged, 'Well, at least this way we'll see [Superman] in print.' They signed the form."
NOTE: The form mentioned refers to a contract of sale signed on March 1, 1938.
J. Addison Young, "Findings of Fact" (April 12, 1948), in Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster vs. National Comics Publications Inc. et al. (New York Supreme Court 1947) (Scan available on Scribd):
"Defendant THE MC CLURE NEWSPAPER SYNDICATE, then submitted to DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. the SUPERMAN comic strip created by plaintiffs, which strip consisted of a few panels suitable for newspaper syndication [...] DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. examined the old material and returned it to plaintiffs for revision and expansion into a full length thirteen-page comic strip release suitable for magazine publication. [...] Plaintiffs revised and expanded the said SUPERMAN material in compliance with the said request of DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. and on or about February 22, 1938, resubmitted such revised and expanded material to DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. [...] On March 1, 1938 [...] DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. wrote to plaintiff SIEGEL [...] enclosing a check in the sum of $412. which included $130. in payment of the first thirteen-page SUPERMAN release at the agreed rate of $10. per page [...]"
Jones (2004). Men of Tomorrow, p. 125: "They signed a release surrendering all rights to the publisher. They knew that was how the business worked – that's how they'd sold every creation from Henri Duval to Slam Bradley."
Tye (2012). Superman
J. Addison Young, "Findings of Fact" (April 12, 1948), in Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster vs. National Comics Publications Inc. et al. (New York Supreme Court 1947) (Scan available on Scribd):
"The first thirteen pages of SUPERMAN material were published on April 18, 1938, in the June 1938 issue of "Action Comics"magazine."
Andrae (1983): "...when I did the version in 1934, (which years later, in 1938, was published, in revised form, in Action Comics #1) the John Carter stories did influence me. Carter was able to leap great distances because the planet Mars was smaller that [sic] the planet Earth; and he had great strength. I visualized the planet Krypton as a huge planet, much larger than Earth; so whoever came to Earth from that planet would be able to leap great distances and lift great weights."
"The History Behind Superman's Ever-Changing Superpowers". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017.
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978;Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"I had read and enjoyed Philip Wylie's book "The Gladiator". It influenced me, too."
Feeley, Gregory (March 2005). "When World-views Collide: Philip Wylie in the Twenty-first Century". Science Fiction Studies. 32 (95). ISSN 0091-7729. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
Andrae (1983): "... I was inspired by the movies. In the silent films, my hero was Douglas Fairbanks Senior, who was very agile and athletic. So I think he might have been an inspiration to us, even in his attitude. He had a stance which I often used in drawing Superman. You'll see in many of his roles—including Robin Hood—that he always stood with his hands on his hips and his feet spread apart, laughing—taking nothing seriously."
Andrae (1983)
Jerry Siegel, quoted in Andrae (1983): "I loved The Mark of Zorro, and I'm sure that had some influence on me. I did also see The Scarlet Pimpernel but didn't care much for it."
Jerry Siegel. Creation of a Superhero (unpublished memoir, written c.1978; Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]).:
"In movies, I had seen "The Scarlet Pimpernel", "The Mark of Zorro" and Rudolph Valentino in "The Eagle", and I thought that a mighty hero, who in another identity pretended to be an ineffectual weakling, made for great dramatic contrast. In addition, it would, in a comic strip, permit some humorous characterization."
Siegel: "We especially loved some of those movies in which Harold Lloyd would start off as a sort of momma's boy being pushed around, kicked around, thrown around, and then suddenly would turn into a fighting whirlwind."
Shuster: "I was kind of mild-mannered and wore glasses so I really identified with it"
Anthony Wall (1981). Superman – The Comic Strip Hero (Television production). BBC. Event occurs at 00:04:50. Archived from the original on December 28, 2015.
Andrae (1983): Siegel: "As a high school student, I thought that someday I might become a reporter, and I had crushes on several attractive girls who either didn't know I existed or didn't care I existed. [...] It occurred to me: What if I was real terrific? What if I had something special going for me, like jumping over buildings or throwing cars around or something like that? Then maybe they would notice me."
Shuster in Andrae (1983) "I tried to build up my body. I was so skinny; I went in for weight-lifting and athletics. I used to get all the body-building magazines from the second-hand stores — and read them...."
Andrae (1983): "It was inspired by the costume pictures that Fairbanks did: they greatly influenced us."
"Of Supermen and kids with dreams" (PDF).
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 124: "The overall physical look of Superman himself is from Johnny Weissmuller, whose face Joe swiped from movie magazines and news articles. ... Joe just squinted the eyes like his idol Roy Crane [did with his characters] and added a Dick Tracy smile." Ricca cites Beerbohm, Robert L. (August 1997). "The Big Bang Theory of Comic Book History". Comic Book Marketplace. Vol. 2, no. 50. Coronado, California: Gemstone Publishing.
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 129: "What the boys did read were the magazines and papers where "superman" was a common word. Its usage was almost always preceded by "a." Most times the word was used to refer to an athlete or a politician."
Flagg, Francis (November 11, 1931). "The Superman of Dr. Jukes". Wonder Stories. Gernsback.
Jacobson, Howard (March 5, 2005). "Up, Up and Oy Vey!". The Times. UK. p. 5.: "If Siegel and Shuster knew of Nietzsche's Ubermensch, they didn't say..."
"Comic with first Superman story sells for $1.5m". The Independent. March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
Action Comics Archived February 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Grand Comics Database.
Superman Archived February 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (1939–1986 series) and Adventures of Superman Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (1987 continuation of series) at the Grand Comics Database.
"Superman"-titled comics Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Grand Comics Database.
"Best-selling comic books of all time worldwide as of February 2015 (in million copies)". Statista. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
Tilley, Carol (March 1, 2016). "Unbalanced Production: The Comics Business in the 1940s". The Beat. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 163: "It did work. In 1960, the first year in which sales data was made public, Superman was selling more comic books than any other title or character, and he stayed on top through much of the decade.
Comichron. Comic Book Sales By Year Archived July 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
"Thesp trio eyes 'Nurse'; 'Superman' may fly". Variety.com. September 29, 1998.
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 245: "Journalists, along with most of their readers and viewers, didn't understand that heroes regularly perished in the comics and almost never stayed dead."
"2018 Comic Book Sales to Comic Book Shops". Comichron. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 294: "The remaining audience [by 2011] was dedicated to the point of fanaticism, a trend that was self-reinforcing. No longer did casual readers pick up a comic at the drugstore or grocery, both because the books increasingly required an insider's knowledge to follow the action and because they simply weren't being sold anymore at markets, pharmacies, or even the few newsstands that were left. [...] Comic books had gone from being a cultural emblem to a countercultural refuge."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 212: "So Jenette [Kahn] and her business-savvy sidekick, Paul Levitz, started viewing comics as creative engines rather than cash cows, able to spin off profitable enterprises in other media."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 166: "Whereas in the 1950s, the average comic book reader was 12 years old, by the 1990s, the average comic book reader was 20. A mere decade later, in 2001, the average age of comic book readers was 25."
Gordon (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon p. 164
Tumey, Paul (April 14, 2014). "Reviews: Superman: The Golden Age Sundays 1943–1946". The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2016. ...Jerry Siegel had his hands — and typewriter — full, turning out stories for the comic books and the daily newspaper strips (which had completely separate continuities from the Sundays).
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 74
Cole, Neil A. (ed.). "Wayne Boring (1905–1987)". SupermanSuperSite.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
Cole, Neil A. (ed.). "Win Mortimer (1919–1998)". SupermanSuperSite.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
Younis, Steven (ed.). "Superman Newspaper Strips". SupermanHomepage.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 49: "Initially Harry [Donenfeld], Jack [Liebowitz], and the managers they hired to oversee their growing editorial empire had let Jerry [Siegel] do as he wished with the character..."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 41: "Neither Harry [Donenfeld] nor Jack [Liebowitz] had planned for a separate Superman comic book, or for that to be ongoing. Having Superman's story play out across different venues presented a challenge for Jerry [Siegel] and the writers who came after him: Each installment needed to seem original yet part of a whole, stylistically and narratively. Their solution, at the beginning, was to wing it..."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 42: "...the publisher was anxious to avoid any repetition of the censorship problems associated with his early pulp magazines (such as the lurid Spicy Detective)."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 49: "Once Superman became big business, however, plots had to be sent to New York for vetting. Not only did editors tell Jerry to cut out the guns and knives and cut back on social crusading, they started calling the shots on minute details of script and drawing."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 42: "It was left to Ellsworth to impose tight editorial controls on Jerry Siegel. Henceforth, Superman would be forbidden to use his powers to kill anyone, even a villain."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 47: "No hint of sex. No alienating parents or teachers. Evil geniuses like the Ultra-Humanite were too otherworldly to give kids nightmares... The Prankster, the Toyman, the Puzzler, and J. Wilbur Wolngham, a W. C. Fields lookalike, used tricks and gags instead of a bow and arrows in their bids to conquer Superman. For editors wary of controversy, 1940s villains like those were a way to avoid the sharp edges of the real world."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 162: "Before Mort came along, Superman's world was ad hoc and seat-of-the-pants, with Jerry and other writers adding elements as they went along without any planning or anyone worrying whether it all hung together. That worked fine when all the books centered around Superman and all the writing was done by a small stable. Now the pool of writers had grown and there were eight different comic books with hundreds of Superman stories a year to worry about."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 173: "But Weisinger's innovations were taking a quiet toll on the story. Superman's world had become so complicated that readers needed a map or even an encyclopedia to keep track of everyone and everything. (There would eventually be encyclopedias, two in fact, but the first did not appear until 1978.) All the plot complications were beguiling to devoted readers, who loved the challenge of keeping current, but to more casual fans they could be exhausting."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 165: "Weisinger stories steered clear of the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, the black power movement, and other issues that red the 1960s. There was none of what Mort would have called "touchy-feely" either, much as readers might have liked to know how Clark felt about his split personality, or whether Superman and Lois engaged in the battles between the sexes that were a hallmark of the era. Mort wanted his comics to be a haven for young readers, and he knew his right-leaning politics wouldn't sit well with his leftist writers and many of his Superman fans."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 102: "One of the ways the editor kept in touch with his young audience was through a letters column, 'Metropolis Mailbag,' introduced in 1958."
Tye (2012). Superman: The Complete History, p. 168: "He admitted later he was losing touch with a new generation of kids and their notions about heroes and villains."
Julius Schwartz, quoted in Daniels (1998): "I said, 'I want to get rid of all the kryptonite. I want to get rid of all the robots that are used to get him out of situations. And I'm sick and tired of that stupid suit Clark Kent wears all the time. I want to give him more up-to-date clothes. And maybe the most important thing I want to do is take him out of the Daily Planet and put him into television.' I said 'Our readers are not that familiar with newspapers. Most of them get their news on television, and I think it's high time after all these years.'"
Harvey (1996), p. 144: "Artistic expressiveness of a highly individualistic sort had never been particularly welcomed by traditional comic book publishers. The corporate mind, ever focused on the bottom line of the balance sheet, favored bland "house styles" of rendering..."
Eury et al. (2006). The Krypton Companion, p. 18: "In 1948 Boring succeeded Shuster as the principal superman artist, his art style epitomizing the Man of Steel's comics and merchandising look throughout the 1950s."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 74: "...Superman was drawn in a more detailed, realistic style of illustration. He also looked bigger and stronger. "Until then Superman had always seemed squat," Boring said. "He was six heads high, a bit shorter than normal. I made him taller–nine heads high–but kept his massive chest."
Curt Swan (1987). Drawing Superman. Essay reprinted in Eury et al. (2006), pp. 58: "For 30 years or so, from around 1955 until a couple of years ago when I more or less retired, I was the principal artists of the Superman comic for DC Comics."
Hayde (2009). Flights of Fantasy
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 88: "[Harry Donenfeld] drafted Maxwell into Superman, Inc., first to oversee the licensing of toys and other products, then to bring the superhero into the world of broadcast."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 16: "Superman was brought to radio by Allen Ducovny, a press agent with Detective Comics, and Robert Maxwell (the pen name of Robert Joffe), a former pulp fiction author who was in charge of licensing the subsidiary rights of the company's comic book characters."
Pointer (2017): "...the budget for each short – an astonishing $30,000..."
Dave Fleischer, quoted in Daniels (1998) Superman: The Complete History, p. 58: "The average short cost nine or ten thousand dollars, some ran up to fifteen; they varied."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 94: "Max and Dave [Fleischer's] composers knew what Superman, Lois, and the others should look like, thanks to model sheets provided by Joe Shuster."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 37: "The challenges of the production had more than doubled its budget; the final cost was variously reported as anywhere from $250,000 to $325,000."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 37: "With all the hype, Superman quickly became the most profitable serial in film history."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 49: "According to Variety, the feature film and an additional twenty-four half-hour episodes were to come in for $400,000, or roughly $15,000 each."
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway
"Superman Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
Bob Chipman (2016). Really That Good: SUPERMAN (1978) (YouTube). Moviebob Central. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021.
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway, p. 90
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 197
Sharf, Zack (May 24, 2023). "'The Flash' Director Just Announced the Movie's Most Shocking Cameo That's Decades in the Making". Variety. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
Bernard Luber, quoted in Flights of Fantasy (Hayde 2009): "The show wasn't strictly for youngsters. We offered the dream of every man – to fly, to be super."
Scivally (2007), p. 52: "...Robert Maxwell hoped for an adult time slot, so he made Superman an adult show, with death scenes and rough violence."
Clements, Jonathan; Tamamuro, Motoko (2003). The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953. Stone Bridge Press. p. 200. ISBN 9781880656815.
Beeler, Stan (2011). "From Comic Book To Bildungsroman: Smallville, Narrative, And The Education Of A Young Hero". In Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). The Smallville Chronicles: Critical Essays on the Television Series. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810881303.
Aurthur, Kate (May 20, 2006). "Young Male Viewers Lift Ratings for 'Smallville'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 12, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
Gordon (2017)
J. Addison Young, "Findings of Fact" (April 12, 1948), in Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster vs. National Comics Publications Inc. et al. (New York Supreme Court 1947) (Scan available on Scribd)
Gordon (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon p. 162
"Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise Based on $100 Million+ Entertainment/Character Properties". The Licensing Letter. July 23, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
Anthony, Ian (November 2003). "Superb Manifestations: Five Anniversaries Converge In 2003 For Superman". Superman Homepage. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
Gordon (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon p. 146
Gordon (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon pp. 162–165
Gordon (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon, p. 155
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 150: "It was then Donenfeld who not only now owned the property, but received the lion's share of the profits; whatever Jerry and Joe got was parsed out by him."
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 155: "[Harry Donenfeld] knew readers had become accustomed to Siegel and Shuster's work, and he didn't want to risk upsetting a secret formula that he still didn't completely understand, especially when it was selling so well."
Tye (2012). Superman, p. 119: "In the ten years from 1938, when the first Action was published, to the filing of the suit in 1947, Jerry and Joe were paid [...] a total of $401,194.85."
Exhibit Q (Docket 353–3) in Laura Siegel Larson v Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., DC Comics, Case no. 13-56243 (Scans available from Dropbox and Scribd). Originally submitted as an exhibit in Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster vs. National Comics Publications Inc. et al. (New York Supreme Court 1947)
Jerry Siegel. The Life and Times of Jerry Siegel (unpublished memoir, written c.1946; Scans available at Dropbox and Scribd[permanent dead link]):
"While I was in service, the majority of SUPERMAN's adventures were ghost-written by writers employed by DETECTIVE COMICS, Inc.
Jerry Siegel, in a 1975 interview with Phil Yeh for Cobblestone magazine. Quoted in Siegel and Shuster's Funnyman by Tom Andrae and Mel Gordon on page 49.:
"While I was in the service they started ghosting the Superman scripts, because obviously I couldn't write them while I was away in the service."
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 223: "Jerry felt angryand instantly very isolated: Harry had gone ahead and okayed the title without telling him—or paying for it?"
Sergi (2015). The Law for Comic Book Creators
Ricca (2014). Super Boys, p. 226: "Jerry and Joe got a final check—and were promptly shown the door by National."
Ricca 2014
Exhibit 2 (Docket 722–1) in Laura Siegel Larson vs Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., DC Comics, case no 13-56243.
Sergi (2015), p. 214
Scott Niswander (July 22, 2015). Why Isn't SUPERMAN a PUBLIC DOMAIN Superhero?? (YouTube video). NerdSync Productions. Event occurs at 3:03~3:33. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
The Marvel Family #89. Copyright date registered as 25 September 1953.
See Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Volume 7, Part 2, Number 1: Periodicals, Jan–Jun 1953. United States Library of Congress. 1954. p. 268.
Thomas, Roy; Ordway, Jerry (July 2001). "Not Your Father's Captain Marvel! An Artist-by-Artist Account of a Doomed Quest for a 1980s Shazam! Series". Alter Ego. Raleigh, North Carolina: Two Morrows Publishing. 3 (9): 9–17.
Superman comic strip, January 16, 1939 Archived October 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, reprinted at "Episode 1: Superman Comes to Earth". TheSpeedingBullet.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
Lowther, George (1942). The Adventures of Superman. Per Ricca (2014), p. 204: "The book is also the first time that Superman's parents are named "Jor-el" and "Lara"—a slight spelling change that would stick."
The Secret Rocket per Lantz, James. "Superman Radio Series – Story Reviews". SupermanHomepage.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2016.
Jackson, Matthew (December 17, 2012). "The campaign to make a real Kansas town into Superman's Smallville". Blastr.com (Syfy). Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016. Decades of comic book mythology and a hit TV series have made Superman's hometown of Smallville, Kan., one of the most famous places in America.
Mankiewicz & Crane (2012), p. 203
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History
"The New Batman/Superman Adventures". Warner Bros. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007.
John Sikela (p). "The Origin of Superboy's Costume!" Superboy, vol. 1, no. 78 (January 1960). New York, NY: DC Comics.
Seagle, Steven T. (w), McDaniel, Scott (p), Owens, Andy (i). "Truth" Superman: The 10¢ Adventure, vol. 1, no. 1 (March 2003). New York, NY: DC Comics.
Schutz, David (April 26, 1992). "When Superman Worked at The Star". The Adventures of Superman. Archived from the original on July 17, 2010. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 42
Lee, Jim. "From the Co-Publishers", "The Source" (column), DC Comics, January 20, 2011. WebCitation archive.
Weldon 2013, p. 33
Weldon (2013). Superman the Unauthorized Biography, p. 55
"The religion of Superman (Clark Kent / Kal-El)". Adherents.com. August 14, 2007. Archived from the original on August 28, 2012.
Rucka, Greg (w), Lopez, David (p). "Affirmative Defense" Wonder Woman, vol. 2, no. 220 (Oct. 2005). DC Comics.
Action Comics #594 (1987)
Evans, Woody (2014). "Why They Won't Save Us: Political Dispositions in the Conflicts of Superheroes".[permanent dead link]
Johns, Geoff (w), Conner, Amanda (p), Palmiotti, Jimmy (i). "Power Trip" JSA: Classified, vol. 1, no. 1 (September 2005). DC Comics.
Johns, Geoff Donner, Richard (w), Wight, Eric (p), Wight, Eric (i). "Who is Clark Kent's Big Brother?" Action Comics Annual, vol. 1, no. 10 (March 2007). DC Comics.
Buskiek, Kurt, Nicieza, Fabian, Johns, Geoff (w), Guedes, Renato (p), Magalhaes, Jose Wilson (i). "Superman: Family" Action Comics, vol. 1, no. 850 (July 2007). DC Comics.
Wallace, Dan (2008). "Alternate Earths". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1.
Example: DC Comics Presents #3 (1978)
"Clark Kent, Reporter". The Adventures of Superman. Episode 2. February 14, 1940. WOR.:
– Look! Look! There, in the sky! It's a man!
– Why, he's flying!
– It can't be! It's not possible!
Daniels (1998), pp. 106–107.
The Meteor From Krypton (June 1943). Per Hayde (2009): "Only one arc in 1943 managed to transcend its era: "The Meteor from Krypton." Debuting on June 3, it marked the debut of kryptonite..."
Superman #61 Archived April 27, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Grand Comics Database. "Indexer notes ... Green Kryptonite introduced in this story."
"If Lois should ACTUALLY learn Clark's secret, the strip would lose about 75% of its appeal—the human interest angle. I know that a formula can possibly prove monotonous through repetition but I fear that if this element is removed from the story formula that makes up SUPERMAN, that this strip will lose a great part of its effectiveness." Siegel, in his script notes, quoted in Ricca (2014) (Super Boys).
Superman #17 Archived April 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Grand Comics Database.
Cronin, Brian (June 28, 2011). "When We First Met". (column #30) ComicBookResources.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
Scivally (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway: "The episode also introduced Julian Noa as Clark Kent's boss, whose name had evolved from Paris White to Perry White. White's newspaper changed from The Daily Flash to the Daily Planet. Soon after the radio show appeared, the comic books also changed their Daily Star editor George Taylor to Daily Planet editor Perry White..."
Daniels (1998). Superman: The Complete History, p. 160
Though created to appear in Superman #30 (Sept. 1944), publishing lag time resulted in the character first appearing in the Superman daily comic strip that year, per Superman #30 Archived March 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Grand Comics Database.
Schodt, Frederik L. (2007). The Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Mighty Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution. Stone Bridge Press. p. 45. ISBN 9781933330549.
Craig, Timothy (2015). Japan Pop: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. Routledge. ISBN 9781317467212.
Katsuno, Hirofumi (2018). "The Grotesque Hero: Depictions of Justice in Tokusatsu Superhero Television Programs". In Freedman, Alisa; Slade, Toby (eds.). Introducing Japanese Popular Culture. Routledge. ISBN 9781317528937.
Clements, Jonathan; Tamamuro, Motoko (2003). The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 9781880656815.
Martin, Deborah (June 19, 2019). "Crystal Bridges exhibit 'Men of Steel, Women of Wonder' lands in San Antonio". ExpressNews.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
"Men of Steel, Women of Wonder Debuts at San Antonio Museum of Art". San Antonio Magazine. June 20, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Gural, Natasha. "Quickly To The Whitney, And Back Again To San Francisco, Chicago For Andy Warhol Beyond Superstardom". Forbes. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Sante, Luc (May 3, 2020). "Andy Warhol, Superstar". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Cohen, Alina (October 1, 2018). "How Roy Lichtenstein Unwittingly Invented Pop Art". Artsy. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Genzlinger, Neil (October 31, 2018). "Mel Ramos, Painter of Female Nudes and Comic Heroes, Dies at 83". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Jesus, Carlos Suarez De (January 31, 2008). "Immigrants Are Superheroes". Miami New Times. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
"Mr. Brainwash will convert a Richard Meier-designed building into a Beverly Hills art museum". The Architect's Newspaper. February 18, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Storr, Robert (June 2, 2017). "Pettibon's World". The New York Review of Books. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Schjeldahl, Peter. "The In-Your-Face Paintings of Peter Saul". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
"Giuseppe Veneziano | artnet". www.artnet.com. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
"F. Lennox Campello | Superman Naked | Artsy". Artsy. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
SCHKLOVEN, EMMA (January 25, 2017). "Traveling superhero-themed exhibit comes to Lynchburg College". NewsAdvance.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
Trostle, Adora (January 30, 2019). "Results from the Miami Art Fairs a few Months Ago". NY UNDRESSED. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
Eco, Umberto (2004) [1962]. "The Myth of Superman". In Heer, Jeet Heer; Kent, Worcesterm (eds.). Arguing Comics. University Press of Mississippi. p. 162. ISBN 1-57806-687-5.
Clarke, Gerald (December 13, 1971). "The Comics On The Couch". Time. pp. 1–4. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
Daniels (1995). DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes, p. 64
Grayling, A C (July 8, 2006). "The Philosophy of Superman: A Short Course". The Spectator. UK. ISSN 0038-6952. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
Daniels (1995). DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes , pp. 22–23
The Mythology of Superman (DVD). Warner Bros. 2006.
Sabin, Roger (1996). Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels (4th paperback ed.). Phaidon. ISBN 0-7148-3993-0.
von Busack, Richard (July 2–8, 1998). "Superman Versus the KKK". Metro Silicon Valley. San Jose, California. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
Dubner, Stephen J; Levitt, Steven D (January 8, 2006). "Hoodwinked?". The New York Times Magazine. p. F26. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
Weldon (2013). Superman the Unauthorized Biography, p. 83
Bukatman, Scott (2003). Matters of Gravity: Special Effects and Supermen in the 20th century. Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-3132-2.
Jules Feiffer The Great Comic Book Heroes, (2003). Fantagraphics. ISBN 1-56097-501-6
Andrae (1983), p.10.
Ian Gordon "Nostalgia, Myth, and Ideology: Visions of Superman at the End of the 'American Century"in Michael Ryan, ' 'Cultural Studies: An Anthology' '(2007). Blackwell ISBN 978-1-4051-4577-0 [1].
Fingeroth, Danny Superman on the Couch (2004). Continuum International Publishing Group p53. ISBN 0-8264-1539-3
Engle, Gary "What Makes Superman So Darned American?" reprinted in Popular Culture (1992) Popular Press p 331–343. ISBN 0-87972-572-9
Wallace, Daniel; Singer, Bryan (2006). The Art of Superman Returns. Chronicle Books. p. 92. ISBN 0-8118-5344-6.
Aldo, Regalado (2005). "Modernity, Race, and the American Superhero". In McLaughlin, Jeff (ed.). Comics as Philosophy. University of Mississippi Press. p. 92. ISBN 1-57806-794-4.
Jenemann, David (2007). Adorno in America. U of Minnesota Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-8166-4809-2.
Rooney, David (June 3, 2010). "Finding America, Searching for Identity". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
Weinstein, Simcha (2006). Up, Up, and Oy Vey! (1st ed.). Leviathan Press. ISBN 978-1-881927-32-7.
Tye, Larry (2012). Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero. Random House Digital. pp. 65–67. ISBN 978-1-4000-6866-1. Like Moses. Much as the baby prophet was floated in a reed basket by a mother desperate to spare him from an Egyptian Pharaoh's death warrant, so Kal-El's doomed…
Goebbels, Paul Joseph (April 25, 1940). "Jerry Siegel Attacks!". Das schwarze Korps. p. 8. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016.
Lund (2016)
Daniels (1998). Superman, p. 19: "There are parallel stories in many cultures, but what is significant is that Siegel, working in the generally patronized medium of the comics, had created a secular American messiah. Nothing of the kind was consciously on his mind, apparently: his explanation for dropping Superman down from the sky was that "it just happened that way." And Shuster echoed him: "We just thought it was a good idea.""
Dickholtz, Daniel (1998). "Steel Dreams". Starlog Yearbook. Starlog Group, Inc. p. 77.
Man of Steel (2013; Warner Bros. Pictures). "They won't necessarily make the same mistakes we did, not if you guide them, Kal."
Bibliography
Andrae, Thomas (August 1983). "Of Supermen and Kids with Dreams" (PDF). Nemo: The Classic Comics Library. No. 2. Fantagraphics. pp. 6–19.
Reprinted in Comics Values Monthly Superman Memorial Issue (1992) and Best, Daniel, ed. (August 3, 2012). "'Jerry and I did a comic book together...' Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster Interviewed". 20th Century Danny Boy. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
Beerbohm, Robert (1996). "Siegel & Shuster Presents... The Superman". Comic Book Marketplace. No. 36. Gemstone Publishing Inc. pp. 47–50.
Cronin, Brian (2009). Was Superman a Spy?. Penguin. ISBN 9781101046562.
Daniels, Les (1995). DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes (First ed.). Bulfinch Press. ISBN 978-0821220764.
Daniels, Les (1998). Superman: The Complete History (1st ed.). Titan Books. ISBN 1-85286-988-7.
Dean, Michael (October 14, 2004). "An Extraordinarily Marketable Man: The Ongoing Struggle for Ownership of Superman and Superboy". The Comics Journal (263): 13–17. Archived from the original on December 1, 2006. Retrieved December 22, 2006.
Eury, Michael; Adams, Neal; Swan, Curt; Anderson, Murphy (2006). The Krypton Companion. Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978-1-893905-61-0.
Gordon, Ian (2017). Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813587530.
Harvey, Robert C. (1996). The Art of the Comic Book: An Aesthetic History. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9780878057580.
Hatfield, Charles (2005). Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604735871.
Hayde, Michael J. (2009). Flights of Fantasy: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio & TV's Adventures of Superman. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593933449.
Jones, Gerard (2004). Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-03656-2.
Kobler, John (June 21, 1941). "Up, Up, and Awa-a-ay!: The Rise of Superman, Inc" (PDF). The Saturday Evening Post. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 13, 2016.
Lund, Martin (2016). Re-Constructing the Man of Steel: Superman 1938–1941, Jewish American History, and the Invention of the Jewish–Comics Connection. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-319-42959-5.
Mankiewicz, Tom; Crane, Robert (2012). My Life as a Mankiewicz: An Insider's Journey through Hollywood. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813140575.
Pointer, Ray (2017). The Art and Inventions of Max Fleischer: American Animation Pioneer. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-6367-8.
Ricca, Brad (2014). Super Boys: The Amazing Adventures of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster – the Creators of Superman. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-1250049681.
Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 9781569765012.
Scivally, Bruce (2007). Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway. McFarland. ISBN 9780786431663.
Sergi, Joe (2015). The Law for Comic Book Creators: Essential Concepts and Applications. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786473601.
Steranko, Jim (1970). The Steranko History of Comics vol. 1. Supergraphics. ISBN 9780517501887.
Tye, Larry (2012). Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero. Random House New York. ISBN 978-1-58836-918-5.
Weldon, Glen (2013). Superman: The Unauthorized Biography. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-1-118-34184-1.
Dallas, Keith; Sacks, Jason; Beard, Jim; Dykema, Dave; Paul Brian McCoy (2013). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s. TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 9781605490465.
Further reading
De Haven, Tom (2009). Our Hero: Superman on Earth. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-11817-9. OCLC 320132317.
External links
Superman
at Wikipedia's sister projects
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
Official website Edit this at Wikidata
Golden Age Archived November 21, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Silver Age Archived November 6, 2019, at the Wayback Machine and Modern Age Archived November 21, 2019, at the Wayback Machine Superman at the Comic book database
Superman on DC Database, a DC Comics wiki
Superman on IMDb
vte
Superman
vte
Justice League characters
Articles and topics related to Superman
Portals:
icon Comics
icon Speculative fiction
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
Categories: DC Comics superheroesSuperman1938 comics debuts1938 establishments in the United StatesAmerican cultureCharacters created by Jerry SiegelCharacters created by Joe ShusterComics adapted into animated seriesComics adapted into playsComics adapted into radio seriesComics adapted into television seriesComics characters introduced in 1938DC Comics adapted into filmsDC Comics adapted into video gamesDC Comics American superheroesDC Comics aliensDC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speedsDC Comics characters with accelerated healingDC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerabilityDC Comics characters with superhuman sensesDC Comics characters with superhuman strengthDC Comics extraterrestrial superheroesDC Comics film charactersDC Comics male superheroesDC Comics television charactersDC Comics orphansFictional characters from KansasFictional characters who can levitateFictional characters with X-ray visionFictional characters with air or wind abilitiesFictional characters with ice or cold abilitiesFictional characters with fire or heat abilitiesFictional characters with solar abilitiesFictional characters with eidetic memoryFictional extraterrestrial humanoidsFictional immigrants to the United StatesFictional refugeesFictional reporters and correspondentsFictional resurrected charactersFictional sole survivorsFighting game charactersFilm serial charactersKryptoniansMagazine mascotsMale characters in advertisingMascots introduced in 1938Superheroes who are adoptedSuperman charactersSuperheroes with alter egosUnited States-themed superheroesLiterary archetypesChristian superheroes
Lunch
atop a Skyscraper (New York Construction Workers Lunching on a
Crossbeam) is a photograph taken atop the steelwork of 30 Rockefeller
Plaza, during the construction of the Rockefeller Center, in Manhattan,
New York City, United States.
Overview
The photograph
depicts 11 men eating lunch, seated on a girder with their feet dangling
840 feet (260 meters) above the New York City streets. The photograph
was taken on September 20, 1932, on the 69th floor of the RCA Building
during the last months of construction. According to archivists, the
photograph was in fact prearranged. Although the photograph shows real
ironworkers, it is believed that the moment was staged by Rockefeller
Center to promote its new skyscraper. Other photographs taken on the
same day show some of the workers throwing a football and pretending to
sleep on the girder.[1] The photo appeared in the Sunday photo
supplement of the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932.[2]
Author
Formerly
attributed to "unknown", and often misattributed to Lewis Hine, it was
credited to Charles C. Ebbets in 2003. Evidence confirming his
authorship held in the Ebbets' Estate archives include original work
orders showing invoices to Rockefeller Center for the time period
surrounding the photo, letters of recommendation from his work at
Rockefeller Center when the photo was taken, a copy of the original
article from the NY Herald Tribune when the photo first appeared in 1932
in his own scrapbook of his work, photos from his office in NY taken
in 1932 showing the image on a bulletin board display of his work, and a
negative of him at work on the site that day.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Alternative candidates mentioned as possibly having taken the photo
include two other photographers, William Leftwich and Thomas Kelley, who
were seen in Rockefeller Center images around that time, but no
evidence has ever been produced that either one of them took the image.
Ebbets was also documented to have been an independent contractor
working at the time with the Hamilton Wright Jr. ad agency, which is
known to have been hired by Rockefeller Center in 1932 to help with PR
for the project.
Men in the image
There have been numerous
claims regarding the identities of the men in the image. The National
Museum of the American Indian claimed to identify three Native Americans
in the photo.[9] The movie Men at Lunch traces some of the men to
possible Irish origin, and the director reported in 2013 that he planned
to follow up other claims from Swedish relatives.[10] The film
confirms the identities of two men: Joseph Eckner, third from the left,
and Joe Curtis, third from the right, by cross referencing with other
pictures taken the same day, on which they were named at the time.[3]
The first man from the right has been identified as Slovak worker
Gustáv (Gusti) Popovič from the village of Vyšný Slavkov in the Levoča
District of Slovakia. Popovič was originally a lumberjack and
carpenter. In 1932 he sent his wife Mária (Mariška) a postcard with
this photograph on which he wrote, "Don´t you worry, my dear Mariška,
as you can see I'm still with bottle. Your Gusti."[11][12] Gustáv and
Mária's joint grave in the Vyšný Slavkov cemetery is decorated with the
picture.[13]
References
Gambino, Megan (September 19, 2012).
"Lunch Atop a Skyscraper Photograph: The Story Behind the Famous
Shot". www.smithsonianmag.com. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
"Lunch Atop A Skyscraper: The Story Behind The 1932 Photo". YouTube. Time.
Anderson, John (November 8, 2012). "'Lunch Atop a Skyscraper' Uncovered". The New York Times.
A photo finished | StarNewsOnline.com
Parente, Audrey (August 15, 2012). "Ormond woman, daughter document legacy". Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Perkins, Corinne (September 20, 2012). "Protecting an iconic image". Photographers' Blog. Reuters.
Pollak, Michael (March 9, 2012). "Answers to Questions About New York". The New York Times.
Robinson, Dean (September 2, 2011). "Reaching the Heights". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013.
Cross, Ashley (October 26, 2003). "Up in the Air; Mystery Deepens in Old Pic". New York Post.
Bergström, Håkan (January 5, 2013). "Högt över New York satt bondpojkarna från Okome". Hallandsposten (in Swedish).
Vodička, Milan (October 1, 2013). "Oběd na vrcholu mrakodrapu: jak to opravdu bylo". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech).
Schniererová, Diana (August 12, 2016). "Tak stavjame Ameriku, písal Gusti zo slávnej fotografie". www.sme.sk (in Slovak).
"Okamih slávy Gusti Popoviča nad Manhattanom: Slovák, ktorý vošiel do
histórie vďaka fotografii | Slovenskézahraničie.sk".
www.slovenskezahranicie.sk (in Slovak). November 11, 2014.
External links
Lunch Atop A Skyscraper: The Story Behind The 1932 Photo short documentary, part of TIME's 100 photos series
Contrera, Jessica (September 1, 2019). "One of the most iconic photos
of American workers is not what it seems". Washington Post.
vte
Rockefeller Center
Buildings
Original complex
30 Rockefeller Plaza
Rainbow Room 1250 Avenue of the Americas 1270 Avenue of the Americas Radio City Music Hall Simon & Schuster Building
Center Theatre British Empire Building International Building
International Building North La Maison Francaise Palazzo d'Italia 600
Fifth Avenue 1 Rockefeller Plaza 10 Rockefeller Plaza 50 Rockefeller
Plaza
Later buildings
75 Rockefeller Plaza 1211
Avenue of the Americas 1221 Avenue of the Americas 1251 Avenue of the
Americas 1271 Avenue of the Americas
History
Elgin Botanic Garden Construction
Art
Atlas Lunch atop a Skyscraper Man at the Crossroads Prometheus
Other structures
608 Fifth Avenue Christmas tree Nintendo New York NBC Studios Rockefeller Plaza St. Nicholas Church Subway station
Notable figures
Raymond Hood Wallace Harrison Ivy Lee Rockefeller family
John D. Rockefeller John D. Rockefeller Jr. Nelson Rockefeller
Owners
Beacon Capital Partners Rockefeller Group Tishman Speyer
Books
Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center
Categories:
1932 works1932 in artRockefeller CenterBlack-and-white
photographsWorks originally published in the New York Herald
TribunePhotographs of the United States1930s photographs
A
superhero or superheroine is a stock character that possesses abilities
beyond those of ordinary people, who typically uses his or her powers
to help the world become a better place, or is dedicated to protecting
the public, and stopping evil. Superhero fiction is the genre of
fiction that is centered on such characters,[1] especially in American
comic books since the 1930s (and later Hollywood films), as well as in
Japanese media (including kamishibai, tokusatsu, manga, anime and video
games) since the 1930s.
Superheroes come from a wide array of
different backgrounds and origins. Some superheroes (for example Batman
and Iron Man) derive their status from advanced technology they create
and use, while others (such as Superman and Spider-Man) possess
non-human or superhuman biology or study and practice magic to achieve
their abilities (such as Zatanna and Doctor Strange).[2][3][4] While
the Dictionary.com definition of "superhero" is "a figure, especially
in a comic strip or cartoon, endowed with superhuman powers and usually
portrayed as fighting evil or crime",[5] the longstanding
Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero
having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally
skillful or successful person."[6] Terms such as masked crime fighters,
costumed adventurers or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer
to characters such as the Spirit, who may not be explicitly referred to
as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits.
Some
superheroes use their powers to help fight daily crime while also
combating threats against humanity from supervillains, who are their
criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will
be the superhero's archenemy. Some popular supervillains become
recurring characters in their own right; and long-running superheroes
and superheroines such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man,
Captain America and Iron Man have a rogues gallery of many such
villains.
History
Main articles: Superhero fiction § History, History of comics, Superhero film, and Tokusatsu
1900-1939
Fox Feature Syndicate's 1930s–1940s superhero the Flame.
The
word superhero dates back to 1917.[7] Antecedents of the archetype
include such mythologic characters like Gilgamesh, Hanuman, Perseus,
Odysseus, David, and demigods like Heracles,[8][9] as well as folkloric
heroes as Robin Hood, who adventured in distinctive clothing.[10] Real
life inspirations behind costumed superheroes can be traced back to the
"masked vigilantes" of the American Old West such as the San Diego
Vigilantes[11][12] and the Bald Knobbers[13] who fought and killed
outlaws while wearing masks.[14]
The 1903 British play The
Scarlet Pimpernel and its spinoffs popularized the idea of a masked
avenger and the superhero trope of a secret identity.[10] Shortly
afterward, masked and costumed pulp fiction characters such as Jimmie
Dale/the Gray Seal (1914), Zorro (1919), Buck Rogers (1928), The Shadow
(1930), Flash Gordon (1934), and comic strip heroes, such as the
Phantom (1936) began appearing, as did non-costumed characters with
super strength, including the comic-strip characters Patoruzú (1928)
and Popeye (1929) and novelist Philip Wylie's character Hugo Danner
(1930).[15] In August 1937, in a letter column of the pulp magazine
Thrilling Wonder Stories, the word superhero was used to define the
title character of the comic strip Zarnak by Max Plaisted.[16][17]
In
the 1930s, the trends converged in some of the earliest superpowered
costumed heroes, such as Japan's Ōgon Bat (1931) and Prince of Gamma
(early 1930s), who first appeared in kamishibai (a kind of hybrid media
combining pictures with live storeytelling),[18][19] Mandrake the
Magician (1934),[20][21][22] Olga Mesmer (1937)[23] and then Superman
(1938) and Captain Marvel (1939) at the beginning of the Golden Age of
Comic Books. The precise era of the Golden Age of Comic Books is
disputed, though most agree that it was started with the launch of
Superman in 1938.[24] Superman has remained one of the most recognizable
superheroes,[24] and his success spawned a new archetype of characters
with secret identities and superhuman powers.[25][26][27] At the end
of the decade, in 1939, Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
1940s
America's Best Comics #7 October 1943
During
the 1940s there were many superheroes: The Flash, Green Lantern and
Blue Beetle debuted in this era. This era saw the debut of one of the
earliest female superheroes, writer-artist Fletcher Hanks's character
Fantomah, an ageless ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could
transform into a skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil;
she debuted in Fiction House's Jungle Comic #2 (Feb. 1940), credited to
the pseudonymous "Barclay Flagg".[28][29] The Invisible Scarlet O'Neil,
a non-costumed character who fought crime and wartime saboteurs using
the superpower of invisibility created by Russell Stamm, would debut in
the eponymous syndicated newspaper comic strip a few months later on
June 3, 1940.[30]
In 1940, Maximo the Amazing Superman debut in
Big Little Book series, by Russell R. Winterbotham (text), Henry E.
Vallely and Erwin L. Hess (art).[31][32]
Mr. Scarlet, the "Red Raider of Justice", a superhero appearing in Wow Comics (1940)
Captain
America also appeared for the first time in print in December 1940, a
year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government,
when America was still in isolationism. Created by Joe Simon and Jack
Kirby, the superhero was the physical embodiment of the American spirit
during World War II.
One superpowered character was portrayed as
an antiheroine, a rarity for its time: the Black Widow, a costumed
emissary of Satan who killed evildoers in order to send them to
Hell—debuted in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), from Timely Comics, the
1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics. Most of the other female costumed
crime-fighters during this era lacked superpowers. Notable characters
include The Woman in Red,[33][34] introduced in Standard Comics'
Thrilling Comics #2 (March 1940); Lady Luck, debuting in the
Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert The Spirit Section June 2, 1940; the
comedic character Red Tornado, debuting in All-American Comics #20 (Nov
1940); Miss Fury,[35] debuting in the eponymous comic strip by female
cartoonist Tarpé Mills on April 6, 1941; the Phantom Lady, introduced
in Quality Comics Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941); the Black Cat,[36][37]
introduced in Harvey Comics' Pocket Comics #1 (also Aug. 1941); and the
Black Canary, introduced in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947) as a
supporting character.[38] The most iconic comic book superheroine, who
debuted during the Golden Age, is Wonder Woman.[39] Modeled from the
myth of the Amazons of Greek mythology, she was created by psychologist
William Moulton Marston, with help and inspiration from his wife
Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne.[40][41] Wonder Woman's
first appearance was in All Star Comics #8 (Dec. 1941), published by
All-American Publications, one of two companies that would merge to
form DC Comics in 1944.
Pérák was an urban legend originating
from the city of Prague during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia
in the midst of World War II. In the decades following the war, Pérák
has also been portrayed as the only Czech superhero in film and comics.
1950s
In
1952, Osamu Tezuka's manga Tetsuwan Atom, more popularly known in the
West as Astro Boy, was published. The series focused upon a robot boy
built by a scientist to replace his deceased son. Being built from an
incomplete robot originally intended for military purposes Astro Boy
possessed amazing powers such as flight through thrusters in his feet
and the incredible mechanical strength of his limbs.
The 1950s
saw the Silver Age of Comics. During this era DC introduced the likes of
Batwoman in 1956, Supergirl, Miss Arrowette, and Bat-Girl; all female
derivatives of established male superheroes.
In 1957 Japan,
Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero
character Super Giant, signaling a shift in Japanese popular culture
towards tokusatsu masked superheroes over kaiju giant monsters. Along
with Astro Boy, the Super Giant serials had a profound effect on
Japanese television. 1958 saw the debut of superhero Moonlight Mask on
Japanese television. It was the first of numerous televised superhero
dramas that would make up the tokusatsu superhero genre.[42] Created by
Kōhan Kawauchi, he followed-up its success with the tokusatsu superhero
shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both
starring a young Sonny Chiba.
1960s
It is arguable that the
Marvel Comics teams of the early 1960s brought the biggest assortment of
superheroes ever at one time into permanent publication, the likes of
Spider-Man (1962), The Hulk, Iron-Man, Daredevil, Nick Fury, The Mighty
Thor, The Avengers (featuring a rebooted Captain America, Thor, Hulk,
Ant-Man, Quicksilver), and many others were given their own monthly
titles. Typically the superhero super groups featured at least one (and
often the only) female member, much like DC's flagship superhero team
the Justice League of America (whose initial roster included Wonder
Woman as the token female); examples include the Fantastic Four's
Invisible Girl, the X-Men's Jean Grey (originally known as Marvel Girl),
the Avengers' Wasp, and the Brotherhood of Mutants' Scarlet Witch (who
later joined the Avengers) with her brother, Quicksilver.
In
1963, Astro Boy was adapted into a highly influential anime television
series. Phantom Agents in 1964 focused on ninjas working for the
Japanese government and would be the foundation for Sentai-type series.
1966 saw the debut of sci-fi/horror series Ultra Q created by Eiji
Tsuburaya this would eventually lead on to the sequel Ultraman, spawning
a successful franchise which pioneered the Kyodai Hero subgenre where
the superheroes would be as big as giant monsters (kaiju) that they
fought.
The kaiju monster Godzilla, originally a villain, began
being portrayed as a radioactive superhero in the Godzilla films,[43]
starting with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964).[44] By the
1970s, Godzilla came to be viewed as a superhero, with the magazine King
of the Monsters in 1977 describing Godzilla as "Superhero of the
'70s."[45]
1970s
In 1971, Kamen Rider launched the "Henshin
Boom" on Japanese television in the early 1970s, greatly impacting the
tokusatsu superhero genre in Japan.[46] In 1972, the Science Ninja Team
Gatchaman anime debuted, which built upon the superhero team idea of
the live-action Phantom Agents as well as introducing different colors
for team members and special vehicles to support them, said vehicles
could also combine into a larger one. Another important event was the
debut of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai, creating the Super Robot genre. Go
Nagai also wrote the manga Cutey Honey in 1973; although the Magical
Girl genre already existed, Nagai's manga introduced Transformation
sequences that would become a staple of Magical Girl media.
The
1970s would see more anti-heroes introduced into Superhero fiction such
examples included the debut of Shotaro Ishinomori's Skull Man (the
basis for his later Kamen Rider) in 1970, Go Nagai's Devilman in 1972
and Gerry Conway and John Romita's Punisher in 1974.
The dark
Skull Man manga would later get a television adaptation and underwent
drastic changes. The character was redesigned to resemble a
grasshopper, becoming the renowned first masked hero of the Kamen Rider
series. Kamen Rider is a motorcycle riding hero in an insect-like
costume, who shouts Henshin (Metamorphosis) to don his costume and gain
superhuman powers.
The ideas of second-wave feminism, which
spread through the 1960s into the 1970s, greatly influenced the way
comic book companies would depict as well as market their female
characters: Wonder Woman was for a time revamped as a mod-dressing
martial artist directly inspired by the Emma Peel character from the
British television series The Avengers (no relation to the superhero
team of the same name),[47] but later reverted to Marston's original
concept after the editors of Ms. magazine publicly disapproved of the
character being depowered and without her traditional costume;[48]
Supergirl was moved from being a secondary feature on Action Comics to
headline Adventure Comics in 1969; the Lady Liberators appeared in an
issue of The Avengers as a group of mind-controlled superheroines led
by Valkyrie (actually a disguised supervillainess) and were meant to be
a caricatured parody of feminist activists;[49] and Jean Grey became
the embodiment of a cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force with
seemingly unlimited power in the late 1970s, a stark contrast from her
depiction as the weakest member of her team a decade ago.
Both
major publishers began introducing new superheroines with a more
distinct feminist theme as part of their origin stories or character
development. Examples include Big Barda, Power Girl, and the Huntress
by DC comics; and from Marvel, the second Black Widow, Shanna the
She-Devil, and The Cat.[50] Female supporting characters who were
successful professionals or hold positions of authority in their own
right also debuted in the pages of several popular superhero titles
from the late 1950s onward: Hal Jordan's love interest Carol Ferris was
introduced as the Vice-President of Ferris Aircraft and later took
over the company from her father; Medusa, who was first introduced in
the Fantastic Four series, is a member of the Inhuman Royal Family and a
prominent statesperson within her people's quasi-feudal society; and
Carol Danvers, a decorated officer in the United States Air Force who
would become a costumed superhero herself years later.
In 1975
Shotaro Ishinomori's Himitsu Sentai Gorenger debuted on what is now TV
Asahi, it brought the concepts of multi-colored teams and supporting
vehicles that debuted in Gatchaman into live-action, and began the
Super Sentai franchise (later adapted into the American Power Rangers
series in the 1990s). In 1978, Toei adapted Spider-Man into a
live-action Japanese television series. In this continuity, Spider-Man
had a vehicle called Marveller that could transform into a giant and
powerful robot called Leopardon, this idea would be carried over to
Toei's Battle Fever J (also co-produced with Marvel) and now
multi-colored teams not only had support vehicles but giant robots to
fight giant monsters with.
1980-present
In subsequent
decades, popular characters like Dazzler, She-Hulk, Elektra, Catwoman,
Witchblade, Spider-Girl, Batgirl and the Birds of Prey became stars of
long-running eponymous titles. Female characters began assuming
leadership roles in many ensemble superhero teams; the Uncanny X-Men
series and its related spin-off titles in particular have included many
female characters in pivotal roles since the 1970s.[51] Volume 4 of the
X-Men comic book series featured an all-female team as part of the
Marvel NOW! branding initiative in 2013.[52] Superpowered female
characters like Buffy the Vampire Slayer[53] and Darna[54][55] have a
tremendous influence on popular culture in their respective countries of
origin.
With more and more anime, manga and tokusatsu being
translated or adapted, Western audiences were beginning to experience
the Japanese styles of superhero fiction more than they were able to
before. Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, an adaptation of
Zyuranger, created a multimedia franchise that used footage from Super
Sentai.[56] Internationally, the Japanese comic book character, Sailor
Moon, is recognized as one of the most important and popular female
superheroes ever created.[57][58][59][60][61]
Trademark status
Most
dictionary definitions[7][62] and common usages of the term are
generic and not limited to the characters of any particular company or
companies.
Nevertheless, variations on the term "Super Hero" or
"Superhero" are jointly claimed by DC Comics and Marvel Comics as
trademarks. Registrations of "Super Hero" marks have been maintained by
DC and Marvel since the 1960s,[63] including U.S. Trademark Serial Nos.
72243225 and 73222079. In 2009, the term "Super Heroes" was registered
as a typography-independent "descriptive" US trademark co-owned by DC
and Marvel.[64] Both DC Comics and Marvel Comics have been assiduous in
protecting their rights in the "Super Hero" trademarks in
jurisdictions where the registrations are in force, including the
United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and including in
respect of various goods and services falling outside comic book
publications.[65]
Critics in the legal community dispute whether
the "Super Hero" marks meet the legal standard for trademark
protection in the United States: distinctive designation of a single
source of a product or service. Controversy exists over each element of
that standard: whether "Super Hero" is distinctive rather than
generic, whether "Super Hero" designates a source of products or
services, and whether DC and Marvel jointly represent a single
source.[66] Some critics further characterize the marks as a misuse of
trademark law to chill competition.[67] To date, aside from a failed
trademark removal action brought in 2016 against DC Comics' and Marvel
Comics' United Kingdom registration, no dispute involving the trademark
"Super Hero" has ever been to trial or hearing.[65]
Minority superheroes
In
keeping with their origins as representing the archetypical hero stock
character in 1930s American comics, superheroes are predominantly
depicted as White American middle- or upper-class young adult males and
females who are typically tall, athletic, educated, physically
attractive and in perfect health. Beginning in the 1960s with the civil
rights movement in the United States, and increasingly with the rising
concern over political correctness in the 1980s, superhero fiction
centered on cultural, ethnic, national, racial and language minority
groups (from the perspective of US demographics) began to be produced.
This began with depiction of black superheroes in the 1960s, followed
in the 1970s with a number of other ethnic-minority superheroes.[68] In
keeping with the political mood of the time, cultural diversity and
inclusivism would be an important part of superhero groups starting
from the 1980s. In the 1990s, this was further augmented by the first
depictions of superheroes as homosexual. In 2017, Sign Gene emerged,
the first group of deaf superheroes with superpowers through the use of
sign language.[69]
Female superheroes and villains
Main article: Portrayal of women in American comics
Female
super heroes—and villains—have been around since the early years of
comic books dating back to the 1940s.[70] The representation of women in
comic books has been questioned in the past decade following the rise
of comic book characters in the film industry (Marvel/ DC movies).
Women are presented differently than their male counterparts, typically
wearing revealing clothing that showcases their curves and cleavage
and showing a lot of skin in some cases.[71][72] Heroes like Power Girl
and Wonder Woman are portrayed wearing little clothing and showing
cleavage[71][72]. Power Girl is portrayed as wearing a suit not unlike
the swimsuits in the T.V. show Baywatch. The sexualization of women in
comic books can be explained mainly by the fact that the majority of
writers are male.[72] Not only are the writers mostly male, but the
audience is mostly male as well.[73][72] Therefore, writers are
designing characters to appeal to a mostly male audience.[73][74] The
super hero characters illustrate a sociological idea called the "male
gaze" which is media created from the viewpoint of a normative
heterosexual male.[74][75] The female characters in comic books are used
to satisfy male desire for the "ideal" woman (small waist, large
breasts, toned, athletic body).[74][76][72] These characters have
god-like power, but the most easily identifiable feature is their hyper
sexualized bodies as they are designed to be sexually pleasing to the
hypothetical heteronormative male audience.[71][75][76][72]
Villains,
such as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, use their sexuality to take
advantage of their male victims.[72] In the film versions of these
characters, their sexuality and seductive methods are highlighted.
Poison Ivy uses seduction through poison to take over the minds of her
victims as seen in the 1997 film Batman and Robin. Harley Quinn in
2016's Suicide Squad uses her sexuality to her advantage, acting in a
promiscuous manner.
Through the overdeveloped bodies of the
heroes or the seductive mannerisms of the villains, women in comic books
are used as subordinates to their male counterparts, regardless of
their strength or power.[77] In 2017's Wonder Woman, she had the power
of a god, but was still drawn to a much weaker, mortal male
character.[75] This can be explained by the sociological concept
"feminine apologetic," which reinforces a woman's femininity to account
for her masculine attributes (strength, individualism, toughness,
aggressiveness, bravery).[75] Women in comic books are considered to be
misrepresented due to being created by men, for men.[74][76]
The
Hawkeye Initiative is a website satirizing the sexualized portrayal of
women in comics by recreating the same poses using male superheroes,
especially Marvel's Hawkeye.[78][79][80]
Ethnic and religious minorities
See
also: Ethnic stereotypes in comics, African characters in comics, List
of black superheroes, List of Asian superheroes, List of Latino
superheroes, List of Native American superheroes, List of Jewish
superheroes, List of Filipino superheroes, List of Middle Eastern
superheroes, List of Russian superheroes, and List of Italian and
Italian-American superheroes and villains
In 1966, Marvel
introduced the Black Panther, an African monarch who became the first
non-caricatured black superhero.[81] The first African-American
superhero, the Falcon, followed in 1969, and three years later, Luke
Cage, a self-styled "hero-for-hire", became the first black superhero to
star in his own series. In 1989, the Monica Rambeau incarnation of
Captain Marvel was the first female black superhero from a major
publisher to get her own title in a special one-shot issue. In 1971, Red
Wolf became the first Native American in the superheroic tradition to
headline a series.[82] In 1973, Shang-Chi became the first prominent
Asian superhero to star in an American comic book (Kato had been a
secondary character of the Green Hornet media franchise series since its
inception in the 1930s.[83]). Kitty Pryde, a member of the X-Men, was
an openly Jewish superhero in mainstream American comic books as early
as 1978.[84]
Comic-book companies were in the early stages of
cultural expansion and many of these characters played to specific
stereotypes; Cage and many of his contemporaries often employed lingo
similar to that of blaxploitation films, Native Americans were often
associated with shamanism and wild animals, and Asian Americans were
often portrayed as kung fu martial artists. Subsequent minority heroes,
such as the X-Men's Storm and the Teen Titans' Cyborg avoided such
conventions; they were both part of ensemble teams, which became
increasingly diverse in subsequent years. The X-Men, in particular, were
revived in 1975 with a line-up of characters drawn from several
nations, including the Kenyan Storm, German Nightcrawler, Soviet/Russian
Colossus, Irish Banshee, and Japanese Sunfire. In 1993, Milestone
Comics, an African-American-owned media/publishing company entered into a
publishing agreement with DC Comics that allowed them to introduce a
line of comics that included characters of many ethnic minorities.
Milestone's initial run lasted four years, during which it introduced
Static, a character adapted into the WB Network animated series Static
Shock.
In addition to the creation of new minority heroes,
publishers have filled the identities and roles of once-Caucasian heroes
with new characters from minority backgrounds. The African-American
John Stewart appeared in the 1970s as an alternate for Earth's Green
Lantern Hal Jordan, and would become a regular member of the Green
Lantern Corps from the 1980s onward. The creators of the 2000s-era
Justice League animated series selected Stewart as the show's Green
Lantern. In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Miles Morales, a youth of
Puerto Rican and African-American ancestry who was also bitten by a
genetically-altered spider, debuted as the new Spider-Man after the
apparent death of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker. Kamala Khan, a
Pakistani-American Muslim teenager who is revealed to have Inhuman
lineage after her shapeshifting powers manifested, takes on the identity
of Ms. Marvel in 2014 after Carol Danvers had become Captain Marvel.
Her self-titled comic book series became a cultural phenomenon, with
extensive media coverage by CNN, the New York Times and The Colbert
Report, and embraced by anti-Islamophobia campaigners in San Francisco
who plastered over anti-Muslim bus adverts with Kamala stickers.[85]
Other such successor-heroes of color include James "Rhodey" Rhodes as
Iron Man and to a lesser extent Riri "Ironheart" Williams, Ryan Choi as
the Atom, Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle and Amadeus Cho as Hulk.
Certain
established characters have had their ethnicity changed when adapted
to another continuity or media. A notable example is Nick Fury, who is
reinterpreted as African-American both in the Ultimate Marvel as well
as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuities.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Main article: LGBT themes in comics
See also: List of LGBT characters in comics
In
1992, Marvel revealed that Northstar, a member of the Canadian mutant
superhero team Alpha Flight, was homosexual, after years of
implication.[86] This ended a long-standing editorial mandate that there
would be no homosexual characters in Marvel comics.[87] Although some
minor secondary characters in DC Comics' mature-audience 1980s
miniseries Watchmen were gay, and the reformed supervillain Pied Piper
came out to Wally West in an issue of The Flash in 1991, Northstar is
considered to be the first openly gay superhero appearing in mainstream
comic books. From the mid-2000s onward, several established Marvel and
DC comics characters (or a variant version of the pre-existing
character) were outed or reintroduced as LGBT individuals by both
publishers. Examples include the Mikaal Tomas incarnation of Starman in
1998; Colossus in the Ultimate X-Men series; Renee Montoya in DC's
Gotham Central series in 2003; the Kate Kane incarnation of Batwoman in
2006; Rictor and Shatterstar in an issue of X-Factor in 2009; the
Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott is reimagined as openly gay
following The New 52 reboot in 2011;[88][89] and in 2015, a younger
time displaced version of Iceman in an issue of All-New X-Men.[90]
Many
new openly gay, lesbian and bisexual characters have since emerged in
superhero fiction, such as Gen¹³'s Rainmaker, Apollo and Midnighter of
The Authority, and Wiccan and Hulkling of the Young Avengers. Notable
transgender or gender bending characters are fewer in number by
comparison: the alter ego of superheroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah, a seminal
character in Philippine popular culture,[91] is an effeminate gay man
who transforms into a female superhuman after ingesting a magical stone.
Desire from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series, Cloud from Defenders,
and Xavin from the Runaways are all characters who could (and often)
change their gender at will. Alysia Yeoh, a supporting character
created by writer Gail Simone for the Batgirl ongoing series published
by DC Comics, received substantial media attention in 2011 for being
the first major transgender character written in a contemporary context
in a mainstream American comic book.[92]
The Sailor Moon series
is known for featuring a substantial number of openly LGBT characters
since its inception, as Japan have traditionally been more open about
portraying homosexuality in its children's media compared to many
countries in the West.[93][94] Certain characters who are presented as
homosexual or transgender in one continuity may not be presented as such
in others, particularly with dubbed versions made for international
release.[95]
An animated short The Ambiguously Gay Duo parodies
comic book superheros and features Ace and Gary (Stephen Colbert, Steve
Carell). It originated on The Dana Carvey Show and then moved to
Saturday Night Live.
Language minority
See also: List of deaf superheroes
In
2017, Pluin introduced Sign Gene, a film featuring a group of deaf
superheroes whose powers derive from their use of sign language. The
film was produced by and with deaf people and deals with Deaf culture,
history and language.[69][96][97]
Subtypes
List of child superheroes
List of animal superheroes
List of metahumans in DC Comics
See also
iconSpeculative fiction portal
Category:Parody superheroes
Real-life superhero
List of superhero debuts
List of superhero teams and groups
Puerto Rican comic books
Latino Superheros
References
"Definition of SUPERHERO". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
Niccum,
John (March 17, 2006). "'V for Vendetta' is S for Subversive".
Lawrence Journal-World. Lawrence, Kansas. Archived from the original on
November 14, 2013.
Gesh, Lois H.; Weinberg, Robert (2002). "The
Dark Knight: Batman: A NonSuper Superhero" (PDF). The Science of
Superheroes. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-02460-6. Archived
(PDF) from the original on November 6, 2015.
Lovece, Frank (July 16,
2008). "The Dark Knight". (movie review) Film Journal International.
Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved February 5,
2009. "Batman himself is an anomaly as one of the few superheroes
without superpowers…"
"Superhero | Define Superhero at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Superhero | Definition of Superhero by Merriam-Webster". Merriam-webster.com. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Superhero
- Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary".
Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved March 26,
2016.
Coogan, Peter (July 25, 2006). Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre. Austin, Texas: MonkeyBrain Books. ISBN 1-932265-18-X.
Roger Ebert. Roger Ebert's review of Watchmen rogerebert.com; March 4, 2009
Packer,
Sharon (2009). Superheroes and Superegos: Analyzing the Minds Behind
the Masks. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 52. ISBN 978-0313355363.
Crawford,
Richard. "The Wild West : Executions Staged by Vigilantes Marred
Justice in the 1880s". Los Angeles Times. April 30, 1992
San Diego Vigilantes
Sokol, Tony. "The Punisher and The Dark Myth of the Real Life Vigilante". Den of Geek. January 20, 2019
Gavaler,
Chris. On the Origin of Superheroes: From the Big Bang to Action
Comics No. 1. University Of Iowa Press; 1 edition (November 1, 2015).
p. 132. ISBN 978-1609383817
Lovece, Frank (November 11, 2013).
"Superheroes Go the American Way on PBS". Newsday. New York / Long
Island. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved
November 15, 2013.
Davin, Eric Leif (2006). Partners in Wonder:
Women and the Birth of Science Fiction, 1926-1965. Lexington Books.
ISBN 978-0-7391-1267-0.
"Citations for superhero n."
Davisson,
Zack (December 19, 2010). "The First Superhero – The Golden Bat?".
ComicsBulletin.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
Retrieved November 18, 2014.
Bradner, Liesl (November 29, 2009). "The
superheroes of Japan who predated Superman and Batman". Los Angeles
Times. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved November
18, 2014.
"Who was the first superhero?". Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Adventures of Patsy". Toonopedia.com. March 11, 1935. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"First
superhero ever in the world. Mandrake the Magician Lee Falk Popeye the
Sailor Man Superman".
Thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com.
February 17, 1936. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016.
Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Glen Weldon; Michael Kantor. Superheroes!:Capes cowls and the creation of comic book culture. p. 87.
"The Golden Age Of Comics". www.pbs.org. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
Burke,
Liam (2008). Superhero Movies. Harpenden, UK: Oldcastle Books. ISBN
978-1842432754. "If Superman can be credited with the creation of the
superhero archetype, then Batman should be recognised for its
refinement."
Lee, Stan (2013). "The Two Superhero Archetypes". Stan
Lee's How to Draw Superheroes. Watson-Guptill. p. 38. ISBN
978-0823098453.
LoCicero, Don (2007). Superheroes and Gods: A
Comparative Study from Babylonia to Batman. McFarland & Company. p.
7. ISBN 978-0786431847. "[T]he superhero is a concept [...] an
archetype residing in the human psyche."
Markstein, Don. "The Black
Widow". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on April
15, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2013. "Fantomah was the first female
character in comics to use extraordinary powers in combatting evil. The
Woman in Red was the first to wear a flashy costume and maintain a
dual identity while doing so. On the other hand, The Black Widow was
the first to do both."
Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015.
Heintjes,
Tom (May 11, 2012). "Not Seen but not Forgotten: The Invisible Scarlet
O'Neil". Hogan's Alley (17). Archived from the original on June 12,
2013. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
Schelly, Bill (June 18, 2013). The Best of Alter Ego Volume 2. Alter Ego. TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60549-048-9.
Carper, Steve (June 27, 2019). Robots in American Popular Culture. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-3505-7.
"Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Woman in Red". Toonopedia.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"GCD :: Issue :: Thrilling Comics #v1#2 (2)". Comics.org. January 11, 1940. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Don
Markstein's Toonopedia: Miss Fury". Toonopedia.com. April 6, 1941.
Archived from the original on April 9, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Black Cat". Toonopedia.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"GCD :: Issue :: Pocket Comics #1". Comics.org. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Jim Amash & Eric Nolen-Weathington, (2010), Carmine Infantino: Penciler, Publisher, Provocateur p.30-32
Curtis M. Wong (August 19, 2015). "Wonder Woman Officiates Her First Gay Wedding". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
Lamb, Marguerite (Fall 2001). "Who Was Wonder Woman?". Bostonia. Archived from the original on January 19, 2007.
Malcolm,
Andrew H. (February 18, 1992). "OUR TOWNS - She's Behind the Match For
That Man of Steel - NYTimes.com". New York Times. Retrieved March 26,
2016.
Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture, p. 262 ISBN 0-7656-0560-0
Lankes, Kevin (June 22, 2014). "Godzilla's Secret History". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
Grebey,
James (May 28, 2019). "The history of Ghidorah, Godzilla's rival for
the title of King of the Monsters". Syfy Wire. NBCUniversal. Retrieved
May 27, 2020.
Glut, Donald F. (2001). "Godzilla, Saurian Superhero".
Jurassic Classics: A Collection of Saurian Essays and Mesozoic Musings.
McFarland & Company. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-7864-6246-9.
Takeshobo,
ed. (November 30, 1995). "BonusColumn「変身ブーム到来!!」" [Bonus Column 'The
Henshin Boom Arrives!']. 超人画報 国産架空ヒーロー四十年の歩み [The Super Heroes
Chronicles: The History of Japanese Fantastic Televisions, Movies and
Videos, 1957-1995] (in Japanese). Takeshobo. p. 85. ISBN 4-88475-874-9.
C0076.
"We were all in love with Diana Rigg and that show she was
on." Mike Sekowsky, quoted in Les Daniels, Wonder Woman: The Complete
History (Chronicle, 2004), p. 129.
Wonder Woman Wears Pants: Wonder
Woman, Feminism and the 1972 “Women’s Lib” Issue, by Ann
Matsuuchi[permanent dead link], in Colloquy: text theory critique, no.24
(2012); archived at Monash University
W. Wright, Bradford (2001).
Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America.
United States: The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 250. ISBN
0-8018-6514-X. Retrieved December 29, 2014. "lady liberators."
Alter Ego #70 (July 1970): Roy Thomas interview, pp. 49-50
Kristiansen,
Ulrik; Sørensen, Tue (May 1, 1996). "An Interview with Chris
Claremont". Comic Zone. Archived from the original on September 28,
2007.
Sunu, Steve (January 14, 2013). "Wood and Coipel Mutate "X-Men"
for Marvel NOW!". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
By Maria Aspan. "What We Learned About Power From Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Inc.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"From
Darna To Zsazsa Zaturnnah: Desire And Fantasy « Anvil Publishing,
Inc". Anvilpublishing.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Darna ha ha ha!". Philippine Daily Inquirer. February 17, 2003. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
"Zyu2". GrnRngr.com. October 24, 2006. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
"Can Sailor Moon Break Up the Superhero Boys Club?". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
"Sailor Moon superhero may replace Power Rangers". Ludington Daily News. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
Sailor
Moon (superhero). The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of
Comic Book Icons. January 1, 2004. ISBN 9781578591541. Retrieved July
19, 2014.
"Moon Prism Power! Why Sailor Moon is the perfect female
superhero". Leslie IRL. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014.
Retrieved July 19, 2014.
Comella, Anthony (March 24, 2013). "Grrrl power: why female superheroes matter". Pop Mythology. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
"Superhero | Define Superhero at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Ulaby,
Neda (March 27, 2006). "Comics Creators Search for 'Super Hero'
Alternative". All Things Considered. NPR. Archived from the original on
September 22, 2013.
Marvel Characters, Inc.; DC Comics; United
States Patent and Trademark Office (November 16, 2004). "Trademark
Status & Document Retrieval". United States Patent and Trademark
Office. Retrieved October 30, 2013. "US Serial Number: 78356610 [...]
Standard Character Claim: Yes. The mark consists of standard characters
without claim to any particular font style, size, or color."
Stewart,
DG (June 1, 2017). ""The "Superhero" Trademark: how the name of a
genre came to be owned by DC and Marvel, and how they enforce it"".
World Comic Book Review. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
Coleman, Ron (March 27, 2006). "SUPER HERO® my foot". Likelihood of Confusion. Archived from the original on July 22, 2014.
Doctorow,
Cory (March 18, 2006). "Marvel Comics: stealing our language". Boing
Boing. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014.
Dowling,
Jennifer (May 7, 2009). 'Oy Gevalt': A Peek at the Development of Jewish
Superheroines. The Contemporary Comic Book Superhero. UK. ISBN
9781135213930. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
"Sign Gene by Emilio Insolera arrives at cinema". ASVOFF. September 10, 2017.
Comic Book Lecture Moore, Dr. Eric. 2019. TAMUCC.
Nicosia,
Matthew (2016). Performing the Female Superhero: An Analysis of
Identity Acquisition, Violence, and Hypersexuality in DC Comics
(Thesis). Bowling Green State University.
Avery-Natale, Edward
(January 1, 2013). "An Analysis of Embodiment Among Six Superheroes in
DC Comics". Social Thought and Research. doi:10.17161/str.1808.12434.
ISSN 1094-5830.
Chute, Rebecca. 2016. "The" Pornographic Polemic":
The Objectification and Inferiority of Female Comic Book Characters."
UNBC Award for Academic Writing International Student Academic Writing
Award William & Mary Wanka History:1.
EMAD, MITRA C. (December
2006). "Reading Wonder Woman's Body: Mythologies of Gender and Nation".
The Journal of Popular Culture. 39 (6): 954–984.
doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2006.00329.x. ISSN 0022-3840.
Wade, Lisa (Professor) (2019). Gender. Ferree, Myra Marx (Second ed.). New York. ISBN 978-0-393-66796-7. OCLC 1050142539.
Crawshaw, Trisha L. 2015. "Truth, Justice, Boobs? Analyzing Female Empowerment and Objectification in the Graphic Novel Genre."
Rubin,
Alexandra. 2015. "The Female Superhero: Fighting Villains and
Stereotypes." A Publication of the Critical Writing Program the
University of Pennsylvania 3808 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA
19104-6221:18.
"The battle against 'sexist' sci-fi book covers". BBC News. January 18, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
"The
hilarious Hawkeye Initiative pokes fun at sexist comics art | Blastr".
December 6, 2012. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012.
Retrieved May 15, 2020.
"Strong Female Superhero Pose meme gets a Hawkeye reboot". The Daily Dot. December 3, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
Brown,
Jeffrey A. (2001). Black Superheroes, Milestone Comics and their Fans.
University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-281-0.
"Red Wolf (Old West, Johnny Wakely)". Marvunapp.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Kim, Jonathan (January 15, 2011). Why The Green Hornet's Kato Matters. The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
Kaplan,
Arie (2008). From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books. The Jewish
Publication Society. p. 120. ISBN 978-0827608436. "In Uncanny X-Men
#129 cover-dated Jan. 1979 and on sale in late 1978, writer Chris
Claremont and the artist John Byrne created Katherine "Kitty" Pryde,
aka Shadowcat, a young Jewish girl who possess the mutant ability to
walk through walls."
Lynskey, Dorian (March 25, 2015). "Kapow!
Attack of the feminist superheroes". The Guardian. UK. Archived from
the original on August 19, 2015.
Kawasaki, Anton. "Northstar – GAY LEAGUE". Gayleague.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Hick, Darren. "The Comics Journal Performs a Public Service". The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009.
"Entertainment | Batwoman hero returns as lesbian". BBC News. May 30, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Neuman, Clayton (June 4, 2006). "Caped Crusaders". TIME. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Hanks, Henry (April 22, 2015). "'X-Men' character Iceman outed as gay". CNN.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"The return of Zsazsa Zaturnnah | Inquirer lifestyle". Lifestyle.inquirer.net. January 27, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Kane, Matt (April 10, 2013). "'Batgirl' Comic Introduces Transgender Character". GLAAD. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
"Intersections: Male Homosexuality and Popular Culture in Modern Japan". She.murdoch.edu.au. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
Anime, mon amour: Forget Pokemon - Japanese animation explodes with gay, lesbian, and trans themes - video - Charles Solomon
"Sailor Neptune and Uranus Come Out of the Fictional Closet". Huffington Post. May 21, 2014.
Trigari, Michela (September 12, 2017). "Sign Gene è il nuovo film di supereroi sordi". Corriere della Sera (in Italian).
"Quando il super eroe è sordo" (in Italian). Avvenire. September 10, 2017.
Further reading
William Irwin (ed.), Superheroes: The Best of Philosophy and Pop Culture, Wiley, 2011.
External links
The dictionary definition of superhero at Wiktionary
Media related to Superheroes at Wikimedia Commons
vte
Comics
Glossary of comics terminology
Formats
Comic book
Ashcan comic Minicomic Comic strip
Comic strip formats Daily comic strip Lianhuanhua Sunday comics Topper Yonkoma Digital comics
Mobile comic Webcomic Webtoon Gag cartoon Graphic novel
Trade paperback Political cartoon
Techniques
Film comic Motion comic Photo comics Text comics
Creators
Cartoonists
list Colorists Editors Inkers Letterers Publishing companies Writers
By format
Editorial
list Minicomics Webcomics
By country
American
Jewish American Australian Canadian Cuban Japanese (manga) Macedonian
Other
Female comics creators
list
History
Years in comics American
Golden Age Silver Age Bronze Age Modern Age
events Japanese (manga) Webcomics
Narratology
Genres
Abstract Adult Alternative Ambiguous Anthropomorphic Autobiographical Celebrity Crime Dystopian Erotic Fantasy
list Gekiga Horror Romance
list Science fiction Superhero Teen humor Tijuana bible Underground War Western Wrestling
Tropes
Antihero Funny animal Masking Rogue Superhero Supervillain Widescreen comics
Themes
Ethnic stereotypes Feminist Gender and webcomics LGBT
American mainstream Portrayal of black people
African characters Portrayal of women
The Hawkeye Initiative Women in Refrigerators
By country
Africa
South Africa
Americas
Argentina Brazil Canada
Quebec Mexico United States
list
Asia
China and Taiwan
list Hong Kong India
list Japan
lists Korea
list Philippines Thailand Vietnam
Europe
Czech Republic France and Belgium
list Belgium Germany Hungary Italy
list Netherlands Poland Portugal Serbia Spain
list United Kingdom
Wales
Oceania
Australia
Lists
By format
Comic books Comic strips Manga magazines Webcomics
By source
Based on fiction Based on films Based on television programs Based on video games
Other lists
Awards Best-selling comic series
manga manga magazines Comic books on CD/DVD Comics and comic strips
made into feature films Comics solicited but never published Limited
series
Collections and
museums
Belgian Comic Strip Center Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
National Cartoon Museum British Cartoon Archive Caricature &
Cartoon Museum Basel Cartoon Art Museum The Cartoon Museum Fred Waring
Cartoon Collection Gibiteca Antonio Gobbo Michigan State University
Comic Art Collection Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art ToonSeum Words
& Pictures Museum
Schools
Center for Cartoon Studies The Kubert School
Organizations
Professional
Academy of Comic Book Arts Association of Canadian Cartoonists
Association of Comics Magazine Publishers Australian Cartoonists'
Association National Cartoonists Society Samahang Kartunista ng
Pilipinas
Critical and
academic
Association des
Critiques et des journalistes de Bande Dessinée Canadian Comic Book
Creator Awards Association Comic & Fantasy Art Amateur Press
Association Sequart Organization Svenska Serieakademien
Charitable and
outreach
Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors British Amateur Press
Association (comics) Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Comic Legends Legal
Defense Fund Finnish Comics Society Friends of Lulu The Hero Initiative
Xeric Foundation
Category Category Portal Portal WikiProject WikiProject
vte
Stock characters
By ethics and morality
Heroes
Classic hero
Action hero Christ figure Everyman Folk hero Knight-errant Legacy hero Mythological king Superhero Youngest son
Antihero
Byronic hero Man alone Tragic hero
Other
Supersoldier
Rogues
Lovable rogue
Gentleman detective Jack Trickster
Tricky slave
Harlequin Zanni
Outlaw
Bad boy Gentleman thief Pirate
Air pirate Space pirate
Other
Good cop/bad cop Rake
Villains
Antivillains
False hero
The mole
Double agent Evil twin
Social Darwinist
Dark Lord Mad scientist Supervillain
Monsters
Bug-eyed monster Evil clown Killer toy Skeleton Swamp monster Vampires Zombies
Other
Alazon Archenemy Igor Masked Mystery Villain Miser
By sex and gender
Feminine
Love interest
Bishōjo Farmer's daughter Girl next door Hooker with a heart of gold Ingénue Loosu ponnu Magical girlfriend
Catgirl Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Hag
Cat lady Crone Fairy godmother La Ruffiana Loathly lady
Hawksian woman
Dragon Lady Femme fatale Tsundere
Woman warrior
Jungle girl Magical girl
Queen bee
Princesse lointaine Southern belle Valley girl Yamato nadeshiko
LGBT
Class S Laotong
Lady-in-waiting
Columbina Mammy stereotype
Geek girl
Gamer girl
Damsel in distress
Final girl Princess and dragon
Masculine
Harlequin
Pierrot
Father figure
Wise old man Elderly martial arts master Magical Negro
Young
Ivan the Fool Jack Jock Nice guy Nice Jewish boy Superfluous man Himbo
Prince Charming
Bishōnen Knight-errant
Primitive
Feral child Noble savage Caveman Moleman Mountain man
LGBT
Seme and uke
Bad boy
Pachuco Black knight
Others
Adolescent cliques Clown Dragonslayer Donor Fool Imaginary friend
Innamorati ("The Lovers") Little green men Pop icon Redshirt Straight
man Tokenism Town drunk White savior
vte
Superhero fiction
Media
Comics Film Television
American Animation Kamishibai
Plot elements
Superhero Supervillain Superpower Secret identity Alter ego Comic book death
Continuity
Continuity Canon Retroactive continuity Reboot Crossover
Category Superhero fiction
The 100 Greatest Superheroes In The History of Comic Books
1. Spider-Man
2. Superman
3. Batman
4. Wonder Woman
5. Phoenix
6. Wolverine
7. Captain America
8. Thor
9. The Flash (Barry Allen)
10. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
11. Incredible Hulk
12. Daredevil
13. Catwoman
14. Jean Grey
15. Iron Man
16. Wally West
17. Dick Grayson
18. Invisible Woman
19. Black Panther
20. Northstar
21. Barbara Gordon
22. James Gordon
23. Professor X
24. Green Arrow
25. Thing
26. Human Torch
27. Shazam
28. Spawn
29. Mr. Fantastic
30. Martian Manhunter
31. Cyclops
32. Aquaman
33. Namor
34. Dr. Strange
35. Raphael
36. Hawkman
37. Hank Pym
38. Jonah Hex
39. Black Widow
40. Luke Cage
41. The Punisher
42. Hellboy
43. Storm
44. Deadpool
45. Swamp Thing
46. John Constantine
47. Silver Surfer
48. Bucky Barnes
49. Blue Beetle
50. The Spectre
51. Iron Fist
52. Cosmic Boy
53. Saturn Girl
54. Lightning Lad
55. Tim Drake
56. Nick Fury
57. Kitty Pryde
58. John Stewart
59. The Atom
60. Black Canary
61. Hawkeye
62. Beast
63. Moon Knight
64. Supergirl
65. Superboy
66. Leonardo
67. Dr. Manhattan
68. Falcon
69. Judge Dredd
70. Rorscach
71. Nova
72. Wasp
73. Black Lightning
74. Wonder Girl
75. Starfire
76. Raven
77. Scarlet Witch
78. Kilowog
79. Elongated Man
80. Zatana
81. Captain Britain
82. Hawkgirl
83. Blade
84. Gambit
85. Ghost Rider
86. Scott Lang
87. Nightcrawler
88. Dr. Fate
89. Kyle Rayner
90. Vision
91. Mister Miracle
92. Big Barda
93. Warlock
94. Beta Ray Bill
95. She-Hulk
96. Jessica Jones
97. Rocket Raccoon
98. Captain Marvel
99. Damian Wayne
100. Batwoman