A Very Cool Origin Story

When discussing comic books and superheroes, it is important to pay homage to the original modern superhero and the two men who brought him to life. The superhero, of course, is Superman. Before I talk about the character himself, I would like to talk a bit about the artist and writer that created him.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster created the character in 1933. It is rumoured that the idea for Superman came to writer Siegel in a dream, where he mixed the strength of Hercules with the strongmen seen in the newspaper comics. Siegel and Schuster tried for five years to bring Superman into newspaper comic strips. However, it wasn’t until 1938 when Superman was first introduced to the public eye in Action Comics #1. Fun Fact: An original first edition copy was sold at an auction for 2.16 million dollars. 

This is the original cover for Action Comics #1, it is seen as one of the most iconic covers in comic book history.

Superman’s origin story is one that most people can recognize. Superman is an alien from the planet of Krypton and assumes the alter ego of Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet. Superman’s story is different from other comic book heroes of the 1930s. While most heroes from comic strips lived in medieval England or outer space, Superman was a reflection of the modern man. He lived in a non-descript city, where he fought crime similar to what people read in the news.

Superman is also a reflection of the immigrant experience in America. Now, I know that sounds a bit crazy. However, to quote comic book writer Mark Waid from the Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle,

“When you strip everything else away, what you’re looking at is a stranger in a strange land, who wants to be part of a world and not an isolated alien.”

Superman achieved what some would call the American dream. However, in doing so, he lost his name and his home. Even though Clark Kent is not human, people connected with his character through that struggle. In fact, Define American, a company dedicated to using media to spread immigration stories, started a campaign called Superman Is An Immigrant; where people could share their (or their family’s) immigration stories to show that everyone in America came from somewhere else.

Superman became a beacon of hope for children at the start of WWII, although that’s a topic for next week’s blog. Superman also started the Golden Age of comic books and the rise of the modern superhero. A reflection and a new interpretation of all of the myths/legends that came before.

Thanks for reading and tune in next week, when I will talk about the effects of WWII on comic books and the true beginning of Marvel Comics.