History Of Superman

Superman is probably the greatest ever-comic superhero to have basked in the never-ending glory, for an impressively long span of time. His superhuman powers have enthralled the youths and ignited their imagination like nothing else. The bold, brawny and dashing Superman has been the epitome of strength that made him an instant hit with comic readers soon after the character was created. Taking quick success strides, he also registered presence on the big screen and the small screen. Have you ever wondered how did the concept of this mighty superhero emerge and who were its creators? Read the article to know the fascinating and eventful history of Superman.

The comic hero Superman was conceived by two teenager friends, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Joe Shuster made the illustration, which was first used for a science fiction story titled "The Reign of Superman," in 1933. Quite interestingly, the first creation of Superman was that of an evil mastermind bestowed with advanced mental powers. However, soon, Siegel and Shuster recreated the character, transforming him into a force for the good. The idea took a good four years to be accepted by a publisher. In early 1938, rights to Superman were sold to Detective Comics, Inc. for a paltry sum of $130. The contract also called for supplying material to the publisher.

 

Superman debuted in the first issue of Action Comics, in June 1938, as a recreated version of newspaper strip samples. Endowed with superhuman powers, the feisty character could leap tall buildings, lift heavy automobiles, tear apart steel doors and face the might of bullets that miraculously failed to get past him. The incredible Superman soon became a hit for DC comics. By 1940, he was appearing in three different comics:Action Comics, Superman, and World's Finest Comics. This was followed by a radio serial and a 17-episode series of animated cartoons from Max Fleischer.

 

With the United States jumping into the Second World War after the Pearl Harbor attack, Superman was made a combat hero and he started locking horns with both Hitler and Tojo. The first Superman serial hit the small screen in the year 1948, starring Kirk Alyn as Superman, battling with the Spider Lady. A second Superman serial appeared in the year 1950. However, the greatest hit for this superhero on Television was registered with the George Reeves version of Superman that appeared from 1953 to 1957. He had, by that time, been branded as the “Man of Steel”.

 

In 1978, Superman made a thumping appearance on the big screen, with Christopher Reeve enacting the superhero in the movie titled ‘Superman’. Actress Margot Kidder played the character of Lois Lane, Superman’s love interest. The movie was very well received by the audience, which propelled the makers to come up with three more Superman movies. However, the last two movies could not inspire the audience the way the first two did. Nevertheless, the Man of Steel has been immortalized and is the beloved of the young generation, even after decades of his creation.