The Creation of Superman
Joe was
ambidextrous and he would switch hands when one tired from drawing. He often
used a breadboard as a drawing surface unless his mother needed it to bake the
challah for Shabbat. His eyesight began to deteriorate at an early age.
Impoverished and unable to afford drawing paper, he salvaged any scraps that
were available. While living in Toronto, Joe discovered some discarded rolls of
wallpaper that he would use over the next ten years.
Joe Shuster was inspired by the comic strips and science-fantasy pulps of the era. His childhood favorites included Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay and pulp-cover illustrations by Frank R. Paul. As a teenager, Joe idolized Flash Gordon creator Alex Raymond, Tarzan artist Burne Hogarth, and Prince Valiant creator Hal Foster. Shuster would often incorporate contemporary Art Deco cityscape scenes and Streamline Moderne styles similar to Raymond.
Joe Shuster was inspired by the comic strips and science-fantasy pulps of the era. His childhood favorites included Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay and pulp-cover illustrations by Frank R. Paul. As a teenager, Joe idolized Flash Gordon creator Alex Raymond, Tarzan artist Burne Hogarth, and Prince Valiant creator Hal Foster. Shuster would often incorporate contemporary Art Deco cityscape scenes and Streamline Moderne styles similar to Raymond.
Writer Jerome Siegel was born in Cleveland on October 17,
1914. The Siegel family immigrated from Lithuania in 1900 to escape Jewish
persecution. Jerry's father owned Michael's Men's Furnishings, a second-hand
clothing store on Central Avenue. One day, his older brother
Harry brought home an issue of Amazing Stories that would forever
change his life.
Jerry would crawl underneath his bed to write. In an unpublished draft of his autobiography Creation of a Superhero, Jerry recalled his earliest science fiction work being printed in the kids' section of the Buffalo Times around 1927. Jerry claimed to have received a piece of fan mail for a story titled "Monsters of the Moon" printed in serial form. He ordered back issues of the Sunday and evening editions, but was unable to locate any copies of the work.
Jerry Siegel's early writing style was heavily influenced
by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars. Jerry
would later meet his idol Burroughs while stationed in Hawaii during
World War II.
Like the Judaic prophet Moses, Tarzan was orphaned as a child in a strange
land. Created in 1911, John Carter travels to another planet and fights for an
oppressed alien race. Carter is endowed with superhuman strength and the
ability to leap great distances due to the lighter gravity of Mars. First
published in 1919, The Warlord of Mars contains inner monologue from
John Carter stating, "I was a superman, and no man could have withstood me
then."
The concept of an Übermensch as the savior of mankind first appeared in the 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None by Friedrich Nietzsche. The term was further popularized in the 1903 play Man and Superman by Bernard Shaw.
A letter from Jerry appeared in the August 1929 issue of
Amazing Stories and another was printed in the November issue of
Science Wonder Stories. Both magazines were published by Hugo
Gernsback, "The Father of Science Fiction." By the time he started attending
Glenville High School, Jerry was regularly exchanging mail with the fledgling
community of science fiction writers and fans.
In August 1929, Jerry created The Fantastic Fiction Publication Company and released Cosmic Stories, one of the first known science fiction fanzines. Each booklet was typed and hectographed by Jerry under the alias Charles McEvoy, one of many pseudonyms. Jerry enjoyed using pen names as another way to emulate Burroughs, who had first published under the alias Norman Bean. About ten copies of Cosmic Stories were produced. The work was considered to be lost by 1935 and no examples are known to exist. The pamphlet included original stories from science fiction pioneer Clare Winger Harris and Walter L. Dennis, co-founder of the Science Correspondence Club.
In August 1929, Jerry created The Fantastic Fiction Publication Company and released Cosmic Stories, one of the first known science fiction fanzines. Each booklet was typed and hectographed by Jerry under the alias Charles McEvoy, one of many pseudonyms. Jerry enjoyed using pen names as another way to emulate Burroughs, who had first published under the alias Norman Bean. About ten copies of Cosmic Stories were produced. The work was considered to be lost by 1935 and no examples are known to exist. The pamphlet included original stories from science fiction pioneer Clare Winger Harris and Walter L. Dennis, co-founder of the Science Correspondence Club.
Walter Dennis worked as a newspaper reporter in Chicago and co-edited the first two
issues of The Comet, a fanzine released in May 1930. Jerry exchanged
letters with Walter, whose physical appearance and occupation was an early
inspiration for Clark Kent.
Jerry was fascinated by the contrast between a "mighty
hero" and an "ineffectual weakling." Pulp heroes like The Shadow and Doc
Savage, as well as The Scarlet Pimpernel and Zorro were early inspirations for
creating a dual-identity. Both Jerry and Joe wore glasses, which Jerry
believed gave an "impression of meekness and mildness" similar to actor Harold
Lloyd. In the silent films, Lloyd would start off being pushed around and
bullied before "turning into a fighting whirlwind." As a teenager, Jerry wrote
an unproduced one-act play titled The Fighting Journalist that he
credits as the origination of himself and Clark Kent. Jerry created the name by combining movie actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor.
Joe Shuster arrived at Glenville High in 1930 and Jerry's cousin arranged an introduction. Both boys shared the same enthusiasm for comic strips, Douglas Fairbanks films, and science fiction pulps. Their first comic collaboration in 1931 was The Interplanetary Police, inspired by Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. The second was Steve Walsh, a "scientific adventure extraordinary" and inventor of the "penetrascope." The machine can see and hear through all substances, an early example of x-ray vision and super-hearing. One of their early cartoons appeared in the Glenville Torch on May 7, 1931. "Goober the Mighty" was a racist caricature that combined elements of Tarzan and Popeye the Sailor Man.
Gladiator by Philip Wilde was first
published in 1930. Professor Abednego Danner genetically alters his son
Hugo, giving him superhuman abilities. Hugo Danner is raised in a rural Colorado
town and taught to conceal his powers. At an early age Hugo says, “I can
jump higher’n a house. I can run faster’n a train.” Hugo tells his father,
“I’m like a man made out of iron instead of meat.” To isolate himself, Hugo constructs a
solitary fortress in the woods. Hugo considers becoming a
"super-detective" that punishes criminals, but ultimately wanders the planet as a
loner.
The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1 incorrectly claims that Jerry Siegel reviewed Gladiator in an issue of Science Fiction. Jerry later commented, "I had read and enjoyed Philip Wylie's book ,'The Gladiator'. It
influenced me, too."
The Time Traveller was a fanzine released on
January 9, 1932, co-edited by future Superman editors Mortimer Weisinger and
Julius Schwartz. Jerry was among the first subscribers to what was billed as "Science
Fiction's Only Fan Magazine." Jerry submitted short stories to
The Time Traveller, but all were rejected.
The March 1932 issue of
The Author and Journalist announced the debut of
Science Fiction from Morantz Publications. Sam Morantz lived on the
same street as Jerry and his father owned a printing company. The magazine
was touted as "a new market for the work of science fiction writers."
Editors Jerome Siegel and Bernard J. Kenton offered 1/4 to 3 cents per
word for "tales in which the interest does not lag."
The solicitation sought work similar to P. Schuyler Miller and Francis Flagg. Both authors were prominently featured in the science pulp magazines. Miller had previously collaborated with Walter Dennis for two works published in Wonder Stories. Francis Flagg, a pseudonym of George Henry Weiss, published a short story titled "The Superman of Dr. Jukes" in the November 1931 issue of Wonder Stories.
A government scientist named Dr. Jukes injects a
mobster named Killer Mike with an experimental serum that produces
superhuman speed, strength, and telepathic powers. Jerry wrote about Flagg
in letters sent to the pulp magazines. As a subscriber and active contributor to
Wonder Stories, Jerry would have read "The Superman of Dr. Jukes."
On April 14 and April 21, 1932, the Glenville Torch reported that a script was being published in Amazing Stories by a Glenville graduate named Bernard J. Kenton. At different
times, the Bernard J. Kenton alias may have been Jerry or a person named
Bernard Kantor – or both. Kantor later contributed plots as a
ghostwriter on early Superman comic book features. The story "Miracles on
Antares" was never published and editor T. O'Conor Sloane later
returned the manuscript to Jerry.
On June 2, 1932, Michael Siegel collapsed and died due
to "acute dilation of heart" during a robbery at his clothing store. The
three perpetrators were never identified. Jerry continued to compile
material for the upcoming magazine. To promote the new "Scientific-fiction
novelty," an advertisement was printed in the September 1932 issue of
Amazing Stories. The contact address was now
the Siegel home on Kimberley Avenue.
A note from the editorial department promotes
The Time Crusaders as a limited edition novel by Jerome Siegel and
Bernard J. Kenton. Jerry later worked on The Time Crusaders as a
comic strip collaboration with pulp artist Clay Ferguson, Jr.
The second Fantastic Fiction release in October 1932 was an original story by Jerry Siegel as Hugh Langley. Guests of the Earth is about an alien invasion that is later revealed to be a hoax. The afterword was provided by science fiction icon Forrest J Ackerman. Jerry showed the booklet to an English teacher who expressed disapproval of the genre. The print run for Guests of the Earth is unknown.
%20-%201932.png "Guests of the Earth by High Langley (Jerry Siegel) - 1932")
The first issues of
Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization were
mailed to subscribers in October 1932. The 8.5 x 11 inch booklets were
compiled, edited, and typed by Jerry Siegel. All five installments of
Science Fiction were mimeographed after school hours at Glenville
High. Joe Shuster provided stencil illustrations with contributions from
schoolmate Bernie Schmittke and pulp artist Clay Ferguson, Jr. The fanzine
was sold by mail order for 15 cents each or $1.50 a year. The total
circulation for all five issues was about 200 copies.
The chemical was made of meteor fragments from a "Dark
Planet," an early precursor of "K-Metal" and kryptonite. The bald villain and mad scientist motifs are evocative of the Golden
Age Lex Luthor. Forrest Ackerman appears as an investigating newspaper
reporter on assignment from "The Chief." The story is signed as Herbert S.
Fine, a combination of Jerry's cousin Herbert Schwartz and his mother's
maiden name.
Julius Schwartz later credited The Time Traveller as the
inspiration for Siegel to produce Science Fiction, thus
leading to the creation of Superman. However, Jerry had previously
released the Cosmic Stories fanzine in 1929. According to Jerry,
the motivation to self-publish came from constantly being rejected.
The fourth issue of Science Fiction features a
preview of the
1933 World's Fair in Chicago
and a fictional review of the RKO feature King Kong, both
illustrated and stenciled by Joe. The fourth issue was mailed to
subscribers in February 1933, two months before the actual release of
King Kong.
Mort Weisinger contributed a satirical news column under the name Ian Rectez. Weisinger would later become editor of the Superman titles in 1941. Pulp artist Clay Ferguson Jr. provided an illustration for "Technocracy" that was transposed to stencil by Joe.
Jerry wrote that he read
Doc Savage Magazine "with fascination." The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1 incorrectly claims that Jerry copied the name Superman from Doc
Savage. "The Reign of the Superman" was written by Jerry in 1932 and
released in January 1933.
In July 1933, Jerry corresponded with artist Leo
O'Mealia to collaborate on the strip. "Superman" was revamped as a
scientist from a future of evolved superhumans. Before the destruction of
Earth, the scientist travels back to the 1930s in a time machine. Superman
decides to use his abilities to fight crime during the Depression. Bell
Syndicate expressed interest and O'Mealia allegedly began drawing in
September. O'Mealia suggested that Jerry include a
female romance element. Jerry never received any completed artwork and his letters to O'Mealia
remained unanswered for almost a year.
In a letter to Jerry dated August 22, 1933, Consolidated Book Publishers wrote that the company was shutting down. Feeling betrayed and frustrated by rejection, Joe destroyed his own pages of "The Superman" from the Consolidated samples. All that remains of the early prototype is a penciled concept and a finished cover. Coincidentally, Leo O'Mealia would later illustrate the cover of Superman #1 (Summer 1939) based on an image drawn by Joe.
In a letter to Jerry dated August 22, 1933, Consolidated Book Publishers wrote that the company was shutting down. Feeling betrayed and frustrated by rejection, Joe destroyed his own pages of "The Superman" from the Consolidated samples. All that remains of the early prototype is a penciled concept and a finished cover. Coincidentally, Leo O'Mealia would later illustrate the cover of Superman #1 (Summer 1939) based on an image drawn by Joe.
In this version, the last man on Earth transports his
son back in time to 1935. The time machine
is found by Sam and Molly Kent. Inside, the three-year old boy is
outfitted with a round emblem and laced boots. He awakens and
begins to display usual superhuman abilities. Sam and Molly adopt the child and name him Clark Kent. As he grew older,
Clark could "leap over a ten story building" and "run as fast as an
express train." The newspaper syndicates were not interested and Keaton
eventually departed from the project.
According to Joe, Jerry named the character after his
high school crush, Lois Amster. However, Jerry and Joanne have publicly denied the claim. Lois was inspired by Torchy Blane, a detective reporter portrayed in films from 1937–1938 by actresses Glenda Farrell and Lola Lane. Joanne and Jerry married each other in Cleveland on October 14, 1948. The full name of Lois Joanne Lane was revealed in Superman: The Wedding Album (December 1996).
Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson began as an adventure pulp writer in 1924. In 1925, Wheeler-Nicholson founded the Nicholson Publishing Company, Inc. as a newspaper syndicate. In the autumn of 1934, the Major launched National Allied Publications, Inc., also known as National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc. On January 11, 1935, National released New Fun #1, the first regularly published comic book comprised of all-original material.
Wheeler-Nicholson reviewed sample sketches from
Joe that were submitted on the old wallpaper from Toronto and brown
wrapping paper. In a letter dated June 6, 1935, Wheeler-Nicholson offered
Siegel and Shuster a feature in New Fun as an audition for the
magazine. Joe borrowed money from his parents to purchase proper art paper
and the team was paid $20 for two pages. The black and white stories were
printed in New Fun #6, dated October 1935.
The first paid assignment was "Henri Duval of France, Famed Soldier of Fortune." Conceived by Wheeler-Nicholson, Henri Duval is a Douglas Fairbanks inspired swashbuckler in the vein of The Three Musketeers. The three-part story "Rescuing the King" continued over the next two issues renamed More Fun. Jerry and Joe produced six Henri Duval features before the series ended. A different character named Henri Duval later commits suicide in a Doctor Occult story by Jerry and Joe in More Fun Comics #24 (September 1937).
The first paid assignment was "Henri Duval of France, Famed Soldier of Fortune." Conceived by Wheeler-Nicholson, Henri Duval is a Douglas Fairbanks inspired swashbuckler in the vein of The Three Musketeers. The three-part story "Rescuing the King" continued over the next two issues renamed More Fun. Jerry and Joe produced six Henri Duval features before the series ended. A different character named Henri Duval later commits suicide in a Doctor Occult story by Jerry and Joe in More Fun Comics #24 (September 1937).
"Doctor Occult, the Ghost Detective" was a
new creation from Jerry and Joe about a Sam Spade gumshoe that specializes
in supernatural cases. The debut was signed as Leger and Reuths, an
anagram alias for the pair. The feature notably depicts the first
appearance of a vampire in a comic book. "The Vampire Master" story
continued over the next two issues renamed More Fun. Today,
Doctor Occult is the earliest recurring DC Comics character that remains
in continuity
On a "hot summer night" in 1935, Jerry refined the
Superman character into the more recognizable hero of today. The story
begins on an unnamed doomed planet. A
scientist places his infant son into a rocket ship and launches it towards
Earth. Like John Carter, this version of Superman could leap great
distances due to his homeworld being larger than Earth.
The alter-ego of Clark Kent became a mild-mannered
reporter at the Daily Star, a nod to the Toronto newspaper where
Joe once worked. Clark is in love with a beautiful reporter named
Lois. Lois
adores Superman, but she despises Clark for being a coward.
Joe penciled four weeks of newspaper strips for the new character. The first week was inked, lettered, photostatted, and mailed to the syndicates. Joe outfitted Superman in a colorful circus strongman costume. Jerry suggested the swashbuckler cape and S-symbol, originally shaped like a scalloped shield. Joe said that he was inspired by silent films starring Douglas Fairbanks, especially Robin Hood. "He always stands with his hands on his hips and feet apart, laughing, as if he doesn’t take anything seriously."
Joe penciled four weeks of newspaper strips for the new character. The first week was inked, lettered, photostatted, and mailed to the syndicates. Joe outfitted Superman in a colorful circus strongman costume. Jerry suggested the swashbuckler cape and S-symbol, originally shaped like a scalloped shield. Joe said that he was inspired by silent films starring Douglas Fairbanks, especially Robin Hood. "He always stands with his hands on his hips and feet apart, laughing, as if he doesn’t take anything seriously."
By 1936, the Superman chest emblem had changed from
the scalloped shield to a triangle shape. In early sketches, Joe
depicted Superman in a sleeveless leotard worn by wrestlers and strongmen
of the era. Jerry and Joe correctly envisioned Superman becoming a
marketing phenomena.
Jerry and Joe were given work on additional features
at National. "Federal Men" was based on the 1935 film G Men,
and "Calling All Cars featuring Sandy Kean and the Radio Squad" was a copy
of the popular radio show Calling All Cars. The title later
was shortened to "Radio Squad." In a letter dated October 4, 1935,
Wheeler-Nicholson made a vague offer to publish Superman in tabloid
format, but Jerry and Joe rejected the proposal. National was struggling
to pay contributors on time. Jerry and Joe wanted their new hero in
newspaper syndication.
Managers William H. Cook and John Mahone left National and began publishing artists and stories originally contracted by Wheeler-Nicholson. Doctor Occult was renamed "Dr. Mystic: The Occult Detective" for one story printed in The Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936). "Federal Agent" in The Comics Magazine Funny Pages #2 (June 1936) introduces Bart Regan, a spy detective created by Jerry and Joe later published in Detective Comics as "Spy".
Managers William H. Cook and John Mahone left National and began publishing artists and stories originally contracted by Wheeler-Nicholson. Doctor Occult was renamed "Dr. Mystic: The Occult Detective" for one story printed in The Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936). "Federal Agent" in The Comics Magazine Funny Pages #2 (June 1936) introduces Bart Regan, a spy detective created by Jerry and Joe later published in Detective Comics as "Spy".
Jerry and Joe would use the early stories at National
to experiment with their Superman prototype. The "Dr. Mystic" story
published in The Comics Magazine #1 continues in More Fun Comics
#14 (October 1936). Doctor Occult and Zator fly through the spiritual
world wearing the uniform of "The Seven," a red cape with red boots, blue
trunks, and a triangular chest emblem. The sword and uniform resembles the
comic strip depictions of John Carter of Mars.
New Adventure Comics #12 (January 1937) was
released on December 19, 1936. The "Federal Men" story focuses on an agent
named Jor-L in the year 3000 A.D. Jor-L is an anagram of Jerome Siegel.
The names Jor-L and Lora would later appear as the biological parents of
Superman in the January 16, 1939, newspaper strip. The spellings were changed to Jor-el and Lara in The Adventures of Superman novel by radio
writer and director
George Lowther,
published on November 2, 1942.
Major Wheeler-Nicholson planned to
launch two more magazines, Detective Comics and
Action Comics. In order to finance the venture, the Major
turned to publisher Harry Donenfeld and his accountant Jack Liebowitz.
Donenfeld owned Donny Press, a printing plant, and the newsstand
distributor Independent News Co.
Detective Comics, Inc., later known as DC
Comics, was organized on December 30, 1936, with Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and Jack Liebowitz listed as owners. The first issue of Detective Comics hit
newsstands on February 10, 1937. The debut features a 13-page Siegel and
Shuster story for "Slam Bradley" and four pages of "Bart Regan, Spy". The
cover feature and Slam Bradley story highlight prejudices toward
Asians during the
Yellow Peril and
rise of the Nazi party. The early comic books published by National and DC
depict ethnic stereotypes that are considered obscene by modern standards.
Wheeler-Nicholson first outlined the character concept for Slam Bradley in a letter to Jerry dated May 13, 1936. According to Joe, "Slam Bradley was a dry run for Superman." "We turned it out with no restrictions, complete freedom to do what we wanted; the only problem was that we had a deadline." In order to work faster, Jerry and Joe pioneered the technique of using large action splash panels in comic books.
The Dr. Occult story "Vampire Venom" in
More Fun Comics #28 depicts a winged "Bat-Man" created by Jerry and
Joe. The story is credited as Leger and Reuths and the cover date is
January 1938. A Batman comic strip character was previously created by artist Frank D. Foster II in 1932. Bill Finger and Bob Kane began contributing work to Detective Comics in the spring
of 1938. The "Bat-Man" character created by Finger and Kane debuted
in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939).
.png "Bat-Man - More Fun Comics 28 (January 1938)")
Harry Donenfeld and Independent News Co. took over
distribution for National with Detective Comics #2 (April
1937). On December 4, 1937, Jerry and Joe signed a two year agreement acknowledging that all work done for Detectives Comics would become "sole
and exclusive property" of DC. Wheeler-Nicholson produced an ashcan for
Action Comics, but he was now in debt to Harry Donenfeld for
$63,380. On December 30, 1937, Donenfeld and Liebowitz initiated bankruptcy proceedings against Nicholson Publishing in order to
buy Wheeler-Nicholson out of National and DC.
On January 10, 1938, Detective Comics editor Vin Sullivan wrote to Jerry Siegel about featuring Superman in the new Action Comics magazine. During a conference call with Jack Liebowitz at DC and Max Gaines at the McClure Syndicate, Jerry agreed to let DC use the Superman newspaper samples.
On February 1,
1938, Sullivan mailed the strips back to
Jerry and requested a 13-page story in tabloid format. The unfinished
three weeks of penciled stories were inked and lettered by Joe. The panels were cut and pasted onto pages of 6–8 panels. Eight days of the
original story were omitted and additional panels were drawn for
continuity purposes.
The first panels were redrawn to include an origin story
and "a scientific explanation of Clark Kent's amazing strength." The story begins on a distant planet destroyed by old age. A scientist places his infant son into a rocket ship and launches it towards Earth. The baby is discovered by a passing motorist and taken to an orphanage. As an adult, Clark Kent could "leap 1/8 of a mile," "raise tremendous weights,"
and "run faster than an express train." Krypton, Kal-L, Jor-L, and Lora are not yet
named.
.png "Superman, Action Comics 1 (June 1938)")
In the first adventure, Superman
is still unknown to the public. He bursts into the Governor's mansion and
demands a pardon for an innocent woman. Back at the Daily Star,
Clark receives a tip to stop an armed domestic dispute. He returns to ask
Lois out on a date and she reluctantly accepts. Lois is only referred to by her first name.
.png "Clark Kent & Lois Lane, Action Comics #1 (June 1938)")
That night, Clark is challenged by a gangster named
Butch Mason. Clark refuses to fight and Lois leaves in disgust. Mason and
his men abduct Lois and drive away, only to be intercepted by Superman. The hero lifts the car over his head and smashes it into a boulder. Siegel suggested that Sullivan use the panel for the cover artwork. The panel was later redrawn for the 1939 newspaper strip.
.png "Panel 67, Action Comics 1 (June 1938)")
Clark is given an assignment to
investigate a warring South American republic named San Monte. Superman travels to Washington, D.C., and kidnaps a corrupt lobbyist. The
story concludes in Action Comics #2 (July 1938). A final splash panel was added
that depicts the first image of Superman breaking chains.
.png "Panel 98, Action Comics 1 (June 1938)")
Some of the Superman poses are similar to illustrations from the 1930 booklet Molding a Mighty Chest by strongman George F. Jowett. Publications from the Jowett Institute of Physical Culture were frequently advertised in the pulps, and later in issues of Action Comics and Superman.
.png "George F. Jowett, Molding a Mighty Chest (1930)")
.png "George F. Jowett, Molding a Mighty Chest, p 31 (1930)")
The cover art for Action Comics #1 was illustrated by
an unnamed staff member at Detective Comics. On February 22, 1938, Vin Sullivan mailed a silver print of the finished cover to Jerry, writing,
"You'll note that we already used one of those panel drawings of Superman,
as you suggested in your recent letter." The costume that appears on the
cover contains the scalloped chest emblem and boot design that was submitted to McClure in 1935.
On March 1, 1938, Jack Liebowitz mailed Jerry and Joe
a paycheck for $412. Included was a contract that gave Superman to
Detective Comics, Inc. "to have and hold forever." They were paid a total
of $130 for the first Superman feature. The remaining money was for
previous work unpaid by Wheeler-Nicholson. In 1979, Jerry lamented, "The
legal release, which Joe and I signed, caused us much grief later."
On April 5, 1938, Superman first appeared on
newsstands in a black-and-white advertisement for the new
Action Comics. The ad was printed on the inside covers of More Fun Comics #31, Detective Comics #15, and
New Adventure Comics #26.
Action Comics #1 was copyrighted on April 18,
1938, and there were 202,000 copies produced. The 64-page issue began
to arrive on newsstands by the first week of May. The cover date is June 1938
and the price for the historical book was ten cents.
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