Strickland 1 Vanessa Strickland Ms.

Bell English IV September 1, 2013 Comic Book Research Paper: Superman Superheroes are the foundation of comic books, which have been around for decades. Superman, the first known superhero, was a starting point of the publishing of comics and comic books. In the early publishing ages, Superman was invented and started the new era of Superheroes. Writers and Illustrators started developing and brainstorming new superheroes and sidekicks, making comics and comic books around the world.

History of Comic Books: Comics started being published in the early 1890s throughout 1930s and on. The first published comic was called Yellow Kid, by Richard Felton Outcault. This was stared in Josephs Pulitzers The New York World, as a marketing tool to boost the sales of newspaper, in 1895. This comic strip was the first to use balloons as the characters dialogue. After this outbreak many publishers realized that this could be a broad appeal for people to read the newspaper. Most of the comic strips that where published where mainly humorous, and called the comics or the funnies. The modern day comic book can be traced to the ancient narrative cave paintings, but more likely the medieval broadsheet carved into woodcuttings. Broadsheet authors would often draw cartoonish narratives of public executions and caricatures of public figures. The printing press was used to make copies and these broadsheets that where gathered into collections, or what can be considered a modern idea of the newspaper or magazine. The first comic books

Strickland 2 where actually reprinted popular comic strips. As comic book industries developed over the 1930s, it began to have a cultural and economic identity different from where it began.

The beginning of superheroes can be traced to the Ancient Greek methodical Gods and the Bible. The comic book character Flash can be traced to the Greek messenger god Hermes, with his winged attire. Also Samsons weakness of his hair being cut echoes the vulnerability of Supermans kryptonite. Other ancient heroes like Zeus, Gilgamesh, Thor, Beowulf, and Jason and the Argonauts all connect to modern-day comic book heroes, such as the sidekick, sexual temptation, and teaming up with others, as in the Justice League or Avengers. Since the 1960s there have been two major publishers of superhero comics and comic booksMarvel and Detective Comics (DC). Their names have changed over the years, Marvel was once Timely Comics from 1938 to 1950 and then as Atlas Comics during the 1950s. DC was once the National Periodical Publication for almost 50 years. During this time of comic blossoming two young teenagers came up with the first superhero, Superman.

History of the Writer/Authors: Superman was created by two, young teenage Jewish boys Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Jerry Siegel was born October 17th 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio and Joe Shuster was born July 10th 1914 in Toronto, Canada. Shuster moved to Cleveland and lived 12 blocks away from his new partner, Siegel. They both grew up loving science fiction and wanted to profession in it. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in 1931, and soon began working together. They collaborated on stories for their high school newspaper and shared a passion for science fiction and pulp comics. During the 1930s when publishing comic books was at its start, many Jews where hired. During

Strickland 3 the time period of the holocaust, many Jews where excluded from the legitimate illustration work. It can be said that the 1930s was the most anti-Semitic time period in American history. The making of Superman was in the middle of the worst time in America, people barely had any jobs, the economy was crashing and there seemed to be no hope. The Jews during this time was crucial for there survival, the holocaust was atop them. People near Shuster and Siegels hometown fought for Jews rights and this enabled them to work on their comics, but they where cautious. Through there comics they escaped this tragic time and where able to maintain there superhero dream. They submitted comics under a fake name, Bernard J. Kenton. During theses hardships they didnt have the tools to sketch drawings, Shuster used brown wrapping paper. When the Great Depression started, these writers scavenged every dime to keep their postage. From these events that occurred, Shuster and Siegel created an American icon named Superman. The idea of Superman came to them in 1934. It would take an extra four years before Superman would be transformed from a dream to a full-fledged hero. In 1938, Detective Comics, Inc., was looking for a character to launch its new magazine, Action Comics. They paid young teenage Siegel and Shuster $130 for the first thirteen pages of Superman. Action Comics #1 came out in June of that year. By the next year Superman had is own comic book. They made superman a villain but quickly changed him to a hero. Shuster and Siegel made him model old myths and legends. This made Superman who he is today, a hero.

History of Superman: Before Superman was on earth he was called Kal-El and living on Krypton; a dying planet that was doomed. His father Jor-El found a nuclear chain reaction inside the core of their

Strickland 4 planet. Jor-El removed his unborn son, Kal-El from the Kryptonian Gestation Chambers and put him in an experimental vessel for travel through hyperspace. Jor-El launched the vessel toward Earth just before Krypton exploded. Superman was born on Earth when the space vessel landed there. Flabbergasted, Jonathan and Martha Kent found the infant inside the ship and brought him to their farm in Smallville, Kansas. Since he looked human, the startled farmers assumed that the baby was a victim of a cruel experiment. At this time the baby had no super powers. Jonathan and Martha Kent named the baby Clark and raised him as their own son. As Clark Kent grew older his Kryptonian body began developing superhuman abilities. When Clark was eighteen, Jonathan and Martha took him to the field where his space vessel was still hidden and explained how they had found him. Clark decided to use his powers for the good of mankind. After the revealing of his secret he left Smallville and went to study at Metropolis University. Clark used his powers to help people and prevent or defeat disasters. Ultimately, he was forced to use his powers, because he made that vow to protect the human race, in public to prevent the crash of a NASA spaceship. After he and his foster parents discovered a secret identity that he would have when using his abilities in public. They called his new identity "Superman," given to him by Lois Lane, a reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet who had been on the spaceship when he saved them. Clark got a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet by turning in his first detailed story about Superman. He currently enjoys this self-employed status with the Planet and Earth.

Summary of the Comic Book:

Strickland 5 I recently read the series called, Hel on Earth, Who is the Fallen of Krypton?, published by DC Comics, written and illustrated by Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort. In one of these comics Superman has met his long lost cousin Supergirl from Krypton. Supergirl dislikes the planet Earth and cares for nothing more then to return to Krypton. But as Superman tries to tell her that Krypton is nothing more then a distant memory, Hel, a returning space shuttle experiment from the past comes to him and explains that there is a way to rejuvenate there long lost planet. Superman, annoyed, tells Hel that there is no way and that he has met others who have thought the same. But Hel explains to him his past. He came from a time when Krypton was in need of a way to survive and he gave is solemn vow to Jor-El and Lara-El (Supermans parents) that there son Kal-El (Superman) will live a fruitful life on Krypton. But his shuttle was stuck and he came to earth 27 years later. And there he is now, on earth with the burden of the death of his planet on his hands. Since then he has been spying on Superman and observing his lifestyle. Hel feels disgusted with Supermans life on earth. Hel wants to save his planet, Krypton at the cost of everyones lives on earth. Hel brings out Superboy, a hybrid of human and kryptonian DNA, and willingly tries to snap his neck, so that Superman will know what he is saying is true. Superman disapproves this and decides he cannot let him do this or destroy earth. Superman throws Hel and he then tells Supergirl to take care of Superboy, while he deals with Hel. Superman and Hel fight and it seems that Superman isnt as strong as Hel. At supermans last stance, Hel lets Superman go with a warning for the sake of his parents last wish.

Personal Review:

Strickland 6 In the Comic Series, Who is the Fallen of Krypton, Hel on Earth, by Scott Lobell and Kenneth Rocafort, I thought the comic book was very similar to the movie that came out called, Man of Steel. The main plot was a Kryptonian named Hel who wanted to revive his long lost planet, Krypton, with the cost of Earth. I thought that this was very interesting because is gives you a range of imagination. The comic was very thorough and gave you history of the characters. Which made is easy to read and understand. For example, when Hel was first introduced to superman, the comic had separate boxes of Hels history that the reader could read and obtain background information. I thought reading the comic was fun; I didnt put it down until I read all five of the comic series. Superman in this comic represents hope for Earth, true courage and justice. Even though Superman owes nothing to this world he still wants to preserve this world over his planet, Krypton. Superman fights for the human race even though, they arent his true race. Superman was so close to dying when Hel and him where fighting, yet he didnt coward out, his motive and spirit is too strong, to let the fear of dying stop him. No matter what comes upon him on his day-to-day life he will always be there to save his home, Earth.

Strickland 7 Work Cited: Marco. "Platinum Age Comics." N.p., 2013. Web. 2013. Coville, Jamie. "The Platinum Age 1897 - 1938." History of Comics. Gemstone Publishing Inc., 15 Aug. 1996. Web. 03 Sept. 2013.

"Var Addthis_config = {"services_compact":"email,fark,digg,delicious,linkedin", "services_expanded":"email,fark,digg,delicious,linkedin"}; Archetypes, Commercialism, and Hollywood." A History of the Comic Book. Random History, 18 Mar. 2008. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. "The History of Superman." Infographics & Data Visualization. 8 Ball, 3 May 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. Kramer, Blare. "Superman." Superman. American Jewish Historical Society, 2012. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. "Superman History." Marvel Comic Books. WordPress, n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. Philbin, Brian G. "Superman's Symbol, Shield, Emblem, Logo and Its History!" Superman's Symbol, Shield, Emblem, Logo and Its History! DC Comics, n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. "Superman Facts & Stats." Superman Facts & Stats. Amazon, n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. "The Big Red S: A Superman Site." The Big Red S: A Superman Site. DC Comics, n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2013. Weinstien, Simcha. "Superman: A Brief History." Aishcom. Aish, 8 June 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2013.

Strickland 8