Jerry Siegel 11711 Mayfield Avenue, Apt. 14 West Los angeles, Califomia 90049 dar eebaaae: THE STORY BEHIND SUPERAAN 1 By Jerry Slegel Joe Shuster end 1 are very pleased thet Netional Periodical Publications, Inc. is reprinting SUPERMAN #1 in a large format FAMOUS FIRST EDITION. Joe drew it, 1 wrote it, ond this Ss the story behind the publication of SUPEFMAN jf, beck in 1939. I researched through a lot of msty old correspondence to authenticate exectly how Jt all come about. Beck in the carly 1930s, when Joe and 1 were teen-agers in Cleveland, Obie, we crested « comic book entitled "The Superman® ... which was an earlier version of "Superman". We submitted it to Consolidated pook Publishers of Chicago because they bad @ large format blekk-snd-white comic book entitled "Detective Den" onteens, Zee newsstands. (It was by Norman Mersh, and a newspaper version vas later issued by Publishers Syndicste, entitled "Den Dunn™.) On August 23, 1933 Consolideted wrote to me, "We have deleyed in replying *** until we could give the matter of 'The Supersant deliberate consideration #** should ve desire te put ovt snother edition of DETECTIVE DAN, if the author and ertist is not agreeable, we then will be glad to take the matter up with you, with a view of publishing 'The Superman’ instead of DETECTIVE DAN.* ‘The publisher decided thet Since "Detective Den" did not sell well the conte book field was unprofitable and so "The Superpam" was not published, Discoureged, Joe bumed "The Superman" art work except for its cover, Had "The Superman" beenStory Behind Superman #1 as ie published in 1933 would the comicm book industry in America have hed an errlier successful beginning? About a yeer later, 1 concelved the idea of an even more dynamic Superman theme comic strip, entitled simply "Superman" -- this time I scripted it in newspaper strip format. It wos ebout o child with super-powers, sole survivor of « civilization of super-beings, who was launched in a rocket ship away from the doomed planet Krypton. On Earth, he grew up to become the mighty, colorfully costumed Superman, who eruseded against crime and evil, md aided the helpless and oppressed with his awesome super-povers. In his dual-identity as reporter Clark Kent, he waa attrected to lovely reporter Lois Lane. Because he pretended to be cowsrdly (so no one would suspect he was secretly Superman) she despised him. Ironically, Lois adored his other-identity ef SUPERMU, Joe Shuster was enthusiastic about the new concept. He drew four weeks of Superman deily strips, one week was inked, end the resaining four weeks were pencilled. For the record, Superman's distinctively costume was draw and submitted to markets prior to the publication of The Phantom, who also wore e@ tight-fitting ethletic costume. The Phantom vas first published in 1934, but the Superman deadly strip was drewn and submitted tomemocmeie os early as 1934. We eererly subaitted the Supernan daily strip to the major, and to minor, newspaper syndicates. But though there wes some Interect, it wos not syndicated. Again, 1 tried to interest publishers in isging 6 "Supermem" comic magazine. 1 recall thet "Fewoue Funnies" retumed the packege of ertwork, unopened. On Jume Fé, 1934 the editor of Super Megetines, Inc. wrote to me, "... you mentioned something about cartoon strip megazines. We might be interested in that idea and ] would be glad to hear your ideas on the subject." No deal was made, When 1 contacted that editor epain several years later, he wrote to me October 29, 1937 on the letterhead of Trojan Publishing Corporation, "1 was flad to receive your letterts# as it's been some time since 1 have heerd from you. The only cloud on the horizon is that every time l hear from you 1 think back to the time thet you suggested thet ve start aStory Behind Superman #1 dé == 3 comic migemci strip megazineg which, had ve pubhished it then, would have been the first on the merket end wat probably would have made a fortune for ua all. ##* Porsonally this organization is not interested at the present time in the publicstion of a cowie etrip mugezine, We feel that althouch those thet cre now in ericbunee are doing quite well, the field is very erewded, and 1 feel the cream has been skimmed off the business." Irenicelly, in October, 1937 1 was then going to offer him the opportunity to publish a "Supergen" comic book. But he felt "the cream has been skinmed off the business" | and so he lost out on en even greater "fortune for us all", In 1935, about one year after "Superman" was or! ginated, Joe and 1 finally aold our first comic strips. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson of NEW FUS wrote to me on June 4, 1935 regerding the strip Henri Duval, "I am enclosing herewith a pencil sk*tech which seems to heve been lost in the shuffle here, as it appeared to be simoly a piece of wrapping paper. 1 believe that there are possibilities in this sketch end in the ides. We vould be willing to give it e try-out in the magerine if your completed job stends up with vhet the pencil sketch would sean to show." Hard Dovel, and another strip Joe and | creeted entitled Dr. Occult, were published, Our crreers were launched! 1 submitted "Superman" for Nicholson's considerction. Nicholson wrote to me on October 4, 1935, "The Superman strip is betng held for an order now pending from a national eyndicete. 1t is my own idea, based on a lot of experience in selling in the syndicete game, thet you would be mrch better off doing Superman in full page in four eolors for one of our publicetions. 1 consider our magerines primarily catalocues of fertures ond the selling resistence is considerably less for color stuff than it is on daily bleck and white. Ve also heve pending an order for a 16-page tabloid in four colors in which we could include Superman around the first of the yeer, if we have it in colers and running. Use your om judgement on this, 1 think myself that Superman stands a very good chance." Joe end ] decided not to accept Nicholson's publishing offer.Story Sehind Supensan #1 Js —- 4 Tyo different men approached a few newspapers with the "Superman" strip, geckior editorial reactions, but were not encournged to syndicate the comic strip. In 1937, United Feature Syndicate decided to publichtme-"Superman" in their TLP TOP comie mac>rine, prior to possible newspaper syndication. Joe ed 1 rejoiced. foaray, this was itt But tinited Festure's editor wrote to me on February 18, 1937, "After looking into the TIP TOP situation again, I am afraid we are not ready to use your pages in it for some time. ly the past week, due to advertising end certain other developmonts, the nagitine has become crowded for space and really has no room for nev festures just at this time. My ultimete purpose in attempting to arrange publication of your fertures was, as you know, to develop them into newspeper syndicate fertures. #82 The trouble vith SUPERMAN, for example, is that it is still « rather immature piece of wrk. It is attractive becsuse of its freshness and naivete, but this is likely to weer off sfter the foulure runs fer a while. What you need in » feeture which will stend up eps;inst competition is a firmer foundation and more general cheracterization which de susceptible for infinite verietion. At any rete, the picture is thet we are sot ready to accept your offer, but thet we cre very hopeful of you some dey developing something ve cen use. If you continue working towerd this ideal, 1 am sure you will fet somewhere and 1 hope you vill let us see the result." The editor believed Superman's appeal would "weer off". Contrary to his expectstion, Superman has been in continuous publicetion since 1938, snd is still going strong. Jee and 1 had been s'tempting to merket Superman for yeers. But we still had faith that our super-brainchild would become a hit property. Of all the strips wa origineted, it was our special fevorite...we considered 1t our best creation. In 1934, 1 had interested M. C. Gaines, who was then producing Populcr Comics for Dell Publications, in running Superman in thet comic book, with the possibility of HeClure Newspaper Syndicate later syndicating the feature ta mewspapers. Sheldon Meyer wes Grines! assistant, end Shelly (the creator of Seribbly) was very enthused sbout the pozsibilities of "Superman", But the potential deal fell through,Story Beluind Supersan 41 Js -= 5 In 1937, 8 break-through occurred, M. C. Gaines of McClure Newspeper Syndicrte urote to Joe and he on November 30, 1937, "Some time agp you sent us samples of a number of festures you were working on - enunber of which you subsequently sold to Major Nicholson the publisher of NEW FUN, HEN ADVENTURE and DETECTIVE COMICS. It so happens that we ore nev printing these three books and have occasion each month to examine closely the material you sre furnishing to Major Nicholson. We are working on an idea entirely apert end separate from such comic books and we are looking for several good festures##* each weekly story to consist of eight complete tabloid pages - each tabloid pepe to consist of about twice the number of boxes now appearing on each page of DSTSCTIVE COMICS in your Slam Bredley features. We are interested in oulek moving ection stories vee, If you heve anything reedy slong these lines, we would appreciate your sending them to us, attention of the writer, by return majl. ##* We should be able to cet together on & worthwhile proposition." 1 resubsitted "Superman" to him, together with other proposed candies. In early December, 1 visfated Detective Comics, Ime. in New York and was invited to submit strips te be considered for their proposed new comic book, ACTION COMICS, goon efter, 1 submitted 5 strips for ponsddenctien. Detective! s publishers knew Gsines, end asked him to send to them strips, which McClure had decided os using itself, for possible inclusion in ¢CTION COMICS. Geines wrote ond asked me for permission for alm to send "Superman" end other strips I had submitted to hin aver te Detective Comics, Inc., a8 his tabloid project wee delayed. 1 consented, On February ?, 1938, Gaines of MeClure wrote to me: "This is ta advise you that (Remainder of page is missing)tory Behind Superman #1 u3 — 6 Vin Sullivan, editer of Detective Comics, Inc., wrote to me on Jrnurry 10, 19238; "l heve on hend mow several fectures you sent ta Mr, Liebowlts in connection with the new murazine that ds still in the embronic ste ee. The one fenture I liked best, snd the one that ccems to fit into the proposed achedule, is that 'Superman'. From the draving 1 ean readily see thot Joe Shuster was the person who handled the pen-snd-ink end of the joy. With all the work Joe is doing now #*#would it be possible for him ta still tur out 13 pages of this new fenture? doe, of course, seems to have the proper (Remainder of page is missing)Story Bchind Superman #1 a5 — 7 prepore to start the SUPERMAN almost lomediately, 13 pages you know," Sullivan wrote to me on Februory lst, "I'm enclosing under separste cower tha daily strip of SUPERMAN. Start in Jomsdietely on the thirteen (14) pere festure of SUPERMAN for the new Action Camics Mrenzine, I'd like to have the pares here in the office in about three weeks time, if possible." On February 4th, he wrote to me: "I'm nat ge sure that | told you, in my rst letter, to go sherd with the SUPERMAN or just to lay the thing out. In any event, shoot the works... PRONTO! These 13 pares will have to be in the office here within three week's time, so 1 think you'll have te apply a bit of pressure...end § remember, 8 prnels per page. + Regurds to Joe and make this first release (ond the others, too) the very best ... the initdel issue of any magazine should be without imperfections." He stated in his letter to me of February 16th, "I'm enxious to see how the SUPTAMM strip shapes up; nccording to last letter, 1 should be receiving it any dey now." Joe cut-up end pasted the four weeks of Superman daily strips onto 13 comic book pages. The rezson some pages had six, instead of the remwested eight penels, is that there hed been some sensational 1: rge splash scenes draw in the daily strip crt, and in posting these lereer dally strip panels on the comic’ book poges, Joe snd 1 couldn't bring ourselves to trim them dow to s point where their terrific impsct would have been seriously diluted. As it wos, some penels had to be trimmed to meet the unbers of panels per pege requested, end Joe end 1 did it vith much reluctence, (As to the wey Joe had drametized "Superman" =-- ] felt his art charecterisetions of audacious Supenmen and timia Clerk were excellent. Duel-netured Laois, seormful of Clerk and enraptured by Superman, wos unusually well done. Aid Joe's depictions of ruthless, steel-hearted villains,who tumed into comically craven figures under super-prercure, Were done to perfection.) Sullivan's next letter to me was datdd February 22nd; "Weshington's birthday end here 1 am in the office trying to catch up on some majl. #** 1'’m enclosing a silvsrprint af the cover of Action Comics. You'll note that we alrendy used one of those paneltery Behind Supermen 41 Js a= & drevings of SUPERMAN es you surgeste? jn your recent letter. For the time being, SUPIFMAN ds the only fenture of yours that will spyper in the new meenzine." wguporman® beran its appecrrnce in ACTION COMICS, Our brain-child become a sudden success after years of hopeful persistence, much discournrenent, and prent frith in Its ultimate success. For the earliest issues af Action Comics, as with our other comics, Joe md ] wuld write und draw each episode of "Superman" at our homes in Clevelend, Ohio, without having seriptg checked first by the publishing company. After a while, T was asked to send in plots -- snd later scripts -= prior to the art being drat. Editor Vin Sulliven wes the first person to inform me of Superman's success. On one of my trips to New York, he shoved me a serepbook containing news clippings sbout how the Men of Steel hed sozring sales. Early in 1939, Detective Comies, Inc., #6 a result of SUPSAWN's successful publicetion in ACTION COMICS,deeided to oublish SUPERMAN #1, the meerzine you now held in your hends es e reprinted FAMOUS FIRST EDITION. M. C. Grimes beceme involved in this onterprise, Reeders may be especially interestec in the letter he wrote to me on M rch 27, 1939 on Detoctive Comics, Inc. stotionery: With further reference te the SUPSFMAN book### we have decided #28 that for the first six purges of the SUPAFMAN book thet we would like you to teke the first pase of OUPLEAAN, which eppecred in SCTION COMICS 71, and by cleborsting on this one prve, using different idens than thore contained on this pere, work up two introductory parcs, the last panel of this second seze to consiet of the penel merked "X" on the enclared sheet. fon theee tag paces, you will of course leeve oul the scimtific explem tion of Clerk Kent's emeting streneth, «2 ve went a seperste prce on thet iter to use Pukbher beck dn the book vith the herding as follows: "Seiemtifie Fxplenotion of Superments Amezine Strength", in which you vill ineorporste five or six variaus explene tiong, which we discussed while you were here in New York several days ago.Job 1a + aovvepor resort, 9 tht poe seen of the SLAM tok teh 42 ice te fron HeTHOH QMS WALL FoIOW anedetey Fe pepe bee pt oF rosie stifn exceyAin of peated °3" ea tntand of ovine ony one fash oF etcagth of SPUH ve « bny and thee Severe van he reehee metry, 2 oud ene tht you show Be crovth ae a SUPER Sa werious ace for empley ten Soma) oF 4 yeere of 5, hae arm ve Me So oR otha abt OF Me och oF pep abl —tuter 66 elloge stant end Aen fay at tatye 1A — ese of Sntromotry Lira 4 eutaed Mowe, "2 = tear pore of « Urine episode veh reuibe Je SUPT bese © 1p = Gee page oF eseniete emanations "A= 1 to page SUPRA Fiction story with Mastatonee ‘n dradog i fiesta pens plaeco w ‘dn oak af Gough they Sere dra 1 se aro tate gat than nw Hans, Baad storey fam you as guetty estas ok Nery Mey 1524 Oo efteth ny competition veh Jetacty Wor the SUFSIUD toe, Mould tave the sot Teter tan jet Zp coastStory Sehind Superman #1 as == Uv On Mcreh 31, 1939, M. C. Chines wrote to me, sgein on Detective Comics, Inc. st:tionery, "1 um sending you herewith ¢ proof of the front and beck eover of the SUPTAMAN BOOK, which J think you will agree with me is very striking indeed and should help us offset the competition of our imitrtors. "1 om sending this message to you by spacial delivery alr mall, to impress upon you the importonee of getting the material vhich we need for the SUPEFHAN BOOK dn our hands by Monday, Aptril 3rd, in line with a letter I sent to you several deys ego, outlining the material which we expect from you. "Pl e do not diseppoint us as we went to put this book on sele on Mcy 1éth and wetve got to have this materiel by April 3rd, in order to get the plates made, the ‘book printed, bound and shipped, oo it can go on sele by thet dete without feil.™ There was extremely little time jn which to prepsre this miterial. Joe end 1 tickled the dificult tesk of trying to oblize. Considering the very close deodline, Joe did en absolutely fentsstic job. Of course, he drew the cover of SUPZAMN #1, too, You will note that from pace six onvurd, of the first Superson story in SUPERIAN #1, thst there is c lot of line shoding on the costume of Supsman. The retson for this is that the drewings on these pares had originally been drow in deily strips format,and Joe had sheted the dravings of the Superman costuns, The first six peges in SUPFFHAN “Q, droun Jans Sher the reagining peres nod been ere: ted, hns the Supersen costumes left opm for eslor reproduction, without the use of all that line shading. ‘The Supsraan storics in SUPERMAN #1 ate reprinted from esrliest issues of FCTLIN COMICS. Strenzely, on pege five of the first epicade, the accused doys, "I'm bein" held for the murder of Jeck Kennedy, But 1 didn't do it..." The acoused mon had elnost bean slain, in vengesnce. This brings to mind the assassinetion, mony years lever, of President "Jock" Rennedy, and the foct that the recused Oswald was slein,in venceance. Goinesdence? Probably. But for meny yecrs, while writing Superssn stories, 1 vould often conceive the nemes of charscters eppeering in verious stories -- end then to my surprise, lster that scmo day, ] vould hear those identical names on the redio news, or recd it in a newepeper.y schuMa Lapeer a) un In episode one, 1 hed Superman recing slong cloft telephone wires, ¢-rrying a terrified foe. How did this bit come sboub¥ yeers earlier, in high school, 1 hed «ritten forcicnl stories about comic detectives for the school newspeper. It occurred to me, cround tht thee, thet a sequence ad lanpoon detective fletion, by heving the Hovobe protagunist run clonr telephone vires carrying « terrified milefsetor. Sone time later, while writing the first Suponsan deSly strips, 1 remenbered that emsing, f: rout thought, used 1t dn "Superman and beecuse of Joe's 41luste tive ability the potentially absurd scene wes depicted in an ereiting, @remrtic manor. You will note thet the promotions] final penel of the first episode recdst “AND SQ BEGINS THE STARTLING ADVENTURES OF THE MOST SENSATIONAL STRIP CHARACTER OF ALL TIME: SUPCRMANE® Lvrate thet promotions] copy becuse Joe and 1 firkky believed this, ond thct Ss vhat hed sustsined us during the long yecrs during which we sought to merket Supermmn. We just as strongly believed that Superman could be very successfully merchin¢ised in mony media, end ijn comercial products, end we used that as a prenise iMone of the very eerly Supersan stories, in which some schenors etterpt to cash in on the exploitstion of Superam, via someone masquerading as Superman. 1 planned to have Superman battle acsinst social evils. And so, in episode two, 1 bcd suffinan ecch & lerson te an unscrupulous munitions menufucturer who vis profiting from ver -- cnd Super ended 2 ver. In the some story, Supermen, the crusader avainst evil, visits vengernce upon a cruel torturer, @ srdistic practitioner of Van's intumenity to Men. Leter, in Superman's development ss © numb>r one super-hero, vith world-wide aceeptence of him es someone to inspire young fens, he hendled evildoers in @ manner vhich wes more socially acceptable. Superman continued his cruseding s7ainst social injustices in the third episode, in which he tamg§t a lesson to s ecallows mine-ommer ho hid no interest in equipping his mine ith proper sefety-equipzent, until the mine-owncr's om precious skin vas meneced by « cave-in. What is unusual shout this tale is thet in the entire story, Supermen appesrs in costume in only one panel. In those eerly days, 1 myself was lerming more end more whet the ewesone chsr-cter Superman wns abott. In later yeers,ereey oem cupe nu aS -13 end artistic Into becoming # 1itorary/phenowenon, Outstending anong then, of course, wus voyne Borinr, Paul Coes$ay, John Sikele, Ed Dobrotke nd Ira Yerbrough. Joo md I were very proud of those talented, capable men vho, supervised by Joe, brought a lot of pleasure to the reeders of "Superman", In addition, ve wish to thank the editors of the Detective Comics ond National staff, who also worked hard to keep Supermem. on top. 1t was Vin Sullivan who notified Joe and me of Detective's desire to publish “Superam™, Vit Elloverth was a very pitleat, very Likeable editor vho urred us to keep improving, He went on to become Producer of the successful. "Superman" television series, starring George Reeves. Mort Volsinger was a brilliant, hard-working od/tor who did his best to try to make a super-scripter out of ue. He alveys wanted something fresh and ortginel in "Superman". When, sfter on absence of meny yoors, 1 begen writing for the Supermmn family renin in 1959, Mort welcomed mo back end in our edi terial conferences 1 lermed frome master. Mort hue von many accomplishments, in addition to editing "Supomaan". Editors Jack Schiff end Murray Boltinoff were prent guys. Joe ma 1 vont ta thank the men of the National business office who helped make Supermen known throughout the world, We thank the late M. C. Geines, too, who vas one of the first to see something in Superman, Joe and 1 are particulorly grateful to Neal adrms, Jerry Fobineon, Edmund Preiss, the Notional Cartoonists Society, The smerican Accectation of EAitorial Cartoonists, the Acedemy of Comic Book Arts, the Certoonists Guild, Jay Smett and his essociates of Wemer Coumunicebions, fellow artists and writers, the press, te radio, television end the public, including readers and loyal fens of Superman of #]1 ages, for thelr sesistence in enabling us t be happily reunited with Netional Periodical Publications and Superman. . Rice and I have elvays been proud of our creation, the enjoyment it has clven to Generetions of children end adults, ond the idenls which it has come to represent.ear ail iw To the current steff of National and the writers, mk ortists end editors presently producing the c¢ventures of Supermm, Joe and 1 offer our super-recards. It is @ long, long time since Joe and 1 conceived Supermm as teen-agers. We feel, though, thet Superman will continue to entertoin and inspire people throughout the world for many, meny years to come. The md.