1 post from August 2007

                                                                The Early History of Superman

By Brian Steinhoff

 In the beginning, Superman was created by Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster in Cleveland, Ohio.    This symbol could run faster than a speeding bullet, leap tall buildings in a single bound (1/8^th of a mile leaps), more powerful than a locomotive.  Superman was Kal-el from Krypton, sent to Earth from his dying planet, not to condemn the world but save it from itself.  At first draft, Superman had been a take on Nietzsche’s Superman, made into a being of evil with telepathic powers, bent on taking over the world, but later rethought the concept to make him a force for good instead of evil.

                                                                A Genius in Intellect,

                                                                A Hercules in Strength,

                                                                A Nemesis to Wrongdoers,

                                                                The Superman

 At first, it faced complete rejection and they both worked together and found other work doing story and artwork for other superhero storylines found in comic book strips, working for National Allied Publishing, later simply known as DC Comics, based on the success of their Detective Comics, doing vampire, sci-fi and private investigator comics.  They re-pitched their idea in the later 1930s of Superman and Action Comics #1 hit newsstands June 1938 as what was meant to be the cornerstone of their new generation of work.  Superman was, is and will be a social crusader for the times we live in, and thus, changing with the times to stay fresh and idealistic, battling the problems of whatever year he is in and what is being faced.  Later, being such a tremendous hit started his own series that sold over a million copies of issue #1.  He was everywhere, worldwide, as balloons in parades, acted by actors at world fairs all across America.

Superman on the radio, the theatre for the mind, was a tremendous success.  Daily Star became the Daily Planet and the voice actor for the radio show of Superman and Clark Kent kept them sounding distinct and separate to honor and add to the distinction between the two characters.  He was even seen battling in World War II, as well as supporting America’s efforts on both sides of the world, in the comic books as well as fighting the Ku Klux Klan on the radio show.

Superman’s voice-over for the radio, Bud Collier, also returned to do the voice for Clark and Superman in the 17-episode 1940s show.   Superman gained the ability to fly instead of leap tall buildings in a single bound for the radio show and was first seen flying on the television screen for this one season hit.   The Superman cartoon was even nominated for an Oscar, to show how mainstream it had become.        

Superman and Noel Niell as the first Lois Lane in shows meant for Saturday morning matinee pictures in the previews in a taste of what was to come later.  However, flying in these serials was done by transforming into cartoons, disappointedly.  This serial later brought on Atom Man vs. Superman, which was the first look at Luther, played by Lyle Talbot.  

 In 1951, feature film Superman and the Mole Men premiered in theatres across America.  George Reeves was cast as Superman in this highly anticipated show.  The movie was to show Superman confronting problems now faced in the 50s, and the need for tolerance and compassion in a time rigged with fear and paranoia as to the next big world fallout.  This feature film helped spark The Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves, whom first caught public eye in Gone with the Wind, in 1939 as one-half of twin brothers in the film.  The Adventures of Superman debuted September of 1952 and this is where I will pick up next time.

(c) Brian Steinhoff, July, 2007 - The Early History of Superman