Well it’s 1943 – and the World War II rages on. In Star Spangled Comics #18 (January 1943), the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy are given an unlikely origin story: two strangers decide, at the same time, independently, to take up costumed adventuring, on the same case, and choose different parts of the flag as their […]
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Also appearing in Star Spangled Comics #7 (February 1942) is the first version of DC’s Robotman. Created by Jerry Siegel and Leo Novak, Robotman was Robert Crane, a scientist who was fatally shot, but was lucky enough to have his brain placed into robot by a buddy. Everyone needs a buddy like that.
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Jerry Siegel‘s latest creation, the Star-Spangled Kid and his adult sidekick Stripesy, technically made their debut in Action Comics #40 (July 1941) in a sneak peak, but made their first full appearance in Star Spangled Comics #1 (August 1941). Like most spoiled, rich, highly skilled, acrobatic kids with a lot of time on their hands […]
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January 1940 also saw the debut of DC’s latest superhero, The Spectre in More Fun Comics #52. The Spectre was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily. Although the Spectre appears in full “costume” on the cover and on the splash panel, in this first story we don’t get to see him in his green […]
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In Action Comics #18 (September 1939), Superman used his x-ray vision for the first time (his super-hearing had been hinted at in a previous story). I picture what is happening with Superman’s powers here as a sort of “arms race”, since I’m sure Jerry Siegel had constant pressure to make Superman more exciting than other […]
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In Adventure Comics #42 (August 1939), Wayne Boring gets credit alongside Jerome Siegel for “Federal Men”. It sounds like Boring had been “ghosting” already for Joe Shuster, so I’m not sure why he was suddenly openly credited here.
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In Action Comics #13 (May 1939), Jerry Siegel introduced the first super-villain to the Superman mythos with the Ultra-Humanite. A “paralysed cripple” who was also a genius bent on world domination. He is revealed to be the mastermind behind the “cab protective league”, a corrupt cab company that shakes down smaller cab companies for protection […]
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In early Superman stories like Action Comics #10 (February 1939), Jerry Siegel made sure that Clark Kent was the mask, cooking up situations where Clark had to appear cowardly or have less integrity. In this story, Clark gives up his source, an escaped convict from a brutal prison where the superintendent tortured the inmates. In […]
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The idea that Superman may be hiding in plain sight as a regular guy is voiced for the first time in Action Comics #9, January 1939. I like how Jerry Siegel seems to be building this world that Superman inhabits month-by-month, even if the story ideas themselves are sometimes a bit ludicrous. I also love […]
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Lois kisses Superman for the first time in Action Comics #5 (September 1938) and their relationship shows some continuity as this is clearly their second meeting. With this story, Jerry Siegel beautifully sets up a trope that would power Superman’s supporting cast for 50 years: Lois is in love with Superman and can barely give […]
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