Superman Comic
Jerry Siegel, the sixth son of a Jewish family. His father Mitchell Siegel (née Mikhel Segalovich) was a sign painter opened a haberdashery and in order to encourage his son's artistic inclinations. He became active in what would become known as fandom, corresponding with other science fiction fans, including the young future author Jack Williamson. In 1929, Siegel published what might have been the first SF fanzine, Cosmic Stories, which he produced with a manual typewriter and advertised in the classified section of Science Wonder Stories. He published several other booklets over the next few years.
In January 1933, Jerry Siegel wrote a story entitled "The Reign of the Super-Man." Siegel and Joe Shuster then created a comic book entitled "The Superman" later in 1933. A Chicago publisher expressed interest, but did not follow through, and in frustration, Shuster tore up all the pages of this comic except for the cover. Later, in 1934, Siegel had trouble falling asleep and decided to pass the time creating dramatic elements for a comic strip. Building on his previous ideas, he envisioned a child on a far-off planet named Krypton, where all the residents had super-powers. Because Krypton would soon explode, the boy was sent to Earth by his father, where he became Superman.
The Superman section of Action Comics was made up of a cut up comic strip. Siegel and Shuster had shopped Superman around as a comic strip, but were continually turned down. National Publications was looking for a hit to accompany their success with Detective Comics, and did not have time to solicit new material. Jack Liebowitz, co-owner of National Publications told editor Vin Sullivan to create their fourth comic book. Because of the tight deadline, Sullivan was forced to make it out of inventory and stockpile pages.
He found a number of adventurer stories, but needed a lead feature. Sullivan asked former coworker Sheldon Mayer if he could help. Mayer found the rejected Superman comic strips, and Sullivan told Siegel and Shuster that if they could paste them into 13 comic book pages, he would buy them.
On the 29th of June 1938 the Superman action comic made its debut for 619,000 times its original price Saturday, fetching $61,900 at a Sotheby's auction. Steve Geppi, owner of Diamond Comics Distribution and a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles, bought the comic book, known formally as Action Comics No. 1.
In January 1933, Jerry Siegel wrote a story entitled "The Reign of the Super-Man." Siegel and Joe Shuster then created a comic book entitled "The Superman" later in 1933. A Chicago publisher expressed interest, but did not follow through, and in frustration, Shuster tore up all the pages of this comic except for the cover. Later, in 1934, Siegel had trouble falling asleep and decided to pass the time creating dramatic elements for a comic strip. Building on his previous ideas, he envisioned a child on a far-off planet named Krypton, where all the residents had super-powers. Because Krypton would soon explode, the boy was sent to Earth by his father, where he became Superman.
The Superman section of Action Comics was made up of a cut up comic strip. Siegel and Shuster had shopped Superman around as a comic strip, but were continually turned down. National Publications was looking for a hit to accompany their success with Detective Comics, and did not have time to solicit new material. Jack Liebowitz, co-owner of National Publications told editor Vin Sullivan to create their fourth comic book. Because of the tight deadline, Sullivan was forced to make it out of inventory and stockpile pages.
He found a number of adventurer stories, but needed a lead feature. Sullivan asked former coworker Sheldon Mayer if he could help. Mayer found the rejected Superman comic strips, and Sullivan told Siegel and Shuster that if they could paste them into 13 comic book pages, he would buy them.
On the 29th of June 1938 the Superman action comic made its debut for 619,000 times its original price Saturday, fetching $61,900 at a Sotheby's auction. Steve Geppi, owner of Diamond Comics Distribution and a part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles, bought the comic book, known formally as Action Comics No. 1.
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