Superman
News about the original "Super Hero"
Probably the most famous superhero creation in pop culture around the world, the red and blue cape and tights of Superman is the most imitated and parodied character in comic books.
Jerome Jerry Siegel created the character following the creation of a different "villain" character with the same name had been used in a story ("Reign of the Super-Man") that Siegel wrote for the third issue of a self-published fanzine called "Science Fiction" (issue #3, 1933).
Teaming with school friendand artist Joe Shuster, Siegel and Shuster tried unsuccessfully to get their revised hero "Super-Man" into print for six years before it finally appeared in a reworked form in Action Comics #1 (June 1938) this version of Superman was the third one, but the first to have the trademark cape. The following year, Siegel & Shuster began the syndicated Superman comic strip. (Siegel also created the The Spectre during this same period.)
Lois Lane was based upon Siegel and Shuster's friend (and artist model) Jolan Kovacs (born December 1, 1917 in Cleveland, Ohio). Jerry Siegel later married Jolan (by then 'Joanne') in 1948.
The Siegel and Shuster families have had a long ongoing battle over the Superman Copyright : read a timeline of the whole affair here.
[Photo below via Wikipedia: Photo taken by Alan Light in 1976 at the San Diego Comic Con - Jerry Siegel and; his wife Joanne (was the model for Lois Lane). Also shown is their daughter, Laura Siegel Larson]
Superman
The Superman Copyright Wars Legal Case
Superman Movies
Superman III and the Technology of 1983
Superman Detritus
Mad Magazine Cover Parody of Superman III
Superman 50 year Birthday Time Magazine Spread John Byrne Art
Superman 50 year Birthday Cover Time Magazine 1988
Superman and Popeye and the problem of "Green"
Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman by Darwyn Cooke
Action Comics
Action Comics #847, April 2007, Renato Guedes Cover
Action Comics #850, July 2007, Renato Guedes Supergirl Cover
Action Comics #858, Dec 2007, Legion of Super-Heroes
Action Comics #858, Dec 2007, Gary Frank art Page A
Action Comics #858, Dec 2007, Gary Frank art Page B
Action Comics #861, Mar 2008, Gary Frank cover
Action Comics #864, June 2008, Cover by Kevin Maguire
Action Comics #869, Nov 2008, Gary Frank Page A
Action Comics #869, Nov 2008, Gary Frank Page B
Superman Comics
Superman #277, July 1974, Cover by Nick Cardy (and Neal Adams)
Superman Confidential
Review: Superman Confidential #5, June 2007
Review: Superman Confidential #1, Jan 2006
Superman Confidential #1, Jan 2006, Tim Sale Cover Page
Superman Confidential #5, June 2007, Tim Sale and Darwyn Cooke
Superman Confidential #5, June 2007, Tim Sale and Darwyn Cooke
Superman Confidential #11, March 2008, Tim Sale and Darwyn Cooke
Countdown Arena
Countdown Arena #1, Feb 2008, Page by Scott McDanial
Renato Guesdes Cover, Action Comics #847
Click to enlarge the Renato Guedes cover, Action Comics 847.
March 28, 2011
The late Joanne Siegel letter to Warner Bros protesting legal harrasment over Superman copyrights
"Do you really think the families of Superman’s creators should be treated this way?"
The Deadline Hollywood movie web site by Nikki FInke has a copy of the letter Joanne Siegel (Superman creator Jerry Siegel's wife and as she is usually identified "The model for Lois Lane") wrote before her death in February (age 93) protesting Warner Bros continued legal maneuvers despite losing the fight over the Superman copyrights. Below is a part of what Nikki Finke wrote, the full letter is at her web site here.
"Today Lois Lane was cast for Warner Bros' Superman movie reboot. So it's fitting to note that, on February 12th, the widow of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel died of heart failure in a Los Angeles hospital at age 93. While much has been made of the fact that she was the model for Lois Lane, Joanne Siegel also was a driving force along with the estate of Joe Shuster to recapture the entire original copyright to Superman. The Siegel heirs have already been awarded half the copyright for Superman. And in 2013 the Shuster heirs get the remaining half. After that, neither DC Comics nor Warner Bros will be able to use Superman without a financial agreement with the Siegels and Shusters. There are also stipulations on what parts of the origins story can be used in future Superman movies and which require re-negotiations with the creators' heirs or estates. But Warner Bros keeps fighting the Siegel and Shuster heirs..."
[Bleow: screenshot of the New York Time obituary on Joanne Siegel.]
Action Comics 865 cover art by Kevin Maguire
Cover art by Gary Franks Action Comics 869
March 28, 2011
Amy Adams is Lois Lane for the Zack Snyder Superman film
She is the princess Giselle from the Disney 2007 Enchanted, Amelia Earhart from Night at the Museum II, and is playing Janis Joplin in a bio film now in production. IMDB has a list of all her TV and film credits here.
December 2010
Rare Batman and Superman artwork going up on auction
Update Dec 3: Niether the Fred Ray Superman piece or the Jerry Robinson Batman-Joker cover was successfully auctioned, despite the bids going to $402,111 on the Ray Superman cover, and $213,000 for Robinson's Joker/Batman cover.
Update: With 13 hours left on Dec 1, the Fred Ray Superman piece at $212,000 and the Jerry Robinson Batman-Joker cover at $180,000.
Comic Connect has two rare pieces from the comic book "golden age" going up on auction:
"Superman #14 (jan/feb 1942) is the most important and the most iconic Superman cover artwork in existence. No question there. Known as the patriotic shield cover, this image has been reprinted time and time again. To quote Geoff Boucher of the LA Times, “If I could have any piece for my own home, I’d pick Ray’s Superman 14 or Robinson’s brilliant Detective 69.”
Detective Comics #69 (November 1942) is simply mind-boggling. Known as the double-guns Joker cover, it is one of the greatest Golden Age superhero covers of all time. Tales of THE great comic covers being thrown out by DC are the stuff of legend. Thankfully, this brilliantly designed cover by Jerry Robinson is still alive & well, and ready to find a new home. The Joker is the first and greatest supervillain in comics, and voted among the best villains in all literature.”
With 8 days left in the auction (Dec 1, 2010 is the end) , the bid on the Fred Ray Superman art was at $179,775. The Jerry Robinson Batman/Joker was at $114,000.
Superman by Andros Martinez
Nice color image of Supers by artist Andros Martinez. See his site of images here.
Top Grossing Superhero Movies
Check out the complete chart at koldcast.tv.
A surprise in the Koldcast chart was that the much lamented Joel Schumacher Batman and Robin from 1997 which made $318 million USD, which is a lot of money for a movie generally credited with killing the booming Batman franchise started with Tim Burtons "Batman" from 1989.
Five Superman Movies That Never Got Made
"...lotsa luck to you, Zack Snyder, Mr. New Superman Movie Director. As the folks behind the following never-was Man of Steel flicks could tell you, you're gonna need it:"
Story at Eonline - List of nearly made Superman movies, from the Burton/Nick Cage movie to the Wolfgang Petersen Justice league movie, plus others.
Related: Superman III Movie with Christopher Reeves
Tim Sale and Darwyn Cooke Superman
Review of Superman Confidential #11from DC Comics
Review and enlarged artwork - Discussion of the Superman Confidential series from DC Comics
Gary Frank art in Action Comics #858
Review of Action Comics #858 from DC Comics
Review and enlarged artwork - Discussion of the Superman in the 31st century comic with art by Gary Frank
Monday, March 10, 2008
Warhol Superman
It makes you wonder if Warhol cut in the artist who actually made the original image (Curt Swan?) which he lifted for this silkscreen, or did he cut that guy out? And that doesn't even count the potentially large horde of DC Comics attorneys that I would think might be hovering.