52 Fun Facts About Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
By Steve Lam
Creating Superman
Superman … the Man of Steel … the Last Son of Krypton … the Man of Tomorrow … the Big Blue Boy Scout. Call him what you want, but what is undeniable is his heroism and unwavering commitment to truth and justice. He is the greatest and most famous superhero the world has ever known.
Did You Know?
- Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Their initial comic book — The Superman — was created in 1933. The comic was rejected by multiple publishers due to the creators’ young age.
- Siegel and Shuster finally found a publisher in National Allied Publications — which would later merge with Detective Comics to become National Comics. For years, National Comics branded itself as Superman-DC. It wasn’t until 1977 that the company officially changed its name to DC Comics.
- The rights to Superman were sold to National Allied Publications for $130 or $2,200 when adjusted for inflation. Today, Superman’s “S” is the second most well-known symbol after the Christian cross.
- Superman made his first appearance in Action Comics #1 (June 1938). The character, in his early days, was a rough-and-tumble brawler and couldn’t fly. Through the years, Superman evolved into the clean-cut, righteous, stoic, and all-powerful character we know today.
- The greatest and most altruistic hero may have been born out of tragedy. Author Brad Meltzer proposed a theory after doing his own research into co-creator Jerry Siegel’s life. Mitchell Siegel, Jerry’s father, was a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania. Mitchell died during a robbery at his second-hand clothing store. Though gunshots were heard, the coroner’s report stated that Mitchell died from a heart attack. This sudden loss, may have prompted a young devastated Jerry to create a powerful being who would avenge evil and fight for good.
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