The book chronicles the early years of the comic book publisher, which has brought the world batman, superman and wonder woman, with followup volumes. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Jun 12, 2018 superman is iconic, instantly familiar. Mar 18, 2009 the comic book pioneer created batmans archenemy, the joker, and named the caped crusaders sidekick robin. Superman newspaper comic strips superman wiki fandom. Were collectors of original 8 pagers and always interested in sharing our finds, as well as buying comics to add to our collection. Wright 9 superman was quick to earn his own comic book, superman, a daily comic strip in the newspapers, and his own radio show.
Comic book history introduction 1933 1939 superman batman dc. Super heroes all died out between 1950 and 1955 with only superman, batman and wonder woman and a few smaller ones still being published. It sound super fake and antiquated, like someone is trying to imitate a 1930s gangster. Jerry siegel and joe shuster created the comic book character superman. Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive the man of steel fights a neverending battle for truth, justice, and the american way. The adaptation of the original 2008 comic book story superman. Get the best deals on superman golden age comics 19381955. I got through the first two issues all right, but that last issue was painful. With jimmy getting into the thick of the action armed only with his camera, a pair of luthors goons steal a gravity amplifier from s. He inspired characters like the spirit, the green hornet, ragman, greyshirt, question, rorschach blue.
The script was written by bob goodman and directed by james tucker. Those elements were wellknown to every pulp book reading, radiolistening. Second vintage superman comic found by david gonzalez after. Feb 22, 2017 hoknes comics presents an in depth history of 1930 s usa comics 20,000 images and 750 comics from the 1930s analyzed 16 hours long about 1930 s comic books every single comic book published in usa. But the main problem is action comics 1 from 1938, for superman did not get his own title until 1939, has been reprinted many times in different formats, hence those seriously vary by size as well.
The first half of the book does a good job at describing comic book development from the first superman issue to the era of stan lees spiderman, and then showing how that development parallels changes in jewishamerican life from the postwwi to the postwwii timeframe. Superman is an ongoing american comic book series featuring the dc comics superhero. Comic book history introduction 1933 1939 superman batman. Maurice mitchell is a sciencefiction and comic book critic, blogger, and journalist. Loot crate exclusive action comics no 1 superman unopened reprint new. Copy of the first comic featuring superman from the 1930s. Volume 1 001200 201400 401714 annuals volume 2 annuals volume 3 annuals volume 4 annuals volume 5 see also adventures of supermancovers, action comicscovers, superman.
In the span of a year, superman had received his own book title and sold over 1. Oct 18, 2018 this video is intended for mature audiences only. May 18, 2017 comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. Year one is a retelling of supermans origins and first year as superman. The word superman was commonly used in the 1920s and 1930s to. Comic books in 1938 were definitely of a different size than they are today. Back cover features the first pinup of superman with is also the 1st ever pinup page to appear in a comic book. But superman tracks the goons down, as jimmy gets the shot. It later became a radio show in 1940, opening with the phrase. All the while, supermans patience is tested by people second guessing of he is the real superman. Comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. Cover pencils by rick burchett, inks by terry austin.
From his blue uniform to his flowing red cape to the s shield on his chest, superman is one of the most immediately recognizable and beloved dc super heroes of all time. Superman volume 1 variant covers superman volume 2 variant covers superman. This book and the edition dedicated to superman both appeared in 1971 and to own hardcover collections of both of my favorite comic book heroes was a special treat. This page lists prices for the first 100 issues of supermans appearances in his solo series, which began in 1939. Get the best deals on superman golden age comics 19381955 when you shop the largest. Introduced in 1938, superman would usher in a golden age of comic books, and become the first superhero in existence.
Swooping in almost at the last second to win the holy grail issue, the top bidder will now own the most expensive comic book. The first issue in action comic was published in 1938. The fleischer superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated short films released in technicolor by paramount pictures and based upon the comic book character superman, making them his first animated appearance. Get the best deals on superman golden age comics 19381955 when you shop the largest online selection at. Second vintage superman comic found by david gonzalez. Prince valiant by hal foster newspaper strips full color 1930s1960s. They were originally produced by fleischer studios, who completed the initial short and eight further cartoons in 1941 and 1942. Buy superman comic books at newkadia and they all have a 100% moneyback guaranted. Superman is a fictional superhero appearing in american comic books published by dc comics. Celebrate superman month historical timeline 1930s to.
Golden 19381950, silver 19561970, bronze 19701985 and modern 1985the present. Org was founded to preserve this unique part of our american culture. Superman is jewish how comic book superheroes came to. Image result for 1930s superhero characters with images. Batman from the 30s to the 70s comic books, from the 30s. The strip proved so popular that national launched superman into his own selftitled comic book, the first for any superhero, premiering with.
After the war, sales dropped dramatically and then continued to slide down throughout the 1950s. The following is a list of the first known appearances of various superhero fictional characters and teams a superhero also known as a super hero or superhero is a fictional character of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derringdo in the public interest. Superman 1939 comic read superman 1939 comic online. This was one month after a 1 shot superman comic book was put together it sold 900,000 via three print runs. It is a dark, serious superhero drama that contains comic book characters fighting each other with violence. For a list of comic book supervillain debuts, see list of comic book supervillain debuts. Which is the most expensive superman comic of all time. Scientific explanation of superman s amazing strength. This highly desirable superman run is a representation of one of the most sought after collectibles in the comic book market. Eye to eye, script by scott mccloud, pencils by rick burchett, inks by terry austin. Superman is an ongoing american comic book series featuring the dc comics superhero superman as its main protagonist. Superman 1939 comic read superman 1939 comic online in.
Theres a fair amount of debate about the beginning of the golden age of comics. Some superman series are just one issue oneshots and others are longer series, such as adventures of superman. The first strip was published on january 16, 1939, with a separate sunday strip added on november 5, 1939, running continuously until may 1966. Printed daily, they were the first stories to go into detail about the planet krypton, expounding on jorl and lara the first strip was published on january 16, 1939, with a separate sunday strip added on november 5, 1939, running continuously until. Celebrate superman month historical timeline 1930s to 1960s. National comics publications and allamerican publications, two precursors to dc comics, were formed publishing american comic books such as superhero comics starting in the 1930s. Some peg it to 1933, when the format of newsstand comic books was codified, but others place the moment in june of 1938, when superman made his debut in jerry siegel and joe shusters first issue of action comics, whose cover featured the redcaped superhero from the planet krypton lifting a car over his. The superman we all know was born on the pages of a comic book. The comic consisted of an abnormal man who had incredible strength and wore a skintight suit, commonly known as superman. Other superman rare comic books are listed lower down this page. Much like textbased roleplaying games are the grandfathers of modern massively multiplayer roleplaying games, so too are the superhero radio broadcasts of old the ancestors of the comic book. Copy of first comic featuring superman from the 1930s sells for. The heroes came from various emerging mediums including novels, radio, comic strips, and the justbeginning comic books.
Although most collectors cannot even imagine owning one of these rare comics, where prices can run into the millions of dollars, there are plenty of budgetfriendly superman comics available. In actual newspaper sequences where he dresses as a woman, and. The original superman comic book series is the most popular series. Its territory that has been largely retread over and over.
The shadow got his start in 1930 as a part of a radio drama, nine years before superman. Tijuana bibles, the 1930s underground cartoon pornography. The middle decade of the last century was not a good one for the comics industry. Deal era, superman was certainly its comic book hero. Before him there werent any and without him we wouldnt have. This is the decade that would produce the definitive superman who would be in print for more than 30 years, and pave the way for the superman storyline all fans follow today. The man of steel is the ultimate symbol of truth, justice, and hope. Starting in 1939, superman would continue on to 1986 when alan moores story whatever happened to the man of tomorrow.
This monthly comic follows the serialized adventures of the man of steel and his life in metropolis. Article with photos and biographies of jerry siegel and joe shuster. Previously, the highest selling comics had sold an average of about 200,000400,000 copies per issue, but each bimonthly issue of superman sold about 1,300,000 copies. Superman s sweetheart, script by bill woolfolk, art by al plastino. Hoknes comics presents an in depth history of 1930s usa comics 20,000 images and 750 comics from the 1930s analyzed 16 hours long about 1930s comic books every single comic book published in usa. The two creators initially developed superman as a villain during the 1930s, but. Superman comic strips ran in newspapers from the 1930s through the 1960s, under the title superman. Created by jerry siegel and john shuster, two jewish americans from cleveland, superman was introduced in the first issue of action comics 7, but ultimately was the first comic book character given his own title in 1939. Since the debut of superman in 1938 by jerry siegel and joe shuster, stories of superheroes ranging from. Mar 19, 2009 comic books in 1938 were definitely of a different size than they are today. Occult and rose psychic were created three years before the creation of superman. Printed daily, they were the first stories to go into detail about the planet krypton, expounding on jorl and lara. June 30, 1938 the first issue of the comic book series action comics is most recognized as the issue that introduced superman to the world. Superman from the thirties to the seventies original.
Superman s last hour starring superman, nails harrigan, and dan delta, script by jerry coleman, art by al plastino. The superman character was created by jerry siegel and joe shuster in 1933 before being sold to detective comics, inc. He and his twin brother operate two blogs dedicated to science fiction and fantasy films, the geek twins and film sketchr. New listing superboy comic book lot, 8 issues, new 52, vol. The character regularly appears in comic books published by dc comics. Primary comic book anthology titles created by the company was more fun comics, adventure comics, detective comics, action comics, allamerican comics and superman. This comic book, and supermans inclusion in it, started the superhero genre. Get the best deals on modern age superman comics when you shop the largest online selection at. I picked it up from the library when i was a kid during the late 70s early 80s. Scientific explanation of supermans amazing strength. However, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was reinvented as a crimefighter with a disguise, secret lair, and gadgets, hallmarks of superheroes. It was in the june 1938 debut issue of action comics that the man of tomorrow first appeared.