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Superman History

When talking about comic book superheroes, it all goes back to one character and one character alone; Superman. The history of Superman is more than just that, it is the history of the entire genre of superheroes. Superman was the first true superhero and it was his enormous popularity that led to the mass movement of superheroes in comic books and in other pop culture and entertainment. In fact, the term superhero actually stems from the name Superman.

Superman made his first appearance in Action Comics issue number 1, which came out in June of 1938. This was published by the company which would go on to be known as DC Comics. By the next year he had his own comic book. The actual character of Superman though came about several years previously. In his first incarnation, creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster made Superman a villain in their comic book series. The character also bore no physical resemblance to what we know and recognize as Superman.

Siegel and Shuster quickly changed the concept of Superman though, turning him into a hero modeled off old myths and legends. After a long wait their new version of Superman was then finally published in 1938, which although marked as his first appearance is not the first, literal appearance of any character known as Superman.

The character Superman defined what the superhero actually is. A superhero can be many things, but there are certain elements that tie them together. A superhero typically has superpowers, although characters such as Batman do not and instead rely on other skills and gadgets. A superhero is costumed and has a secret or alternative identity and has a back story that compels them towards good.

Superman quickly branched out with more sidekicks, stories and forms of media. Superman’s popularity was gigantic and led to the creation of new characters and series. Lois Lane received her own series and characters such as Superboy and Supergirl appeared. Superman first was seen outside of the comic book in the newspaper strip. By the 1950s though Superman was a popular live action television show. Animated television shows and even Broadway plays followed. The line of movies also followed, including a recent remake in 2006.

The 1990s also saw the death of Superman. It was one attempt to quell the growing lack of interest in traditional superheroes and story lines. Superman was resurrected afterwards however. Throughout the years he also has undergone many changes and transformations. His past has been re-imagined on several occasions as has his style and costume and life.

The first major change Superman underwent after his 1938 release was following the Comics Code. With the industry under fire and superheroes falling off in popularity, many characters were redesigned to keep up with the times. A larger focus was placed on the history and back story of a character and costumes and artwork were revitalized. DC Comics first did this with their character The Flash, and characters such as Superman followed.

Superman is more than just a comic book character. Superman is a cultural icon and he is the first of his kind. With Superman, superheroes emerged and soon moved on to dominate the comic book industry as a whole. Television shows and movies have been watched by millions and millions around the globe. Superman’s influence is still felt today, through his pop culture presence and through the comic book industry the character helped shape, define and popularize.