He was mostly leaping tall buildings in the beginning. There were cases where he would leap off a tall building or swoop down, and at that point he would look like he was flying, I suppose. It was just natural to draw him like that.
--Original Superman artist Joe Shuster, on just how that guy got off the ground in the first place.
It's also fun to explore how the art changed over the years. When I was a kid I thought I wanted to be a cartoonist. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
ReplyDeleteOh, I wanted to be one, too, Mitchell, which is why I post comics-related stuff on this blog from time to time.
DeleteHi, Kirk!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the white male "superhero" who occupied the White House these last four years replaced the big red "S' on his chest with a swastika. Our guy might have cracked his ankle merely by playing with a dog, yet he surpasses the lame duck by leaps and bounds.
Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Kirk!
Shady, Lex Luthor once occupied the White House, too. Just sayin'.
DeletePeople were more easily impressed in those early days!
ReplyDeleteDebra, back in 1938, it was super enough to just jump over a skyscraper.
DeleteSiegel and Shuster got off to a rocky start. It's a wonder Superman finally got off the ground. :)
ReplyDeleteMike, Siegel and Shuster didn't do it alone. They got some help from Nietzsche.
DeleteOr maybe George Bernard Shaw.
DeleteBetter times for sure :-D
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBetter times because Superman now flies instead of merely leaping? But Ananka, there's a price to be paid. Every time Superman's powers increases, he ends up attracting deadlier enemies. Originally, he just fought racketeers. Today he fights outer space monsters.
Delete"Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it any more
It's getting dark, too dark to see
Feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door"
That is fascinating information. The origins of some of these cultural icons is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteBrian, it's like looking at a celebrity's high school yearbook.
DeleteFascinated by Superman as a kid, although never bought the comics. Just loved the cartoons and movies.
ReplyDeleteOne of the "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire" questions was about a Superman Cover. I believe the answer was "he was lifting a car above his head". However, I didn't hear it because my partner asked me a question at the moment. He doesn't watch a lot of tv, but always knows when to interrupt me while I'm paying attention.
JM, I believe this is the cover you're thinking of:
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Comics_1#:~:text=Action%20Comics%20%231%20%28cover%20dated%20June%201938%29%20is,for%2010%20cents%20%28equivalent%20to%20%242%20in%202019%29.
I believe that is...and was the answer for the game show.
DeleteSure he could fly and/or leap tall buildings. What I wanna know is the secret of Clark Kent's glasses. Balder Half still looks like himself when he removes his coke bottle lenses. Also, in the old t.v. show at least, why come (I worded it that way as a child) bullets bounced off of his chest but he dodged when the empty gun was thrown at him? Things that made me go hmmm.
ReplyDeleteDeedles, I looked it up and found out it was actually George Reeves stunt double that did the ducking, but that doesn't explain why it why the illogical duck wasn't left on the cutting room floor.
DeleteHad it been Larry of the Three Stooges, I'm sure he wouldn't have ducked (though he probably would have winced.)