SUPERMAN TURNS 70
Big birthday wishes to DC’s big blue boy scout- Superman is 70 years old! The character, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first burst into the public eye with the June 1938 issue of Action Comics, and became the benchmark for pretty much every superhero that followed in his wake. Superman is the archetypal superhero- costumed, in possession of incredible powers and always fighting to help people and maintain peace. He was dubbed as fighting for ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’. Since the American Way has since then become ‘blow things up and pretend we own the world’, Superman instead just carried on fighting for truth and justice, and it is a fight that he has continued for seventy years. It is difficult to comprehend that his adventures have gone on for so long, and continue to thrill fans today.
Outside of his endless run in countless DC comic books, Superman has of course crossed over onto both the big and small screens, with TV shows, feature films, cartoons and more. The most popular of these has been the 1990s series Lois and Clark- The new adventures of Superman, and the current ratings hit Smallville, telling the story of Clark Kent’s early years before donning the red cape and tights. Superman returned to the big screen in recent years with Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh in the title role, and despite its lukewarm reception,. Another is on the way, as well as the Justice League: Mortal crossover movie.
Superman is a true icon, not just in the world of comics and movies, but as a cultural archetype that is now so ingrained into our world that it really is difficult to think of a world without his presence. We have decades worth of comics, graphic novels, merchandise, films and tv episodes to enjoy and learn from, and as the world continues to become a more violent and unnerving place, it is reassuring that there are people still creating stories about this most traditional of heroes. We need him, his values and his ideals, now more than ever.
Jerry and Joe, those two young guys who had an idea and saw it through, we owe them so very much. Thanks for giving us Superman, and for making us believe that a man could fly.