Stop 9: Superman

Superman wasn't really born on faraway planet Krypton--he was born right here in Cleveland, on this very writing desk. Beginning in 1940, co-creator Jerry Siegel wrote almost every Superman story, as well as those of The Spectre, Slam Bradley, the Star Spangled Kid, Robot Man, and other characters. Even though Superman debuted in June 1938's Action Comics #1 practically by accident, he proved to be an instant success. A few top-selling comics back then reached 200,00 copies. Superman sold 1.3 million. By 1941, his three titles had a combined readership of 12 million, plus a newspaper strip in 285 newspapers that was read by 25 million. Superman became the first superhero to transition into other media with the immensely popular radio show The Adventures of Superman, starring Clayton Bud Collier as both Clark Kent and Superman.

To promote the radio show, D.C.'s co-owner Harry Donenfeld commissioned a life-size oil painting in 1940 to use in ads as well as display in his office. It hung there until 1957, when it mysteriously disappeared. Originally paited by Hugh J. Ward and later reworked by Joseph Szokoli, and possibly Stanley K., the painting became famous over the decades, gaining almost legendary status among fans and historians, having appeared in the background of several press articles but thought lost to history. It wasn't until 2010 that it was found at New York's Lehman College, having been donated by Donenfeld's wife upon his death in 1965. Apparently, Donenfeld took the painting with him when he retired and put it up in his townhouse. Lehman officials, either unaware or dismissive of its provenance, hung it in the back of the library where it was forgotten. Icons in Ink marks the second time it's ever been displayed publicly. 

Across both fantasy and reality, comics became a vital medium for challenging injustice, offering not only escape, but also a powerful call to action and a means of resistance. In the next section, we will explore how this legacy continues in Cleveland. Here, several influential creators have played, and continue to play, a key role in creating some of the most iconic heroes and stories in the comics industry.