Who created Superman?
Superman was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, two friends from Cleveland, Ohio. He first appeared in Action Comics #1 in June 1938.
Siegel and Shuster met as teenagers in Cleveland and spent years trying to sell their idea for a hero with amazing powers. They finally sold Superman to the company that became DC Comics for 130 dollars, which also bought the rights to the character. Action Comics #1 was a huge success and is often said to have started the golden age of comic books.
Superman was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton and sent to Earth as a baby just before his planet exploded. Raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas, he grows up as Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis. Earth's yellow sun gives him powers like flight, super strength and heat vision.
Credit and legacy
Siegel and Shuster later fought legal battles for credit and payment. In 1975, after public pressure, DC agreed to pay them yearly pensions and to credit them on all Superman stories. Superman has since appeared in countless films, including Superman in 2025, starring David Corenswet.
Did You Know?
A copy of Action Comics #1 sold for 6 million dollars in 2024, making it one of the most valuable comic books in the world.