572 SIEGEL, JERRY
Selected Bibliography: Benton, Mike. Masters of Imagination: Th e Comic Book Artists
Hall of Fame. New York: National, 1994; Jones, Gerard. Men of Tomorrow. New York:
Basic, 2004; Yoe, Craig. Secret Identity: Th e Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-Creator Joe
Shuster. New York: Abrams ComicArts, 2009.
Brad J. RiccaSIEGEL, JERRY (1914–96). Jerry Siegel was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Lithuanian
Jewish immigrants and is the famous co-creator (with Joe Shuster) of Superman. When
his father died of a heart attack during a hold-up in 1932, Siegel turned to reading and
writing as a means of escape and expression. In high school, he wrote prodigiously for
the school newspaper, Th e Glenville Torch. Siegel also self-published fi ve issues of an early
fanzine called Science Fiction which included the story “Th e Reign of the Superman,” a
pulp homage illustrated by Shuster about a bald scientist who creates an evil mental
marvel. Inspired by early comic books such as Detective Dan, Siegel and Shuster sent
pitches for comics to early publishers (Consolidated Publishing) and local newspapers
(Th e Cleveland Shopping News) but to no avail. Th ey fi nally sold a series of short comics
to More Fun Comics, New Comics, and Adventure Comics starting in 1935 with “Henri
Duval,” which was followed by “Spy,” “Radio Squad,” “Doctor Occult,” and “Slam Bradley”
which Siegel wrote for Detective
Comics from 1937 to 1941. Siegel’s
narratives are heavily pulp in tone
but also humorous as well, draw-
ing from a variety of print, radio,
and fi lm sources. In the mid-1930s,
Siegel and Shuster also worked up
a new character called Superman
who was a combination strongman
and civic hero. Th e character went
through a variety of incarnations,
artists, and formats. Finally rescued
from the slush pile, National Al-
lied Publications (a forerunner of
DC Comics) bought Superman’s
initial 13-page manuscript (and
all subsequent rights) for $10 a
page. Superman debuted in 1938’s
Action Comics #1. A new comic,
Superman (1939), and a syndicated
newspaper strip quickly followed,
both written by Siegel.
Siegel was drafted in 1943
and, upon his return from WorldWriter Jerry Siegel, who co-created Superman (ca. 1980s).
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