Let’s Talk About Superman

 

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It's a plane! It’s…him...it’s...

He is 6'4" tall and weighs 225 pounds. His original name on the planet Krypton was Kal-El. His middle name is Joseph. On Earth, he is disguised as Clark Kent who worked as a journalist at The Daily Planet newspaper, which allowed him to gather information about crimes in the city without giving away his identity as a superhero.

Yes, it’s The Man of Steel, better known as Superman.

I grew up reading Superman comics in the 1950s, and although I don't have the books today, I would like to have them, oh how I wish I did. The Adventures of Superman, starring George Reeves, was also one of my favorite television shows as a kid. And if I remember correctly it went something like, “he is a strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands; and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way.”

You may already know about Superman's debut. However, for those who don't, Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster's Action Comics #1 in 1938 introduced the superhero genre as we know it today. This issue also introduced Superman’s girlfriend Lois Lane, which made it even more popular. Less than 100 copies (some say less) of the original 200,000-print run of Action Comics #1 are thought to still exist today, making it a valuable collector's item. And the value has skyrocketed even more in recent years due to demand and scarcity for the first American superhero. If you think you have a copy of the original issue, check the cover for the 10-cent price tag to confirm its authenticity. If the cover doesn't say "10 cents," it's a reprint that only has a small value compared to the original.

Superman made the mainstream news in 2022 with the announcement that a private sale of “Superman #1” has set a new record, with the 1939 comic book selling for $5.3 million!  Now you see why I would like to have my old comics. Some are worth serious money.   

Now a few words from Superman himself:

“It’s not about where you were born or the powers you have or what you wear on your chest; it’s about what you do” –Superman

“You are much stronger than you think and what you imagine” – Superman

“Do good to others and every man could be a Superman for people”- Superman

“I defend the truth, justice, and the American way”- Superman

“No need for X-ray vision to see that something is not right”- Superman

“Only the weak succumb to brutality”- Superman 

“There is a right and a wrong way in the universe” -Superman  

“Up, up and away”- Superman

Thanks for reading

Tom Boleware

boleware.blogspot.com