THE INFLUENCES IN THE FORMATION OF SUPERMAN
The comic book authorities at Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) routinely run
across an extensive variety of superheroes. But none catches their eyes more
than Superman. With his signature red cape and “S” logo splayed proudly across
his chest, he is one of the most recognizable superheroes ever created, let
alone a world renowned American pop culture icon. But from where did the Man of
Steel’s creators draw their inspiration?
Before Superman was born, his
creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were hammering out the mold from which
he would ultimately be created. In 1933, they published a short story called
“The Reign of the Super -Man,” which featured a telepathic villain determined to
dominate the planet. Later on that year, Siegel rewrote the character as a hero,
stripping away nearly all of his previous characteristics, including a bald
head. The hero was given a full head of hair, one of several attributes Siegel
derived from the popular movie actor, director, producer and screenwriter,
Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Known best for his roles in the silent films “The Mark of
Zorro” and “Robin Hood,” Fairbanks had a specific quality of strength and
morality Siegel found highly favorable for a superhero. For Superman’s alter
ego, Clark Kent, Siegel looked to the infamous movie actor Harold Lloyd. His
soft, unsuspecting demeanor was perfect for the gentle-mannered Daily Planet
reporter. (Treasure Hunters Roadshow trivia bonus: the Daily Planet newspaper
where Clark worked was originally named Daily Star.) Clark Kent’s name was
derived from actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor.
Throughout the early
years, Superman took an aggressive approach to fighting scrappy villains. He
would throw bad guys about with superhuman strength, displaying little worry for
the consequences. In late 1940, editor Whitney Ellsworth produced a code of
conduct for Superman to abide by. One particular element of the code stated that
Superman was to under no circumstances kill a human being, which had a great
impact on the violent, animalistic nature of his original nature. Changes were
made, and the new Man of Tomorrow took on a much more controlled, Herculean
technique to crime fighting, which included his previous destructive style of
combat.
Even kryptonite can’t keep the THR authorities away from their
beloved vintage Superman comics, which are extremely desired by collectors all
around the earth. THR would like to buy old ten- and twelve-cent comic books,
valuable metals, antiques and collectibles on behalf of their worldwide network
of buyers.
Items are purchased on the spot at the THR events, which are
held throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe each and every week. A comprehensive
listing of events can be found on the Treasure Hunters Roadshow
website.