Broken Frontier

For almost 7 decades, adults and children alike have thrilled to the adventures of the Man of Steel. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but today, Broken Frontier looks at some of Superman’s most influential creators and their contributions to the Never Ending Battle. 

Cary Bates
After getting his start in comics pitching cover concepts to editors Julius Schwartz and Mort Weisinger, Bates started landing jobs writing for both Superman and Action Comics. He was a regular contributor from the mid-1960s until the end of the Pre-Crisis Superman era in 1986.

Otto Binder (1911-1974)
Primarily known for his work on Fawcett Comics’ Captain Marvel, the science fiction writer came to DC in the 1950’s and was a major contributor to the “Superman Family” of characters. In addition to creating the Legion of Super-Heroes, Binder also created Supergirl – first a prototype version (wished into existence by Jimmy Olsen in Superman #123, August 1958) and then as the more familiar Kara Zor-El in Action Comics #252 (May 1959).

Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke
Best known for their long runs of Superman: The Man of Steel, this trio was responsible for some of the most distinctive work on Superman in the 1990s. Adapting many Jack Kirby creations for the modern era, The Man of Steel also featured a “caricature” styled Superman, not unlike that of Joe Shuster. In addition to a clever arc done in the style of the Golden Age (Superman: The Man of Steel #80-82, June-August 1998), the trio also introduced John Henry Irons (Steel, Adventures of Superman #500, June 1993) in the aftermath of the Death of Superman.

Wayne Boring (1905-1987)
Originally hired by Joe Shuster’s studio to assist with the increased workload due to the launch of the solo Superman comic, Boring’s barrel-chested Man of Steel became the definitive look of the 1950’s.  

E. Nelson Bridwell (1931-1987)
A regular writer for many DC Comics titles and Mad Magazine, Bridwell was one of the editors that was charged with streamlining the Superman franchise for the 1970s. As Mort Weisinger’s successor on Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane, Bridwell was also a story consultant for the Super Friends cartoon, as well as the writer of the comic. 

John Byrne
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics selected John Byrne to spearhead the Superman re-launch. In that role, Byrne would introduce the “new” Superman in a six-issue mini-series (The Man of Steel) and launch Superman Volume 2. If there was one over-riding theme to the re-launch, it was “back to basics” - there would be no Superboy, the endless parades of Kryptonian survivors were omitted, only one colour of Kryptonite and the focus for the titles would shift from SUPERman to superMAN.

Byrne’s wrapped up his run on the Superman titles after about two years. He had planted the seeds for his finale over his last year, as the Silver Age Superboy and Krypto appeared in Action Comics #591 (August 1987) and a new Supergirl made a surprise cameo in Superman #16 (April 1988). After several of such cameos, she finally confronted the Man of Steel in Superman #21. In that issue, Superman learned that the strange girl was actually a protoplasmic shape shifter from an alternate dimension. Sent to Superman’s world to seek out his aid, the two heroes returned to the parallel dimension where three rogue Kryptonians (led by General Zod) had declared war on Earth. Ultimately, the villains were defeated, but only after they wiped out all life on Earth and critically injured Supergirl. As the only authority left on the planet, Superman was left with the difficult decision of what to do with the rogues. Unwilling to risk the possibility that they may find their way to “our” reality, Superman exposed Zod and his cronies to kryptonite, killing them (Superman #22).

Mike Carlin
Mike Carlin was quite possibly the most prolific Superman editor of the modern era. As editor for the Superman titles through most of the 1990s, Carlin was responsible for coordinating four to five teams of creators in crafting an ongoing weekly saga. Under his guidance, the Man of Steel was killed, resurrected and married.

Dan Jurgens
Initially an artist for the Superman titles, Jurgens ultimately became the lead hand on the franchise through most of the 1990s. For most of his run on the core title, Jurgens pulled double duty, serving as both writer and artist chronicling Superman’s adventures as he battled Lex Luthor, lost and regained his secret identity, changed powers, broke up, reunited and ultimately married Lois Lane. Beyond a doubt however, Jurgens is best remembered for the infamous Superman #75 – The Man of Steel’s death at the hands of Doomsday.

Jack Kirby (1917-1994)
When Kirby’s contract with Marvel Comics ended in early 1970, he made the jump to DC. While Kirby was primarily interested in creating his own world for DC (which would become the “Fourth World” saga), part of his contract demanded that he take on one existing DC title. Given the pick of any DC title, Kirby selected Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen (for no other reason then that the current creative team was on their way out, and no one else had been formally approached to take over).

Superman’s new era officially began with the proclamation of “Kirby is Here” in Jimmy Olsen #133 (October 1970). In that issue, Kirby introduced Morgan Edge, president of Galaxy Broadcasting System and new owner of the Daily Planet. Kirby’s run on the title consisted of a mix of the old (the Newsboy Legion, the Golden Guardian), the new (Darkseid, the Evil Factory) and the truly bizarre (Don Rickles and his look-alike, Goody Rickels). The run also featured perhaps the most famous and strange comic book cover of all-time, as Jimmy Olsen #141 (September 1971) proclaimed “Kirby says: Don’t Ask! Just Buy!” while Superman and the Guardian charged towards the reader hoisting a large photograph of Don Rickles.

Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuiness
Following the critically acclaimed mini-series, Superman For All Seasons, Jeph Loeb was named as the new writer on Superman (to be joined later by artist Ed McGuiness). The team infused the franchise with some much needed energy, with stories that moved the saga forward (such as the modernization of Metropolis in Superman Y2K, February 2000) with a renewed focus on characterization. Loeb was also responsible for introducing modern twists on Silver Age concepts, including Krypto the Superdog. Following a two-year run on the title, Loeb and McGuinness launched Superman/Batman, a revival of the old World’s Finest concept for the post-Crisis era.

Elliot S! Maggin
Having captured Neal Adams’ attention with a term paper on Green Arrow, Elliot Maggin was brought aboard to craft a Superman script. Adding the middle initial “S!” (the exclamation was an homage to the most commonly used form of punctuation in comics), Maggin debuted with a stand-alone tale in Superman #247 (January 1972). In “Must There be a Superman”, the Man of Steel becomes aware of the effects his presence has on human development. The story became an instant classic, and Elliot S! Maggin would become one of the primary chroniclers of Superman’s adventures over the next 15 years.

Alan Moore
With the impending re-launch of the Superman line following Crisis on Infinite Earths it fell to editor Julius Schwartz to commission the final “Pre-Crisis” Superman story. The honor for this finale went to Alan Moore (who had, a year earlier, written the acclaimed “For the Man Who Has Everything” tale in Superman Annual #11), Curt Swan and inkers George Perez and Kurt Schaffenberger. The two-part finale, entitled “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” arrived in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583 (September 1986). Oddly enough, this final tale of the Silver Age Superman was safely wrapped in the banner of being an imaginary story. Despite this, Moore provided what many view as the definitive Pre-Crisis Superman tale.

In a sprawling epic, Superman faces a legion of his archrivals (led by a truly surprising mastermind). Climaxing in a brutal siege on the Fortress of Solitude, scores of characters died (including Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor and Krypto) before Superman was finally able to triumph. In the aftermath of the titanic struggle, Superman realizes that he has forsaken his most treasured vow, and as punishment, subjects himself to gold kryptonite. Forever stripped of his powers, Superman walked out into the harsh climate, presumably to die. Despite the grim tidings of the epic, Moore’s brilliant framing device created a touching happy ending for the legend of Superman.

Denny O’Neil
Under the guiding hand writer Denny O’Neil, Superman #233 (January 1971), Superman was caught in a nuclear explosion, an event that had two major side effects. Firstly, all kryptonite of Earth became inert and transformed into iron. Secondly, the blast created a doppelganger of Superman, which siphoned away half of the hero’s abilities. Ultimately, the duplicate was defeated, and the Man of Steel elected not to reclaim his missing powers. As Superman #242 ended, the Man of Steel had about 1/3rd of the abilities he had possessed at the beginning of the year. 

Jerry Ordway
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the original Superman title was re-christened The Adventures of Superman, under the guidance of writer Marv Wolfman and artist Jerry Ordway. After the departure of Wolfman from the title, Ordway added “writer” to his duties, focusing on the aftermath of Superman’s decision to kill and his exile from Earth. Ordway’s swan song occurred in the landmark Adventures of Superman #500, which concluded the Death of Superman arc and set the stage for the Reign of the Supermen.

Julius Schwartz (1915-2004)
A long-time editor at DC Comics, Schwartz was the successor to Mort Weisinger as the helmsman of the Superman titles. Originally only accepting World’s Finest, Schwartz was the editor for the Superman family of titles until 1986, when both he and the Pre-Crisis Superman retired. Under Schwartz guidance, there were dozens of significant additions to the Superman legacy, including O’Neil’s “Sandman Saga”, new foes such as the Atomic Skull and Terra Man, the re-vitalizations of Lex Luthor and Brainiac and Moore’s “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”

Kurt Schaffenberger (1920-2002)
Joining the Superman team by way of Fawcett’s Marvel Family, Schaffenberger is primarily remembered for his work in the 50s and 60s on Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane. Schaffenberger continued to be a contributor to the Superman saga over four decades, putting his mark on Supergirl, Superman Family, The New Adventures of Superboy and even as an inker for the historic “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”

Jerry Siegel (1914-1996) & Joe Shuster (1914-1992)
Siegel and Shuster met when they were 16 and bonded over a love of science fiction. Prior to creating Superman, the duo crafted two prototypes. The first was a malevolent scientist in their fanzine while the second was a non-powered hero (the only surviving trace of this Superman is a cover Siegel rescued after Shuster destroyed all the art in disgust at a fly-by night publisher).

The Superman we are all familiar with was effectively born in 1934. In a bolt of inspiration, Siegel wrote frantically while Shuster drew at his side. After years of pitching the character to newspaper syndicates, the duo agreed to sell the story and character to National for $130 (on the logic that at least their creation would finally see print). Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), and the entire 200,000 copy run sold out. 

A major addition was made to the Superman Legacy in More Fun Comics #101 (January/February 1945). In an untitled 5-page feature in the middle of the book, the world was introduced to Superboy. Siegel had actually pitched the character idea earlier, but with a different spin. He wanted to do a mischievous Superboy, before he developed his sense of social conscience, but National/DC balked at the idea. Originally portrayed as a cherub faced pre-teen (around eight years old), Superboy was reluctantly written and drawn by Siegel and Shuster. This event has been cited as the major breaking point that would lead to Siegel and Shuster leaving DC. The duo reportedly received healthy incomes for the work they provided for DC (their combined 1940 income was estimated at $75,000), but they felt they deserved a portion of the profits that Superman generated. DC refused to cut the creators in, so the duo launched a $5 million dollar lawsuit against their employers. Ultimately, Siegel and Shuster received a relatively small settlement (around $100,000) and were dropped from the DC staff in 1948.

In 1959, after reaching an uneasy alliance with DC, Jerry Siegel returned to Superman. He joined Mort Weisinger, Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder as a guiding hand on the Man of Steel’s adventures. As was the convention of the day however, much of Siegel’s work was not credited. In addition to Superman, Siegel also became the primary scripter for the Legion of Super-Heroes, handling the majority of their tales until he left DC again in 1965.

November 1961 saw the release of Superman #149 and a classic tale by Jerry Siegel that would flesh out Luthor as a fully realized villain. Despite being an imaginary story, “The Death of Superman” is still recognized as one of the greatest Superman/Luthor tales of all time. In it, Luthor tricked Superman into believing he had reformed, only to kill the hero with a kryptonite device. Supergirl reveals her existence to the world, capturing Luthor and taking him to Kandor to stand trial. Luthor is found guilty, gloating the entire time, while a mournful Kara takes up her cousin’s role as protector of Earth.

In the light of the renewed interest in Superman in the mid-1970s, many media outlets started investigating the hero’s origins, leading them back to the creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Siegel was barely making a living as a clerk, and when approached by the media, regularly cursed DC. A melancholy Shuster soon turned up, nearly blind and working as a housekeeper for his brother. The sad plight of the duo caught the attention of Neal Adams and newspaper cartoonist Jerry Robinson. Along with many other up-and-coming comic creators, Adams and Robinson approached the executives at DC on the behalf of Superman’s creators. While DC certainly had no intention of returning Superman to Siegel and Shuster (he had legally been sold to DC), the comic producer decided that after decades, it was finally time to do right by the aging creators. While the decision certainly involved the desire to avoid negative publicity for the movie, many of the older DC/National executives had retired by this point, and had been replaced by a younger, more sympathetic group. At long last, DC returned the by-line “Created by Siegel and Shuster” to all Superman comics and awarded Siegel and Shuster a pension.

Vin Sullivan (1911-1999)
Sullivan was an editor for National who purchased Siegel and Shuster’s Superman for Action Comics because it “looked different.” In addition to being Superman’s first editor, Sullivan also led the charge to launch the first comic book, Superman, dedicated to one protagonist.

Curt Swan (1920-1996)
Curt Swan first caught the eye of Superman editor Mort Wesingier with his work on Superman in Three-Dimension Adventures (1953). Swan soon became a regular fill-in artist on the Superman titles, bringing a clean cut and youthful look to the formerly stoic hero. In September 1954, Swan received his first regular work from Weisinger, as the penciller of the new series Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen. Often partnering with inkers George Klein, Murphy Anderson and Al Williamson, Swan’s work became the definitive version of Superman for over 30 years. Swan semi-retired in 1986 after completing “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”, but would return to do the occasional issue or story. Shortly following his passing in 1996, DC incorporated some unused pages of Swan artwork into the landmark Superman: The Wedding Album one-shot, which saw Lois and Clark finally tie the knot.

Mort Weisinger (1915-1978)
Thanks in part to the success of The Adventures of Superman television show, the comics were enjoying a resurgence in popularity and creativity. Under the guidance of Mort Weisinger, who had also been a story editor for the George Reeves show, Superman gained a new focus. Beginning with the launch of Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, Weisinger introduced the “Superman Family” concept, a more kid-friendly product. Under Weisinger, many classic elements were introduced into the Superman mythos, including Supergirl, Krypto and the Fortress of Solitude.

Marv Wolfman
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the team of Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway debuted in Adventures of Superman #424. Taking a decidedly different tone from “Superman”, this book focused heavily on Clark Kent and the Daily Planet. This book introduced a potential romantic interest for Clark in Catherine Grant, a future rival/ally/rival in Emil Hamilton and Inspector Henderson from the 1950’s Adventures of Superman. There was also strong emphasis on the manipulative Lex Luthor and his relationship with Lois Lane. At Wolfman’s urging, the Post-Crisis Lex Luthor became a ruthless and cunning businessman, abandoning his mad scientist roots. When Superman did appear, it tended to be in a less-traditional role, more likely to be facing politically motivated foes than his traditional rogues gallery. Most recently, Wolfman returned to Superman by way of writing the novelization of Superman Returns.