These formative stories star a Man of Steel who boldly tackles the social injustices of his day.This deluxe edition collects the first three years of the classic Superman comic strips as written and illustrated by the Man of Steel's creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.Critical elements in the Superman mythos were introduced in the strips in this volume, which originally appeared from 1939 to 1942. Inside this book are nearly 1,000 daily newspaper strips, including the classic stories of Superman's origin along with "Clark Kent—Spy," "Superman Goes to War," "The Unknown' Strikes," and "The Hooded Saboteur."Born 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio, Jerome Siegel was, as a teenager, a fan of the emerging literary genre that came to be known as science fiction. Together with schoolmate Joe Shuster, Siegel published several science-fiction fan magazines and, in 1933, they came up with their own science-fiction hero — Superman. Siegel scripted and Shuster drew several weeks' worth of newspaper strips featuring their new creation but garnered no interest from publishers or newspaper syndicates. It wasn't until the two established themselves as reliable adventure-strip creators at DC Comics that the editors at DC offered to take a chance on the Superman material — provided it was re-pasted into comic-book format for DC's new magazine, ACTION COMICS.Siegel wrote the adventures of Superman (as well as other DC heroes, most notably the Spectre, his co-creation with Bernard Baily) through 1948 and then again from 1959-1966, in the interim scripting several newspaper strips including Funnyman and Ken Winston. Jerry Siegel died in January, 1996.Joseph Shuster was born in 1914 in Toronto, Canada. When he was nine, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Shuster met young Jerry Siegel. The two became fast friends and collaborators; together, they published the earliest science-fiction fan magazines, where Shuster honed his fledgling art skills. In 1936, he and Siegel began providing DC Comics with such new features as Dr. Occult, Slam Bradley, and Radio Squad before selling Superman to DC in 1938.Influenced by such comic-strip greats as Wash Tubbs' Roy Crane, Joe Shuster drew Superman through 1947, after which he left comic books to create the comic strip Funnyman, again with Siegel. Failing eyesight cut short his career, but not before his place in the history of American culture was assured. Shuster died of heart failure on July 30, 1992.

    These formative stories retell Superman's origin and pit him against smugglers, a mad genius in possession of a deadly gas, and racketeers.

    Fully authorized by Ross, this 152-page hardcover book is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of Ross' paintings and artwork from his personal collection. Meet Ross in a new exclusive in-depth interview for this book. Learn about his influences, his early days as an unknown artist and how he first started to get work in the comic book industry. Then follow his career to its brilliant heights. Get a complete illustrated checklist of every piece of Alex Ross art ever published from 1990 to 2003, including hard-to-find items like promotional posters, holiday cards, collector plates and convention program covers. Behold more of his unpublished works and see him at work on new material. Spend a day with Ross, visit his studio and watch him relate what goes on. Discover the secrets behind the techniques he uses to create his work. Top it all off with an amazing painted crossover cover featuring the Superman versus Spider-Man and you have the ultimate official Alex Ross event that only Wizard could publish! (Paul Dini, from the introduction, 4/2003

    Thrill to the Early Adventures of the Man of Steel!In the late thirties, when Superman was making his groundbreaking debut in comic books, his legend was simultaneously being propagated in Sunday newspapers.Collected in this deluxe edition are the first three years of the classic Sunday Superman comic strips as written and illustrated by the Man of Steel's creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster.In these timeless tales, the Man of Steel challenges saboteurs and racketeers, saves runaway trains and plummeting planes, defeats giant robots and begins his lifelong rivalry with his greatest nemesis, Lex Luthor.

    Facing menaces as diverse as the Joker, Lex Luthor and Mr. Mxyzptlk, they must combine their skills and powers to avert disaster. But even as they pass their mantles to a new generation of heroes, enemies from their past conspire against them. And at the brink of the 21st century, startling revelations will forever change the legacy of the world's finest heroes!

    These two volumes are inspired by the hit Superman Adventures TV show, and feature Superman, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and a host of famous villains and supporting characters.

    An inveterate champion of the downtrodden and oppressed, his principles and virtues reflected the imaginations of his two teenage creators and the Depression-era world in which they lived. The Superman Masterpiece Edition is a spectacular tribute to the rise of the worlds first, greatest, and most-loved super hero. This ultra-deluxe package features an exclusive statue of Superman; an accurately sized, color reprint of the first issue of Supermans own comic book from 1939; and a lavishly illustrated, color hardcover book by best-selling author Les Daniels detailing Supermans Golden Age. This supremely collectible commemoration offers a nostalgic view of the '30s, '40s, and '50s, when the Man of Steel captured the worlds imagination.