Siegel and Shuster's Superman Was a Bold (and Weird) Social Crusader

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[@patrickdodds7162]

You mean Superman isn't some Randian Ubermensch but a heroic figure who has a moral compass and isn't above helping the human race and values the lives of every person--even the bad guys? *faints and mind explodes simultaneously*

[@auntiewewe972]

Quick someone get Zack on the phone, Snyderites are gonna blow up

[@DWNicolo]

Surprise, surprise.

[@TheSorrel]

He's not above identity theft as well!

[@William-Morey-Baker]

i mean... no? he literally drugged and kidnapped a dude just to stop someone from fixing a football game...

[@danielferguson5971]

Actually he is what the ubermensch is supposed to be rather than what the nazi party turned it into. A strong figure who inspires others appreciate the world around them and to rise to above their constraints

[@JaneDoe_123]

I personally love how into disguises this Superman was. Dude was just having fun.

[@chazblank2717]

That was my favorite part of the later seasons of TNG…

[@jy3n2]

Superman absolutely is a power fantasy. It's just that a lot of people's power fantasy is "help whoever needs it", and even more people's fantasy is "be the kind of person whose power fantasy is 'help whoever needs it'".

[@JagoHazzard]

There's an interesting comic from just before World War II by Siegel and Schuster in which Superman actually arrests Hitler and Stalin and drops them off at the League of Nations. The story of Superman interfering in a war here reminds me very much of that.

[@SteveShives]

I have a video coming out on Monday about that very comic!

[@twenty-fifth420]

Honestly my favorite tidbit of comic history from WW2 and the Golden Age. Apparently according to a documentary I saw long ago, Hitler saw Superman as American Propaganda (which, if the shoe fits…) and was a ‘Jew’. So in other words, all the more reasons to like Kal El and all the more reasons to hate Adolf! Plus, we can thank WW2 for those juicy golden age prices.

[@leightonpetty4817]

“League of Nations” lmao, if you need a sense of how old Superman is there you go

[@Kaizer617]

@@SteveShives I'm looking forward to it!

[@devifoxe]

Why he let churchill of the hook???

[@4891MR]

Among the ironies, many identify Clark Kent as an everyman persona meant to represent the inferiority complex of readers indulging in the power fantasy while overlooking that Kent's position as a staff reporter at a major metropolitan newspaper was the precise ambition towards which many comics writers longed to get out of writing mere comics.

[@robertt9342]

But is this something meant (directly/indirectly) by the creators or just something people projected onto the characters retroactively

[@4891MR]

@@robertt9342 Even if they were still alive to be asked, I am not sure that we could get an unbiased answer. When a fan gives an author's intent too much credit, most authors are hesitant to correct them.

[@richwagener]

“Champion of the weak and the oppressed” from the opening of the Adventures of Superman Radio show, that’s what I think of when I think of him. He’s not just power, he’s good intention. That’s why interpretations that are self absorbed and dark ring hollow.

[@friedfrog5447]

In your surface level understanding of them, sure

[@christophersmith3341]

Great episode. This era Superman is, hands down, my favorite. Yes, the social justice. But also I LOVE the way Shuster draws the characters, especially the faces. There's something, I don't know, _wise_ about the way the Shuster Superman looks. This isn't a Boy Scout. This is a Wise Father. Just love it.

[@garysouza95]

Alex Ross, too. Just a touch more stern, though.

[@jonathonriddle9922]

And the most attractive Lois Lane, for my money, is the one drawn by Shuster.

[@arcadiaberger9204]

Funny you should say that, because Shuster's Superman looks young to me, younger than Wayne Boring's Superman. I see the wisdom, yes, but he's more like Dad's younger brother who's a Scoutmaster rather than Dad himself.

[@senhor_errante]

​@A J she was actually hired as a model for lois lane, before marrying siegel. Both shuster and siegel fell in love with her, but siegel was the one who she married

[@user-cj5gt4ff7s]

Agreed I always picture superman as a wise mature man unfortunately superman is often drawn young like he in his mid to late 20s early 30s, I wish superman drawn like he in his 40s more often the only artist who actually got him right is Alex Ross

[@castironchaos]

One of those impossibly bizarre coincidences: when Superman burst into the Governor's mansion to prevent the execution of a person wrongfully convicted of murder...what was the name of the person who had been murdered? Jack Kennedy. In order to get his job as a newspaper reporter, Superman eavesdropped on the editor of the Daily Star (later the Daily Planet...or the Earth-2 great metropolitan newspaper, the Daily Star). The editor received a phone tip on a lynching at the county jail, and Superman appeared in public for the first time. He leaped down to stop the mob from lynching their victim and easily swept the crowd away. The guy in jail, grateful for having his life saved, said, "I'm being held for the murder of Jack Kennedy, but I didn't do it...and neither is the person being executed for it tonight!" He then tipped off Superman as to the identity of the real killer, a nightclub singer...gosh, it sure was fortunate the guy wasn't lying!...and Superman forced her to write a confession, which he then presented to the Governor (after smashing his way in) and convinced him to spare the life of an innocent woman. I guess we could say to the actual murderess, "I hung out with Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Madam, you're no Jack Kennedy."

[@Kaizer617]

Yes! The iconic character who started it all! The first, original Superhero! The Man of Tomorrow! The Golden Age Superman!

[@BlackCover95]

3:37 The dumbest part of that story is when Superman asks the generals why they’re at war, and they both say, “Uhhh, I don’t know.” Realistically, they should’ve been able to give him an answer. Not the correct one, mind you-they’d go off on the talking points their country’s propaganda taught them, something grand and bombastic, but ultimately empty. (Bonus points if they both sound like slightly reworded version of each other.) I’d even have them follow up with accusing the other of various atrocities and attacks they supposedly committed against them. Superman would then resolve it by pointing out the flaws in their logic as well as showing them how the aforementioned accused attacks were actually false flags set up by a third party (I’m thinking Lex Luthor, though the character hadn’t been introduced to the comics yet) to trick them into going to war (assuming the story is still using the “scam to sell weapons” plot point).

[@calebleland8390]

I would assume the two things going against them in that scenario are story restraints (the average story in comics at the time was only a few pages long) and the fact that comics were aimed at children. Today we could certainly retell this story and incorporate those beats, because I think you just came up with a fantastic story idea there (especially the idea of Lex manipulating the war for profit). But for a "kiddie book" that was designed to be read and thrown away, they dumbed it down, for lack of a better term.

[@BlackCover95]

@@calebleland8390 Taking that into account, I would just change the one panel where they say “I don’t know” to them blaming the other for instigating (“They invaded us first!” “What? _You_ invaded _us_ first!”). I can’t take credit for the “War is a scam to sell weapons” plot device; That’s from the original comic. I just just substituted in Lex Luthor as an afterthought, since it seemed like the sort of thing he would do. I know that there *is* a modern story which calls back to this one (Superman abducts two opposing generals to force a peace treaty), but I don’t know how that one goes.

[@anarchomando7707]

​@@BlackCover95see here's the thing lex luthor wasn't invented yet

[@filthycasual8187]

@@anarchomando7707 That doesn't mean a re-telling of this story couldn't at least name-drop him.

[@NotThatSarahLevy]

I love early Superman so much, he's such a fun character.

[@GrannyGamer1]

I don't give two hoots about comic books. I watch these videos cuz you produced them. I'm learning a lot about pop culture history. It's fascinating. Thanks

[@TrueYellowDart]

Similar with me. I’m not much into superhero comics on their own but their history and the stories about their creators are pretty interesting. The only comic I’ve read focused on Superman is “Red Son”, which is a “what if” kind of scenario where Supes lands in the USSR instead of the USA. It’s reeeeeealy good.

[@HandofOmega]

I also love the fact that Superman was instumental in helping to destroy the KKK of the time through the popular radio show! The "S" may as well stand for "Social"!

[@johnnymillar9056]

Superman Smashes the Klan represent. Can't wait for more of this series.

[@fionavalkyrie]

The spirit of what the original Superman represents seems to be a facet of the human condition. I wish more people understood how yelling at creators to change to their whims is far more political of a stance than to just give an artist their creative freedom.

[@RooftopsofAmerica]

As a history aficionado I love these character deep dives because they illuminate more than just what the creators or writers were thinking but also highlight what was going on in society at the time.

[@wintermute7378]

This is incredible. Golden age superman was lovely, bonkers but lovely.

[@lanagievski1540]

Deep diving into Superman has made him one of my favourite superhero’s

[@LexYeen]

Same here. For the longest time I didn't get why some kind of impossibly strong and durable alien had so many fans, but I get it now.

[@benwasserman8223]

For anyone complaining about superheroes and political agendas, it was literally there at ground zero with Superman and FDR.

[@auntiewewe972]

Absolutely, Superman was created by two Jewish immigrants who witnessed poverty, bigotry. Superman was an intended social defender of the oppressed and voiceless. It's only when those with opposing idealogies didn't like it that it became an issue

[@jonathonriddle9922]

Or Superman and JFK in the Silver Age...

[@slake9727]

Except for the overt racism such as Japanese Internment Camps.

[@patrickdodds7162]

In all seriousness, the parallels between Superman and Star Trek is uncanny. The S&S Superman is about a bigger than life hero that does right even with stories that are bonkers. The same can be said for Gene Roddenberry's two Trek shows (TOS and TNG). They imagine a world better than ours even when some (well, a lot) of the stories are *also* bonkers. Both S&S's Superman and Roddenberry's Star Trek have deeply aspirational qualities that have inspired audiences for generations. Classic Supes is about the best in us. TOS/TNG is about also about the best of humanity as a whole. In future iterations of both, they are mainly re-tooled into something more jaded and far less aspirational of varying qualities. I miss both of these versions of Superman and Star Trek. Steve, when you shake your fist at the film, Man of Steel or Batman v Superman, I get it. I feel the same way about the Star Trek 2009 (and onwards). There's something to be said for characters and worlds that good-natured and bonkers: something wonderful.

[@xeltanni8999]

One facet of Superman is that he believes the best in people, just like how folks are fundamentally good in Star Trek and, if they're doing something bad, there is usually a reason behind it. When Superman traps the rich mine owner in his own mine and he experiences what his employees suffer daily, he sees the error of his ways and becomes better for it. Superman believes in empathy and redemption and the goodness inherent in people, that's why he's about setting them right.

[@garysouza95]

That's the beauty of science fiction. Setting a story illustrating today's issues in a new frame, with new possibilities and degrees of freedom.

[@danielland3767]

Weird thing is, I didn't mind Man of Steel, but then again I'm not a huge Superman fan. That said, I loved ST09 & everything about the Kelvin timeline minus The U.S.S. Enterprise being trashed so often. TOS was well before my time (1980 born) but TNG came in my formative years of 7 to 14 to shape what inner city Baltimore City schools didn't do. It opened up my eyes to a world where you can have a Captain make you look like a complete idiot in a diplomatic setting & still calmly call your bluff, be ready to fight if it needed to be. Plus the tech from TOS & TNG are what we have today....bit again I love the Kelvin movies for the most part

[@Gorthan]

Shuster was probably in a worse financial situation than Siegel at that time because you missed a point that is overlooked even by the english wikipedia. From 1972 to 1979 Jerry Siegel wrote more than 150 stories for italian magazine Topolino (Mickey Mouse) bringing in those stories the same mixture of social commentary, sci-fi and weirdness that you pointed out in your video. To this day in Italy is still considered a truly Italian Disney Maestro.

[@alexandrefrauches132]

While I like the more sci-fy adventurer Superman, I do like comics like this golden ages one or Superman Smashes the Klan, where Superman is more a social crusader, fighting for the powerless working class rather the wealthy and powerfull. It actually fits with Clark backstory, since he was raised by the Kents, (who are working class citzens) but also with his rivalry with Lex Luthor, a wealthy greedy businessman who hates Superman because he is basically alien immigrant who use his powers to help people without expecting nothing in return. Superman represents hope altruism while Luthor represents corruption and pessimism

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

That's why I love Morrison's Action Comcis run.He brought back the social crusader backstory as part of the character's past,but recognize he envolved becoming the sci fi adventurer . It was way different from Byrne's reboot where there is no character progression between his past in Man of Steel mini-series and the monthly titles.

[@rivera229]

@@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526 I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but Byrne admitted that he wanted Superman to come across as a Republican in the comics. Byrne himself had become a Republican, and was a huge fan of Ronald Reagan. He basically wanted Superman to be a super-Republican, his words. Strangely though, even then Superman never comes across that way in the comics. His character just doesn't let him come across as a Reaganite. With that said, I don't think there is a reason we can't have both depictions. Superman can still be a social crusading sci-fi adventurer! Hell, Soviet sci-fi literature alone has many such stories and characters! Hell, if Grant Morrison had his way, he'd depict Superman as an outspoken Socialist. His reasoning was that he felt someone as kind as Superman, who uses his powers to see the world the way it is, being a socialist would practically be the most sensibl idology for him. Hell, even Alan Moore has made similar statements about how Superman could very well fit in as a socialist character better than most. I know this comment is from a yar ago so I apologize if I a being overbearing and wild with my comment. Just find it fascinating and makes me realize that Superman has the most potential now more than ever. Also I just love talking about the character :D

[@ohnme9557]

There was a poster apparently of Superman with a group of kids and was telling them that if they heard someone talking down to a classmate because of their religion, race, or national origin to tell them that kind of talk is unamerican. Superman was definitely a SJW from the very beginning. In looking it up, there's also a National Social Welfare Assembly that comic book creators contributed to which provided a lot of SJW style messages.

[@tomforsythe7024]

Incorrect. Associating "un-AMerican" with "bad" is nationalist, which is contrary to Critical Theory. If he were an SJW, he would denounce America for systemic racism.

[@richwagener]

There were also many such public service announcements during the Superman Radio Shows run like this where they highlighted this type of thing. I posted a copy on my meager channel.

[@danielland3767]

I still don't get why calling a person a "Social Justice Warrior" or SJW is such a bad thing...like it's in the name... A WARRIOR for SOCIAL JUSTICE! Like when is being a warrior a insult?

[@Hellbane224]

@@danielland3767 They say it with "quotes," riddled with vitriol and spite. Because they are cowards, who lust for power above all else. The power to crush others under their heels. The power to do ANYTHING they want, be as CRUEL as they want, as EVIL as they want, as GREEDY as they want, without repercussions. Like the politicians. This actually demonstrates something I've always said in response to the quote, "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." This is wrong. Power is a means, not an end. No one wants power merely for the sake of having power. They want power to DO something with it. It is the end they desire that corrupts them. The desire to impose your will on others is a naturally corrupting influence, and that is why they are disgusted by SJWs. Because a true Social Justice Warrior does not want ANYONE to crush others for their own amusement or gain. They project their desires onto SJWs because their thought process is, "it's what I want, that's definitely what they want." They cannot fathom anything outside of their lust for the power to dominate others, and thus, they cannot fathom anyone wanting anything else but the same.

[@jameshowlettii761]

@@danielland3767 When the media take hold of the term and push for it to become a negative. SJW wasn't an insulting term until the media got hold of it. They've done exactly the same thing with the term "woke" now as well.

[@BlameThande]

This needs to be better known - I was surprised at just how central it is to the early Superman comics. He even has the exact same Chaco War arms dealer storyline as Tintin. The only fly in the ointment is it includes a reference to the US joining WW2 apparently being a bad thing...

[@arcadiaberger9204]

Yes. One has to wonder - if the wicked Emil Norvell's sneaky piece of legislation had gone through...would the U.S. have been obliged to go to war in 1939, and would Hitler have been defeated that much sooner? Then again, given the ferocity of anti-Communism in the U.S. at the time, it's possible that Republicans would have forced the 1939 declaration of war to be against both Germany AND the USSR, leading to a war lasting many years longer, especially after Pearl Harbor, when the U.S. would be fighting on THREE fronts. That could have resulted in an Axis victory - or to Soviet domination of a blasted and destroyed Europe. It definitely would have wound up with extensive use of nuclear bombs.

[@HandofOmega]

Aw, no coverage of the comic where a friend of Clark's is killed in an automobile accident, so Superman naturally declares unlimited WAR on all cars, smashing entire Lots full of the offending machines, like they were Public Enemy Number One? Good times...

[@evanlindsey1100]

I remember reading these stories in "Superman: From the 30s to the 70s". The first storyline really stuck in my memory, as there's a bit where when he forced the weapons merchant to enlist, Superman joined up as well, just to make certain that the merchant would learn firsthand the horrors of war. I haven't read the comic in question, I have seen the cover to an early 80s Superman or Action Comics, that shows an alien invasion with the caption "If Superman didn't exist, then someone would have to create him". Down towards the bottom of the cover are two kids (who are supposed to be Siegel and Shuster) hiding behind a fence collaborating on a drawing of Superman.

[@johngingras]

That was a great look at early Superman. I love those zany, convoluted stories! I wish I could have been there when they were thinking them up.

[@Taedis]

Superman getting the mine owner and his party guests trapped plays an awful lot like TOS episode "The Cloud Minders" a quarter of a century later. The plot specifics are sci-fied up in the latter, but it's essentially the same story, social justice angle, and moral.

[@jonpotter9510]

As coincidence has it, I just started a chronological read-through of Superman after DC Universe Infinite launched in the UK a few days ago. A major irony of Steve mentioning Siegel and Shuster’s truly tragic story is that just one issue on from the last one mentioned in this video, Superman foils someone who is unlawfully using his likeness to make a fortune (while claiming to have struck a deal with the Man of Steel).

[@vicmartinoofficial331]

Superman sounds so simple, such a simple idea and creation and perhaps it was/is but as is said there is brilliance in simplicity it's as simple as that!

[@dalerussell5673]

Great Show. I love the " Protector of the oppressed" Superman

[@BrotherAlpha]

Yet some people will claim comics are "too political now!"

[@protocetid]

it’s done in bad faith or out of willful ignorance

[@MindEyeMediaVR]

Thanks for doing this video! I can't remember all the times I've heard Batman fans say that he should go "back to his roots", yet fans seem to be awfully quiet about Superman going back to his.

[@ThePzwilson]

It's especially wild how, in the football story, all of the criminals essentially go unpunished. The thugs are simply foiled and left alone, apparently, and the corrupt coach just tenders his resignation, apropos of nothing, despite the fact that no suspicion is upon him. Great. Just great!

[@look4lec]

Thank you, I'm glad you also keep speaking up for those needing assistance, you're one of the only comic/TV/movie channels to take on societal issues and not shy away! 👍 We are HERE FOR THAT!

[@michaeljaubert1325]

Makes me look at superboy prime in a whole new way since he idolized this version of supes

[@garysouza95]

Steve, your comments fit All-Star Superman to a T. His courage in the face of death, his relentless drive to fill the rest of his life with service to humanity as well as just being a Platonic example of heroism for people to strive for, that's being a meta-SJW. He even creates the space through his example for Lex Luthor to redeem himself. He's an example of the limits of the possible to act for the good. We will fall short, but not because we aren't aware of the possible. It's because we aren't Superman.

[@DWNicolo]

Love the golden age Superman t-shirt you’re wearing Steve. Are you going to do a commentary on Superman vs. the Klan?

[@SteveShives]

Yep! At some point. It's on my list, as is the "Brotherhood of the Fiery Cross" storyline from the old radio show.

[@DWNicolo]

Loved the radio version.

[@twenty-fifth420]

Hi Steve, I am very sick today and I love your content. You always find a way to make me feel better. 💙💜 Superman, like you over the course of the few years, grew on me. I also only recently learned his birth name was in Hebrew. I hope you are doing better and I can’t wait to watch 💕

[@TJF588]

Maybe I'm just physically tired, but this pining for that initial vision of Superman, capping off with "...and win," well buddy, my breath rattled with welling eyes. Damn, there needs to be more depictions of THAT Superman getting bigger exposure, catching on all the more. Can we get more icons who embody the valiant spirits of the proactive masses, someone who we could live out this empower fantasy as alongside one another, to get a taste of victory for the causes of ordinary people and achieve it?

[@cha5]

I love those early Siegel & Shuster Superman stories, I always have since I first discovered them in Jules Fieffer’s book ‘The Great Comic Book Heroes,’ It’s a sad irony that Jerry and Joe got a check for their character for $150.00 and spent most of their lives in poverty while their creation would go on to earn trillions of dollars for DC. Anyways thanks for this really great video.

[@peterwyetzner5276]

The whole alien-planet thing seems beside the point- it's interesting that they didn't go for something more like the Scarlet Pimpernel or Zorro (or Batman).

[@walterhoward5512]

I bet they were fans of John Carter and tried to do an inversion of that kind of story.

[@Bentons-Crib]

this is exactly what we need in superman legacy

[@andrewanastasovski1609]

The purpose of power is to help others. I learned that from reading superhero comics.

[@empatheticrambo4890]

The Superman I grew up with was from the Justice League show from the 2000s. I remember him as moral, kind, & powerful. I really appreciate your discussion of power fantasy. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how my progressive values intersect with my love of super heroes like Batman, who some say is a conservative, authoritarian power fantasy about police. I can see that argument, Batman is usually justifying violence and vigilantism for the sake of the weak, but it’s not very restorative justice, and teaches us some wrong lessons about what kind of authority and justice to look to. However, I always feel the heart of someone like Batman or Superman, when adapted right, is someone who cares. Someone who wants what’s best for people, even the criminals. I appreciate the way the new The Batman movie actually engaged with this issue thematically, even though it’s unclear where they’re going next

[@allanolley4874]

There is something deep in the human psyche that makes drug someone to get them out of the way seem like a harmless tactic when in reality it would be somewhat dangerous and grossly unethical.

[@Mallory-Malkovich]

College football didn't have the "No Stabbin' Rule" before 1953.

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

The newspaper comic strip was even better.The Action Comics and Superman magazines were a bit censored (cut pages etc) but the first years of the strip were simply amazing. The first stories published in '39 showed a lot more of this social crusader aspect .Some stories appeared the same as the monthly counterparts but had lot of difrerences (just look at the story where Superman destroyed poor people holmes, why he done that is vastly different in the comic strip). Siegel and Shuster even showed everything in Krypton,Jor-El,Lara a full decade before the monthly titles.

[@invalidopinion5384]

I'm 100% sure somebody else has made this observation before and that I must've heard it somewhere, but this orginal version of Superman feels very much like the Golem meets Hercules. He's this sort of half-god half-human strong man like Hercules, and an unfaltering defender of the oppressed like the Golem. Would very much like to a see an anti-capitalist Superman story in the vein of Immortal Hulk.

[@BlackCover95]

Given that Siegel & Shuster were Jewish, I’m almost certain the Golem of Prague was an inspiration.

[@garysouza95]

"...change the course of mighty rivers..." Just like Hercules did to accomplish cleaning the Augean stables, one of his labors.

[@danixove2358]

18:28 nails it. The socio-humanistic side of Superman is important. That, and also Clark Kent being a quirky beta loser are the 2 things you never get from the standard boy-scout Superman. Don`t know why its legal owners are so inclined to the conservative formula, since we're not in 1955 and SJWish stuff seems to sell well today

[@arcadiaberger9204]

I'd like it if some new character could be created, or if some character like Lar Gand or Ar-Val, could be revamped, to serve as a member of the Superman Family who looked, talked and acted like Siegel and Shuster's original Superman. A member of the House of El, so he wore the family crest, but in a different form (one of the earlier versions that Shuster drew), and wearing a darker shade of blue, in imitation of Shuster's scratchy Superman costume. But above all, who used his Kryptonian powers the way 1938 Superman did.

[@DoctorTopper]

There is! In the late 80s "Young All Stars" wanted to continue the "All Star Squadron" in a world where there is no Earth-2 Superman so instead they made up a golden age hero "Iron Munro" who made some appearances including the final story arcs of Superman before New52 reboot.. Then "Superman and the Men of Steel" is a social crusader with an early golden age power set. Then again in "Superman: Truth".

[@RX552VBK]

Another great video essay, Steve. Very moving. Thank you, Jerry and Joe (RIP).

[@Faction.Paradox]

Imagine being in court and trying to explain that you drugged and impersonated someone because you were on a train that had almost killed a drunk hit and run driver that was on the tracks and overheard that a football coach was going to cheat in a match.

[@PaulJWells-ud2eq]

So very glad I'm currently stoned. I loved the football story! Never felt close to Superman as a character. Maybe like this? Maybe. Thank you, thank you very much.

[@bobcarn]

Superman is the first super social justice warrior. He's the granddaddy of them all. He's literally the standard that spawned all of the other superheroes we have now. I was reading some comments from people who were complaining about his son (Jon Kent) and how Jon has a boyfriend, and there were quite a few commentors upset that the comic has now "gone woke". It's awfully sad because these people are upset about changes to Superman, yet Superman was "woke" before anyone else in the comics. He's been "woke" before most of us were born!

[@bobmathis-friedman6742]

It's about time someone addressed this version of Kal-L (yes, I know about that bit of spelling-based trivia). Thank you.

[@TrueYellowDart]

Wow - weirdo SJW Superman DOES sound like the best Superman! I now want a bizarro Cartoon Network series that does faithful adaptations of these strange-ass older DC comics.

[@armoredvistitor2197]

you forgot about the superman daily comic strip which was done by jerry and joe, features more detailed versions of the stories from action comics, has fantastic art depicting golden age superman in motion, and even a couple more bonkers stories. also its was jerry and joe original idea for superman to be a daily strip before they sold it as a comic book

[@rodrigofrez4045]

Beautyfully layed down, thank you.

[@SailorSuitRebel]

Wonderful video! As a Superman fan, I whole heartily love this! :)

[@Robd07]

I have Golden Age Superman omnibuses...and wowww...their actually great crime stories! Gangsters actually die all the time and its awesome to see something different from the 40s era!

[@TechHighCurran]

I love this series (and Best Batman Ever as well). I want to see your take on the Scott Snyder Batman run, and I would love to see a Best Superman Ever on the John Byrne run from the late 80s (after Crisis on Infinite Earths). Just suggestions from a loyal fan.

[@MaxP_88]

Perhaps he doesn't consider those to be his favorite versions.

[@TheKitsuneCavalier]

"EVERY SECOND OF THIS VIDEO IS SUPER; ESPECIALLY THE CONCLUSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"--a very invigorated me

[@st.anselmsfire3547]

It kind of annoys me when conservatives associate protecting the marginalized and just being a good dude with left wing politics. I guess it says a lot about them, doesn't it?

[@penny2create323]

My mother met Jerry Siegel when she was at Glenville High School (Siegel and Shuster's alma mater).

[@anthonym.walkerlmt4077]

Bravo! Love your channel and wisdom!

[@darylifillifill1677]

I would have loved seeing the creators of Superman write a Justice League series

[@tlacamazatl]

Ironic that the character is now owned by an international conglomerate with questionable stances on social issues.

[@st.anselmsfire3547]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Christopher Reeve a key player in getting Siegel and Schuster their due, because he found out what had happened to them while he was researching the role? Or was it Donner? I've heard both.

[@Press-Star-ToPlay]

Man, I love those wacky kinds of comics and they way you talk about them is amazin :)

[@kaitlyn__L]

God this was great. I’ve read some of these stories you highlighted, and some you didn’t (like one where he single-handedly knocked down slums to rebuild them better), but I also hadn’t read that footballer one at all! Real moon-logic there, holy crap. Superman casually chemically assaulting you like it’s nbd. Terrifying!

[@Marcissus]

I hope you know, when you talk about dc properties, especially Batman, I smile very wide (yes I know it’s ironic to leave this on a Superman vid)

[@sfkeepay]

It’s deeply ironic that Ayn Rand admiring, libertarian conservative objectivists (like Zack Snyder) promote ideals and political structures that hold greed and selfishness as virtues and insist on the rule of individual and corporate power while embracing their of idea of “The Superman”, when he was originally conceived as someone explicitly and diametrically opposed to their entire political and philosophical project. Snyder’s Superman struggles with whether he actually has any obligation to help anyone but himself (with Snyder’s Martha Kent explicitly telling Clark “You don’t owe this world a thing.”

[@friedfrog5447]

And Martha is right

[@calebleland8390]

I have argued for years that comics have had a political slant from the very beginning. Any time someone starts with their bullshit "keep politics out of the books" diatribe, I remind them of stories like this, or how Stan Lee was pushing for inclusion and throwing in his own political ideals in the 60s. Alas, people don't want to hear that, and ignore you and just repeat their idiocy. Morons. Great video, Steve! I have some of the early collectors of these stores, and they're fantastic.

[@samwill7259]

Superman may be the Last Son of Krypton but he is also Earth's Favorite Son. He is what we are in the deepest of our hearts, what a good man is in the shadows when either the whole world is watching...or nobody would ever know. I still believe that as I grow up, because he taught me to. That we DO have good in us, that our hearts are capable of so much more than our most basic instincts. He is the Man of Tomorrow because his shadow is the horizon that we're all walking toward every single day. We just have to get there, one footstep at a time, even when it's hard, especially then.

[@frostyfrenchtoast]

But I thought sociopolitical commentary in comics were new and tainting the purity of the medium???

[@johnpresnell]

Excellent, and you’re a great host, too!

[@dyscotopia]

It's rather funny that today's Superman is rather regressive compared to the original. What does he do now? Fight aliens, not lobbyists and corrupt politicians and businessmen.

[@the9file]

*You needn’t worry, you’re just rendered passive by a drug.* :)

[@emmanuelgamarra8882]

Superman is awesome 👍🇺🇸

[@jdaywork2693]

Great video. The Comrade Superman (Red Son) story was an interesting one.

[@gmchris3752]

Superman needs to stop being so "woke" and get back to its roots . . . being WOOOOKE!!!!

[@Cyrus21100]

Well, Superman does have another moniker: The Man of Tomorrow. It's one i wish we'd see more of, alongside his activism.

[@MrNaviblack1]

Hey Steve my wife and I really appreciate your reviews (especially Star trek) and we would like if you could review Superman & Lois. We know that you did a review on either the first episode of season 1 or was it the entire first season. Well anyhow this is a very entertaining show with some damn decent writing. After being disappointed with season 2 of Picard it's a breath of fresh air. Your thoughts pls.

[@kingbeauregard]

Crazy early Superman pretty much demonstrates why Superman got relegated to fighting supervillains. A relatively low-powered Superman who invariably does the right thing is a pretty good guy, but if he were wrong on any particular stance, he'd be frightening. A Silver Age Superman (as in, the guy who shrugs off atomic bombs) who felt free to set right everything he felt was wrong, would be terrifying. Just imagine a full-powered Superman who believed that, say, illegal immigration is enough of a problem that he needs to stop it ... just imagine all the ways that could go wrong. It's a point that comics have made over and over about Superman: among the many things he does right is NOT impose his vision upon the rest of us.

[@garysouza95]

Depends how far upstream he goes to solve any single problem. It's the old saw about the man rescuing people drowning in a river, going up river to find who is throwing people in the river. He cleans house in the countries whose exploitative policies, enabled by powers located elsewhere, make it impossible for people to survive there, making it unnecessary for them to leave.

[@kingbeauregard]

@@garysouza95 Throwing people in a river is a very simple matter though: the person who's throwing them in a river is bad, he needs to be stopped. What happens when the villains aren't so black and white, and Superman's abilities don't lend themselves to shades of grey? And that's assuming Superman's motives are inerrant. In the "Martian Manhunter" series from the 1990s, it was revealed that MM actually kept an eye on young Clark growing up, because he didn't know whether Clark was there to help mankind or to destroy it. After witnessing an act of racism, Clark says at one point, "wrong is wrong and, when I grow up, I'm gonna make things right!" And MM first-person narrates: "I saw something in his eyes -- a burning desire to make things right. I prayed that was a good thing. How far would he go to 'make things right'? Many wrongs are committed that way. I resolved to keep a close watch."

[@garysouza95]

@@kingbeauregard He would find a way. He did in Superman:Peace on Earth, by being an inspiration. Perhaps installing fear in the corrupt and powerful, planting the seeds of wisdom in them as how to treat their fellow man. Evil flourishes when evil faces no consequence. Luthor was limited by Superman's presence, after all.

[@SupermanForeverFan-nw6pr]

I Love the max Fleischer superman t shirt!✊✊✊✊

[@williamirvine7071]

Fantastic Video - Thanks!

[@LinguarumFautor]

Now I’m disappointed that there isn’t a football off between Jay Garrick and Golden Age Superman.

[@1locust1]

Had a good chuckle at the very end of the football story.

[@BCBell-fj2ht]

I used to have a Moon Mullins Big Little Book where the characters were drinking beer throughout, so those train engineers must not have been too bad, either. Coming from the pulps the comics had to be working class, too. That was the audience.

[@jeaull]

2:00 oooooo ohohohoho yeeesssss ooooo there's gonna be some maaaad fan boys hehehehe. love your stuff

[@bounty_hunter101]

9:43 Good to know superdickery has been present since the very beginning.

[@emmanuelgamarra8882]

Jerry Siegel is awesome 🇺🇸

[@tuwwiii931]

Golden Age Superman is the champion of the working class!!! Him and Peter Parker

[@thearmanig98]

Grant Morrison’s Action Comics run has some meta-commentary about how these types of less-marketable aspects of Superman needing to go away to “increase profits and destroy the competition” quoting from memory what the killer franchise, Superdoom, said. At least that’s some of what I took from it.

[@walterhoward5512]

I've never read them, but I hear that newspaper comic strip was the ultimate version of Seigel and Schuster's take on the character. Will you be checking those out as well?

[@doctorskull8197]

I love the classic, more simple art work!

[@Lanceawright]

Nicely done.

[@johnnydillard9953]

I like it 😊. Not the way we would do it but...

[@maxiemaxwell550]

Well done, Steve.