9. DC Comics Is Strangely Connected To The New York Public Library
Around 1910, an 18-year-old Jewish graphic designer and engraver named Israel Schnapt emigrated from Austria to the United States. After arriving in New York, he simplified his name to Ira Schnapp and started looking for work. Schnapp held a variety of jobs, including designing and engraving U.S. postage stamps, and lettering the filmed title cards for silent movies. Schnapp was also a highly skilled stonecutter, and in 1911 the City of New York hired him to design and hand-carve the lettering above the main branch of its library: MDCCCXCV THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY MDCCCCII Three years later, Schnapp designed and carved the famous phrase "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" above the entrance to New York's James Farley General Post Office. Due to the historic significance of these facades, Schnapp's contributions to Americana are impressive, but his greatest contributions to pop culture were yet to come. In 1938, Ira Schnapp was hired by National Publishing (now DC) to design logos for its line of comic books. Schnapp created the stunning title logo for Action Comics, and later refined and perfected Siegel and Shusters' Superman logo, making it the most recognizable branding in the world. Schnapp stayed on at DC Comics for 30 years, lettering covers and creating dozens of inspired logos for comics, including the Silver Age greats The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Justice League of America. He also designed all the house ads that proliferated DC's comic books throughout the 1960s. Ira Schnapp, the man later known as "Mr. DC," helped define the company's distinctive look. He left indelible marks on both the New York Public Library and comic book history.