13 Freaky Facts You May Not Know About Comics And Their Creators

Comic books have captivated readers for more than three quarters of a century. The fantastic characters and earthshaking storylines continue to fascinate and amaze fans; and in recent years this wealth of mythic material has helped revitalize the movie industry. But sometimes the most intriguing stories take place behind the scenes - in the lives of the creators, and in the strange circumstances and fateful events which have shaped the history of the comic book. Did you know that when Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the first Superman story in 1933, the character was absolutely nothing like the superhero we know today? At the time, Joe and Jerry's work was still rather primitive - even by the standards of early comic books. Superman's incredible backstory had yet to be written, and the character sported no colorful costume, no flowing cape, no red S-insignia. In fact, Supes wore trousers and a wife-beater shirt! Rivalries and strange alliances! Threats, lawsuits and broken promises! Crazy connections and weird quirks of fate! All these factors have contributed to the growth of comics and the success of superheroes. Here are the often weird truths, exposing several long-held misconceptions and revealing some all-but-forgotten firsts - 13 of the craziest, coolest and, often, most ironic connections in comic book publishing.