1938- Superman Debuts in Action Comics #1
In only single bounds, Superman originally entered the scene as more of an Everyman, a social crusader. Taking up one of his original mantles - "champion of the oppressed" - in such a literal way that would get him lambasted on a 24-hour loop on Fox News today, the Superman of 1938 was rough around the edges of the "law", and fought for what was right and the "common good" of people. In the era of the Great Depression, this Superman represented the little guy, and often found himself entangled in his earliest encounters with the likes of crooked landlords, corrupt cops and wife-beaters. This rough-and-tumble gruff super brawler even once flattened a shanty town of dilapidated housing, declaring to the people "the government will build you better ones". This was certainly a "New Deal" Superman. In creating what would launch an entire genre and industry, Joe Shuster gave Superman his flowing red cape in order to accentuate his giant leaps. Popular influences of the late-1930's, theatre and track, can be seen in Shuster's early works in granting Kal-El wings. This shines through as the Last Son of Krypton's aeronautics were often illustrated like a mid-air ballet, with this stout Superman posed as if dancing through the atmosphere. This original Supes often was also drawn reaching his greatest peak skyward, with arms and legs at full extension, almost giving the impression of running through the clouds. With each new iteration building on the past, standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before, every new version and adaptation puts their own spin on taking Superman "up, up, and away".
It was not long before Superman took another giant leap, from the pages of comic books and newspaper strips to radio waves and live-action, making him a physical reality. And likely most menacing, and downright terrifying was one of Superman's first public appearances, shocking the world by making first contact in...