1941 - Fleischer Superman Cartoons
The Fleischer Studios, famous at the time for their wildly popular Popeye cartoons, were so apprehensive about producing a Man of Steel cartoon that when approached, they threw out an outrageous, astronomical number. A figure so high they were certain it could not be met and they would be off the hook for the daunting task of animating the Man of Steel. The Fleischer Studios thought that they'd dodged a big one. But like so many foiled hold-up artists have learnt the hard way and an unknown tally of bank robbers can confess to: The Man of Steel is faster than a speeding bullet. So, no longer able to refuse now that their high price was met, the Fleischers got to work "roto-scoping", or tracing live action models as the animated figures, and soon unveiled a Superman that for the first time brought to life what had only been possible before through print and radio: finally, one could see Superman fly! Having no point of reference in reality for how a flying man would navigate airspace, the care given to ensuring Superman fluid aerial movements is a sight to behold, as is the craft taken to details like Kal-El's cape elegantly fluttering in the breeze or the teeter-totter struggle in a race to balance a compromising skyscraper.
The Fleischers' Superman shorts can be appreciated even more-so looking back in hindsight at the landmark and bar set not just for Superman (and his power set), but the budding genre he would be father to.