Superman was originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster back in 1932 but DC managed to buy the rights to the character in 1938 for the low, low price of $US130. Even accounting for inflation, that’s only a little over $US2000 for one of the most popular characters ever! What a steal, right? And It was sort of a steal as Siegel and Shuster have an ongoing fight for ownership over Superman.
The check from March 1, 1938, which was thought to have been lost long ago, not only marks the start of Superman as a national superhero but also shows the ugly origins of how the comic book industry started in America: a business man exploited the creators of Superman. Jack Liebowitz, the man who signed the cheque, managed to negotiate the “exclusive right to the use of Superman” and ousted Siegel and Shuster from their baby. Buying all the rights to the character wasn’t normal says Comic Beat, for example, Bob Kane, creator of Batman, was allowed to hold onto a piece of the Dark Knight. All Siegel and Shuster got was this cheque.
Read more about the cheque’s history at Comics Beat. [Comics Beat via Nerd Approved]
Penmonicus
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 11:01 AM“Also shows the ugly origins of how the [insert industry here] started…”
But seriously: thanks for the post.
Antonia
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 11:27 AMIf Superman had turned out to be a dud would Siegel have returned any of the money?
If you go into a legal deal naive and/or with poor legal representation who’s to blame if you get the raw end?
TSH
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 11:44 AMThis, pretty much.
There’s no guarantee that Superman would have gone anywhere at all with the original owners of the property. Clearly DC saw an opportunity that Siegel and Shuster either didn’t see or couldn’t capitalise on.
Of course it would have been wiser to hold on to some kind of rights in exchange for a lower asking price, but that’s 20-20 hindsight for you.
BCK
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 5:57 PM+1
Jordaan Mylonas
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 11:58 AMHow does this article talk about comic creators being screwed out of their characters, then mention Bob Kane and Batman, and not mention Bill Finger, a man who is basically the exemplar of comic creators being screwed over?
Sky Bolt
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 12:25 PMIs it just me, or does anyone else see the number on the cheque as $412?
Zac
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 12:46 PM$412 was the total,
Superman was $130,
Jean D.C.(?) was $219
and around 30 bucks each for a couple acronyms lol