He's been called the Man of Tomorrow, the Last Son of Krypton, and the Man of Steel. From the earliest version of Superman written and drawn by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster to the TV and movie adaptations featuring George Reeves and Christopher Reeve, to the latest versions seen in current issues of DC Comics, TV shows like Smallville and motion pictures like Superman Returns, Superman is one of the world's most recognizable heroes, a symbol of everything we most aspire to be and a figure that continues to entertain us with his high-flying exploits with every generation.

Siegel and Shuster were a writer/artist team struggling to find success with a strong man comic character inspired by newspaper strips like Captain Easy, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, The Phantom and Popeye, bodybuilder Bernarr McFadden, pulp adventurer Doc Savage (who by the way had a Fortress of Solitude), and a novel by Philip Wylie, Gladiator. Their creation-an alien from a doomed world raised by Kansas farmers and possessing a strong moral streak that leads him to adopt the guise of Superman-was a distillation of immigrant-fueled hopes of finding a place to belong, gaining acceptance, and achieving the American Dream. The two young men shared that vision with the world, and a hero was born.

Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 (June 1938), but he wasn't the all-powerful figure he would later become. For one thing, he didn't even fly; he leapt from place to place. For another, he wasn't the overgrown boy scout familiar to future generations, often employing more brutal tactics to defeat criminals, even if it meant the death of his foes. But for all the differences, some things were already in place-his banter with Lois Lane, his distinctive costume, and his unwavering devotion to truth, justice and the American way.

When Action Comics and a companion comic book series, Superman, began selling in the millions, publisher Harry Donenfeld set up Superman Inc. just to handle the merchandising of their new hit hero. The Man of Tomorrow-later the Man of Steel-quickly migrated to radio, newspaper strips, movie theaters in the form of animated short features (and later, live-action serials), and a special "Superman Day" at the 1940 World's Fair, sponsored by Macy's department store.

By 1941, phrases like "Look, up in the sky" and "up, up and away" were familiar to audiences who thrilled to every new adventure of this strange visitor from a distant planet. In a few short years, Superman had become America's superhero and that's still true today. At Geppi's Entertainment Museum, we're proud to showcase some of the earliest Superman comics and toys in our comic book library and "When Heroes Unite" gallery. There you'll find Superman housed in the Daily Planet building itself where Superman's alter ego, Clark Kent, toils as a mild-mannered reporter.