Superman Through the Ages! Forum

Where did the idea for Superman originate? In a novel? A magazine article? I have no idea and would like to find out. Perhaps it is answered elsewhere on this forum and if it is I cannot yet find it....thanks in advance for any info.....

This forum is just one small part of the site, go to this page and look around a bit:

http://superman.nu/a/welcome.php

and

http://superman.nu/a/comics.php

Thank you.

I checked out those sites (actually another part of THIS site I am on now) but I thought that dealt with the origins of Superman in the story. I am wondering how the idea FOR the Superman story began, whether in a novel/magazine article/short story etc if anyone knows...thanks

Well there's a lot more here, look under Siegel and Schuster here:

http://superman.nu/a/creators.php

Essentially, however, the story "The Superman" with the character being a villain was pitched as a pulp book (published in an inexpensive format).  Superman as a comic was drawn for newspaper publication, not picked up, then cut and pasted by hand for Action Comics in 1938.

I see that now. I thought the idea for Superman came from some novel, but it was just thought up by those two gentlemen mentioned......thanks very much....people are a great help on this forum. Thanks....

Here is how it all began:

http://superman.nu/a/ges/Version0.php

That is what I saw earlier but could not think of the two names of the folks who thought up Superman. But we are so used to it now that it is hard to realize how original that idea really was. Thanks for your help, everyone who gave me info. I appreciate it.

Dave, there is some talk that the idea of Superman was inspired by a novel called Gladiator by Phillip Wylie.

As well, the idea of a person or concept known as "the Superman" goes back to the 1800s.  Google dictionary citations for "superman" and "ubermensch" to get an idea.