Superman Comic Book Collection
name: label: Illustrator
content: Austin, Terry
label: Creator
content: Siegel, Jerry (cartoonist)
label: Creator
content: Shuster, Joseph (cartoonist)
label: Author
content: Salkind, Alexander
label: Author
content: Lowther, George
label: Publisher
content: D.C. Comics Inc.
label: Collector
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Community Life
label: Names
content: Superman (Fictitious character)
topic: label: Occupation
content: Cartoonists -- 1930-1990
label: Topic
content: Heroes -- 1930-1990
label: Topic
content: Comic strips -- 1930-1990
label: Topic
content: Superman (Fictitious character) in mass media
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated by D.C. Comics Incorporated, through Paul Levitz, Vice President, Spring, 1987.
creator: label: Illustrator
content: Austin, Terry
label: Creator
content: Siegel, Jerry (cartoonist)
label: Creator
content: Shuster, Joseph (cartoonist)
label: Author
content: Salkind, Alexander
label: Author
content: Lowther, George
label: Publisher
content: D.C. Comics Inc.
label: Collector
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Community Life
setName: label: See more items in
content: Superman Comic Book Collection
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The Superman character was created and illustrated in the 1930s by two Cleveland high school students, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. At first unable to achieve publication as a comic strip, they got the character incorporated into a 1938 comic book, which was an immediate success. Since then Superman has been syndicated widely in newspapers, books, radio and TV programs, movies and animated cartoons. The character has been extensively used in commercial and public interest advertising campaigns.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.3 Cubic feet (2 boxes, 1 map-folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1923-1984
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: This collection was transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life), October 5, 1987.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0274
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Novels
label: Type
content: Scripts (documents)
label: Type
content: Screenplays
label: Type
content: Letters (correspondence)
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection organized into six series.

Series 1: Superman illustrations by Terry Austin, 1984

Series 2: Superman motion picture scripts by Alexander Salkind, 1977-1982

Series 3: Superman comic books, 1944-1978

Series 4: Superman (novel) by George Lowther, 1942

Series 5: Superman promotional material, 1947-1985

Series 6: Superman newspaper clippings and comic strips, 1940-1950
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Dan Darroch, 1987
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Novels -- 1940-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Scripts (documents)
label: Genre/Form
content: Screenplays -- 1970-1980
label: Genre/Form
content: Letters (correspondence) -- 1920-1930
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The collection includes numerous newspaper clippings of the Superman comic strip, 1940-1950, promotional material using the Superman character, Superman comic books, 1944-1978 and illustrations of Superman drawn by Terry Austin in 1984. Dramatic scripts for TV and movie portrayals of Superman in 1977 and 1982 as well as a novel by George Lowther about Superman published in 1942 are also parts of the collection.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Archival Materials
content: Superman artifacts and additional documentary material from D.C. Comics in Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) collections (separate transaction, accession no. 1987.0213). See also AC0106, Mrs. Curtis B. Patterson Comic Book Collection, 1901-1917.