New 52
152-658: Adam Strange is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Created by editor Julius Schwartz and designed by Murphy Anderson , he first appeared in Showcase #17 (November 1958). Adam Strange made his live action debut in the television series Krypton , portrayed by Shaun Sipos . In 1957, DC Comics editorial director Irwin Donenfeld held a meeting with editors Jack Schiff and Julius Schwartz in his office, asking them each to create
304-526: A New 52 incarnation of Adam Strange at some point in Justice League Canada , a series scheduled to launch in Spring 2014. Lemire's series was instead titled Justice League United , featuring Adam and Alanna. The series Strange Adventures vol. 5, written by Tom King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads and Evan Shaner was launched in 2020, focusing on the character of Adam Strange. Strange
456-535: A crossover with Jonny Quest in Adam Strange / Future Quest Annual #1 in March 2017. The character and series of the same name have received several awards over the years, including the 1967 and 1968 Alley Awards for Strip Most Desired for Revival. IGN ranked Adam Strange as the 97th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that: If by fluke we were given the chance to ride a Zeta Beam into space, meet
608-595: A successful franchise which pioneered the Kyodai Hero subgenre where the superheroes would be as big as giant monsters ( kaiju ) that they fought. The kaiju monster Godzilla , originally a villain, began being portrayed as a radioactive superhero in the Godzilla films , starting with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). By the 1970s, Godzilla came to be viewed as a superhero, with
760-545: A British comic book supervillain / superhero that appeared in anthology book Lion between 26 June 1965 and 26 April 1969 and was reprinted in Vulcan . Siegel took over the writing of the character with his third adventure, and would write the bulk of his adventures. His first work on the character was published in the 8 January 1966 issue, the start of the serial "The Spider v Doctor Mysterioso". He also created and wrote Gadgetman and Gimmick-Kid . When Siegel served in
912-687: A adventure with Adam Strange. In the Justice League of America comic book, the Flash mentioned Adam Strange as a possible new member for the Justice League . When a letter to the editor pointed out the group had not met Adam Strange and could not have heard of him, as all his heroics took place on Rann, Schwartz and Fox wrote a story showing how the Justice League came to Rann and how Adam Strange saved them from Kanjar Ro . The story
1064-705: A book entitled Business Zero to Superhero . In 2014, he received a cease and desist from DC and Marvel who claimed that his use of the term superhero would cause confusion and dilute their brands. He was offered a few thousand dollars in settlement to change the name of his book, but he did not concede. A few days prior to the scheduled hearing at the Intellectual Property Office in London, the companies backed down. A similar scenario occurred when comic book creator Ray Felix attempted to register his comic book series A World Without Superheroes with
1216-693: A decorated officer in the United States Air Force who would become a costumed superheroine herself years later. In 1975 Shotaro Ishinomori 's Himitsu Sentai Gorenger debuted on what is now TV Asahi, it brought the concepts of multi-colored teams and supporting vehicles that debuted in Gatchaman into live-action, and began the Super Sentai franchise (later adapted into the American Power Rangers series in
1368-531: A diversion which allowed Hyathis to kidnap Aleea. Her plans were upset by the arrival of Superboy and the Ravers . Years later, Adam is on Rann raising Aleea and helping to restore the planet, when he learns that Alanna was placed in suspended animation and captured by the En'Taran Slavemasters. Adam convinces the conquerors that he must kidnap the Justice League to rebuild the planet more quickly, and thus, together with
1520-420: A firefight. The effectiveness of these armaments makes them potent enough in dispatching Smite, one of Starro's lieutenants boasting physical capabilities rivalling Superman or Lobo. When properly calibrated by outside forces, these energy weapons can also channel the light of a Power Ring or a facsimile of its corresponding emotion that can dispatch a small enclave of Black Lanterns. One of Strange's as well as
1672-631: A girl named Aleea, but apparently dies in the process. Grayven , Darkseid 's illegitimate son, tries to destroy Ranagar City and take the Zeta-Beam, Adam Strange is aided by the Darkstars and Green Lantern Kyle Rayner . Hyathis attempted to overthrow the government of Rann by using her telepathy to turn an alien race called the Zaredians against the Darkstars. The Zaredian attack created
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#17327729782221824-477: A horrifically bloody way. It appears Champ was infected by a madness plague created by Lady Styx before leaving Earth, and has infected one third of the people on Rann, causing them to riot and say "Believe in Her". Adam and his family escape to Earth, where he enlists the aid of Animal Man and Starfire, eventually discovering a way to cure the plague and restore the infectees to normal. Adam Strange, along with many of
1976-537: A larger one. Another important event was the debut of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai, creating the Super Robot genre. Go Nagai also wrote the manga Cutey Honey in 1973; although the Magical Girl genre already existed, Nagai's manga introduced Transformation sequences that would become a staple of Magical Girl media. The 1970s would see more anti-heroes introduced into Superhero fiction such examples included
2128-449: A letter column of the pulp magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories , the word superhero was used to define the title character of the comic strip Zarnak , by Max Plaisted. In the 1930s, the trends converged in some of the earliest superpowered costumed heroes, such as Japan's Ōgon Bat (1931) and Prince of Gamma (early 1930s), who first appeared in kamishibai (a kind of hybrid media combining pictures with live storytelling), Mandrake
2280-542: A machine that will magnetize all of the planets Nth Metal, killing Hawkman and Despero. A reluctant Adam agreed, but the machine unexpectedly sent him hurtling into another dimension. The dimension was revealed to be the home of Jonny Quest as part of the Future Quest series. He soon found his way back to the DC Universe, where he divides his attention between his home world and his adopted world. He also became
2432-523: A multimedia franchise that used footage from Super Sentai . Internationally, the Japanese comic book character , Sailor Moon , is recognized as one of the most important and popular female superheroes ever created. The first use of the word "super hero" dates back to 1917. At the time, the word was merely used to describe a "public figure of great accomplishments." However, in 1967, Ben Cooper, Inc., an American Halloween costume manufacturer, became
2584-521: A murder. The plight of Rann's people was soon resolved by Vril Dox, seeking to restore his reputation after Starro the Conqueror stole L.E.G.I.O.N. from him and used it to enslave its client worlds. Dox Zeta-beamed Rann into the Vega system, in the orbit previously held by the now destroyed planet Tamaran , and proceeded to terraform Rann and make it suitable to sustain life again. The restoration of
2736-551: A new Strange text story by Fox, with illustrations by Anderson). Adam Strange had stories written by Dave Wood, Jerry Siegel and Dennis O'Neil , art by Lee Elias and inks by John Giunta . Through the 1970s the character was a regular presence in the DC Universe despite having no series of his own. In September 1980 Adam Strange began as a back-up feature in Green Lantern (this lasted from #132 to #147). Later in
2888-502: A new science fiction hero, one from the present and one from the future. Given first pick Schiff chose to create one from the future, Space Ranger . Schwartz was happy with the pick feeling that readers would more readily identify with a hero from the present. He conceived the idea of an Earth man repeatedly traveling to a planet in the Alpha Centauri star system by using a "Zeta-beam" altered by space radiation. Since Adam Strange
3040-423: A profound effect on Japanese television . 1958 saw the debut of superhero Moonlight Mask on Japanese television. It was the first of numerous televised superhero dramas that would make up the tokusatsu superhero genre. Created by Kōhan Kawauchi , he followed up its success with the tokusatsu superhero shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both starring a young Sonny Chiba . It
3192-505: A promiscuous manner. Through the overdeveloped bodies of the heroes or the seductive mannerisms of the villains, women in comic books are used as subordinates to their male counterparts, regardless of their strength or power. Wonder Woman has been subject to a long history of suppression as a result of her strength and power, including American culture's undoing of the Lynda Carter television series. In 2017's Wonder Woman , she had
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#17327729782223344-577: A publishing agreement with DC Comics that allowed them to introduce a line of comics that included characters of many ethnic minorities. Milestone's initial run lasted four years, during which it introduced Static , a character adapted into the WB Network animated series Static Shock . In addition to the creation of new minority heroes, publishers have filled the identities and roles of once-Caucasian heroes with new characters from minority backgrounds. The African-American John Stewart appeared in
3496-425: A reserve member of the Justice League. Adam Strange lacks any real superhuman attributes, choosing to rely more on quick thinking and ingenuity. Before coming to Rann, Strange was an accomplished explorer and archaeologist who specialized in gathering and studying lost artifacts found in the remains of ancient civilizations. Applying these qualities to his new life on Rann, he would venture out with his new family into
3648-404: A schedule of beam firings, allowing him to periodically return to the planet. Years later, during an exile in space, Swamp Thing arrives on Rann, where he meets Adam Strange. In this story it is revealed that centuries ago the planet's population suffered nuclear wars and left them not only with the loss of a large part of their ecosystem, but also with a genetic problem that made the majority of
3800-757: A secondary character of the Green Hornet media franchise series since its inception in the 1930s. ). Kitty Pryde , a member of the X-Men, was an openly Jewish superhero in mainstream American comic books as early as 1978. Comic-book companies were in the early stages of cultural expansion and many of these characters played to specific stereotypes ; Cage and many of his contemporaries often employed lingo similar to that of blaxploitation films, Native Americans were often associated with shamanism and wild animals , and Asian Americans were often portrayed as kung fu martial artists . Subsequent minority heroes, such as
3952-448: A sexy alien princess on the planet Rann, and fight extraterrestrial threats with high-tech weaponry, I wouldn’t want to go back to mundane Earth-life either. That makes us completely sympathetic to Adam Strange’s plight. Superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses superpowers or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits
4104-406: A single source." DC and Marvel have continued to expand their commercialization of the "superhero" mark to categories beyond comic books. Now, the two publishers jointly own numerous trademarks for figurines (see Spider-Man, Batman), movies, TV shows, magazines, merchandise, cardboard stand-up figures, playing cards , erasers , pencils , notebooks , cartoons , and many more. For instance,
4256-513: A skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil; she debuted in Fiction House 's Jungle Comic #2 (Feb. 1940), credited to the pseudonymous "Barclay Flagg". The Invisible Scarlet O'Neil , a non-costumed character who fought crime and wartime saboteurs using the superpower of invisibility created by Russell Stamm, would debut in the eponymous syndicated newspaper comic strip a few months later on June 3, 1940. In 1940, Maximo
4408-680: A son named Michael (January 27, 1944 – January 17, 2006). The couple divorced in 1948. In November 1948, Siegel married Joanne Carter . She and Siegel first met in January 1935, when she worked with his colleague Joe Shuster as the model for Lois Lane . They reacquainted at a costume ball in New York on April 1, 1948. On March 1, 1951, Joanne gave birth to their daughter, Laura. The couple settled on Long Island , before moving to California in 1968. Siegel and Joanne remained married until his death in 1996. Siegel died on January 28, 1996, of
4560-466: A spacesuit that allows for interstellar travel. Adam is preparing to relocate to Rann permanently when he learns that Sardath transported the planet to another dimension to protect it from Starbreaker . Adam, with the help of the Omega Men and the Darkstars , among others, saves Rann and defeats Starbreaker. When Rann was moved from Alpha Centauri to Polaris , its orbit was believed to have pushed
4712-406: A suit not unlike the swimsuits in the T.V. show Baywatch . The sexualization of women in comic books can be explained mainly by the fact that the majority of writers are male. Not only are the writers mostly male, but the audience is mostly male as well. Therefore, writers are designing characters to appeal to a mostly male audience. The super hero characters illustrate a sociological idea called
Adam Strange - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-538: A tactical intellect on par with - or exceeding - the likes of Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor, and complements this with the learning that he has gained in his many years of study on Rann. He is able to reverse engineer functional technological wonders even from the damaged remains of an alien ship with ease. He is also an accomplished mathematician, who can expertly deduce the exact time and place when and where Sardath's Zeta Beam will hit on his home planet of Earth. Mark Waid showcases his intellect in his run on JLA . After Rann
5016-476: A wide array of different backgrounds and origins. Some superheroes (such as Spider-Man and Superman ) possess non-human or superhuman biology or use and practice magic to achieve their abilities (such as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel ) while others (for example, Iron Man and Batman ) derive their status from advanced technology they create and use. The Dictionary.com definition of "superhero"
5168-596: Is Nick Fury , who is reinterpreted as African-American both in the Ultimate Marvel as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuities. Jerry Siegel Jerome Siegel ( / ˈ s iː ɡ əl / SEE -gəl ; October 17, 1914 – January 28, 1996) was an American comic book writer . He is the co-creator of Superman , in collaboration with his friend Joe Shuster , published by DC Comics . They also created Doctor Occult , who
5320-512: Is "a figure, especially in a comic strip or cartoon , endowed with superhuman powers and usually portrayed as fighting evil or crime", and the Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person." Terms such as masked crime fighters, costumed adventurers or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer to characters such as
5472-558: Is a member of the so-called Aberrant Six. With Throneworld renamed New Rann, Adam Strange once more teams up with the DC space heroes to investigate why some of the galaxy's stars are disappearing. It is discovered from the future spirit of Synnar that he is destined to be one of 'The Aberrant Six', a group critical to preventing the Synnar of today (trapped in The Weird's body) from destroying
5624-421: Is a motorcycle-riding hero in an insect-like costume, who shouts Henshin (Metamorphosis) to don his costume and gain superhuman powers. The ideas of second-wave feminism , which spread through the 1960s into the 1970s, greatly influenced the way comic book companies would depict as well as market their female characters: Wonder Woman was for a time revamped as a mod-dressing martial artist directly inspired by
5776-473: Is a twin-engine propulsion system attached to a harness adorning his back capable of aerial aviation for an undisclosed amount of time. Strange is also versed in other kinds of rocket propulsion equipment like a booster system with hidden back up blasters, with his equipment Strange can also make escape velocity to break planetary orbit. Adam Strange's primary weapon of choice is a Rannian laser pistol among other assorted weapons and munitions picked up from across
5928-544: Is a website satirizing the sexualized portrayal of women in comics by recreating the same poses using male superheroes, especially Marvel's Hawkeye . In 1966, Marvel introduced the Black Panther , an African monarch who became the first non- caricatured black superhero. The first African-American superhero, the Falcon , followed in 1969, and three years later, Luke Cage , a self-styled "hero-for-hire" , became
6080-611: Is able to clone a new set of eyes from his granddaughter, Aleea Strange, and transplant them into Adam. These new eyes enable Adam to see the entire electromagnetic spectrum. As the protector of Rann, Adam is well connected with Sardeth and his science council. Adam uses a colorful variety of technologies both as a hero and spacefarer. The resources pertaining to Rann's wonders of science available to him are numerous. He has studied, disassembled and rebuilt much of his own equipment; consisting mainly of high-tech munitions, armor, gadgets & utensils or cutting edge genetics engineering. Strange
6232-519: Is about a vagrant named Bill Dunn who gains vast psychic powers after taking an experimental drug. Dunn then calls himself "the Superman" and proceeds to use his powers maliciously. In 1933, Siegel and Shuster began making amateur comic strips together. They self-published their work in a fanzine titled Popular Comics . Siegel and Shuster began working for DC Comics (then known as National Allied Publications ) in 1935. Siegel's writing career there
Adam Strange - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-476: Is also well versed in their mechanical function as well as practical use in his heroic endeavors. Strange is an adept aerial combatant, often making use of a fireproof, thermal insulated and environmentally adapted suit with which to traverse the terrains of foreign worlds or in the cold depths of space. With further upgrades, Strange’s costume boasts a built-in Zeta Beamer with which to warp lightyears across
6536-435: Is an archeologist suddenly teleported from Peru, Earth, to the planet Rann through a "Zeta-Beam". Upon his arrival, he is attacked by one of the planet's predators and rescued by a dark-haired woman called Alanna. She takes him to her father Sardath , who explains that the Zeta-Beam was transmitted to Earth in the hopes that whatever form of intelligent life lived there would trace it back to Rann, and he also theorizes that in
6688-532: Is arguable that the Marvel Comics teams of the early 1960s brought the biggest assortment of superheroes ever at one time into permanent publication, the likes of Spider-Man (1962), The Hulk , Iron Man , Daredevil , Nick Fury , The Mighty Thor , The Avengers (featuring a rebooted Captain America , Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man , Quicksilver ), and many others were given their own monthly titles. Typically
6840-486: Is blinded in a Zeta-Beam accident. After being attacked by Devilance the Pursuer , the three escape and battle Lady Styx , who is ravaging planets across the galaxy. With Styx presumably defeated and Animal Man seemingly killed, Strange and Starfire continue their journey back to Earth and Rann while Styx's followers pursue them. With Starfire wounded in one such battle, and their ship breaking apart and malfunctioning, Adam
6992-524: Is conquered by a telepathic race called En'Tarans, Strange defeats them by secretly converting the planet into a giant Zeta Beam gun, powered by the latent Mega Zeta Radiation in his body. With the aid of the JLA, Strange successfully transports the En'Taran fleet to another part of the galaxy. In the aftermath of the Infinite Crisis event, Adam Strange loses his eyes in a freak Zeta Beam accident. Sardath
7144-489: Is rescued by Mogo and a rookie Green Lantern . He is then brought to Rann, where his vision is restored. Adam Strange joined Animal Man and Starfire in the series Countdown to Adventure written by Adam Beechen in August 2007. In issue #1, Adam finds himself replaced as Rann's protector by Champ Hazard, a former actor from Earth. However, Hazard has no regard for any life and is responsible for ending his battles in
7296-534: Is set in the 30th Century. Siegel also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter and Jerry Ess . Jerry Siegel was born on October 17, 1914, in Cleveland , Ohio , to a Jewish family. His parents were both Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York in 1900, having fled antisemitism in their native Lithuania , then part of the Russian Empire . His father was born Mikhel Iankel Segalovich and his mother
7448-506: Is uncommon, the USPTO will grant joint ownership in a mark. For example, in the case Arrow Trading Co., Inc. v. Victorinox A.G. and Wegner S.A. , Opposition No. 103315 (TTAB June 27, 2003), the TTAB held that when "two entities have a long-standing relationship and rely on each other for quality control, it may be found, in appropriate circumstances, that the parties, as joint owners, do represent
7600-668: The Black Canary , introduced in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947) as a supporting character. The most iconic comic book superheroine, who debuted during the Golden Age, is Wonder Woman . Modeled from the myth of the Amazons of Greek mythology , she was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston , with help and inspiration from his wife Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne. Wonder Woman's first appearance
7752-535: The Emma Peel character from the British television series The Avengers (no relation to the superhero team of the same name), but later reverted to Marston's original concept after the editors of Ms. magazine publicly disapproved of the character being depowered and without her traditional costume; Supergirl was moved from being a secondary feature on Action Comics to headline Adventure Comics in 1969;
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#17327729782227904-674: The Justice League of America in the JLA series. During this period, Mark Waid featured Adam Strange when he filled in for Morrison. In JLA #20 (July 1998), Alanna is revealed to be alive and is briefly reunited with her husband and daughter before Adam returns to Earth. Adam appeared in stories set in the Silver Age : Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1 (1998); Silver Age: Showcase #1 (2000); DC Universe: Legacies #5 (2010); and DC Retroactive : Justice League - The '70s (2011). In 2013, Jeff Lemire said he intended to introduce
8056-527: The Lady Liberators appeared in an issue of The Avengers as a group of mind-controlled superheroines led by Valkyrie (actually a disguised supervillainess ) and were meant to be a caricatured parody of feminist activists; and Jean Grey became the embodiment of a cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force with seemingly unlimited power in the late 1970s, a stark contrast from her depiction as
8208-576: The Legion of Super-Villains . During his second tenure as writer at DC Comics, Siegel did not receive any byline for his stories, which was the normal policy of DC Comics at the time. Siegel and Shuster conceived Funnyman , a clownish superhero, while they were still working for DC Comics. They anticipated a decline in the popularity of conventional superheroes, and thought a comedy hybrid character would have sustainable appeal. Unlike other characters they created, Siegel and Shuster were determined to retain
8360-706: The New York Times and The Colbert Report , and embraced by anti- Islamophobia campaigners in San Francisco who plastered over anti-Muslim bus adverts with Kamala stickers. Other such successor-heroes of color include James "Rhodey" Rhodes as Iron Man and to a lesser extent Riri "Ironheart" Williams , Ryan Choi as the Atom , Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle and Amadeus Cho as Hulk . Certain established characters have had their ethnicity changed when adapted to another continuity or media. A notable example
8512-572: The R.E.B.E.L.S. to battle Starro . It was also around this time that Adam Strange visited New Krypton to protest the accord that their Council reached with the Thanagarians. Explaining that the Rannians have recently been on the losing end in a war with the Thanagarians, Adam questions the judgment of the Council in reaching this accord. Whilst there he aided Superman who was investigating
8664-671: The X-Men 's Storm and the Teen Titans ' Cyborg avoided such conventions; they were both part of ensemble teams, which became increasingly diverse in subsequent years. The X-Men, in particular, were revived in 1975 with a line-up of characters drawn from several nations, including the Kenyan Storm, German Nightcrawler , Soviet / Russian Colossus , Irish Banshee , and Japanese Sunfire . In 1993, Milestone Comics , an African-American-owned media/publishing company entered into
8816-399: The " male gaze " which is media created from the viewpoint of a normative heterosexual male. The female characters in comic books are used to satisfy male desire for the "ideal" woman (small waist, large breasts, toned, athletic body). These characters have god-like power, but the most easily identifiable feature is their hyper sexualized bodies: they are designed to be sexually pleasing to
8968-568: The 1970s as an alternate for Earth's Green Lantern Hal Jordan , and would become a regular member of the Green Lantern Corps from the 1980s onward. The creators of the 2000s-era Justice League animated series selected Stewart as the show's Green Lantern. In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Miles Morales , a youth of Puerto Rican and African-American ancestry who was also bitten by a genetically-altered spider, debuted as
9120-491: The 1980s Alan Moore wrote a retcon of Adam Strange's reason for his visits to Rann. In this retcon the population of the planet, the majority of whom view the Terran with contempt, is sterile, and Adam Strange is there to be a breeding stud . In a 1990 limited series , The Man of Two Worlds , Adam learns of the population's opinion of him and Alanna dies giving birth to their daughter Aleea. In 1997, Grant Morrison revived
9272-423: The 1980s, Siegel wrote for the comics publisher Aardvark-Vanaheim . Siegel remained somewhat active in science fiction fandom after starting work for DC. He attended Chicon , the 1940 2nd World Science Fiction Convention , and appeared in the convention's masquerade as Clark Kent . Siegel married Bella Lifshitz on June 10, 1939. She was a Jewish woman from his neighborhood of Glenville. With Bella, he had
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#17327729782229424-458: The 1980s, superhero fiction centered on cultural, ethnic, national, racial and language minority groups (from the perspective of US demographics ) began to be produced. This began with depiction of black superheroes in the 1960s, followed in the 1970s with a number of other ethnic-minority superheroes. In keeping with the political mood of the time, cultural diversity and inclusivism would be an important part of superhero groups starting from
9576-409: The 1980s. In the 1990s, this was further augmented by the first depictions of superheroes as homosexual. In 2017, Sign Gene emerged, the first group of deaf superheroes with superpowers through the use of sign language . Female super heroes—and villains—have been around since the early years of comic books dating back to the 1940s. The representation of women in comic books has been questioned in
9728-561: The 1990s). In 1978, Toei adapted Spider-Man into a live-action Japanese television series . In this continuity, Spider-Man had a vehicle called Marveller that could transform into a giant and powerful robot called Leopardon, this idea would be carried over to Toei's Battle Fever J (also co-produced with Marvel) and now multi-colored teams not only had support vehicles but giant robots to fight giant monsters with. In subsequent decades, popular characters like Dazzler , She-Hulk , Elektra , Catwoman , Witchblade , Spider-Girl , Batgirl and
9880-660: The Amazing Superman debut in Big Little Book series , by Russell R. Winterbotham (text), Henry E. Vallely and Erwin L. Hess (art). Captain America also appeared for the first time in print in December 1940, a year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government, when America was still in isolationism . Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the superhero was the physical embodiment of
10032-856: The American spirit during World War II. One superpowered character was portrayed as an antiheroine , a rarity for its time: the Black Widow , a costumed emissary of Satan who killed evildoers in order to send them to Hell —debuted in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), from Timely Comics , the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics . Most of the other female costumed crime fighters during this era lacked superpowers. Notable characters include The Woman in Red , introduced in Standard Comics ' Thrilling Comics #2 (March 1940); Lady Luck , debuting in
10184-605: The Army (1943–1946), he was posted in Honolulu, Hawaii and wrote for Stars and Stripes , Midpacifican , and Yank, the Army Weekly , all military publications written by soldiers. In Stars and Stripes , he had a small humor column titled "Take a Break wit T/5 Jerry Siegel". In Midpacifican , he wrote the comic strip Super Sam , in which an Army private gains superpowers after receiving a blood transfusion from Superman. This
10336-422: The Avengers) with her brother, Quicksilver. In 1963, Astro Boy was adapted into a highly influential anime television series. Phantom Agents in 1964 focused on ninjas working for the Japanese government and would be the foundation for Sentai -type series. 1966 saw the debut of the sci-fi/horror series Ultra Q created by Eiji Tsuburaya this would eventually lead to the sequel Ultraman , spawning
10488-468: The Birds of Prey became stars of long-running eponymous titles. Female characters began assuming leadership roles in many ensemble superhero teams; the Uncanny X-Men series and its related spin-off titles in particular have included many female characters in pivotal roles since the 1970s. Volume 4 of the X-Men comic book series featured an all-female team as part of the Marvel NOW! branding initiative in 2013. Superpowered female characters like Buffy
10640-432: The DC space heroes including Hawkman, Starfire , The Weird , and Starman , battles Synnar the Demiurge. Adam Strange's actions in this story result in the depopulation of Prince Gavyn's Throneworld at the hands of Lady Styx. Later, to defeat Synnar and Lady Styx, Rann's atmosphere was explosively discharged into outer space with Rann's entire population Zeta-beamed to Throneworld. Strange also discovers in this story that he
10792-516: The Jewish neighborhood of Glenville in 1928. He attended Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio . At about age 16, while at Glenville, he befriended Joe Shuster . Siegel described his friendship with the similarly shy and bespectacled Shuster: "When Joe and I first met, it was like the right chemicals coming together." They shared a love of science fiction, adventure fiction, and movies. Siegel graduated from high school in June 1934. Unable to afford college, he worked various delivery jobs, all
10944-529: The Magician (1934), Olga Mesmer (1937) and then Superman (1938) and Captain Marvel (1939) at the beginning of the Golden Age of Comic Books , whose span, though disputed, is generally agreed to have started with Superman's launch. Superman has remained one of the most recognizable superheroes, and his success spawned a new archetype of characters with secret identities and superhuman powers. At
11096-702: The Mega Zeta Beam, transport was also permanent, without the danger of Zeta Ray sickness. Further modifications integrated the transport device into Adam's space suit. An alternate universe variant of Adam Strange appears in Just Imagine... . This version is the superpowered teenage son of the villainous Reverend Dominic Darrk and Morgan le Fey . Adam Strange's identically-named descendant appears in Mystery in Space #94 (September 1964). Adam Strange had
11248-514: The Spirit , who may not be explicitly referred to as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits. Some superheroes use their powers to help fight daily crime while also combating threats against humanity from supervillains , who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superhero's archenemy or nemesis . Some popular supervillains become recurring characters in their own right. Antecedents of
11400-827: The Sunday- newspaper comic-book insert The Spirit Section June 2, 1940; the comedic character Red Tornado , debuting in All-American Comics #20 (Nov 1940); Miss Fury , debuting in the eponymous comic strip by female cartoonist Tarpé Mills on April 6, 1941; the Phantom Lady , introduced in Quality Comics Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941); the Black Cat , introduced in Harvey Comics ' Pocket Comics #1 (also Aug. 1941); and
11552-408: The USPTO. Felix is one of many who argue that the term "superhero" has become generic (see discussion below). Felix's mark is currently abandoned, but he has stated that he intends to fight against DC and Marvel for use of the term. In 2024, Superbabies Limited managed to obtain a default judgement and cancel the "super heroes" trademarks as genericized, except for the animation pictures mark. This
11704-540: The Vampire Slayer and Darna have a tremendous influence on popular culture in their respective countries of origin. With more and more anime , manga and tokusatsu being translated or adapted, Western audiences were beginning to experience the Japanese styles of superhero fiction more than they were able to before. Saban 's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , an adaptation of Zyuranger , created
11856-684: The Vega System and the galaxy. In The New 52 , a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe, Adam Strange was reintroduced to mainstream continuity as a Canadian archaeologist who has a relationship with Alanna (now Alanna Lewis, a former student of his). He and other heroes are teleported to his home planet Rann to stop the villain Byth Rok. He and Alanna then became founding members of the Justice League United . An accident with
12008-471: The West as Astro Boy , was published. The series focused upon a robot boy built by a scientist to replace his deceased son. Being built from an incomplete robot originally intended for military purposes, Astro Boy possessed amazing powers such as flight through thrusters in his feet and the incredible mechanical strength of his limbs. The 1950s saw the Silver Age of Comics . During this era DC introduced
12160-505: The Zeta Beam allowed Adam to merge with its time-space energy signature, allowing him to project his consciousness throughout all known reality. By the end of the series, Adam would lose his newfound abilities and return to normal. During Vandal Savage 's scheme to gain more power from the comet that made him immortal, the JLU assisted a weaker Superman's efforts to thwart his plans. However,
12312-512: The archetype include mythological characters such as Gilgamesh , Hanuman , Perseus , Odysseus , David , and demigods like Heracles , all of whom were blessed with extraordinary abilities, which later inspired the superpowers that became a fundamental aspect of modern-day superheroes. The distinct clothing and costumes of individuals from English folklore , like Robin Hood and Spring-Heeled Jack , also became inspirations. The dark costume of
12464-482: The archetypical hero stock character in 1930s American comics, superheroes are predominantly depicted as White American middle- or upper-class young adult males and females who are typically tall, athletic, educated, physically attractive and in perfect health. Beginning in the 1960s with the civil rights movement in the United States, and increasingly with the rising concern over political correctness in
12616-637: The character, Schwartz gave the penciler assignment to Carmine Infantino instead of Sekowsky. Most issues were inked by Murphy Anderson (although Bernard Sachs, Joe Giella and Sid Greene did a few issues each). After his adventures in Mystery in Space were cancelled, Adam Strange continued to have guest appearances in several DC Comics titles. Perhaps the most notable is an adventure written by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Murphy Anderson for Hawkman #18 (1967). In it, Hawkman fails to find his planet, Thanagar, and his search leads him to Rann, where he shares
12768-413: The comic-strip characters Patoruzú (1928) and Popeye (1929) and novelist Philip Wylie 's character Hugo Danner (1930). Another early example was Sarutobi Sasuke , a Japanese superhero ninja from children's novels in the 1910s; by 1914, he had a number of superhuman powers and abilities. The French character L'Oiselle , created in 1909, can be classed as a superheroine. In August 1937, in
12920-534: The companies filed a trademark application as joint owners for the mark "SUPER HEROES" for a series of animated motion pictures in 2009 (Reg. No. 5613972). Both DC and Marvel also individually owned trademarks involving the "super hero" mark. Notably, DC owns the mark " Legion of Super-Heroes " for comic magazines and Marvel owns the mark "Marvel Super Hero Island" for story books, fiction books, and children’s activity books. DC and Marvel have become known for aggressively protecting their registered marks. In 2019,
13072-552: The companies pursued a British law student named Graham Jules who was attempting to publish a self-help book titled Business Zero to Superhero . Much academic debate exists about whether the "super hero" mark has become generic and whether DC and Marvel have created a duopoly over the "super hero" mark. Conversely, DC and Marvel hold that they are merely exercising their right and duty to protect their registered marks. The following trademarks were or are registered jointly with MARVEL CHARACTERS, INC. and DC COMICS: As mentioned,
13224-512: The copyright to Funnyman. This was unacceptable to DC Comics, so they instead made a deal with Magazine Enterprises , a comic-book publishing company owned by Vin Sullivan . The series Funnyman lasted six issues, and a subsequent newspaper strip also was unsuccessful. It was the last collaboration of Siegel and Shuster. By this time, Shuster's vision had deteriorated to the point he could not work. Siegel first worked for Marvel in 1963, under
13376-516: The copyright to Superman. During his first tenure at DC Comics (1935–1943), Siegel created the following characters: During his second tenure at DC Comics (1959–1966), Siegel created several characters relating to the Legion of Super-Heroes, including members Bouncing Boy , Brainiac 5 , Triplicate Girl , Invisible Kid , Matter-Eater Lad , Phantom Girl , and Chameleon Boy ; and enemies Cosmic King, Lightning Lord, and Saturn Queen, who are part of
13528-477: The debut of Shotaro Ishinomori 's Skull Man (the basis for his later Kamen Rider ) in 1970, Go Nagai's Devilman in 1972 and Gerry Conway and John Romita's Punisher in 1974. The dark Skull Man manga would later get a television adaptation and underwent drastic changes. The character was redesigned to resemble a grasshopper, becoming the renowned first masked hero of the Kamen Rider series. Kamen Rider
13680-401: The end of the decade, in 1939, Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger . During the 1940s there were many superheroes: The Flash , Green Lantern and Blue Beetle debuted in this era. This era saw the debut of one of the earliest female superheroes, writer-artist Fletcher Hanks 's character Fantomah , an ageless ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could transform into
13832-515: The first black superhero to star in his own series . In 1989, the Monica Rambeau incarnation of Captain Marvel was the first female black superhero from a major publisher to get her own title in a special one-shot issue. In 1971, Red Wolf became the first Native American in the superheroic tradition to headline a series. In 1973, Shang-Chi became the first prominent Asian superhero to star in an American comic book ( Kato had been
13984-454: The first entity to commercialize the phrase "super hero" when it registered the mark in connection with Halloween costumes. In 1972, Mego Corporation , an American toy company, attempted to register the mark "World's Greatest Superheroes" in connection with its line of action figures. Mego Corporation’s attempted registration led Ben Cooper, Inc. to sue Mego Corporation for trademark infringement. Due to its financial struggles, Mego Corporation
14136-452: The four years it took the Zeta-Beam to reach Earth, it was exposed to radiation and transformed into a transportation beam. Called on to protect the planet from extraterrestrial threats using Rann's technology, Strange grows to care for the planet and its inhabitants, especially Alanna. Eventually, the effects of the beam's transportation wear off, automatically returning Strange to Earth at the exact point of departure. However, Sardath gives him
14288-421: The galaxy. He is a crack marksman with just about any ranged weapon on hand at the time, the gun comes with a targeting system conductor when worked in tandem with his costume and has a stun setting for non-lethal application. Other munitions in his arsenal include Holo-Blasters , which are Hard-Light Energy arms that Strange can use to conjure any number of ordinance or enhanced protective shielding with while in
14440-494: The group, he not only rebuilds Rann but defeats the En'tarang and free Alanna. Unfortunately in the process, Adam loses all traces of the Mega Zeta Ray in his body and returns to Earth. Strange returned to Rann and reunited with his family shortly after. Planet Heist , a 2004 eight-issue limited series , written by Andy Diggle , penciled by Pasqual Ferry and colored by Dave McCaig , replaced Adam Strange's costume with
14592-469: The heroes were captured and their powers used as fuel to bring the comet closer to Earth to give Savage's descendants their own abilities. They were saved by Superman, who was now empowered by Kryptonite, and the heroes held back Savage's forces long enough for Superman to finally defeat the immortal, after which the hero dies. Strange was next featured in The Death of Hawkman series, once again caught in
14744-479: The hypothetical heteronormative male audience. Villains, such as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy , use their sexuality to take advantage of their male victims. In the film versions of these characters, their sexuality and seductive methods are highlighted. Poison Ivy uses seduction through poison to take over the minds of her victims as seen in the 1997 film Batman and Robin . Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad uses her sexuality to her advantage, acting in
14896-470: The idea of a masked avenger and the superhero trope of a secret identity . Over the next few decades, masked and costumed pulp fiction characters such as Jimmie Dale/The Grey Seal (1914), Zorro (1919), Buck Rogers (1928), The Shadow (1930), and Flash Gordon (1934), and comic strip heroes such as the Phantom (1936), began appearing, as did non-costumed characters with super strength , including
15048-467: The latter, complete with a domino mask and a cape, became influential for the myriad of masked rogues in penny dreadfuls and dime novels . The vigilantes of the American Old West also became an influence to the superhero. Several vigilantes during this time period hid their identities using masks. In frontier communities where de jure law was not yet matured, people sometimes took
15200-606: The law into their own hands with makeshift masks made out of sacks . Vigilante mobs and gangs like the San Diego Vigilantes and the Bald Knobbers became infamous throughout that Old West era. Such masked vigilantism later inspired fictional masked crimefighters in American story-telling, beginning with the character Deadwood Dick in 1877. The word superhero dates back to 1899. The 1903 British play The Scarlet Pimpernel and its spinoffs popularized
15352-478: The likes of Batwoman in 1956, Supergirl , Miss Arrowette , and Bat-Girl ; all female derivatives of established male superheroes. In 1957 Japan, Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character Super Giant , signaling a shift in Japanese popular culture towards tokusatsu masked superheroes over kaiju giant monsters. Along with Astro Boy , the Super Giant serials had
15504-764: The magazine King of the Monsters in 1977 describing Godzilla as "Superhero of the '70s." In 1971, Kamen Rider launched the "Henshin Boom" on Japanese television in the early 1970s, greatly impacting the tokusatsu superhero genre in Japan. In 1972, the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman anime debuted, which built upon the superhero team idea of the live-action Phantom Agents as well as introducing different colors for team members and special vehicles to support them, said vehicles could also combine into
15656-502: The many years. He has battled and bested adversaries both native and extraterrestrial in nature, such as Thanagarians, Durlans, Qwardians, En'Tarans, and Meta-Humans. This along with his many decades of thriving in the harsh environments of Rann, Earth and other galactic territories has made Adam an accomplished survivalist, having spent just as long traversing the rural areas as treacherous as the Amazon rainforest back on Earth. Strange has
15808-470: The mark in connection with comic books, and were granted the mark by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1981. In the years leading up to the assignment of the mark, both DC and Marvel battled to register various trademarks involving the phrase “superhero.” However, DC and Marvel quickly discovered that they could only register marks involving the phrase "superhero" if
15960-474: The middle of the Rann/Thangar conflict. Suspicious that Thangar initiated the first attack, Adam began an investigation into the events with the aid of his friend Hawkman . The two soon discover that Despero was behind the conflict, aiming to collect the planets Nth Metal supply. They fought Despero, but the villain proved to be too strong to handle. In an act of desperation, Hawkman ordered Adam to active
16112-432: The new Spider-Man after the apparent death of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker . Kamala Khan , a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager who is revealed to have Inhuman lineage after her shapeshifting powers manifested, takes on the identity of Ms. Marvel in 2014 after Carol Danvers had become Captain Marvel. Her self-titled comic book series became a cultural phenomenon, with extensive media coverage by CNN ,
16264-623: The pages of several popular superhero titles from the late 1950s onward: Hal Jordan 's love interest Carol Ferris was introduced as the Vice-President of Ferris Aircraft and later took over the company from her father; Medusa , who was first introduced in the Fantastic Four series, is a member of the Inhuman Royal Family and a prominent statesperson within her people's quasi-feudal society; and Carol Danvers ,
16416-420: The past decade following the rise of comic book characters in the film industry (Marvel/DC movies). Women are presented differently than their male counterparts, typically wearing revealing clothing that showcases their curves and cleavage and showing a lot of skin in some cases. Heroes like Power Girl and Wonder Woman are portrayed wearing little clothing and showing cleavage. Power Girl is portrayed as wearing
16568-406: The phrase referenced their own company or a character associated with their company. As a result, DC and Marvel decided to become joint owners of the "superhero" trademark. Although many consumers likely see DC and Marvel as competitors, the two comic book publishing giants are allies when it comes to protecting the trademark "superhero" and variants thereof. Although joint ownership in a trademark
16720-444: The planet Rann was not Dox's only reason for relocating it into the Vega system. First, by putting Rann into Tamaran's orbit, it restored the gravitational balance to the Vega system, which had been thrown off by Tamaran's destruction. Secondly, in exchange for restoring their planet, the people of Rann agreed to let Dox rebuild L.E.G.I.O.N. headquarters on Rann. Tamaranian refugees, led by Blackfire , attacked Rann believing that since
16872-456: The planet Thanagar closer to its sun, destroying much of the surface. Many Thanagarians relocate to Rann, but enmity between the two races results in a war . Strange, working with Hawkman , Hawkwoman , Kyle Rayner and Kilowog , ends the war after discovering Superboy-Prime 's role in Thanagar's relocation. In 52 , Adam is stranded on another planet with Animal Man and Starfire and
17024-449: The planet of Rann's greatest resource is the Zeta Beam technology developed by Sardeth. Initially designed as a means of communications with intelligent life from across the universe, it was accidentally discovered to be an instantaneous means of intergalactic transport that rode along a cosmic radiation called Zeta Rays. The effects of the ray were always short lived, and their dissipation meant Adam would return to where he first intercepted
17176-576: The planet was in Tamaran's orbit they had claim to it. The violence was ended when Vril Dox, who was off-world at the start of the conflict, arrived with Thanagarian warships and stopped the fighting without bloodshed on either side. As it turned out, Dox was off-world negotiating an official end to the Rann-Thanagar War , using Rann's new-found distance from Thanagar and change in leadership on both sides as leverage. Dox then went on to mediate
17328-605: The plots for the stories in Schwartz's office and Fox would write the scripts at home. A science major, Schwartz specialized in giving Fox scientific pointers that gave the Adam Strange tales a plausibility that made them stand out from most science fiction comic books of the time. Sales on the three-issue Showcase tryout were enough to justify giving Adam Strange a slot in Mystery in Space , which ran in issues #53–100 and 102. Though Schwartz and Fox continued their work on
17480-402: The population sterile. Alanna is among the last Rannians born before the event and maintains fertility. Over time, Sardath perfected a beam he would call the "Mega Zeta-Beam" which would allow Adam to permanently transport himself to Rann. In those days, Adam learns that he was transported to Rann on purpose to serve as Alanna's husband and repopulate the planet. Eventually, Alanna gives birth to
17632-419: The power of a god, but was still drawn to a much weaker, mortal male character. This can be explained by the sociological concept "feminine apologetic," which reinforces a woman's femininity to account for her masculine attributes (strength, individualism, toughness, aggressiveness, bravery). Women in comic books are considered to be misrepresented due to being created by men, for men. The Hawkeye Initiative
17784-446: The prompting of his second wife. Although he did write some Superman stories, he no longer had any creative control, but instead answered to the direction of his editor. During this time, he wrote extensively about the team the Legion of Super-Heroes , adding many enduring characters to its cast. Siegel's contributions during this time are difficult to determine because DC Comics did not generally give creator bylines. His last work for DC
17936-672: The pseudonym "Joe Carter". With Stan Lee, he co-created the villain Plantman ( Strange Tales #113). He also scripted the " Human Torch " feature in Strange Tales #112–113 (Sept.–Oct. 1963), introducing the teenaged Torch's high school girlfriend, Doris Evans; and, under his own name, a backup feature starring the X-Men member Angel , which ran in Marvel Tales and Ka-Zar . According to then-Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee , Siegel "was down on his luck" and in ill health at
18088-520: The public, and policing unauthorized uses. However, misuse by the public alone does not necessarily cause a trademark to become generic if the primary significance of the term is still to indicate a particular source. Some legal experts argue that, like the once-trademarked terms "aspirin" and "yo-yo," the term "superhero" now primarily refers to a general type of character with extraordinary abilities, rather than characters originating from specific publishers. In keeping with their origins as representing
18240-461: The rank of Technician 4th Grade. During his military service in Hawaii , Siegel learned from his friend Shuster that DC Comics had published a story featuring a child version of Superman called "Superboy", which was based on a story that Siegel had submitted to DC Comics, but which DC Comics had not bought. Because DC Comics never bought the copyright to Superboy from Siegel, Siegel sued DC Comics for
18392-501: The ray. This would be a running staple for years until later Zeta designs made its effects permanent, albeit at the cost debilitating mental sickness for its user. Eventual innovations in Rannian transport technology would produce a more streamlined device called the Zeta Beamer module, an A.I. commanded mobile drone in the form of a floating sphere that could be used to track Zeta Rays across galaxies and even into alternate universes. Like
18544-453: The rights. A second claim they had was that DC had cheated them out of royalties from the Superman radio show and the merchandise. Siegel and Shuster simultaneously sued for the rights to Superman as well. At the conclusion of the trial, Siegel and Shuster agreed to relinquish the copyrights of both Superman and Superboy in exchange for a settlement of just over $ 94,000 (equivalent to $ 1,200,000 in 2023). Siegel's 1948 divorce papers suggest he
18696-570: The role of the hero ; typically using their powers to help the world become a better place , or dedicating themselves to protecting the public and fighting crime . Superhero fiction is the genre of fiction that is centered on such characters, especially, since the 1930s, in American comic books (and later in Hollywood films , film serials, television and video games ), as well as in Japanese media (including kamishibai , tokusatsu , manga , anime and video games). Superheroes come from
18848-575: The royalties. Nevertheless, DC Comics retained Siegel and Shuster as the principal writer and artist for the Superman comics, and they were well-paid because they were popular with the readers. For instance, in 1942 they together earned $ 63,776.46 (equivalent to $ 1,200,000 in 2023). Siegel bought a house in University Heights and a car. Siegel was conscripted into the United States Army on June 28, 1943. His service number
19000-549: The superhero supergroups featured at least one (and often the only) female member, much like DC's flagship superhero team the Justice League of America (whose initial roster included Wonder Woman as the token female ); examples include the Fantastic Four 's Invisible Girl , the X-Men 's Jean Grey (originally known as Marvel Girl ), the Avengers ' Wasp , and the Brotherhood of Mutants ' Scarlet Witch (who later joined
19152-406: The syndicates, Siegel and Shuster agreed to publish Superman in a comic book. In March 1938, they sold all rights to Superman to the comic-book publisher Detective Comics, Inc., another forerunner of DC, for $ 130 ($ 2,814 when adjusted for inflation). Siegel and Shuster later regretted their decision to sell Superman after he became an astonishing success. DC Comics now owned the character and reaped
19304-555: The tension between the Rannians and the Tamaranians by proposing that the Tamaranians live on Rann's uninhabited southern continent. Adam Strange, as well as protector of Rann, would also become a senior commander of L.E.G.I.O.N. ensuring peace with the Green Lantern Corps. He also helped create an alliance between Rannians, Tamaranians and L.E.G.I.O.N. after defeating Starro the Conqueror, ensuring security for Rann,
19456-410: The term "SUPER HERO" trademark is at risk of becoming generic. Courts have noted that determining whether a term has become generic is a highly factual inquiry not suitable for resolution without considering evidence like dictionary definitions, media usage, and consumer surveys. Trademark owners can take steps to prevent genericide , such as using the trademark with the generic product name, educating
19608-461: The time, so he gave him a job at Marvel as a proofreader, during which time Siegel wrote the Angel story. Siegel worked for Archie Comics in 1966, on series including The Fly , The Mighty Crusaders , The Web , and Steel Sterling , all starring characters revived from the 1940s. Archie canceled its superhero line later that year, and Siegel was let go. Siegel became the main writer on The Spider
19760-403: The tryout series Showcase , published November 1958-March 1959. The first artwork of the character was a cover for Showcase #17 by Murphy Anderson . Schwartz rejected the drawing and commissioned a new one by Gil Kane , though Anderson's costume design was retained. Schwartz then assigned the scribing of the stories to Gardner Fox and the penciling to Mike Sekowsky . Schwartz and Fox devised
19912-421: The two companies also own a variety of other superhero-related marks. For instance, DC owns "Legion of Super-Heroes" and " DC Super Hero Girls " and Marvel owns “Marvel Super Hero Island" and "Marvel Super Hero Adventures." DC and Marvel have garnered a reputation for zealously protecting their superhero marks. As noted above, one of these instances included a man by the name of Graham Jules, who sought to publish
20064-431: The universe in an instant. The helmet is equipped with a life support system that protects Adam from harmful atmospheric conditions, while the suit itself pulls up a head-up display system with which to control his equipment via thought & voice command. Technology of which is slaved to his handheld blaster, sporting real-time threat assessment and targeting priority reticules to better combat adversaries. The jetpack
20216-714: The universe. Ultimately the Aberrant Six did not form and the future Synnar was forced to leave, but not before Captain Comet's mercenary friend Eye was killed by Synnar's supreme god-enemy to prevent the forming of the Six. Comet was entrusted with Eye's robot companion Orb until she returns, told by Synnar that when that happens he will "continue his negotiations – all has changed, but remains as it was". Adam Strange realizes that one day Synnar will return and force him to join his Aberrant Six. Adam Strange later works with Vril Dox and
20368-611: The weakest member of her team a decade ago. Both major American publishers began introducing new superheroines with a more distinct feminist theme as part of their origin stories or character development. Examples include Big Barda , Power Girl , and the Huntress by DC comics; and from Marvel, the second Black Widow , Shanna the She-Devil , and The Cat . Female supporting characters who were successful professionals or hold positions of authority in their own right also debuted in
20520-458: The while courting publishers. In the summer of 1935, still living in Cleveland, he and Shuster began selling comic-book stories to National Allied Publications , the primary precursor of DC Comics , in New York. Siegel and Shuster had been developing the Superman story and character since 1933, hoping to sell it as a syndicated newspaper comic-strip. But after years of fruitless soliciting to
20672-433: The wilds of their homeworld to study and rediscover its ancient history. Eventually his experiences accumulated on his adventures through the study and understanding of both Rannian culture and its vast technologies as well as its vested history, enabled Adam to pick up a host of vaunted combat techniques and scientific knowledge, giving him the edge needed to physically match and defeat immeasurably more imposing opponents over
20824-492: Was Goober the Mighty , a parody of Tarzan. Joseph Shuster provided illustrations for some of Siegel's Goober stories. This was their first known collaboration as writer and artist. Siegel also self-published a fanzine called Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization . In the third issue of this fanzine, he published a short story titled " The Reign of the Superman " under the pseudonym "Herbert S. Fine". The story
20976-414: Was 35067731. He was trained at Fort George G. Meade, where he was trained as an "Airplane Engine Mechanic, a Film Editor, Motion Picture Cutter, Public Relations Man or Playwright (Motion Picture Writer) or Reporter". He was posted in Honolulu, where he was assigned a writing job at the military newspaper Stars and Stripes . He focused mainly on comedy columns. Siegel was discharged on January 21, 1946, at
21128-474: Was born Sora Meita Khaikels, but they changed their names to Michael and Sarah Siegel after moving to the US. Jerry was the last of six children (Isabel, Leo, Minerva, Roslyn, and Harry). His father was a tailor and owned a clothing store. On June 2, 1932, Michael was assaulted in his store by a shoplifter and suffered a fatal heart attack, while Sarah died of a heart attack on August 17, 1941. Siegel's family moved to
21280-609: Was in All Star Comics #8 (Dec. 1941), published by All-American Publications , one of two companies that would merge to form DC Comics in 1944. Pérák was an urban legend originating from the city of Prague during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in the midst of World War II . In the decades following the war, Pérák has also been portrayed as the only Czech superhero in film and comics. In 1952, Osamu Tezuka 's manga Tetsuwan Atom , more popularly known in
21432-452: Was interrupted in June 1943 when he was conscripted into the Army, though he continued to receive credit for stories written by ghostwriters. After his discharge, he sued DC Comics for the rights to Superman and Superboy, and was consequently given no more freelance work from the publisher. In 1959, he returned to DC as a writer, and was dropped again in 1967 when he again attempted to take back
21584-526: Was later featured in The Books of Magic . Siegel and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993. With Bernard Baily , Siegel also co-created the long-running DC character The Spectre . Siegel created ten of the earliest members of the Legion of Super-Heroes , one of DC's most popular team books, which
21736-464: Was left with $ 29,000 after paying his court fees but prior to settling his divorce. After the war, Siegel moved to New York. Between 1937 and 1947 (i.e., during the span of their contract), Siegel and Shuster had together earned more than $ 400,000 (roughly equivalent to $ 7,500,000 in 2023) while working at DC Comics. After leaving DC Comics in late 1947, Siegel and Shuster created the comedic superhero Funnyman , which proved unsuccessful. This
21888-429: Was listed in the mastheads of the period as a scriptwriter ("soggettista e sceneggiatore"). In the 1980s, he worked with Val Mayerik on the feature "The Starling", which appeared in the comic book Destroyer Duck . A projected series, The Starling , about a woman struggling to raise her half-alien, shapeshifting son after his deadbeat alien father abandoned them, went unfinished due to Siegel's death in 1996. Also in
22040-678: Was not authorized by DC Comics. In 1956, Siegel created two superheroes for Charlton Comics : Mr. Muscles and Nature Boy . The series Mr. Muscles ran two issues, and Nature Boy three. In 1968, he worked for Western Publishing , for which he wrote (along with Carl Barks ) stories in the Junior Woodchucks comic book. He subsequently worked for the Italian comic Topolino published by Mondadori Editore (the Italian Disney comics licensee) from 1972 to 1979. He
22192-631: Was producing a Superman film, Siegel alerted the press to his condition. In response, Warner Bros, agreed to give Siegel and Shuster a lifetime stipend of $ 20,000 a year (later increased to $ 30,000) in exchange for not contesting ownership of the copyright to Superman. After leaving DC Comics, Siegel wrote The Spider for the British comic Lion , published by Fleetway Publications . His episodes were published from January 1966 to February 1969. Siegel wrote for his school's weekly newspaper, The Glenville Torch . One of his known works for that newspaper
22344-642: Was published in Mystery in Space #75 and won the Alley Award for the "Best Book-Length Story" of 1962. As of #92, Jack Schiff replaced Schwartz as editor of Mystery in Space and Lee Elias became the artist for Adam Strange. Following the discontinuation of the Adam Strange stories reprints were presented in Strange Adventures #217 through 244 (except for #222, which instead has a new story with Strange, written by Denny O'Neil , while #226 has
22496-501: Was the first Earthman on another planet, he named his character Adam after the Biblical first man . When asked about the inspiration behind the character, Gardner Fox stated "I suppose you could say that John Carter was in my subconscious, you had to think of some interesting way to transfer him to from earth up to the planet Rann before you even got started in on a plot, but it was fun to do." Adam Strange debuted in issues #17–19 of
22648-472: Was the lead story in Adventure Comics #341 (February 1966). DC Comics ceased giving him work in 1966, when the company learned Siegel and Shuster were planning a second lawsuit to reclaim the copyright to Superman. He lost that lawsuit. Siegel again fell into hard financial times after this second dismissal, as he was unable to find regular writing work. In 1975, upon hearing that Warner Bros.
22800-584: Was their last collaboration. Siegel then took freelance writing jobs. Some of them include the newspaper strip Tallulah , Lars of Mars , and G.I. Joe . The publisher Ziff-Davis hired him as a comic-book editor in 1951, but its comics division closed after less than a year in business. Siegel never found steady work, and fell upon hard times. By 1959, he and his family were living in a one-bedroom apartment in Great Neck, Long Island , and struggling to pay their bills. Siegel returned to DC Comics in 1959 at
22952-404: Was unexpected as Marvel and DC had filed a motion to extend time to answer. There is an ongoing debate among legal scholars and in the courts about whether the term "superhero" has become genericized due to its widespread use in popular culture, similar to terms like "aspirin" or "escalator" which lost their trademark protection and became generic terms for their respective products. Some argue
23104-467: Was unwilling to defend itself against Ben Cooper Inc.'s suit. As a result, in 1977, Mego Corporation jointly assigned its interest in the trademark to DC Comics , Inc. ("DC") and Marvel Comics ("Marvel"). Due to the financial prowess of DC and Marvel, Ben Cooper, Inc. decided to withdraw its trademark opposition and jointly assigned its interest in the "World's Greatest Super Heroes" mark to DC and Marvel. Two years later in 1979, DC and Marvel applied for
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