Description
The teenagers who invented Superman. Siegel and Shuster’s Funnyman tells the bittersweet story of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster — two Cleveland science-fiction fans who created the most famous superhero of all time in 1938 and signed away all rights for $130, a decision that haunted them forever.
Drawing on deep research, this account follows the duo from fanzine dreams to the birth of Superman in Action Comics #1, through the decades of legal battles, poverty, and obscurity — Shuster drawing adult comics to survive, Siegel writing Superman stories he no longer owned — and the eventual partial reckoning, when Warner finally granted the creators pensions. It is a parable of creativity, exploitation, and the comics industry’s original sin.
Moving and infuriating in equal measure, this is essential for every superhero fan — the true, human story behind the Man of Steel’s real-life creators, and a cautionary tale for every young artist who signs on the dotted line.
Siegel and Shuster’s Funnyman: The First Jewish Superhero
Introduction to Siegel and Shuster’s Funnyman by Thomas Andrae
Siegel and Shuster’s Funnyman: The First Jewish Superhero, from the Creators of Superman, by Thomas Andrae with Mel Gordon, tells the forgotten story of the second superhero created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Published by Feral House, this fascinating book pairs a kaleidoscopic analysis of Jewish humor with complete reprints of the little-known Funnyman comics.
The Other Superhero
Everyone knows Superman, but few remember Funnyman, the clown-faced crimefighter Siegel and Shuster created after their falling out with DC Comics. Part comedian, part hero, Funnyman embodied the Jewish comedy tradition his creators came from. Andrae explores how the character reflected the experiences, anxieties, and humor of Jewish-American life, while the full-color reprints let readers enjoy these rare comics for themselves.
Why Comics Fans Will Love This Book
A must-have for Superman devotees, comics historians, and anyone interested in the cultural roots of the superhero. Siegel and Shuster’s Funnyman rescues a lost piece of comics history and celebrates the humor behind the heroes.
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