Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jul 10, 2025 | 2 comments

A SUPERMAN WEEK birthday tribute to the Man of Steel’s co-creator…

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It’s SUPERMAN WEEK! Because there’s a fancy new movie out! And in a strange coincidence, there have been three Superbirthdays this week — John Byrne’s, Murphy Anderson’s, and now the biggest yet, Joe Shuster’s! Click here for the COMPLETE INDEX of columns and features! Look, up in the sky! — Dan

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By PETER BOSCH

During this week of celebrating Superman and today’s (unofficial) release of a new movie about comic book’s greatest character, how very appropriate it is that his co-creator’s birthday would also fall just now. The late Joe Shuster was born 101 years ago, on July 10, 1924, in Toronto, just a few months before the Man of Steel’s fellow creator, Jerry Siegel, would see the light of day on October 17 in Cleveland.

It was shortly after Shuster’s family moved to Cleveland that the two would meet during their teens at Glenville High. Both being science-fiction fans, they hit it off immediately.

The early days of Siegel writing and Shuster drawing Superman (and other comics) has been well documented before now. So, here’s something a little different.

Enjoy these 13 RARE JOE SHUSTER SUPERMAN ILLUSTRATIONS:

Commissioned drawing of Shuster and Jerry Siegel for the 1942 book Comics and Their Creators by Martin Sheridan.

A special sketch, circa 1942, by Shuster of artist George Roussos pushing aside Superman and Batman, both characters Roussos inked for DC. Signed by Siegel and Shuster.

1940s drawing

Sketch of Lois Lane for a fan, 1940s

1940s-50s drawing of Superman as a Super-newspaper seller. Likely intended for a promo ad for the Superman newspaper comic strip.

A very unique item. This is from 1942 and was drawn on the back side of a menu from a Cleveland restaurant. Also affixing their signatures were Jerry Siegel, Bella Siegel (Jerry’s wife), and Frank Shuster (Joe’s cousin and one-half of the famous Canadian comedy team, Wayne & Shuster).

1943 sketch

Special drawing done onstage at a war-bonds auction in 1944. The winner was a 6-year old boy!

Undated drawings of Clark Kent and Superman

A recreation of the cover of Action Comics #1. Undated.

A 1977 sketch for a fan

1983 drawing

Original art for Action Comics #544 (June 1983), the 45th anniversary issue

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MORE

— The Complete SUPERMAN WEEK INDEX of Columns and Features. Click here.

— 13 COVERS: The SUPERMAN of CURT SWAN and MURPHY ANDERSON. Click here.

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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is due soon. (You can pre-order here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.