Wissenswertes

One of the creators of the comic book character Superman, who made his debut on June 1st, 1938 in Action Comics No. 1 and heralded in the 'Golden Age of Comics'. The original issue only cost 10 cents then, but a near mint condition copy can sell for $ 400,000 (in 2003) and is the most expensive comic book collectible.

He inserted himself into the last panel of the story where Superman confronts the evil villain Funnyface, a disgruntled cartoonist who brings super-villains from the comics to life and forces them to rob and plunder Metropolis. It is his face that is revealed when Superman unmasks Funnyface at the end.

Jerry's wife, Joanne, was the model for Lois Lane. She and Jerry first met when she answered an ad to pose for artist Joe Shuster.

He is credited as 'Jerome' Siegel on the very first issue of his creation 'Superman'.

After leaving the Superman books in the late 1940s, he returned to DC Comics in the early 1960s where he worked on Tales of the Bizarro World and then Legion of Superheroes.

After leaving National/DC in 1948, Siegel went on to serve in an editorial capacity for Ziff-Davis, and also wrote comic stories for Charlton, ME, Western Publishing, Archie Comics, and Marvel Comics (where he often worked under the name of "Joe Carter," because he was also working for DC again, and they frowned on moonlighting).

In 1929, at the age of 15, Siegel self-published what some historians believe may be the very first science fiction "fanzine," called 'Cosmic Stories'.

Father of actress Laura Siegel (aka Laura Carter).

The fictional character Sam Clay, in Michael Chabon's novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," bears a superficial resemblance to Jerry Siegel. Both write comic books, both fight with their employers over royalties, and while both are natives of the United States they each partner with an artist named Joe who isn't. However, Siegel is mentioned in the novel as a being a contemporary of Clay, suggesting that Clay is not a disguised Jerry Siegel.

Other comic book characters co-created by Siegel include the Spectre, Dr. Occult, Slam Bradley, and Funnyman.