Joe Shuster Historic Beginnings of Superman Original Art
This incredible early Superman character study from the creator of Superman Joe Shuster was found in a newly purchased home behind a false wall. Someone knew way back when how important and potentially significant this art may be. There is very little original artwork from the creator of Superman in his early heroic form that has ever surfaced, that in itself we should acknowledge is remarkable. The vast majority of Shuster Superman pieces are of his side profile or a commission of The Man of Steel posing, a commercial licensing piece, or perhaps a recreation. The original art pages from the early Action Comics or Superman issues from the Golden Ages though far and few, and have all been attributed to “Shuster Studios”, which comprised of a number of ghost artists under Shuster. Heritage Auctions earliest sale is Action Comics 15 cover art from 1939, well over a year after his first first appearance and was in the hand of Shuster Studio ghost artist Fred Guardineer, not Shuster himself. We'll delve into the earliest Superman art later, but for now let's get back to this subject sketch.
The reason why we’re bringing all this up is the significance of this sketch by Superman’s creator. This is a “working” piece, not a commission, and shortly we’ll attempt to break down the full figure piece below. First, I’d like to pose a question; Why is Shuster drawing an outline bust sketch of Superman to the left? And then the full figure of Superman right above? Let’s say for arguments sake especially if this was done in the 1940’s a couple years into Superman’s introduction to comics, after drawing the character hundreds if not thousands of times. There is really only a couple viable answers one can come up with. One, this could be a a test study of some changes to the character, or a guide to the Shuster Studios artists. Or two, this could be a very early character study of Superman from his beginning, pre-Action Comics #1. Yes, here we will attempt to make the case this piece was created pre-Action #1, or perhaps for the book itself, which would make the art the Holiest of Holy Grails in our humble opinion (no pun intended to our site and company name).
Some of you may or may not know, Shuster and Siegel (creators) gave up the rights to Superman in the beginning of print in 1938 and after legal battles, they were ultimately let go from DC in 1947. Far before 1947 it’s well known and documented the “Shuster Studio” team was doing most of the work behind Superman from the early 1940’s on.
Let’s go back to this art being found in a newly purchased home behind a false wall. Sound familiar? For you comic buffs, the only other time something like this hit mainstream media was when a family found an Action Comics #1 in a wall, and later sold it at Auction for $175,000. I should add this was over 10 years ago and market value if I had to guess would be north of half a million, perhaps more for that grade of a book today.
Fast forward to our original art piece. Just as someone did with the Action #1 comic, another person had the foresight to hide this piece in a wall as well. Coincidence? I think not. This wasn’t your average Shuster commission piece of that era. Furthermore, the reason there are only a handful known original art pieces from this era is DC destroyed their art. Yes, you heard it right. It’s hard to fathom, but they actually destroyed the art in concern over artists potential copyrights of the characters.
Why is this important you ask? Well, if we can tie this piece to possibly be intended for or pre-Action #1, this has huge implications of being one of earliest surviving original art pieces for the creation of Superman. Okay I know this sounds crazy, even for me as I’m typing this, but just hear me out…
Shortly we will break down the full figure sketch, since there is a lot of detailed work in the art if you look closely. What I first did was go through the first 24 or so issues of Action Comics and first 12 Superman issues to see if I can find a similar pose. I decided not to go post Superman #12 since the character and overall art style seemed quite different, and I might add the “Shuster Studious” team was doing most if not all of the artwork.
(Image left, Action Comics #6, November 1938) - I quickly could decipher Superman is lifting something over his head or perhaps ready to go up up and away and fly…except in the early issues Superman leaps and doesn’t actually fly. He’s seen in multiple early issues lifting a car or a large metal object over his head as seen most famously in Action Comics #1. Also note the two prominent lines in the pencil sketch above his body, indicating he’s pushing an object. Plus his flying or leaping stance was also as if he was running in air or jumping nearly doing the splits.
He actually doesn’t fly until Superman #10 in 1941 where he’s shown in each panel with the classic one arm raised to fly, which is different than the pencil sketch. He starts to fly regularly from Action 65 and on (1943, see right mage) where he says the classic line “up up and away”, having the same flying or leaping pose mentioned above, which again is far different than the pencil sketch. Hence, I would argue he’s lifting an object, more than likely a car in the pencil sketch shown to the right.
Now let’s look at characteristics of the costume, which is generally the way most historians of comic art would estimate the era of a piece and this so where it gets interesting. Let’s first look at the number one point of interest, the symbol or emblem. But wait, it’s not the classic small or larger triangle with a thick and curved “S”? Instead it’s reminiscent of a crest or shield with a slim version of the “S”. Did he draw it this way because it was easier? A triangle would be just as easy, perhaps easier. Playing devil’s advocate if we make the argument this is a later piece into the 40’s, the triangle symbol would be the trademark of the Superman character just a few issues in, though we’d see variations and changes, it remained a triangle for decades to come and into modern day. On the sketch when I originally saw the shield emblem and the thinner “S” I thought that’s weird, let me look up the evolution of the emblem and see if I can peg the time frame. To my surprise, the only time the same crest-like shield emblem was used was for Action #1, what do you know? Now the “S” variation is different but it is certainly in the slimmer format then the classic thicker “S” that will be seen soon into the early 1940’s and on. Let’s look at the evolution of the suit, symbol and overall emblem, seen below…
"What's the most recognized superhero symbol in the world? If you ask Zack Snyder, who directed "Man of Steel," it's Superman's. He believes Superman’s red-and-yellow S-shield is the second most recognized symbol in the world, after only the Christian cross. Whether or not that's true, you can't dispute that the symbol is iconic; that diamond shape and "S" are immediately recognizable. But it wasn't always that way. While the symbol has been around since the 1930s, it has changed over time. Sometimes it was a minor shift, sometimes a major change.
In 1934, creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster designed their hero and decided to put something on his chest. They chose the first letter of Superman’s name, although they jokingly said, "Well, it's the first letter of Siegel and Shuster." While it looks more like a shield now, originally they were thinking of a crest. “Yes, I had a heraldic crest in the back of my mind when I made it,” Shuster said. “It was a little fancy triangle with curves at the top.” When the comic was published, the artwork inside didn't match the cover design. Inside the comic, the shield was redesigned as a triangle, and the "S" in the center changes color. Sometimes it's red and sometimes it's yellow." - The Evolution of the Superman Symbol by Maurice Mitchell.
Here are great images from ComicsAlliance.com (emblem's showcased to the left and above middle). They have detailed the crest styled shield, which distinctly only appeared in Action #1 and in early sketches, which furthers the claim.
Now that we’ve established the emblem being closely similar, let’s now look at some other characteristics in the pencil sketch vs Superman 1938 in the Action #1 cover. The belt in the pencil sketch is also thin as seen in the early issues, but that’s not the big one. Look closely at the red boots on the cover, above the boot over the shin, there’s a strap like webbing, with a curved indent thought to be an homage to Hercules, which Siegel and Shuster largely based the character off of at that time. Now notice the pencil sketch on the left leg, there’s also a similar design from the calf to the shin with the same curved indent, which resembles the shape from the Action #1 cover. Also look at the right leg of the pencil sketch, which is facing forward. The boot looks to end again above the shin and seems to flare out at this angle. Or is the calf flaring out? We'll look into this further below putting both images side by side and also showing a panel from Action #1 front leg view.
In discussing the boots, by Action Comics #6 (November 1938), Shuster had added boots and they were colored red. From this point on you can see the boots covering the entire knee area all around, indicating the subject art is from an earlier period.
"The concept of Superman was considered too fantastical by the publisher, so they didn't show Superman on the cover again until issue #7, December 1938. Instead, they showed Canadian Mounties and giant gorillas. Finally, the "Man of Tomorrow" returned to the cover. Besides showing Superman flying through the air, it displayed a new shield: the Superman logo with a red "S" in the center. It's one of the first times the Superman logo is intentionally changed in the comics." - From the The Evolution of the Superman Symbol by Maurice Mitchell
(Please note the overall suit differences between issue #6 and #7 above with both Action #1 and the subject art.)
Now let's go back to Action #1... After looking closely at the interior panels, the only similar front leg facing image shows the blue boot, obviously different from the cover (we’ll go into more detail on this later), and see the calf flares out on the leg above the straps (left image)… This is interesting since the right leg in the sketch shows the front leg or calf flaring out and no boot up the leg as well.
I looked closely at the following issues and there was either the red or blue boot, but no clear interior image with strapped webbing, and no curved indent at the shin only found in Superman’s debut in Action Comics #1.
Here is a great excerpt From FamiliarPurrson.com article “Superman Costume Evolution: The Early Years” (Superman 5, Summer 1940)- “The tops of Superman’s boots now angle up from the back of his calves and end, not with a point on his shin, but with a small indent, and they are double-stitched at the top, too, as you can see below in these panels penciled by Wayne Boring. Superman’s boots will retain this design even up until today.”
Now a couple of smaller details. See the Action #1 yoke of the shirt and the chest slope, the same curve in the yoke of the shirt in the pencil sketch. Then I compared later drawings as does Purrson to the yoke of the shirt as he finds in Action Comics #6 November 1938 (shown left)- “The chest emblem is also larger, although still a simple triangle instead of the more familiar stylized pentagon. Also, the cape is attached to the neck of Superman’s shirt at the front instead of somewhere in the back. although this will revert to the older way in the next issue. Ironically, this image is not of Superman, but an actor pretending to be him as part of a scam. That guy’s handler must’ve been on the ball, since he put his protégé in a costume Superman hadn’t even been wearing yet!”
Action #18, November 1939- "Superman’s cape is now attached to the edges of his shirt in the front the familiar manner (he must’ve liked the look) and will remain that way. The yoke of his shirt is now more of a slight curve than an arc, too.”
Again, is all of this perhaps a coincidence? Or something more? The Action #1 cover and interior panels were believed to be done at different times and it shows. Which was created first? The cover or the interior elements? Different historians have said different things on this subject, but ultimately we now know many of the interior panels were created years earlier for the proposed newspaper strip, which we'll get into later.
The red boots with straps is there on the cover but in the interior Superman has a blue sandal type shoe also with the straps . At times, the emblem has the “S”, other times no “S”. We see in the coming issues after Action #1 constant variations to the costume and most recognized symbol “S”. This timeline is significant in that it shows the growth from the Action #1 cover to the interior and subsequent issues.
Was our pencil sketch a test drawing for the character pre-Action Comics #1? Or for the book itself? And was our sketch part of the many changes going on within that period? There are obvious similarities, but there are also a couple flaws to the Action #1 claim.
As mentioned above we searched the first three plus years into Superman’s existence. We have to be hard on the subject art, especially with the proposed claim. We have to take an unbiased approach and look at all similar images, suit characteristics, poses, etc. We found a few similar poses but each and everyone always seemed to be off, a leg wasn’t up, the face was looking down, and the biggest issue was his suit. Each and everyone of the images the shape of the symbol was wrong as was the “S”. The later the issue, the thicker the “S”. See below at similar posed images from the following issues:
Action #12 May 1939 pg 6 (top left)- character and image is almost too small to breakdown and not as much detail as in pencil study, but has a similar pose. Most noticeable and odd, is there is no “S” symbol in this frame and others on this page! The boots again have no odd design with straps or curved indents above the shin. His head is up in pencil study vs head down in Action #12 art. Action #17 (top middle) October 1939 pg 10- similar to Action 12 carrying a car above his head but in opposite profile from pencil sketch. Cover to Action #19 (top right) December 1939- once again close but no cigar. Most notably the left leg is not up and head is facing down. The costume symbol is off, as is the belt, and the boots.
This seemed to be one of Shuster's go to poses early on as noted in Alter Ego #112- which focused on Cassidy being Shuster Studios first ghost artist as early as Action #6. Bob Hughes “Who Drew Superman” had a lot to say about Cassidy changing the “S” symbol again to a five cornered shield design and incorporated the logo on the cape. What I found most interesting was the quote from Hughes: “Cassidy had a totally different sense of layout and design than Joe did. He often drew Superman with both legs tucked under him and his arms outstretched sideways, rather than forwards or above his head……. Cassidy loved back views, cape tricks, and reclining figures and was clearly a superior draftsman to Shuster.” This struck me because the subject art is exactly the pose that’s mentioned above with his arms clearly above his head as stated by Hughes.
Not shown here (honorable mentions), Superman #4 Summer of 1940- Again the cover is a similar pose with the left leg up, right leg down both arms over the head flexing holding two broken pillars up. But once again the symbol, boots and overall figure do not seem to match. Also not shown is Superman 8 pg 10 Jan/Feb 1941- Here’s yet another similar pose lifting a large machine of some sort over his head again flexing, but both feet remain to the floor. As in Superman 4 the costume seems different from the boots to the emblem and “S” on the chest. Once I went deeper into the Superman run the suit and characteristics continued to be off.
Now let’s put the two images of Action #1 and the pencil sketch side by side for comparison- There’s really two things I can argue against the pencil sketch being for Action #1. The first thing you’ll notice is the pose, though in a similar motion, it’s still off. As discussed earlier they are both more than likely lifting a car or object, the hands are positioned differently, the face is up and not down, and the opposite legs are lifted. The rebuttal to the above is this being a preliminary sketch and Shuster did this drawing and possibly others changing the position of the hands, feet and head placement. The second thing is the cape, which flows differently and may or may not attach differently from the front versus the back of the neck. We'll dive back into the cape topic shortly...
Similarities... Well, first off we've already established the crest-like or police badge emblem is close in design, it's missing the two curves near the top, but are clearly colored in on the cover so you don't notice it as much. Moving down the body, the belts both appear to be thin in design and the shorts are similar. Now let's get to the foot and leg area...
The right leg on the sketch only shows the front position, but we can see there is no boot going up the leg seen in later issues, it seems to also end above the shin and flare out.
See image left, I flipped the left leg cover image and put the right leg sketch side by side for a better comparison. The action cover has a strap/web-like design with the curved indent we've previously discussed going from the lower knee to the ankle. Now look at the sketch on the left leg lifted and you'll see what looks to be a pattern on the leg and the same curved indent on the knee to the ankle. The distinct webbing or straps from Action #1 cover are certainly different, but the overall shape of the leg and foot seem to be interestingly close in design like no other subsequent era for Superman.
Now let's play devils advocate once again- Is this thought to be web-like pattern on the sketch shading by Shuster? When Shuster did shading on other Superman art, it looks as if he draws in one smooth line across or up and down and not a criss-cross pattern. Even if we argue this area is shading, we still can't explain the obvious and similar curved indent shown on the sketch and Action #1 going from the back of the knee to the ankle area. I decided to look at subsequent Action Comics issues for comparison to see if the curved indent is present. We could look above at the previous images from Action #6 interior and Action #7 cover, but no straps or curved indent is present...
I decided to go into the next cover issue, Action #10 (1939) and exactly one year after with Action #22 (1940) and again red boots and no curved indent design. You do see the shading on both images, but again is not criss-crossed but instead are smooth lines up and down.
These facts only strengthen the case for the subject sketch to be very early or perhaps the beginnings of Superman, as there are no other similar characteristics with the leg, boot and foot sharing a similar design.
Let’s take a look at the Action #1 interior page cover swipe image, courtesy of ComicConnect.com archive sales, which last sold for a whopping $27,500 back in 2019.
Though hard to see from this vantage point, both the top left panel and the famous middle panel both have the crest with a thin "S" symbol, which you can faintly make out...
Let's get a closer look at both the first panel and middle panel, which you'll see in both Shuster clearly drew in the crest outline and thin "S" before it was colored, or I should say scribbled in yellow. In the lower image oddly enough the crest and "S" placement is below the yoke of the chest for some reason. Going back to the boot and leg, clearly the top image left leg shows a strap-like or webbing going up the leg with an indent, again all similar to our subject sketch. Now let's break down the famous cover swipe middle panel...
We were able to find the Action #1 interior page cover swipe image with the color removal of the yellow symbol. Now the interesting thing is the position of the feet and leg motion are flipped from the cover image, similar to the subject sketch. The arms and head placement are slightly different too from the cover and most notably there are blue boots (not red). Again, though at first glance we see no symbol, but when we look a little closer below the yoke of the chest you'll see the crest symbol with a slim "S", very reminiscent and in the same style as our subject sketch. This recent revelation of the crest and "S" symbol on the Action #1 panels on page 5 are an extremely important piece of the puzzle to a direct correlation and findings of our subject sketch. Now let’s put these two images side by side for comparison…
Once again, these two images side by side do not match, but are closer in comparison. Both left legs are up (higher in the sketch), the right legs are different angles, the arm motions are close as well as both capes flowing, but the head is still down in Action #1 vs the sketch head up. As mentioned above, if you look closely at both images, the symbol and crest are strikingly similar, only in the printed Action #1 image the crest placement is lower. To reiterate, there is no other point in time this style of the shield and "S" symbol was used in a Superman comic, only Action #1.
Now going back to the relevance of the cape seen in the sketch and Action #1. The cape in Action #1 was tucked behind the back of the neck and not visible from the front. The pencil sketch, looks as is the cape may start at the front and not the back of the suit as in Action #1. As mentioned, the cape also looks to flow differently. This can once again be attributed to the piece being a preliminary test drawing and was revised before the final art was ready for print or perhaps an earlier sketch. Or is it something else? I present to you Action #1 page 1, panel 7....
We see above reference to the cape being revised many times over the first year, so it’s very likely early on Shuster tried out both ways to present the cape. But was the cape attached to the back of the neck in the beginnings of Superman and not the front? We see in the opposite image (right), Action #1 panel 7, "Superman! Champion of the Oppressed," the cape is clearly attached to the front of the neck on the sides and has a similar flow to the subject sketch. While we're at it, and most revealing, notice the very similar heraldic crest emblem with no curves this time, with a thin faded "S", thin belt, and same chest arc, all closely similar with the subject art.
Now to address which came first, Action #1 interior or cover. I believe there is enough evidence we'll show you that the cover image clearly came after the interior panels, with the below image created first and the image right being re-worked to the revised look before print in 1938. The story goes Siegel was contacted by the editors of the new DC comics in January of 1938 to make the Superman story the lead feature in a new comic, Action Comics #1, and the first week of February they were given only 3 weeks to complete the 13 page story and cover. We all know Action Comics was cover dated June 1938, but we can conclude some, or most of the art / layouts were already completed at this time, except for refining the images and cover to the new suit and not the original suit shown below. Thus, the image right, we know was re-drawn in the beginning of 1938, most likely February, along with the other revised and possibly new panels. These dates are important in the lineage of the suit and characteristic changes. Now let's see the original art strip for Superman drawn a few years earlier circa 1934, which is virtually the same art and verbiage, but slightly modified from Action #1 panel 7...
This image (left) is from the 1994 Sotheby's auction, highlighted with three panels from Shuster and Siegel's newspaper strip, circa 1934-35, pre-Action #1. Look closely at the characteristics of the suit from Action #1 interior panel above to the earlier strip art shown here having noticeable differences. You'll actually see the emblem is not crest-like, but instead more of a triangle, with the thin "S". The cape flow and attachment remains the same, as does the arc of the chest, but the belt is larger and only has one buckle versus more attachments. There are bracelets around the wrist and though we cannot see the entire leg and foot, we do see the straps are present, where as above from what we can see there are no straps.
We had a great character," Siegel remembers, "and were determined it would be published." They set out to recreate Superman as a comic strip. One summer night in 1934, Siegel came up with almost all of the Superman legend as we know it, wrote weeks of comic strips by morning, and had Shuster drawing it all the next day - including the creation of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Superman's distinctive red, yellow, and blue costume.
Remember we mentioned above about Shuster saying he had a heraldic crest in the back of his mind in 1934? Well it appears Siegel thought of the triangle emblem first, had Shuster sketch it this way initially, before he eventually changed it to the crest closer to the Action #1 time frame. Now Let's jump back into the Action #1 art...
Again, going back to the question of the interior versus the cover to Action #1 being created first, it clearly shows the story and art was done prior to the cover. Once Superman was picked up for publication in 1938, and under extreme deadlines, they performed emergency surgery to the strip art, cut it out, slightly modifying sections, and used the car lifting interior panel as the basis for the cover. Then, Shuster used the re-worked costume design elements for panel 7 (shown above), and while rushed, other panels he kept the triangle emblem on some, and no emblem for others.
Again, the art left, shows a triangle "S" emblem, straps on the sandal like boot, thicker belt and bracelets. According to historians and Sotheby's, this art (left), along with the other other panels were created circa 1934, which was years prior to Action #1 and the concept sketches shown below are circa 1936.
Comparing the same art from 1934 to 1938 shows us how the suit characteristics evolved in the beginning, helping us narrow down further a more concrete time frame when the subject art was created. .
The reason the Sotheby's lot only had 3 of the first 5 strip art panels, is quite revealing and significant to the story. Panels 2 and 3 were long cut out and removed, and by all indications were used in pasting up the first page (origin page) to Action Comics #1. Why were only these 2 panels used and not the rest seen here? This is a significant piece of the puzzle since the baby image and of Clark early on were depicted the same from the strip art, but the suit changed from the original 1934-36 images to the printed version (shown above in Action #1, more closely to our subject art).
Now lets look at two sketches from 1936 of Superman for merchandising purposes...
Here are the two sketches, which accompanied the Superman lot from Sotheby's 1994 auction. Both sketches came from Shuster's sketchbook dated 1936 for merchandising long before the Man of Tomorrow made his debut. Though faint, there's still clues we can take from them. First, you can see the sketch from 1936 still had more of a triangle shaped emblem and a thin "S" and second, the cape attachment was also from the front, both reminiscent of our subject sketch. What we can take from these sketches and above art is that sometime between 1936 to 1938, Shuster and Siegel decided to change the chest emblem from the original triangle to a heraldic crest for Action #1 and then back to the triangle in proceeding issues. While we're on the topic of the other early sketches by Shuster, let's now take a look at the paper.
The Paper- One thing we have not discussed is Shuster's use of paper early when developing Superman. You have to keep in mind, the development of Superman in the 1930's was at the height of the Great Depression. With countless rejections to the strip, both Shuster and Siegel took on odd jobs and errands to bring in money to submit their comic strip ideas to newspaper syndicates, but to no avail. Eventually, by lack of financial means, Shuster was unable to afford drawing paper and began doing illustrations on brown wrapping paper or the back of wall paper. One day Shuster hit the jackpot, coming across several rolls of discarded brown wrapping paper and wallpaper. Shuster said "The backs were blank, naturally. So it was a goldmine for me, and I went home with every roll I could carry." Hence the subject sketch and the two sketches (above), which were laminated for preservation purposes, all look to be in the realm of brown wrapping paper or wallpaper Shuster used at this time.
Let's say for arguments sake our subject sketch was drawn post Superman publication, and we know Shuster and Siegel were paid $130 at that time for the rights to the character. $130 was a lot of money in 1938, remember you could buy sandwiches for a nickel . One would imagine once Superman was picked up for publication, art boards were being provided, along with standard drawing paper etc. by the publisher. The subject sketch paper color is more lightened from the actual scans. Therefore, I took pictures from my camera to show the more deep brown of the paper, and close up view to see that it looks to be in line with brown wrapping paper. This revelation is fascinating and only furthers our claim that the subject sketch paper was used within the proposed period of the 1930's.
I also saw one of Shuster's early sketches (shown left) of Superman circa 1936 (perhaps later '36 after seeing the sketches above with the triangle emblem also being '36). Of course we notice the heraldic crest for perhaps the first time, but also note the same curved indent visible on the lower right knee to the foot, and the cape connected to the front of the suit and not the back, going in line with the early concept strip art above...
Wikipedia Superman- "The visual design of Superman came from multiple influences. The tight-fitting suit and shorts were inspired by the costumes of wrestlers, boxers, and strongmen. In early concept art, Shuster gave Superman laced sandals like those of strongmen and classical heroes, but these were eventually changed to red boots. The costumes of Douglas Fairbanks were also an influence. The emblem on his chest may have been inspired by the uniforms of athletic teams. Many pulp action heroes such as swashbucklers wore capes. Superman's face was based on Johnny Weissmuller with touches derived from the comic-strip character Dick Tracy and from the work of cartoonist Roy Crane."
The Bust Sketch-
Now I won’t spend too much time at the bust sketch below the full figure sketch, but one noticeable part is the symbol again. Look closely and you’ll see the same badge like crest shield in the center of Superman’s chest with a faint thin "S". Once again, similar shape and "S" symbol to the Action #1 interior cover swipe and initial sketches from 1936. Though it seems we can't take a lot more from the lower bust sketch, If there was any question of why the badge was drawn a particular shape and symbol on the full figure sketch, we now see it was drawn identically on the bust as well. Thus, Shuster specifically drew this same badge-like emblem on both sketches. The evidence above goes in line with the subject sketch to be an early drawing from the beginnings of Superman.
ART PROVENANCE & COA
Superman pencil sketch and figure study by Joe Shuster. Image on 10.75"x12" brown paper mounted on heavy black board. Signed by Shuster. This item was found in a hidden space behind a false wall in a newly purchased home. Only surviving working Superman character study in Hero form by the creator Joe Shuster. C. 1937-38)
Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity from original selling dealer (see scan), which is only fitting it came from Metropolis Collectibles, one of the pioneers and current leaders in everything Superman collectible related, and where it was sold many years ago.