Review: The Artist Behind Superman: The Joe Shuster Story

History, it is claimed, is written by the victor.  In the comics world, this idiom very rarely holds true.  For every, Stan Lee there is Jack Kirby; for every Bob Kane there is Bill Finger and for DC there is Siegel and Shuster.  It seems appropriate then, with the character that started it all celebrating his eightieth birthday, that we get a recap of the life of one of the Big Blue’s co-creators in Joe Shuster.

When is comes to Superman and his creators, there is no escaping a couple of facts; Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the character, they sold the rights to DC and from that point, a raft of legal battles ensued.  Regardless of your point of view of how they were treated, this book goes some way to show how this likeable guy moved across the country, eventually palling around with Siegel and between them, well you know the rest even if it wasn’t quite up, up and away.

This book is written by Julian Voloj, who extensively researched Shuster’s life to complete this book.  Along the way he has spoken to a number of comic book greats, each of whom have their own issues with the big companies.  The book is told from Shuster’s point of view and as such, you need to buy into that to make it work.  The writing is crisp and teeming with affection for the pair.  Shuster’s story does take a turn for the worse, not gaining work after his contract on Superman ended, and diminishing eyesight that left him outside of the industry that he helped to create.

The painted artwork is provided by Thomas Campi who has created a style that is reminiscent of the pulps that led to inspiring Siegel and Shuster.  In addition, there are elements of insight delivered throughout the art that again serve to show how creative the pair were.  The colors are great, the washed out scheme painting the picture of a bygone age.

This book is a must for any Superman fan or comic book historian.  Reading it, there are a couple of questions that spring to mind; did Siegel and Shuster have the business acumen to successfully negotiate a deal for their character? No, probably not.  Were they that desperate to see their book on the stands that they took what they were offered? Yes, probably.  Throughout the whole sordid affair of how the pair were treated by DC, the flip is that DC as a company, has the right to make money.  The pair sold Superman and then wanted a bigger bite of the cherry.  Were they right to do so? Was DC right to say no?  That depends on your point of view and cases can be made for either side.  What is not in dispute is how, as Superman’s co-creator, Joe Shuster was one of the first guys out there, crafting the character and his cast and giving the world one of its most famous icons.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Written by; Julian Voloj
Art by; Thomas Campi
Published by; Super Genius Comics