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Diversions October 27, 2011
A Duo Without a Financial Adviser…
Superman
is sure to be seen flying around this weekend, at least in the form of Halloween costumes, but a
little known fact about the comic icon is how badly his creators were ripped
off.
Reported by Nicole Bliman
The comic book world is abuzz this week with the discovery of a check that DC Comics made out to the creators of Superman, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, buying exclusive rights to their newly created character. They were paid $130 – to be split between them.
The physical document was released Monday by comic writer Gerry Duggan via Twitter, where it went viral in the comics industry. One observer noted that DC Comics publisher, Jack Liebowitz, who signed the check, misspelled both Siegel’s and Shuster’s names. As one industry reporter says, “The careless error was among the first of many indignities the pair would suffer in their dealings with Liebowitz, DC Comics and later-DC parent Time Warner, the corporation whom Siegel’s heirs continue to battle in copyright court even now.”
The check was obtained by Stephen Fishler of ComicConnect.com and Metropolis Comics, companies specializing in rare comics collectibles. Rob Reynolds, ComicConnect’s Director of Consignments, tells ComicsAlliance.com that the check will likely be auctioned early 2012. An image of the check and more details on the scandal surrounding Superman are available here.