Superman at 75

It was 75 years ago when the Man of Steel made his debut. That's right. Superman is now three-quarters of a century old. Arguably the most iconic superhero of all time, Superman was introduced by Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster in 1938 for "Action Comics." Even though today other superheros, including Iron Man, Spiderman or Batman, to name a few, are more popular, none can deny Superman's rightful spot as the daddy of them all. As George Washington is to American politics, Superman is to all superheros everywhere. For those of us who grew up on comics and thrilled to the adventures of these exceptional characters, we all are in debt to Siegel and Shuster.

It is interesting that while the Superman has gone through several storylines over these many years, the basic premise of his being able to "leap buildings in a single bound" and fight for "truth, justice and the American way" has remained constant. Yes, the various Superman authors that took over from Siegel-Shuster over the years added their own spin to this super hero's personality and personal struggles, yet rarely did they stray from depicting Superman as a most benevolent being whose primary task was to save the day for those who's day needed saving. While this may seem simple, I believe it represents a special brand of credibililty that has enabled Superman to be as timeless as he is.

This credibility is the pirmary reason I am even writing about Superman i nthis venue. For any communication effort or communicator to come even close to being successful, they must be credible. People must believe what is being shared with them is true. Even if we disagree with another person, most if not of all of us are inclined to give that sender of information respect and possibly our attention if we believe they are being honest and not trying to deceive us. The character of Superman continues to be credible in that regard. This is why the general public has kept Superman alive and well all these years. I hope it remains so for at least 75 years more.