Writer of Pop Culture

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Superman first appeared on comic book pages in 1938, but he didn’t take a solo flight until this month in 1939. Since then, over 1,500 individual Superman comic book issues have been published. (These include various series, volumes, and miniseries.)

1939: Superman’s First Solo Comic Book

To the positive response to Superman’s first appearance in Action Comics #1 published a year earlier, the very first Superman comic book was cover-dated June 1939. It was written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joseph Shuster, it was the first comic by National Allied Publications to feature a magazine based on a single character.

Legend has it that Kal-El, an infant sent from his doomed planet Krypton, was raised by the Kent family in Kansas. Using an alternate identity, Clark Kent, began working as a reporter for the Daily Planet so he could keep a pulse on any criminal activity.

Most people believe that Clark changes out of his “work” clothes into Superman’s tights and cape in a phone booth. However, rarely has that been the case within the pages of the actual comic books.

Today, Superman’s first comic book is worth over $9 Million.

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1989: ‘Dead Poets Society’ Opens

Set in 1959 at the fictional Welton Academy boarding school in Vermont, Dead Poets Society followed the exploits of a controversial teacher who inspired his students by the reading of poetry. The film starred comic Robin Williams in a serious role which won both critical and box office applause except from movie critic, Roger Ebert, who only rewarded the film two out of four stars. Dead Poets Society was nominated for four Academy Awards and walked away with one Oscar for Best Screenplay.

What Else Happened on June 2?

• 1863 – Harriet Tubman helped to free slaves in Maryland.
• 1933 – Franklin D. Roosevelt approves the first swimming pool for the White House.
• 1975 – David Bowie releases his single, “Fame”.

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