I didn’t think this was going to be easy.
I was planning to apply “artistic license.” I know there are so many pages, so many missing pictures between the end of one page to the beginning of the next one that we have. So I’ll try to reconstruct the missing parts of the story and the missing pages based in no small part of my understanding of the Golden Age Superman.
I think that Siegel and Shuster “let it all go” at this point, they were going for some major shake ups. This one story was the food for an entire decade of Kryptonite, imaginary stories, and origin stories.
My only attempt here is in keeping with the characterization of the time. There was something different about Siegel’s characterization of Clark that I don’t ever recall anyone really catching. The Clark that I grew up with in the 1970s was very meek and mild; people thought it was his nature (Christopher Reeves’ portrayal was perfect on that). The 1938-39 Clark seemed to have an attitude. Like he really was Superman, and thought action. But at the same time he “tried” to be meek. It was a conscious effort to appear a coward so as not to expose or create suspicion of his identity. But it was “fake” cowardly. Almost like a personality trait that just ticks people off. You know he doesn’t have to be like that, but he just is. It’s the thing you don’t like about Clark that makes you just not like Clark.
A key factor in this project for me is to make it as close to Shuster as possible. I want to be as convincing as possible, and make this appear seamless. You wouldn’t believe some of the research I am working on. I have to be able to duplicate a Shuster Superman, Lois, et al. I have to understand his layouts, etc. I literally have to walk a mile in their shoes.
I’m using the Superman Through the Ages! website for models and resources to do so. Lettering will also need to be duplicated in the same style. I’ve figured out so far that I’ve just got to make/draw the comic book pages on the same bristol board, and reduce them to a scanable 8 1/2 by 11 inches to submit them. I’ll need help for the logo and making it look like a comic cover. So, I think the first thing I am going to do is draw this cover.
