Sman stripI found this digging through the files: National Periodical Publications publisher Jack Liebowitz’s file copies of correspondence dated September 5, 1940 to Jerry Siegel from E. Stoup in NPP’s Editorial Department, outlining the changes NPP was requesting be made to the syndicated Superman newspaper strips then in progress. I rescued these from the trashcan in Julie Schwartz’s office after he retired from active editing in the latter half of the 1980s; the same visit also yielded a copy of a very interesting and, I believe, significant manuscript written by Jerry Siegel, but that’s a story for another time…!

I don’t know whose hand made all the notations in red pencil, but it’s interesting to note that all mentions of “Perry White” were changed to “Taylor,” the name of the original editor of the Daily Star, predecessor of the Daily Planet. I don’t know the dates of the strips under discussion, but if any intrepid reader with access to the strips wants to work it out, I’ll be happy to update this post with the information. Likewise anything anyone knows about the letters signer, “E. Stoup.”

UPDATE: This just in, from reader Michael Bradley:

“Image 3 is in reference to a Sunday strip story arc (called “The Bandit Robots of Metropolis” in the Kitchen Sink reprints) that ran Oct. 27, to Dec. 15, 1940.

“The others are from early in a Daily strip story arc (called “Pawns of the Master” that ran around the same time, Oct. 7 to Nov. 30, 1940. (The arc is notable for being Luthor’s first appearance in the newspaper strip.)

“This was the time period when they transitioned from George Taylor to Perry White and Daily Star to Daily Planet (though the Planet/Star switch happened in the early part of 1940 in the comics). The newspapers took a little longer on both counts.

“I don’t have any information about E. Stroup. But thanks again for posting these artifacts.”

SmanDailiesLetter-1

SmanDailiesLetter-2

SmanDailiesLetter-3

SmanDailiesLetter-4

SmanDailiesLetter-5

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2 Comments on Superman Saturday (Or Sunday): Flashback 1940

  1. Hi Paul — thanks for posting these. Great finds!

    Image 3 is in reference to a Sunday strip story arc (called “The Bandit Robots of Metropolis” in the Kitchen Sink reprints) that ran Oct. 27, to Dec. 15, 1940.

    The others are from early in a Daily strip story arc (called “Pawns of the Master” that ran around the same time, Oct. 7 to Nov. 30, 1940. (The arc is notable for being Luthor’s first appearance in the newspaper strip.)

    This was the time period when they transitioned from George Taylor to Perry White and Daily Star to Daily Planet (though the Planet/Star switch happened in the early part of 1940 in the comics). The newspapers took a little longer on both counts.

    I don’t have any information about E. Stroup. But thanks again for posting these artifacts.

  2. Jon says:

    This particular Superman story was based on the ‘Spider’ pulp magazine story “Satan’s Murder Machines” (December, 1939) written by Grant Stockbridge (Norvell Page). Detective Comics (DC) was successfully sued by Page and DC paid him $1800.00 for letting them ‘borrow’ the storyline – Page was also paid $550.00 from ‘Spider’ magazine for the original story.

    Love the last panel of the strip – “The apartment -?? blasted – ?? Officer, you’ve got to let me past! I’ve been shopping! Don’t you realize? My baby’s in there – alone!” definitely mother-of-the-year material!

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