Entertainment·Video

Seeking Superman's origins

Superman returns in Man of Steel, but does its dark tone contradict the hopeful hero we've come to know? A biographer of Superman's creators shares photos and stories from Superman's early days.

Man of Steel a darker vision of hopeful hero

Searching for Superman

11 years ago
Duration 4:11
The new Superman movie veers from past depictions, Eli Glasner reports

With this week's release of Man of Steel, Superman is being reintroduced to the world, but does Zack Snyder's darker vision of the hero contradict the hopeful and optimistic one we've come to know?

Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 in June 1938, the brainchild of two Cleveland high schoolers: writer Jerry Siegel and Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster.

In his book Super Boys, Cleveland writer Brad Ricca explores the back story of Siegel, Shuster and their out-of-this-world creation.

In the video above, Ricca invites CBC's Eli Glasner into his office and reveals photos, documents and stories from the early days about Superman's costume, his quirks and how the hero's overall image has changed over the years.

Glasner's full report aired on CBC's The National.