The Man Of Steel has bridged generational gaps like few other characters ever could, and he continues to capture the imagination of kids who read his comics or watch his cartoons just as much as he did back in the early 20th century.
And over the last 80 years of Supermania the character has made people truckloads of money, but did you know the creators originally sold the rights for a mere $130?
Creators Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to DC without any future right to royalties, and although they continued to write and illustrate Superman comics as he became a huge hit they didn't get another dime. They tried to sue DC comics for royalties and were summarily fired in 1947.
But despite the enmity between creators and publisher Superman has found a lot of love over the years, and for some strange reason almost every single one of them has had the initials "L.L.":
Lois Lane, a reporter who tends to pine after Superman while rejecting his meek alter ego, Clark Kent, has been around since Action Comics #1. Competing with her for Superman’s attentions are Lana Lang, his high school sweetheart from Smallville, Kansas; Lori Lemaris, a mermaid he dates while attending Metropolis University; and Lyla Lerrol, an actress from Krypton who meets him when he travels back in time before the planet’s destruction. Numerous other supporting characters also have the initials L.L., including Lex Luthor, Lucy Lane (Lois Lane’s sister) and Linda Lee (Supergirl’s secret identity).