Support provided by:
The Case:
An Ohio woman has an intriguing drawing that she discovered in the attic of her home. It is an undated sketch of the cartoon hero Superman with a note that reads "With Best Wishes to Randall, from Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster."
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were the creators of Superman, but the contributor has no idea how her late father Randall obtained this apparently original piece of artwork.
A plausible connection is Randall’s army service during World War II, a time when the man of steel, along with other popular American cartoon characters, was featured as a hero in action against German and Japanese forces.
History Detectives journeys to Ohio, New York and New Jersey to investigate the early days of Superman and how this comic icon was used to inspire American GIs during wartime.
Related Content
Technique:
Technique:
Technique:
Feature:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Wes Cowan
George Washington Portrait
Could this be an authentic portrait of the nation's first president?
-
Also in Season 4
Howard Hughes Invention
Was this oil drilling device really a Howard Hughes invention?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Leopold Medal
What does this medal reveal about a top-secret American Military project during WWII?
-
Related Investigation
Internment Artwork
What is the story behind these watercolor paintings of a prison camp?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Snowshoe's Mailbag
Was this the satchel Snowshoe Thompson used to deliver his mail?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Charlie Parker's Saxophone
Could this be jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker's saxophone?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.
Anyone wishing to submit an artifact for investigation should do so through Submit a Story.
- Submit your StoryDo you have a Depression or World War II object? Submit your story now.
- Latest CommentWhat is this glorifying the firearm (which is a semi-automatic by the way) of a criminal? (1 day ago)
- Twitterremember this investigation with @TukufuZuberi @elyseluray Tonight they reunite! Let us know your thoughts! @PBS http://t.co/4KMnc27K (7 months ago)
- FacebookHow much do you think it will be worth in 50 years? (5 days ago)