The Superman Curse: How the Role Has Ruined Lives

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster: The Creators Were Struck First

It looks like the first victims of the Superman curse were the creators themselves. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster wrote and created Superman before selling the rights of the character to DC Comics for a laughable amount. They made only $130.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster pose in front of sketches of Superman.

Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images

After selling the rights, the superhero started making big bucks for DC. Poor Siegel and Shuster were unable to make a dime from their Man of Steel. They tried recovering legal ownership or a share in the profits, but to no avail. Superman’s creators lived sub-modest lives while Superman became a billion-dollar franchise.

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