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Superman Daily Strip 1939 Internal Memo to Jerry Siegel about Missed Deadlines
Boston newspaper memo to McClure Newspaper Syndicate asking for better villains in first year of "Superman" daily strip

This rare internal document from 1939 is a fascinating look at how the newspaper industry dealt with the unprecedented success of Superman, as comics pioneer Hannah Baker put the pressure on young co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster!

Baker — who later became the Comics Editor for NYC's daily PM newspaper in the 1940s — found herself constantly battling with Siegel over the daily “Superman” strip that was quickly launched after the success of Superman's 1938 debut in Action Comics #1. This file copy was sent to National exec Jack Liebowitz as Baker (overseeing the strip for the McClure Syndicate) politely stressed the importance of deadlines to Siegel in a missive to his Ohio home.

In this letter of March 15, 1939 (less than a year after Action #1 hit newsstands), Baker is noting that ink drawings weren’t received by that day’s deadline. She also adds that M.C. Gaines had already stepped in to free illustrator Joe Shuster from having to first submit pencil sketches. "You can see that we are straining every facility to offer you cooperation," adds Baker, “and we expect that you will reciprocate.”

Baker would go on to become one of Siegel & Shuster’s harshest critics as the “Superman” strip continued to struggle. The issue of the missing art is addressed to Siegel because Joe Shuster always preferred that his partner deal with any business input—in the case of Hannah Baker, probably for the best.