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Written by Jason Green Monday, 14 April 2008 03:03

In April 1938, the fledgling publisher Detective Comics debuted a new anthology in their comic book line, Action Comics. The book's cover highlighted a new kind of hero that debuted within its pages, a caped, tights-clad superhuman crushing a car to prove his mettle. The story therein, by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, told the tale of a strange visitor from another world sent to Earth from his dying home planet, where he discovered his new home's yellow sun granted him powers beyond those of mortal men. His name was Superman, and after he was introduced, the world of comics would never be the same.

This month marks the 70^th anniversary of the first appearance of the world's first superhero, and we here at PLAYBACK:stl are celebrating with a whole week of features dedicated to the Man of Steel. Be sure to check back every day this week for new articles on the character's legacy and a look back at some of our favorite stories starring Smallville's favorite son.

• Monday — It's Not Easy Being Super, Man, or What Do You Do With the Man of Tomorrow When Tomorrow Comes Today?, a look at what makes Superman the hardest hero to write in comics by Carlos Ruiz.
• Tuesday — Superman: The Real King of All Media and what he means to me, a look at Superman's role in non-comics media by Jim Ousley.
• Wednesday — The Search for Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, where Steve Higgins remembers how Alan Moore's farewell to pre-Crisis Superman started him on a quest and changed the way he looked at comic books.
• Thursday — Bastards of Krypton, Greg O'Driscoll's look at the many knock-offs that have followed in Superman's wake.
• Friday — Out of Continuity, a look at the finest Superman tales to take place outside of the regular monthly grind by Jared Vandergriff.
• Saturday — Bizarro Am Him All, a poem by Byron Kerman from the perspective of Superman's infamous backwards doppelganger!
• Sunday — The Mask of Clark Kent's Glasses, a look not at the Man of Steel himself, but at his mild-mannered alter ego, Clark Kent, by Comics Editor Jason Green.

We also had a number of excellent illustrations created exclusively for PLAYBACK:stl, just for the occasion!

Illustration by Nick Main

Illustration by Paul Little

Illustration by Justin Crouse