Superman – Did you know the character was originally a villain in his first comic version? #superman - Vídeo Dailymotion

The hero was born different—and with another purpose.

Transcript

00:00Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, met in 1931 while attending Glenville High School.

00:08They became close friends and soon began working together on Science Fiction,

00:12a magazine produced and distributed independently,

00:15considered one of the first fanzines ever created in the United States.

00:19In 1933, the third issue of that fanzine featured the story The Reign of the Superman,

00:25a science fiction tale starring the very first version of the character who was actually a villain.

00:32In the story, a chemist named Professor Ernest Smalley randomly selects Bill Dunn,

00:37a homeless man, and recruits him for an experiment in exchange for a real meal and a new suit.

00:44When Smalley's experimental potion grants Dunn telepathic superpowers,

00:48he becomes intoxicated by his new abilities and seeks to dominate the world.

00:53This original villain Superman would later serve as inspiration for the character Lex Luthor.