There are certain coincidences in life that might elicit a chuckle. There are also those where, even if unintentional, it all makes sense.
For example, I recall when Charles M. Schulz died the night that the final Peanuts comic strip went to bed, and historians can tell you that three early U.S. Presidents all died on July 4.
My own personal coincidence is something I did not learn until the last decade.
For the greater part of my life, comic books have been something to enjoy and inspire me. There are characters I love, but there’s one that gets to me the most in all media. Since you’re reading a website called “KryptonSite” you can probably guess who that hero might be: Superman.
What I didn’t know is that his first comic book, Action Comics #1, came to us on April 18, 1938… only one day after the birth of my real-life hero, my Dad, who was born on April 17 the same year. Action Comics and Superman turn 80 tomorrow. Action will be releasing its 1000th issue! Sadly, my father passed away when I was 19, but if he had still been with us, he, too, would be turning 80 this week.
Unsurprisingly, it was my father who bought me my first comic book, a generic “Elson’s Presents” comic book either reprinting or packaging together then-recent DC Comics issues. Judging from the release date, I must have been only three years old. It was also my Dad who probably sparked my love of superhero TV, as I recall him watching Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk reruns on the weekends… and that all led to Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman being “our” thing to do every Sunday night. Another weird coincidence? He passed the week Lois & Clark was cancelled. In a way, I was relieved because watching without him would have just been strange.
My Dad always encouraged my comic book collecting once I was old enough to do it alone. Every Wednesday, without fail, he’d finish a long day of work but still took the time to take me to my favorite comic book store, the Twilite Zone in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. My first job was at that store. I remember being at that store seeing the “Reign of the Superman” poster asking “which is the real steel deal?” poster as if it was yesterday. I also remember our first family vacation to California, insisting that we find a comic book store so I could get Superman #75… and it was in stock!
There were some limits, of course. When my parents bought property in Clarksville, DE the same day that I purchased the historic Superman #50, they wouldn’t take my suggestion and name the road that it was on “Lois Lane.” I think someone ultimately did give a road that name, though. I often did manage to convince him to do things involving comic books, though, such as the time I dragged him to a small comic book show in he middle of a snow storm.
I still would think of my father when watching other Superman media, as the passing of Clark Kent’s own father is often a milestone in his story, whether it’s Glenn Ford in Superman: The Movie or John Schneider in Smallville. Both of those situations featured a father who wanted the best for his son, and both situations featured a death that even the greatest powers in the world could not stop. (Though, Smallville Clark might still have a Dad if he didn’t turn back time to save Lana. I will assume, though, that Jonathan would have passed anyway regardless of what Clark had done with time.) My father was beaten by cancer, and he faced it with optimism, but I also know that he stuck around long enough to make sure my mother, sister, and I would be okay before moving on.
Like Clark Kent in various versions of the story, I still have my mother, though her name is not Martha. Like Martha Kent, she is strong and she is still with us. She was with my Dad for a long time, much like Martha and Jonathan were together for decades. I would always be happy when Smallville in particular would put a focus on Clark’s relationship with his mother after Jonathan had passed away.
I wonder what my Dad would think of whatever became of me. He knew about my Lois & Clark online fandom with the “Krypton Club Newsletters” that I started with my friend Dan in high school. I remember getting a hold of the Lois & Clark Season 3 premiere a month early and insisting that he’d watch with me the second he got home; by that time, I think I had already watched it three times. Sadly, he was never able to see any of my books, nor would he have any idea how his inspiration to be curious about the comic book world would get to me.
In my heart, I believe that the release date of the first Superman comic book and the birth of my father are connected. Without my Dad, I wouldn’t be here. Without my Dad, I might not have become a Superman fan. Without being a Superman fan, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today.
I’m very excited to get a hold of Action Comics #1000 this week, and I expect a celebration of all that has made Superman great over the years. It’s a good time to be a fan of the character, and I’m sure my father would get a kick out of it. My thanks to all of the writers, artists, actors, producers, directors, editors, and other creative talent who have kept Superman alive for 80 years. I probably won’t still be around to see #2000, but I’m sure there will be grown “kids” just like me looking back from the future. And finally, I’d like to thank my Dad for getting me started on this journey, and to wish him (and Superman!) a happy 80th birthday.
The 80 Years of Action Comics Hardcover is now available; Action Comics #1000 hits comic book stores on Wednesday.