Superman's original 1933 concept was a bald, telepathic villain bent on world domination—a far cry from the hero we know today.

In January 1933, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster self-published a short story titled "The Reign of the Superman" in their fanzine Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization #3. The protagonist, Bill Dunn, was a desperate man who gained telepathic abilities and enhanced intelligence after consuming an experimental drug created by a mad scientist. Unlike the hero who would later bear his name, this Superman wielded his powers selfishly for greed and world domination before eventually losing them and sinking back into poverty.The story found no commercial success, prompting Siegel and Shuster to completely overhaul their creation over the following years. They transformed the character from villain to hero and replaced his drug-induced mental powers with superhuman physical strength and an extraterrestrial origin. A transitional 1934 version emerged as a pulp-style crime fighter, still lacking the costume and secret identity that would define the character.The definitive version debuted in Action Comics #1, published by National Allied Publications in April 1938. This iteration introduced Clark Kent, the iconic blue suit, and the red cape, officially launching the modern superhero genre. Today, surviving copies of "The Reign of the Superman" fanzine rank among the rarest and most valuable artifacts in comic book history, prized for their connection to this surprising origin story.