Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-Creator Joe Shuster

Our friend Craig Yoe, an illustrator, designer and comic historian has a new book called Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-Creator Joe Shuster.

Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-creator Joe Shuster showcases rare and recently discovered erotic artwork by the most seminal artist in comics, Joe Shuster. Created in the early 1950s when Shuster was down on his luck after suing his publisher, DC Comics, over the copyright for Superman, he illustrated these images for an obscure series of magazines called Nights of Horror, published under the counter until they were banned by the U.S. Senate. Juvenile deliquency, Dr. Fredric Wertham, and the Brooklyn Thrill Killers gang all figure into this sensational story.

The discovery of this artwork reveals the "secret identity" of this revered comics creator, and is sure to generate controversy and change the perception of the way we look at Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Jimmy Olsen forever. The book includes reproductions of these images, and an essay that provides a detailed account of the scandal and the murder trial that resulted from the publication of this racy material.

Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-creator Joe Shuster

• [nanuq]

  I thought Wonder Woman was the one with the bondage fetish. No wonder she and Superman got along so well in the comics.

• [rosdoc]

  I live on a new street in Toronto named Joe Shuster Way in honour of you know who. I thought it was pretty cool when I moved here to live on a street named after one of Superman’s creators. And now it’s even cooler to be living here!

• [celia]

  God knows I’ve never been angrily cracking a whip at a bound man with no nipples, so perhaps I shouldn’t judge, but I’m pretty sure my body doesn’t have that…extra bit around the chest/shoulder area. It looks as though her left breast is a prosthetic slung over her shoulder.

• [Anonymous]

  BoingBoing should consider labeling its links that are pointed toward Amazon. Thanks to that link, Amazon will be recommending all kinds of fetish products to me next time I visit their site. I would rather be Rick Rolled.

• [DonoMan]

  The mysterious line around the babe’s left shoulder looks to me to be a vertical bikini strap. (In the 1950s, I’m guessing most bikinis were not of the tube top variety.)

  As a comic book reader, I think the statement about changing how Lois, Clark, and Jimmy are viewed is not just hyperbole. It isn’t just that the same artist also drew some erotica, but that his erotica contains those characters. The cover art sure looks a lot to me like Lois Lane of that era whipping Clark Kent.

  Now, if I could see Mary Jane in leather whipping Spider Man. Oh yeah.

• [Jane Kansas]

  @#1 I agree. It looks like it was a way to make some money – a gig, same as any other. No biggie.

• [JoshuaZ]

  This isn’t news. Every knows that Lois Lane and Superman kept a bit of kryptonite around for when he was bottom. In fact, given their personalities I’m must wonder if Superman was always the bottom.

• [Anonymous]

  The reviewer MUST have had a double entendre in mind when wrote the words “erotic artwork by the most seminal artist in comics”.

• [Halloween Jack]

  I wouldn’t say that this would “change the perception of the way we look at Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Jimmy Olsen forever.” Not that it’s not interesting, but it’s pretty common knowledge that some pretty famous cartoonists did fetish or glamour art on the q.t. Now, if you turn up any nudes that Jack Kirby did…

• [Brainspore]

  Any student of interstellar biology can tell you that Kryptonians don’t HAVE nipples (or at least not where you would guess).

• [Antinous / Moderator]

  I never did understand that men-with-no-nipples fetish.

• [noen]

  Why is it surprising that all coins have a verso? I wonder what Superman’s kink is, humiliation? On your knees slave!

• [Anonymous]

  What the heck is that line coming over her left shoulder and down to her breast? Is this perhaps part of a vegetable promotion, sort of a “find the hidden eggplant” series?

• [Antinous / Moderator]

  Every knows that Lois Lane and Superman kept a bit of kryptonite around for when he was bottom.

  You have read Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex, neh?

• [Marcel]

  Aw shucks! Now I’m gonna have to buy me a coffee table.

• [Rictor]

  Okay, I need this book. Awesome.