The Reign

FROM THE INTRODUCTION BY JOESEPH SIMON: The creators were frustrated at the rejection slips that they kept getting. In retaliation, they decided to go at it on their own. At the age of 18, Shuster was in charge of producing the title as a typed, mimeographed fanzine. A total of five issues were released. January 1933 marks when the third issue of their work was released. Siegel (under the pen name Herbert S. Fine) and Shuster included a story with an interesting title. That title was The Reign of the Superman. The first appearance of DC's Superman was in 1938! Five years after this story! What is going on here? The Superman in this story was not at all a law-abiding character. This Superman is Bill Dunn. In Bill's origin story, Mad Scientist Professor Ernest Smalley chooses Bill from a bread line to participate in an experiment. In exchange, Dunn would receive a real meal and a new suit. Dunn got a lot more than a real meal and a new suit! The professor's experiment gives Dunn telepathic powers. Will with a lust for power, Dunn kills the professor and attempts to rule the world. You will not that Dunn looks (and acts) more like Lex Luthor than his namesake, Superman. I won't ruin the story by revealing anything more (after all, you are here to read that very story yourself!).