Last Wednesday my friend Jay asked if I would be going to work today, suggesting to me since February 29th doesn't "really" exist, we shouldn't have to work. I answered, "But Superman's birthday is February 29th! That's like saying Superman isn't real!"
I don't know why this day of all days has been designated as the Man of Steel's date of birth... but what the heck, it's an excuse to eat cake. Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster's Superman has come a long way in these last 74 years: radio, television, movies, cartoons, video games... I hear he might even be appearing in comic books!
Although he owes a debt to the likes of John Carter and Hugo Danner, and while masked men like the Phantom and the Shadow preceded him, Superman is essentially the first super hero. Therefore, today is really the birthday of the super hero. As someone whose spent nearly all of his life admiring super hero fiction, I'm pleased as punch to give Superman - and thereby all super heroes - his due.
Mmm, punch...
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