Sketch Saturday: Superman

Originally conceived to battle street-level social injustice rather than cosmic tyranny, the Man of Steel first bounded onto comic page in June 1938's Action Comics #1. Back then he was a depression era super-saint, battling crooked slumlords and bent politicos. Superman was one part Franklin Roosevelt to two parts circus strongman. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman weathered the remainder of the twentieth century in many different forms, becoming a full blown American icon. He's up there with Mickey Mouse and Coca-Cola.

For this scratchy take on Kal-El of Krypton I wanted to stress his alien qualities; hence the tall, wiry frame and tiny, probing, lizard eyes.