"Jerry reversed the usual formula of the superhero who goes to another planet. He put the superhero in ordinary, familiar surroundings, instead of the other way around, as was done in most science fiction. That was the first time I can recall that it had ever been done"
About this Quote
The intent is partly historical credit-claiming, but the subtext is more revealing: Superman becomes a fantasy that refuses to stay safely quarantined in escapism. Planting an alien in "ordinary, familiar surroundings" makes the premise culturally legible during the Depression-era hunger for rescue. It also makes the story morally actionable. If the setting is Metropolis-as-New York-as-everywhere, then injustice isn't a distant empire's problem; it's the boss, the landlord, the crooked politician.
Shuster's phrasing carries an artist's pride in craft. He's not mythologizing inspiration; he's describing a design decision that changed the genre's operating system. The comic book superhero, as it solidified, wasn't just science fiction with capes. It was immigrant narrative and urban melodrama fused to a godlike body. The power fantasy lands hardest when it shares your streets, because it implies your world is worth saving - and indicts the fact that it needs saving at all.
Quote Details
| Topic | Writing |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Shuster, Joe. (2026, January 17). Jerry reversed the usual formula of the superhero who goes to another planet. He put the superhero in ordinary, familiar surroundings, instead of the other way around, as was done in most science fiction. That was the first time I can recall that it had ever been done. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/jerry-reversed-the-usual-formula-of-the-superhero-63271/
Chicago Style
Shuster, Joe. "Jerry reversed the usual formula of the superhero who goes to another planet. He put the superhero in ordinary, familiar surroundings, instead of the other way around, as was done in most science fiction. That was the first time I can recall that it had ever been done." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/jerry-reversed-the-usual-formula-of-the-superhero-63271/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Jerry reversed the usual formula of the superhero who goes to another planet. He put the superhero in ordinary, familiar surroundings, instead of the other way around, as was done in most science fiction. That was the first time I can recall that it had ever been done." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/jerry-reversed-the-usual-formula-of-the-superhero-63271/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
