S:7 E:22 | William Bernhardt Reveals the Untold Story of The Superman Wars

Most people know Superman as the heroic figure from Krypton, the mild-mannered Clark Kent who fights for truth, justice, and the American way. But as William Bernhardt reveals in The Superman Wars, the story behind Superman's creation is far more complicated, emotional, and dramatic than many fans realize. In this conversation, William Bernhardt joins Books That Make You to discuss the decades-long fight of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, whose work helped launch the superhero genre and reshape American pop culture. Drawing from legal documents, personal letters, unpublished manuscripts, and interviews with people who had never spoken publicly before, Bernhardt uncovers a story of creativity, commerce, betrayal, persistence, and long-delayed recognition. The Superman Wars explores how Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created one of the most recognizable characters in the world, only to spend much of their lives fighting for credit, dignity, and justice. Bernhardt also discusses the larger impact this story had on comic book history, creator rights, and the way artists are treated when their work becomes valuable to powerful companies. This episode is for comic book fans, writers, creators, pop culture historians, and anyone interested in the real human story behind an American icon.