Superman is a comics character.
Jerome `` Jerry '' Siegel ( [ ˈsiːgəl ] October 17 , 1914 -- January 28 , 1996 ) , who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter , and Jerry Ess , was the American co-creator , along with Joe Shuster , of Superman , the first of the great comic book superheroes and one of the most recognizable of the 20th century . Superman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics .