Editing Superman (section)

===The superhero archetype===
Superman is often considered the first [[superhero]]. This point can be debated: [[Ogon Bat]], [[the Phantom]], [[Zorro]], and [[Mandrake the Magician]] arguably fit the definition of the superhero yet predate Superman. Nevertheless, Superman popularized this kind of character and established the conventions: a costume, a codename, extraordinary abilities, and an altruistic mission.{{cn|date=December 2023}} Superman's success in 1938 begat a wave of imitations, which include [[Batman]], [[Captain America]], and [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)|Captain Marvel]]. This flourishing is today referred to as America's [[Golden Age of Comic Books]], which lasted from 1938 to about 1950. The Golden Age ended when American superhero book sales declined, leading to the cancellation of many characters; but Superman was one of the few superhero franchises that survived this decline, and his sustained popularity into the late 1950s led to a revival in the [[Silver Age of Comic Books]], when characters such as [[Spider-Man]], [[Iron Man]], and [[The X-Men]] were created.

After World War II, American superhero fiction entered Japanese culture. [[Astro Boy]], first published in 1952, was inspired by [[Mighty Mouse]], which in turn was a parody of Superman.<ref>{{cite book |last=Schodt |first=Frederik L. |title=The Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Mighty Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution |year=2007 |publisher=Stone Bridge Press |isbn=9781933330549 |page=45}}</ref> The [[Superman (1940s cartoons)|''Superman'' animated shorts from the 1940s]] were first broadcast on Japanese television in 1955, and they were followed in 1956 by the TV show [[Adventures of Superman (TV series)|''Adventures of Superman'']] starring [[George Reeves]]. These shows were popular with the Japanese and inspired Japan's own prolific genre of superheroes. The first Japanese superhero movie, ''[[Super Giant]]'', was released in 1957. The first Japanese superhero TV show was ''[[Moonlight Mask]]'' in 1958. Other notable Japanese superheroes include [[Ultraman]], [[Kamen Rider]], and [[Sailor Moon]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Craig |first=Timothy |title=Japan Pop: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture |year=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317467212 }}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Hirofumi|last= Katsuno |title=The Grotesque Hero: Depictions of Justice in Tokusatsu Superhero Television Programs |encyclopedia= Introducing Japanese Popular Culture |editor1=Freedman, Alisa |editor2=Slade, Toby |year=2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317528937 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first1=Jonathan |last1=Clements |first2=Motoko|last2= Tamamuro |year=2003 |title=The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953 |publisher=Stone Bridge Press |isbn=9781880656815 }}</ref>