Jerry Siegel’s grandkids gifted James Gunn signed Action Comics #1

With cameras rolling on James Gunn’s Superman, the director took to social media to share a special moment and show off a pretty cool gift from people tied directly to the legacy of the character.

James Gunn posted a photo of himself with the grandsons of Jerry Siegel – the famed co-creator (along with Joe Shuster) of Superman – who gifted him an edition of Action Comics #1, where the Man of Steel was first introduced. “A gift from Jerry Siegel’s grandsons Michael and James Larson – a reprint of the first issue of Action Comics signed by Jerry. It’s been great having Mike and Jim around keeping Jerry’s spirit alive in the birth of the DCU! Here we all were on the day of the cast read through.” That’s a nice gesture from the fellas and shows that there is faith within the family for the project and future of DC. Here’s hoping that the gift being a reprint and not an original isn’t a bad omen…

Formerly titled Superman: Legacy, Gunn’s Superman will take on the heroic task of helping DC “reset” their cinematic brand after an extensive streak of fare that either bombed, tanked with critics or were just too damn dark to even see what was going on! Chapter One of the DC Universe, dubbed “Gods and Monsters”, will also host The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and James Mangold’s Swamp Thing, none of which have official release dates yet.

James Gunn’s Superman is one of the biggest projects lined up by a major studio, with a summer 2025 release on the calendar. And it’s no doubt a huge gamble. While Gunn has disputed the rumored $360+ million budget, much is on the line elsewhere, as the DC co-CEO has a monumental task in turning around the studio’s reputation. With Marvel flailing about and trying to recapture their glory days, this might be the best time for DC to swoop in and save their own day. Superman will be James Gunn’s first directorial effort since leaving Marvel, having bid farewell with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

A copy of Action Comics #1 is up for auction next month and is expected to set a new record for the highest-priced comic book ever.