Noshing With William Bernhardt – May 14, 2026
Author, The Superman Wars: A Battle for Truth, Justice and an American Icon
This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with William Bernhardt, author of The Superman Wars: A Battle for Truth, Justice and an American Icon, for a fascinating conversation about the hidden history behind one of the world’s most recognizable superheroes.
For generations, Superman has represented hope, morality, and the triumph of good over evil. But behind the iconic cape lies a decades-long battle over ownership, recognition, and justice. William reveals the extraordinary true story of creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster — two young, inexperienced dreamers who unknowingly signed away control of a cultural phenomenon that would become a billion-dollar empire.
In this compelling episode, William discusses why he devoted years to researching the project, his lifelong passion for comic books, and the ongoing conflict between artistic creativity and commercial power. He shares how he traveled across eight states and interviewed more than 50 people — uncovering revelations never before made public.
The conversation explores the origins of comic books in the 1930s, the contract clause that changed entertainment history, and the heartbreaking reality that Siegel and Shuster were eventually fired and stripped of recognition from the very character they created. Bernhardt also explains the copyright laws that fueled more than 70 years of litigation and how the success of Superman helped bring renewed attention — and ultimately a modest pension — to the original creators.
Listeners will also hear touching personal stories involving Jerry Siegel’s family, including interviews with his daughter Laura and his grandsons, as well as the surprising irony surrounding Jerry’s marriage. At its heart, William says, this is not simply a legal story — it’s a deeply human one about ambition, exploitation, perseverance, and legacy.
Packed with pop culture history, legal intrigue, and emotional insight, this episode is a must-listen/watch for comic book fans, history lovers, and anyone interested in the intersection of creativity and commerce.
ABOUT WILLIAM:
William Bernhardt is the award-winning author of more than sixty books, including the bestselling Ben Kincaid novels and the Daniel Pike legal thriller series. A former lawyer, he is the founder of WriterCon and the president of Bernhardt Books, where he continues to mentor and support writers worldwide. William has won the Oklahoma Book Award three times and has been nominated twenty times in four categories. Hailed by Oklahoma State University as “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man,” William’s creativity, intellect, and passion for storytelling continue to shape the literary landscape.
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