The K-METAL from KRYPTON!

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING METAL
According to popular legend, The K-Metal from Krypton was rejected for publication because Superman reveals his secret identity to Lois Lane. 

Such a theory could be correct, but it is also possible that the real reason was nothing so spectacular.

There are handwritten editorial notes on the plot summary and an editorial letter by Whitney Ellsworth written to Jerry in response to that plot summary - but all of the editorial comments were mundane, practical objections.

For instance, when Superman reveals his secrety identity - Lois sees him do it, but so do bunch of gangster henchmen who are there as well. There is a note in the margin by the description of the henchmen saying that "others" shouldn't be in on the secret - ie, that those henchmen shouldn't be in on it along with Lois.  This was an objection to the fact that all these crooks would be in on the secret.  But no objection to the fact that Lois learned about it.


The above note by Whitney Ellsworth was returned to Jerry Siegel along with his submitted plot summary. It shows that Ellsworth was intimately familiar with the details of Jerry's plot. Ellsworth was also co-producer of, and responsible for story ideas on, both the Superman Radio Show and the Adventures of Superman television series.


Also, a "violet-ray" machine figures into the plot.  Whitney Ellsworth wanted the story re-worked such that Superman attempts to use his X-Ray vision (at which point, Superman's vision power would then fail, being the first indication of his power loss) and someone else would use the machine at a later point. This change would have involved rewriting and redrawing the pages where Superman discovers his power loss and agonizes over it.  Another editor wanted the violet-ray machine changed to an X-ray machine.

There are also notes that "Gizzard and Buzzard" should be named "Gizard and Burrel" instead.

In spite of all these editorial notes, the entire story was completely pencilled, inked, and lettered as Jerry Siegel had written it.  Either the editorial requests were ignored, or the story had been completed before the requests were made.



 
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