In the throws of the Great Depression, America needed a hero. Aspiring comic book writers Jerry Siegel and and Joe Shuster drew from silent era icon Douglas Fairbanks and other Hollywood legends to create Kal El, the Superman. At first rejected, Superman would eventually debut in Action Comics and become an instant success to young readers everywhere. Over the next few years, DC sought to capitalize on Superman's success with a new hero. That's when Bill Finger and Bob Kane drew from Zorro to create wholesome Superman's total opposite, the dark-cloaked Batman. Their unique abilities and groundbreaking stories have made them an integral part of American history and pop culture. Though both superheroes seek justice, their starkly opposed demeanors and motivations have often put them at odds on page, on screen, and amongst audiences. Nonetheless, their feats of heroism would spark an entirely new genre in popular culture, and to this day they remain America's greatest superheroes.