Joseph Shuster was born on July 10, 1914 in Toronto, Ontario. When he was nine, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Shuster met young Jerry Siegel. The two became fast friends and collaborators; together, they published the earliest science-fiction fan magazines, where Shuster honed his fledgling art skills. He also provided cartoons for their high school newspaper, The Glenville Torch.

In 1936, he and Siegel began providing DC Comics with such new features as Dr. Occult, Slam Bradley, and Radio Squad before selling Superman to DC in 1938.

Influenced by comic-strip greats such as Wash Tubbs' Roy Crane, Joe Shuster drew Superman through 1947, after which he left comic books to create the comic strip Funnyman, again with Siegel. Unfortunately, failing eyesight cut short his career, but not before his place in the history of North American pop culture was assured.

Shuster died of heart failure on July 30, 1992. He was 78.