Superman #21
(March-April 1943)

DC, 1939 Series
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Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
bi-monthly
On-sale Date
1943-01-02
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Superman Inc.
Brand
A Superman DC Publication
Editing
Whitney Ellsworth (credited) (editor); Jack Schiff (actual editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration. On-sale date of December 30, 1942 in ad in Action Comics #57.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Superman / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Jack Burnley
Inks
Jack Burnley
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Cover art confirmed by Burnley.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

[The X-Alloy] (Table of Contents: 2)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils
Ed Dobrotka (signed as Joe Shuster)
Inks
John Sikela (signed as Joe Shuster)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Frank Lingle; Carlton Graul (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
Clark Kent is the only reporter invited to the testing of a cannon made of the new X-Alloy, but when it explodes, it leads Superman to the Lingle Steel Corporation, manufacturer the alloy, only to discover the plant honeycombed with spies.
Reprints

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 3) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Supermen of America (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.67 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5)

Victor / cartoon / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
There's you 25ยข allowance, Victor....
Genre
children
Characters
Victor

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

Gags / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff (signed)

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Jason certainly takes good care of himself.
Genre
humor

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

Picture Stories from the Bible / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

The Four Gangleaders (Table of Contents: 8)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils
Leo Nowak (signed as Joe Shuster)
Inks
Leo Nowak (signed as Joe Shuster)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Sgt. Casey; Cordell (villain, introduction); Graney (villain, introduction, dies); Graham (villain, introduction); Kingsley (villain, introduction, dies); Charles Clayton (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
After a run-in with four notorious underworld gang leaders (one of them being killed in the process), Lois decides to write a series of articles exposing them and to begin a crusade against them by implying there is a gang war in progress, and one of the three remaining leaders is trying to wipe out his rival.
Reprints

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 9)

Snapper / cartoon / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Whitney Ellsworth ?
Pencils
Whitney Ellsworth ?
Inks
Whitney Ellsworth ?
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Boy! What a story!
Genre
humor
Characters
Snapper

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Ralston; Tom Mix Commandos Comics / advertisement / 2 pages (report information)

The Robber Knight (Table of Contents: 11)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils
Joe Shuster (signed)
Inks
George Roussos (signed as Joe Shuster)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Mr. Phelps; Lucy Trent; Sir Gauntlet [Caspar Smythe] (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
When Lois Lane is arrested for wearing a stolen mink coat from Lacey's Department Store, Clark Kent learns that a former employee from Lacey's sold it to her, even though she said she didn't steal it herself. The Man of Tomorrow, upon further investigation, believes that that employee, Lucy Trent, is shielding someone, as other items are also being reported as missing from the store.
Reprints
Keywords
Superman's Mountain Retreat

High in Energy (Table of Contents: 12) (Expand) /

Baby Ruth / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Goofy Invention (Table of Contents: 13)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Wally Walker (credited)
Letters
typeset

Genre
adventure

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 14) (Expand) /

advertisement / 0.31 page (report information)

Brand New! (Table of Contents: 15) (Expand) /

Comic Cavalcade / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.44 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 16) (Expand) /

The Adventures of Superman / advertisement / 0.25 page (report information)

The Ghost of Superman! (Table of Contents: 17)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils
Sam Citron (signed as Joe Shuster)
Inks
Sam Citron (signed as Joe Shuster)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Sam Jackson (dies); Manley; Blinky Moxby (villain, introduction); Knuckles (villain); Mike Chandler (villain); Luthor (villain, cameo); Ultra-Humanite (villain, cameo); The Puzzler (villain, cameo); Metalo (villain, cameo); The Prankster (villain, cameo); Adolf Hitler (villain, cameo); Hideki Tojo (villain, cameo)
Synopsis
The murder of Sam Jackson, a man involved in a street grafting operation, is blamed on a city commissioner, who informs Police that Mike Chandler did it, and his only witness to that event is another criminal, "Blinky" Moxby. Superman goes to great lengths to find Moxby and get proof of the commissioner's innocence, including allowing Moxby to think he has actually killed the Man of Steel!
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Previously credited to Pete Riss, but many Riss/Citron stories have had credit swaps due to the analysis of Martin O'Hearn: http://martinohearn.blogspot.com/search/label/Riss%20art.

The Big Eight! (Table of Contents: 18) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 19) (Expand) /

National Radio Institute / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 20) (Expand) /

American Seed Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  2. 1. ["Be sure to get these top favorites for the best in comics!"]
  3. 2. [The X-Alloy]
    Superman
  4. 3. Editorial Advisory Board
  5. 4. Supermen of America
  6. 5. ["There's you 25ยข allowance, Victor...."]
    Victor
  7. 6. ["Jason certainly takes good care of himself."]
    Gags
  8. 7. [no title indexed]
    Picture Stories from the Bible
  9. 8. The Four Gangleaders
    Superman
  10. 9. ["Boy! What a story!"]
    Snapper
  11. 10. [no title indexed]
    Ralston; Tom Mix Commandos Comics
  12. 11. The Robber Knight
    Superman
  13. 12. High in Energy
    Baby Ruth
  14. 13. Goofy Invention
  15. 14. [no title indexed]
  16. 15. Brand New!
    Comic Cavalcade
  17. 16. ["Wow! Superman is on the air!"]
    The Adventures of Superman
  18. 17. The Ghost of Superman!
    Superman
  19. 18. The Big Eight!
  20. 19. [no title indexed]
    National Radio Institute
  21. 20. [no title indexed]
    American Seed Co.
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Steve Dasinger
  • Craig Delich
  • Matthew Head
  • Bob Hughes
  • John Monagle
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Per Sandell
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore