(June 1938)
- Price:
- 0.10 USD
- Pages:
- 68
- Indicia frequency:
- monthly
- On-sale date:
- 1938-04-18
- Indicia Publisher:
- Detective Comics, Inc.
- Editing:
- Vincent Sullivan
- Color:
- color
- Dimensions:
- standard Golden Age US; then standard Silver Age US; then standard Modern Age US
- Binding:
- saddle-stitched (squarebound #334, 347, 360, 373, 437, 443, 449, 600)
- Publishing Format:
- was ongoing series
Issue Notes
Indicia:
ACTION COMICS. published monthly by Detective Comics, Inc., 480 Lexington Ave., New York, N. Y. Second class entry pending at Post Office, New York, N. Y. under the Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates: 12 issues by mail in the United States, its possessions and Mexico, South America and Spain, $1.50; elsewhere $2.60. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. Entire contents copyright 1938 by Detective Comics, Inc.
In the documentation for the testimony from Detective Comics, Inc. vs. Bruns (Fox) Publications April 6 and 7, 1939, the on sale date for this issue is described by Jack Liebowitz as being April 18, 1938.
This is confirmed again in the documentation for the Siegel lawsuit against Warner Bros (CASE NO. CV-04-8400-SGL (RZx)) published on March 26, 2008; the on sale date for this issue is listed as being April 18, 1938.
[untitled]
Superman / cover / 1 page
Credits
- Pencils:
- Joe Shuster
- Inks:
- Joe Shuster
- Colors:
- Jack Adler (see notes)
- Letters:
- typeset
Content Information
- Genre:
- superhero
- Characters:
- Superman
- Reprints:
-
in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974) -
in Supermann (Williams Forlag, 1969 series) #2/1974 ([februar] 1974) - in Action Comics [Superman Sleeping Bag] (DC, 1976 series) #1 (1976)
- in Action Comics [Safeguard Deodorant Giveaway] (DC, 1976 series) #1 (1976)
- in Supermann (Williams Forlag, 1969 series) #2/1976 ([februar] 1976)
- in Lynvingen (Williams Forlag, 1969 series) #2/1976 ([februar] 1976) [0.5 page]
- in Superboy (Williams Forlag, 1969 series) #3/1976 ([mars] 1976)
- in Superman from the Thirties to the Eighties (Crown Publishers, 1983 series) #[nn] (1983)
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 10¢ Cover] (DC, 1983 series) #1 (1983)
- in Superserien (Semic, 1982 series) #9/1984 (uke 35 1984)
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 50¢ Cover] (DC, 1987 series) #1 (1987)
- in Action Comics [50¢ Cover] (DC, 1988 series) #1 (1988)
-
in Supermán (Grupo Editorial Vid, 1986 series) #57 (Diciembre 13 de 1988), #57 (Diciembre 13 de 1988) - in Action Comics 1 Reprint [Death of Superman] (DC, 1992 series) #[nn] (1992)
- in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1 (1997), #1 (1997)
- in Tommy og Tigern (Bladkompaniet, 1989 series) #3/1998 ([mars] 1998) [0.25 page]
- in Action Comics [US Postal Service] (DC / United States Postal Service, 1998 series) #1 (September 10, 1998)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000) [minus the price, and (like all reprints of this issue) flying rocks, one bead of sweat, and about an inch off the bottom of the cover]
- in Superman in the Forties (DC, 2005 series) #[nn] ([October] 2005)
-
- Keywords:
- automobiles
Indexer Notes
In Alter Ego #56 (Feb. 2006), in an interview with Adler, he reports that he painted the colors on the engraving plates for this story. Info added by Craig Delich (Feb. 2006).
Error Report #2990 by Mike DeLisa states the following: "Cover was not by Shuster, actually by unknown member of DC staff based on one interior panel. Coloring was not by Jack Adler; Adler states that the work was done by DC staff. My source is the Court record and decision, which includes affidavits from Siegel, Shuster, and Adler."
Superman/Batman #41 indentifies bystander on cover as Rick Radomski of Radomski Hardware. Though this takes place during a dream sequence, the name could be considered canon.
[untitled]
Superman / comic story / 1 page
Credits
- Script:
- Jerry Siegel [as Jerome Siegel] (signed)
- Pencils:
- Joe Shuster (signed)
- Inks:
- Joe Shuster (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Joe Shuster
Content Information
- Genre:
- superhero
- Characters:
- Superman [Clark Kent] (intro, origin)
- Synopsis:
- A space vehicle from a destroyed world lands on Earth, and its occupant becomes Superman. In addition, a scientific explanation for this being's powers is explained.
- Reprints:
- in Secret Origins (DC, 1973 series) #1 (February-March 1973)
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Action Comics [Safeguard Deodorant Giveaway] (DC, 1976 series) #1 (1976)
- in Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (Crown Publishers, 1976 series) #[nn] (1976)
- in A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics (Smithsonian Institution / Harry N Abrams, 1981 series) #[nn] (1981)
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 10¢ Cover] (DC, 1983 series) #1 (1983)
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 50¢ Cover] (DC, 1987 series) #1 (1987)
- in Action Comics 1 Reprint [Death of Superman] (DC, 1992 series) #[nn] (1992)
- in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1 (1997)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
- in Superman in the Forties (DC, 2005 series) #[nn] ([October] 2005)
- in Superman through the Ages (DC, 2007 series) #[nn] ([June] 2007)
-
- Keywords:
- Krypton
Indexer Notes
This strip was originally prepared for newspaper publication, cut up and repaged. Black shading used. Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[The Coming of Superman]
Superman / comic story / 11.66 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Jerry Siegel
- Pencils:
- Joe Shuster
- Inks:
- Joe Shuster
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Joe Shuster ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- superhero
- Characters:
- Superman [Clark Kent]; George Taylor (unnamed); Lois Lane; Daily Star; Evelyn Curry; Bea Carroll (villain); Butch Matson (villain); Senator Barrows (villain); Alex Greer (villain)
- Synopsis:
- Superman delivers a witness to the governor to stop an execution, then stops a wife-beater. Later Superman, as Clark Kent goes out with Lois, but she earns the wrath of Butch Matson and Superman must save her. Finally, Clark is assigned a story on the South American republic of San Monte. He heads to Washington DC to find out who is behind Senator Barrows pushing legislation which will embroil the United States in a war in Europe by grabbing lobbyist Alex Greer and scaring the truth out of him.
- Reprints:
- in Superman (DC, 1939 series) #1 (Summer 1939) which is reprinted
- in Supermann (Semic, 1977 series) #9/1979 (28. august 1979) which is reprinted
- in Superserien (Semic, 1982 series) #9/1984 (uke 35 1984)
- in Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, 1971 series) #[nn] (1971) [pp. 6-18]
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Action Comics [Superman Sleeping Bag] (DC, 1976 series) #1 (1976)
- in Action Comics [Safeguard Deodorant Giveaway] (DC, 1976 series) #1 (1976)
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-61 ([March] 1979) [as reprinted in Superman (DC, 1939 series) #1 (Summer 1939)]
- in A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics (Smithsonian Institution / Harry N Abrams, 1981 series) #[nn] (1981)
- in Superman from the Thirties to the Eighties (Crown Publishers, 1983 series) #[nn] (1983) [pp. 6-18]
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 10¢ Cover] (DC, 1983 series) #1 (1983)
- in Action Comics [Nestle Quick 50¢ Cover] (DC, 1987 series) #1 (1987)
- in Action Comics [50¢ Cover] (DC, 1988 series) #1 (1988)
- in Supermán (Grupo Editorial Vid, 1986 series) #57 (Diciembre 13 de 1988)
- in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)
- in Action Comics 1 Reprint [Death of Superman] (DC, 1992 series) #[nn] (1992)
- in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1 (1997)
- in Action Comics [US Postal Service] (DC / United States Postal Service, 1998 series) #1 (September 10, 1998)
- in Superman #1 [Masterpiece Edition] (Chronicle Books, 1999 series) #[nn] (1999)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
- in Millennium Edition: Superman 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (December 2000) [as reprinted in Superman (DC, 1939 series) #1 (Summer 1939)]
- in Superman in the Forties (DC, 2005 series) #[nn] ([October] 2005)
- in Superman through the Ages (DC, 2007 series) #[nn] ([June] 2007)
-
Indexer Notes
Story continues in Action Comics #2. Originally prepared for newspaper publication, cut up and repaged by Joe Shuster, not Harry Lampert as often claimed. Black shading used. Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Superman wears blue boots. The last 1/3 of page 12 is an illustrated promotional ad for the Superman strip appearing in Action Comics.
[The A-G Gang]
Chuck Dawson / comic story / 6 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Homer Fleming ?
- Pencils:
- Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)
- Inks:
- Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)
- Letters:
- ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- adventure; western-frontier
- Characters:
- Chuck Dawson; Notch Logan (villain); John Burwell (villain); "Trigger" Holt (villain); Butch (villain)
- Synopsis:
- Church begins a vendetta aginst the crooked ranch owners who have, by fraud, acquired the range lands he inherited after his father's death.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Writer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
The Mystery of the Freight Train Robberies
Zatara Master Magician / comic story / 12 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Fred Guardineer (signed)
- Pencils:
- Fred Guardineer (signed)
- Inks:
- Fred Guardineer (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Fred Guardineer ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- occult
- Characters:
- Zatara (intro); Tong (intro); Brady (death); Captain Kennedy; The Tigress (intro, villain); Babcock (villain)
- Synopsis:
- Zatara and Tong investigate the murders of several railroad detectives and the theft of over $200,000 in loot.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
South Sea Strategy [Part 1]
text story / 2 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Captain Frank Thomas (signed)
- Pencils:
- ? (spot illustrations)
- Inks:
- ? (spot illustrations)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- typeset
Content Information
- Genre:
- adventure
- Characters:
- Bret Coleman; Cottonball; Merna Newton; Samuel Newton; South Seas natives (villains)
- Synopsis:
- Bret and Cottonball seek to rescue one Samuel Newton, whose daughter was carried off into the jungle by a pack of savage natives.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[untitled]
Sticky-Mitt Stimson / filler / 4 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
- Pencils:
- Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
- Inks:
- Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Russell Cole
Content Information
- Genre:
- crime
- Characters:
- Sticky-Mitt Stimson
- Synopsis:
- Sticky swipes some apples and is pursued by the Police and gets a lucky break to make good his escape.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[untitled]
The Adventures of Marco Polo / comic story / 4 pages
Credits
- Script:
- ?
- Pencils:
- Sven Elven (signed)
- Inks:
- Sven Elven (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Sven Elven
Content Information
- Genre:
- historical
- Characters:
- Marco Polo; Niku
- Synopsis:
- Marco, his father and uncle are given an audience with the new Pope, who gives them the mission to seek out the Khan of Tartary, and bring with them priests and men of learning in order to impart that knowledge to his people.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[The Light Heavyweight Championship]
Pep Morgan / comic story / 4 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Gardner F. Fox
- Pencils:
- Fred Guardineer (signed)
- Inks:
- Fred Guardineer (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Fred Guardineer ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- adventure
- Characters:
- Pep Morgan; Pop Burkett; Sailor Sorenson; Boomerang; O'Rourke; Doc Lowery (villain)
- Synopsis:
- When the Boxing Commission runs a dirty fight trainer out of town, he swears his revenge....against Pep.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Writer credit added by Craig Delich 8-9-08. Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[The International Jewel Thief]
Scoop Scanlon, Five Star Reporter / comic story / 6 pages
Credits
- Script:
- ?
- Pencils:
- Will Ely (signed)
- Inks:
- Will Ely (signed)
- Letters:
- ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- adventure
- Characters:
- Scoop Scanlon; Rusty James; Arnold (villain)
- Synopsis:
- An international jewel thief arrives in America as a prisoner, but Scoop and Rusty are on hand to witness his escape with the help of his gang lying in wait.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[Murder in England]
Tex Thomson / comic story / 12 pages
Credits
- Script:
- Ken Fitch ?
- Pencils:
- Bernard Baily (signed)
- Inks:
- Bernard Baily (signed)
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- Bernard Baily
Content Information
- Genre:
- adventure
- Characters:
- Tex Thomson (intro, see notes); Bob; Betty; unnamed gangster chief (intro, villain, death); Monk (villain); Sonja (villain)
- Synopsis:
- Ken is framed for the murder of a man, and, with the help of Betty and Bobby, sets out to prove his innocence.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Tex Thomson later becomes Mr. America in Action Comics #33 and then Americommando in Action Comics #54.
[untitled]
Stardust / filler / 1 page
Credits
- Pencils:
- ? [as the Star Gazer]
- Inks:
- ? [as the Star Gazer]
- Colors:
- ?
- Letters:
- ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- non-fiction
- Characters:
- Fred Astaire; Constance Bennett; Charles Boyer; Wheeler & Woolsey
- Synopsis:
- Interesting facts about celebrities Fred Astaire, Constance Bennett, Charles Boyer and the comedy team of Wheeler and Woolsey are provided in this illustrated filler.
- Reprints:
- in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974)
- in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
-
- Keywords:
- celebrity
Indexer Notes
Art MIGHT be by Sheldon Moldoff (per Craig Delich, July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
[untitled]
Odds 'N' Ends / filler / 1 page
Credits
- Pencils:
- Sheldon Moldoff
- Inks:
- Sheldon Moldoff
- Letters:
- ?
Content Information
- Genre:
- non-fiction
- Reprints:
Indexer Notes
Inside back cover.
Editing
Table of Contents
-
0.
[untitled]
Superman -
1.
[untitled]
Superman -
2.
[The Coming of Superman]
Superman -
3.
[The A-G Gang]
Chuck Dawson -
4.
The Mystery of the Freight Train Robberies
Zatara Master Magician -
5.
South Sea Strategy [Part 1]
-
6.
[untitled]
Sticky-Mitt Stimson -
7.
[untitled]
The Adventures of Marco Polo -
8.
[The Light Heavyweight Championship]
Pep Morgan -
9.
[The International Jewel Thief]
Scoop Scanlon, Five Star Reporter -
10.
[Murder in England]
Tex Thomson -
11.
[untitled]
Stardust -
12.
[untitled]
Odds 'N' Ends
This issue was most recently modified by:
- Henry Andrews
- Tony R. Rose
- Katie
- Matthew Head
- R. J. Roper
- Edward DeGeorge
- Peter Croome
- Allen Ross
- Steinar Ådland
- David B
Issues in this series have been indexed by:
- Bob Klein
- Jon Ingersoll
- Diverse Hands
- Brian Mowbray
- John Greb
- Kelly Langston-Smith
- Lou Mazzella
- Carlos Tasada
- John Douglas Miceli
- Kyle Weber
- Terry Watkins
- Allen Ross
- Jerry Hillegas
- Gregory Fischer
- Donald Dale Milne
- Mike Nielsen
- Bob Hughes
- Darrel McCann
- Ed Boner
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