Superman #3

(Winter 1939)

[Superman, America's Greatest Adventure Strip Character!] (Table of Contents)

Superman / illustration / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Shuster

Inks:

Joe Shuster?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Frontispiece.

[The Orphanage Adventure] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 24 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (layouts) (signed)

Inks:

Dennis Neville (finished art) [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; George Taylor; Lois Lane; Frankie Dennis; Lyman (villain, intro)

Synopsis:

When Superman saves a runaway boy from being run over by a train, he discovers the child is from an orphanage where the superintendent abuses the children in a variety of ways. So the Man of Tomorrow enlists the aid of the young man to act as an undercover agent to spy on things and report back to Clark Kent.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989) [in this form]
• from Superman daily (McClure syndicate, 1939 series) 1939.06.12 - 1939.07.22 [source material]

Reprint Note before Migration:

• from Superman daily (McClure syndicate, 1939 series) 1939.06.12 - 1939.07.22 [source material]
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 [in this form]

Indexer Notes

Art identifications by Jerry Bails.

"The Greatest Contest in Comic Magazine History!" (Table of Contents)

Superman / promo (ad from the publisher) / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Shuster

Inks:

Paul Cassidy

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Announcement of a contest, open only to members of the Supermen of America club, whose details would be given in the January issue of Action Comics, on sale December 1st. These pages showed the prizes that would be offered to the winners in the contest.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Keywords:

contest

Indexer Notes

Sequence, info and credits added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006).

[Superman and the Dam] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

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]; Lois Lane; George Taylor

Synopsis:

Although Lois has double-crossed him and editor Taylor has fired him, Clark Kent (as Superman) heads to the Valley-Ho Dam to prevent it from collapsing. Unfortunately too late on the scene, the Man of Tomorrow manages to save Lois from drowning and divert the flood waters away from the city.

Reprints:

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #5 (October 1938)
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #5 (October 1938)
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Superman's and Lois' first kiss. The very last panel on the last page of the sequence encourages readers to turn to the inside back cover to learn how they can win one of the $25 prizes being given away.

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Fantastic Facts / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

George Papp?

Pencils:

George Papp [as Geo. Papp] (signed)

Inks:

George Papp [as Geo. Papp] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction

Synopsis:

The fantastic facts illustrated here include: 1) there is enough phosphorous in three old style kitchen matches to kill a person; 2) men once paid taxes on their beards; 3) gangster films were the reason the sales of men's caps had declined over the last ten years; 4) Humuhumunukunkuapuaa is the name given by natives to Hawaii's smallest fish; and 5) the water around an iceberg is warm.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Death By the Stars (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bert Lexington (signed)

Pencils:

Fred Guardineer

Inks:

Fred Guardineer

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

occult

Characters:

Emil Brandwan (death); Sgt. Steve Hanley; Professor Louis Morton; Stephen Gregory; Jack Lowell; Robert Shelton (villain)

Synopsis:

Six men, gathered in an astrologer's exotic studio, are shocked to hear Emil Brandwan announce that, according to the stars, he is to die that very night at 7pm.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Art credits by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

[Superman's Phony Manager] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 12.66 pages (report information)

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]; Jimmy Olsen (intro as an unnamed office boy); Lois Lane; George Taylor (unnamed); Nick Williams (villain)

Synopsis:

Clark Kent is introduced to a fighter manager who claims to be Superman's personal manager. But when Lois discovers the existence of a phony Superman, who is tied to that manager, the real Superman must act quickly to save Lois' life.

Reprints:

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #6 (November 1938)
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #6 (November 1938)
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Revised art credits by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). Paul Cassidy was previously given as possible penciller [along with Shuster] and as possible inker.

Acquiring Super-Strength (Table of Contents)

filler / 0.33 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel

Pencils:

Joe Shuster

Inks:

Joe Shuster

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction

Synopsis:

Illustrated are several techniques on muscle training that, if practiced, can give someone a crushing hand grip.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Sequence, info and credits by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006).

Attaining Super-Health: A Few Hints From Superman! (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel

Pencils:

Joe Shuster

Inks:

Joe Shuster

Colors:

?

Letters:

Joe Shuster?

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction; superhero

Characters:

Superman; Johnny; Larry

Synopsis:

Readers are encouraged by Superman to have regular, daily exercise, join an exercise club, don't slouch, and eat a well-rounded diet.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Title information from Denys Howard (May 23, 2004), updated 2009-12-30 by Craig Delich. Title originally listed as: "Aquiring Super-Health." Letterer credit by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

Good Luck Charm (Table of Contents)

text story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Hugh Langley (signed)

Pencils:

Fred Guardineer (spot illustrations)

Inks:

Fred Guardineer (spot illustrations)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

adventure; crime

Characters:

Tony Carrenzo (villain); Lucky Malone (villain, death); Rhani Kor (death)

Synopsis:

Lucky Malone had killed a Hindu mystic to get some jewels and a locket from him years ago. Now that he and Tony have successfully escaped from prison, Lucky once more believes the locket is his lucky charm, able to see him through any situation.....or so he thinks!

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Information and art credits by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Shorty / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Fred Schwab

Pencils:

Fred Schwab

Inks:

Fred Schwab

Colors:

?

Letters:

Fred Schwab

Content Information

Genre:

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters:

Shorty (a dog)

Synopsis:

Shorty chases after another dog who steals his bone.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Information and synopsis by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

[Superman and the Smugglers] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; Jimmy Olsen (as unnamed office boy); George Taylor; Lois Lane; Lew Frawley (villain, intro)

Synopsis:

Superman must save Lois' life and stop criminals who are smuggling in jewels from Europeans who wish to escape paying custom duties.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989) [in this form]
• from Superman daily (McClure Syndicate, 1939 series) 1939.03.20 - 1939.04.01 [source material]

Reprint Note before Migration:

• from Superman daily (McClure Syndicate, 1939 series) 1939.03.20 - 1939.04.01 [source material]
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 [in this form]

Superman! (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Shuster

Inks:

Paul Cassidy

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Promotional house ad for Superman in Action Comics.

Reprints:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1 (1989)

Reprint Note before Migration:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1

Indexer Notes

Sequence, information and credits by Craig Delich (January, 2006), pencil credit updated 2009-12-30.