Superman #5

(Summer 1940)

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Superman / illustration / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Wayne Boring

Inks:

Wayne Boring

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Frontispiece.

[The Slot Machine Racket] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Paul Cassidy (pages 1-8); Wayne Boring (pages 9-13) [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy(pages 1-8); Paul Lauretta (pages 9-13) [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; George Taylor; Slug Kelly (villain, intro)

Synopsis:

Lois and Clark are very concerned when they see business owners trying to induce children into their stores to play slot machines, placed there by the goons of "Slug" Kelly. When the duo are held captive by Kelly and threatened with death, Superman takes over to clean house of the machines and the mugs responsible for them.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

The Planet's rival paper, The Morning Pictorial, is introduced.

Superman's Super Strength: Rules for Summer Living (Table of Contents)

Superman / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel

Pencils:

Dennis Neville?

Inks:

Dennis Neville?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero; fact

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Superman reminds his readers to get plenty of rest, eat right, gets lots of exercise and drink plenty of milk.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

The page features an inset picture of Superman, illustrated by Joe Shuster, plus an illustrated plug for Jowett Books on physical strength at the bottom.

Supermen of America (Table of Contents)

Superman / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (spot illustration)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy (spot illustration)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Editor's page in which Superman discusses the Supermen of America Club and its motto: Strength, Courage and Justice. A coupon is provided for readers to join if they wish.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

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

[Campaign Against the Planet] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; Zachary Collum (introduction, publisher of the Morning Pictorial); Lois Lane; Burt Mason (introduction, publisher of the Daily Planet); George Taylor; Representative Barnes; Alex Evell (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

Punk politician Alex Evell, because of his growing political power, is out to buy the Planet's competitor, so that he will have a newspaper to back up his political dealings. But Evell doesn't like Clark Kent and his scathing articles about him, so the crook sets out to buy out the Planet as well....or else!

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Power of the Press (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

George Shute (signed)

Pencils:

Bernard Baily

Inks:

Bernard Baily

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Bill Harkness; The Great Gordon (ventriloquist)

Synopsis:

Bill Harkness, a reporter for just two days, swelled with pride at the dedication of the new State Hospital, the top story of that time. Afterwards, he entered the building to look around, and bumped into one of the patients, the Great Gordon, the best ventriloquist of his day. Bill learned that this man had a son named Johnny, but then was interrupted by the Superintendent who wished that Harkness had never talked to the man. When he asked why, Harkness was finally told the secret of Gordon's son....he was the dummy he had used in his act!

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

The text story is surrounded by a variety of ads for such things as Baby Ruth candy bars, roller skates and more.

[Luthor's Incense Menace] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Inks:

Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; George Taylor; Mr. Gregory (villain, death); Borden Mosely (villain); Lex Luthor (villain, with grey hair)

Synopsis:

Clark Kent smells a rat when he enters several offices of financial wizards, hoping to find out why they are profiting during a time of extreme depression, and noting a sickening sweet smell of incense in the air. Superman discovers that it involves a plot by Luthor, who uses the narcotic incense to inslave the men and thus profit off their ventures.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Superman uses his powers to reshape his features for the first time. Inker revision by Craig Delich (January, 2006). Inker previously listed as Paul Cassidy?

[The 'Big Six' Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field!] (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Pencils:

various

Inks:

various

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero; ad

Characters:

Superman; The Sandman; The Batman; Ultraman; The Spectre; The Flash

Synopsis:

House ad promoting the characters starring in DC's top six magazines: Action, Adventure, Detective, All-American, More Fun and Flash Comics, with inset pictures of each.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

Murder In the Wind (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jack Wallis (signed)

Pencils:

? (spot illustrations)

Inks:

? (spot illustrations)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

crime

Characters:

Pert Blair; Jared Greene (villain); Clare Sanders; Doc Chalmers; Tom Larkin (death)

Synopsis:

People were very surprised when young Pert Blair was elected Sheriff, and more surprised, after the first murder in the county's history occured, when Pert nailed the town's banker for the murder!

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Both pages are surrounded by a series of promotional ads including for fireworks by the Baltimore Fireworks Company and making your own records at home by the Home Recording Company.

[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:

funny animal

Characters:

Shorty (a dog)

Synopsis:

Shorty is chased home by a smaller dog....then re-emerges in a tiger skin and chases the other dog off.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Jest Jokes / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Whitney Ellsworth?

Pencils:

Whitney Ellsworth?

Inks:

Whitney Ellsworth?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

gags

Synopsis:

The filler consists of four unrelated gag cartoons.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

The last half page is an ad for Superman on the radio, and has a listing of the stations broadcasting it.

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

All-Star Comics #1; Batman #1 / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

various

Inks:

various

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero; science fiction

Characters:

Batman; Robin; Sandman; Ultra-Man; Flash; Spectre

Synopsis:

Two half-page ads for All-Star Comics #1 and Batman #1, with covers and illustrations.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).

[The Wonder Drug Racket] (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; George Taylor; Morton Craig; Professor Carl Grinstead; Dr. Bren (villain); Carlin (villain, introduction); Nick Blake (villain); Butch (villain); Jimmy (villain)

Synopsis:

Superman investigates why a noted chemist's serum, parabiolene, financed by a noted gangster named Carlin, is being used on noted people, making them virtual slaves to do the bidding of Carlin.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Superman uses x-ray vision and super hearing.

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Superman in Action Comics / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (spot illustration)

Inks:

Paul Cassidy (spot illustration)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Promotional ad for Action Comics, starring Superman.

Reprinted:

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Indexer Notes

Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).