Superman - Action Comics #1 - Superman and the Men of Steel
([July] 2013)

DC, 2013 Series
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Volume
1
Price
16.99 USD; 19.99 CAD
Pages
260
On-sale Date
2013-05-01
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
DC Comics
Brand
DC [peel]
ISBN
978-1-4012-3547-5 Search at WorldCat
Barcode
9781401235475 51699
Editing
Matt Idelson (credited) (editor - original series); Wil Moss (associate editor - original series); Peter Hamboussi (credited) (editor)

Issue Notes

Second printing available June 19, 2013; third printing available October 22, 2014; fourth printing available March 23, 2016; and fifth printing available March 22, 2017 (per comiclist.com).

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Superman / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (credited)
Inks
Rags Morales (credited)
Colors
Guy Major (credited)
Letters
typeset

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Superman and the Men of Steel (Table of Contents: 1)

credits, title page / 4 pages (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rags Morales; Rick Bryant
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman; Lex Luthor; Detective Blake; Glen Glenmorgan

Indexer Notes

The title page is illustrated by art taken from the cover of Action Comics (DC, 2011 series) #2. The following two-page spread provides the credits for the issue and is illustrated by art taken from pages 4 and 5 of #1. The next page provides copyright information and editorial credits, illustrated by art from the second panel on page 10 of #1.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 2)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 3)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow (Table of Contents: 4)

Superman / comic story / 29 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rick Bryant
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Jimmy Olsen; Lois Lane; General Sam Lane; Lex Luthor; Mrs. Nyxly; Mr. Glenmorgan; Gus Grundig; Detective Blake; Zoft; Martinez; Casey; Pandora
Synopsis
Early in his career, Superman scares a confession out of a corrupt developer and saves slum dwellers from a wrecking ball, as General Lane and Lex Luthor watch. Later, Luthor puts General Lane's daughter and her co-worker Jimmy Olsen in jeopardy when he creates an emergency on an elevated train that requires Superman's intervention to keep it from running straight into the Daily Planet building.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Pandora appears on page 26.

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

blank page(s) / 1 page (report information)


Indexer Notes

This page is solid blue.

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

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Lex Luthor; General Sam Lane
Reprints

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

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Lex Luthor; General Sam Lane
Reprints

Superman in Chains (Table of Contents: 8)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales; Brent Anderson (5 pp.)
Inks
Rick Bryant; Brent Anderson
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Lois Lane; Lex Luthor; General Sam Lane; Sgt. John Corben; Dr. John Henry Irons; Professor Vale
Synopsis
Superman escapes custody after General Lane and Lex Luthor perform a number of tests on him. While retrieving his cape on the way out of the complex, Superman spies a red and blue spaceship that calls to him, and which he promises to return for. In the aftermath, John Corben makes a decision about his future and Luthor makes a phone call to his mysterious ally.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Per Rags Morales, he did not draw Lois in this issue, so Brent Anderson's pages presumably include 7, 10, and 18.

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

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

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

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

World Against Superman (Table of Contents: 11)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales (pp. 5 [panel 3 only], 8-20); Gene Ha (pp. 1-7)
Inks
Rick Bryant (pp. 5 [panel 3 only], 8-20); Gene Ha (pp. 1-7)
Colors
Art Lyon (pp. 1-7); Brad Anderson (pp. 5 [panel 3 only], 8-20)
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Jimmy Olsen; Lois Lane; Lara; Zora; Lara's mother; Jor-El; Professor Vale; Sgt. John Corben; General Sam Lane; Lex Luthor; Martha Kent (in photo); Jonathan Kent (in photo); Mrs. Nyxly; Inspector Blake; Sergeant Casey; Glen Glenmorgan; "Streets" Bowman; Mr. Tide
Synopsis
Superman's dream of him and his mother escaping Kandor is interrupted by a search of his apartment by the Metropolis PD, one small part of Glen Glenmorgan's anti-alien vendetta against Superman and his presumed allies. Meanwhile, Luthor's unseen ally makes himself publicly known through John Corben just as he is fitted into his Steel Soldier suit.
Reprints

[The Debut of Steel] (Table of Contents: 12)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Terminaut
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing.

[The Debut of Steel] (Table of Contents: 13)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing. This page reproduced the original inked black and white art for this cover. The 1:200 Incentive Cover variant edition cover is only the pencils.

Superman and the Men of Steel (Table of Contents: 14)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rick Bryant; Sean Parsons
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen; Lex Luthor; Metal-Zero [John Corben]; Mr. Tide; Steel [John Henry Irons]; General Sam Lane; The Collector of Worlds
Synopsis
Luthor's alien ally takes over the Metal-Zero suit to search for Superman, while its Terminauts secure artifacts, before it shrinks and bottles Metropolis.
Reprints

[City in a Bottle!] (Table of Contents: 15)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing

[City in a Bottle!] (Table of Contents: 16)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing

Doomsday Decision (Table of Contents: 17)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rick Bryant
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Steel [John Henry Irons]; General Sam Lane; Jor-El; Jimmy Olsen; Lois Lane; Lex Luthor; Glen Glenmorgan; Sgt. Casey; The Collector of Worlds
Synopsis
Superman pursues and enters the Collector of Worlds' ship, where he finds several bottled cities, including Metropolis and another he remembers from his dreams. While those in Metropolis try to figure out what to do, Superman learns of his home planet Krypton and its city of Kandor. Told to choose between Kandor and Metropolis, Superman dons Kryptonian armor and faces his enemy.
Reprints

[To Battle Brainiac... ...For the Fate of Metropolis] (Table of Contents: 18)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Brainiac
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing.

[To Battle Brainiac... ...For the Fate of Metropolis] (Table of Contents: 19)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Brainiac
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing

Superman Meets... ...The Collector of Worlds (Table of Contents: 20)

Superman / comic story / 30 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Rags Morales (pp. 1-21, 29-30); Brad Walker (pp. 22-28)
Inks
Rick Bryant (pp. 1-21, 29-30); Bob McLeod (pp. 22-28)
Colors
David Curiel; Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen; Lex Luthor; Glen Glenmorgan; Detective Blake; John Henry Irons [Steel]; General Sam Lane; George Taylor; Mrs. Nyxly; Brainiac; Metal-Zero [John Corben]; Nimrod the Hunter [Mr. Zarov]
Synopsis
Superman fights off John Corben, while giving the Collector of Worlds one last chance to restore the miniaturized cities. When he refuses, Superman sends the Kryptonian rocket that brought him to Earth, and its crystal computer system, into the Collector of Worlds to shut him down. Finally, Superman enlarges and restores Metropolis just before its miniaturization becomes permanent and is hailed as Metropolis' hero.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Exact division of artistic chores confirmed by Rags Morales.

[It Begins... ...Again!] (Table of Contents: 21)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Andy Kubert (signed)
Inks
Joe Prado (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Kal-El]
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 22)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Andy Kubert
Inks
Joe Prado

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Kal-El]
Reprints

Rocket Song (Table of Contents: 23)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Andy Kubert
Inks
Jesse Delperdang
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Jor-El; Lara; Krypto; Martha Kent; Jonathan Kent; Phantom Zone villains; Lex Luthor; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Man; Saturn Woman; Cosmic Man]; Anti-Superman Army [K-Man Green; Drekken; Xa-Du]
Synopsis
The ship that brought Superman to Earth records Jor-El and Lara's last day, the journey of baby Kal-El across space, his adoption by the Kents, Superman's discovery of the ship, and the theft of its most precious element.
Reprints

[Poisoned by Kryptonite!] (Table of Contents: 24)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Andy Kubert (signed)
Inks
Andy Kubert (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Erik Drekken
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing.

[Poisoned by Kryptonite!] (Table of Contents: 25)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Andy Kubert (signed)
Inks
Andy Kubert (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Erik Drekken
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Title taken from original printing.

When Superman Learned to Fly (Table of Contents: 26)

Superman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison
Pencils
Andy Kubert
Inks
John Dell
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
Pat Brosseau

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; The Kryptonite-Men [K-Man Green]; Doctor Xa-Du; Sisterhood of Abiding Hate; Nimrod the Hunter; Legion of Super-Heroes [Saturn Woman [also as Saturn Girl]; Lightning Man [also as Lightning Lad]; Cosmic Man [also as Cosmic Boy]]; Erik Drekken; Jonathan Kent (flashback)
Synopsis
Superman from five years in the future and the adult Legion of Super-Heroes arrive in the early days of Superman's career to recover the kryptonite stolen from the spaceship that brought Superman to Earth. When they discover that the kryptonite is hidden in a tesseract implanted in Superman's brain and is to be auctioned off, the Legionnaires use their time bubble to go back into the immediate past, disguise themselves, and recover the kryptonite to return it to the spaceship.
Reprints

Action Comics Back-Up Adventures (Table of Contents: 27)

credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rick Bryant
Colors
Brad Anderson
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman

Indexer Notes

Page is illustrated with art taken from page 4 of the first comic story in Action Comics (DC, 2011 series) #7.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 28)

blank page(s) / 1 page (report information)


Indexer Notes

This page is solid blue.

Hearts of Steel (Table of Contents: 29)

Steel / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Sholly Fisch
Pencils
Brad Walker
Inks
Brad Walker
Colors
Jay David Ramos
Letters
Carlos M. Mangual

Genre
superhero
Characters
Steel [John Henry Irons]; Superman; Metal-Zero [John Corben]
Synopsis
Dr. Irons suits up for the first time in order to stop his creation, Metal-Zero.
Reprints

Meanwhile... (Table of Contents: 30)

Steel / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Sholly Fisch
Pencils
Brad Walker
Inks
Brad Walker
Colors
Jay David Ramos; David Curiel (with...)
Letters
Carlos M. Mangual

Genre
superhero
Characters
Steel [John Henry Irons]; Superman; Natasha Irons
Synopsis
After Superman takes off after the Collector of Worlds, Dr. Irons deals with the repercussions of the sudden disappearance of the bulk of Metropolis and finds that he is not alone in those efforts.
Reprints

Baby Steps (Table of Contents: 31)

Superman / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Sholly Fisch
Pencils
ChrisCross
Inks
ChrisCross
Colors
José Villarrubia
Letters
Carlos M. Mangual

Genre
superhero
Characters
Martha Kent; Jonathan Kent; Dr. Jonas Hausler; Erica Strommen
Synopsis
Jonathan and Martha Kent struggle to have a child.
Reprints

Last Day (Table of Contents: 32)

Superman / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Sholly Fisch
Pencils
ChrisCross
Inks
ChrisCross
Colors
José Villarrubia
Letters
Carlos M. Mangual

Genre
superhero
Characters
Clark Kent; Jonathan Kent; Martha Kent; Pete Ross; Lana Lang; Mr. Fry
Synopsis
Clark remembers his time in Smallville as he prepares to head off to college.
Reprints

Variant Cover Gallery (Table of Contents: 33)

credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Jim Lee
Inks
Scott Williams
Colors
Alex Sinclair
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

This page is illustrated by art taken from the Incentive Cover variant of issue #1.

Action Comics (promotional image) (Table of Contents: 34)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales
Inks
Rags Morales
Colors
Guy Major

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics 1 (Table of Contents: 35)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Jim Lee (signed)
Inks
Scott Williams (signed)
Colors
Alex Sinclair (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics 1 (Table of Contents: 36)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Jim Lee (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Indexer Notes

This cover is a pencils-only version of the "Incentive Cover Edition" by Jim Lee.

Action Comics 2 (Table of Contents: 37)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Ethan Van Sciver
Inks
Ethan Van Sciver
Colors
Ethan Van Sciver

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics 3 (Table of Contents: 38)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Gene Ha (signed)
Inks
Gene Ha (signed)
Colors
Art Lyon (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Jor-El; Lara
Reprints

The Debut of Steel (Table of Contents: 39)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Mike Choi
Inks
Mike Choi
Colors
Mike Choi

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics 5 (Table of Contents: 40)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Krypto
Reprints

Action Comics 6 (Table of Contents: 41)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Rags Morales (signed)
Inks
Rags Morales (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson (signed)

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Legion of Super-Heroes [Lightning Man; Cosmic Man; Saturn Woman]; Erik Drekken
Reprints

Action Comics 7 (Table of Contents: 42)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Chris Burnham (signed)
Inks
Chris Burnham (signed)
Colors
Nathan Fairbairn

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics 8 (Table of Contents: 43)

Superman / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Gary Frank (signed)
Inks
Gary Frank (signed)
Colors
Brad Anderson

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman
Reprints

Action Comics Sketchbook (Table of Contents: 44)

text article / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Grant Morrison; Rags Morales
Pencils
Rags Morales; Gene Ha; Grant Morrison
Inks
Rick Bryant; Gene Ha; Rags Morales
Colors
Brad Anderson; Gene Ha
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman; Mr. Glenmorgan; Mrs. Nyxly; General Sam Lane; Lex Luthor; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen; Jor-El; Lara; Zara
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Insight into the development of the concepts behind the Action Comics relaunch from the creators.

Interviews by Sean T. Collins; design by Rob Clark, Jr.

[Cover Sketches] (Table of Contents: 45)

Superman / illustration / 3 pages (report information)

Pencils
Mike Choi; Gene Ha; Andy Kubert; Chris Burnham
Inks
Chris Burnham
Colors
Gene Ha
Letters
typeset

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman; Jor-El; Lara; Erik Drekken
Reprints

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 46)

blank page(s) / 2 pages (report information)


Indexer Notes

Inside front and back covers are blank

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 47) (Expand) /

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

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  2. 1. Superman and the Men of Steel
  3. 2. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  4. 3. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  5. 4. Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow
    Superman
  6. 5. [no title indexed]
  7. 6. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  8. 7. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  9. 8. Superman in Chains
    Superman
  10. 9. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  11. 10. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  12. 11. World Against Superman
    Superman
  13. 12. [The Debut of Steel]
    Superman
  14. 13. [The Debut of Steel]
    Superman
  15. 14. Superman and the Men of Steel
    Superman
  16. 15. [City in a Bottle!]
    Superman
  17. 16. [City in a Bottle!]
    Superman
  18. 17. Doomsday Decision
    Superman
  19. 18. [To Battle Brainiac... ...For the Fate of Metropolis]
    Superman
  20. 19. [To Battle Brainiac... ...For the Fate of Metropolis]
    Superman
  21. 20. Superman Meets... ...The Collector of Worlds
    Superman
  22. 21. [It Begins... ...Again!]
    Superman
  23. 22. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  24. 23. Rocket Song
    Superman
  25. 24. [Poisoned by Kryptonite!]
    Superman
  26. 25. [Poisoned by Kryptonite!]
    Superman
  27. 26. When Superman Learned to Fly
    Superman
  28. 27. Action Comics Back-Up Adventures
  29. 28. [no title indexed]
  30. 29. Hearts of Steel
    Steel
  31. 30. Meanwhile...
    Steel
  32. 31. Baby Steps
    Superman
  33. 32. Last Day
    Superman
  34. 33. Variant Cover Gallery
  35. 34. Action Comics (promotional image)
    Superman
  36. 35. Action Comics 1
    Superman
  37. 36. Action Comics 1
    Superman
  38. 37. Action Comics 2
    Superman
  39. 38. Action Comics 3
    Superman
  40. 39. The Debut of Steel
    Superman
  41. 40. Action Comics 5
    Superman
  42. 41. Action Comics 6
    Superman
  43. 42. Action Comics 7
    Superman
  44. 43. Action Comics 8
    Superman
  45. 44. Action Comics Sketchbook
  46. 45. [Cover Sketches]
    Superman
  47. 46. [no title indexed]
  48. 47. ["Wielding incredible power..."]
This issue was modified by
  • Katie
  • Valmiki Annamanthadoo
  • Todd Bruce
  • Katy Hayhurst
  • Jim Stangas
  • Jim Van Dore