(November 1941)

DC, 1938 Series
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Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
monthly
On-sale Date
1941-09-19
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Detective Comics Inc.
Brand
A Superman DC Publication
Editing
Whitney Ellsworth (credited as F. W. Ellsworth) (editor); Murray Boltinoff (assistant editor, uncredited); Mort Weisinger (assistant editor, uncredited)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Superman / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Fred Ray
Inks
Fred Ray
Colors
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]
Reprints
Keywords
machine guns

Indexer Notes

Superman has a yellow "S" on blue triangle on his cape. Art credits verified by Fred Ray.

Another Message to Our Readers (Table of Contents: 1)

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

Script
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

[City in the Stratosphere] (Table of Contents: 2)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

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

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Always on the alert to help someone in need is...
Feature Logo
Superman [classic design, angled u bottom]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen [cameo]; Carl Bransom; Nick Flaerty; John Standing; Freeman Chase; Luthor [as Zytal] (villain, bald); Jake Mobray (villain, death) Dirk Chadwick (villain, death)
Synopsis
A series of strange disappearances of prominent men in the city of Metropolis makes Clark Kent believe the kidnappings weren't under ordinary circumstances. When, as Superman, he tries to get information from local mobsters, they are suddenly destroyed by a ray out of the blue. He later discovers that Luthor built a giant city in the sky, and the arch for then hypnotizes Superman into doing his bidding.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Art credits by Craig Delich and Bob Hughes. We formerly credited John Sikela (pencils) and Ed Dobrtoka (inks). The Archives credit the art to John Sikela.

Supermen of America (Table of Contents: 3)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman

Indexer Notes

"Third Prize Winner" in Superman's Super Contest is George Kashdan (b. May 17, 1928 – d.June 3, 2006). He worked at DC Comics from the mid-1940s until 1968 as a writer and editor. GCD has credits for him from 1947 until 1988.

Superman Krypto-Raygun (Table of Contents: 4)

Superman Krypto-Raygun / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman

[The Origin of the Vigilante] (Table of Contents: 5)

Vigilante / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Mort Weisinger
Pencils
Mort Meskin (signed as Meskin)
Inks
Mort Meskin (signed as Meskin)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero; western-frontier
Characters
The Vigilante [Greg Sanders] (introduction, origin); Killer Kelly; Betty Stuart; Van Ardsley
Synopsis
At his execution, Killer Kelly tells Vigilante that he will come back from the grave, but he has really just bribed the prison doctor to lower the voltage. Greg Sanders, rodeo man, is met by Betty Stuart, a blues singer, after a rodeo, and he learns that Killer Kelly is loose. At his home, Greg dons the costume of the Vigilante and heads to the costume ball of Van Ardsley. When Killer Kelly bashes the party, the Vigilante has to rope them in.
Reprints

[The Ship Spies] (Table of Contents: 6)

The Black Pirate / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Sheldon Moldoff (signed)
Inks
Sheldon Moldoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Somewhere in the Mediterranean, two swarthy pirates plot...
Genre
historical
Characters
The Black Pirate [Jon Valor]; Bonnie; unnamed cutthroats (villains)
Synopsis
A cutthroat pretends to be an escaped fugitive to get close to Jon Valor. Bonnie is suspicious, however.

Indexer Notes

Strip is continued in Sensation Comics #1.

Still at the Top! (Table of Contents: 7)

Superman; Star Spangled Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

[Revolution in Central America!] (Table of Contents: 8)

Three Aces / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Chad Grothkopf
Inks
Chad Grothkopf
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
adventure; aviation
Characters
Three Aces [Fog Fortune; Gunner Bill; Whistler Will]; Miguel Miranda (villain)
Synopsis
On their way back from South America, the Aces find themselves in the middle of a Central American revolution. A man named Miguel Miranda takes their planes for the war, and the Aces have to figure out a way to get them back.

Indexer Notes

Writer credit added by Craig Delich.

Superman Is in the Movies! (Table of Contents: 9)

The Adventures of Superman / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Characters
Superman

[The Origin of Fatman] (Table of Contents: 10)

Mr. America / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Ken Fitch
Pencils
Bernard Baily (signed)
Inks
Bernard Baily (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
No fury like a woman scorned?
Genre
superhero
Characters
Mr. America [Tex Thomson]; Fatman [Bob Daley] (origin as Fatman); The Queen Bee (villain)
Synopsis
Mr. America goes out to investigate a strange lack of crime, but Bob is ordered to stay in. Feeling deserted, Bob creates the identity of Fatman. At Tex's headquarters, he develops a way to transform his cape into a magic flying carpet. Fatman stumbles upon the plans of the Queen Bee to steal radium.

Indexer Notes

1st uses cape as a flying carpet. Writer credit by Jerry Bails.

Missing Masterpiece (Table of Contents: 11)

text story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Sidney Drew (credited) (house name)
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
That night the guns of the invader...
Genre
war
Characters
Peter Projak; Frau Projak

Dead or Alive (Table of Contents: 12)

text story / 0.67 page (report information)

Script
Wilton Weston (credited)
Pencils
Stan Kaye (signed as S K) (spot illustration)
Inks
Stan Kaye (signed as S K) (spot illustration)
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Killer Manon's body was lying, face down, near the big oak tree.
Genre
adventure
Characters
Killer Manon

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 13)

advertisement / 0.33 page (report information)

Script
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Several small ads.

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

Jokes / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

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

First Line of Dialogue or Text
He won't drop them...
Genre
humor
Characters
John; McGurk

Indexer Notes

3 gags. Writer credit added by Craig Delich.

What a Cast! (Table of Contents: 15)

More Fun Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.25 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Newcomer! (Table of Contents: 16)

Prize Comics / advertisement / 0.25 page (report information)

Script
?
Letters
typeset

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 17)

Congo Bill / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Fred Ray
Pencils
Fred Ray (signed as F Ray)
Inks
Fred Ray (signed as F Ray)
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Blazing a path through miles of treacherous jungle-land on his way to the coast, Congo Bill signals his safari to halt.
Genre
jungle; adventure
Characters
Congo Bill; Sheila Hanlen; Professor James Kent; Hugo Von Eller; Winters; Tomkins (villain)
Synopsis
In the jungle, Congo Bill's safari comes across a white man being buried alive by a native and attempts to stop him, only to be informed that he's just ruined a shot in an adventure film. Talking with the director, Hugo Von Eller, Bill finds out that the production has been plagued with problems. Sheila agrees to stand in for a sick actress, but the problems continue.
Keywords
caves; dynamite; ivory; lions; motion picture cameras; motion picture projectors; motion pictures; shovels

Black Fire by Corvelle Newcomb (Table of Contents: 18)

Good Books Worth Reading / text article / 0.33 page (report information)

Script
Josette Frank (credited)
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
From slave boy to king!
Characters
Henri Christophe

New Films for Your Superman Krypto-Raygun (Table of Contents: 19)

Daisy Mfg. Co. / advertisement / 0.17 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Different! (Table of Contents: 20)

Adventure Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Action! Thrills! (Table of Contents: 21)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
?

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

Lionel / advertisement / 0.33 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

[The Man Who Could Control Minds] (Table of Contents: 23)

Zatara / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Joe Sulman (signed)
Inks
Joe Sulman (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
The master magician wages a war of wills against...
Feature Logo
Zatara the Master Magician
Genre
adventure; fantasy-supernatural; superhero
Characters
Zatara; The Tigress (villain); Frosty Parke (villain)
Synopsis
Zatara spots the Tigress and Frosty Parke and decides to follow them. He catches them trying to rob a bank and quickly stops them, putting Frosty into the hospital. There, Frosty uses an experiment that allows him to control men's minds, and somehow the power is transferred into him. He escapes and meets with Tigress to continue their crime spree. Zatara discovers Frosty's new power and investigates.

Choose Your Prize (Table of Contents: 24)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 25)

Daisy Air Rifles / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Letters
?

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover.

Plenty of Energy (Table of Contents: 26)

Baby Ruth / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Back cover.

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Superman
  2. 1. Another Message to Our Readers
  3. 2. [City in the Stratosphere]
    Superman
  4. 3. Supermen of America
  5. 4. Superman Krypto-Raygun
    Superman Krypto-Raygun
  6. 5. [The Origin of the Vigilante]
    Vigilante
  7. 6. [The Ship Spies]
    The Black Pirate
  8. 7. Still at the Top!
    Superman; Star Spangled Comics
  9. 8. [Revolution in Central America!]
    Three Aces
  10. 9. Superman Is in the Movies!
    The Adventures of Superman
  11. 10. [The Origin of Fatman]
    Mr. America
  12. 11. Missing Masterpiece
  13. 12. Dead or Alive
  14. 13. [no title indexed]
  15. 14. ["He won't drop them..."]
    Jokes
  16. 15. What a Cast!
    More Fun Comics
  17. 16. Newcomer!
    Prize Comics
  18. 17. ["Blazing a path through miles of treacherous jungle-land on his way to the coast, Congo Bill signals his safari to halt."]
    Congo Bill
  19. 18. Black Fire by Corvelle Newcomb
    Good Books Worth Reading
  20. 19. New Films for Your Superman Krypto-Raygun
    Daisy Mfg. Co.
  21. 20. Different!
    Adventure Comics
  22. 21. Action! Thrills!
  23. 22. [no title indexed]
    Lionel
  24. 23. [The Man Who Could Control Minds]
    Zatara
  25. 24. Choose Your Prize
    American Specialty Co.
  26. 25. [no title indexed]
    Daisy Air Rifles
  27. 26. Plenty of Energy
    Baby Ruth
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Keith Chandler
  • Bob Cherry
  • Craig Delich
  • Del Gruber
  • Merlin Haas
  • Matthew Head
  • Bob Hughes
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Tony R. Rose
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore