Superman #5

(Summer 1940)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Johnson Smith & Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[Superman, World's Greatest Adventure Character] (Table of Contents: 2)

Superman / illustration / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Wayne Boring

Inks

Wayne Boring

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in DC Archiv Edition (Dino Verlag, 1998 series) #5 - Superman 1, #7 - Superman 2
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

Indexer Notes

Frontispiece.

[The Slot Machine Racket] (Table of Contents: 3)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster) (pages 1-8); Wayne Boring (ghosted for Joe Shuster) (pages 9-13)

Inks

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster) (pages 1-8); Paul Lauretta (ghosted for Joe Shuster) (pages 9-13)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

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

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.

Reprints

• in Superman Work Book (DC, 1945 series) (1945) [in black and white]
• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in DC Archiv Edition (Dino Verlag, 1998 series) #7 - Superman 2
• in The Superman Chronicles (DC, 2006 series) #3 ([October] 2007)
• in Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2013 series) #1 ([August] 2013)
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

Indexer Notes

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

Super Strength: Rules for Summer Living (Table of Contents: 4)

Superman / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Dennis Neville ?

Inks

Dennis Neville ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

non-fiction; superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]

Synopsis

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

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

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: 5) (Expand) /

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

[Campaign Against the Planet] (Table of Contents: 6)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster)

Inks

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

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

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in The Superman Chronicles (DC, 2006 series) #3 ([October] 2007)
• in Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2013 series) #1 ([August] 2013)
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

Power of the Press (Table of Contents: 7)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

George Shute (signed)

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

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!

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 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: 8)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils

Joe Shuster (signed)

Inks

Wayne Boring (ghosted for Joe Shuster)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

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

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.

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in The Superman Chronicles (DC, 2006 series) #3 ([October] 2007)
• in Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2013 series) #1 ([August] 2013)
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

Indexer Notes

Superman uses his powers to reshape his features for the first time.

Boring inker credit from Craig Delich; we previously suggested Paul Cassidy.

The 'Big Six' Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field! (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

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

Murder in the Wind (Table of Contents: 10)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Jack Wallis (signed)

Pencils

? (spot illustrations)

Inks

? (spot illustrations)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

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 occurred, when Pert nailed the town's banker for the murder!

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 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.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 11)

Shorty / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Fred Schwab

Pencils

Fred Schwab

Inks

Fred Schwab

Colors

?

Letters

Fred Schwab

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Yip! Yip!

Genre

humor; anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Shorty (a dachshund)

Synopsis

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

Reprints

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

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 12)

Jest Jokes / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

Script

Whitney Ellsworth ?

Pencils

Whitney Ellsworth ?

Inks

Whitney Ellsworth ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

There! Let that be a lesson to you!

Genre

humor

Synopsis

The filler consists of four unrelated gag cartoons.

Reprints

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

Superman Is on the Radio! (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

Superman / advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

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

All-Star Comics #1 / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 15) (Expand) /

Batman #1 / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[The Wonder Drug Racket] (Table of Contents: 16)

Superman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster)

Inks

Paul Cassidy (ghosted for Joe Shuster)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Lois Lane; Superman [Clark Kent]; 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.

Reprints

• in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 ([November] 1990)
• in The Superman Chronicles (DC, 2006 series) #3 ([October] 2007)
• in Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2013 series) #1 ([August] 2013)
• in Superman: The Golden Age (DC, 2016 series) #2 (2016 [January 2017])

Indexer Notes

Superman uses x-ray vision and super hearing.

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

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

Announcing the Sensational New Daisy 1000 Shot Red Ryder Carbine (Table of Contents: 18) (Expand) /

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

Fireworks (Table of Contents: 19) (Expand) /

Spencer Fireworks Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)