Comic Title: World's Finest Comics #38
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Jan/Feb 1949
Approx. On Sale Date: November 26, 1948 Copyright Date November 24, 1948
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1948
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.15
Page Count: 72
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "If There Were No Superman"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-2)

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye

Reprinted In:
Superman:The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 7 HC (2023)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Action Comics #128; next appearance in Action Comics #129)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (last appearance in Action Comics #128; next appearance in Action Comics #129)
• Perry White (last appearance in Action Comics #128; next appearance in Action Comics #129)

Villain(s)

• Bullet Baris and his gang (Slim named; no further appearances)
• Several British soldiers (dream appearance)

Other Character(s)

• Samuel Smiggs (a scientist and inventor; no further appearances)
• Residents of ancient Rome (dream appearance)
• The King of Spain and his court (dream appearance)
• Several duplicate Supermen (dream appearance)

Synopsis:
Lois visits the laboratory of Professor Samuel Smiggs, an inventor who has created an If-Machine capable of changing history. Before the professor can demonstrate the device crooks break into the lab. They damage the machine. While the inventor makes repairs Lois summons Superman. When he arrives the crooks hold Lois hostage.

The crooks then force the professor to use the machine to make Superman cease to exist. Instead, the damaged machine causes Superman to take the place of Julius Caesar in ancient Rome. When the crooks try to correct their mistake Superman becomes Columbus, then Paul Revere. Afer one last adjustment, Superman becomes ten men. Lois tries to put everything right, but the machine malfunctions again.

Lois then awakens on the floor of the lab. The machine never worked. The alternate histories that she observed were only a dream. She was knocked unconscious during the machine's initial malfunction. Superman then apprehends the crooks, and the professor concludes that his machine is beyond repair.