Comic Title: Action Comics #1
Publisher: DC (Detective Comics, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: June 1938
Approx. On Sale Date: May 3, 1938 Copyright Date April 18, 1938
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1938
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: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 64
Editor: Vincent A. Sullivan

Notes:
1st appearance of Superman, the first and most historical important super-hero in comics. The Golden Age of Comic Books begins with this issue.

Title: (Superman, Champion of the Oppressed)
Pages: 13

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

Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Joe Shuster

Reprinted In:
Famous First Edition C-26 (1974)
Famous First Edition C-26 [Lyle Stuart Exclusive] (1974)
Action Comics #1 [Superman Sleeping Bag Premium] (1976)
Action Comics #1 [Safeguard Premium] (1976)
Action Comics #1 [Superman Peanut Butter Premium] (1983)
Action Comics #1 [Nestle Quik Premium] (1987)
Action Comics #1 [Premium] (1988)
Action Comics #1 [Premium] (1990)
Action Comics #1 [Premium] (1992)
Action Comics #1 [Premium] (1993)
Superman:The Action Comics Archives Vol. 1 HC (1998)
Action Comics #1 [US Postal Service Premium] (1998)
Millennium Edition:Action Comics 1 (#1) (2000)
Action Comics (DC Direct Superman) #1 (2004)
Superman in the Forties TPB (2005)
Superman Chronicles Vol. 1 TPB (2006)
Superman Through the Ages #1 (2007)
Superman:The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2013)
Lois Lane:A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2014)
Superman:A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2014)
Superman:The Golden Age Vol. 1 TPB (2016)
Action Comics Loot Crate Edition #1 [Loot Crate Premium] (2017)
Action Comics 80 Years of Superman:The Deluxe Edition HC (2018)
Action Comics #1 [Convention Exclusive] (2018)
Action Comics #1 [Convention Exclusive] (2018)
Action Comics #1 [Convention Exclusive] (2018)
Action Comics #1 [Convention Exclusive] (2018)
Action Comics #1000:The Deluxe Edition HC (2018)
Action Comics (Facsimile Edition) #1 (2022)
Action Comics (Facsimile Edition) #1 [Comic Mint Exclusive] (2022)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (alias Clark Kent; first appearance; one page partial origin and explanation of his powers; last appearance in Superman #1; next appearance in Action Comics #2)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (a reporter for the Daily Star; first appearance; next appearance in Action Comics #2)
• George Taylor (editor of the Daily Star; first appearance; name given in the second story of Superman #2; last appearance in Superman #1; next appearance in Action Comics #2)

Villain(s)

• Bea Carroll (a singer and murderess; no further appearances)
• A wife beater, Butch Matson and his boys (hoodlums), and Senator Barrows (no further appearances)
• Alex Greer (a lobbyist; next appearance in Action Comics #2)

Other Character(s)

• Evelyn Curry (a woman wrongfully accused of murder; no further appearances)
• The Governor, his assistant, and a battered woman (no further appearances)

Comments:
This is the first appearance of Superman, the first and most historical important super-hero in comics.

This story features the Earth-2 version of Superman; for the purposes of this index, he will be referred to just as Superman. Lois Lane and other characters who also have counterparts on Earth-1 will be referred to by just their name, but it should be noted that these are not the same characters that would later appear in the Silver Age.

Clark Kent works for the Daily Star in this story.

Story is missing first 4 pages which were included when the story was reprinted in the first story of Superman #1.

This story originally was not titled; the title shown here was given on the contents page of Action Comics Archives Vol. 1 in which this story is reprinted.

A single page partial origin and explanation of Superman’s powers precedes the story.

This story continues in the first story of Action Comics #2.

Synopsis:
Superman, a man from a dying planet where civilization was far more advanced came to Earth as a baby and developed incredible powers as he matured. Now he uses these powers to benefit mankind as a champion of the oppressed.

Publicly revealing himself for the first time, Superman brings confessed murderess, Bea Carroll to the Governor’s mansion in time to prevent the scheduled execution of Evelyn Curry, the woman accused of the crime.

When he changes into his secret identity as Clark Kent, he reports to his newly acquired job as a reporter at the Daily Star. In the newsroom, Clark receives a tip concerning a wife-beating. Arriving as Superman, he gives the man a taste of his own medicine before turning him over to the police.

Later, Clark asks pretty reporter Lois Lane for a date. Lois reluctantly goes out with Clark, but is disgusted when he won’t stand up to some hoodlums who harass Lois. Lois leaves the club, but she is kidnapped by Butch Matson, one of her harassers. Clark dons his costume and overtakes Butch’s car. He rescues Lois and leaves Butch for the police.

Clark is later assigned to cover a war in the small South American country of San Monte. Before he makes the trip, Clark travels to Washington D.C. and sees Senator Barrows speaking to lobbyist Alex Greer concerning a senate bill. Leaping around the city with Greer tucked under his arm, Superman trys to force Greer to tell him who is behind the corruption of the Senator.