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Appearing in "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed"
Featured Characters:
Superman (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Lois Lane (First appearance)
George Taylor (First appearance)
John Kent (First appearance; dies)
Mary Kent (First appearance; dies)
Villains:
Butch Mason (Single appearance)
Senator Barrows (Single appearance)
Alex Greer (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Evelyn Curry (Single appearance)
Locations:
Krypton
Earth-Two
Ohio
Cleveland
Daily Star
Governor's mansion
Washington, D.C.
Items:
None
Vehicles:
None
Synopsis for "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed"
As a distant planet is destroyed by old age, a scientist places his infant son in a space capsule and launches it toward Earth. The capsule is found by a passing motorist, who brings the baby to an orphanage, where the child astounds the attendants with his superhuman powers. The child, who is named Clark Kent, can jump over buildings, lift enormous weights, and run faster than a freight train. Furthermore, his skin is impenetrable. Realizing that he has powers far beyond normal humans, Clark dedicates himself to serve humanity as Superman, the champion of the oppressed.
Superman learns that an innocent woman named Evelyn Curry is to be executed for murder. He captures the real murderess, and delivers her, bound and gagged, to the governor's mansion. He breaks through the door to confront the governor, and convinces him to call off the execution at the last minute.
At the Daily Star, where Clark works as a reporter, he's given the assignment to cover the stories about a man with amazing strength named Superman. He hears a tip about a wife-beating, and rushes off to cover it -- then changes into Superman, and stops the man before he kills his wife.
Returning to the Daily Star, Superman asks fellow reporter Lois Lane out on a date; she accepts out of pity. A thug named Butch tries to cut in while Clark and Lois are dancing. To protect his secret identity, Clark pretends to be a cowardly weakling. Convinced that Clark is a spineless worm, Lois slaps Butch and walks out. Enraged, Butch and his friends leave the club and take Lois prisoner. Superman spots them and gives chase, smashing the car with his bare hands. He picks Lois up into his arms and carries her to safety. She's astonished, and the next morning, she tells her editor about her experience with Superman -- although she's even more cold to Clark than before.
Clark is given an assignment to go to San Monte, a war-torn South American republic. First, he goes to Washington, D.C., where he spies a slick lobbyist, Alex Greer, trying to convince Senator Barrows to involve the US in a war with Europe. Superman grabs Greer, and demands to know who he's working for. Greer refuses to talk, so Superman jumps up to the top of the Capitol building, and threatens to smash Greer to the ground. To be continued...
Appearing in "The A-Gang"
Featured Characters:
Chuck Dawson (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Blacky (First appearance)
Villains:
John Burwell (First appearance)
Butch (First appearance)
"Trigger" Holt (First appearance)
Notch Logan (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Dan Dawson (Single appearance)
Sheriff of Red Gulch (First appearance)
Deputy sheriff of Red Gulch (First appearance)
Locations:
Earth-Two (19th Century)
Wyoming
Dan Dawson's ranch
Texas
Red Gulch
Sheriff's office
A-G Ranch
Items:
Colt Revolver
Vehicles:
None
Synopsis for "The A-Gang"
Several years ago, Charles Dawson owned the Circle-D Ranch near Red Gulch, Texas, and was killed in a range war. His son Chuck went to live on his uncle Dan's ranch in Wyoming. Chuck, now a man, decides to take up the fight against his father's killers who fraudulently took the land that was his birthright.
Chuck rides his horse, Blacky, into the town of Red Gulch and stops at the local dance hall to ask a few questions. As he approaches, the door suddenly flies open with a man calling himself Notch Logan running out and firing his pistol inside. Logan picks a fight with Chuck, swearing revenge after the newcomer bests him. After witnessing the brief fight, Red Gulch's sheriff tells Chuck to leave despite Chuck telling him of his business in town.
As Chuck eats at a local restaurant, John Burwell, owner of the A-G Ranch, orders "Trigger" Holt to take Butch into town with him and kill Chuck. Holt reveals that Burwell's orders are to make the murder look like a fight as he and Butch arrive at the restaurant. As Chuck leaves, he bumps into "Trigger" who then draws his pistol. Chuck shoots the gun out of his would-be assailant's hand and subdues "Trigger" using "jiujitsu," not knowing Butch is lying in wait around the corner. Butch shoots, grazing Chuck's head, and knocking him out. The sheriff arrives and has the unconscious newcomer taken to jail.
When Chuck wakes up in his jail cell, he convinces the deputy to come over and a struggle ensues. Chuck takes the deputy's gun and orders him to unlock the cell. The deputy is then tied up and our hero finds his pistol in a table drawer. Just as he's about to leave, Chuck hears a footstep in the adjacent office.
To be continued...
Appearing in "The Mystery of the Freight Train Robberies"
Featured Characters:
Zatara (John Zatara) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Tong (First appearance)
Villains:
The Tigress (First appearance)
Train Inspector Babcock
Monk
Spike
Other Characters:
Detective Brady (Death)
Detective Brown
State Police Captain Kennedy
Locations:
Unknown
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "The Mystery of the Freight Train Robberies"
Suspecting the Tigress behind a recent crime wave, Zatara and his assistant Tong contact Detective Brady upon learning of another robbery attempt. Late that night, Zatara and Tong silently board the train with Brady and Detective Brown. The train gets underway and soon enters a tunnel. After leaving the tunnel, Brown is shot and nearly falls, but is quickly saved by Tong. Determining the detective is only stunned, Zatara conjures a first aid kit for Tong to use as he continues forward. As the magician advances, he sees a dead Detective Brady being thrown out of a boxcar. The Tigress then sneaks up behind him and shoves him off of the train. Zatara uses his magic to float gently to the ground, landing in some underbrush next to the tracks.
The train continues on as Zatara walks back toward the freight yard where he finds Brady's body. After Tong warns the train's engineer, the train is stopped and the state police soon arrive to investigate. Brady is deemed guilty by State Police Captain Kennedy, but Zatara isn't convinced. Zatara then meets Train Inspector Babcock who accuses Zatara of being an accomplice to the train crimes. The master magician muses that Babcock is the key to solving the mystery. The police arrive and Zatara tells them that he'll capture the robbers and prove Brady's innocence.
With the train scheduled to depart at midnight, Zatara arranges for valuables to be distributed all over the train. Tong tells his master that he saw several "evil looking" men enter a shack. Zatara enters the shack and hypnotizes the men only for the Tigress to pistol whip him into unconsciousness, which breaks the hypnotic spell. The Tigress has a henchman douse the shack with kerosene and then leaves with the rest of her men to rob the train. Zatara wakes up and easily unties his bonds, escaping from the burning shack.
Teleporting his assistant to him, Zatara has Tong capture the crooked train inspector Babcock and take him to the police station. Flagging down an oncoming express train, Zatara convinces the engineer to catch up to the freight train. Eventually catching up, Zatara boards and dodges gunfire from the Tigress' henchman. Zatara returns fire using Babcock's pistol and hits the thug.
While a truck arrives to collect the boxes of valuables thrown off of the train, Zatara magically closes the boxcar door but is confronted by the Tigress. Quickly, the magician gestures and turns the femme fatale's pistol into a bullet. Enraged, the villainess leaps off of the train and vanishes.
Police arrive and arrest the remaining henchmen. Zatara tells Captain Kennedy how Babcock marked boxcars containing valuables for the Tigress. At the police station, Babcock confesses to the crimes.
Although the Tigress has escaped, the case is now closed. Zatara is eager to begin the search for his arch-foe but Tong wants to get some sleep before hunting anew.
Appearing in "South Sea Strategy (Part I)"
Featured Characters:
Bret Coleman
Cottonball
Samuel Newton
Merna Newton (behind the scenes, captive of "island natives"
Supporting Characters:
Unknown
Villains:
Unknown
Other Characters:
Unknown
Locations:
Unknown
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "South Sea Strategy (Part I)"
This is a two-page text story with spotted illustrations.
Appearing in "Sticky-Mitt Stimson"
Featured Characters:
Sticky-Mitt Stimson
Supporting Characters:
Unknown
Villains:
Unknown
Other Characters:
Unknown
Locations:
Unknown
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "Sticky-Mitt Stimson"
This is a humor story involving a produce thief and his efforts to elude police.
Appearing in "The Adventures of Marco Polo"
Featured Characters:
Marco Polo (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Marco Polo's father (First appearance)
Marco Polo's uncle (First appearance)
King of Armenia (behind the scenes)
King of Armenia's emissary
Pope Gregory X (behind the scenes)
The Khan of Tartary (behind the scenes)
Niku
Villains:
Unknown
Other Characters:
Unknown
Locations:
Italy
Venice
Armenia
Vatican City
Turkey
Mount Ararat
Dora
Iran
Bunder-Abbas
India
Karghar Pass
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "The Adventures of Marco Polo"
Synopsis not yet written.
Appearing in "The Light Heavyweight Championship"
Featured Characters:
Pep Morgan
Supporting Characters:
Pop Burkett
Villains:
Doc Lowry
Other Characters:
Sailor Sorenson
Boomerang
O'Rourke
Locations:
Unknown
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "The Light Heavyweight Championship"
Synopsis not yet written.
Appearing in "The International Jewel Thief"
Featured Characters:
Scoop Scanlon (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Rusty James (First appearance)
Villains:
Arnold
Other Characters:
Unknown
Locations:
The Bulletin
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "The International Jewel Thief"
Synopsis not yet written.
Appearing in "Murder in England"
Featured Characters:
Mister America (Tex Thompson) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Robert
Betty
Villains:
Sonja
Chief
Monk
Other Characters:
Sheriff
Sergeant Smith
Locations:
England
Items:
Unknown
Vehicles:
Unknown
Synopsis for "Murder in England"
While visiting England, Tex Thompson stumbles upon a murdered man in the country. Sonja, a nearby girl accuses Tex of the murder, forcing the cowboy to run from the sheriff. Ted later learns that Sonja is working with the gang of killers and has captured a young boy named Bob who can prove Tex’s innocence. Tex frees Bob and sends him for help, but in return is captured himself. Bob returns in time to free Tex, but both men are still in danger until the sheriff arrives to round up the gang.
Notes
The first Superman character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster was not a hero, but a villain. Their short story "The Reign of the Superman" concerned a bald-headed villain bent on dominating the world. The story did not sell, forcing the two to reposition their character on the right side of the law. In 1935, their Superman story was again rejected by newspaper syndicates wanting to avoid lawsuits, who recognized the character as being similar to a lead character from Philip Wylie's 1930 novel. DC decided to take a chance with Superman, figuring if any lawsuits were filed, they would just drop the feature.
The revised Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1, June 1938. Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to the company for $130 and a contract to supply the publisher with material. The Saturday Evening Post reported in 1941 that the pair was being paid still a fraction of DC's Superman profits. In 1946, when Siegel and Shuster sued for more money, DC fired them, prompting a legal battle that ended in 1948, when they signed away any further claim to Superman or any character created from him. DC soon took their names off the byline. Following the huge financial success of Superman: The Movie in 1978 and news reports of their pauper-like existences, Warner Communications gave Siegel and Shuster lifetime pensions of $35,000 per year and health care benefits. In addition, any media production which includes the Superman character must include the credit, "Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster".
During a multimedia career spanning over sixty years, Superman has starred in nearly every imaginable situation, and his powers have increased to the point that he is nearly omnipotent. This poses a challenge for writers: "How does one write about a character who is nearly as powerful as God?" (Superman's Kryptonian name, Kal-El, resembles the Hebrew words for "voice of God") This problem contributed to a decline in Superman's popularity, especially during the 1960s and 1970s under the editorship of Mort Weisinger and then Julius Schwartz, when Marvel Comics brought a new level of character development to mainstream comic books. By the early 1980s, DC Comics had decided that a major change was needed to make Superman more appealing to current audiences. Writer-artist John Byrne joined Superman and re-started with his The Man of Steel retelling of his origin. This 1986 reboot brought substantial changes to the character and met huge success at the time, being one of the top-selling books. The re-launch of Superman comic books returned the character to the mainstream, again in the forefront of DC's titles.
The Superman story from this issue is reprinted in Action Comics Archives, Volume 1, Superman in the Forties and Superman Chronicles, Volume 1.
"The A-Gang" is presented entirely in black and white.
The inside cover of this issue directs the reader to use crayons to color the first page of this story, tear out the page, and send it into a contest where the best 25 submissions would win $1. The entry deadline was midnight, June 6, 1938.
Although the Chuck Dawson story in this issue has been designated "The A-G Gang" by several sources (most notably the Grand Comic Book Database), the name of the gang is the 4-G Gang according to the second part of this story in Action Comics 2.
Russell Cole is credited as Edwin Alger in this issue.
Trivia
Original price for $0.10, in 2010, this issue sold for $1,500,000 online.[1]
Related Articles
Superman image gallery
Superman appearances list
Superman quotes page
Lois Lane image gallery
Lois Lane appearances list
Lois Lane quotes page
Zatara image gallery
Zatara appearances list
Zatara quotes page
See Also
Write your own review of this comic!
Discuss Action Comics Vol 1 1 on the forums
Cover gallery for the Action Comics series
Images from Action Comics Vol 1 1
Recommended Reading
Action Comics
All-Star Comics
All-Star Squadron
Superman (Volume 1)
Links and References
Online version of the entire issue
Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics - Action Comics #1
Action Comics series index at the Grand Comics Database
Superman article at Wikipedia
Zatara article at Wikipedia
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