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DC Database
127,498
pages
in: Vincent Sullivan/Executive Editor, Joe Shuster/Cover Artist, Leo O'Mealia/Cover Artist,
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Superman Vol 1 1

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"Clark Kent Gets a Job": The doomed planet Krypton was about to explode. A scientist on it placed his infant son in a rocket-ship that eventually landed on Earth. It was found by John & Mary Kent, who turned the baby over to an [[Smallvill

Superman #1 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1939. It was published on May 18, 1939.

Synopsis for "Clark Kent Gets a Job"

The doomed planet Krypton was about to explode. A scientist on it placed his infant son in a rocket-ship that eventually landed on Earth. It was found by John & Mary Kent, who turned the baby over to an orphanage. His feats of strength were already apparent, and they were all too ready to give him back to the Kents when they showed up and asked to adopt him. After the death of his parents, Clark Kent, the boy's human name, tried to get a job at the Daily Star, but was turned down because of his lack of experience.

Hearing about a riot at the county jail, he heads over there to try to prove his worth. After dispatching the mob that is trying to kill a prisoner, the prisoner gives him some information. It seems that Bea Carroll, singer at the Hilow Night Club, killed Jack Kennedy and framed Evelyn Curry for the murder. He tells Daily Star editor George Taylor what he knows about the riot, and Taylor hires him on the spot.

Appearing in "Clark Kent Gets a Job"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

  • Jack Kennedy (dead) (Behind the scenes)
  • Sims (Single appearance)

Locations:

Vehicles:


Synopsis for "The Coming of Superman"

Superman travels to the Hilow Night Club and tells Bea Carroll that he knows that she killed Jack Kennedy. What follows is a retelling of the story from Action Comics #1, "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed".

Appearing in "The Coming of Superman"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Alex Greer (Single appearance)
  • Bea Carroll (Single appearance)
  • Butch Matson (First appearance)
  • Senator Barrows (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Evelyn Curry (Single appearance)
  • Jack Kennedy (Single appearance) (Behind the scenes)

Locations:

Synopsis for "Revolution in San Monte"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #2.

Alex Greer tells Superman that his boss (who is trying to start a war) is Emil Norvell, the munitions magnate. Superman pays a visit to Norvell's Lexington Park estate. After dispensing with Norvell's guards, Superman tells Norvell that he has to join him on a ship headed for San Monte, or suffer the consequences. Also on the boat are Lois Lane and mysterious traveler Lola Cortez.

When they arrive in San Monte, Superman forces Norvell to enlist in the local army. Norvell's plan to enlist and then escape later is foiled when Superman joins the army as well. They get sent to the front lines, where Superman sneaks into the enemy camp and takes a picture that he sends back to the newspaper.

Meanwhile, Lola Cortez plants a document that she stole from the military in Lois Lane's room. It is discovered and Lane is placed on trial. She is found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad. However, Superman saves her in the nick of time. He also stops a man from torturing prisoners before he leaves Lois, telling her to return to America.

When he returns to the army camp, he finds it being attacked by an enemy aircraft. He jumps onto the plane, causing it to crash. Norvell pleads with Superman to return him to America. He promises never to manufacture munitions again. But before they leave, Superman kidnaps the leaders of the two armies, and tells them to fight each other. They discover that neither army knows why they are fighting, and so they make peace.

Appearing in "Revolution in San Monte"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Alex Greer, lobbyist
  • Emil Norvell, industrialist (Single appearance)
  • Lola Cortez, spy (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • General of San Monte army
  • General of enemy army

Locations:

Synopsis for "The Blakely Mine Disaster"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #3.

There is a cave-in in the Blakely coal mines, and a miner is trapped. Superman makes his way to the mine, and discovers that the rescue crew has been stopped by poison gas (by which he is unaffected). He rescues them, as well as the trapped miner.

The next day, he asks the miner, Stanislaw Kober, what he thinks caused the mine collapse. Kober says that everyone knew the mine was unsafe, but management did nothing to prevent the collapse. Thornton Blakely, the mine owner, says otherwise, claiming that Kober's own carelessness caused the collapse.

Superman decides to sneak into the Blakely estate dressed as a miner. He finds a party going on and gets captured. Blakely lets him stay at the party because he's coming up with an idea: Superman will lead them all down into the mine, where they will continue their party.

Once they are all in the mine, Superman attacks the tunnel-supports, causing the entire party to be trapped under a cave-in. Blakely remembers the safety devices. He sets them off only to discover that they've rusted over. They attempt to dig their way out, but they soon get winded. Blakely curses himself for treating the miners so badly. With everyone else in the party collapsed, Superman tears down the barriers so that the rescue workers can save everyone. Several days later, Clark Kent once again interviews Thornton Blakely, who now reveals that he is going to start treating his workers better.

Appearing in "The Blakely Mine Disaster"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Thornton Blakely

Other Characters:

  • Stanislaw Kober

Locations:

Synopsis for "Superman, Gridiron Hero"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #4.

Superman chases after a driver that had committed a hit-and-run. The car stalls on some train tracks. Superman is barely able to get the driver out of the car in time. Unfortunately, the driver has suffered a heart attack. Superman sneaks into the car, where he hears Coach Randall, the football coach of Dale University, is hiring two ringers to play in a game against Cordell University and rough up the star player, thereby giving Dale University the win, and allowing the coach to keep his job.

Superman decides to pose as Tommy Burke, a perennial backup on Cordell University's team. Tommy Burke's girlfriend, meanwhile, tells Burke that she's broken up with him, and is dating the tennis champion, Wallace Dodd, instead. As Burke is taking a walk to cool down, he comes across Superman, who has made himself to look like Burke. He stabs Burke with a hypodermic needle that makes him lose consciousness. When Burke wakes up, Superman explains that he's going to steal his identity for a few days.

Superman heads to the football locker room, but doesn't know which locker is his. He opens a locker at random, and ends up wearing the uniform of Ray Martin, another player. Martin challenges him to a fight, and Superman knocks him out cold. Coach Oliver Stanley hears the noise, and kicks Superman (posing as Burke) off the team.

Superman decides to come out onto the practice field anyway, immediately making an interception. When the coach notices him, he tells the other players to grab him and throw him off the field. The entire team piles onto him, as he drags them all into the touchdown. The coach changes his mind, and decides to start Burke in the big game against Dale.

Coach Randall hears that Burke has become Cordell's star player, so he tells the thugs to kidnap him the night before the big game. They come across the real Tommy Burke, who is tied up and under the influence of a sleep-inducing drug that Superman gave him, and re-kidnap him to a new location.

The next day, Superman quickly scores several touchdowns in succession. Meanwhile the real Tommy Burke escapes out of where the thugs were holding him prisoner and makes his way to the football field. He enters the bleachers to discover that his Doppelgänger is scoring repeatedly. He plans to tell the police, until he hears his ex-girlfriend tell Wallace Dodd that she wants to date Burke again.

The thugs attempt to stab Superman with a knife, but he quickly dispatches them. Coach Randall resigns in disgrace. At half time, Superman switches places with Tommy Burke, allowing him to play the second half. Burke grabs hold of the ball, and is quickly knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, his girlfriend is kissing him, but she tells him that she wants him to quit football, because it's too dangerous. He quickly agrees.

Appearing in "Superman, Gridiron Hero"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Tommy Burke (a backup on the Cordell University team)

Antagonists:

  • Coach Randall (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Mary (Tommy Burke's girlfriend)
  • Oliver Stanley (Cordell University football coach)
  • Wallace Dodd (Cordell University tennis champion)
  • Ray Martin (Cordell University football player)

Locations:

  • Cordell University

Notes

Trivia

  • This issue of Superman was originally released as a one-shot. The number "1" does not appear on the cover or in the indicia. However, it sold so well that it was quickly converted into an ongoing series.
  • The cover for this issue comes from the first panel of Action Comics #10. The panel was photostatted and cut out by Leo O'Mealia, who then drew the ornate frame around it.


See Also

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