I guess you could say that, ladies. In fact, it's happened so many times, you might say... It's the story of my life! 
- — Superman
Action Comics #500 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1979. It was published on July 19, 1979.
Synopsis for "The Life Story Of Superman"
While Superman is dedicating the Superman Pavillion at the Metropolis World's Fair by retelling the story of his life, Lex Luthor is secretly creating a Superman clone which will do his own bidding.
Appearing in "The Life Story Of Superman"
Featured Characters:
- Superman/Clark Kent/Superboy (Narrator) (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
Supporting Characters:
- House of El
- Jor-El (Dies in flashback)
- Lara Lor-Van (Dies in flashback)
- Zor-El (Mentioned only)
- Krypto (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #210) (Origin)
- Kent Family
- Jonathan Kent (Dies in flashback)
- Martha Kent (Dies in flashback)
- Lori Lemaris (Cameo) (Flashback only)
- Supergirl (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #252 and Action Comics #285) (Origin)
- Jimmy Olsen (Flashback and main story)
- Lana Lang (Flashback and main story)
- Lois Lane (Flashback and main story) (from Superman #133)
- Perry White (Flashback and main story) (from Superman #133)
- Steve Lombard (Flashback and main story)
- Morgan Edge (Flashback only) (from Superman #233)
- Josh Coyle (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Lex Luthor (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #271) (Origin)
- J. Robert Arngrim Clone (Single appearance) (Origin)
- Superman clone (First appearance & origin)
Other Characters:
- Citizens of Metropolis (Unnamed)
- Mayor Harness
- J. Robert Arngrim (First appearance)
- Rao (Mentioned only)
- Kryptonians (Dies in flashback)
- Kryptonian Science Council (Dies in flashback)
- Uncle Sam (Mentioned only)
- Smallville Orphanage Worker (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Flashback only)
- Clark Kent, Superboy and Superman Robots (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Five Bank Robbers (Unnamed) (Flashback only)
- Doctor Burke (Unnamed) (Flashback only) (from Superman #161)
- Nurse (Unnamed) (Flashback only) (from Superman #161)
- Citizens of Smallville (Flashback only)
- Metropolis University Students (Unnamed) (Flashback only)
- Metropolis University Football Team (Unnamed) (Flashback only)
- Anti-Superman Gang (Mentioned only) in (Flashback only) (from Superman #133)
- Brainiac (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #242)
- Koko (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #242)
- Kandorians (Unnamed) (Flashback only) (from Superman #338)
- Van-Zee (Flashback only) (from Superman #338)
- Phantom Zoners (Flashback only)
- WGBS Employees (Unnamed) (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Space
- Sun
- Earth
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Metropolis World's Fair
- Superman Pavilion also (Destroyed) in a (In a vision)
- Krypton Exhibit
- Superboy Room
- Superman Room
- Luthor's Underground Lair (underneath the Superman Pavilion)
- Smallville Mockup
- Superman Pavilion also (Destroyed) in a (In a vision)
- Metropolis University (Flashback only)
- Football Field (Flashback only)
- Auditorium (Graduation Ceremony) (Flashback only) (from Superman: The Secret Years #4)
- Daily Planet (Flashback only)
- Perry White's Office (Flashback only) (from Superman #133)
- Morgan Edge's Office (Flashback only) (from Superman #233)
- WGBS Studios (Flashback only)
- 344 Clinton Street (Flashback only)
- Clark Kent's Apartment (Flashback only)
- Metropolis World's Fair
- Smallville (Flashback only)
- Smallville Orphanage (Flashback only)
- Kent Farm (Flashback only)
- Kent General Store (Flashback only)
- 321 Maple Street (Flashback only)
- Kent Residence (Flashback only)
- Secret Tunnel (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Kent Residence (Flashback only)
- Smallville High School (Mentioned only) in (Flashback only)
- Smallville Cemetery (Flashback only) (from Superman #161)
- Jonathan and Martha Kent's Tombstones (Flashback only) (from Superman #161)
- Smallville Bus Depot (Flashback only)
- Luthor's Laboratory (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #271)
- Caribbean (Mentioned only) in (Flashback only) (from Superman #161)
- Atlantis (Mentioned only)
- North Pole (Flashback only)
- Fortress of Solitude (Flashback only)
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Rao
- Krypton (Flashback only) (Destroyed)
- Kryptonopolis (Flashback only) (Destroyed)
- El's Residence (Flashback only) (Destroyed)
- Kryptonopolis (Flashback only) (Destroyed)
- Phantom Zone (Flashback only)
- Argo City (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #252)
- Bottle City of Kandor (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #242) (Origin)
- Rokyn (Flashback only) (from Superman #338)
- Brigadoon (Mentioned only)
- Hell (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Superman's Costume
- Flag of Krypton
- Kryptonian Rocket (model)
- Planet Krypton (model)
- Mind-Prober Ray (borrowed from the Fortress of Solitude)
- Superboy (Statue only)
- Krypto (Statue only)
- Legion of Super-Heroes
- Colossal Boy (Statue only)
- Element Lad (Statue only)
- Light Lass (Statue only)
- Mon-El (Statue only)
- Phantom Girl (Statue only)
- Shrinking Violet (Statue only)
- Sun Boy (Statue only)
- Tyroc (Statue only)
- Ultra-Boy (Statue only)
- Legionnaire (unknown) (Statue only)
- Smallville Sentinel Newspaper
- Daily Planet Newspaper
- Gotham Gazette Newspaper
- Red Blanket (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Blue Blanket (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Yellow Blanket (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Red Boots (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Yellow Belt (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Super-Needle (made of metal from the rocket to sew the boots) (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Superman Symbol (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Clark Kent's Glasses (Flashback only) (Origin)
- Phantom Zone Projector (Flashback and main story)
- Alien Rejuvenation Serum (Mentioned only) in (Flashback only) (from Superboy #145)
- Green Kryptonite (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #251) (Origin)
- Blue Kryptonite
- Gold Kryptonite
- Jewel Kryptonite
- Red Kryptonite
- White Kryptonite
- Kryptonian Weaponry Cache (Mentioned only)
- Lex Luthor's Battle Array
- Power Glove
- Power Boot
- Supergirl (Statue only)
- Superman (Statue only)
- Fortress of Solitude (model)
- Fortress of Solitude Key (Flashback only)
- Toyman (Statue only)
- Parasite (Statue only)
- Lex Luthor (Statue only)
- Brainiac (Statue only)
- Bottle City of Kandor (model)
- Enlarging Ray Gun (Flashback only) (from Superman #338)
- Nobel Prize (Mentioned only)
- Artificial Red Sun Lamp
- Electric Laser Eye Beam (set to destroy the Superman Pavilion)
Vehicles:
- Jonathan Kent's Pickup Truck (Flashback only)
- Kryptonian Rocket (Kal-El's) (Flashback only) (In ruins)
- Kryptonian Rocket (Krypto's) (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #210) (In ruins)
- Kryptonian Rocket (Kara Zor-El's) (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #252) (In ruins)
- Brainiac's Spacecraft (Flashback only) (from Action Comics #242)
- "Superman-made Spacecraft" (Flashback only) (from Superman #338)
Synopsis for "The Action Comics Story"
A two page history of Action Comics and the backup features who appeared in the series during its 41 year run.
Appearing in "The Action Comics Story"
- Appearances not yet listed
Notes
- Chapter 1 Planet on the Edge of Oblivion.
- Chapter 2 A Legend is Born!.
- Chapter 3 Call Me Superman.
- The Superman Clone makes a final appearance in Action Comics 524
Trivia
- Much of Superman's history that the Mind-Prober reveals is taken, panel-for-panel, from Superman #146.