Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1942. It was published on February 28, 1942.
Synopsis for "The World's Meanest Man"
Perry White arranges for Clark and Lois to drive out some kids from the slums out to the country for a retreat. As Clark goes to fetch some milk, he sees a kid falling out of an apple tree with his telescopic vision, and quickly changes into Superman to save him. He then shakes out some apples from the tree with his super-strength for the kids. Suddenly, Superman flies Lois out of the way as a mad bull charges the group. Superman lands behind the bull and grabs his tail, angering it. The bull charges right into Superman, which, having no effect, scares the bull off. With his presence no longer needed, Superman flies away and returns as Clark Kent. Clark and Lois then drive the kids back.
After returning to the Daily Planet, White informs the duo that he will be raising funds for a countryside getaway for underprivileged youths. Clark and Lois write articles about it, and within a week they've raised all the donations they need, including one from Charlie Grayson, a purportedly-reformed racketeer whose crimes were exposed by the Planet. Another day, Clark and Lois hear gunshots from across the street. Clark feigns cowardice and slips away to change into Superman. Superman finds the shooter firing into the air, and delivers him to the police. Meanwhile, a masked man breaks into the Planet, locks Lois in a closet, and steals the funds needed for the charity getaway. Clark returns to a furious Lois, who calls the police. Clark, lacking an alibi, is arrested by Sergeant Casey, though Clark breaks free in the station and successfully escapes, using his super-speed when out of sight. Clark changes into Superman and flies to the jail, where he sees the decoy shooter, who had been let off with a fine, walking out. Superman trails him to a building where the thug picks up his money from a slot in the wall, with the mysterious person on the other side confirming that he was a distraction in order to rob the Planet. Superman smashes in and interrogates the thug, who is shot through the wall before he can name his boss. Superman smashes through the wall, and chases down the masked man with the funds. However, the crook throws the box out the window. Superman, having no choice, streaks out the window and catches the box before it lands on a baby. Superman delivers the funds to the police station, and changes back into Clark Kent. Lois takes him back to the station, where Clark is let off with a warning.
A few weeks later, Superman stops by the under-construction getaway in the country, where he spots a bomb with his X-Ray vision. He flies it into the air, where it explodes. He sees the masked man from before fleeing the scene. The man fires his gun into Superman, but Superman just tackles him. Superman unmasks the man, who turns out to be Charlie Grayson, who wanted to take revenge on the Planet for getting him in jail. Superman intimidates Grayson with some air tricks until he agrees to confess, and drops him off with Casey. Weeks later, Clark and Lois look on the underprivileged kids playing in the getaway.
Appearing in "The World's Meanest Man"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Charlie Grayson
- hired patsy (Dies)
Other Characters:
- tenement children
Locations:
Synopsis for "Terror From the Stars"
Clark Kent publishes a story debunking astrology, which draws the attention of shady astrologer Abou Sabut, and his grifter representative (secretly his boss) Tom Nelson. Clark agrees to allow Sabut to demonstrate his astrological forecasting, and two of Sabut's predictions come true: a famous astrology skeptic dies, and a particular jewelery store is robbed. This draws the attention of Superman onto the the astrologers, who soon are exposed as frauds, and Sabut as a murderer. Sabut gets killed, but Nelson is arrested alive.
Appearing in "Terror From the Stars"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Tom Nelson, con man
- his hired thieves
- Abou Sabut, astrologer (Dies)
- Stan Emerson, attorney
Other Characters:
- Professor Derma (Dies)
- Mr. Warren, jeweler
Locations:
Synopsis for "Case of the Runaway Skyscrapers"
Minister Sinister has a dimensional-displacement device, which he uses to shunt entire skyscrapers into the Fourth Dimension, where he holds them for ransom. For a brief time he is quite successful. The Daily Planet condemns this racket, so the Planet Building is stolen. But Clark Kent got stolen along with it, and now is in the Fourth Dimension, which helps greatly in locating the villain behind the skyscraper hijackings. Superman battles Sinister until the fiend is destroyed by his own devices. The buildings are then restored to normal.
Appearing in "Case of the Runaway Skyscrapers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mister Sinister (Dies)
- his gang
Other Characters:
- The Board of Directors of Constructions, Inc.
Locations:
Items:
- Minister Sinister's Fourth-Dimensional Skyscraper-stealing equipment
Synopsis for "Racket On Delivery"
Clark Kent and Lois Lane get kidnapped by some racketeers, and it works out badly for the racketeers, Slats Morgan and his boss, city councilman Vernon Hale.
Appearing in "Racket On Delivery"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Slats Morgan
- his racketeers
- Vernon Hale, city councilman
Other Characters:
- Mr. Golden, shopkeeper
Locations:
Notes
- Published by Superman, Inc.
- This issue is reprinted in The Superman Archives Vol. 4.
- Another time, Siegel reuses the name of one of his previous characters for an unrelated one. The villain is named Charlie Grayson, as is Robotman's assistant, who debuted a month earlier.
- In "Racket On Delivery", Lois Lane is kidnapped for the 17th time.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
- At the end of the 1930s and the beginning of the "golden age" of superheroes, as shown in several early Superman stories and at least one Green Lantern story, the municipal and state governments of Metropolis were riddled with corruption.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- ↑ Action Comics #1
- ↑ Action Comics #7
- ↑ Superman #3
- ↑ Action Comics #23
- ↑ Action Comics #26
- ↑ Superman #5
- ↑ Action Comics #29
- ↑ Superman #7
- ↑ Action Comics #32
- ↑ Superman #8
- ↑ Superman #9
- ↑ World's Best Comics #1
- ↑ Superman #11
- ↑ Action Comics #42
- ↑ Action Comics #43
- ↑ World's Finest #4
- ↑ Superman #16