Superman #19 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1942. It was published on August 30, 1942.
Synopsis for "Case of the Funny Paper Crimes"
Funny Face, a criminal comics creator, brings a series of comic strip villains to life, and sets them to robbing in Metropolis. Superman deals with these one at a time, until he figures out what's going on. Meanwhile Funny Face transforms Lois Lane from a real person into a comic character. Superman and five famous comic strip heroes team up to rescue Lois, and defeat the villains and their creator.
Appearing in "Case of the Funny Paper Crimes"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Funny Face, comics creator (First appearance)
- Torgo (comic strip villain)
- Machine-Gun Mike (comic strip villain)
- the Black Raider (comic strip villain)
- Goola (comic strip villain)
- Viper (comic strip villain)
Other Characters:
- Perry White
- Sergeant Casey
- Prince Peril (comic strip character)
- Detective Craig (comic strip character)
- Solitary Rider (comic strip character)
- Streak Dugan (comic strip character)
- Happy Daze (comic strip character)
Locations:
Synopsis for "Superman's Amazing Adventure"
Clark Kent and Lois Lane get buried in rubble by some gangsters. Clark has a dream, in which Lois Lane learns his secret identity. Also Lois gets turned into stone, and shattered. Then he wakes up, notices that they are still buried in rubble, and rescues Lois, only this time without exposing his secret identity. Then he captures the gangsters responsible.
Appearing in "Superman's Amazing Adventure"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Skeet Monahan
- his gang
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Canine and the Crooks"
One day in Metropolis, Mr. Z, and two gunmen, try to kill a small dog, then later kidnap the dog. Then they also try to murder Lois Lane. Superman rescues Lois, and compels Mr. Z to reveal why he shot at and then stole the dog. It was because of an eccentrically-written Last Will of a wealthy relative of Mr. Z.
Appearing in "The Canine and the Crooks"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Animals:
- unnamed small dog
Locations:
Synopsis for "Superman, Matinee Idol"
Lois and Clark attend a screening of a Superman cartoon at a local movie theater and Clark tries to distract Lois from the screen in order to protect his secret identity. Lois is very annoyed by this.
Appearing in "Superman, Matinee Idol"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
- Superman (animated version)
- Lois Lane (animated version)
- The Mad Scientist (animated)
- Perry White (animated version)
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Daily Planet
- Empire Theater
- Metropolis (animated version)
- Daily Planet (animated version)
- Prison Island (in the cartoon)
Items:
- The Mad Scientist's giant robot
Notes
- Published by Superman, Inc.
- Last issue of this title to be edited by Whitney Ellsworth, replaced next issue by Jack Schiff.
- The entire issue was reprinted in The Superman Archives Vol. 5.
- "Case of the Funny Paper Crimes" was reprinted in Superman #183, Superman: From the 30's to the 70's and Superman: From the 30's to the 80's.
- This story has been adapted into a post-Crisis All-Star Squadron story (omitting Superman and his supporting cast), told in All-Star Squadron #64, and titled "See You in the Funny Papers".
- The comic strips are pastiches of well-known comics of the time: Detective Craig (Dick Tracy), Prince Peril (Prince Valiant), The Solitary Rider (The Lone Ranger), and Streak Dugan (Flash Gordon).
- "Superman, Matinee Idol" was reprinted in Superman #183 (as "Superman, Cartoon Hero!"), Superman: From the 30's to the 70's and Superman: From the 30's to the 80's.
- The in-universe cartoon seen in "Superman, Matinee, Idol" is a direct sequel to the first Superman cartoon, with the "Mad Scientist" escaping from prison. The next cartoon in the series was "The Mechanical Monsters" but the person who operates those in that cartoon is totally different from the Mad Scientist.
- According to DC's editors "Superman, Matinee Idol" was the first "Imaginary Story".[1][2]
Trivia
- In the actual Superman cartoons there was the Paramount Logo, the credits. the title, an intro which includes "Disguised as a mild mannered newspaper reporter Clark Kent", followed by what ever the episode is. In the comic the Paramount Logo is followed by the credits and then the action...which implies that Clark and Lois sat through the intro which flat out tells his secret identity!
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
