| Issue | #42 |
| Published | November 1941 |
| Cover Price | 0.10 |
| Pages | 68 |
| Editing | Whitney Ellsworth, [Mort Weisinger, Murray Bolitnoff (assistants)] |
| Notes | Superman has a yellow "S" on blue triangle on his cape. |
| Characters | Superman |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Fred Ray |
| Inks | Fred Ray |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | Superman has a yellow "S" on blue triangle on his cape. |
| Reprinted | In Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #3 (2001). |
| Characters | Superman [Clark Kent]; Villains: Luthor (Zytal, bald), Jake Mobray [D] Dirk Chadwick [D]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen [cameo]; Carl Bransom; Nick Flaerty; John Standing; Freeman Chase. |
| Synopsis | A series of strange disappearances of prominent men in the city of Metropolis makes Clark Kent believe the kidnappings weren't under ordinary circumstances. When, as Superman, he tries to get information from local mobsters, they are suddenly destroyed by a ray out of the blue. He later discovers that Luthor built a giant city in the sky, and the arch for then hypnotizes Superman into doing his bidding. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | Jerry Siegel (signed) |
| Pencils | Leo Nowak (signed as Joe Shuster) |
| Inks | Shuster Shop |
| Notes | Archives credits this to John Sikela. New art id by Craig Delich and Bob Hughes 6/05. Modified synopsis added by Craig Delich 9-6-08. |
| Reprinted | In Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #3 (2001). |
| Characters | The Vigilante [Greg Sanders] (I, origin); V: Killer Kelly; Betty Stuart; Van Ardsley. |
| Synopsis | At his execution, Killer Kelly tells Vigilante that he will come back from the grave, but he has really just bribed the prison doctor to lower the voltage. Greg Sanders, rodeo man, is met by Betty Stuart, a blues singer, after a rodeo, and he learns that Killer Kelly is loose. At his home, Greg dons the costume of the Vigilante and heads to the costume ball of Van Ardsley. When Killer Kelly bashes the party, the Vigilante has to rope them in. |
| Genre | superhero; Western |
| Script | Mort Weisinger |
| Pencils | Mort Meskin |
| Inks | Mort Meskin |
| Reprinted | in Secret Origins (DC, 1973 series) #4 (September-October 1973) |
| Characters | The Black Pirate [Jon Valor]; Bonnie; Villains: un-named cutthroats. |
| Synopsis | A cutthroat pretends to be an escaped fugitive to get close to Jon Valor. Bonnie is suspicious, however. |
| Genre | period |
| Pencils | Sheldon Moldoff |
| Inks | Sheldon Moldoff |
| Notes | Strip is continued in Sensation Comics #1. |
| Characters | Three Aces: Fog Fortune, Gunner Bill and Whistler Will; V: Miguel Miranda. |
| Synopsis | On their way back from South America, the Aces find themselves in the middle of a Central American revolution. A man named Miguel Miranda takes their planes for the war, and the Aces have to figure out a way to get them back. |
| Genre | adventure; aviation |
| Script | Gardner F. Fox |
| Pencils | Chad Grothkopf |
| Inks | Chad Grothkopf |
| Notes | Writer credit added by Craig Delich 9-6-08. |
| Characters | Mr. America [Tex Thomson]; Fatman [Bob Daley] (origin as Fatman); V: The Queen Bee. |
| Synopsis | Mr. America goes out to investigate a strange lack of crime, but Bob is ordered to stay in. Feeling deserted, Bob creates the identity of Fatman. At Tex's headquarters, he develops a way to transform his cape into a magic flying carpet. Fatman stumbles upon the plans of the Queen Bee to steal radium. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | Ken Fitch |
| Pencils | Bernard Baily (signed) |
| Inks | Bernard Baily (signed) |
| Notes | 1st uses cape as a flying carpet. Writer credit by Jerry Bails via Craig Delich 5/05. |
| Characters | Peter Projak |
| Genre | war |
| Script | Sidney Drew (signed) |
| Letters | typeset |
| Characters | Killer Manon |
| Genre | adventure |
| Script | Wilton Weston (signed) |
| Pencils | Stan Kaye (spot illustration) |
| Inks | Stan Kaye (spot illustration) |
| Letters | typeset |
| Genre | gags |
| Script | Henry Boltinoff |
| Pencils | Henry Boltinoff |
| Inks | Henry Boltinoff |
| Notes | Writer credit added by Craig Delich 9-6-08. |
| Characters | Congo Bill; Sheila Hanlen; Professor James Kent; Hugo Von Eller; Winters; V: Tomkins. |
| Synopsis | In the jungle, Congo Bill's safari comes across a white man being buried alive by a native and attempts to stop him, only to be informed that he's just ruined a shot in an adventure film. Talking with the director, Hugo Von Eller, Bill finds out that the production has been plagued with problems. Sheila agrees to stand in for a sick actress, but the problems continue. |
| Genre | jungle |
| Pencils | Fred Ray |
| Inks | Fred Ray |
| Notes | Writer credit revision from Fred Ray? to ? added by Craig Delich 9-6-08. |
| Characters | Zatara; Villains: The Tigress, Frosty Parke. |
| Synopsis | Zatara spots the Tigress and Frosty Parke and decides to follow them. He catches them trying to rob a bank and quickly stops them, putting Frosty into the hospital. There, Frosty uses an experiment that allows him to control men's minds, and somehow the power is transferred into him. He escapes and meets with Tigress to continue their crime spree. Zatara discovers Frosty's new power and investigates. |
| Genre | occult |
| Script | Gardner F. Fox |
| Pencils | Joseph Sulman |
| Inks | Joseph Sulman |