Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #9
Published March-April 1941
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Whitney Ellsworth; [Murray Boltinoff]
Notes Art confirmed by Fred Ray. All notes and synopses added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006).

Cover Details - "World's Greatest Adventure-Strip Character"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Fred Ray
Inks Fred Ray
Letters typeset
Notes Art confirmed by Fred Ray. All notes and synopses modified by Craig Delich 2010-1-1.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Superman illustration "Superman: America's Greatest Adventure-Strip Character"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Notes Frontispiece.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

13 page Superman story "The Phony Pacifists"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Sgt. Casey; Major Lester; The Committee Against Militarism (some villains, intro); Senator Galsworthy (intro); Derwing (villain, intro)
Synopsis Superman battles against some members of the Committee Against Militarism, whose leader is actually employed by a warring totalitarian nation, which wants to see to it that the United States does not re-arm, thus making it ripe for take-over.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Shuster Shop [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Superman promo (ad from the publisher) "Supermen of America"

Characters Superman
Synopsis Superman [thru the editors] tells his readers that, when he is not busy on a case, he likes to relax and envision what his club members do for relaxation and recreation. He tries to show the importance of every part of this nation. There is a secret Superman code message in Code Neptune No. 7 to decypher, and a coupon is provided for readers to fill out and send in to join the Supermen of America.
Pencils Joe Shuster (spot illustration)
Inks Paul Cassidy (spot illustration)
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

Half page Henrietta filler "Wy don't you lern how woo spel rite?"

Characters Henrietta
Synopsis Henrietta asks the mailman if there is a letter for her and he gives her one, which she finds out is from Henry. His letter has much mis-spelling it it, so she types him back a letter, critizing him for that [and her letter has many errors as well]!
Genre gag
Script Fred Schwab
Pencils Fred Schwab
Inks Fred Schwab
Letters Fred Schwab
Notes The remainder of this page contains an ad from the H. E. Wills Company showing readers how easy it is to make money re-stringing tennis rackets.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Sport Spotlight filler "Sport Spotlight on Surprising Veterans"

Characters Fred Fitzsimmons; Gene Sarazen; Max Baer; Ted Lyons; Lefty Grove
Synopsis This fact filler spotlights older professional athletes who made good.
Genre sports; fact
Script Jack Burnley
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Notes Writer credit added and art credits verified by Burnley and added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

13 page Superman story "Joe Gatson, Racketeer"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Judge Crane; Sylvia Crane; Joe Gatson (villain, intro)
Synopsis Superman prevents Judge Crane from committing suicide, and, after talking with the judge, discovers that his daughter has been kidnapped and will not be released unless the judge declares racketeering defendant Joe Gatson not guilty for his crimes.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Paul Cassidy? [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Shuster Shop [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Butterfinger advertisement "Power to Go Places!"

Synopsis Ad for Butterfinger candy bars.
Letters ?; typeset (some)
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

13 page Superman story "Mystery In Swasey Swamp"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Perry White; un-named evil scientist (villain, intro, death); Krawl (villain, intro, death); Tom Jepson (villain, intro)
Synopsis Editor White sends Clark out to Lamson Laboratories to get to the bottom of an unknown person or persons causing problems at the lab in an attempt to force the W-142 formula out of Lamson, and Lois is sent to Swasey Swamp, which is said to be emanating powerful electrical discharges. When someone attempts to kill Kent, Superman begins to see a conection between the two situations, and intervenes in time to save the formula.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Paul Cassidy? [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Shuster Shop [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Superman; Three Aces; The Black Pirate; Tex Thompson; Clip Carson; Zatara promo (ad from the publisher) "Superman Keeps Good Company!"

Characters Superman; Three Aces; The Black Pirate; Tex Thompson; Clip Carson; Zatara
Synopsis Promotional illustrated house ad for all the features appearing each month in Action Comics.
Genre superhero; adventure; occult
Pencils various
Inks various
Letters ?; most typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

2 page text story "A Bombing Flight"

Characters Raoul Deschamps; Captain Rogers; Smith
Synopsis Captain Rogers and Smith were sitting in a London restaurant when a stranger walked in that they recognized as famed World War I flyer, Raoul Deschamps. But that startled Rogers because Raoul supposedly died in Flanders. Smith sat back and told him the story of that day in Flanders and the famed flyer wanting to go out and bomb the enemy positions alone....sheer suicide. Later that day, Smith and Rogers found Deschamps plane....wrecked, and the enemy flew over that position and dropped Deschamps goggles, helmet and ID tag near them, all picked up by Smith. To him, that proved the famed flyer was dead. But Smith hadn't finished the story. In that bundle of items dropped over him was a little doll belonging to Raoul's girlfriend. She never went anywhere without that doll, proving it was her that flew the plane that day and was killed, not Raoul.
Genre war
Script Frank Cooper (signed)
Pencils Fred Ray [as Ray] (signed) (spot illustration)
Inks Fred Ray [as Ray] (signed) (spot illustration)
Letters typeset
Notes Statement of Ownership is found on this page, as well as a few ads and a half-page ad for Adventure Comics #59 (February, 1941)(with a Bernard Baily Hour-Man cover). Art credits by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page activity "Super-Strength By Superman"

Synopsis The story is told of how the Superman Physical Development Club came into being.
Genre fact
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Joe Shuster?
Inks Joe Shuster?
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page Batman; Superman promo (ad from the publisher)

Characters Batman and Robin; Superman
Synopsis Two one-half page ads: one for Batman #4 (Winter, 1941) on sale January 13th, and the other for the Superman Radio Show, listing the stations nationwide which air the show.
Genre superhero
Pencils Bob Kane (on Batman cover); Joe Shuster (Superman figure)
Inks Jerry Robinson (on Batman cover); Joe Shuster (on Superman figure)
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

13 page Superman story "Jackson's Murder Ring"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Sgt. Casey; Morton Carling (cameo, death); Marjorie Farnsworth; Mr. Lassiter (villain, intro); Mr. Jackson (villain, intro); Mr. Nelson (villain, intro)
Synopsis The death of Morton Carling leads Lois, Sgt. Casey and Superman to uncovering the fact that the Jackson Jewelry Company was a front for a murder syndicate, which disguised the transfer of blood money as jewelry payments.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Paul Cassidy [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Shuster Shop [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page advertisement "Pick Your Prize"

Synopsis Advertisement by the Lancaster County Seed Company encouraging readers to sell their seeds to win prizes.
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "At the Top of the Field!"

Characters The Justice Society of America [Hawkman; Green Lantern; Doctor Fate; Spectre; the Flash; Sandman; Hour-Man; Atom](cover to All-Star #4); Green Lantern; Spectre; Hour-Man; Flash (on covers of other issues)
Synopsis Illustrated promotional house ad (with covers) promoting All-Star #4 (with dialogue concerning the JSA adventure in that issue), and Adventure Comics #59, Flash Comics #14, All-American Comics #23 and More Fun Comics #64, magazines in which the various JSA members have individual adventures.
Genre superhero
Pencils Everett E. Hibbard; Sheldon Moldoff; Bernard Baily
Inks Everett E. Hibbard; Sheldon Moldoff; Bernard Baily
Letters ? (same letterer found in All-Star Comics #4); typeset (some)
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #3 (1991)