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

Issue Details

Issue #21
Published March-April 1943
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Whitney Ellsworth (credited), Jack Schiff (actual)
Notes Cover art confirmed by Burnley.

Cover Details - "untitled"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Letters typeset
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #6 (2003)

13 page Superman story "The X-Alloy"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Frank Lingle; Carlton Graul (villain; intro)
Synopsis Clark Kent is the only reporter invited to the testing of a cannon made of the new X-Alloy, but when it explodes, it leads Superman to the Lingle Steel Corporation, manufacturer the alloy, only to discover the plant honeycombed with spies.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Ed Dobrotka [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks John Sikela [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #6 (2003)

1 page Victor filler "25 cent allowance"

Characters Victor
Genre children
Notes This filler was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

Half page Gags filler "untitled"

Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff
Notes This filler was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

13 page Superman story "The Four Gangleaders"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Sgt. Casey; Cordell (villain; intro); Graney (villain; intro; dies); Graham (villain; intro); Kingsley (villain; intro; dies); Charles Clayton (villain; intro)
Synopsis After a run-in with four notorious underworld gang leaders (one of them being killed in the process), Lois decides to write a series of articles exposing them and to begin a crusade against them by implying there is a gang war in progress, and one of the three remaining leaders is trying to wipe out his rival.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Leo Nowak [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #6 (2003)

2 page Snapper filler "The Wedding Fell Through"

Characters Snapper
Genre humor
Script Whitney Ellsworth?
Pencils Whitney Ellsworth?
Inks Whitney Ellsworth?
Notes This filler does NOT appear in the Archives.

13 page Superman story "The Robber Knight"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Mr. Phelps; Lucy Trent; Sir Gauntlet [Caspar Smythe](villain; intro)
Synopsis When Lois Lane is arrested for wearing a stolen mink coat from Lacey's Department Store, Clark Kent learns that a former employee from Lacey's sold it to her, even though she said she didn't steal it herself. The Man of Tomorrow, upon further investigation, believes that that employee, Lucy Trent, is shielding someone, as other items are also being reported as missing from the store.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed)
Inks George Roussos [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Notes Superman's mountain retreat (or Fortress) appears in this story.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #6 (2003)

2 page text story "Goofy Invention"

Genre adventure
Script Wally Walker (signed)
Letters typeset
Notes This text story does NOT appear in the Archive.

13 page Superman story "The Ghost of Superman"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Sam Jackson (dies); Manley; Blinky Moxby (villain; intro); Knuckles (villain); Mike Chandler (villain); Luthor (villain; cameo); Ultra (villain; cameo); The Puzzler (villain; cameo); Metalo (villain; cameo); The Prankster (villain; cameo); Adolf Hitler (villain; cameo); Hideki Tojo (villain; cameo)
Synopsis The murder of Sam Jackson, a man involved in a street grafting operation, is blamed on a city commissioner, who informs Police that Mike Chandler did it, and his only witness to that event is another criminal, "Blinky" Moxby. Superman goes to great lengths to find Moxby and get proof of the commissioner's innocence, including allowing Moxby to think he has actually killed the Man of Steel!
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Peter Riss [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Peter Riss [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #6 (2003)