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Superman prior to Action Comics #1?

Started by bronzilla,

26 posts in this topic

bluechip

bluechip

Posted
Posted
Can anyone confirm or have any proof that this came out before Action 1? The cover of this item is likeness of Superman in Action 7. hm

 

This was pub'd in 1939. The drawings could predate Action 1 for all we know but siegel and shuster only got traction on it as a strip after action was a hit

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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Posted
Can anyone confirm or have any proof that this came out before Action 1? The cover of this item is likeness of Superman in Action 7. hm

 

This was pub'd in 1939. The drawings could predate Action 1 for all we know but siegel and shuster only got traction on it as a strip after action was a hit

 

So it was published after Action #1?

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bluechip

bluechip

Posted
Posted
Can anyone confirm or have any proof that this came out before Action 1? The cover of this item is likeness of Superman in Action 7. hm

 

This was pub'd in 1939. The drawings could predate Action 1 for all we know but siegel and shuster only got traction on it as a strip after action was a hit

 

So it was published after Action #1?

 

Yes. Action first, then Supe 1, then newspaper strip

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showcase22gr1959

showcase22gr1959

Posted
Posted
Can anyone confirm or have any proof that this came out before Action 1? The cover of this item is likeness of Superman in Action 7. hm

 

This was pub'd in 1939. The drawings could predate Action 1 for all we know but siegel and shuster only got traction on it as a strip after action was a hit

 

So it was published after Action #1?

 

Action Comics was published in Mid 1938...as bluechip said, the drawings could pre-date Action 1. Superman strips were published in newspaper in 1939.

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showcase22gr1959

showcase22gr1959

Posted
Posted
Can anyone confirm or have any proof that this came out before Action 1? The cover of this item is likeness of Superman in Action 7. hm

 

This was pub'd in 1939. The drawings could predate Action 1 for all we know but siegel and shuster only got traction on it as a strip after action was a hit

 

So it was published after Action #1?

 

Yes. Action first, then Supe 1, then newspaper strip

 

This pre-date Superman 1 and the strips first published in early 1939, so you can say around Action 7.

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Wayne-Tec

Wayne-Tec

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I first saw that on eBay about a month ago.

 

It is very interesting and it is my understanding that Siegel & Shuster attempted to shop Superman around as a "comic-strip" but were turned down at very turn before they were asked to cut the strips into "comic-book" format to publish Action Comics #1.

 

DC (or National) was looking for another title to capitalize on the success of Detective Comics, and had a lack of interesting material to use for the debut issue of Action Comics. I read that the decision to use Superman as both the lead-feature and cover-art was a pure accident really and was likely selected due to a very dramatic and provoking cover-art.

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dem1138

dem1138

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It appears that this may have been printed after Action #1 but the art for this strip predates Action #1. This is incredible on many levels. It shows that Siegel and Shuster had truly fleshed out this character before selling it to National. The origin is detailed and incredible to read through. Wow.

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