For the tenth anniversary of Superman’s first appearance, DC re-told Superman’s origin in even greater detail in Superman #53 (May 1948) with a compelling splash page showing Superman’s sadness at losing two sets of parents. The first half of the story takes place on Krypton. In it, we see in greater detail how Jor-el tried […]
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The Wayne Boring visual style of Superman continues to seep its way into DC publications. In World’s Finest Comics #34 (March 1948), we see a good example off the “slight rear angle with open mouth” pose – though he still doesn’t have consistent eyeballs. Have I mentioned before how much I hate Wayne Boring’s Superman? […]
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In Acton Comics #119 (February 1948), Superman gains a new power: Super-control of his muscles, allowing him to shrink them while playing Clark Kent in a Superman suit so that Lois doesn’t realize he looks identical to Superman.
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In Superman #49 (September 1947), “Clark Kent’s Most Dangerous Assignment” has Superman encounter radiation from a missile built by a scientist that weakens him and saps his powers, leaving with him an inability to fly. Superman waits and the dizziness and weakness eventually pass, allowing Superman to once again easily overcome his foe. I guess […]
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In All-Star Comics #36 (June 1947), honorary members Superman and Batman join the JSA on a mission. This is not the first time that Batman and Superman have appeared together in DC continuity, that happened six years earlier. Nonetheless, it’s exciting to see the big three meet – and for more than a single panel. […]
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Powering-up Superman in service of the plot-of-the-month continues in World’s Finest Comics #29 (May 1947). In this issue, Superman is challenged by Lois Lane to bind different books of a collector with unique materials. In one instance he races to the lost continent of Atlantis, in another he needs to find a unicorn bone, in […]
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In Action Comics #106 (January 1947), Clark is told he is a long-lost heir to an English barony. But what’s interesting (as a reader 70 years later) is the blurb in which it is revealed that Clark doesn’t even know he is not human. At this point in his history, Clark does not know anything […]
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Right next to the lackluster comedic story of Lois-as-Superwoman, Superman #45 (January 1947) also featured a pretty cool story in which Superman is actually physically challenged for once! An inter-dimensional being appears on Earth and starts collecting Earthling specimens for his trophy collection. What ensues is a pretty intense battle between Superman and this unnamed […]
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We have seen Lois as Superwoman before, but that was just a fever dream. Superman #45 (January 1947) features the return of Lois-as-Superwoman when Hocus and Pocus, two magicians, grant her Superman’s powers. Hocus and Pocus are two clueless, recurring comic relief characters with no actual powers, but somehow Superman is always forced into performing […]
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As previously mentioned, 1946 is a year in which Superman’s appearance gradually evolved into its post-Shuster shape, thanks to Wayne Boring’s work on covers. In Action Comics #102 (September 1946), we see not only his pupils, but the proportion of his head to his body has now changed and his facial expression is varying and […]
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