By Superman #6 (July 1940), Superman is nearly flying. I say nearly because other stories in this issue use the term “gliding” and show him using his cape to halt his descent. By now, the DC universe has at least two characters that can fly: Hawkman and Green Lantern. It feels like Superman should join […]
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Still called Johnny Thunderbolt as of June 1940, it is revealed in Flash Comics #8 that Johnny Thunder probably lives in the same universe as Superman (or at least in a universe that knows of Superman’s exploits). It’s somewhat interesting though that Johnny Thunder, Flash, Hawkman and Green Lantern are all published by All-American Publications, […]
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Superman #5 (May 1940) has our hero soliloquizing about his acid-proof costume that he invented himself, making him a scientific genius as well as a god-on-Earth, I guess. This will be retconned years later to be threads from his baby blanket from Krypton 🙂
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Up until now, Superman‘s insignia has usually drawn as an inverted yellow-bordered triangle surrounding an ‘S’ of first yellow, then red. Action Comics #25 (April 1940) shows the final major iteration of this symbol to a red-bordered diamond shape that is now recognized the world over. Note that the Wikipedia article on this states that […]
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In Mystery Men Comics #10 (March 1940), the Blue Beetle reveals that his costume is actually bullet-proof. Maybe Dr. Franz, the drug store owner / sidekick who helps Dan Garret, made this happen? Or maybe Fox wanted to make their hero as exciting as Superman?
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February 1940 also brought another major character to the DC Universe with the introduction of Luthor, probably Superman‘s greatest villain. First appearing in Action Comics #23 (February 1940), Luthor was a mad scientist bent on world domination that used hypnotism to keep his lackeys in check. Later on in the month he also appeared in […]
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In December 1939, we finally get a new company, that is not DC, creating a superhero character that has an impact outside of comic books, with the introduction of Captain Marvel in Whiz Comics #1 (actually #2 because of the ash-can edition) by Fawcett Comics. Captain Marvel, sometimes confused with the wizard Shazam, who gave […]
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In Action Comics #20 (November 1939), Superman discovers that Hollywood actress Dolores Winters is acting rather strangely the day after acting so nicely to Clark Kent. After Dolores gives him the stink eye, Superman makes the intuitive leap that the Ultra-Humanite has placed his brain inside Dolores’ body. But it’s comforting to know that Superman […]
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In Action Comics #18 (September 1939), Superman used his x-ray vision for the first time (his super-hearing had been hinted at in a previous story). I picture what is happening with Superman’s powers here as a sort of “arms race”, since I’m sure Jerry Siegel had constant pressure to make Superman more exciting than other […]
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Superman‘s powers continue to expand, as indicated in this panel from Action Comics #17 (August 1939). Thanks to his invulnerability to fire, he nearly single-handedly foils an arson attempt on a steamliner ship, arranged by the Ultra-Humanite.
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