Action Comics #1-2

Action Comics #1-2

Originally released in 1938

Written by Jerry Siegel et al.

Art by Joe Shuster et al.

I figure the most appropriate way to start reading a comic a day is with the first appearance of Superman.  There was more to Action Comics #1 than that, though.  Originally, it was an anthology book, covering a wide variety of stories by many authors.  However, the main reason why people would pick this book up nowadays is for the man on the cover who's lifting a car over his head - whether it's for this reason, or legal reasons (such as having to pay royalties or other fees to the families of the original creators), the DC Universe Infinite app only contains the Superman story, leaving out the likes of "Zatara: Master Magician" or "Scoop Scanlon the Five Star Reporter."  It's a shame; I would have liked to read these to get a better idea of what comics were like at the time of Superman's first appearance, and to contrast his story with those ones, but I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to read anthology comics going forward.

The first page is a rather hasty explanation of Superman's origins, and looking at it, it's interesting to see how Superman's origins evolved over the years.  His father is described as a scientist, but both his father and his homeworld go unnamed. (the name Kal-El is also unmentioned)  Upon arriving on Earth, Clark is sent to an orphanage, so there was no concept of him being raised by the Kents in Kansas, and while he has super strength as a baby, he's described as not being aware of the full extent of his powers until he reaches maturity.  He's still faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, though.

It's interesting to see how Superman's early stories had him dealing with ordinary problems that any one person was seemingly unable to solve, whether it's domestic abuse or government corruption.  In some cases, you could almost feel Siegel and Shuster putting their frustrations with the world onto the page and having Superman handle issues that felt insurmountable, like a looming war with Europe or organized crime.  The story flies by at a breakneck pace, barely giving events time to breathe before moving on to the next plot point and introducing a new plotline every three pages or so.  It's interesting to look at this and compare to modern comics that are often more decompressed and slower-paced.

This first issue also introduces Lois Lane, quickly establishing part of her dynamic with Superman. (she thinks Clark Kent is a coward who won't stand up for himself, and she's rescued from hoodlums by Superman)  She's shown to be tough-as-nails and quick to stand up for herself, in contrast to the meek, uncertain Clark Kent.

The story ends suddenly, with Superman midway through interrogating a thug to find out who had been bribing a US senator to get the US involved in a war with Europe.  This picks up in the second issue, which is much more focused.  Here, Superman discovers that a munitions manufacturer is to blame, so naturally, he threatens the man in question to go to a war-torn country and join the war effort or else Superman says that "I'll follow you to whatever hole you hide in, and tear out your cruel heart with my bare hands."  Superman follows the man relentlessly, forcing him to see the results of his greed first-hand, and only occasionally taking a break from tormenting this corrupt businessman to save Lois from being executed as a spy.

All in all, it's a strong start for the character, and it's clear why he's lasted so long and become such a cultural icon.  He lives up to the "champion of the oppressed" moniker given to him on his very first page, fighting for those who can't fight for themselves.  For Superman, there's no problem that's too big or too small for him to handle.