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Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus #4
Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 4
Now available in an oversize hardcover, the original adventures of the Man of Steel are collected in SUPERMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 4!
Some of the earliest adventures of Superman are collected for the first time together in one massive hardcover. In these early stories, Superman battles social injustice and political corruption, fighting for the common man.
Written by JERRY SIEGEL and others • Art by various • Cover by DARWYN COOKE
In these tales from Action COMICS #66-85, Superman #25-33 and World’s Finest Comics #11-17, the Man of Tomorrow aids in a government housing project, gets tricked by the Prankster, matches wits with the Thinker, solves a series of house robberies and much more!
Some of the earliest adventures of Superman are collected for the first time together in one massive hardcover. In these early stories, Superman battles social injustice and political corruption, fighting for the common man.
Written by JERRY SIEGEL and others • Art by various • Cover by DARWYN COOKE
In these tales from Action COMICS #66-85, Superman #25-33 and World’s Finest Comics #11-17, the Man of Tomorrow aids in a government housing project, gets tricked by the Prankster, matches wits with the Thinker, solves a series of house robberies and much more!
768 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1945
4 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Siegel
622 books82 followersJerome "Jerry" Siegel, who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter, Jerry Ess, and Herbert S. Fine, was the American co-creator of Superman (along with Joe Shuster), the first of the great comic book superheroes and one of the most recognizable icons of the 20th century.
He and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993.
He and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 14, 2022
Nice collection of these golden age stories. It’s entertaining to read the early years of this iconic character. Recommended
February 13, 2025
Superman and the Postwar World: A Review of The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4
If Superman is America’s great mythic invention—our answer to Achilles, Arthur, and the pantheon of noble warriors that have populated human imagination—then The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 captures a crucial moment in that mythology’s evolution.
By the time these stories were published (Action Comics #66-85, Superman #25-33, and World’s Finest Comics #6-10), America had emerged from the crucible of World War II victorious but uncertain. The clear moral lines of wartime propaganda had faded into the gray complexities of the postwar world. The nation was transitioning from a martial economy to a booming consumer culture, from a time of collective sacrifice to an era of suburban expansion and mass media. And Superman—once a New Deal-era strongman and then a wartime icon—had to evolve with it.
Gone were the saboteurs and war profiteers, the spies and Axis agents who had populated Superman’s pages just a few years earlier. In their place came a new era of crime bosses, eccentric villains, and a Metropolis that, while still dangerous, felt increasingly like a world of adventure rather than a battleground for ideological warfare. Superman, for the first time, was no longer just protecting America; he was entertaining it.
Superman and the Shift from War to Wonder
One of the most striking things about Volume 4 is how clearly it reflects the shifting cultural moment of the mid-1940s. The war had made Superman a patriotic icon, but now that America no longer needed daily reassurance of its righteousness, what was Superman’s role?
The answer, as these stories demonstrate, was a slow but noticeable shift from a hero defined by moral urgency to one defined by escapism. Superman still fought for justice, of course—he was still the same unwavering figure of moral clarity—but the existential weight of war was gone. Instead, his battles became more playful, more imaginative, more rooted in the realm of fantasy.
The Villains Evolve: The Rise of the Theatrical Antagonist
By this point in Superman’s history, a rogues’ gallery was beginning to take shape. The earliest Superman comics had been populated by gangsters, corrupt politicians, and unscrupulous businessmen—foes ripped directly from Depression-era headlines. Then came the war years, with their saboteurs and foreign agents. But in Volume 4, a new breed of villain emerges: the showman.
Lex Luthor, who had once been a relatively generic mad scientist, now becomes something more—an archenemy. He is still, at this stage, not the suave businessman of later decades but a more theatrical, scenery-chewing villain, obsessed with power for its own sake. His schemes are no longer just about money or even world domination; they are about defying Superman himself, proving that intellect can conquer strength.
And then there are the newcomers—the first inklings of the outlandish, larger-than-life foes that would dominate the Silver Age. Villains like the Prankster and the Toyman, who, while still grounded in Golden Age pulp logic, signal a move toward the more whimsical, almost surreal world of superhero comics that would emerge in the 1950s and beyond.
The Clark Kent Persona: Becoming More Than Just a Disguise
If Superman himself remained largely unchanged in these stories, Clark Kent was another matter. In Volume 4, Clark begins to take on an even greater presence—not just as Superman’s convenient alter ego but as an active participant in the stories. His bumbling, mild-mannered persona, which in the early years had been little more than a flimsy disguise, was now fully embraced as a performance.
This is one of the great subtleties of Superman’s character: Clark Kent is not merely Superman pretending to be weak; he is Superman performing humanity. Unlike Batman, whose dual identity is a psychological conflict, or Spider-Man, who constantly struggles between his two lives, Superman’s transformation into Clark Kent is an act of self-discipline. He is, in essence, choosing to be ordinary.
This volume makes that dynamic even clearer. Clark is not just a journalist who happens to be Superman; he is an active force in his own right—investigating, reporting, uncovering crime, and, on occasion, saving the day in ways that do not require superpowers. This shift is significant because it lays the groundwork for the later stories where Clark becomes more than just a mask—where he becomes, in some sense, the true secret identity.
The Art of the Mid-1940s Superman
Visually, Volume 4 represents another step in Superman’s artistic refinement. The once-crude, almost crude cartoonish look of the early Golden Age had by now given way to a more polished, dynamic style. The action sequences are more fluid, the character designs more consistent, and Superman himself is drawn with the confident posture and heroic bearing that would become standard for decades to come.
The page layouts, too, have evolved. Whereas earlier stories often felt like static sequences of isolated images, by Volume 4 the storytelling is becoming more cinematic. Panels flow more naturally from one to the next, action sequences have a greater sense of movement, and Superman’s presence on the page feels more commanding.
Final Verdict: Superman in Transition, America in Transition
The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 is not just a collection of old comics; it is a historical document of a superhero in transition. It captures Superman as he shifts from his wartime persona into something more enduring, more universal.
These are stories that, while still filled with the simplicity of Golden Age plotting, contain within them the seeds of what Superman would become: a symbol not just of American strength, but of imagination. The Superman of these stories is not just protecting the world; he is inviting it into a larger one.
Final Thought: The Permanence of Superman
As one closes this volume, it is impossible not to marvel at the sheer longevity of Superman. Few fictional characters survive their own origins, and even fewer remain culturally relevant for nearly a century.
But Superman endures because he is not bound to any one time or place. He was born in the anxieties of the Great Depression, matured in the crucible of war, and adapted to the uncertainties of peace. He has been, at various times, a crusader, a warrior, an explorer, a messiah, and, above all, a constant.
That constancy is what makes Superman matter. He is the rare character who does not need reinvention, only refinement. His story does not need to be changed; it needs only to be retold.
And as long as there are people who believe that strength should serve rather than dominate, Superman will continue to fly.
As well he should.
Postscript: Why This Volume Matters
The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 is essential for anyone interested in how myths evolve. These stories are not just relics; they are blueprints. They show us not only where Superman has been but where he was going.
And as we look at Superman today—still flying, still inspiring, still reminding us of the best in ourselves—it is clear that the journey is far from over.
Superman may change, but he never truly fades.
Because, in the end, the world will always need saving.
If Superman is America’s great mythic invention—our answer to Achilles, Arthur, and the pantheon of noble warriors that have populated human imagination—then The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 captures a crucial moment in that mythology’s evolution.
By the time these stories were published (Action Comics #66-85, Superman #25-33, and World’s Finest Comics #6-10), America had emerged from the crucible of World War II victorious but uncertain. The clear moral lines of wartime propaganda had faded into the gray complexities of the postwar world. The nation was transitioning from a martial economy to a booming consumer culture, from a time of collective sacrifice to an era of suburban expansion and mass media. And Superman—once a New Deal-era strongman and then a wartime icon—had to evolve with it.
Gone were the saboteurs and war profiteers, the spies and Axis agents who had populated Superman’s pages just a few years earlier. In their place came a new era of crime bosses, eccentric villains, and a Metropolis that, while still dangerous, felt increasingly like a world of adventure rather than a battleground for ideological warfare. Superman, for the first time, was no longer just protecting America; he was entertaining it.
Superman and the Shift from War to Wonder
One of the most striking things about Volume 4 is how clearly it reflects the shifting cultural moment of the mid-1940s. The war had made Superman a patriotic icon, but now that America no longer needed daily reassurance of its righteousness, what was Superman’s role?
The answer, as these stories demonstrate, was a slow but noticeable shift from a hero defined by moral urgency to one defined by escapism. Superman still fought for justice, of course—he was still the same unwavering figure of moral clarity—but the existential weight of war was gone. Instead, his battles became more playful, more imaginative, more rooted in the realm of fantasy.
The Villains Evolve: The Rise of the Theatrical Antagonist
By this point in Superman’s history, a rogues’ gallery was beginning to take shape. The earliest Superman comics had been populated by gangsters, corrupt politicians, and unscrupulous businessmen—foes ripped directly from Depression-era headlines. Then came the war years, with their saboteurs and foreign agents. But in Volume 4, a new breed of villain emerges: the showman.
Lex Luthor, who had once been a relatively generic mad scientist, now becomes something more—an archenemy. He is still, at this stage, not the suave businessman of later decades but a more theatrical, scenery-chewing villain, obsessed with power for its own sake. His schemes are no longer just about money or even world domination; they are about defying Superman himself, proving that intellect can conquer strength.
And then there are the newcomers—the first inklings of the outlandish, larger-than-life foes that would dominate the Silver Age. Villains like the Prankster and the Toyman, who, while still grounded in Golden Age pulp logic, signal a move toward the more whimsical, almost surreal world of superhero comics that would emerge in the 1950s and beyond.
The Clark Kent Persona: Becoming More Than Just a Disguise
If Superman himself remained largely unchanged in these stories, Clark Kent was another matter. In Volume 4, Clark begins to take on an even greater presence—not just as Superman’s convenient alter ego but as an active participant in the stories. His bumbling, mild-mannered persona, which in the early years had been little more than a flimsy disguise, was now fully embraced as a performance.
This is one of the great subtleties of Superman’s character: Clark Kent is not merely Superman pretending to be weak; he is Superman performing humanity. Unlike Batman, whose dual identity is a psychological conflict, or Spider-Man, who constantly struggles between his two lives, Superman’s transformation into Clark Kent is an act of self-discipline. He is, in essence, choosing to be ordinary.
This volume makes that dynamic even clearer. Clark is not just a journalist who happens to be Superman; he is an active force in his own right—investigating, reporting, uncovering crime, and, on occasion, saving the day in ways that do not require superpowers. This shift is significant because it lays the groundwork for the later stories where Clark becomes more than just a mask—where he becomes, in some sense, the true secret identity.
The Art of the Mid-1940s Superman
Visually, Volume 4 represents another step in Superman’s artistic refinement. The once-crude, almost crude cartoonish look of the early Golden Age had by now given way to a more polished, dynamic style. The action sequences are more fluid, the character designs more consistent, and Superman himself is drawn with the confident posture and heroic bearing that would become standard for decades to come.
The page layouts, too, have evolved. Whereas earlier stories often felt like static sequences of isolated images, by Volume 4 the storytelling is becoming more cinematic. Panels flow more naturally from one to the next, action sequences have a greater sense of movement, and Superman’s presence on the page feels more commanding.
Final Verdict: Superman in Transition, America in Transition
The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 is not just a collection of old comics; it is a historical document of a superhero in transition. It captures Superman as he shifts from his wartime persona into something more enduring, more universal.
These are stories that, while still filled with the simplicity of Golden Age plotting, contain within them the seeds of what Superman would become: a symbol not just of American strength, but of imagination. The Superman of these stories is not just protecting the world; he is inviting it into a larger one.
Final Thought: The Permanence of Superman
As one closes this volume, it is impossible not to marvel at the sheer longevity of Superman. Few fictional characters survive their own origins, and even fewer remain culturally relevant for nearly a century.
But Superman endures because he is not bound to any one time or place. He was born in the anxieties of the Great Depression, matured in the crucible of war, and adapted to the uncertainties of peace. He has been, at various times, a crusader, a warrior, an explorer, a messiah, and, above all, a constant.
That constancy is what makes Superman matter. He is the rare character who does not need reinvention, only refinement. His story does not need to be changed; it needs only to be retold.
And as long as there are people who believe that strength should serve rather than dominate, Superman will continue to fly.
As well he should.
Postscript: Why This Volume Matters
The Golden Age Superman Omnibus, Volume 4 is essential for anyone interested in how myths evolve. These stories are not just relics; they are blueprints. They show us not only where Superman has been but where he was going.
And as we look at Superman today—still flying, still inspiring, still reminding us of the best in ourselves—it is clear that the journey is far from over.
Superman may change, but he never truly fades.
Because, in the end, the world will always need saving.
February 10, 2020
As things move into World War two, the Superman mythos that we all know and love starts to become more apparent with a nostalgically classic setting that is sure to make fans happy with it's effortless cornball tone.
April 10, 2023
A solid collection of Golden Age Superman stories. Not as much social justice as older volumes, more like weird folksy americana stories. I took a star off as the comic depicted on the cover-the reason I bought this book-ISN'T IN this collection! WHY DC, WHY?
May 21, 2023
Light and fun. I love the "Lois Lane, Girl Reporter" stories, even if their title displays a certain archaic chauvinism.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews