Superman: The Action Comics Archives, Vol. 1

Superman: The Action Comics Archives #1

by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster (Illustrator)

These collections, showcasing stories from 1939 and into the early 1940s, feature some of the earliest adventures of the world's greatest super-hero in hard-hitting stories by the Man of Steel's creators.

Collects issues #1 and #7-#20.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Superman, Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 4, 1998

About the author

Jerome "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.

Reviews

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading these early comics is such a strange experience because you're able to see the character of Superman in an entirely new light. These early stories reflect the tone of comics as they existed in the late 1930s, they reflect the visual standards that artists tended to follow, they offer a chance to observe how coloring and panel design and character interactions actually worked.

For me reading this story was a chance to observe Superman as a strong-man character who felt more inclined to boat, show-off, and rough-up villains who at times seem more like villains in an opera or a melodrama. Superman, in these comics, is not a benevolent god watching after humanity, he's a rough male power fantasy driven by his own brand of virtue.

Any lover of Superman or comics is sure to appreciate this collection. And on that note, this book is absolutely gorgeous and well put together, the colors alone will make any avid comic fan just melt.

[Helmut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ist es ein Flugzeug? Nein, ein Superfrosch!
Schmuggler, Aktienbetrüger, Spielhallenbetreiber, Erpresser und Kleinganoven sind es, auf die der Superman es abgesehen hat - meist agiert er in Verbindung mit einer Enthüllungsstory seines alter egos Clark Kent. So richtig edel wirkt er dabei nicht: Er selbst droht gern, verprügelt Leute und zerstört viel Privateigentum, um seine sehr konservative, dem Zeitgeist geschuldet leicht moralinsaure Meinung deutlich zu machen. Dafür rettet er aber bereits die Unschuldigen und Bedrückten, aber nicht in dem weltumspannenden Ausmaß, wie dies später in seiner Karriere geschehen wird.

Superman kann in den ersten Ausgaben noch nicht fliegen, er macht nur weite Sprünge (so wie der Hulk bei Marvel). Insgesamt sind seine Superkräfte noch nicht ausdefiniert und meilenweit von dem entfernt, was den Man of Steel später auszeichnet. Dafür hat er bereits nach wenigen Ausgaben seinen ersten Super-Gegner: "Ultra", ein Planungsgenie (dessen Pläne aber meist eher schlecht verlaufen).

Sehr schön ist die Neukolorierung gelungen: Dezent, mit nur minimalen Farbverläufen. Die alten Comics erstrahlen dadurch in einem sanften Schimmer, und die wirklich sehr charmanten, einfachen Zeichnungen Shusters werden so schön aufpoliert.

Auch wenn hier nichts aufregendes oder welterschütterndes passiert - nett zu lesen sind sie allemal, und ein Blick in die Vergangenheit, als Superhelden noch nicht durchgeknallte Superpsychos waren, sondern Vorbilder.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Golden Age Superman stories - they're simple, but relentlessly fast-moving and full of attitude, and Shuster's rock-solid, simple lines remain, for me, the absolute definitive Superman.

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is hard to rate. None of the stories really make sense due to plot holes, logical lapses, or bad science that is not about Superman himself. Basically, these stories rate just one star, but I am fascinated to see my boyhood hero self-righteously breaking laws by destroying property, kidnapping, bullying, and basically thugging his way to the results he wants. Oh, did he ever change over time. My point is that while the writing is sometimes bad and the art always crude, I derived 3 stars worth of pleasure from this book, which makes as little sense as most of these stories.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cool reading comics from the late 30s

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the first several issues of Action Comics, which introduced the Superman character in 1938, are contained in this hardcover collection. A great way for interested readers to see how the character originally developed. He definitely is not the same character seen over the past several decades as Superman, having superstrength and abilities but he does not fly (leaps very high though) and acts pretty rogue in his treatment towards criminal activities. In fact, he is hunted by the police because he occasionally breaks the law. Would be a five star collection but issues #2-6 were not included, just their covers and a brief synopsis. A must for superhero fans though.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved it! Superman taking on the police, Superman destroying every gambling joint in town with a sledge hammer, Superman stealing from a chemical company so a disgraced scientist can continue his work- these early stories from Action Comics present a completely different side to the Man of Steel. He is out to help those in need, whether they want that help or not and he doesn’t care what he has to smash, mangle or destroy to do it!
One word of warning- Superman: the Action Comics Archives, vol. 1 does not contain the stories from Action Comics 2-6 although they summarize them. They are reprinted in Superman Archives vol. 1.

[Cyn McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

The original Superman is nothing like the handsome young alien we are used to. He may be billed as a friend of the helpless and oppressed (Help! Help! I'm being oppressed!) but he's wantonly destructive and much too ready with his fists.