This weekend’s light-hearted and escapist superhero post here at Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the first twelve adventures of Superman. Previously I looked at Batman stories from 1939-1940 HERE, but these early Superman tales are often hilariously weird.
ACTION COMICS Vol 1 #1 (June 1938)
NOTE: Though many regard this as the start of the Golden Age for superhero comics I personally go with November 1936 when the Clock debuted. Click HERE.
Title: Superman, Champion of the Oppressed
Villains: Assorted criminals
Synopsis: Just before a far-off planet (not yet called Krypton) is destroyed by “old age” (the story actually says that) an unnamed scientist and his wife send their infant son in a small spaceship to planet Earth. The space vessel lands in an unnamed state, where a passing motorist (no names for Ma and Pa Kent for a while) takes the baby to an orphanage.
As he grows, the alien realizes that he has super-strength, super-speed and invulnerability. He picks up the name Clark Kent and becomes a reporter in Cleveland (yes, Cleveland) working for the Daily Star (yes) newspaper. He begins a double life as Superman, battling the forces of evil.
Superman takes down a wife-beater, saves Lois Lane from horny gangsters and clears a woman falsely convicted of murder by tying up the real killer – and even smashing his way into the governor’s mansion to make him call off her imminent execution.
Setting up a cliffhanger ending, Clark Kent is assigned to cover a war in the fictional South American country of San Monte. On his way there, Clark becomes Superman and abducts Alex Greer, a Washington D.C. lobbyist who is trying to get the U.S. into a war. Hilariously, Supes takes Greer to the top of a high building and threatens to throw him to his death unless he reveals the name of his employer. Continue reading
AMAZING FANTASY Vol 1 #15 (August 1962) 
THE FANTASTIC FOUR – There can be no over-stating the importance of the Fantastic Four to Marvel Comics and by extension to much of pop culture the last several years regarding superhero movies and television programs. Though the Fantastic Four are now considered as dull as any b&w sitcom family of long ago, the team’s success convinced Marvel the market was right to recommit to superhero comic books. 
As Marvel Comics in 1961 the company decided to dabble in superhero comic books again, with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, two veteran comic book hands since the 1940s, putting together a brand-new team of superheroes. That team was, of course, the Fantastic Four. 
HULK Vol 1 #150 (April 1972) 
NOTE: Thanks to sorcerers on Jarella’s home planet in the Microverse, Hulk was able to retain Bruce Banner’s mind there even when he was the Hulk, so she technically loved both his personae. 
DE STILLE GETUIGE (The Silent Witness) 
This weekend’s light-hearted and escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog looks at the Marvel Comics run in which Hercules and Thor fought side by side against assorted menaces. 
THOR Vol 1 #221 (March 1974) 
PUTRI BINTANG (Star Princess) 
SILVER SURFER Vol 1 #1 (August 1968) 
This weekend’s escapist, light-hearted superhero post here at Balladeer’s Blog will look at the world of Iberia Inc. Since the 1990s those Spanish-made superheroes and the detailed world surrounding them have made them – in my opinion – Spain’s premier home-grown comic book I.P. since 1996. Sadly, there’s been no new material since 2009. 
TRUENO (Thunder) 
Powers: Trueno’s cyborg parts possess superhuman strength and can shoot energy blasts of varying levels. They can also generate a force field around him. If he is separated from his artificial arms he is able to control them remotely. 
LEOPARD GIRL 
Powers: Leopard Girl employed her supernatural “cry of the leopards” to use a small army of leopards to help her fight the forces of evil in Africa. She could interact with the Dark Continent’s ghosts, who saw her as an ally. 
Comment: In her secret identity as “Gwen”, Leopard Girl worked with research scientist Dr. Hans Kreitzer. Her fellow assistant was named Peter, whom she once carried with one arm while swinging through the jungle. 
Balladeer's Blog 