Action Comics: Difference between revisions

Initially, ''Action Comics'' was an [[Comics anthology|anthology title]] featuring several other stories in addition to the Superman story. [[Zatara]], a magician, was one of the other characters who had his own stories in early issues. There was the hero [[Tex Thompson]], who eventually became Mr. America and later the [[Americommando]]. [[Vigilante (comics)|Vigilante]] enjoyed a lengthy run in this series. Sometimes stories of a more humorous nature were included, such as those of [[Hayfoot Henry]], a policeman who talked in rhyme. The series saw the introduction of several characters and themes that would become longstanding elements of the Superman mythos. [[Lois Lane]] made her debut in the first issue with Superman.<ref>Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 20: "Lois Lane was established early...but she rejected Clark [Kent] as a 'spineless, unbearable coward.'"</ref> An unnamed "office boy" with a bow tie makes a brief appearance in the story "Superman's Phony Manager" published in ''Action Comics'' #6 (November 1938), which is claimed to be [[Jimmy Olsen]]'s first appearance by several reference sources.<ref>{{cite book|last= Beatty|first= Scott|author-link= Scott Beatty|chapter= Superman's Career|title= Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|date= 2006|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 126|isbn= 978-0756620677}}</ref><ref>Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 21: "''Action Comics'' #6 (November 1938) The Man of Steels's future pal Jimmy Olsen made his first appearance within this issue of ''Action Comics'', although he was identified only as an 'inquisitive office-boy'"</ref><ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/349/ ''Action Comics'' #6 (November 1938)] at the Grand Comics Database</ref>

 

 

[[Lex Luthor|Luthor]], a villain who would later become Superman's [[archenemy]], was introduced in issue #23 (April 1940).<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 31: "The debut of the brilliant scientist known as Luthor was a sign of things to come."</ref> The original [[Toyman]] was created by writer [[Donald Clough Cameron|Don Cameron]] and artist Ed Dobrotka in issue #64 (September 1943).<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 45: "In writer Don Cameron and artist Ed Dobrotka's 'The Terrible Toyman', a quirky toy maker used his bizarre playthings to commit crimes."</ref> By 1942, artist [[Wayne Boring]], who had previously been one of Shuster's assistants, had become a major artist on Superman.<ref>{{cite book|last = Daniels|first = Les|author-link = Les Daniels|title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|chapter= The Superman Style Refining the Man of Steel|publisher = [[Little, Brown and Company|Bulfinch Press]]|date= 1995|location= New York, New York|page = 28|isbn = 0821220764|quote= The image of Superman that eventually became preeminent was Wayne Boring's. By 1942 the former assistant to Joe Shuster was working on his own for DC, turning out pencilled and inked pages for ''Action Comics'' and ''Superman''.}}</ref>