Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #1
Published June 1938
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.10 USD
Pages 68
Editing Vincent Sullivan
Notes Indicia: ACTION COMICS. published monthly by Detective Comics, Inc., 480 Lexington Ave., New York, N. Y. Second class entry pending at Post Office, New York, N. Y. under the Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates: 12 issues by mail in the United States, its possessions and Mexico, South America and Spain, $1.50; elsewhere $2.60. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. Entire contents copyright 1938 by Detective Comics, Inc. In the documentation for the Siegel lawsuit against Warner Bros (CASE NO. CV-04-8400-SGL (RZx)) published on March 26, 2008, the on sale date for this issue is listed as being April 18, 1938 (information added by Allen Ross June 2008).

Cover Details - "untitled"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks Joe Shuster
Colors Jack Adler (see notes)
Letters typeset
Notes In Alter Ego #56 (Feb. 2006), in an interview with Adler, he reports that he painted the colors on the engraving plates for this story. Info added by Craig Delich (Feb. 2006).
Reprinted in Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1971 series) #nn [in B&W]; in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26; in Action Comics (DC, 1978 series) #1; in Action Comics (DC, 1983 series) #1; in Superman from the Thirties to the Eighties (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1983 series) #nn; in Superserien (Semic AS, 1982 series) #9/1984 (August 1984); in Action Comics (DC, 1987 series) #1; in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn; in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1; in Superman through the Ages (DC, 2007 series) #nn (June 2007); in Supermann (Williams Forlag A/S, 1969 series) #2/1976

1 page Superman story "untitled"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent] (intro, origin); Krypton (unnamed)
Synopsis A space vehicle from a destroyed world lands on Earth, and its occupant becomes Superman. In addition, a scientific explanation for this being's powers is explained.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel [as Jerome Siegel] (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed)
Inks Joe Shuster (signed)
Letters Joe Shuster
Notes This strip was originally prepared for newspaper publication, cut up and repaged. Black shading used. Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted in Secret Origins (DC, 1973 series) #1; in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26; in Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1976 series) #[nn]; in Action Comics (DC, 1978 series) #1; in Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics, A (Smithsonian Institution Press / Harry N. Abrams, 1981 series) #nn; in Action Comics (DC, 1983 series) #1; in Action Comics (DC, 1987 series) #1; in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1; in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series); in Superman in the Forties (DC, 2005 series) #nn.

11 page Superman story "The Coming of Superman"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; George Taylor (unnamed); Lois Lane; Daily Star; Evelyn Curry; Bea Carroll (villain); Butch Matson (villain); Senator Barrows (villain); Alex Greer (villain)
Synopsis Superman delivers a witness to the governor to stop an execution, then stops a wife-beater. Later Superman, as Clark Kent goes out with Lois, but she earns the wrath of Butch Matson and Superman must save her. Finally, Clark is assigned a story on the South American republic of San Monte. He heads to Washington DC to find out who is behind Senator Barrows pushing legislation which will embroil the United States in a war in Europe by grabbing lobbyist Alex Greer and scaring the truth out of him.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks Joe Shuster
Letters Joe Shuster ?
Notes Story continues in Action Comics #2. Originally prepared for newspaper publication, cut up and repaged by Joe Shuster, not Harry Lampert as often claimed. Black shading used. Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Superman wears blue boots. The last 1/3 of page 12 is an illustrated promotional ad for the Superman strip appearing in Action Comics.
Reprinted In Superman (DC, 1939 series) #1; in Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1971 series) #nn; in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26; in Action Comics (DC, 1978 series) #1; in Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics, A (Smithsonian Institution Press / Harry N. Abrams, 1981 series) #nn; in Superman from the Thirties to the Eighties (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1983 series) #nn; in Action Comics (DC, 1983 series) #1; in Action Comics (DC, 1987 series) #1; in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #1; in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #1; in Superman #1 [Masterpiece Edition] (Chronicle Books, 1999 series) #[nn]; in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series); in Superman in the Forties (DC, 2005 series) #nn; in Superman through the Ages (DC, 2007 series) #nn (June 2007).

6 page Chuck Dawson story "The A-G Gang"

Characters Chuck Dawson; Notch Logan (villain); John Burwell (villain); "Trigger" Holt (villain); Butch (villain)
Synopsis Church begins a vendetta aginst the crooked ranch owners who have, by fraud, acquired the range lands he inherited after his father's death.
Genre western; adventure
Script Homer Fleming ?
Pencils Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)
Inks Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)
Notes Writer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

12 page Zatara Master Magician story "The Mystery of the Freight Train Robberies"

Characters Zatara (intro); Tong (intro); Brady (death); Captain Kennedy; The Tigress (intro, villain); Babcock (villain)
Synopsis Zatara and Tong investigate the murders of several railroad detectives and the theft of over $200,000 in loot.
Genre occult
Script Fred Guardineer (signed)
Pencils Fred Guardineer (signed)
Inks Fred Guardineer (signed)
Letters Fred Guardineer ?
Notes Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

2 page text story "South Sea Strategy [Part 1]"

Characters Bret Coleman; Cottonball; Merna Newton; Samuel Newton; South Seas natives (villains)
Synopsis Bret and Cottonball seek to rescue one Samuel Newton, whose daughter was carried off into the jungle by a pack of savage natives.
Genre adventure
Script Captain Frank Thomas (signed)
Pencils ? (spot illustrations)
Inks ? (spot illustrations)
Letters typeset
Notes Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

4 page Sticky-Mitt Stimson filler "untitled"

Characters Sticky-Mitt Stimson
Synopsis Sticky swipes some apples and is pursued by the Police and gets a lucky break to make good his escape.
Genre crime
Script Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
Pencils Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
Inks Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)
Letters Russell Cole
Notes Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

4 page The Adventures of Marco Polo story "untitled"

Characters Marco Polo; Niku
Synopsis Marco, his father and uncle are given an audience with the new Pope, who gives them the mission to seek out the Khan of Tartary, and bring with them priests and men of learning in order to impart that knowledge to his people.
Genre period
Pencils Sven Elven (signed)
Inks Sven Elven (signed)
Letters Sven Elven
Notes Lettering credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

4 page Pep Morgan story "The Light Heavyweight Championship"

Characters Pep Morgan; Pop Burkett; Sailor Sorenson; Boomerang; O'Rourke; Doc Lowery (villain)
Synopsis When the Boxing Commission runs a dirty fight trainer out of town, he swears his revenge....against Pep.
Genre adventure
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Fred Guardineer (signed)
Inks Fred Guardineer (signed)
Letters Fred Guardineer ?
Notes Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Writer credit added by Craig Delich 8-9-08. Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

6 page Scoop Scanlon, Five Star Reporter story "The International Jewel Thief"

Characters Scoop Scanlon; Rusty James; Arnold (villain)
Synopsis An international jewel thief arrives in America as a prisoner, but Scoop and Rusty are on hand to witness his escape with the help of his gang lying in wait.
Genre adventure
Pencils Will Ely (signed)
Inks Will Ely (signed)
Notes Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

12 page Tex Thomson story "Murder in England"

Characters Tex Thomson (intro, see notes); Bob; Betty; unnamed gangster chief (intro, villain, death); Monk (villain); Sonja (villain)
Synopsis Ken is framed for the murder of a man, and, with the help of Betty and Bobby, sets out to prove his innocence.
Genre adventure
Script Ken Fitch ?
Pencils Bernard Baily (signed)
Inks Bernard Baily (signed)
Letters Bernard Baily
Notes Letterer credit added by Craig Delich (July 16, 2006). Tex Thomson later becomes Mr. America in Action Comics #33 and then Americommando in Action Comics #54.
Reprinted in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

1 page Stardust filler "untitled"

Characters Fred Astaire; Constance Bennett; Charles Boyer; Wheeler & Woolsey
Synopsis Interesting facts about celebrities Fred Astaire, Constance Bennett, Charles Boyer and the comedy team of Wheeler and Woolsey are provided in this illustrated filler.
Genre celebrity
Pencils ? [as the Star Gazer]
Inks ? [as the Star Gazer]
Notes Art MIGHT be by Sheldon Moldoff (per Craig Delich, July 16, 2006). Synopsis added by Craig Delich 8-2-08.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974); in Millennium Edition: Action Comics 1 (DC, 2000 series) #nn.

1 page Odds 'N' Ends filler "untitled"

Genre fact
Pencils Sheldon Moldoff
Inks Sheldon Moldoff
Notes Inside back cover.
Reprinted In Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-26 (1974).