| Issue | #53 |
| Published | October 1942 |
| Cover Price | 0.10 |
| Pages | 68 |
| Editing | Whitney Ellsworth; Mort Weisinger (assistant); Murray Bolitnoff (assistant) |
| Characters | Superman |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Jack Burnley |
| Inks | Jack Burnley |
| Letters | typeset |
| Reprinted | In Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #4 (2005) |
| Characters | Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Villains: The Night Owl (I), Kelly; Superman's Mountain Retreat. |
| Synopsis | Superman must battle a renegade scientist who has mastered the ability to control darkness in order to subject Metrolpolis to a crime wave. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | Jerry Siegel (signed) |
| Pencils | John Sikela (signed as Joe Shuster) |
| Inks | George Roussos |
| Notes | Inker id by Bob Hughes 5/05. The last panel of the story promotes the story, "Superman, Matinee Idol", found in the pages of Superman #19 on sale September 4th. Late note and synopsis added by Craig Delich 9-15-08. |
| Reprinted | In Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #4 (2005). |
| Genre | fact |
| Pencils | Cliff Young? |
| Inks | Cliff Young? |
| Genre | Gags |
| Characters | The Vigilante [Greg Sanders]; V: The Rainbow Man. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Mort Meskin (signed as Mort Morton Jr.) |
| Inks | George Roussos |
| Characters | Three Aces: Fog Fortune, Gunner Bill and Whistler Will. |
| Genre | adventure |
| Script | Gardner F. Fox |
| Pencils | Louis Cazeneuve |
| Inks | Louis Cazeneuve |
| Notes | Writer credit added by Craig Delich 9-15-08. |
| Characters | Americommando [Tex Thomson]; Fatman [Bob Daley]. |
| Genre | war |
| Script | Joseph Greene |
| Pencils | Bernard Baily (signed) |
| Inks | Bernard Baily (signed) |
| Notes | Writer credit per Jerry Bails via Craig Delich 5/05. |
| Genre | adventure |
| Script | Norman Goss (signed) |
| Letters | typeset |
| Characters | Pvt. Pete |
| Genre | military humor |
| Script | Henry Boltinoff |
| Pencils | Henry Boltinoff |
| Inks | Henry Boltinoff |
| Notes | Writer credit added by Craig Delich 9-15-08. |
| Characters | Congo Bill |
| Genre | jungle |
| Pencils | Fred Ray |
| Inks | Fred Ray |
| Notes | Writer revision from Fred Ray? to ? by Craig Delich 9-15-08. |
| Characters | Clancey |
| Genre | humor |
| Script | Henry Boltinoff |
| Pencils | Henry Boltinoff |
| Inks | Henry Boltinoff |
| Notes | Writer credit added by Craig Delich 9-15-08. |
| Characters | Chester |
| Genre | gag |
| Characters | Zatara |
| Genre | occult |
| Script | Gardner F. Fox |
| Pencils | Joseph Sulman |
| Inks | Joseph Sulman |