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

Issue Details

Issue #7
Published November-December 1940
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Whitney Ellsworth; [Murray Boltinoff]

Cover Details - "untitled"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster?
Inks Wayne Boring
Letters typeset
Reprinted in Superman From the Thirties to the Eighties (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1983 series) #nn; in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Superman illustration "World's Greatest Adventure Character"

Characters Superman
Genre superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks Joe Shuster; Paul Cassidy
Notes Frontispiece. Paul Cassidy ink credit added by Craig Delich 2010-1-5.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

13 page Superman story "The Three Kingpins of Crime"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White (introduction, 1st name revealed in issue #10, first appearance in comic book); Lois Lane; Sgt. Casey; Police Chief Watson; George Lash; Nick Norton (villain, introduction); Mike Moran (villain, introduction); Billings (villain, introduction)
Synopsis A clever gangster kills the wife of the prosecuting attorney, leaving evidence behind that her husband actually did it, all so that the prosecutor wouldn't be in a position to prosecute the felon and his mobster friends.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed); Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Superman letters page "Supermen of America"

Characters Superman
Synopsis The Editor's [thru Superman] discusses the idea of "Hitting the Line Hard!" A code message in the Code Mercury No. 1 is given, and a coupon is provided for readers wanting to join the Supermen of America.
Genre superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster (spot illustration)
Inks Paul Cassidy (spot Illustration)
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Fantastic Facts filler "untitled"

Characters Chalchas the Greek
Synopsis Facts presented include the musk odor of deer; chewing gum use among stone-age people; the loudest sound on Earth when the volcano, Krakatoa, exploded; and the fact that Chalchas laughed himself to death.
Genre fact
Script George Papp?
Pencils George Papp [as Geo. Papp] (signed)
Inks George Papp [as Geo. Papp] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Superman promo (ad from the publisher) "Superman is on the Radio!"

Characters Superman
Synopsis The top half of the page is a promotional ad for the Superman radio show and it lists the various stations nationwide that broadcast the show. The lower half of the page is an illustrated ad from the American Specialty Company, featuring prizes (such as Superman's Krypto Ray Gun) given to boys and girls for selling the company's boxed Christmas cards.
Genre Superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks Joe Shuster
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich 2010-1-5.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

2 page text story "Rinaldo's Revenge"

Characters Rinaldo; Domenick (death); Pietro (villain, death)
Synopsis Rinaldo, a Gypsy Prince, had heard stories that his adoptive parent had stashed a fortune in gold away in the gypsy caravan, but he had always denied it. However, one night Rinaldo found his adoptive father dead, with a note in his hand stating that the young man should safely store away a fortune in gems that were his, unknowing that the gypsy chief's son was the murderer.
Genre adventure
Script G. B. Armbruster (signed)
Pencils ? (spot illustrations)
Inks Gloria Kamen? (spot illustrations)
Letters typeset
Notes Inker credit by Craig Delich & Jerry Bails (January, 2006). Page 2 of the story has several advertisements, including one for Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page advertisement "Superman Plus"

Characters Superman; Clip Carson; Three Aces; The Black Pirate; Tex Thompson; Zatara
Synopsis Illustrated house ad promoting the features offered each month in the pages of Action Comics.
Genre superhero; adventure
Pencils various
Inks various
Letters ?; some typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

13 page Superman story "The Gay City Plague"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White (un-named); Lois Lane; Commissioner Jim Stanley (villain, introduction); Kotzoff (villain, introduction)
Synopsis The Planet editor sends Clark packing off for Gay City, where the people within the city fall victim to a strange malady that causes them, upon contact, to disintergrate!
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed); Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Superman Radio Program promo (ad from the publisher) "untitled"

Characters Superman; the Yellow Mask (radio villain)
Synopsis Ad promoting the Superman Radio Show and the new storyline, "The Return of the Yellow Mask." Also listed are the stations nationwide airing the broadcasts.
Genre superhero
Letters ?; some typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page Shorty filler "untitled"

Characters Shorty (a dog)
Synopsis Shorty gets knocked out by another dog and begins dreaming, first of birds flying about, next of a package of dog biscuits and lastly of a girl dog (before he wakes up). He looks up the other dog and asks him to hit him again!
Genre funny animal
Script Fred Schwab [as Schwab] (signed)
Pencils Fred Schwab [as Schwab] (signed)
Inks Fred Schwab [as Schwab] (signed)
Letters Fred Schwab
Notes This page also contains an for Superman clothing apparel, such as shirts and shorts.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

13 page Superman story "Bert Runyan's Campaign"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Bert Runyan (introduction); Red Tyler (villain, introduction); Public Prosecutor Ralph Dale (villain, introduction); Nat Burly (villain, introduction); Captain McDay (villain, introduction)
Synopsis Believing the public prosecutor to be in league with the underworld, Kent convinces Perry White that the Planet should oppose candidate Red Tyler and back an honest candidate like Bert Runyan.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page advertisement "untitled"

Synopsis Ads for White Cloverine brand salve, and showing prizes like guitars, air rifles, watches, movie projectors, bicycles and more that are available in exchange for sales made.
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "untitled"

Characters Spectre; Green Lantern; Flash; Batman; Robin; Sandman; Superman
Synopsis Two ads promoting the release of All-Star Quarterly #2, Superman #7, Detective #44, Action #29 and Batman #2, all with covers.
Genre superhero
Pencils various
Inks various
Letters ?; typeset (some)
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich (January, 2006).
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

13 page Superman story "The Black Gang"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lois Lane; Perry White; Sgt. Casey; Kennedy (editor of the Daily Pictorial); Jane Day (villain); Peter Peeker (villain); Frank Jordan (villain); un-named other members of the Black Gang (villains, introduction)
Synopsis Superman faces a ruthless gang of men known as the Black Band, who specialize in brutal robberies of night club patrons in Metropolis, including Clark kent and Lois Lane, who disguise themselves as wealthy patrons themselves to smoke out members of the gang.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed); Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Inks Joe Shuster (signed); Wayne Boring [as Joe Shuster] (signed)
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)

Baby Ruth and Butterfinger Candy bars advertisement "It's fun! It's a frolic! ... and Good eating, too!"

Synopsis Advertisement by the Curtiss Candy Company for its Treasure Hunt Contest #2, offering $100 in cash prizes to the winners after the contest closes on October 8, 1940. Full details and rules for the contest are provided along with an entry coupon.
Inks ? [as Joe Simon] (signed as Simon)
Letters typeset
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich 2009-1-5.
Reprinted in Superman Archives (DC, 1989 series) #2 (1990)