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

Issue Details

Issue #5
Published 2000
Cover Price 49.95 USD
Pages 224
Editing Dale Crain

Cover Details

Genre superhero
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks John Sikela
Colors Jason Lyons

3 page text article "Foreward"

Characters Lois Lane
Genre fact
Script Mike Carlin
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks John Sikela
Colors Digital Chameleon

1 page Superman cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters Superman; Tojo; Hitler
Genre superhero
Pencils Fred Ray
Inks Fred Ray
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #17 (July-August 1942)

13 page Superman story "Man or Superman?"

Characters Superman; The Talon [Albert Caldwell] (intro, villain); Lois Lane; Perry White; Luthor (cameo); Ultra (cameo); Eustace Watson (cameo)
Synopsis Lois first suspects that Clark Kent is Superman, but he quickly convinces her he is not with some razzle dazzle super speed.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (signed)
Inks John Sikela
Colors ? (painted)
Notes Pencils credited to John Sikela in Superman Archives 5. This is the only story during the 1940's in which Lois thinks Clark is Superman.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #17 (July-August 1942)

12 page Superman story "The Human Bomb"

Characters Superman; Watkins (intro, villain); Jimmy Olsen (with red hair); Sgt. Casey; Perry White; Lois Lane
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Superman has a yellow "S" on red background on his cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #17 (July-August 1942)

13 page Superman story "Muscles For Sale"

Characters Superman; Superman's Mountain Retreat (intro, precursor to the Fortress of Solitude); Jake Massey (intro, villain); Lois Lane
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #17 (July-August 1942)

13 page Superman story "When Titans Clash"

Characters Superman; Lex Luthor (villain, temporarily gains super-powers); the Powerstone; Lois Lane; Perry White
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Sequel to story in ACTION COMICS #47.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #17 (July-August 1942)

1 page Superman cover reprint (on interior page)

Genre superhero
Pencils Fred Ray
Inks Fred Ray
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #18 (September-October 1942)

13 page Superman story "The Conquest of a City"

Characters Superman; Villian: Carl Bland (Intro), Nazi sympathizers (Intro), Perry White, Lois Lane
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Superman has a red "S" on yellow background on his cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #18 (September-October 1942)

13 page Superman story "The Heat Horror"

Characters Superman; Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Perry White
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Superman has a yellow "S" on yellow background on his cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #18 (September-October 1942)

13 page Superman story "The Man With the Cane"

Characters Superman; Villain: The Man With the Cane (Intro; Jim Mason), Perry White, Lois Lane, Daily Planet Building?
Synopsis Perry goes on vacation and leaves Lois as editor.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Ed Dobrotka
Inks John Sikela
Notes Superman has a yellow "S" in yellow shield on his cape, except when it's red.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #18 (September-October 1942)

13 page Superman story "The Snake"

Characters Superman; Villain: The Snake (Intro,Dies: Bill Chantey), Lois Lane
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Yellow S on yellow Shield on cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #18 (September-October 1942)

1 page Superman cover reprint (on interior page)

Genre superhero
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #19 (November-December 1942)

13 page Superman story "Case of the Funny Paper Crimes"

Characters Funnyface (intro, villain); Detective Crane (intro); Prince Peril (intro); Solitary Rider (intro); Streak Duga (intro); Happy Daze (intro) (comic strip heroes); Superman; Lois Lane; Perry white
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Ed Dobrotka
Inks John Sikela
Notes Funny Face is a dead ringer for Jerry Siegel.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #19 (November-December 1942)

13 page Superman story "Superman's Amazing Adventure"

Characters Superman; Skeet Monahan (intro, villain); Lois Lane; Perry White
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Most of the story is a dream. Superman has a yellow "S" on his cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #19 (November-December 1942)

13 page Superman story "The Canine and the Crooks"

Characters Superman; Mr. Z [Oscar Lanchester] (intro, villain); Perry White; Lois Lane; Jimmy Olsen
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks Leo Nowak [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Superman has a red "S" on his cape, except when it's yellow.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #19 (November-December 1942)

13 page Superman story "Superman, Matinee Idol"

Characters Superman; Lois Lane; animated Superman; animated Lois
Synopsis Clark and Lois go to the movies to watch the first Fleisher Superman cartoon, "The Mad Scientist".
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel [as Jerome Siegel] (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster (pencil layouts); Ed Dobrotka (finished pencils)
Inks John Sikela
Notes The Archives do not credit Shuster's pencil layouts. This story is sometimes included in lists of "Imaginary Stories" but technically it's not.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #19 (November-December 1942)

1 page Superman cover reprint (on interior page)

Genre superhero
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #20 (January-February 1943)

13 page Superman story "Superman's Secret Revealed"

Characters Superman; Villain: Ironjaw Grogan (Intro), Lois Lane, Perry White, cameos: Luthor, Puzzler, Prankster, Adonis, Ultra, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson
Synopsis A practical joke by Lois exposes Clark's secret identity, forcing Clark Kent to "masquerade" as Superman.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Ed Dobrotka [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Notes Newspaper text on splash mentions Ed Dobrotka, Wayne Boring, Whitney Ellsworth, Harry Donenfeld, & Jack Liebowitz. Superman has a yellow "S" on his cape.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #20 (January-February 1943)

13 page Superman story "Destroyers From the Depths"

Characters Superman; Adolf Hitler, Herr Fange (Intro, Dies), Lois Lane
Synopsis Superman battles a Nazi controlled Sea Serpent.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed
Pencils Ed Dobrotka [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #20 (January-February 1943)

13 page Superman story "Lair of the Leopard"

Characters Superman; Intro: Herman the Heroic; Villain: The Leopard (Intro: Sam Kennedy), Lois Lane, Perry White
Synopsis Superman meets Herman The Heroic, a super hero wantabe.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Inks John Sikela [ghosting for Joe Shuster]
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #20 (January-February 1943)

13 page Superman story "Not In the Cards"

Characters Superman; The Puzzler
Synopsis Superman battles the Puzzler.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Joe Shuster
Inks John Sikela
Notes yellow S on cape. Pencils credited to Ed Dobrotka in the Archive.
Reprinted from Superman (DC, 1939 series) #20 (January-February 1943)

3 page Contributors text article

Genre bio
Script Joe Desris; Rich Morrissey; Mark Waid
Letters typeset
Notes bios of Jerry Siegel; Joe Shuster; Jack Burnley; Ed Dobrotka; Leo Nowak; Fred Ray; and John Sikela