Happy 78th Cover Date Birthday Action Comics vol 1/Superman!

Earlier today, an establishment played the William's Superman movie musical score. Afterwards, a Happy Birthday wish was made to the Man of Steel, Superman. Now leap year is Supes's in-world birthday as I referenced way back in February. Don't recall Clark Kent's in-world b-day; but I am sure it wasn't June 30th. So was it the movie? His first appearance? An actor's birthday?


Well, I decided to reference my copy of The Golden Age of Superman Omnibus Volume One, a massive tome collecting Action vol 1 (rather surreal that such a designation is required) issues 1  - 31, Superman issues 1 - 7, and New York's World's Fair Comics 1 - 2. I'd go on but that's a review for another day.


Anyway, Action Comics Volume One #1, the first published appearance of Superman, is cover dated June 1938. Now, publishing wasn't the exact science that is nowadays. Today, I can reference a shipping date that'll be pretty precise within a week or two. Not so much then especially with something that was then considered trivial such as comic books. Compounding the issue is the haziness of cover dates. A comic dated April could very well have hit the stands in February. So who knows, exactly? So I suppose June is as good a month as any.  Perhaps one day, enough data or research will unearth a much more specific date. Till then, I perfectly fine with celebrating Superman and Action Comics anniversary based on its cover date. Furthermore, since we can't hammer down an actual date, June 30th works well as any other. Might as well be on the safe side.


What better way to celebrate than to read Superman's very first published story? Right?


Great Caesar's Ghost! Never realized that I have never read this story before! Kind of funny actually to realize a new milestone has been reached. I can now say I've read Superman's first appearance.


So brief review: For starters it's amazing how much is covered within 8-pages. There's an origin story followed Superman saving the life of an innocent person. Couple things of note. One, there's no mention of the Kents. From a modern perspective, it is amazing how Superman's ID could remain secretive what with his public displays. Also, seeing a countdown of Superman saving an innocent was a neat device. What's even more incredible is that he does so following normal channels except using extraordinary means. We're introduced to his guise as Clark Kent whose a reporter and his relationship with Lois. The iconic cover scene is even reproduced within the pages of the story! Contrast that with today's comics where one is lucky if the cover even reflects the contents inside. Superman even contends with two incidents that are quite topical today, domestic abuse and lobbyists. What's fascinating is that Superman isn't the boy scout that he's portrayed to be today. In many ways, he's a mix between the boy scout and the Superman depicted in the latest movies, ie Man of Steel and Dawn of Justice. I also was surprised in that what I thought was an era of done-in-one stories that the final segment ended in a serialized "cliffhanger" ending. Overall: a true classic - 5 out of 5 stars.


So here's to 78 years of Action Comics (v1) #1 and Superman!