Books : Superman The Action Comics Archives, Vol. 1 (DC Archive Editions) (Archive Editions (Graphic Novels))

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Very nice for the price!
This book contains some very nice reproductions of the early editions of the Superman comic books. It is unfortunate that there are several issues that cannot be included because they are in another book, but for what is here, this should be a must have for any fan of Superman.

Rating:

- Ideal for the Fans
This is a great book to own if you are into The Man of Steel. There is an introduction to the book and a biography of the creators at the end. Even though comics 2-6 are absent from this volume, its a great thing for younger fans to read because it takes you into the world that Siegel and Schuster have originally created showing how the character has developed over the past 67 years.

Rating:

- The Zeus of modern American mythology...
Superman has flown through American culture for nearly seventy years. He has appeared in almost every twentieth century entertainment medium: comics, television, and movies. With such ubiquity and staying power, it's probably fair to say that Superman stands as the Zeus of modern American mythology. Not only that, as Comic historian Mark Waid says in this book's introduction, Superman vicariously fulfills nearly every person's hidden dream of invincibility. Nothing can touch this guy. Not crooks with guns, not the law (who also have guns), not corrupt politicians (who might have guns), not even larger than life supervillans. In short, Superman embodies the American principle that "in America you can do what you want." If you're Superman, this is definitely true. How many people wouldn't want to shed their vulnerable human skins for that kind of power?

Superman has become an all-out good guy in his later years. Now he works with the law, and dishes out justice by the book. For those familair with only this late Superman, the stories in this volume will produce gaping, eye-widening shock. In these early stories Superman takes the law into his own hands and metes out justice on his own eye-for-an-eye terms. In the first story, Superman drags a corrupt Senator on a terrifying trip from building to building and live power line to live power line. "I wonder if we can jump all the way to that building?" he asks. "NO DON'T" his captive pleads. He jumps and says "Missed -- doggone it!" while the politician writhes in agony. Over a series of live wires Superman man says "Oops! Almost touched that pole!" The Senator gives out a "Ye-eow!" By the hands of Superman, criminals receive the same treatment they dish out to their victims. A man involved in rigging a circus gets tossed into the air until he confesses. A wisecracking office mate gets his clothes torn off as retribution. Many get hit hard, one gets dropped into tar, a governor gets abducted from his bed to hear the confession of a corrupt workhouse superintendent that Superman has locked in the "hot box". Superman faces a man sneaking out to gamble, crushes his watch and tells him, "See how easily I crush your watch in my palm? If you don't quit gambling I'll look you up and give your neck the same treatment." The early Superman was a bully for justice. He used brute force to clean up crime. Even against the police and the army (see issue 8). Nothing stops him.

The first half dozen stories feature Superman cleaning up human corruption. Evil businessmen and organized crime mafiosos get what's coming to them (usually in the form of Superman's fists). He helps out everything from a failing circus and a deceived oil company to a cab company victimized by protection money hoodlums. Most of the stories hail him as "friend of the helpless and oppressed." But he doesn't really receive any real challenges until the "Ultra-Humanite" (a proto Lex Luthor) appears. This arch-villain delivers some memorable but quaint lines such as "I am known as 'The Ultra-Humanite'. Why? Because a scientific experiment resulted in my possessing the most agile and learned brain on earth! Unfortunately for mankind, I prefer to use this great intellect for crime. My goal? Domination of the world!!" Superman's new enemy basks in his depravity. He knows he's evil and he loves it. From this point on most of the corrupt rackets broken up by Superman have the "Ultra-Humanite" behind them. And the not so subtle social commentary of the early issues morphs into a battle of good (Superman) over evil (Ultra). Ultra represents Superman's evil alter-ego. Every time Superman destroys him, he returns. He even gets his "mighty brain" transplanted into a female Hollywood celebrity's "young vital" body (a rather amusing scene). Superman changes forever in this volume. The last stories point to the future of the comic: larger than life villains who also have superpowers and flailing egos. Gone forever are the days when Superman merely "cleaned up" towns of human crime by taking the law into his own hands. A huge metamorphosis.

Not only that, Superman's powers would later increase. Here he doesn't fly, but only leaps. His x-ray vision hasn't yet evolved into laser penetrating retinas. At this time the Superman of today remains slightly unrecognizable. Lois Lane doesn't even appear all that often. And there's absolutely no mention of Krypton or Kryptonite (but the reworked first story in "Superman Archive Volume 1" does). Superman has not yet obtained his famous Achilles' heel.

This volume reprints the original Action Comics, including Superman's very first appearance, but with a hitch: issues two through six appeared in the "Superman" comic that appeared in 1939. DC reprinted these in "Superman Archives Volume One" and only summarize the stories here. So a gap appears after the first issue. Regardless, this volume still remains a lot of fun to read. It shows how one of the most ubiquitous and recognizable figures in modern American culture got his start. And though Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster, both died in the 1990s their creation still lives inexorably on with no signs of stopping.

Rating:

- Not great but fun to read
It seems unthinkable that the police would ever look at Superman as a dangerous criminal but in this collection that is exactly what they do. But this is not the Superman we all know but a vigilante who does whatever he wants in the name of justice. If he wants to destroy property and ruin the lives of criminals that's just what he does. If he sees something he considers an injustice he acts on it. If that means he rips down slum dwellings to force better housing to be built then he does it. But then remember that this is Superman from the beginning of his legend in 1938 and he has yet to run up against the likes of Lex Luthor or Brainiac. But there are some recognizable elements of the Superman we all know so well here as we see him using his x-ray vision for the very first time.

It's funny to see Superman fighting against stock swindlers, protection rackets and reckless drivers but those are the kinds of threats he deals with in this collection. His vision of the world seems very black and white with little middle ground in between. You are either a good person or you aren't and he will deal with you accordingly. This Superman doesn't hesitate to intimidate criminals to get a confession whether they are gangsters or corrupt politicians. But even here in his early days Superman has to deal with elements of the fantastic, when he faces off against long time DC villain the Ultra Humanite. In the fine tradition of all mad scientists he wants to rule the world and seems to have the brains to make it happen. Comic writer Mark Waid gives some insight into the debut of Superman in the forward of this collection that is worth reading. You should also take a few moments to admire some of the dynamic cover art by Joe Shuster and Fred Guardineer. This collection contains Action Comics #1, and issues 7-20 and a summary of issues 2-6. The only reason I gave this 3 stars is that these are not the most exciting stories around but still for the sake of nostalgia worth reading at least once.

Rating:

- Wonder and Excitement that will Appeal to All
With "Superman: The Action Comics Archives", DC goes back to the first Superman stories. I imagine the reason DC archived Superman in multiple series has much to do with the initial popularity of the character with his multiple appearances, plus the fact that many of Superman's first stories in "Action Comics" were reprinted in his the first issues of his own solo title. Since I am largely up to date on the "Superman Archives" proper, which reprinted the solo series, going back and reading "The Action Comics Archives" is fun little treat, as one is reminded of how much the character changed in just his first decade.

While I knew that Superman was initially a social crusader, its amazing just how much of one he really was. In these pages, Superman puts and end to juvenile delinquency by leveling a slum, and allowing the government to rebuild it. He forces the city of Metropolis got clamp down on reckless driving. He investigates the abusive behavior of a prison camp. And he cleans up the gambling rackets in the city. Naturally, all of these actions bring Superman into conflict with city officials and police, and Superman seems more of a renegade than super-hero.

However, even early on, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel realized that their larger-than-life hero needed some larger than life adversaries. Thus came Ultra-Humanite, Superman's opposite number, a crippled, aged scientific genius who engages in several brilliant schemes designed to terrorize the population and enrich himself. His greatest trick, however, is transferring his brain from body to body (something the character continued to do, even if DC's shifting continuity made Ultra a JSA villain, not a Superman one). The Ultra stories are the most fun, since they are pretty straightforward super-hero tales.

While the stories aren't deep character studies, Siegel had a strong sense of adventure and humor, as Superman uses his powers to right wrongs, frequently opting for humiliation and intimidation.. Shuster's art, while generally cartoony, is clear and communicates the awe and wonder the stories require. There are some moments of near-perfect detail. For example, as Superman confronts an actress who has inexplicably kidnapped several colleagues, Shuster presents one single panel of a head-shot of the woman, eyes blazing fiendishly. This moment tips Superman off that the girl is actually Ultra, but also communicates to the reader just how evil this person is, despite the otherwise simplistic quality of the art as a whole.

Despite the flaws endemic to golden age comic books, the early Superman stories nonetheless age quite well. They are filled with such wonder and excitement that even a veteran reader will find appealing. Enjoy.

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