Superman from the Beginning

[Jeff of Earth-J]

This painting by pulp artist H.J. Ward, best known for his Spicy Detective covers, hung for years in the DC offices.

FREQUENTLY RECURRING CHARACTERS / VILLAINS:

LUTHOR: 

• Action Comics #23, 42, 43, 125, 131,146
• Superman #4, 5, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20 (cameo), 31, 34, 38, 48, 57
• World's Finest #28

MR. MXYZPTLK:

• Action Comics #80, 102,112
• Superman #30, 33, 36, 40, 46, 51, 59, 62

THE PRANKSTER:

• Action Comics #51, 57, 69, 77, 95, 104, 109
• Superman #22, 37, 41, 50, 52, 55, 56, 61, 64

TOYMAN:

• Action Comics #85
• Superman #27, 32, 44, 47, 49, 60, 63
• World's Finest #20

WILBUR WOLFINGHAM:

• Action Comics #79, #104 (behind-the-scenes), 107, 116
• Superman #28, 35, 39, 42
• World's Finest #16, 43

HOCUS & POCUS:

• Action Comics #83, 88, 97
• Superman #45

SUSIE:

• Action Comics #59, 68, 110
• Superman #40, 47

ULTRA-HUMANITE: Action Comics #13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21

TELEPHONE BOOTH MOTIF:

• "Mechanical Monsters" - Max Fleischer cartoon, 1941 (Also, "Bulleteers," 1942)
• Sunday page #165 - first comic strip instance, late 1942
• On radio - ?
• Action Comics #99 - first comic book instance, Aug 1946
• Action Comics #119 - second comic book instance, Apr 1948
• Superman #60 - third comic book instance, Sep 1949
• Superman #69 - fourth comic book instance

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"Three weeks"? Who directed it, Roger Corman?

I assume, since the whole thing was a publicity stunt, that the production of the movie was well under way before the "caveman" was discovered.

An imaginary story?

Could be. We shall see. ;)

[Jeff of Earth-J]

SUPERMAN #56:

• "The Prankster Picks a Partner!" - 14th appearance of the Prankster. In this one, he uses Superman's powers against him. Actually, he pulls off a situation specifically designed for Superman to use one power or another as a distraction while he and his men commit the real crime. Superman solves the situation by defeating the Prankster as Clark Kent.
• "The Man Who Couldn't Laugh!" - ""Laugh and the world laughs with you! Cry--and you will die!" Superman helps a dying man laugh to save his life.
• "Smartypants!" - Professer Skynhedd's theory is that children must be given complete freedom, their every whim indulged. Superman plays along due to writer's fiat "for the sake of science." You can probably guess how this story ends.

[The Baron]

It seems to me that I've encountered kids whose parents followed Professor Skynhedd's theories over the years.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

ACTION COMICS #130 - "Superman and the Mermaid!" 

This is a rollickin' good yarn about a movie-star mermaid, a "boys' home" in a 300-year-old house built over a secret cavern and nearby an amusement park, modern-day pirates (dressed as historical ones), a mechanical octopus/submarine, an old Spanish Galleon... you name it. All in 12 pages!

[Philip Portelli]

The start of Superman's mermaid fetish! 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

He previously met an actual mermaid named Princess Kuellsa of the Undersea People in Superman #14 (Jan 1942), but she and her entire race were wiped out in this story, never to be seen or mentioned again.

[Commander Benson]

ACTION COMICS #130 - "Superman and the Mermaid!" 

This is a rollickin' good yarn about a movie-star mermaid, a "boys' home" in a 300-year-old house built over a secret cavern and nearby an amusement park, modern-day pirates (dressed as historical ones), a mechanical octopus/submarine, an old Spanish Galleon... you name it. All in 12 pages!

 

That cover rang a bell with me.  Action Comics # 130 was cover-dated March, 1949 and hit the stands on 14 January 1949.  By then, editorial director Whitney Ellsworth had become DC's liaison with Hollywood, and I see his hand in this.  "Superman and the Mermaid", which featured actress Ann Blyth as a character, was undoubtedly a mutual-promotion with the film Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (Universal-International Pictures, 1948), which was released in August, 1948.

The film stars William Powell as Arthur Peabody, a middle-aged, married man suffering a mid-life crisis, who, while on a fishing trip, accidentally snares a mermaid.  Hilarity ensues.  And the actress who played the mermaid?  Ann Blythe.

Mr. Ellsworth saw to it that the Superman magazines did quite a few movie and television tie-ins in that era.  Perry Como, Orson Welles, Groucho Marx, Pat Boone, and Ralph Edwards of Truth or Consequences.

 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Thanks as always for the "color commentary" Commander. I had the feeling that "Ann Blyth" was based on a real actress, but I was unfamilar with Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid as well as the real Ann Blyth. 

Yep, that's her all right.

Mr. Ellsworth saw to it that the Superman magazines did quite a few movie and television tie-ins in that era. 

Not only that, but starting in late 1948, every Superman story ends with a blurb cross-promoting the other titles in which Superman appears, such as this one from Action Comics: "Follow the World's Greatest Adventure Character -- Superman -- in World's Finest Comics and Superman."

[Luke Blanchard]

The American film was slightly preceded by a similar British film starring Glynis Johns called Miranda, in which the mermaid poses as a wheelchair-bound woman. Reportedly the British film was produced in a hurry to beat the American film into cinemas. An inferior colour sequel, Mad About Men, appeared in 1954.

Batman was turned into a merman in "Batman Under the Sea!", Batman #53. The story looks to me related to the Superboy one in Superboy #194.

(edited)

[Jeff of Earth-J]

WORLD'S FINEST #39 - "The Fatal Forecasts!" 

Science runs amok as a machine that foresees the future predicts Superman will lose his powers. But it's all a hoax to draw criminals out in the open, and Superman's in on it. Superman goes to quite extraodinary lengths to catch the final holdout