ACTION COMICS: Vol.1,No.41, October 1941

While taking a factory tour, Clark must change into Superman in order to discard a bomb placed there by a mysterious saboteur.  Investigating three factory workers under suspicion, the Man of Steel’s quest to find the culprit leads to the revelation of a larger network of agents working to undermine America’s defensive capabilities.  With the Daily Planet next on the list of targets, Superman must save Lois, defuse another bomb, deliver the ringleader and his saboteurs to the authorities, and scoop Lois on the story.

Like other anthology comics of the time, Action Comics didn’t just feature a number of stories by multiple creators, starring a variety of characters from different genres – superheroes, magical beings, sports figures, pirates, and so on – but also purely text-based stories.  Collectors eager to peek into a vintage copy of a comic might be surprised to discover walls of words detailing a cowboy adventure, or one involving a submarine patrolling hostile waters.  In this issue, Clem Gordon scripted a text story titled “Quick Thinking,” with spot illustrations by Fred Ray, the same artist that worked on this issue’s Superman and Congo Bill adventures.

Appreciation for the expert commentary on Superman by Dr. Arnold Blumberg.  THANKS DOC!!  Doc is an educator, publisher, author, comic and pop culture historian, and former museum curator.  He was the editor of The Overstreet Comic Book Price guide and teaches courses in everything from comics to zombies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Find him on Twitter @DoctoroftheDead.