Set Description:
In the late 2000s I set a goal to collect Action Comics issues 400 through 500 (1971-1979) in 9.8 grade, with white page preservation and perfect cover alignment - or as close to as possible. My goal has since expanded to include any example I can afford in the 300s (1963-1971) with the same criteria - obtaining 9.8 examples alone without regard to cover centering or page quality is difficult enough. I have invested many years in building this set, which have come with some heartbreaking auction losses, spending more than I should have on some books and selling other books along the way to make certain purchases possible.
Honestly, I have not read many Superman or Action Comics issues from this era, I just enjoy the cover art. The first half of the 1970s with 15 to 25-cent cover prices and some 52 and 100 Page Giants known as the Bronze Age is my favorite era of Action Comics. During this era Superman still looked puzzled at times, and many covers were still exaggerated but they went back to simplicity, emphasizing figure drawing and action against a minimal background - love those yellow covers! There are still many goofy covers in this era, like issue 454, showing Superman devouring piles of burgers at super speed to keep from starving to death.The Bizzaros, multiple colors of kryptonite, aliens with large heads, split covers and even Supergirl went away (to Adventure Comics). The title header was also enlarged, going back to the title’s Golden Age look. Action Comics also featured rotating backup stories during this era, shortening Superman's stories, which became multipart from issue to issue, but Superman was always the lead in Action Comics.
Nick Cardy’s (Aquaman, Teen Titans) cover run from the early ‘70s is what started me on pursuing my collecting theme dedicated to Action Comics. Starting with issue 409, Cardy contributed 36 covers to the run. Some of my favorite Cardy covers are those showing Superman in everyday life (issues 422, 425 and 428). Some of my other favorite Cardy covers include those with guest appearances from other members of the DC Universe, like issue 443, with Superman opening a giant copy of Action Comics to let out heroes like Batman, Green Lantern and Hawkman to name a few.
I have added various pedigree pieces over the years to my collection, including several from the Rocky Mountain pedigree, many of which I was able to bid on and win when they were brought to the market for the first time by ComicLink in 2010 and 2011.
Noted Pedigree Examples:
John G. Fantucchio
Massachusetts (Mass. Copy)
Oakland
Pacific Coast (2x)
Rocky Mountain (15x)
Suscha News
Twin Cities
Western Penn
Winnipeg (2x)
The Crown of Jewels of the collection - each in 9.8 grade:
#360 (March/April 1968) - 80 Page Giant
#437 (July 1974) - 100 Page Giant
#443 (January 1975) - 100 Page Giant
#398 (March 1971) - Pacific Coast pedigree
My Grail Quest:
#334 (March 1966) 80 Page Giant
#347 (March/April 1967) 80 Page Giant
#373 (March/April 1969) 80 Page Giant
Recommended References:
75 Years of DC Comics: The Art Of Modern Mythmaking by Paul Levitz, 2010.
Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman the Deluxe Edition by Various, 2018.
The Krypton Companion, edited by Michael Eury, 2006.
Superman in Action Comics: Volume 2, Featuring the Complete Covers of the Second 25 Years, 1994.
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