Set Description:
"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." --MAHATMA GANDHI
The most precious things in life are not things. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."
SUPERMAN! You, who have created not only pleasure for millions of readers, but a whole new industry for thousands of my fellow editors, artists, writers, letterers, colorists, engravers, printers, etc.-we thank you publicly!-Carmine Infantino,
former DC Comics publisher.
I have known many adults who have treasured throughout their lives some of the books they read as children. I have never come across any adult or adolescent who had outgrown comic-book reading who would ever dream of keeping any of these books for any sentimental or other reason.-FREDERIC WERTHAM, Seduction of the Innocent. WHAT TH-?-SUPERMAN, Action Comics.
We think in pictures;we dream in pictures-GEORGE PERRY, author of The Penguin Book of Comics.
I have been a PANNAPICTAGRAPHIST for quite some time. My most favorite series is the Action Comics series. Comic books are a great deal more than just simplistic amusement for children and its only in the past few years that this uniquely American art form has received the critical attention that it deserves. It has achieved the status of a fully realized art form and like all art, it can uplift, inspire, impart truth, and hold up a mirror to our culture-all in ways that can be highly entertaining.
DC Comics was begun by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson under the name of National Allied Publications. Wheeler-Nicholson. New Fun Comics (February 1935) and New Comics (December 1935), were among the first to feature original material. In 1936 Wheeler-Nicholson formed a partnership with Harry Donenfield and J.S. Liebowitz called Detective Comics, Inc., which published Detective Comics (March 1937). By the end of 1937 Donenfield brought Wheeler-Nicholson out. Its 1933-summer, two teens from the Great State of Ohio namely Jerry Siegel who was a writer and Joe Shuster who was an artist created a superhuman from a distant planet with superpowers beyond imagination. Leaping over skyscrapers, running faster than an express train, springing great distances and heights, lifting and smashing tremendous weights, possessing an impenetrable skin-these are the amazing attributes which SUPERMAN, savior of the helpless and oppressed, avails himself of as he battles the forces of evil and injustice. Initially, the publisher of Action Comics, Harry Donenfeld, had little faith in Superman as he got worried that nobody would believe in a fantastic character like Superman with superpowers. He thought the cover of Action Comics #1 was ridiculous. Believing that nobody would buy into the notion of a Superman he ordered that Superman be removed from the covers of future Action Comics which was a BIG mistake. A few months later he reversed his decision as the sales on Action Comics skyrocketed. Children were in love with Superman and thrilled by him. DC Comics is the pioneer of the comic book industry and inventor of the Superhero genre. DC is the oldest publisher of comics in America, DC has published more than 500 series titles, and its Detective Comics, orginating in March 1937, and Action Comics, published since June 1938, are the two longest-running magazines in the history of the medium.
In JUNE 1938, SUPERMAN first made his debut appearance on the cover of Action Comics #1, followed by #7, 10, 13, 15, 17 and 19. All the issues after #19 featured Superman on the covers. Superman also made a MINI APPEARANCE on the cover of the almost impossible to find Action Comics #12. This issue also included the very FIRST appearance of BATMAN in a small panel (Even before he appeared on the cover of Detective Comics #27) and the First Appearance of a Gay Kiss in the history of comics. The first 25 years of Action Comics look at the history of Superman and his adventures. Here we met his friends and foes-Lex Luthor, Ultra-Humanite, Lois Lane and Supergirl. You can see Superman evolve from the patriotic Nazi-fighter of the 1940s to the powerful crime-fighter of Metropolis.
This set is dedicated to Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, The Great State of Ohio, All the United States Veterans who served in all wars particularly World War II, Gary Dahlberg of Minneapolis, Minnesota, all the writers and artists who have contributed to this title and made this title THE BEST IN THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS, plus to ALL the amazing COLLECTORS who have meticulously and relentlessly kept the beautiful hobby of collecting comics vibrant and alive. This set is a meticulous collection of Action Comics and my intention is to be able to complete collecting the entire Action Comics series in the highest grade possible during my lifetime. My goal is to be able to include the rarest of the rare Action Comics issues into my collection. My most favorite RARE issues include Actions # 3, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 20, 49, 53, 59, 60, 61, 105, 123, 126, 128, 130,131, 136, 137, 138, 141, 142, 147, 153, 155, 157, 163, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 173, 176, 188, 200, 201. The books listed above are very scarce and its hard to find them. If you are lucky enough to come across these issues then they will cost high premium prices in higher grades. My most favorite issues are Action Comics #10 and 13. With Action Comics #13 being my MOST favorite (and ironically it is the toughest issue amongst the series to obtain). Almost nobody has this issue and the cover is just phenomenal. Action Comics #13 is rarer than even an Action #1. I am on a mission to collect the ACTION13 SET which will include #13, 113, 213, 313, 413, 513, 613, 713 and 813. Action Comics # 13 featured the First appearance of the Ultra-Humanite and also had a centerfold that featured a full page ad for Superman #1. Its an absolute treat for the eyes to open up an original unrestored Action Comics #13 and view the CENTERFOLD. My sub-goal is to also complete the entire World War 2 collection of Action Comics including specifically the NAZI covers. Action # 59 is my favorite along with the super hard to find Action #58. The goal is to include the following issues in the WAR COLLECTION, #10, 17, 19, 21, 31, 35, 37, 39, 40, 43, 44, 48,52, 53, 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 66, 76, and 86. World War II was greeted by comic books with a display of public patriotism and a sigh of private relief. Unquestioned patriotism was the order of the day and while Superman stories rarely showed the Man of Steel flexing his muscles directly against the Nazi scourge, Action covers were another matter entirely. Beginning as early as Action Comics #35(NAZI pumping bullets into Supermans chest and bullets bouncing off) in April 1941, Superman frequently bared his knuckles against the Axis, bending tank turrets in his bare hands (Action Comics #44), routing saboteurs (Action Comics #37), twisting U-boat periscopes like pretzels (Action Comics #54), Mid-air combat with a FULL size NAZI (Action Comics #43), descending upon NAZI soldiers (Action Comics #39), taking fire from three fire shooting NAZI soldiers (Action Comics #53, ripping apart a large NAZI tank (Action Comics #59) and making one-man aerial assualts against the bombers and tail gunners of the Japanese (Actions # 48 and 63). At the same time, GIs knew that the Metropolis Marvel was watching out for them, protecting them from enemy fire (Actions #62 and 66), providing construction assistance (Action Comics #55), ferrying in Red Cross supplies (Action Comics #60-A rare book to find), supervising some atomic testing (Action Comics #101) and even hawking war bonds and stamps (Action Comics #58-Another rare and controversial cover namely the Slap a Jap version.). Only once in the long history of the title did Superman appear alongside his Action costars on the cover and even then patriotism was the keynote. Action Comics #52 (another favorite cover) showcases not only the Man of Steel, but the Americommando, the Vigilante, Zatara, and Congo Bill, all marching in a tight V-formation towards the reader, presumably on their way to kick some Axis tail.
My collection does include many Pedigrees namely, Ohio,Edgar Church/ Mile High, Cosmic Aeroplane, The Palo Alto Collection, Twin Cities, Boston, Winnipeg, Don Rosa, Golden State, Monterey Collection, David Toth Collection, Mound City Collection, Brian Bolland Collection, Rocky Mountain, Savannah Collection, Circle 8, D Copy, Northland Pedigree, Cleveland Collection, Crowley Copy, Fairborn-Ohio Copy, The Seattle Drugstore Collection, Toronto Collection, Bethlehem Pedigree, Western Penn Pedigree, Canning Pedigree, Suscha News Pedigree, Oakland Pedigree, Wytheville Pedigree, Brad Squared Collection and Oregon Collection. My books from #300-904 are mostly in grades 9.6-9.8 with a few 9.9s and one 10.0. This set also includes a few signature series books which are not easy to assimilate. At this time I am concentrating my collecting efforts across all Action Comics sets simultaneously and gradually building up all my sets across the board. The toughest is to build up the #100-200 set as its almost impossible to find some issues in this set. For example Action # 105,123, 128,141, 143, 156 and 169 almost never come up for sale and the other issues that I have listed above are also very hard to find in a collectable grade.
SUPERMAN is a unique heroic icon, without doubt the most powerful and wonderous myth American pop culture has yet produced. For those of us who treasure truth and justice and who have always fought battles for freedom, justice and truth-Superman lives within all of you and you are ALL Supermen (With special tribute to World War 2 veterans across the globe).
Respect for parents, the moral code, and for honorable behavior, shall be fostered. Policemen, judges, government officials and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority. In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds- FROM THE CODE OF THE COMICS MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
SUPERMAN: You're right! Taking lives is something I definitely find offensive! But roughing up criminal terrorists a bit doesn't faze me at all! - ACTION COMICS # 551.
You are much stronger than your think. Trust me.---SUPERMAN
DREAMS SAVE US ,DREAMS LIFT US UP AND TRANSFORM US AND ON MY SOUL, I SWEAR UNTIL MY DREAM OF A WORLD WHERE DIGNITY, HONOR AND JUSTICE BECOMES THE REALITY WE ALL SHARE I'LL NEVER STOP FIGHTING. EVER.--SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS # 775.
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