Set Description
I started building this set in the late 2000s with the goal of obtaining issues #400-#500 (1971-1979) in 9.8 grade, with white page preservation and perfect (or as close to as possible) centering and cover alignment. My goal has since expanded to include any example I can afford from 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 still look forward to the future, I also fondly recall the days when my oldest 9.8 example was from 1972, and when I thought I'd never afford a 9.8 from the 1960s. I have invested many years in building this set, which has come with some heartbreaking auction losses, sometimes 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 52 and 100 Page Giants known as the Bronze Age is my favorite era of Action Comics. Following the Silver Age of comics during the 1950s and ‘60s where covers showed a perplexed look on Superman’s face, Superman started looking super again! 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 cover 454 with Superman devouring piles of burgers at super speed to keep from starving to death, but 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 again for a time, 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 cover 409, Cardy contributed 36 covers to the run. Some of my favorite Cardy covers are those showing Superman in everyday life (covers 422, 425 and 428). Some of my other favorite Cardy covers include those with guest appearances from other members of the DC Universe, like cover 443, with Superman opening a giant copy of Action Comics to let out heroes like Batman, Green Lantern and Hawkman to name a few. As my collection has grown I’ve grown fonder of books from the late Silver Age, especially the 80 Page Giants and the many wonderful Curt Swan covers.
I have added various pedigree pieces over the years to my collection, including several from the Rocky Mountain pedigree, most of which I was able to bid on when they were brought to the market for the first time by ComicLink in 2010.
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 Heart of the Ocean/Crown of Jewels - 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.
