Action Comics 123 question---REALLY the 1st time Superman flies?

[insanebidder-migration]

For those of you who are familiar with Action Comics.......

 

Is issue 123 "really" the first time Superman seems to be flying, or is that just all that Overstreet could find that was obvious? I've been hearing reports that he actually flew as early as 1943 or so in the comic books and not as late as Overstreet states (Action 123 came out in 1948), but I'm unsure if this is true or not. I recently saw a low grade Action Comics 123 and, let me tell you, if this "is" the first time he flies it isn't exactly presented in an "oooooh ahhhh" manner. Basically, in one very small panel, it just states that Superman is flying towards "Island X" and shows him flying. No jump-starts with "failed attempts", no multiple tries.....nothing of the sort. He's just flying. A little disappointing.

 

Brent

[garthgantu]

Obviously Supes was flying well before Action 123... whether it was specifically referred to as flying seems a moot point. Here's an Action 54 from another thread, where it looks pretty clear to me that Supes is flying:

Action 54

 

I would think that at the least it would be relatively easy to find instances in which Superman was airborne in earlier issues - and obviously couldn't have jumped to reach the same airborne position. The cover of Action 54 is an interesting example... could Supes have jumped from some other point and ended up in that position? I suppose so, if a small island were nearby... but there must be some instances in which it's safe to say "no way he jumped to get HERE!"

[insanebidder-migration]

Other than the visual appearance of him flying in earlier comics, was Action 123 the first time where it just "mentions" that he's actually flying within a textual frame? Or are there other instances? Just curious why Overstreet states what it does. Surely there's got to be "some" reason for it....

 

Brent

[Netmaster-migration]

Superman was flying way before Action 123, even if it wasn't actually mentioned in print. He is clearly flying on the cover of Action Comics #29 (the classic first Lois Lane cover). I wanted a decent affordable copy and after around a decade or so of searching I finally found my Holy Grail this past Monday. It's on it's way to my Fortress of Solitude.

 

He is clearly flying here on the cover. No doubt about it in my mind and this issue was released way back in 1940.

[Timely]

For those of you who are familiar with Action Comics.......

 

Is issue 123 "really" the first time Superman seems to be flying, or is that just all that Overstreet could find that was obvious? I've been hearing reports that he actually flew as early as 1943 or so in the comic books and not as late as Overstreet states (Action 123 came out in 1948), but I'm unsure if this is true or not. I recently saw a low grade Action Comics 123 and, let me tell you, if this "is" the first time he flies it isn't exactly presented in an "oooooh ahhhh" manner. Basically, in one very small panel, it just states that Superman is flying towards "Island X" and shows him flying. No jump-starts with "failed attempts", no multiple tries.....nothing of the sort. He's just flying. A little disappointing.

 

Brent

 

I was just looking at an Action #120. In there he is "jumping" from one plane to another, no flight! They even use the word jump.

 

West

[CentaurMan]

I was just looking at an Action #120. In there he is "jumping" from one plane to another, no flight! They even use the word jump.

 

West

 

I KNEW IT! You're reading all the comics you're supposed to be grading! You're getting paid to read comics!

[nearmint]

I was just looking at an Action #120. In there he is "jumping" from one plane to another, no flight! They even use the word jump.

 

West

 

I KNEW IT! You're reading all the comics you're supposed to be grading! You're getting paid to read comics!

 

As long as he grades them BEFORE he reads them...

[Timely]

I was just looking at an Action #120. In there he is "jumping" from one plane to another, no flight! They even use the word jump.

 

West

 

I KNEW IT! You're reading all the comics you're supposed to be grading! You're getting paid to read comics!

 

Just counting pages...

 

West