• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Action Comics #7, #10, #13 Club
2 2

93 posts in this topic

8 hours ago, Wayne-Tec said:

Rick, where does Action #7 currently rank in FMV? 4th or 5th?

Where do you predict it will rank 10 years from now?

Definitely not 4th (belongs to Batman 1)

could be 5th now and should fall 5-8ish depending on how marvel 1, cap 1 and whiz 1 trend 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will also say action 7 is a much better image if Superman than action 10 or 13 so I’d rank it a better “cover” for sure. The train pushes 13 over 10 for me (same small reverse Superman image)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And while the Superman 1 cf ad in action 13 is awesome, it’s an ad and not story content so I certainly don’t think action 13 can even think it can hold tec 33s jock strap, story content wise 

Edited by G.A.tor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, G.A.tor said:

And while the Superman 1 cf ad in action 13 is awesome, it’s an ad and not story content so I certainly don’t think action 13 can even think it can hold tec 33s jock strap, story content wise 

Few books are on Tec #33s level content-wise. One could argue that the origin of Batman is the most important comic book story ever told.

But Action #13s centerfold containing the Superman #1 add is not the main reason I referred to it’s “historical content.”

The 1st appearance of the Ultra Humanite changed superhero comic books forever. He was the first supervillain in DC Comics history and appeared 6x between 1939 and 1940 before the creation of (Lex) Luthor.

They didn’t want two bald, evil genius type supervillains, so Luthor ended up replacing Ultra. While I wouldn’t rank it ahead of the origin of Batman, the 1st appearance of DCs 1st supervillain, a precursor to Lex Luthor, makes this book the 2nd most historically significant “Early Action” after Action Comics #1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do parts count :wishluck: ... I don't have time for such fancy things as front covers or completeness or all that nonsense ... lol.  Seriously, I am just working on piecing them together, I am very patient and stuff still turns up! ... I just bought a #10 back cover a few days ago ...  so we are getting there!

actioncomics7front.jpg

action 10.JPG

action13cgcngfront.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Wayne-Tec said:

Few books are on Tec #33s level content-wise. One could argue that the origin of Batman is the most important comic book story ever told.

But Action #13s centerfold containing the Superman #1 add is not the main reason I referred to it’s “historical content.”

The 1st appearance of the Ultra Humanite changed superhero comic books forever. He was the first supervillain in DC Comics history and appeared 6x between 1939 and 1940 before the creation of (Lex) Luthor.

They didn’t want two bald, evil genius type supervillains, so Luthor ended up replacing Ultra. While I wouldn’t rank it ahead of the origin of Batman, the 1st appearance of DCs 1st supervillain, a precursor to Lex Luthor, makes this book the 2nd most historically significant “Early Action” after Action Comics #1.

I’m guessing 9/10 don’t feel the same way.  Villains had been part of the story tell lore since the dawn of storytelling. Ultra humanite does nothing for me. Show of hands who likes action 13 bc if that? (Genuinely curious)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, G.A.tor said:

I’m guessing 9/10 don’t feel the same way.  Villains had been part of the story tell lore since the dawn of storytelling. Ultra humanite does nothing for me. Show of hands who likes action 13 bc if that? (Genuinely curious)

Villains had been a part of comics prior to Action #13, but from a historical perspective, Ultra Humanite is the first DC “super” villain and reoccurring villain.

I suspect that you are right in the sense that many GA collectors aren’t thinking about the interior content as much as the cover. On a grander scale, the 1st appearance of the Joker in Batman #1 takes a backseat to the “No. 1” factor.

Books with historically significant content that isn’t currently a driving force behind desirability have tremendous untapped potential. I’m only one collector, but the interior content adds a lot of luster for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, G.A.tor said:

I’m guessing 9/10 don’t feel the same way.  Villains had been part of the story tell lore since the dawn of storytelling. Ultra humanite does nothing for me. Show of hands who likes action 13 bc if that? (Genuinely curious)

While I think super-villains in comics were inevitable, fans still like to mark the first-evers, and should.  So I think Action 13 and Detective 36 both deserve a bit more credit as the first arch-villains in each series.   The Action 13 gets overshadowed for its cover, which I like but not as much as the 7 or 10.  And every time I think of Action 13 I recall the time I almost bought one for 100 bucks until the seller said it had the wrong interior; he thought it was a 14 interior because the price guide, at the time, had a mention of an ad for superman 1 in Action 14 but not such listing for the 13 (which not only had an ad but the big centerfold ad).  

Edited by bluechip
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, bluechip said:

While I think super-villains in comics were inevitable, fans still like to mark the first-evers, and should.  So I think Action 13 and Detective 36 both deserve a bit more credit as the first arch-villains in each series.   The Action 13 gets overshadowed for its cover, which I like but not as much as the 7 or 10.

I love all three covers. You can’t go wrong with any of them. The fact that Action #7 is the first comic book to ever feature the name “Superman” on the cover is significant, and doesn’t get mentioned enough IMO.

Dr. Death appeared 2x in Detective Comics prior to Hugo Strange. But I agree with you, Detective #36 is underrated.

The shift to reoccurring “supervillains” was huge for superhero comics. Not only did it give our heroes a more formidable challenge, but as stories branched through multiple issues, readers followed. That started with the Ultra Humanite, then Doctor Death, eventually paving the way for Luthor and The Joker.

Comic books were never the same. Universes were being formed. One of the many things that made this genre special.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, G.A.tor said:

I will also say action 7 is a much better image if Superman than action 10 or 13 so I’d rank it a better “cover” for sure. The train pushes 13 over 10 for me (same small reverse Superman image)

 

There really aren't too many full front, large Supe covers in the early Actions. 7 is by far the best and largest image of him. 1,10,13 he is drawn relatively small. 15 is larger but it's a side shot and I have never liked the cover too much overall. 17 he is small again. 19 is large but the green logo is odd. 20 is semi good but missing the S on his chest. I really like 21 - good pose and decent size of him facing front. 22 he is small again. 23 is a nice large pose but now it's getting late into the game (1940). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Primetime said:

There really aren't too many full front, large Supe covers in the early Actions. 7 is by far the best and largest image of him. 1,10,13 he is drawn relatively small. 15 is larger but it's a side shot and I have never liked the cover too much overall. 17 he is small again. 19 is large but the green logo is odd. 20 is semi good but missing the S on his chest. I really like 21 - good pose and decent size of him facing front. 22 he is small again. 23 is a nice large pose but now it's getting late into the game (1940). 

There really isn’t another cover like Action #7 until Action #23. It just so happens that both are amongst the greatest and most desirable books of the Early Action run.

#13 is similar to #1 as it pertains to the size of Superman (small), interaction with a vehicle, blue/red “Action Comics” color scheme and positioning of character (facing right).

7B73A687-3F90-423E-80DE-90130A996843.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Monsters-n-heroes said:

Do parts count :wishluck: ... I don't have time for such fancy things as front covers or completeness or all that nonsense ... lol.  Seriously, I am just working on piecing them together, I am very patient and stuff still turns up! ... I just bought a #10 back cover a few days ago ...  so we are getting there!

actioncomics7front.jpg

action 10.JPG

action13cgcngfront.jpg

Parts count.  You're doing great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Wayne-Tec said:

I love all three covers. You can’t go wrong with any of them. The fact that Action #7 is the first comic book to ever feature the name “Superman” on the cover is significant, and doesn’t get mentioned enough IMO.

Dr. Death appeared 2x in Detective Comics prior to Hugo Strange. But I agree with you, Detective #36 is underrated.

The shift to reoccurring “supervillains” was huge for superhero comics. Not only did it give our heroes a more formidable challenge, but as stories branched through multiple issues, readers followed. That started with the Ultra Humanite, then Doctor Death, eventually paving the way for Luthor and The Joker.

Comic books were never the same. Universes were being formed. One of the many things that made this genre special.

Dr. Death appeared 2x but in only one 2-part story.   So he can't really be called a recurring villain.   

Hugo Strange was clearly the first villain intended to be a recurring villain.   At the end of his first appearance he's shown in jail vowing to return, which became one of the most-used tropes in comicdom.   Ultimately he lost out because he just wasn't as good as the Joker, who first appeared in the same book Hugo Strange first reappeared (Batman 1).  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, bluechip said:

Dr. Death appeared 2x but in only one 2-part story.   So he can't really be called a recurring villain.   

Hugo Strange was clearly the first villain intended to be a recurring villain.   At the end of his first appearance he's shown in jail vowing to return, which became one of the most-used tropes in comicdom.   Ultimately he lost out because he just wasn't as good as the Joker, who first appeared in the same book Hugo Strange first reappeared (Batman 1).  

 

Good points. (thumbsu

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Wayne-Tec said:

Good points. (thumbsu

Dr. Death also died at the end of his two-part story, which ran from IIRC tec 29-30.  

Ultra-Humanite was, on the other hand, clearly created with Siegel's intent that he would recur.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, bluechip said:

Dr. Death also died at the end of his two-part story, which ran from IIRC tec 29-30.  

Ultra-Humanite was, on the other hand, clearly created with Siegel's intent that he would recur.

For sure. And although Ultra and Luthor have differences, it’s no coincidence that Ultra disappeared (after 6 appearances in a short period of time) right after Luthor arrived.

Luthor himself was in many respects, a tweaked version of Ultra.

I don’t know if you follow the show Gotham, but it’s similar to how future characters evolved out of Jerome Valeska.

Jerome was not the final product. He was a different character, but one that paved the way for what was coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
2 2