All right! The very first appearance of Superman, if we ignore the ads for this very issue, showing him on the cover. Let's see how it goes!

Superman

This whole story is so historic, I feel like I should just transcribe it. But, let me try to quash that urge, and just point out the highlights.

The planet Krypton (as yet unnamed) was "destroyed by old age". Superman's father was a scientist. A passing motorist turned the baby Superman over to an orphanage. Superman's "physical structure was millions of years advanced of their own". Even as a baby, Superman is inhumanly strong.

When maturity was reached, he discovered he could easily: leap 1/8th of a mile; hurdle a twenty-story building... raise tremendous weights... run faster than an express train... and that nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin! Early, Clark decided he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind. And so was created... Superman! Champion of the oppressed. The physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need!

It is stated in this issue that on Kent's home planet, "upon reaching maturity, the people of his race became gifted with titanic strength!"

It is noteworthy that in Superman's first story, he intends to save an innocent woman from wrongful execution. Even Superman should disagree with the death penalty, for here is a strong argument against it.

Clark works for the Daily Star. And they get a tip about a wife beating. Which is in progress. Clark has time to get there are stop the man mid-beating. Who calls the newspaper with a tip about a wife-beating?

And now he's fighting political corruption? Wow. This is seriously better than the other comics I've been reading, lately.

Chuck Dawson

Not terrible, but the Westerns really aren't my thing.

Zatara

By Fred Guardineer.

His arch-enemy is "The Tigress".

Not much different from the stories in Detective.

The Adventures of Marco Polo

By Sven Elven.

Not too bad.

"Pep" Morgan

By Fred Guardineer.

Basically like a story in Detective, too. Not bad. Not great.

Scoop Scanlon

By Will Ely.

Eh.

Tex Thomson

By Bernard Baily.

Bah. Another Western. More action. I mean, I guess it's in the name of the magazine, but I've had enough.