Synopsis:
First Superman story. Tells the story of how he came to Earth and explains his remarkable powers. He saves an innocent woman from being executed and turns in the real murderer. Then he goes on a date with Lois as Clark Kent. Some thugs nab Lois cause they want to show her a good time. Superman crushes their car like it was paper. Superman learns of an arms dealer who started a war. He ventures off to right this wrong. The story ends with one of the arms dealer's cronies at the mercy of Superman.
Synopsis: Superman, a man from a dying planet where civilization was far more advanced came to Earth as a baby and developed incredible powers as he matured. Now he uses these power to benefit mankind as a champion of the oppressed.
Publicly revealing himself for the first time, Superman brings confessed murderess, Bea Carroll to the Governor's mansion in time to prevent the scheduled execution of Evelyn Curry, the woman accused of the crime.
When he changes into his secret identity as Clark Kent, he reports to his newly acquired job as a reporter at the Daily Star. In the newsroom, Clark receives a tip concerning a wife-beating. Arriving as Superman, he gives the man a taste of his own medicine before turning him over to the police.
Later, Clark asks pretty reporter Lois Lane for a date. Lois reluctantly goes out with Clark, but is disgusted when he won?t stand up to some hoodlums who harass Lois. Lois leaves the club, but she is kidnapped by Butch Mason, one of her harassers. Clark dons his costume and overtakes Butch's car. He rescues Lois and leaves Butch for the police.
Clark is later assigned to cover a war in the small South American country of San Monte. Before he makes the trip, Clark travels to Washington D.C. and sees Senator Barrows speaking to lobbyist Alex Greer concerning a senate bill. Leaping around the city with Greer tucked under his arm, Superman tries to force Greer to tell him who is behind the corruption of the Senator.
Notes: Clark Kent works for The Daily Star in this story.
Story is missing first 4 pages which were included when the story was reprinted in the first story of Superman #1.
This story originally was not titled; the title shown here was given on the contents page of Action Comics Archives vol. 1 in which this story is reprinted.
A single page partial origin and explanation of Superman?s powers precedes the story.
This story continues in the first story of Action Comics #2.
Synopsis: See story 1, "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed".
Notes: An alternate "retroactive" title for the Superman story, above. As most stories of this early Golden Age period weren't titled on original publication, the names we now associate with one of these early DC stories tend to come from subsequent reprints. In the case of this particular story, reprints have been differently titled through the decades. "Champion of the Oppressed" was the first such "retro-title", deriving from Action Comics Archives, vol. 1. Later reprintings adopted the title, "Revolution in San Monte", which is a little more story-specific.
