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The Superman Chronicles #6
The Superman Chronicles, Vol. 6
The complete reprinting of Superman's adventures in chronological order continues with this new, sixth volume, featuring tales from the early 1940s.
Among the menaces facing The Man of Steel in this new volume are the mysterious gang leader known as the Unknown X, a petty thief turned radioactive, and Lex Luthor, who has gained the ability to turn invisible. Plus, Clark Kent becomes Police Commissioner after a criminal gang scares the other candidates out of taking the job.
Among the menaces facing The Man of Steel in this new volume are the mysterious gang leader known as the Unknown X, a petty thief turned radioactive, and Lex Luthor, who has gained the ability to turn invisible. Plus, Clark Kent becomes Police Commissioner after a criminal gang scares the other candidates out of taking the job.
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2009
About the author
Jerry Siegel
629 books88 followersJerome "Jerry" Siegel, who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter, Jerry Ess, and Herbert S. Fine, was the American co-creator of Superman (along with Joe Shuster), the first of the great comic book superheroes and one of the most recognizable icons of the 20th century.
He and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993.
He and Shuster were inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 17, 2019
This was a very enjoyable read—just Superman “leaping over skyscrapers, running faster than an express train, springing great heights, lifting and smashing tremendous weights, possessing an impenetrable skin,” while ensuring the safety of the people of Metropolis.
May 30, 2014
DC's nearly complete chronological reprinting of every Superman story chugs along in Vol. 6.
These stories are still written by co-creator Jerry Siegel, with an anger and vitality lost in later decade's renditions of Superman (in comics and film). I appreciate the wide range of antagonists and social issues dealt with here, from a spoiled heiress to a hypnotist, Lex Luther and two fascist organizations doubling as Nazis. The stories are formulaic and, frankly, can get tedious when read in bunches. On the other hand, Siegel had to write them at a prodigious rate: the book reprints fourteen stories written within the space of about five months, from May through Fall, 1941.
As mentioned in earlier reviews of the series, the art content of each volume has progressively less charm than the earliest stories drawn by Joe Shuster. The stories in Superman Chronicles Vol. 6 are largely drawn by Leo Nowak (who later also drew the Superman newspaper strip). One of Nowak's limitations as a cartoonist was a reliance on stock poses. His favorite shot is a figure shot from above, with one shoulder above the other.
The Shuster Shop (Joe Shuster and assistants, I assume) do ink some of the stories (and reportedly, the Superman heads), keeping the look consistent. One artists' work very much stands out over the others in the book: John Sikela. In comparison to Nowak's tired, repetitious and formulaic art, Sikela used subtle body language and posture that rings truer than most superhero art of the period.
I have two criticisms of DC's packaging of the book. First, and most importantly, the art restoration in many places is horrendous. Over and over one can see the hand of someone going over the art with hand held (or digital) white-out, resulting in art that looks nothing like the original publication. I'd prefer it if DC just shot from the original comics, or hired a restorer who has a good track record of being faithful to the original material - like Harry Mendryk, who's been doing a superlative job on recent Jack Kirby reprints from the '40s and '50s for Fantagraphics.
My second criticism is that, literally as I was writing this review, the book's pages began separating from the cover! DC needs to use a stronger glue for their binding.
These stories are still written by co-creator Jerry Siegel, with an anger and vitality lost in later decade's renditions of Superman (in comics and film). I appreciate the wide range of antagonists and social issues dealt with here, from a spoiled heiress to a hypnotist, Lex Luther and two fascist organizations doubling as Nazis. The stories are formulaic and, frankly, can get tedious when read in bunches. On the other hand, Siegel had to write them at a prodigious rate: the book reprints fourteen stories written within the space of about five months, from May through Fall, 1941.
As mentioned in earlier reviews of the series, the art content of each volume has progressively less charm than the earliest stories drawn by Joe Shuster. The stories in Superman Chronicles Vol. 6 are largely drawn by Leo Nowak (who later also drew the Superman newspaper strip). One of Nowak's limitations as a cartoonist was a reliance on stock poses. His favorite shot is a figure shot from above, with one shoulder above the other.
The Shuster Shop (Joe Shuster and assistants, I assume) do ink some of the stories (and reportedly, the Superman heads), keeping the look consistent. One artists' work very much stands out over the others in the book: John Sikela. In comparison to Nowak's tired, repetitious and formulaic art, Sikela used subtle body language and posture that rings truer than most superhero art of the period.
I have two criticisms of DC's packaging of the book. First, and most importantly, the art restoration in many places is horrendous. Over and over one can see the hand of someone going over the art with hand held (or digital) white-out, resulting in art that looks nothing like the original publication. I'd prefer it if DC just shot from the original comics, or hired a restorer who has a good track record of being faithful to the original material - like Harry Mendryk, who's been doing a superlative job on recent Jack Kirby reprints from the '40s and '50s for Fantagraphics.
My second criticism is that, literally as I was writing this review, the book's pages began separating from the cover! DC needs to use a stronger glue for their binding.
July 18, 2024
Fun, goofy Golden Age stories. These are all pretty cookie cutter, and could be swapped out with any story from Volumes 2-5. The only "super" villain in this book is Lex Luthor. Superman really, desperately needs some badass supervillains to fight.
May 23, 2015
The Superman Chronicles continues its journey through the Man of Steel's early years, collecting Issues 10 and 11 of Superman, Action Comics #37-#40, and Superman Stories from World's Finest #2 and #3.
The stories are all by Jerry Siegel, but the art chores are down by four different artists with Leo Nowak being the best of them.
My favorite stories in there include, "The Invisible Luthor" which involves Luthor making things disappear and holding the city for ransom. The art on this one is superb.
Action Comics #37 features an attempt by the city to reform police with new Commissioners, but each new Commissioner is killed until someone has the idea of appointing Clark Kent.
Action Comics #38 features people committing crimes under radio control.
In Superman #11, there's the Corinthville Caper which has Clark and Lois heading to investigate a story of giant animals and finding more than meets the eye.
Action Comics #39 has a seemingly invulnerable radioactive criminal whose crimes are blamed on Superman. It's interesting that in some ways the early golden age Superman has a few themes in common with the oft-misunderstood Marvel characters of the 1960s and 1970s
There are also some weak stories in here, "The Yellow Plague" from Superman #11 has the Man of Steel going to an India tribe to find a cure from the stereotypical natives and Action Comics #40 has Superman playing nursemaid to the daughter of a billionaire.
This book being from Summer to Early Autumn 1941, there are quite a few stories of sabotage and intrigue. Two separate spy rings appear in Superman #10 in back to back stories. The most interesting one was in Zimba's Gold Badged Terrorists where an entire suburb disappeared.
There did seem to be a bit of a tonal issue as Superman was a bit rougher in this book than he had been some of the previous volumes. In many ways, Superman in this book feels like a throwback to the Superman earliest Golden Age stories as Superman is a bit more menacing than he has been for the last couple of volumes.
The stories are all by Jerry Siegel, but the art chores are down by four different artists with Leo Nowak being the best of them.
My favorite stories in there include, "The Invisible Luthor" which involves Luthor making things disappear and holding the city for ransom. The art on this one is superb.
Action Comics #37 features an attempt by the city to reform police with new Commissioners, but each new Commissioner is killed until someone has the idea of appointing Clark Kent.
Action Comics #38 features people committing crimes under radio control.
In Superman #11, there's the Corinthville Caper which has Clark and Lois heading to investigate a story of giant animals and finding more than meets the eye.
Action Comics #39 has a seemingly invulnerable radioactive criminal whose crimes are blamed on Superman. It's interesting that in some ways the early golden age Superman has a few themes in common with the oft-misunderstood Marvel characters of the 1960s and 1970s
There are also some weak stories in here, "The Yellow Plague" from Superman #11 has the Man of Steel going to an India tribe to find a cure from the stereotypical natives and Action Comics #40 has Superman playing nursemaid to the daughter of a billionaire.
This book being from Summer to Early Autumn 1941, there are quite a few stories of sabotage and intrigue. Two separate spy rings appear in Superman #10 in back to back stories. The most interesting one was in Zimba's Gold Badged Terrorists where an entire suburb disappeared.
There did seem to be a bit of a tonal issue as Superman was a bit rougher in this book than he had been some of the previous volumes. In many ways, Superman in this book feels like a throwback to the Superman earliest Golden Age stories as Superman is a bit more menacing than he has been for the last couple of volumes.
August 15, 2016
Excellent on all levels, starting with Lois' hats which are sculptural marvels. The color palette is primary and bold but they do so much with those limits. Action and emotion bubbles in bright colors and shapes act almost like action shadows in panels. Superman is drawn with bold strokes and his body conveys action with a dizzying array of body contortions. I don't remember this from other issues. I wonder if this is a relic of the young artist's drawing lessons. The stories carry the shadows of WWII but don't focus on it. Science prompts the villany more than fascism or standard criminals. Thrilling.
April 14, 2013
turns out frank miller created superman.
these stories have a cruel hero that cares nothing for civil rights - either confess or i drop you from twenty stories up. the bad guys die in a plane crash? fine, they got what they deserve. twenty years before miranda and superman is acting like batman.
quite interesting also to see the development of the character - he still is unable to fly in these stories, instead he jumps (leaps tall buildings) and runs to save the day, first mention of x-ray vision, i think.
the art is quite nice.
these stories have a cruel hero that cares nothing for civil rights - either confess or i drop you from twenty stories up. the bad guys die in a plane crash? fine, they got what they deserve. twenty years before miranda and superman is acting like batman.
quite interesting also to see the development of the character - he still is unable to fly in these stories, instead he jumps (leaps tall buildings) and runs to save the day, first mention of x-ray vision, i think.
the art is quite nice.
April 14, 2017
more color adventures before World War 2. I don't think Superman is technically flying, tho. He still seems to be leaping!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews