Note the centerfold ad: barely a year after his debut, the Man of Steel had become such an undeniable sensation that National has decided to capitalize on his fame by giving him his own solo title. Not that they're pulling him from Action Comics, mind you -- in fact, they're putting him on the cover of the comic with increasing frequency, no longer relying on repurposed covers from their other anthology titles and tried-and-true pulp-style covers. Superman is clearly here to stay, and it is announced with this legendary Shuster cover, a fine example of the strong, solidly built imagery that typified these early, more muscular adventures of the incredibly popular hero. Not only notable for the announcement of the character's upcoming solo series, this issue also boasts the debut of Superman's first real arch-nemesis, the Ultra-Humanite. Clearly inspired by villains from Saturday serials and Republic B-thrillers, this wheelchair-bound mad genius proves a cunning rival for our super-protagonist, in a debut appearance so thickly plotted and full of constant cliffhangers it practically bursts at the seams (and may have been a repurposed set of daily strips, as with the first few Action Superman appearances). A truly historic issue no matter which way you slice it, and, as with so many of these early Action issues, extremely rare.

Shimmering reds and yellows highlight this stunning, classic cover, which remains in remarkable condition almost eighty years after it was printed. Although this copy is missing its staples, it presents at higher than its designated grade, and you simply can't go wrong with the iconic Joe Shuster cover illustration, its more powerful than a locomotive!

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