Issue Description

"The Hobby Robbers" (Superman) The Hobby Robber steals Clark Kent's rare clock collection and holds them for ransom. Can Superman defeat him in time?"Molly""Dirge on a Bull Fiddle" (Vigilante)"Growler and Prowler" (Super Sleuth McFooey)"Renegade Roundup" (Congo Bill)"A Good Sign""The Return of Dr. Ito" (Americommando)"Our Friends in War, Work & Service""Rocks of Riches" (Zatara)

Superman: Jonathan Spence is admiring his collection of 500 powder horns when he is clubbed unconscious and his collection is stolen by a monocled thief named Lucius Spruce. Spruce's specialty is robbing people of their collections of bizarre objects, then demanding a ransom for their return. After several more hobby thefts, Clark decides to set a trap for Spruce by getting Lois to write an article in the Planet describing how he exposed Spruce as the thief (which he did as Superman), and also stating that he is a collector of antique clocks. (Bizarrely, in this issue, Clark really does collect clocks, although this isn't an enduring feature of Clark Kent in later issues.)

As expected, the article draws the attention of Spruce who sends Clark a letter saying that if he doesn't stop Superman from interfering in his plans, he (Spruce) will take Clark's clock collection. Lois sees the letter and decides to get a scoop by hiding inside a grandfather clock in Clark's apartment.

When Clark arrives home, he spots Lois in the clock using his x-ray vision, but before he can change to Superman, Spruce and his gang arrive and kidnap Clark and his collection, taking them to Spruce's mansion. Here, it emerges that Spruce himself collects giant carnivorous plants, Spruce threatens to throw Clark and Lois to the plants unless they write a letter to Superman ordering him to stay away. However, Clark breaks free and as Superman overcomes Spruce and his gang.

Action Comics (1938)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

In the early days of comics books, it was not the convention to name comics after specific characters. Rather comics bore generic names such as this one. Although this series featured Superman throughout, it thus bore this name, one which it has become famous for (and the name was kept after the launch of The New 52.) It was the fourth DC Comics title, and the first new one produced after Detective Comics spread beyond the one title (this was after it purchased More Fun Comics and New Adventure Comics.)

Starring: Lex Luthor (starting #890) until #900.

Second Feature: Captain Atom (#879-#889), Superboy (#892), Jimmy Olsen (#893-#896)

(Issues #601-642 are filed under Action Comics Weekly)

Collected EditionsSuperman: The Golden Age Omnibus vol. 1 (#1-31)Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane vol. 1 (#539-541, 545, 546 & #551-554)Superman vs. Darkseid (#586)They Saved Luthor's Brain (#600, #668, #670-673, #676-678 )Panic in the Sky (#674-675)Death of Superman (#683-684)World Without Superman (#685-686)Superman: Funeral For A Friend (#685-686)Superman: Reign of the Supermen (#687-688)The Trial of Superman (#716-717)Transformed! (#729 & 732)DC Comics Presents: Superman #4 (#768, #771-773)Superman: Emperor Joker (#769-770)President Lex (#773)Superman: Our Worlds At War, Book One (#780-781)Superman: Our Worlds At War, Book Two (#782)Superman: Ending Battle (#795-796)DC Comics Presents: Superman #2 (#798)Godfall (Action Comics #812- 813, Adventures of Superman #625- 626 and Superman #202- 203)Superman: The Wrath of Gog (#814-819; backups #812-813)Superman: Sacrifice (Action Comics #829, Superman #218-220, Adventures of Superman #642-643 and Wonder Woman #219-220)Superman: Up, Up and Away! (#837-840)Superman: Back In Action (#841-843, plus stories from DC Comics Presents #4, #17 and #24)Superman: Last Son (#844-846, #851 and Action Comics Annual #11)The Third Kryptonian (Superman #668-670, Action Comics #847, Superman Annual #13)Redemption (Superman #659&666, Action Comics #848-849)3-2-1 Action (Superman #665, Action Comics #852-854, Legends of the DC Universe #14)Superman: Escape From Bizarro World (#855-857)Superman And The Legion of Super-Heroes (#858-863)Superman: Brainiac (#866-870)Superman: New Krypton Vol. 1 (#871)Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2 (#872-873)Superman: Nightwing And Flamebird Vol. 1 (#875-879 and Action Comics Annual #12)Superman: Codename Patriot (#880)Superman: Nightwing And Flamebird Vol. 2 (#883-889, Superman #696 and Adventure Comics #8-10)Superman: The Black Ring Vol. 1 (#890-895)Superman: The Black Ring Vol. 2 (#896-900; Action Comics Annual #13; Secret Six #29)Secret Six: Caution To the Wind (#897)Superman: Reign of Doomsday (#900-904)For Post-Flashpoint refer to Action Comics (Vol. 2)

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