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Action Comics (vol. 1) #1 (June 1938):
“Superman, Champion of the Oppressed!”
by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster

Action Comics (vol. 1) #1

Title: “Superman, Champion of the Oppressed!”

Medium: comic

Cover date: June 1938

Publisher: DC
Written by: Jerry Siegel
Art by: Joe Shuster


19 characters in this story:

Character
(Click links for info about character
and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.)		 Religious
Affiliation		 Team(s)
[Notes]		 Pub. #
app.
Superman Superman (Clark Kent) hero
CBR Scale: S Methodist / Kryptonian religion
 Kryptonians; Super Friends...  DC 13,409
Lois Lane Lois Lane supporting character
CBR Scale: I Catholic
 Raleigh College
[Superman's girlfriend, then wife]		 DC 3,859
unnamed butler unnamed butler supporting character
  indeterminate  [butler] DC 1
Butch Matson Butch Matson villain
CBR Scale: I manifestly non-religious
 [first-ever named Superman villain] DC 1
Alex Greer Alex Greer villain
CBR Scale: I manifestly non-religious
 [slickest lobbyist in Washington] DC 2
unnamed mustachioed gangster unnamed mustachioed gangster villain
CBR Scale: I manifestly non-religious
 [gangster] DC 1
unnamed clean-shaven gangster unnamed clean-shaven gangster villain
CBR Scale: I manifestly non-religious
 [gangster] DC 1
nighclubs nighclubs
(details) 		 group real/historical person
   [occupation] DC
unnamed wife beater unnamed wife beater
(7-panel cameo)		 villain
CBR Scale: I manifestly non-religious
 [1st app: Action Comics (vol. 1) #1 (June 1938)] DC 1
George Taylor George Taylor
(5-panel cameo)		 supporting character
CBR Scale: S religious/ethical
 [Clark Kent's first boss] DC 65
unnamed governor unnamed governor
(5-panel cameo)		 supporting character based on a real person
CBR Scale: I religious
 [governor] DC 1
Senator Barrows Senator Barrows
(5-panel cameo)		 villain
CBR Scale: U Christian (denomination
unknown) - nominal
 [U.S. Senator] DC 1
Bea Carroll Bea Carroll
(2-panel cameo)		 villain
CBR Scale: M manifestly non-religious
 [first-ever Superman villain] DC 2
Evelyn Curry Evelyn Curry
(1-panel cameo)		 supporting character
CBR Scale: S Christian (denomination
unknown)
 [first character ever saved by Superman] DC 1
unnamed clergyman unnamed clergyman
(1-panel cameo)		 supporting character clergy/religious leader
CBR Scale: D Christian (denomination
unknown)
 [1st app: Action Comics (vol. 1) #1 (June 1938)] DC 1
unnamed beaten wife unnamed beaten wife
(1-panel cameo)		 supporting character
  indeterminate  [1st app: Action Comics (vol. 1) #1 (June 1938)] DC 1
unnamed police captain unnamed police captain
(1-panel cameo)		 supporting character
  indeterminate  [police] DC 1
unnamed morgue clerk unnamed morgue clerk
(1-panel cameo)		 supporting character
  indeterminate  [morgue clerk] DC 1
Kryptonians
(behind the scenes) 		 supporting character group
CBR Scale: S Kryptonian religion
 [alien race] DC 283

Excerpts

BELOW: Superman brings Bea Carroll to the governor's mansion. She murdered a man but another woman was about to be executed for the crime.

Superman brings Bea Carroll to the governor's mansion. She murdered a man but another woman was about to be executed for the crime.

Source: Action Comics (vol. 1) #1 (June 1938): "Superman, Champion of the Oppressed!", pg. 1, panels 1-2. Written by Jerry Siegel. Art by Joe Shuster. See also: Bea Carroll

An alternative form of this story's title is: “The Coming of Superman”. Webpage for Action Comics #1 (June 1938) created 15 January 2009. Last modified 27 December 2013.

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