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PG - page 7 only; ow/white pages
1st appearance of Superman w/ origin by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; Comic Book Impact rating of 10 (CBI)


Action Comics #1 continues to be recognized as the most important event in the history of comics publishing. This is the book that introduced Superman as a fantastic new kind of hero, as created by teen visionaries Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The inspiring Man of Steel became an instant icon to Depression-era readers before transforming into a symbol of national pride during the brutal days of WWII. Action #1 has become just as beloved for introducing Lois Lane as a pioneering strong female character in the comics industry. That panicking man in the lower left-hand corner of the classic cover is gangster Butch Matson, who had attempted to chase down the lady reporter — then working for the Daily Star — after Lois firmly put an end to his unwelcome advances.

ComicConnect is proud to have been part of Action #1's rise as the world's most collectible comic. We’ve been setting new sales records for Superman’s debut since launching the company, including the book's first $1,000,000 sale back in 2010. In 2024, Action #1 made headlines again with a $6 million sale for a CGC-graded 8.5 copy. That same auction set a record for CGC Restored comics as an Action #1 (graded Apparent 8.0) sold for a staggering $576,000.

That adds up to decades of passionate collectors investing wisely while also preserving a true cultural artifact. The Man from Krypton has now spent decades being regularly featured in cartoons, serials, movies, television shows, and merchandising. Fans are anxiously awaiting the launch of the big-screen DC Extended Universe with 2025's Superman, to be followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in 2026. The early days of Superman remain a vital part of that tradition. In fact, DC Studios' James Gunn announced his inspirations for the return of Superman by leading with Joe Shuster's chain-shattering pin-up from Superman's first year.
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This page depicts the very first time Superman breaks chains by flexing his chest; an image that became the pin-up in Superman #1 and was later used countless times over the decades to come.
This isn't just the last page of the first Superman story, it's also the "contest page" on the reverse.
Reader of this issue in 1938 were invited to color in the "Chuck Dawson" page on the reverse and send it in to DC as part of a contest. Hence, the "contest page" became the most likely page to go MISSING from copies of Action 1. Loose copies of this page became sought after by collectors very early in fandom, and even today if you find a copy of Action 1 in the wild missing one page, it is most likely this page you would need to complete it.