Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Otto Binder (Author), Bill Finger (Author), Jerry Coleman (Author), Robert Bernstein (Author), Alvin Schwartz (Author), Jerry Siegel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

DC Comics begins its line of low-priced, massive black-and-white collections. The Superman mythos begins to solidify in these 560 pages, from the introduction of the Fortress of Solitude to the arrival of the bottle City of Kandor . Additionally, new menaces such as Braniac and Metallo arrive to join Lex Luthor and the Phantom Zone prisoners in terrorizing the Man of Steel. This volume also includes the introduction of Supergirl.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–Twenty-nine Superman comics published between 1959 and 1963 are reprinted in this black-and-white omnibus edition. A perfect example of the tone of the collection is the opening tale, a jolly mystery that culminates in Batman throwing his old chum Superman a birthday party. For all of the hokey word balloons that spell out Superman's choked-back sobs of anguish at whatever bizarre circumstance he finds himself in, and despite Lois Lane's constant bold proclamations of her intent to marry the Man of Steel, the pages contain a massive catalogue of invention. Many of the stories consist of Superman's clever ways of convincing Lois that he's not Clark Kent, or persuading some criminal that he's now immune to kryptonite. The text is fraught with barefaced exposition, but the tricks, traps, puzzles, and quandaries that Superman constantly outsmarts are charming and should give readers a clear indication of what comics were like in an earlier age and how they captured the imaginations of young readers so well and so completely. The stories also provide a happy sampling of the first appearances of a number of Superman's notable supporting characters and beloved minutiae.–Benjamin Russell, The Derryfield School, Manchester, NH
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Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401207588
• ISBN-13: 978-1401207588
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 1.2 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #536,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Nostalgia Buffs, January 22, 2006

By 

Markh (Ames, IA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

As other reviews of books in the Showcase Presents series have noted, this is DC's version of the Marvel Essentials series-- B&W reproductions of comics published decades ago. The comics in this particular edition were originally published between June '58 and Nov '59, when I was eight and nine years old and a voracious comics reader. Even now, I can actually remember reading some of the particular comics that are in this book, and while, to an adult, the stories here are simplistic and even sometimes silly, it was, for nostalgia purposes alone, a real delight to get to re-read them again for the inexpensive price of ten dollars. In fact I sort of feel sorry for children growing up now, who have to make do with comics that are kind of grim and sordid, in contrast to the clearly drawn, cheerful and good-hearted ones that existed back in the fifties and sixties.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired goofiness, boundless entertainment!, February 4, 2006

By 

Waylon Piercy "The Drunken Fist" (Petal, MS United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I'm only in my 20s, definitely not the traditional age for Silver Age fans, but I've loved these simplistic, often goofy stories for years. I buy quite a few modern comics, but I always make time for things like this. DC's Showcase line is a Godsend! In this volume, we have over 500 pages of classic Silver Age stories that are brimming with endless possibilities. This was in a time where creators weren't afraid to throw logic out the window if it made for a more entertaining story. Some of my favorite moments from this book include:
-Batman shopping for a birthday gift for Superman at the mall, in full costume!
-President Superman solving the budget deficit by filling Fort Knox with treasure he found in wrecked pirate ships on the ocean floor.
-Batman taking a week off from crimefighting so he can break into the Fortress of Solitude and play pranks on Superman.
-Superman scheming to eliminate the manifestation of his new power: a tiny version of himself that grows out of his hand, and steals his thunder!
-Superman becoming a lion.
-Superman using his super vision to see through the time barrier!

this book is filled with such craziness, from cover to cover. There's never a dull moment. And for less than $10, there's no reason not to check it out.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superman of '58. A Great Role-Model, September 4, 2006

By 

Guiseppe (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Superman, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

What parent doesn't want their son to be honest, helpful, brave, kind, courteous, and patriotic? Clark Kent was all of these things in 1958--kind of corny, huh? Then I guess, Corny is good--especially when you talk about our kids.

But I love these stories for the cheezy (by today's standards) mysteries. How did Superman know ...? And some of the stories are classics, the first Metallo, first Supergirl, his first real proposal to (guess who)...

And I love the turmoil Clark experiences guarding his greatest secret. Clark wants to tell Lois "I'm Superman, let's get married and live happily ever after." But no; if the world knew his identity, then his friends would be in constant danger. So Clark sacrifices his own desires for the safety of his friends and the good of his country.
That's right, I said country. Superman was a proud American before his last movie--in Superman Returns, he stands for Truth, Justice, and "all that other stuff."
Lets see you keep your greatest talent a secret from all your friends.