By now, you’ve all seen the very first Superman comicbook I ever owned. The cover art was simply amazing to me. As time passed I learned who the amazing artist was… Nick Cardy. Known for his fantastic work on titles like Action Comics, Bat Lash, Teen Titans, Aquaman, The Flash, World’s Finest, and many movie posters, Cardy brought his impeccable use of perspective to the cover I still love so much.
As part of the 50th anniversary of my Superman fandom this month (October 2022) I am featuring something that has become a quest of mine for some time now. As you’ve read, Superman #257 published in 1972 was the first Superman comic I ever owned. Within recent years, my quest has been to acquire the various prints of this story from around the world as well as other related goodness.
Continuing my 50 Years of Fandom celebration… here it is… the comic that started it all.
Superman #257 cover dated October 1972. This is the very copy that made me the fan I am today. This comic was given to me by my father when I was a mere four years old. As a child, I just could not stop reading it. The boldness and perspective of the cover art by Nick Cardy… the flying Superman above the masthead by Neal Adams… its colors… spoke volumes to me then… and it still does today.
Here is a copy of Stålmannen #1 from Sweden. In the 1970s, DC Comics authorized Williams Förlags AB in Sweden to publish reprints of its titles. This issue is mainly a reprint of Superman number 255 and features the same, bold artwork of the legendary Nick Cardy.
This is a copy of Justice League of America number 102 from 1972. It is yet another example of how the late and great artist Nick Cardy could make a cover so dynamic.
The title of the story is “And One of Us Must Die!” and it features a cavalcade of many, many DC Comics heroes including Superman, Batman, Diana Prince, Wonder Woman (Earth Two), The Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, Johnny Thunder, Hawkman…
This comic has seen better days. Its spine is beaten… its cover is torn in many places… transparent tape holds parts of it together… my mother even wrote my name at the bottom of page one… but I wouldn’t trade this for the world.
This is my copy of 100-Page Super Spectacular number DC-18 that I’ve had since I was a child. As it was with the issues in this line…
Although considered by most to be more of a Captain Marvel collectible, I include SHAZAM #1 as part of my collection since the cover not only shows Superman opening the curtain to reveal Billy Batson and Captain Marvel, but…
In 1976, DC Comics released many packets of Super Hero Stamps. This packet contained 10 Superman stamps and also included…
This was a series of comics that republished the origin stories of superheroes and villains. This inaugural issue featured…
Superman Collector in Hawaii 