Superman Did WHAT?! The 15 Craziest Things Superman Did in His First 10 Issues

In 2022 I owned 300 issues of Superman, and I thought, “Maybe I’ll read 100 more.” So here we are: Starting from the very beginning, Action Comics #1. Several things surprised me. I wanted to catalogue them here. Let’s begin.

1. Super-Orphan: Social butterfly.

First of all at #1, is the fact that Clark actually went to an orphanage before moving in with the Kents. It doesn’t actually say yet if the Kents are a thing in the first ten issues. Funnily enough, I’m starting the radio series right now too, and on it Supes steps out of his capsule FULL GROWN (yes, he aged on the trip over). I digress. If he went to an orphanage first, there are a WHOLE BUNCH of people that were aware of his powers running around town.

2. His first cases were HEA-VY.

He didn’t start out by punching a starfish alien, he started with some brutally realistic cases. His first case sees him trying to free a wrongfully-accused woman on death row. And his second case is some swift justice in response to spousal abuse.

3. He spent more time than I’m comfortable with hanging from window sills, eavesdropping on conversations.

I mean, this just looks bizarre, and not only does he do it in the comic several times, but he does it on the first episodes of the radio show too.

And to go right along with that…

4. He does a LOT of running along power lines.

To be fair, it’s mostly to scare criminals, or just unruly kids at times, but I can’t help but think he got around like this at times too.

He really looks like he’s power-walking a lot of the time. Backfires though, because the rowdy kids love it and want to go again.

5. The streets and sidewalks get destroyed ROUTINELY.

We know the Hulk does this, but why does Supes so haphazardly destroy city property. This happens nearly every time he leaps within city limits.

6. This just felt like something I would say…

7. He didn’t save everybody!

Having the citizens survive will eventually become his coda, but early on, the fright of an alien leaping from a great distance and springing to safety was too much for some people.

8. Supes did not give a DAMN about property in the early days.

He COULD have fixed that bridge, but he didn’t. Lois’s train, after all, had passed safely over it at this point.

9. Lois fell for Superman HARD, and QUICK.

This probably doesn’t surprise you, but it was funny how he acts coy at first about it. I mean this happens quick!

10. Speaking of Lois: How graceful are her falls from windows?

11. He DID have yellow boots a lot.

Some will say this is a coloring error, but I think I’m kind of feeling it. JUST a couple of times he has a yellow cape. he’s DEFINITELY in blue footie pajamas in the first few appearances.

12. Superman was all about standing up for the underrepresented.

Clark Kent actually just hangs out in courtrooms, waiting for people to get done dirty. When someone goes down, Clark will begin an overly elaborate plan to teach him a life lesson (yeah, it’s not “Zod stakes” here).

13. Superman had a problematic visit to the bad side of town.

I’m truly not making this up: At one point, Superman decides that if he tears down the buildings in the rough side of town, that people will rebuild with reasonably priced housing and it will solve the crime. While I appreciate his proactiveness, I can’t help but feel like there’s some kind of “super-gentrification” is going on here.

Yeah, this is all very questionable.

14. The US Army has an IMMEDIATE problem with Superman.

When Supes starts destroying sides of town, the US government send the army after him in about 4 panels. He threatens the US soldiers, then jumps and destroys some US warplanes sent to greet him.

15. Clark gets himself sent to a prison that’s torturing it’s prisoners.

Look at this sass!

I don’t know, I just love this line. Clark is thinking about some deep reporting, early on.