Price: 0.10 USD
Pages: 12
On-sale Date: 1937-12-01
Editing: Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson ? (editor, publisher)
Cover Thumbnail for Action Comics [ashcan] (DC, 1937 series) #1 Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents)

cover / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
typeset
? (logo)
  • Genre:detective-mystery
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

The cover was originally intended for Detective Comics (1937) #2, but never used.

Issue Data

Series Data

  • Color: black and white cover; color interior
  • Dimensions: standard Golden Age U.S.
  • Paper Stock: white thick stock paper cover; newsprint interior
  • Binding: stapled; hand-trimmed
  • Publishing Format: ashcan
  • Publication Type: magazine

Indexer Notes

Ashcan edition. Printed up only to secure trademark of a title with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Per the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 492, July 1938 (July 19), on page 500, this title was submitted to Trademark Office on January 28, 1938. The logo printed in the Gazette was that on this ashcan edition, which is nearly the same as the one later used for Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #1 (dated June 1938, but on sale April 18, 1938). There are slight differences between the two, especially the use of color and the detail in the word 'Comics'.

Trademark serial number: 402,431. Merwil Publishing Co. Inc., New York, New York-listed as publisher per Trademark Office. The trademark submission identifies that Action Comics was intended for magazine publication. Submission claims the title was in use since December 1, 1937.

Updated contents from Leonardo de Sa.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 1)

blank page(s) / 1 page

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

[The Streets of Chinatown]
(Table of Contents: 2)

Slam Bradley / comic story / 4 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:detective-mystery
Characters:
Slam Bradley; Shorty Morgan; Rita Carlisle; Fui Onyui (villain)
Reprints (1)

The River Patrol
(Table of Contents: 3)

Speed Saunders / comic story / 4 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:detective-mystery
Characters:
Cyril "Speed" Saunders; Mr. Moran; Cap'n Scum (villain)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Previously credited to E.C. Stoner, based on information Jerry Bails received from Stoner's widow. Ken Quattro in his book Invisible Men, (IDW 2020) however cites earlier interviews with Stoner himself wherein he states that his first comics work was for the Chesler shop in 1939. Quattro credits this story to Creig Flessel, reversing his previous opinion from Alter Ego #118 (July 2013).

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 4)

blank page(s) / 2 pages

Indexer Notes

Inside back and back covers.

my.comics.org
Tracked in 3 collections.
Issue at www.comics.org
View Change History
Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. [no title indexed]
  2. [no title indexed]
  3. [The Streets of Chinatown]
    Slam Bradley
  4. The River Patrol
    Speed Saunders
  5. [no title indexed]
Related Links
Issue was modified by, among others
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • Bob Hughes
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Ramon Schenk
  • Jim Stangas
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore
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