Cover: Curt Swan & Al Plastino

Action Comics #252

May 1959 · DC · 0.10 USD

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“The Menace of Metallo!”

★ 1st appearance — Supergirl★ 1st appearance — Kara Zor-El★ 1st appearance — John Corben★ 1st appearance — Metallo

Action Comics #252 (May 1959) is one of those covers that stops you cold: Superman hovers in stunned disbelief as a confident, cape-wearing young woman flies alongside him, fist raised, declaring she has all his powers — with a crashed rocket ship and billowing smoke setting the scene behind them. The cover boldly announces "The Supergirl from Krypton — Is She Friend or Foe?", while a second blurb teases a Superman vs. Metallo story inside, making this a genuinely packed ten-cent package. Penciled by Curt Swan and inked by Al Plastino, the cover has a warmth and dynamism that perfectly captures the excitement DC was clearly feeling about this new addition to Superman's world in 1959.

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writer Robert Bernstein · artist, inker Al Plastino · cover Curt Swan, Al Plastino

More listings for this title

VF $2.99 Newsstand $15 VF/NM $29.97 Signed $160 CGC 9.8 · Signed $255 FAIR $1049 CGC 1.5 $1235 CGC 1.5 $1250

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Full credits

writer Robert Bernstein

artist, inker Al Plastino

cover pencils Curt Swan

cover inks Al Plastino

Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers

▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers

Criminal John Corben, who is nearly killed in an auto accident, is given a robot body powered by uranium. When he is hit by bullets meant for Lois, she assumes he is really Superman. Recognizing a good idea, Corben impersonates Superman to collect more uranium. Running out of sources of uranium, Corben learns that he can also be powered by kryptonite. But he doesn't realize that the kryptonite he steals is fake, prop kryptonite and collapses.

Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).