Superman #17
Superman #17 (cover-dated July–August 1942, on sale May 5, 1942) is one of the most content-dense Golden Age issues DC ever published, packing in three distinct narrative firsts alongside a cover that became one of the defining propaganda images of the Second World War. The story 'Muscles for Sale' introduces Superman's 'Secret Citadel,' a mountain retreat carved into a peak outside Metropolis — a concept that would evolve, issue by issue, into the Fortress of Solitude, one of the most enduring locations in superhero mythology. The lead story 'Man or Superman?' stands alone as the only tale of the entire 1940s in which Lois Lane actively tries to prove that Clark Kent is Superman, cementing a dramatic tension that would fuel the franchise for decades. Fred Ray's cover — Superman straddling the globe and hoisting both Hitler and Hirohito by the scruffs of their necks — became one of the most reproduced and anthologized wartime comic images, a capsule of how superhero comics consciously positioned themselves as instruments of home-front morale.
In "Man or Superman?", Lex Luthor's escape from execution fuels a new scheme that pushes even Superman to his limits—though the Man of Steel remains unmatched in strength, Luthor's cunning may finally find a way to outwit him. Written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by John Sikela, this 1942 classic sees the villain exploit a clever ruse to target Superman's greatest asset, all rendered with the bold style of Fred Ray’s striking cover.
In "Man or Superman?", Lois Lane begins to suspect that Clark Kent is really Superman, forcing the Man of Steel to use all his cunning and strength to convince her otherwise—before her suspicions lead to danger. With the help of Perry White and the ever-watchful eyes of villains like The Talon, Luthor, and the Ultra-Humanite, Clark must keep his secret while navigating a web of deception and mystery.
In a 1942 tale of suspense and heroism, Superman faces a chilling threat when a mysterious villain, Watkins, manipulates innocent civilians into becoming unwitting agents of chaos—each armed with a deadly bomb apparatus and under hypnotic control. With Lois Lane and Perry White at the Daily Planet, and Sgt. Casey caught in the crossfire, Superman must unravel the mind control before the city descends into terror.
When Lex Luthor survives execution and emerges stronger than ever, he sets his sights on Superman—not with brute force, but with a cunning scheme to trick the Man of Steel into surrendering the Powerstone. As tensions rise between Superman, Lois Lane, and Perry White, Luthor’s latest plan threatens to turn the tide in a battle of wits that could change everything.
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The issue was edited by Whitney Ellsworth, with Murray Boltinoff and Mort Weisinger serving as uncredited assistant editors — a notable editorial bench that would collectively shape the Superman mythos for years to come. By mid-1942 the Shuster studio was operating as a team effort: Jerry Siegel scripted all four Superman stories, while penciling duties were split among Joe Shuster, John Sikela, and Leo Nowak, all of whom signed work under the 'Joe Shuster' house credit. The cover was penciled and inked by Fred Ray, who had been producing patriotic Superman covers since issue #12 and who verified the credits personally. The issue was published under the 'Superman Inc.' indicia, with its on-sale date confirmed both by copyright registration and a house ad in Action Comics #49.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published by DC (Superman Inc.) with a cover date of July–August 1942; placed on sale May 5, 1942 (confirmed by copyright registration and a contemporary house ad in Action Comics #49).
- Cover art by Fred Ray depicts Superman holding Adolf Hitler and Japanese Emperor Hirohito by the scruffs of their necks while straddling the globe — widely considered among the most famous wartime propaganda covers in American comics history.
- Contains the first appearance of Superman's 'Secret Citadel' (also called his 'mountain retreat'), a trophy-filled gymnasium hideaway carved into a mountain outside Metropolis — the direct conceptual ancestor of the Fortress of Solitude, which would not receive that name until Superman #58 (1949) and would not take its canonical Arctic form until Action Comics #241 (1958).
- The lead story, 'Man or Superman?' (script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Joe Shuster; inks: John Sikela), is the only story of the entire 1940s in which Lois Lane actively tests the theory that Clark Kent is Superman; Superman foils her using his super-speed to appear to be in two places at once.
- Introduces two new villains: The Talon (Albert Caldwell) in 'Man or Superman?' and Watkins, the hypnotist behind the 'Human Bombs' scheme.
- The story 'When Titans Clash' (script: Siegel; art: Sikela) continues the Powerstone arc from Action Comics #47, depicting Lex Luthor surviving a death sentence in the electric chair — the electrical charge restoring rather than ending his artificial super-powers.
- The 68-page issue was scripted entirely by Jerry Siegel; art was contributed by Joe Shuster, John Sikela (penciling two stories under the house 'Shuster' credit), and Leo Nowak.
- The issue has been reprinted at least ten times, in collections including Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown, 1971), The Superman Archives Vol. 5 (DC, 2000), Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 3 (DC, 2016–17), Superman: The War Years 1938–1945 (Chartwell Books, 2015), and Take That, Adolf!: The Fighting Comic Books of the Second World War (Fantagraphics, 2017).
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Superman #187 (1966), Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies #[nn] (1971), Superman #252 (1972), Giant Lois Lane Album #14 (1976), Superman from the Thirties to the Eighties #[nn] (1983), The Superman Archives #5 (2000), The Superman Chronicles #9 (2011), Superman: The Secrets of the Fortress of Solitude #[nn] (2012), Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years #[nn] (2014), Superman: The War Years 1938-1945 #[nn] (2015), Lex Luthor: A Celebration of 75 Years #[nn] (2016), Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus #3 (2017), Take That, Adolf!: The Fighting Comic Books of the Second World War #[nn] (2017), Superman Anthologie #[nn] (2018), Superman: The Golden Age #5 (2020)
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