Action Comics

Action Comics is published by DC Comics. The current price per issue is $2.99.

Last Issue

 * Action Comics #840: 28 Jun 2006

Current Issue

 * Action Comics #841: 26 Jul 2006

Next Issue

 * Action Comics #842: 30 Aug 2006

Status
Monthly on-going.

Started in June 1938.

Superman also appears monthly in Superman and Superman/Batman. Action Comics frequently has storylines that carry over from and are continued in Superman.

Main Characters

 * Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent - The last survivor of the planet Krypton, Superman has many powers on Earth, including flight, super-strength, super-speed, x-ray vision, heat vision, and invulnerability. (aka "The Man of Steel,' 'The Man of Tomorrow') - Superman

Allies

 * Lois Lane - Star reporter for the Daily Planet. Married to Clark Kent. - Lois Lane
 * Jimmy Olsen - Photographer and cub reporter for the Daily Planet. Has a 'signal watch' that can be used to contact Superman. Sometimes called "Superman's Pal" - Jimmy Olsen
 * Superboy/Kon-El/Conner Kent - Clone created from the genetic material of both Superman & Lex Luthor. Has many of the same powers as Superman. Currently lives in Smallville with Jonathan & Martha Kent. - Superboy

Enemies

 * Lex Luthor - Founder and former CEO of Lexcorp, and former President of the United States. Disgraced and run out of office, he now works in the criminal underground as one of the key players in the revived Secret Society of Super-Villains. - Lex Luthor


 * Darkseid - Powerful evil ruler of the otherdimensional world of Apokolips. - Darkseid

Minor Characters

 * Perry White - Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet. - Perry White


 * Lana Lang - Clark Kent's high school sweetheart. Was briefly First Lady of the United States when her ex-husband, Pete Ross, became President after Lex Luthor's resignation. - Lana Lang


 * Krypto - A super-powered dog from a alternate/pocket universe Krypton. - Krypto


 * Martha (Clark) 'Ma' Kent - Superman's adoptive mother on Earth. - Martha Kent


 * Jonathan 'Pa' Kent - Superman's adoptive father on Earth. - Jonathan Kent


 * Jor-El - Superman's biological father from Krypton. Deceased. - Jor-El


 * Lara - Superman's biological mother from Krypton. Deceased. - Lara (Kryptonian)

Other Characters/Places/Things

 * Metropolis - Large city in the United States, and current city of residence of Superman. - Metropolis (comics)


 * Smallville - Kansas farming town where Clark Kent was raised on Earth. Current home to Martha & Jonathan Kent, and Superboy/Conner Kent. - Smallville


 * Krypton - Home planet of Superman/Kal-El. Was destroyed when its radioactive core went critical. - Krypton (Planet)


 * The Phantom Zone - Otherdimensional realm where criminals from Krypton were exiled. - Phantom Zone

Action Comics #840
This is the current issue, and therefore no story information will be posted about this issue. Please check your local comic shop for copies of this issue.

Action Comics #835
"A Contagion of Madness" - Young radio shock jock Leslie gets fired, gets electrical powers, and terrorizes Metropolis as Livewire until Superman stops her. Meanwhile, Lois Lane has to escape from being held captive by a stalker.

Action Comics #829
"Sacrifice" part 2 of 4. The Justice League confronts Superman about the blood (literally) on his hands. Superman explains that he battled the villainous Darkseid, attempting to kill the evil monarch when he killed Lois Lane, but this obviously didn't happen since Lois is still alive and well. The JLA tell Superman that the blood is not Darkseid's, but that of Batman, currently lying in intensive care. (continued in Adventures of Superman #642)

Action Comics #828
"Strange Attractors" part 2 of 2. Superman continues to battle Dr. Polaris and Repulse, who has taken physical form. Superman convinces Polaris to help him destroy Repulse, then Black Adam and Zoom (of the Secret Society of Super-Villains) show up to take Polaris away, while Superman & Black Adam save a bridge from collapsing. Meanwhile, Lois Lane publicly exposes the corruption of Congressman Shephard, who vows revenge.

Action Comics #827
"Strange Attractors" part 1 of 2. Superman defends an African tribe from the men of a militant warlord. Later, he battles Dr. Polaris, who is destroying Metropolis via a battle with Repulse, a fragment of Polaris's fragmented psyche.

Collections

 * Superman Chronicles, vol. 1 - Collects #1-13, plus New York World's Fair Comics #1 and Superman #1. - WorldCat - ISBN 1401207642


 * Showcase Presents: Superman, vol. 1 - Collects #241-257, plus Superman (first series) #122-133. "Featuring the birth of the Silver Age Superman mythos, including the first appearances of Supergirl, Brainiac, the Fortess of Solitude and more." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401207588


 * Showcase Presents: Superman, vol. 2 - Collects #258-275, plus Superman (first series) #134-145. "The Man of Steel faces off against a wide array of threats, from the impish Mr. Mxyzptlk to the deadly alien Brainiac to the utterly incomprehensible Bizarro." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401210414


 * Superman: The Wrath of Gog - Collects #814-819, plus the back-up stories from #812-813. "It's relentless action for the Man of Steel as he faces a horde of enemies from Darkseid to Weapons Master. Will he have enough strength in the end to face the villainous Gog?" - WorldCat - ISBN 1401204503


 * Superman: In the Name of Gog - Collects #820-825. "Gog has traveled from the future determined to keep his promise of killing Superman. But before that, the Man of Steel must face some of his deadliest enemies, including the Silver Banshee, Preus, and Doomsday!" - WorldCat - ISBN 140120757X


 * Superman: Strange Attractors - Collects #827, 828, 830-832. "This volume features Superman squaring off against an assortment of vile villains including Dr. Polaris, Dr. Psycho, Black Adam, Satanus and Livewire." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401209173 - (forthcoming, May 2006)


 * Superman: Up, Up and Away - Collects #837-840, plus Superman #650-653. "It is One Year Later...and no one has seen or heard from the Man of Steel. As Clark Kent concentrates on his career, the need for the Man of Steel has remained as strong as ever - especially now that Lex Luthor has returned to Metropolis, with his thirst for power fully intact." - WorldCat - ISBN 1401209548 - (forthcoming, September 2006)

Leftover Useful Information
This is the spot for any useful information that doesn't fit into the above categories.

Order Codes
These are the order codes and prices as provided by Diamond Distribution. Your local comic shop should be able to order these for you.


 * JAN05 0282	ACTION COMICS #825	$2.99
 * FEB05 0259	ACTION COMICS #826	$2.50
 * MAR05 0382	ACTION COMICS #827	$2.50
 * APR05 0320	ACTION COMICS #828	$2.50
 * MAY05 0214	ACTION COMICS #829	$2.50
 * JUN05 0347	ACTION COMICS #830	$2.50
 * JUL05 0211	ACTION COMICS #831	$2.50
 * AUG05 0196	ACTION COMICS #832	$2.50
 * SEP05 0220	ACTION COMICS #833	$2.50
 * OCT05 0230	ACTION COMICS #834	$2.50

Future Publication Dates
Dates subject to change at the whims of the publisher or distributor. Please see the Diamond Shipping Lists for current information.


 * Action Comics #842: 30 Aug 2006
 * Superman: Up, Up and Away! TP: 27 Sep 2006
 * Action Comics #843: 27 Sep 2006
 * Action Comics #844: 25 Oct 2006

Links

 * DC Comics - Publisher's Website
 * Action Comics - GCD entry
 * Action_Comics - Wikipedia entry
 * Superman - general Wikipedia entry for Superman