Welcome to episode 20 of The Thrilling Adventures of Superman. The show’s mission is to explore the history and development of the Superman in his formative years by chronicling the Man of Steel’s Golden Age adventures in comics, radio and film.

The show returns in grand style as Michael is joined by Michael Kaiser of “Legends of the Batman” and “The Mighty Shield: A Captain America Podcast” for an epic look at not one, not two, but three sensational issues!

The adventures begin with ACTION COMICS #13 where Superman unravels the mystery of a taxi cab racket and finds something — or someone — far more sinister is behind it: The wheelchair-bound madman known as the Ultra-Humanite! They then move on to the historic SUPERMAN #1, which unveils never-before-told details about Superman’s origin, his first prose story, our hero’s very own fan club and more! They then wrap things up with ACTION COMICS #14, where Superman investigates a suspicious subway collapse and faces off against a strangely familiar foe with a thirst for world domination!

And be sure to check out Michael Kaiser’s other podcasts, The Mighty Shield: A Captain America Podcast, co-hosted with Jon M. Wilson, and Legends of the Batman, co-hosted with Michael Bradley, who you hear in each and every episode of this show! And a huge thanks once more to Mr. Kaiser for coming on the show.

QUOTABLE:
So we meet at last, eh? It was inevitable that we should clash!
–The Ultra-Humanite

The cover to ACTION COMICS #13 by Joe Shuster

Crushing the gun: A Superman staple

Smash those cars!

Superman vs. buzz saw

The cover to SUPERMAN #1 by Joe Shuster

The Kents

Superman warns against... vigilante justice? There be irony ahead.

The cover to ACTION COMICS #14 by Fred Guardineer

Whoopsedaisy

"Good for you 'Ultra'!"

Good question, chief!

Links mentioned in the episode:
– The cover to LEGENDS OF THE DC UNIVERSE #2 was painted by Glen Orbik in homage to the cover of ACTION COMICS #13. Though not mentioned in the episode, the cover was also paid homage to by Stuart Immonen in interior artwork to SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY #1. It was an image used on the cover a book given to Clark.
– Much of the material from SUPERMAN #1, covered this episode, was reprinted from ACTION COMICS #1-4. That material was covered in episodes one, two, three and four of the show, so is only touched on in this episode.

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