The 10 Most Memorable "Action Comics" Covers Ever

Image via Complex Original

In 1938, Superman made his first appearance in the debut issue of Action Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the Man of Steel was originally a crusader for social justice and his main adversaries were typically corrupt landlords and politicians.

Over the decades, the big blue boy scout has made the jump from a pulp hero fighting faceless corruption to a full fledged pop culture icon with a rogues gallery that stands out in the world of comics. Even though his powers and stories may have changed over the years, the one constant throughout Superman’s career has been his starring role in Action Comics. Even at over 70 years old, the book is one of DC’s most popular and important.

With the release of Action Comics #900 (above) this Wednesday, Superman is finally returning to the series after his archvillain, Lex Luthor, became the main character of the book last year. In celebration of the series' nice round number, we’re counting down our list of The 10 Most Memorable Action Comics Covers!

10. ACTION COMICS #844 (2006)

Adam Kubert’s debut as the new artist on Action Comics in 2006 represented a new creative vision for the character beginning with the Last Son story arc. And like any new beginning on a character, Superman had to be presented in a way that fans weren’t accustomed to.

Kubert’s moody depiction of Supes showed the Man of Steel in a more solemn and alien light, which was perfect for the tone of the story. And while dark and atmospheric usually don’t describe Superman, Kubert perfectly showed the versatility of the character in one single image.

9. ACTION COMICS #785 (2002)

Simple yet effective, this cover doesn’t hold back who the main baddie is in this issue. The hulking presence of Superman’s twisted mirror image, Bizarro, is perfectly exaggerated by comic vet Ed McGuinness and showcases the offbeat humor that is to be expected from the backwards talking rogue.

Sometimes the most effective cover is also the simplest. And if the character is popular enough, that’s really all you need to show. In a time when comic writers and artists seem to be competing with each other over how much grittiness they can fit on the page, this cartoonish cover is the perfect example of how much fun a comic can be.

8. ACTION COMICS #242 (1958)

The villainous Brainiac made his debut in this issue, complete with a plan for world domination and a pink and black unitard. Even though his outfit may leave disturbingly little to the imagination, Brainiac has gone on to become one of the most feared villains in the DC Universe and this cover gave readers their first glimpse at the emerald menace.

While pretty understated by today’s standards, this cover represents all that is good about the Silver Age of comics. Everything from the bright colors to naïve dialogue makes this cover the perfect time capsule for a simpler time in comics.

7. ACTION COMICS #58 (1943)

During America’s involvement in WWII, Superman became a propaganda mascot. Action Comics covers would routinely showcase the Man of Steel destroying Nazi tanks, grounding Japanese fighter planes, and chumming it up with FDR.

And while the phrase “Slap a Jap” may seem tasteless now, it’s a hugely important and memorable aspect of Superman’s history. This is a seminal cover during a time of both great global unrest and American unity.

Thankfully, comics have since smartened up about this sort of stuff and chances are you’ll never see Superman landing a haymaker on Muammar Gaddafi.

6. ACTION COMICS #485 (1978)

Neal Adams is one of the comic world's most important artists, and his portrayal of the strongest character in DC is nothing short of brilliant. While his work on Superman tends to get overshadowed by his work on Batman, his version of the Man of Steel has hardly been improved upon since its debut.

Adams’ intricate knowledge of human anatomy, as well as his ability to depict heroes as immensely powerful yet real, made this cover singularly iconic without letting readers have a clue as to what the issue was even about.

5. ACTION COMICS #775 (2001)

What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & The American Way? is one of the most memorable Superman stories of the past couple of decades and Tim Bradstreet's cover image, of a downtrodden and defeated Man of Steel perfectly fits the tone of the story.

Questioning Superman’s place in an increasingly violent world, this story was a critique on recent comics that seem to have gone out of their way to portray heroes as ultra-gritty and morose. But at the end of the issue it is shown that Superman’s brand of non-violent peace and justice still works even in today's world.

4. ACTION COMICS #662 (1991)

After years of looking like a complete fool, Lois Lane finally realizes that Clark Kent without his glasses on is Superman. This cover gave a great glimpse at the shocked face of Metropolis’ most inept investigative reporter when she finally puts two and two together.

And while most people with two functioning cerebral hemispheres would have figured it out decades ago, fans waited decades for Lois to finally cross the finish line. Worth the wait, we think.

3. ACTION COMICS #252 (1959)

This issue of Action Comics featured the debut of Supergirl and it has become one of the most parodied and popular Silver Age comic covers of all time. At the time, the idea of another character with Superman’s powers seemed unfathomable, but in the years since, Supergirl has become almost as popular as the Man of Steel himself.

As the years went on, Supergirl’s skirts got shorter, her bust line expanded, and she began to resemble a perverted fetish fantasy for sex-starved comic fans rather than the memorable character she was in her debut. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

2. ACTION COMICS #583 (1986)

Alan Moore’s milestone Superman story, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, concluded in this issue and featured a cover by iconic artist Curt Swan. This image of a remorseful Man of Steel leaving his friends symbolized the end of a more innocent time in comics.

Moore’s story gave closure to the more light-hearted Superman era of the Silver Age before the character was modernized by John Byrne after Crisis on Infinite Earths.

1. ACTION COMICS #1 (1938)

Superman’s debut issue is still the most iconic cover in comic book history. Sure, artists have improved greatly since the issue’s 1938 release, but this single image sparked a worldwide phenomenon. The first glimpse of the Man of Steel trashing some poor guy’s car sparked the world’s love affair with superheroes, which continues today.

While other comic artists have paid homage to this image and re-imagined it countless times, nothing beats Joe Shuster’s original. The simple cover tells a brilliant story all by itself and gives people an idea of Superman’s immense power. And that 10-cent cover price is a far cry from the $1 million price tag a copy of this issue fetches now.