Superman #17 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1942. It was published on May 5, 1942.
Synopsis for "Man or Superman?"
Lois begins to entertain her long-term suspicion that Clark Kent is Superman. She tests her theory by putting both herself and Clark in danger, from the saboteur known as the Talon. By using his super-speed Superman is able to make it appear to Lois as if he and Clark are in the same place at the same time.
Appearing in "Man or Superman?"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Talon (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Alexei Luthor (In a photograph only)
- Ultra-Humanite (In a photograph only)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- subway trains
Synopsis for "The Human Bomb"
A series of strange robberies take place around Metropolis by men wearing bomb vests, who unhesitatingly blow themselves up if their demands are not met. Superman discovers it's the work of a hypnotist, kidnapping innocent civilians and brainwashing them to become "human bombs" that commit his robberies. When he tries to turn Lois into one of his bombs, Superman is forced to commit a train robbery to save her. He returns with the entire train to the hypnotist's base. However, it was a trick, as government guards step off the train ready to make arrests! Enraged, the hypnotist attacks Superman, who counters with one knockout punch, which frees all the human bombs from the mind control.
Appearing in "The Human Bomb"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Watkins, a hypnotist
- The Human Bombs
Locations:
Synopsis for "Muscles for Sale"
Appearing in "Muscles for Sale"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Jake Massey, hypnotist
- Mike Mosby, gym owner
Other Characters:
- Mister Brandt
- Nat Folsom
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Superman's Secret Sanctuary (First appearance)
Synopsis for "When Titans Clash"
In early February 1942, Luthor is sentenced to death in the electric chair, but the criminal genius has prepared for this event, and instead of killing him, the electrical energy restores Luthor's artificial superpowers. Laughing maniacally, he smashes his way out of the prison, eludes Superman, gathers his henchmen, and robs the Elkhart Express on the outskirts of Metropolis. Superman shows up; he and Luthor duke it out inconclusively; Luthor escapes.
The next day, Luthor in a fake beard, posing as Carlyle Allerton, prominent authority on ancient stones and their mystic powers, easily dupes Superman into handing over the Powerstone. This immediately saps most of Superman's power, into Luthor, who now can also grow to giant size. So can his clothes. Superman remains invulnerable enough to survive being smacked with a steel bridge but has trouble crawling out from under it.
Next day, Lois & Clark blunder into Luthor's gang's hideout, an abandoned factory; Kent is tossed into a pit, gets lucky, climbs out, changes clothes, bluffs his way past Luthor's gang, frees Lois, and confronts Luthor, whom he dupes into dropping the Powerstone. Superman quickly grabs the stone, frees Lois, frees Luthor's hostages, and rescues Luthor's gang, as Luthor cravenly blows up the factory to cover his own escape.
Appearing in "When Titans Clash"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- Published by Superman, Inc.
- This entire issue is reprinted in The Superman Archives Vol. 5.
- This issue's first story, "Man or Superman?", is the only 1940s story in which Lois tries to prove Clark is Superman, a plot device that will become quite common in the Silver Age.
- "Man or Superman?" is reprinted in Superman: From the 30's to the 70's, in Superman: From the 30's to the 80's, and in Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- This issue's third story, "Muscles for Sale", is the first appearance of the first version of Superman's Secret Sanctuary, which is located "in the mountains" but not far from Metropolis. Later it would be relocated to the Arctic Circle.
- This issue's fourth story, "When Titans Clash", takes place in early February 1942, during the time of the events of All-Star Squadron #20. In that version of this story, Luthor is retroactively portrayed with red hair rather than bald.
- Superman's prior appearance is in Action Comics #50. Luthor's prior appearance is in Action Comics #47 and his next appearance is in Superman #18. This is his tenth big and evil scheme, and at the end of this episode, he is still at large.
- Superman encounters the Ultra-Humanite, who steals the Powerstone, immediately after this story, as told in All-Star Squadron #21, and that story begins on Feb 9th, so all of this story has to be over before then.
- The first Luthor/Powerstone/Superman battle, in Action Comics #47 (April 1942), has to have happened some weeks before this story, in order for Luthor to get all the way thru the Earth-Two American justice system to the electric chair. It therefore seems as if Action Comics #47 took place in 1941-(late December) at the latest.
- "When Titans Clash" is reprinted in Superman #252 and Lex Luthor: A Celebration of 75 Years.