Publishers / DC / Action Comics (1938) / #20
20January 1940
$0.10

Action Comics #20

DC · January 1940 · on sale 1939-11-24

First appearance: Dolores Winters
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How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Action Comics (DC, 1938 series)
Issue
#20
Publication date
January 1940
Key date
1940-01-00
On-sale date
1939-11-24
Indicia publisher
Detective Comics Inc.
Price
$0.10
Pages
68

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Dolores Winters - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0-cover1pencils: Joe Shuster; inks: Joe ShusterClark Kent, Superman
2Superman and the Screen Sirencomic story12.88script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Joe Shuster; inks: Joe ShusterClark Kent, Superman, George Taylor, The Ultra-Humanite, Dolores Winters First
3Adventure Comics; Detective Comics; The Sandman; The Batmanpromo (ad from the publisher)0.12letters: typeset
4-cartoon1pencils: Sheldon Moldoff; inks: Sheldon MoldoffEddie Polo
5Smart Guycomic story0.67pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Bob Kane
7At the Air Showcomic story6script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Gene Baxter; inks: Gene BaxterPep Morgan
8Murder in Rattlesnake Canyoncomic story4pencils: H. Fleming; inks: H. FlemingChuck Dawson
9The Ivory Safari, Part 2comic story6script: Bill Finger; pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Bob KaneClip Carson
10Here It Is!! The Greatest Contest in Comic Book Historyin-house column2letters: typeset
11The Zombies [Part 2]comic story10script: Ken Fitch; pencils: Bernard Baily; inks: Bernard Baily; letters: Bernard BailyBob Daley, Gargantua T. Potts, Tex Thomson
12Five Star Traptext story1script: Frank ThomasJohn ny Downs; Doc Brown
13-statement of ownership0.33letters: typeset
16Aerial Surveycomic story6pencils: Christopher; inks: ChristopherFog Fortune, Gunner Bill, Whistler Will
17Algeria Commemorates Fair; Russian Set; Battle Commemorated; Girl Scouts' Issuetext article0.33letters: typeset
19-cartoon0.5script: George Papp; pencils: George Papp; inks: George Papp
21The Moon Mencomic story11script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Fred Guardineer; inks: Fred GuardineerZatara
22He's Back with Us Again!! Supermanpromo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Joe Shuster; inks: Joe ShusterSuperman

Plus 4.17 pages of advertisements and other matter across 7 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Superman: The Action Comics Archives #1
ISBN 1-56389-335-5		1998On eBay ›
The Superman Chronicles #2
ISBN 978-1-4012-1215-5		2007On eBay ›
Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-4012-4189-6		2013On eBay ›
Superman in Action Comics #1
ISBN 1-55859-595-3		1993On eBay ›
Superman: The Golden Age #2
ISBN 978-1-4012-6530-4		2017On eBay ›
DC Finest: Superman: The First Superhero #[nn]
ISBN 978-1-77952-833-9		2025On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
  • Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
  • Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

‹ #1920 of 866#21 ›

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com