Publishers / DC / Adventure Comics (1938) / #48
48March 1940
$0.10

Adventure Comics #48

DC · March 1940 · on sale 1940-02-02

First appearance: HourmanFirst appearance: Rex TylerOrigin: Hourman
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
Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series)
Issue
#48
Publication date
March 1940
Key date
1940-03-00
On-sale date
1940-02-02
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 Hourman - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Rex Tyler - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

Origin story on record for: Hourman, Rex Tyler.

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
0The Hour-Man!cover1pencils: Bernard Baily; inks: Bernard BailyWesley Dodds, Hourman First, The Sandman, Rex Tyler First
2Presenting Tick-Tock Tyler, the Hour-Mancomic story6script: Ken Fitch; pencils: Bernard Baily; inks: Bernard Baily; letters: Bernard BailyHourman First, Rex Tyler First
3-cartoon1script: George Papp; pencils: George Papp; inks: George Papp; letters: George Papp
4The Mind-Slave of Fang Gowcomic story6script: Ed Winiarski; pencils: Win; inks: WinBarry O'Neill; Inspector LeGrand; Jean LeGrand; Fang Gow (villain)
5-comic story2script: Fred Schwab; pencils: Fred Schwab; inks: Fred Schwab; letters: Fred SchwabButch
6-comic story4script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Chad-; inks: Chad-; letters: Chad GrothkopfSteve Carson, The Chief
7-in-house column1script: ? (in character as Steve Carson); letters: typeset
8[Famous Americans]; Canal Zone Issuetext article0.5letters: typeset
10Death to the D.A.comic story10script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Ogden Whitney; inks: Ogden WhitneyDian Belmont, Wesley Dodds, The Sandman
11Dead Man's Chesttext story1script: Clem Gordon
15Hassle in Hollywood, Part 2comic story6script: Al Sulman; pencils: Koppy; inks: KoppySocko Strong; Monte Swift (villain)
16-comic story2script: P. Gustavson; pencils: P. Gustavson; inks: P. Gustavson; letters: P. GustavsonThe Diddle Family
17Singapore Salcomic story6script: Jack Lehti; pencils: Jack Lehti; inks: Jack LehtiSteve Conrad; Singapore Sal (villain, introduction); Slick (villain, introduction); Colonel Bradford (villain, introduction)
18Mansion of Murder, Part 3comic story4script: Bill Finger; pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Bob KaneRusty; Tino (villain); Zoroff (villain, introduction); Karl (villain, introduction)
19The Dope Smuggler's Doublecomic story6script: Tumey; pencils: Tumey; inks: TumeyJoe Madson (villain, introduction); Lester G. Fester (villain, introduction, death)
20The Earth Passagecomic story6script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Ogden Whitney; inks: Ogden WhitneyCooton Carver; Deela (guest-star); First Ones (villains)
21Six Big Headline Features for the 'Big Six' Comic Magazines!promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typeset

Plus 4.5 pages of advertisements and other matter across 7 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Justice League of America #961972On eBay ›
Golden Age Sandman Archives #1
ISBN 1-4012-0155-5
2004On eBay ›
The JSA All Stars Archives #1
ISBN 978-1-4012-1472-2; 1-4012-1472-X
2007On 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

Sources

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