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The Adventures of Superman
Originally published in 1942, The Adventures of Superman was the first full-length novel about the world's first and most endearing comic book super-hero. This facsimile is an exact reproduction of the original with the addition of a new introduction by bestselling Superman comic-book writer and novelist Roger Stern. Illustrations throughout, including 4 full-color plates.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1942
About the author
George Lowther
7 books1 followerGeorge Lowther began in radio at the tender age of 13. He would go on to write episodes for Superman, Dick Tracy, and Terry and the Pirates.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 28, 2016
I’m sure most of you know or have at least heard stories related to the Man of Steel. My first experience was with Christopher Reeves, in all the Superman movies of the late seventies until the late eighties. These were my foundation in my teenage years, as I was eight when the last movie was made. In those movies, Clark Kent was a bumbling fool working for the Daily Planet. When times needed Superman, Kent was always able to slip away and don the red cape. Superman, in this medium, was forceful but respectful of all life. His actions never seemed to outweigh his feelings.
This was not always the case.
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN by George Lowther gives a unique look at a different Superman. I think a perfect summation of the novel is given by Roger Stern in the introduction: “[This] fast paced story not only tells the origin of Superman, but spins a yarn full of haunted shipyards, secret agents, and Nazi saboteurs. In dealing with the latter, Lowther quite pulpishly reflects the paranoia then prevalent in a United States that had just become an active player in the Second World War.”
The story opens with Jor-el and Lara debating about Jor-el’s vision of impending doom for Krypton. When the council ignores Jor-el’s warnings, he places his son, Kal-el into a rocket that will ultimately save his life, and which propels him toward earth. Fast forward time and we now see a young Clark Kent competing in an anvil throwing contest to win some extra money. Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet, just happens to see this amazing feat, and tells the young Clark Kent that if he is ever interested in a job in journalism to look White up in the future. Clark does just that. White sends him to investigate a strange ghost ship that is haunting a naval shipyard.
I have to admit when the plot started getting underway it felt like a really early version of Scooby-Doo. The mystery was flimsy, disjointed. But this was written in 1942, and geared toward a market of young readers. Then the action started. Clark Kent/Superman begins to unravel a hideous Nazi plot to sink troop carriers, a pivotal point of paranoia in the US since Pearl Harbor was still fresh on the minds of many Americans.
But what interested me most was how Superman deals with the Nazi subs. The first one he destroys, he sinks by tearing holes in the steel. All the men onboard have now been given a watery grave. This was a stark contrast to the Superman I knew. And as the agenda of Nazi saboteurs is further thwarted, Superman actually punches a man so hard that it kills the man. When one of the men refuses to talk, Superman uses a form of torture. Sinking a sub? Punching and killing a man? Torture?
Superman as I knew him to be was merely a figment in this story. The times called for a hero to vanquish the Nazi’s and George Lowther provided this hero in Superman.
One last thought: How would we (society) act if a current version of this story was updated to show Superman hunting and killing Osama bin Laden and other terrorists? Man, how times have changed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This was not always the case.
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN by George Lowther gives a unique look at a different Superman. I think a perfect summation of the novel is given by Roger Stern in the introduction: “[This] fast paced story not only tells the origin of Superman, but spins a yarn full of haunted shipyards, secret agents, and Nazi saboteurs. In dealing with the latter, Lowther quite pulpishly reflects the paranoia then prevalent in a United States that had just become an active player in the Second World War.”
The story opens with Jor-el and Lara debating about Jor-el’s vision of impending doom for Krypton. When the council ignores Jor-el’s warnings, he places his son, Kal-el into a rocket that will ultimately save his life, and which propels him toward earth. Fast forward time and we now see a young Clark Kent competing in an anvil throwing contest to win some extra money. Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet, just happens to see this amazing feat, and tells the young Clark Kent that if he is ever interested in a job in journalism to look White up in the future. Clark does just that. White sends him to investigate a strange ghost ship that is haunting a naval shipyard.
I have to admit when the plot started getting underway it felt like a really early version of Scooby-Doo. The mystery was flimsy, disjointed. But this was written in 1942, and geared toward a market of young readers. Then the action started. Clark Kent/Superman begins to unravel a hideous Nazi plot to sink troop carriers, a pivotal point of paranoia in the US since Pearl Harbor was still fresh on the minds of many Americans.
But what interested me most was how Superman deals with the Nazi subs. The first one he destroys, he sinks by tearing holes in the steel. All the men onboard have now been given a watery grave. This was a stark contrast to the Superman I knew. And as the agenda of Nazi saboteurs is further thwarted, Superman actually punches a man so hard that it kills the man. When one of the men refuses to talk, Superman uses a form of torture. Sinking a sub? Punching and killing a man? Torture?
Superman as I knew him to be was merely a figment in this story. The times called for a hero to vanquish the Nazi’s and George Lowther provided this hero in Superman.
One last thought: How would we (society) act if a current version of this story was updated to show Superman hunting and killing Osama bin Laden and other terrorists? Man, how times have changed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
June 20, 2020
This was the first Superman novel every written from way back in 1942. I love this era of Superman and the novel is so fun to read and really holds up pretty well. It’s a great story about Clark Kent’s origin when his parents were still named Sarah and Eben (sorry BvS fans, not Martha). Some of the best parts of the book are Clark Kent as a boy and the anvil lifting contest at the county fair. It later tells the story of Clark Kent’s first assignment when Perry White gives him a temporary position to see how he works out. If he does well on this assignment then he might have a future at the daily planet. Lois Lane is a supporting character but doesn’t appear a lot. There are plenty of great Superman appearances and even in these early days, the storytelling is great fun. WWIIi is looming in the atmosphere as the story deals much with enemies and submarines, even though America would enter for three more years. It’s a must for any Superman fan and I loved it.
March 5, 2014
In most respects a pretty typical 1940s book "for older children" (they didn't call them "young adult" books back then), featuring a character who is of course extremely familiar. There is definitely, though, a certain power inherent in the fact that Superman was still a very young property at the time, less then five years after his first appearance.
This book was part of a swarm of Superman appearances, including not just comic books but a radio serial, a newspaper comic strip, a series of theatrical cartoons and many different kinds of merchandise. Kids were looking for Superman everywhere, and they were seeing him everywhere.
There is no supervillain in this story, but Superman is still a superhero, facing super-sized problems like industrial accidents and corruption.
I recommend this book for anyone who lived through those days (of whom there can't be many left), anyone who has a special fondness for Superman, or anyone who would like to have a beneficial influence on a middle-school-aged child.
This book was part of a swarm of Superman appearances, including not just comic books but a radio serial, a newspaper comic strip, a series of theatrical cartoons and many different kinds of merchandise. Kids were looking for Superman everywhere, and they were seeing him everywhere.
There is no supervillain in this story, but Superman is still a superhero, facing super-sized problems like industrial accidents and corruption.
I recommend this book for anyone who lived through those days (of whom there can't be many left), anyone who has a special fondness for Superman, or anyone who would like to have a beneficial influence on a middle-school-aged child.
October 6, 2018
I picked this book up on a whim from my library and I'm really glad that I did. It's a simply written story but one that puts some narrative emphasis on the two struggles of Superman, the first being to understand and properly use his powers and the second the sacrifice of being Clark Kent and taking scorn despite being the real hero.
The story itself was fun. I personally found it more interesting than today's superhero plots with purple aliens trying to find all the right rocks. I really wish this book was the first of a series but, alas it is not.
The story itself was fun. I personally found it more interesting than today's superhero plots with purple aliens trying to find all the right rocks. I really wish this book was the first of a series but, alas it is not.
March 14, 2017
Definitely written for young boys in the forties, but still endearing all the same.
June 27, 2012
Other than "read" it would be hard to come up with another shelf to place this on.
I think most comic book fans will enjoy this. It's the first novel written based on a comic book character. While many of the details in the book (as for example the first names of the Kents) are not those found in present canon the basic story is the familiar one.
So, while the book is a bit dated (Superman facing spies and so on) and a bit young I think comics fans will find it fun.
I think most comic book fans will enjoy this. It's the first novel written based on a comic book character. While many of the details in the book (as for example the first names of the Kents) are not those found in present canon the basic story is the familiar one.
So, while the book is a bit dated (Superman facing spies and so on) and a bit young I think comics fans will find it fun.
August 5, 2009
A fun, easy read. Superman is so great; a classic. This is the first Superman novel, and as such Superman is somewhat different than he is portrayed in the modern movie. He kills Nazis in this story; now he doesn't kill anyone. Personally, I kind of like a Superman who takes out the enemy altogether.
February 22, 2023
Se trata de la primera novela sobre Superman —publicada en 1942— y también la primera adaptación a novela de cualquier otro superhéroe de comic. Mucho de lo que se leerá en esta novela, aún no aparecía en las historietas del personaje, y a partir de aquí, se convertiría en parte de la historia.
La novela narra los inicios de Superman, desde la terrible destrucción del planeta Kryptón, pasando por la infancia del héroe con su familia en Kansas, la muerte de su padre (que aún no se llamaba Jonathan, sino Eber); su búsqueda de trabajo en Metrópolis y su primera misión como reportero del Diario "El Planeta" y su primer encuentro con Luisa Lane.
Clark Kent es enviado a averiguar que hay detrás de las extrañas apariciones de un buque fantasma en unos astilleros lejos de Metrópolis, donde se construyen y se arman barcos para la guerra en Europa. Todo parece ser solo rumores, pero cuando Clark Kent se enfrenta a la existencia del barco fantasma y la aparición de sus cadavéricos tripulantes, es cuando Superman comenzará a tomar cartas en el asunto, porque el misterio va más allá de todo ello.
Con todo el sabor de los primeros comics de Superman y a pesar de su final muy a la "Scooby Doo", la novela de Lowther es muy disfrutable y vale la pena leerla.
El libro incluye ilustraciones de Joe Shuster (uno de los creadores de Superman) hechas en especial para esta novela así como cuatro ilustraciones más a todo color.
La novela narra los inicios de Superman, desde la terrible destrucción del planeta Kryptón, pasando por la infancia del héroe con su familia en Kansas, la muerte de su padre (que aún no se llamaba Jonathan, sino Eber); su búsqueda de trabajo en Metrópolis y su primera misión como reportero del Diario "El Planeta" y su primer encuentro con Luisa Lane.
Clark Kent es enviado a averiguar que hay detrás de las extrañas apariciones de un buque fantasma en unos astilleros lejos de Metrópolis, donde se construyen y se arman barcos para la guerra en Europa. Todo parece ser solo rumores, pero cuando Clark Kent se enfrenta a la existencia del barco fantasma y la aparición de sus cadavéricos tripulantes, es cuando Superman comenzará a tomar cartas en el asunto, porque el misterio va más allá de todo ello.
Con todo el sabor de los primeros comics de Superman y a pesar de su final muy a la "Scooby Doo", la novela de Lowther es muy disfrutable y vale la pena leerla.
El libro incluye ilustraciones de Joe Shuster (uno de los creadores de Superman) hechas en especial para esta novela así como cuatro ilustraciones más a todo color.
November 11, 2023
It started off positively and engaging, giving the back story and brief coming of age with Superman and his "parents" (after he arrived from Krypton). Then it fast forwarded to him working for the Daily Planet but got stuck with the Skeleton Ship story. While there were interesting twists that (mostly) paid off with the story there needed to have been heavy editing with the plot which could have made room for other harrowing adventures. That's what I was expecting and looking forward to anyway so unfortunately it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Could have been a 4.5 star book but ended up being 3.25
Could have been a 4.5 star book but ended up being 3.25
December 12, 2022
I've always loved superman, ever since I watched Smallville growing up, so this was a really nice insight on the beginning of superman's story. it has a lot of really interesting history in the beginning, and the actual storyline itself is really fun
July 21, 2023
Amazing how little has changed since this 1942 novel. This seems to be template used for 50s TV series & 80s movies.
The only surprise is a supernatural ghost element towards end. Modern Superman fan might not like it, but it really felt like episode of 50s show.
The only surprise is a supernatural ghost element towards end. Modern Superman fan might not like it, but it really felt like episode of 50s show.
March 27, 2017
Palatable Pablum because it's historic pop-culture and All-American fun.
August 29, 2016
This first ever Superman novel was extremely enjoyable. It was written by George Lowther in 1942, just four years after the first public appearance of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's iconic character made his first appearance in the comics. There was quite a difference between the Man of Steel then and now. His birth parents in this book were named Jor-el and Lara. Prior to this they were known as Jor-L and Lora. Lara remains Lara today, but Jor-el has become Jor-El. His adopted parents underwent an even more extreme name change. In this book, as in the latter 1950s TV show, they were known as Eben and Sarah Kent. The name "Clark" was chosen for the lad because it was Sarah's maiden name. Today we know them as Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Superman seemed to have a kind of "spider-sense" in this novel, as he was always getting premonitions of danger he couldn't explain.
Perhaps the biggest shocker in this book was the body count. For a man who in later years was known for his aversion to killing under any circumstances, he sure racked up enough notches in his cape in this one. Not only did he blow up and sink several enemy submarines, but he quite deliberately hit one fellow with all his strength, knowing beforehand it would instantly kill him.
It was a different time, and a different Superman, but a very enjoyable tale.
Superman seemed to have a kind of "spider-sense" in this novel, as he was always getting premonitions of danger he couldn't explain.
Perhaps the biggest shocker in this book was the body count. For a man who in later years was known for his aversion to killing under any circumstances, he sure racked up enough notches in his cape in this one. Not only did he blow up and sink several enemy submarines, but he quite deliberately hit one fellow with all his strength, knowing beforehand it would instantly kill him.
It was a different time, and a different Superman, but a very enjoyable tale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2013
The first super hero novel is more interesting than it is good. Though anybody can be forgiven for thinking this 1942 book is based on the comic books, it is written by one of the writers of the Superman radio series (1940 - 51) and follows that version of the Man of Steel.
It is not a great novel by any means, but it is not at all bad and it is interesting see how the radio Superman was translated into a different medium by someone invested in the success of the series.
It is difficult to read this book with the uncluttered minds of people in 1942. Superman had only been launched in 1938, so he was five years old (you need to count 1940; do it on your fingers; we'll wait) and was just three years into his very popular radio incarnation. Superman was new, new, new, and this book would be like a novelization of a TV series such as BOARDWALK EMPIRE or THE WALKING DEAD in its newness. If you read it, try to read it with that in mind. Realize that people were still discovering Superman and this book was part of that discovery. This is a very different Superman than the cultural icon of today.
It is not a great novel by any means, but it is not at all bad and it is interesting see how the radio Superman was translated into a different medium by someone invested in the success of the series.
It is difficult to read this book with the uncluttered minds of people in 1942. Superman had only been launched in 1938, so he was five years old (you need to count 1940; do it on your fingers; we'll wait) and was just three years into his very popular radio incarnation. Superman was new, new, new, and this book would be like a novelization of a TV series such as BOARDWALK EMPIRE or THE WALKING DEAD in its newness. If you read it, try to read it with that in mind. Realize that people were still discovering Superman and this book was part of that discovery. This is a very different Superman than the cultural icon of today.
July 24, 2015
Today's afternoon read was this facsimile edition of George Lowther's The Adventures of Superman. It's a YA book from 1942, with original illustrations (four in color) by Superman co-creator Joe Shuster. The reading level's a couple of steps above, say, Tom Swift, and the story moves pretty fast - Superman comes to Earth and tries to set himself up in a position where he can help people. Perry White of the Daily Planet sends him out to cover a story on a haunted ship disrupting wartime production efforts in an industrial town. Naturally, Lois Lane gets in on the escapade.
The story was very well written by Lowther, who would later go on to script the Superman radio show. The Man of Steel's pretty unstoppable, so the mystery behind the skeleton ship is the real crux of the tale, and it's not a bad little mystery, either. There's a couple of rather dated holes in the logic of the mystery, but considering this was the very first prose novel of ANY comic book character, I'm willing to overlook it.
This one is a fun trip back to yesteryear. Recommended!
The story was very well written by Lowther, who would later go on to script the Superman radio show. The Man of Steel's pretty unstoppable, so the mystery behind the skeleton ship is the real crux of the tale, and it's not a bad little mystery, either. There's a couple of rather dated holes in the logic of the mystery, but considering this was the very first prose novel of ANY comic book character, I'm willing to overlook it.
This one is a fun trip back to yesteryear. Recommended!
June 18, 2012
I was really lucky to come across this book at the bookstore. I had never even heard of it. If you are a fan of Superman this book is for you. You won't recognize the Superman of the comics today or even the Chris Reeve Superman, but if you want a great piece of Superman history this is for you.
I used to watch George Reeves re-runs when I was a kid and this story took me right back to that series. It was very easy to picture Superman and Lois from the TV series as I was reading. It was also interesting to see the treatment of Ma and Pa Kent (I never knew they had other first names than Martha and Jonathan).
I'm re-reading this out loud to my 3 year old son now and he is loving it.
If you like Superman you have to pick this up!
I used to watch George Reeves re-runs when I was a kid and this story took me right back to that series. It was very easy to picture Superman and Lois from the TV series as I was reading. It was also interesting to see the treatment of Ma and Pa Kent (I never knew they had other first names than Martha and Jonathan).
I'm re-reading this out loud to my 3 year old son now and he is loving it.
If you like Superman you have to pick this up!
April 1, 2019
The story is more of a 3 star, but it gets that extra bump for the importance it plays in the development of Superman. The story deals primarily with Clark trying to get a story for Perry White so that he can get a full-time job at the Daily Planet. It's a good blend of action and mystery and does a good job of expanding what then was a pretty narrow mythology. Definitely worth the read.
We discuss favorite Superman stories in a special episode of the All the Books Show Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/ep...
We discuss favorite Superman stories in a special episode of the All the Books Show Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/ep...
April 13, 2013
Finding this book was finding a treasure for this classic Superman fan! It shared many similarities with the original Adventures Of Superman pilot starring George Reeves.
If you are a fan of Truth, Justice, and the American way, procure this book. It belongs in your collection.
If you are a fan of Truth, Justice, and the American way, procure this book. It belongs in your collection.
March 22, 2024
I greatly enjoyed this story, one of the better Superman origin stories out there. It's a shame that this book is so hard to come by as I feel like it deserves to be read and appreciated by more people.
Also the cover art is fantastic!
Also the cover art is fantastic!
July 21, 2009
i loooove superman! Always. the whole book was kind of like an introduction to how superman became who he was. it was the beginning.
June 28, 2013
liked the art better than the writing, though a child had crayoned all over it. the original was a red hardcover.
October 13, 2016
A light, fun read if you're a big Superman fan or a ten-year-old boy.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews