Action Comics #309 for Sale - First Appearance of Captain Johnny Cloud - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Action Comics (DC, 1938 series)
Issue: #309
Publication date: February 1964
Key date: 1964-02-00
On-sale date: 1963-12-26
Indicia publisher: National Periodical Publications Inc.
Price: $0.12
Pages: 36
Rating: Approved by the Comics Code Authority

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

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Captain Johnny Cloud - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Kru-El - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Jer-Em - 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.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	The Superman Super-Spectacular!	cover	1	pencils: Curt Swan; inks: Sheldon Moldoff; letters: Ira Schnapp	Imra Ardeen, Jan Arrah, Batman, Chameleon Boy, Reep Daggle, Kara Zor-El, Element Lad, Dick Grayson, John F. Kennedy, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Lori Lemaris, Jimmy Olsen
2	The Superman Super-Spectacular!	comic story	14	script: Edmond Hamilton; pencils: Curt Swan; inks: George Klein; letters: Joe Letterese	Gim Allon, Imra Ardeen, Ti-Arra, Jan Arrah, Batman, Beppo, Biron, Bizarro, Bizarro Junior, Bouncing Boy, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Comet, Reep Daggle
5	-	comic story	0.63	script: Henry Boltinoff; pencils: Henry Boltinoff; inks: Henry Boltinoff; letters: Henry Boltinoff	Super-Turtle, Tur-Tel
6	-	statement of ownership	0.37	letters: typeset
7	Save Him -- or Kill Him!	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Joe Kubert; inks: Joe Kubert; letters: Ira Schnapp	Captain Johnny Cloud First, Sgt. Rock, Jeb Stuart
8	-	letters page	1	script: Mort Weisinger; pencils: Curt Swan; inks: Stan Kaye	Kara Zor-El, Clark Kent, Supergirl, Superman
9	The Untold Story of Argo City!	comic story	12	script: Leo Dorfman; pencils: Jim Mooney; inks: Jim Mooney; letters: Milt Snapinn	Alura, Biron, Comet, Edna Danvers, Fred Danvers, Jor-El, Kara Zor-El, Kru-El First, Zor-El, Jer-Em First, Clark Kent, Dick Malverne, Supergirl, Superman
10	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1		Imra Ardeen, Kara Zor-El, Lar Gand, Clark Kent, Krypto, Lois Lane, Mon-El, Jo Nah, Jimmy Olsen, Saturn Girl, Superboy, Supergirl, Superman, Ultra Boy

Plus 5 pages of advertisements and other matter across 6 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Adventure Comics #416	1972	On eBay ›
Superman in the Sixties #[nn] ISBN 1-56389-522-6	1999	On eBay ›
Superman: Cover to Cover #[nn] ISBN 1-4012-0770-7; 978-1-4012-0770-0	2006	On eBay ›
Showcase Presents: Superman #4 ISBN 978-1-4012-1847-8	2008	On eBay ›
Showcase Presents: Supergirl #2 ISBN 978-1-4012-1980-2	2008	On eBay ›
Amazing Heroes #184	1990	On eBay ›

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

Before you buy

Check spine ticks and cover gloss in the photos; silver-age Marvels chip at the edges easily.
Look for tanning at the page edges and transfer stains on the inside covers.
Confirm the cover price against the plate; higher prices can mean a later or foreign printing.

Series context

‹ #308309 of 866#310 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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