Superman #2 (1939): the second issue of the first superhero title
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · 1 min read
Short answerSuperman #2, cover-dated Fall 1939, is the second issue of the first comic devoted to a single superhero, with Joe Shuster's cover of Superman lifting a car. Like Superman #1 it reprinted and expanded early Action Comics stories alongside new material. It is a Golden Age key in its own right — far more affordable than #1, but scarce in any grade and one of the earliest Superman solo issues a collector can realistically own.
The book
Superman's own title launched in Summer 1939 as a quarterly. Issue #2 continued the pattern of reprinting Siegel and Shuster's Action Comics strips with new pages and a two-page Superman text feature. The early issues sold in enormous numbers by the standards of the time and were read to pieces.
Collecting early Superman
| Issue | Cover date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Superman #1 | Summer 1939 | First solo title; a CGC 7.0 sold privately for 5.3 million dollars in 2022 |
| Superman #2 | Fall 1939 | Second issue; car-lifting cover |
| Superman #3 | Winter 1940 | Third issue |
| Superman #4 | Spring 1940 | Second Luthor appearance |
All early issues survive mostly in low and mid grade; restoration is common and a blue label is worth paying for. A CBCS 3.0 copy of #2 is in the store.
See First appearance of Superman, the Superman character page and the Golden Age collection.
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.
