The Amazing World Of Superman, Metropolis Edition

Is there a better feeling than stumbling on a diamond in the rough at the local comic book store?

As I was walking around my store last week, I saw a stack of those old big over-sized tabloid style comics including the famous first edition giant reprints of Superman #1 and Flash Comics #1.

Nestled in that pile was this gem: Amazing World of Superman: Official Metropolis Edition, published in 1973. And after some finagling and with a sale going on I got it for $6.

The book is in excellent condition and has, still stapled in the center intact, the giant poster of the map of Krypton. The one down side is that it is on newsprint and completely in black and white. The book has two reprint stories, "Superman in Superman Land" from Action Comics #210 by Finger and Boring as well as "Superman's Mission for President Kennedy" from Superman #170 by Bridwell, Finger, and Plastino. It also includes a retelling of Superman's origin by Bridwell and Swan. These are fine old stories. And the Plastino one got some recent play when the art was found not to be at the JFK museum as originally thought.

But it is the other stuff that is inside that brings me the most joy. There are a lot of little pictures of Superman's family, his rogues, the presumed path of his rocket, and an article about making a comic. I will probably cover all these at some point.

 For now, here is the pic of Superman's Family.

This must have already been produced and printed somewhere else. So if anyone knows where the original is from please let me know.

The Superman Family includes everyone from his birth parents to the Kents to his Daily Planet supporting cast to the Legion to Lori Lemaris. It really is a nice little look at the biggest characters in the Superman books at that time.

Poor Beppo is in the bottom left corner and doesn't get a name check.

And interesting that Bizarro and Mr. Mxyzptlk somehow weren't considered villains and instead part of the family.

But really what I love is that Supergirl is front and center in the family. She is right next to Superman and larger than life. I even like how they are holding hands like the loving family that they are. She really is the closest to living family Superman has so she should be so prominently displayed.

Interesting how much times have changed.

The art looks like Curt Swan's work.

I am sure if I looked hard enough I could find this in color and where it was originally printed. But for now, this is what I own.