Adventure 304, SUPERHOMBRE!

[Red Oak Kid]

On the My Own Worst Enemy thread, Jeff O. posted a scan of Adventure 304.

Just under the price are the words "Superman/Superhombre".

Anyone know what this is about?

Paradox did some research and had this to say:

Hmmm...good eye. I hadn't noticed that. Looking it up, I see it mentioned on a few sites, but only as a mystery. Something about a 10 cent ashcan Superman/Superhombre. It also appears on a variant of Superman #409.

Bottom of page. (http://jonmcclure.sierrasunwd.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=)

About halfway down. (http://forum.stlcomics.com/viewtopic.php?t=1163&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=25&sid=0771cdbeea3d1c691f7b2675fcc54e97)

I just wonder what it means and if all copies of Adventure 304 have this.

[METAROG]

There is an article in CBM which mentions this... I'll see if I can dig it up. BTW, there was a variant Superman issue in the 80's that also used that logo... Superman 409 I think.

[Red Oak Kid]

As far as I can tell, every copy of Adventure 304 had the Superhombre tag, so how can this issue be called a "Variant"?

One of the links that Paradox provided indicates there was a Superhombre "ashcan" edition in 1944.

Maybe DC wanted to copyright or trademark the word Superhombre so every decade or so, they use it on a cover in order to keep their ownership of the word as it relates to Superman.

[METAROG]

It is the Superman 409 which has the Superhombre logo variant not the Adventure 304. I'll see if I can find a pic of it somewhere.

[benday-dot]

I think when Adventure #304 is referred to as a "variant" issue, the variance is not with others of its kind (like yourself, I have failed to spot a copy of this issue lacking the Superhombre logo), but with other DC titles also pubished during the month in question... January 1963. In other words, look (Mikes Amazing World Time Machine is perfect for this) at all the other covers for all the other DC comics published that month. For whatever reason Adventure #304 is the only one that is at variance with its fellow titles with this logo. Not only all the other not so Super titles, but Action Comics, Superboy, Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane, Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, and the Superman Annual which appeared then all are missing the mystery bit.

Maybe not the legal collector's definition, but at least this would be one way of interpreting this book as a variant.

[Red Oak Kid]

Since Adv. 304 deviates from the other titles of that month, I think it is a "Deviant" cover.

Wait till I tell Overstreet about the new term I just coined.

[dan bailey]

Since Adv. 304 deviates from the other titles of that month, I think it is a "Deviant" cover.

Wait till I tell Overstreet about the new term I just coined.

If Richard S Shaver derived the name of his infamous Deros from "Deviant Robots" (& he did), would ROK's deviant covers be Decos?

[METAROG]

Okay I found a copy of the Superman 409 variant... here is a lnk to the regular issue- http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=40191&zoom=4

and here is the cover variant-

http://stlcomics.com/cover_gallery/data/media/286/superman409variant.jpg

[Jeff O.]

Comics.org also mentions the ashcan, but it doesn't have a scan of that rare cover yet.

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Quoted from

http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=11960 (http://www.comics.org/series.lasso?SeriesID=11960)

Superman... Superhombre [ashcan] (1945 Series)

....Published by DC, April 1945
Published in United States, English language....

Title Notes:
Ashcan comic produced to secure trademark of title and logo. Data and title information for DC ashcans from Gary Colabuono, used with his permission.

*********************


Maybe DC wanted to copyright or trademark the word Superhombre so every decade or so, they use it on a cover in order to keep their ownership of the word as it relates to Superman.

Maybe for legal purposes in the United States, at least.

I see that The Spanish Superman Homepage has a fascinating gallery of Golden-Age Ciclón el Superhombre (Cyclone the Superman) covers from Spain

at

http://members.fortunecity.es/superspain/hispano.html (http://members.fortunecity.es/superspain/hispano.html)


http://members.fortunecity.es/superspain/hispan14.jpg

This series of foreign Superman editions, published by "Hispano Americana de Ediciones S.A. de Barcelona," would have started appearing before DC put out the SUPERHOMBRE ashcan.


And this page

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/asimov/20/compar4.html (http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/asimov/20/compar4.html)

has a 1950s SUPERHOMBRE cover from a series from Argentina (published by Muchnik Editores).


http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/asimov/20/sh247a.jpg


Perhaps the logo from Argentina is the same one that was on the ashcan in the U.S.?


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