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World’s Greatest Superheroes Present Superman

World's Greatest Superheroes
World's Greatest Superheroes

By Martin Pasko, George Tuska & Vince Colletta (Tor)
ISBN: 0-523-49094-1

In my perpetual quest to highlight the rare and odd (or “show off” as my mum used to call it) I’ve unearthed this little gem from the early 1980s, when the Superman franchise was riding high due to the motion picture and its sequels. Although he’s got the biggest logo and the lion’s share of the action, inside this standard sized paperback is actually the collected first adventure of the Justice League of America newspaper strip, which launched on 9th April 1978, variously entitled The World’s Greatest Superheroes, …Presents Superman, and from 9th January 1983, The Superman Sunday Special, until it folded on 10th February 1985.

This initial story pits the Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman against the immortal mass-murderer Vandal Savage, who plans to further extend his long life by absorbing the life energies of most of Earth’s population. Of course to do that he has to kill them all first…

Later creators included Paul Levitz, Gerry Conway, Paul Kupperberg, Bob Rozakis, Jose Delbo, Bob Smith, Frank McLaughlin, and Sal Trapani, but the opening credits go to Martin Pasko, George Tuska and Vince Colletta in this engaging, gloriously traditional costume drama. Never flashy or “with it”, this strip is a great read and deserves a definitive collection likes the Batman and Superman newspaper strips.

In the meantime there’s still the internet and local comic shops to haunt and hunt in…

© 1982 DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

3 Replies to “World’s Greatest Superheroes Present Superman”

  1. Hear, hear! Let’s get this strip collected and in print–I have a complete run of my time on the strip (currently out on loan to someone who’s scanning them), as well as the paperback pictured, but I’d love to have the rest of it. It was my privilege to work again with the great George Tuska and, later, my joy to partner up with my old friend, Jose Delbo (who I’ve not seen in years but I believe lives in Florida and teaches art).

    Ah, the good old days. Thanks, Win!

    Paul

  2. I remember these comic strips! I was a fan of Vince Colletta from his days drawing Thor when I saw his name on the credit. Never missed a day the whole time the stories ran.

  3. Hi Paul

    Thanks for the kind words.

    I often regret that the modern sophistication in comics seems to have left wit, charm and talent behind. I’ll do everything I can to remind and revive as necessary.

    Shall we start some sort of petition?

    W!n

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