Comic Title: Superman #4
Publisher: DC (Superman, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Spring 1940
On Sale Date: February 15, 1940 Newsstand Date February 15, 1940
Source: House Ad, Action Comics #22, Page 14

Copyright Date January 23, 1940
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1940
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Quarterly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 64
Editor: Fredric Whitney Ellsworth

Title: (The Challenge of Luthor)
Pages: 13

Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-2)

Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Cassidy

Reprinted In:
Superman from the Thirties to the Seventies HC (1971)
Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told HC (1988)
Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told TPB (1989)
Superman Archives Vol. 1 HC (1989)
Superman Chronicles Vol. 3 TPB (2007)
Superman:The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2013)
Lex Luthor:A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2016)
Superman:The Golden Age Vol. 2 TPB (2017)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Action Comics #23; next appearance in Superman #4)

Supporting Character(s)

• George Taylor (last appearance in Action Comics #23; next appearance in Superman #4)

Villain(s)

• Luthor (first appearance; first name Alexei not given in this story; last appearance in Action Comics #23; next appearance in Superman #4)
• Luthor’s henchmen (one impersonates Professor Martinson; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Professor Martinson (an inventor; dies in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
Lex Luthor appears here and in the first story of Action Comics #23. Though Superman #4 went on sale just before Action Comics #23 making this his first appearance, the first story Action Comics #23 clearly takes place before this one.

Superman is shown to be able to stop his heart and jump higher than the stratosphere in this story.

This story was originally not titled.

Synopsis:
Clark Kent is assigned to investigate an earthquake that has shaken Metropolis. Professor Martinson has developed a new weapon that caused the quake during a test of the machine. When Clark visits Martinson’s lab, he meets one of Luthor’s henchmen. He tries to trail the man back to Luthor, but Luthor destroys the man’s plane by remote.

Superman goes to the army camp to guard the machine against theft, as Luthor has already kidnapped Martinson. After his men are defeated, Luthor issues a challenge to Superman. Superman agrees to compete against his nemesis in tests of speed, strength, and resistance to injury. Luthor is forced to concede when Superman bests his every invention. Martinson is released, and Luthor leaves the battlefield.

The contest was merely a distraction though, as Luthor’s henchmen were given time to steal the earthquake machine while Superman was busy. The master criminal uses the machine and begins blackmailing the world. Superman learns from Martinson where Luthor is hiding. He leaves to confront his foe, but is temporarily bested by the earthquake machine. Recovering quickly, Superman is able to demolish the device, but Luthor escapes. Martinson kills himself to prevent another device from being made.