Superman abroad

[paw broon]

"@Valliant
Superman appared by "Audace" nr. 299 (21.9.1939) but the text has been attributed to Zenobio Baggioli und the drawing to Zenba (nickname of Baggioli)
becouse the MinCulPop (ministero della cultura popolare, ministry of culture) didnot allow american comics. (Tarzan was Sigfrido  Cool)
But the first time it was publish in 2.07.1939 nr. 19 by "Albi Audacia""  eismann.

I've now had a look at the Ciclone material in L'Audace on :-
http://vintagecomics.forumcommunity.net/?t=43878090&st=735  (scroll down a bit)
and am reminded of the French incarnation, in which he is called Yordi.  Unfortunately my 1 copy of this is undated but it's old.  The story is not a D.C. reprint and the art is somewhat crude.  He's referred to as Clark in his civvy suit and he's a reporter but the supersuit has a different chest emblem.  As the interior is b&w, I have no idea of the colour.  This may well be a reprint of the Italian Ciclone but not to be confused, I think, with Nembo Kid - as  Superman was called in D.C.reprints which were published in Italy in the late '50's.  (Please correct me if I'm mistaken).

There are other examples of this and my favourite is The Blue Beetle, who is re-titled The Steel Phantom or simply, The Phantom. He's Dani, a police patrolman and aided by a scientist.  He has the Blue Beetle suit and scarab sign but the stories are not reprints of American issues, rather sometimes crudely rendered new adventures.

[JustLucy]

This was a great read. Thanks for sharing

[vaillant]

Hi Paw,
thanks for opening this thread: there seem to be a little interest in inter-cultural exchange and confrontations.

Check also this article by Marcello Vaccari (unfortunately in Italian only):
http://www.glamazonia.it/old/articoli/archeo1.htm

and this full service he wrote for Superman's 70th birthday in Italy:
http://www.glamazonia.it/board/t-generazioni-70-anni-di-superman-in-italia-1
http://www.glamazonia.it/board/t-generazioni-70-anni-di-superman-in-italia-2
http://www.glamazonia.it/board/t-generazioni-70-anni-di-superman-in-italia-3

Full chronology (also by Vaccari) of Superman earliest apparitions (as Paw already explained, often early, sporadic editions of comic book characters in Italy were, as it has been for syndicate strips in the 1930s, re-traced with various results, or occasionally new adventures):

Gli Albi dell’AUDACIA
N°19 (2 Luglio 1939) Ciclone L’Uomo D’Acciaio (Siegel & Shuster) con la storia delle origini
N°25 (19 Agosto 1939) Il Re del ring (Siegel e Shuster)
N°31 (27 Settembre 1939) La Torpedine Umana (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli)
N°34 (15 Ottobre 1939) Il Gigante di Pietra (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli)(in copertina il numero è erroneamente scritto come XXIX)

ALBOGIORNALE
N°39 (19 Novembre 1939) La città condannata (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli)

Albi JUVENTUS
N°47 (28 Gennaio 1940) La valle misteriosa (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli)
N°55 (24 Marzo 1940) L’aviatore solitario (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli)
dal N° 59 (21 Aprile 1940) al N° 82 (29 Settembre 1940) appaiono in appendice le strisce di Superman (sempre con il nome di Ciclone) di Siegel e Shuster che proseguono quelle dell’Audace.

L’AUDACE
dal 299 (21/9/39) al 304 (26/10/39) Ciclone l’Uomo Fenomeno (Vincenzo e Zenobio Baggioli) (nel 298 c’è una striscia di trailer del personaggio)
dal 316 (18/1/40) al 324 (28/03/40) strisce di Siegel e Shuster (con le origini, le stesse pubblicate sul primo albo)

[paw broon]

Och, here, vaillant, so much to read and I feel a bit stupid because I have that 1st Glammazonia page and it did not occur to me to dig it out.
However, after a quick look through the other links, I note that the Blue Beetle reprints are also listed and he is called, "The Steel Phantom" in Italian (Il Fantoma D'Acciaio), same as in France, where he is also called, "The Steel Phantom".
The listings of artist and writer for these stories is an excellent resource - thank you.
I also noticed the Batman cover, with the recoloured uniforms and also that Robin seems to be given more exposure than Batman.  Now, although that cover appears to be from original American illos, the whole thing reminds me of the Spanish landscape series of comics, "Robin Y El Murcielago" drawn by Julio Ribera Perez.  Have a look here:-
http://neurasyparanoias.blogspot.com/2007/12/originales-robin-y-el-murcilago-1-de.html
and here:-
http://www.castillareno.es/catalogo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=449&Itemid=33
and here:-
http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=335465&gsub=52511

I managed to download some of these issues before they disappeared but I notice links when I do an internet search.  Not sure if they are still extant.

E molto interresante e grazie per l'informazione.

[vaillant]

Another very rare publication to look for is "Urrà" (around 1949), where Batman and Robin featured side-by-side with Superman, and were named "Il Fantasma e l’Aquilotto" ("The Phantom and the Eaglet"). Some low-grade issues are on sale on eBay.it at about 35-45 USD each (format is the usual italian, a tabloid-sized "giornale").