Captain Marvel stomps. He started out at a much higher level than Supes or Namor. The reason why Superman's powers were increased in the 40s was to compete with whiz comics that was selling near a million copies an issue or above. By 42 GA Supes was virtually SA level as a result.
Oh please, 1938 superman was literally as powerful as the tag lines at peak.
Faster than a speeding bullet (sonic fast not light speed)
More powerful than a locomotive (strong enough to push against a train engine to stop it, though normally he lifted cars etc)
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. (He couldn't fly only leap like Hulk).
He was bullet proof but a busting shell could hurt him.
In action comics 1 supes lifted a car, runs to match a cars speed and leapt over it. He leapt up a building and then ran on telegraph wires. In action comics 2 he is pushed overboard by thigs and swims to catch the and pass the steamer. He runs ALMOST faster than the eye can follow (but is seen doing it)
The thread specifies 1938 Superman and in 38 he wasn't as powerful as captain Marvel was on debut.
By issue 3 of Whiz Comics Capt Marvel was casually hurling tanks thru the air, he could fly from day dot, and he could fly across country. In issue 5 he flew from one city to another whiping out a national crime ring.
Superman's power level after Capt Marvel debuted and was outselling him soon increased to compensate and by mid 1940 Supes could lift ocean liners, and fly at light speed and had nothing to fear from a busting shell, by 42 he was full SA ridiculous levels.
Superman on the same year as Capt Marvel is more powerful but that isn't what the OP is asking now is it.
I did buy a lot of old comics as a kid because my only access to comics back then was a book exchange that sold a lot of second hand books and comics. So I started out reading comics a lot older than me. That and my dad's phantom comics. Down under the Phantom was THE most popular comic by far (m nold man and all his friends were into it, and there wasn't a single newspaper in the country that didn't include a Phantom comic strip)so on any given week you would see at least 8 to 10 available issues available to buy in any newsagent
I didn’t take that at as DS actually thinking you were anywhere near that old lol that just DS Jesus absurdist humor. No one in their 80s is on a message board hahaha
So he is lightspeed by Whiz Comics 10 and punches with strength of a running train by Captain Marvel Adventures 3. Yet somehow he is more powerful than Superman who exceeded such feats by Action Comics 5.
So captain Marvel could only jump, sure he could. That's why in issue 5 of Whiz comics (his 4th appearance) when he takes to the sky he is leaving for another city.
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So 38 Superman cab leap a building white 40 Cap can leap part of a continent I guess.
power progression was faster given Supes had 8 appearances by issue 5 of action (Superman 1,2 and 3 were before action 5)
Who moved anything Abhi. I showed him flying on his 44th page in print
Whiz comics 2 had 13 pages of capt marvel
Whiz comics 3 an 11 page story
12 pages in Whiz comics 4
In whiz 5 he's crossing the country by taking to the air in page 8.
Is 44 pages of printed comics not near the start? Theres such a thing as knowing what powers you have and how to use them before you use them.
Conversely we have Superman still not flying in Superman #4 (that was his next appearance after action 8) by which he had had 8 12 page stories in Action comics and 4 30 odd page Superman books that only around 1to 2 pages weren't him. Isn't it interesting in said issue 4 that when challenged by Luther to tests of his physicals his speed was enough to beat Luther auto-gyros in a race but they were always close behind. Those propeller driven craft of Luthor's must have been near light speed hunh?
Last edited by beatboks on Feb 2nd, 2021 at 11:38 PM
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