The Super-Men (and -Women) of All-Planets

[QUOTE=Bob Buethe;2200767]I didn't notice... did anyone mention [URL="http://planetzor.blogspot.com/2007/10/dyno-man-of-sorrta.html"]Dyno-Man of Sorrta[/URL]?[/QUOTE]

Oops!

I missed that one. But I'll cover it, if no one else does. Or y'all can read the summary on that blog. In any event, I'll have to pull the comic from my collection and give it a read--when I can find the time.

Ey! Just thought I'd let ya'll know that I kept working on the visual guide to the updated list that Jim kept working at - and the current character that's in the pipeline, and almost done, is... KARB BRAK! ^^

First ever microhero of Karb Brak, as far as I know.

[B]“The Super-Suitor of Soomar,” [/B]SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE No. 41 (May ’63), art by Kurt Schaffenberger. I have no idea who wrote this story, but around this time with three stories per issue you would often get one by Jerry Siegel, one by Leo Dorfman and one by Robert Bernstein. And since there’s one by Jerry Siegel and one by Leo Dorfman in this issue, it’s a good guess that Robert Bernstein wrote this one--and the romantic psychology of the characters fits with other Bernstein stories.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/x1TLwVbh/RCO016-1469547369.jpg[/img]

An unmanned rocketship from the planet Soomar is sent to Earth, in hopes that cosmic celebrity Superman will pay the planet a visit. The Action Ace is away in Atlantis, so Lois decides to take his place. The reception committee on Soomar aren’t too happy to see the girl reporter when they were expecting the Man of Steel; however, Lois doesn't care and at the reception she meets a journalist that presumably looks just like her.

This is DAILY GLOBE reporter Crystal Ganyrog, who has blonde hair and glasses. And given the visual language of comics I think that’s enough to make her look quite unlike Lois, but let’s just go with the plot. Soomar must be highly advanced--Lois and Crystal drive a flying car to the space startion office of Ms Ganyrog at the DAILY GLOBE.

Also working at the GLOBE is a mild-mannered reporter named Irn Brimba, whose timidity reminds Lois of Clark Kent. The reader sees that Irn is in reality [B]Super-Male[/B], who’s a fashion forward sort of hero, as is everyone on Soomar. While Irn has red hair (actually a wig), Super-Male has brown hair. His ensemble includes a brown, scoop necked singlet that shows off his ample chest cleavage, yellow leggings, blue boots with brown cuffs, bare arms with purple wrist bands, a black and blue wide belt that matches his shoulder pads and a blue cape.

[img]https://www.hakes.com/Image/HighRes/99844/1/image.jpg[/img]

Irn Brimba is a mutant who draws his powers from Soomar’s red sun. As Super-Male, he can fly and presumably do all the things that Superman can do--however, as the Soomarians have such admiration for Superman, one has to wonder if Super-Male maybe falls a bit short by comparison. Crystal Ganyrog has no time for Super-Male and spurns all his advances, yet that seems to make him all the more eager for her attention. The mighty mutant hates women who throw themselves at him and is attracted to Ms Ganyrog precisely because she doesn’t want him.

Crystal gets sick with some cosmic ailment and has to take time off from work, but Lois offers to stand in for Crystal while she's getting treatment. So Miss Lane dyes her hair blonde and wears the same style of cat eye glasses and has no problem taking over at the futuristic fourth estate. She’s been instructed by Crystal to give Super-Male the cold shoulder, yet with his telescopic vision he happens to see part of a message the fake Crystal (aka Lois) was mind-writing, where she says, “Oh how I’d like to have Super-Male propose to me . . .”

Now thinking that Crystal is in love with him, Super-Male wants nothing to do with her. Later, when Lois has returned to Earth and Crystal resumes her reporting life, she’s surprised to see that her Super-Suitor now ignores her--which makes Crystal want him.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/5tdNwxgC/RCO022-1469547369.jpg[/img]

Ganyrog is an unusual name so I wondered if there was some reason for choosing this name. I haven’t found an answer, but searching the name online turns up Christopher Ganyrog--a much later character created by Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics’ THE ORDER No. 5 (August 2002), he’s the Scientist Supreme on the planet Yann. Busiek snuck some references to classic DC in his story--as the website [url=http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/mastersmentalarts.htm#chris]“Masters of the Mental Arts”[/url] informs me:

[I][INDENT]Being the DC buff that I am, I noticed a few interesting bits for this entry. I did notice that there were several interesting points to the characters. The system they're in, Geuliscwarz, is a roughly phonetic pronunciation of Julius "Julie" Schwartz, Silver Age editor extraordinaire. Speaking of the Silver Age, Christopher Ganyrog bears a striking resemblance to DC's Silver Age space hero Adam Strange, right down to the jetpacks, red uniform, and laser guns. Romantic Objective Pamela would be a parody or homage or whatever to Alanna Strange, Adam's wife and for years just the damsel in distress/romantic interest. Yann would be a parody of Rann, the planet that Adam would be teleported to via Zeta Beam. The planet Yanagar would probably be a reference to Thanagar, the planet that some of the Hawkmen come from. The indigo healing ray would be a parody of the Amazons' Purple Healing Ray (no really, that's the name of the device) on Themyscira Island.
--Doctor Worm (Jacob Cundiff)[/INDENT][/I]

So I think it’s no accident the similarity between the names Crystal Ganyrog and Christopher Ganyrog. A rather obscure reference from eternal fanboy Kurt Busiek.

[QUOTE=Bob Buethe;2200767]I didn't notice... did anyone mention [URL="http://planetzor.blogspot.com/2007/10/dyno-man-of-sorrta.html"]Dyno-Man of Sorrta[/URL]?[/QUOTE]

In “The Day Superman Became an Assassin,” SUPERMAN No. 206 (May ’68), we get another adventure with [B]Dyno-Man[/B]. You remember the daring D-Man, he’s that hero from the planet Sorrta who wears a Spirit type mask and rocks a lime green and lemon yellow wardrobe. Who can forget that team-up with the Man of Steel where they took on the Space Demons from Centauri 6? Or what about that time when they faced the fury of a flying Karg-Beast?

Oh wait, DC never published those stories. Yup, we meet Dyno-Man for the first time in ish 206, but he and the Man of Tomorrow are old buds. Like Superman, he can fly, but his main claim to fame are his power-fingers that can “sure do amazing things” (as the Caped Kryptonian observes), including shooting freeze-beams, heat-beams, propulsion-beams and attractor-beams.

[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UEwICKtxS7s/RxSzZDH--hI/AAAAAAAAAEA/gkxMwVqZO8o/s320/Dynoman1.jpg[/img][img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UEwICKtxS7s/RxSzVzH--gI/AAAAAAAAAD4/c-jxFP9EJOE/s320/Dynoman2.jpg[/img]

This story comes to you courtesy of Jim Shooter and Al Plastino. The GCD says Plastino inked his own pencils, but the inks don’t look as tight as what I’m used to seeing from Al. The second story in this issue is a reprint from 1959 featuring Al Plastino’s classic art style. It’s possible by 1968 he had changed up his inking along with pencil style--which is more Kirby-esque here, though still recognizable as Plastino pencils--but I’d hazard a guess that someone else helped out on the inks, such as Frank Springer whose inks were on display in some other DC books at that time.

We don’t see D-Man for long in this episode. Superman is lured to Sorrta on false pretenses only to find it’s a celebration for his Dyno pal--however, the defender of Sorrta gets killed in the first act and the action turns into a courtroom drama as we meet Rilora Dorc, the Man of Tomorrow’s attorney. Rilora is the real star of this tale, she figures out that it’s all a frame-up by Dramon, head of the security force, and she does her own detecting to prove the innocence of Krypton’s Last Son.

However, Superman is abducted by a gang of vigilantes who aren’t willing to wait for the kangaroo court to convict the accused killer of Dyno-Man; they’re ready to play judge, jury and executioner and they throw the Man of Steel into a cave where he has to fight a man of stone. The rock monster looks much like the Legion’s Blok.

And . . . the rest of this story is a spoiler, so I’ll give you a chance to stop reading here.


[IMG]http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/1307847.jpg[/IMG]

--SUPERMAN 206 cover art by Neal Adams.

Okay, if you’re still reading, then you’ll be happy to know that D-Man didn’t really die. He comes to Superman’s rescue in the final act and the two super-buddies defeat Dramon before he has a chance to execute Rilora. And our three champions--Rilora, Dyno-Man and Superman--get a ticker-tape parade from the fickle citizenry of Sorrta (they’re Sorrta insincere).

[QUOTE=Jim Kelly;2016520]The costume designs that the classic artists had to come up with for the other world Super-Men are fascinating variations on the traditional super-hero uniform.

Hyper-Man (Chester King) mixes a violet (maroon?) with orange and green, but there are a few yellow accents. Hyperboy has violet and purple, with green and black accents--and his Hyper-Dad chooses black leggings.[/QUOTE]

Loved his costume and the character. Reminds me of Krypton Kid - unnecessarily star-crossed. Both should be revived someday someway.

[QUOTE]Grown-up Kit-El's outfit is the reverse--green and yellow, also with those shoulder pads. But he also adds a cape with a high collar. The shorts have a diagonal cut--if Superman tried this look, there's no way anyone could confuse those shorts with underwear. All in all, quite the striking ensemble.[/QUOTE]

Could you post a picture? Can't locate that anywhere.

[QUOTE]Marsboy's original costume has the look of ancient dress that goes with the Atlantean roots of his people. And again, he chooses colours that contrast with Superboy's (yellow and purple with green accents). While his later costume looks like a mix of Karate Kid and Starboy--orange and white.[/QUOTE]

I liked his first costume...not his second. He was the prototype for Starboy sans the lightning vision as far as I know. He should come back too.

[QUOTE]I always thought Skyboy's harness was an interesting design feature and while his costume mostly reflects Superman's red and blue, Vitar Vall--having the same design--tries out violet and green. [/QUOTE]

Skyboy was intended to become a recurring character - Superman's sidekick. Shame that did not happen.

[QUOTE]Luma Lynai anticpates Power Girl's white outfit, but makes good use of green in her accessories.[/QUOTE]

I like to see her and Skyboy again too.

[QUOTE=scary harpy;2940511]

Could you post a picture? Can't locate that anywhere.

[/QUOTE]

I've searched the internet in hopes that someone may have posted pics from the "Mighty-Mite" story in SUPERBOY No. 137, but so far I've had no luck. Maybe someone out there has a scan. If not, I may have to get to work scanning my copy.

January 30, 2018 EDIT: scanning done see page 3 and below.

Jim Kelly, thank you for this thread.

I enjoy the art and the stories were...interesting.

Continuing from [URL="https://community.cbr.com/showthread.php?75972-The-Super-Men-(and-Women)-of-All-Planets&p=2013710&viewfull=1#post2013710"]post #39[/URL]--

“The Mysterious Mighty Mite” by Leo Dorfman, George Papp and Chic Stone from SUPERBOY No. 137 (April ’67):

Remember that Clark had found the baby [B]Kit-El[/B] and given it some milk, even though he was warned not to, later he sees the toddler is now a teen.

A few hours later, when Clark returns from school he now finds that Kit-El is a grown man.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/ydJH5tLH/kitel33.jpg[/img]

And after travelling to the planet Gerion to investigate solutions to the problem of old age, the Boy of Steel discovers that Kit-El is now an old man.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/50ZVMgrF/kitel4.jpg[/img]

What's going on?

[SIZE=5][COLOR="#FF0000"]SPOILER SPACE[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5][COLOR="#FF0000"]SPOILER SPACE[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5][COLOR="#FF0000"]SPOILER SPACE[/COLOR][/SIZE]

In fact it is a hoax, a so-called practical joke on the part of a family from Kaprice, who go travelling the galaxy to play such pranks wherever they go.


[img]https://i.postimg.cc/NfvcJNT3/kitelfamily.jpg[/img]


To Superboy’s credit, he discovered the truth before, they revealed their joke. [B]Vau Sulor[/B] is the little toddler. His older brother posed as the teen Kit-El. Their father, Qor Sulor played the grown up man. And it was Vau’s grandfather, Qor’s father, who was the elderly Kit-El.

[SIZE=5][COLOR="#FF0000"]END OF SPOILER[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[B]Kurt Schaffenberger, The Monkey’s Paw and the Supine Super-Suitor of ’63[/B]

Kurt Schaffenberger was one sneaky artist. He loved to make inside jokes in his comic panels. Often putting himself in the scene. Where’s Kurt in the cover for AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS No. 2 (September ’74)? Can you guess?

[img]http://www.soundskinky.com/Legion/misc-images/AmazingWorld2.jpg[/img]

For one fabled Schaffenberger private prank, we must travel back in time to 1963, when the concept of Superman having contemporaries on other planets across the galaxy is so common that it figures in one of Lois Lane’s fantasies in “The Monkey’s Paw,” SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE No. 42 (July ’63).

The story of the Monkey’s Paw was a common legend when I was a kid. The older kids delighted in telling this legend to us younger kids, always embellishing their telling of the tale with the most grotesque details. I don’t know if it’s still as well known these days. But clearly the writer of the Lois Lane story expected that any kid was conversant in the tale--such that there’s no need to relate the story.

I just assumed the Monkey’s Paw was folklore. But doing research, I find that the source is a short story of the same name by W. W. Jacobs and first published in the 1902 collection THE LADY OF THE BARGE.

Lois realizes the implications of the Monkey’s Paw at once, when she receives it, and therefore is circumspect in deciding which three wishes she should make.

At the end of the day, in this adventure, Lois is too selfless. She may want to satisfy her own desires, but she ends up using her wishes for the good of others. First, when she sees the plane that her sister is on is in imminent danger and Lois wishes for its safe landing. And then again when she sees Superman succumbing to Kryptonite and uses her second wish to rescue him.

In actual fact, it will turn out by story’s end that Lois got the wrong end of the stick and neither Lucy nor Superman were in any danger. And so, Lois having no faith in the Monkey’s Paw sends it to the bottom of the ocean.

However, much of the story is occupied with the girl reporter’s whims. And it’s in her speculating on being the most desirable woman in the galaxy where the other Supermen of All Planets appear.

[img]http://dccomicsartists.com/superart/LoisLane042-14.jpg[/img]

Schaffenberger, having been a Fawcett artist who drew all the Marvel Family, snuck in the World’s Mightiest Mortal. However, only in the splash panel. On page 3, Superman must overcome seven other rivals for Lois Lane's hand (of those shown in panels), yet there is no Big Red Cheese lying supine after having been defeated by the Big Red S.

As none of the other rivals are named (we might assume some of them are the Supermen of All Planets we've met in other comics), the original Captain Marvel is the only figure we can identify with some certainty.

The truth of this scene is doubly suspect. In the first place, it never happened--it’s merely what Lois is thinking. Although, what Lois thinks is probably based on her knowledge about the heroes of the galaxy, after many adventures with Superman. But then a splash panel enjoys the same status as a cover image--it does not need to actually be something that happens in the story. It can be outright wrong, sometimes.

In the original comic book, the colours on the costume are more of an orange than a red, however when “The Monkey’s Paw” was reprinted in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE No. 104/G-75 (September-October ’70), it became a deep red, leaving little doubt who was the intended victim.

[img]http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/ll/ll42splash.jpg[/img]

This attracted the ire of Lex Morris, whose complaint appeared in the next year’s “Letters to Lois,” SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE No. 113/G-87 (September-October ’70):

[indent][B] . . . you show a picture of Superman fighting assorted Supermen for the love of Lois. On the ground behind Lois there lies, in his familiar crimson-and-gold costume, the original Captain Marvel.

I know you put him out of business in the 1950’s, but do you have to go so far as to gloat over it? I mean, he was one of the most popular heroes of the Golden Age.[/B][/indent]

The editor, E. Nelson Bridwell, responds that they weren’t “rubbing it in” and that the artist, Kurt Schaffenberger a former Captain Marvel artist, did it as “a private joke.”

[indent][B]The first time the story was printed, this wasn’t noticed because the coloring was different from Cap’s. But when yours truly edited the tale for reprinting, I recognized a favorite hero of my childhood and insisted on coloring him right.[/B][/indent]

In fact, a few years later, Bridwell and Schaffenberger would team up in SHAZAM! for some great Captain Marvel adventures. Nevertheless, our knocked out super-suitor in 1963 can’t really be the Captain Marvel from Earth S!, surely. He is supposed to be from another planet in Superman’s universe.

Could he be Captain Thunder? Since there are many other Earths in the same universe as Superman, where the planets are almost exactly alike, it’s not beyond belief that one of those has its own Captain.

Who is Captain Thunder? you ask. And thereby hangs a tale.

[img]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6DTj9VwvSB0/TBncw_-3LLI/AAAAAAAAAYs/Xv8qZZXpC_w/s1600/superman+captain+marvel.jpg[/img]

With its classic Nick Cardy cover, [B]“Make Way for Captain Thunder,”[/B] in SUPERMAN No. 276 (June ’74) comes crafted courtesy of Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan and Bob Oksner. By the time this story appeared on the spinner racks, DC’s SHAZAM! had been in publication for about a year and a half--with both Maggin and Oksner contributing to that title.

This raises the question why would DC need to introduce another Big Red Cheese in the pages of SUPERMAN when they already had the original in his own title (and both books were edited by Julius Schwartz).

I don’t know the answer, but at this time DC was just licensing the character from Fawcett and didn’t actually own him. So they may have decided to play it safe by creating a doppelganger and giving him the name Captain Thunder, which was the original name meant for the character who became Marvel.

In this tale it’s Willie Fawcett--not Billy Batson--who becomes the World’s Mightiest Mortal, by rubbing his belt buckle and shouting “THUNDER!” This is an acronym for seven spiritual powers gifted Willie by the shaman, Uncas. Holy Moley! Captain Marvel only had six from Shazam.
[CENTER][img]https://babblingsaboutdccomics3.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/sup_276_003.png[/img][/CENTER]

At first it seems like young Fawcett has simply travelled through time, as his memories are of a 1950s world. But when he talks to Clark Kent, the mild-mannered reporter observes that no one on Earth remembers Captain Thunder.

It turns out Cap went missing after fighting the Monster League across 1953 dimensions of time and space [1953 is the year that Captain Marvel got canned]. He then crossed the time and space barrier and arrived on Superman’s Earth. Whether this means that Willie’s Earth is in a paralled universe or simply far removed in time and space--that’s unclear.
[INDENT]
[img]http://www.armagideon-time.com/img/151025/1025.jpg[/img][/INDENT]

I like that the Monster League (not Monster Society) is made up of Universal’s monsters--Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman and the Mummy. It’s also funny that the magic flash which transforms the Big Red Cheese has the “Sha-Boom!” sound effect--“Sha-Boom” [or “Sh-Boom”] being a classic doo-wop tune first recorded in 1954 by the Chords and then the Crew-Cuts in the same year.

After an epic struggle between Superman and Thunder, both of equal strength, Sha-Boom! Willie Fawcett returns to “whichever planet Captain Thunder calls home.”

This story’s epilogue has a fun Lois and Clark scene that establishes Kent’s love of ketchup--or “catsup” as you Americans murder the condiment’s name--when Lane insists on dining at a posh eatery (and getting her co-worker to pay), where they both order prime sirloin, but Clark smothers his repast in that tomato sauce, much to the horror of Lois. It's an inside joke that has followed the Man of Might ever since.

[B]The Super-Man of Zor[/B]

By Bill Finger, Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye,"The Menace of Planet Z" from ACTION COMICS 168 (May 1952) was reprinted in SUPERMAN ANNUAL 4 (1962). An early adventure of Superman in space, before a lot of his other exploits were established. One day a Z-Ray (like the Zeta Beam that would transport Adam Strange to Rann) strikes Superman and pulls him toward the planet [b]Zor.[/b]

Zor must exist in our solar system, as the Zorian scientists reference the other planets like Venus and Mars. On this planet, metal is scarce and they use plastics instead. However, despite being highly advanced, they need metal to make their machines work efficiently and so as a substitute for machines they employ their tractor beams to bring beasts from the other planets to do their work as an unpaid labour.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/RVn0qsxh/RCO009.jpg[/img]

Superman doesn’t appear outraged by this use of creatures as slaves. Moreover, as these beasts naturally enough are unruly and don’t want to be forced labour, the Zorians look for some way to control the beasts and find thought manipulation serves this purpose.

Yes, they can invent headgear that exerts mental control, but the Zorians can’t do their own work. As these thought devices are not working the way they should, the scientists have enlisted Superman’s aid in finding out why. The Man of Steel agrees to help them but insists that he remain a mystery to the people of Zor.

Meanwhile, the Action Ace gets a job at a sophisticated newsgathering service, THE DAILY ZORIAN, and assumes the identity of Klarkash Kenton.

Ultimately, the real culprit is found out, but wisely the scientists of Zor realize that mind controlling beasts from other planets is inherently risky and not worth the trouble. Yet they still need metal.

Superman comes to their rescue by sending a hail of meteors down to the planet, which can be mined for the metals they need.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/02y6Q2X5/RCO013.jpg[/img]

There is no Super-Man per se on Zor--although their use of advanced science makes the Zorians intellectually superior (not morally). And by remaining a mystery on Zor, Superman fosters the idea that any Zorian might be a Super-Man. A myth that takes hold on the planet.

[B]Editor's Note[/B]: Originally I got the spelling wrong and called the planet "Zar"--corrections have been made. My apologies to the people of Zar and the people of Zor.

[B]Gollo of Zar[/B]

Moving from Zor to [b]Zar[/b]: “The Creature of 1,000 Disguises,” ACTION COMICS 234 (November 1957)--again Boring and Kaye artists, but this time Edmond Hamilton writer.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/c4CHWk6r/RCO004.jpg[/img]

A runaway boy, Johnny Miles encounters Gollo of Zar. The big lovable creature is shy but soon befriends Johnny, communicating by thought. And it turns out the alien can shape shift into anything else--supposedly anyone else from Zar has the same power. However, when Superman returns the boy to his mother, the bewildered Gollo sets out to find his new friend.

Although the Super-Chameleon can take the shape of any living creature, more often the alien opts for the form of man-made inanimate objects--and these always have Gollo’s big pink eyes.

The Action Ace soon figures out that there’s some connection to the boy Johnny. The youth is scared that people will think he’s just telling stories--that got him into trouble with his mother before, which is why he ran away--but Superman gains the straight scoop on Gollo and conspires to unite the two friends.

Together again, the oddball pals play with each other and Superman realizes that the big green alien is truly just a kid. A kid that ran away from home, in search of adventure. And so child and parents are brought back together on Zar.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/c4kv8yPR/RCO014.jpg[/img]

“The Creature of 1,000 Disguises” was reprinted in 80 PAGE GIANT No. 6 (January 1965).

The attachments for images always confound me on this board. I've tried to edit out any that aren't working anymore.

New edit (May 5, 2020): I've replaced some attachments and no longer functioning jpg images on these pages.

[B]Shar-La[/B]

Shar-La makes her one and only appearance in “Claire Kent, Alias Super-Sister,” from SUPERBOY No. 78 (January ’60), reprinted in 80 PAGE GIANT No. 1 (August ’64)--Otto Binder writer, John Sikela artist.

One day above Smallville, Superboy sees a flying saucer piloted by a woman. The woman herself is startled by the sight of the Boy of Steel. “Great Orion!” she thinks to herself (she must worship the New Gods) and crashes into the side of a mountain. As the Boy of Steel comes to her rescue, having telepathic powers, the alien space traveller picks up on his thoughts about woman drivers and is insulted.

The telepath named Shar-La rebukes the young super-hero and won’t take any of his lip but the Boy of Steel doubles down on the chauvinistic remarks. Shar-La is from a planet run by women and decides to teach the smart-ass sexist some home truths. She threatens him with the powerful rays from her ring, but the invulnerable lad is unconcerned and flies away, saying “I’m glad I’m not a girl.”

[INDENT][img]https://i.postimg.cc/9FjKXVd0/sb78p2.jpg[/img][/INDENT]

The next thing he knows, Superboy is a girl!

Martha Kent is pleased to finally have a daughter, named Claire Kent, who becomes fast friends with Lana Lang. Given the crush that Clark always had on Lana, it’s surprising that he doesn’t recognize the amazing opportunity he has with her, now that they are BFFs.

[INDENT][img]https://i.postimg.cc/524rv3kM/sb78p5.jpg[/img][/INDENT]

Meanwhile the Lass of Steel continues to protect Smallville as Super-Sister. The townspeople surmise that she must be Superboy’s twin sister taking his place while he’s away on important business. But the men of Smallville don’t have a lot of confidence in a girl!

An added power that Super-Sister has is super feminine intuition. Like a Spidey sense, a voice in her head warns her of impending dangers. She’s happy with the upgrade and doesn’t see that Shar-La really cursed her. But the new early-warning power has its limits as it only applies to female dangers not male.

At the end of the story, it turns out that this all just happened in Superboy’s head. The Mento-Rays from Shar-La’s ring projected a mental dramatization of Superboy as Super-Sister. The Boy of Steel says he’s learned his lesson.

For her part, Shar-La explains that they always treat the men fairly on her world--but this has a certain condescending tone to it and doesn’t sound like the men have true equality, if women are in charge of everything.

Nor does it seem like Clark was all that happy to be a girl, as he enjoys being a boy. And Martha Kent never actually got her wish to have a daughter.

[INDENT][img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtmXLX6B/sb78end.jpg[/img][/INDENT]

[B]Princess Jena of Adoria[/B]

“The Captive of the Amazons” has a slow build, but goes into high gear by the second half of the yarn, providing some great comic moments. The story by Jerry Siegel, with art by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, first appeared in ACTION COMICS No. 266 (July ’60) and was reprinted in SUPERMAN No. 207/G-48 (June ’68).

When Perry White sends Lane and Kent to the set of the latest Jena, the Space Girl, movie, Clark is duped into being an actor in the film. However, once the clueless reporter/actor enters the cabin of the movie’s rocketship, he succumbs to the effects of green K. The rocket is not a prop but a functional interstellar craft; Jena is not an up and coming actress but in fact the Princess of Adoria, leader of a crew of space Amazons.

Her film career was just a long con in order to abduct the Man of Steel--Jena having seen through his Clark Kent disguise. As the Kryptonite is slowly killing him, Superman agrees to accompany the Amazons back to their home planet and not to leave until Jena asks him to.

All the men on Adoria are diminutive, bald weaklings under the control of the Amazon women. Therefore, Superman is a most attractive match for the beautiful blonde princess. She intends to make the Man of Tomorrow her sixth husband--the other five husbands having died in battle against the rebel robots that threaten the people of Adoria.
[CENTER]
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With Earth under threat of destruction by Jena’s Master Destructo-Ray, Superman agrees to marry the princess. But his heart isn't in it. Jena asks the royal wizard to concoct a love potion and he gives her a green drink--theorizing that there is some Kryptonite in the drink that will make it effective against the Caped Kryptonian.

As soon as he has gulped down the potent potable, Superman is mad with love for Jena and cannot wait to marry her. In fits of passion, he accidentally causes massive destruction to the transportation system. Then, the princess brings her beau to meet the parents at the royal palace, as the Man of Steel must ask Jenna's father the king for her hand. The Man of Might bursts into song, singing of his happines, but the piercing notes of his voice shatter the royal treasures.

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The royal wedding is a spectacular affair, with invited guests from the neighbouring planets. After the ceremony, the Man of Tomorrow gobbles up the entire wedding feast, leaving nothing for the guests.

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As the Amazon city comes under attack from the rebel robots, Superman flies into action and defeats them all, but throws their bodies into the reservoir, where the chemicals from the robots pollute the water supply. Adoria had precious little water as it was and with his act, the Action Ace has deprived the people of any safe water to drink.

Fed up with his ill manners and thoughtlessness, Jena commands him to leave--thus making good on her deal with Superman that he would not go until she asked him to. The king dissolves the marriage and the Master Destructo-Ray aimed at Earth is destroyed. Released from his vows, Superman flies into space and tows an ice planetoid into orbit around Adoria--so as it melts from the sun's rays, the waters of Adoria will be restored.

This was his plan all along. Superman had overheard Jena talking to the royal wizard and only pretended that the love potion had any effect--there was no green K in the drink.

Meanwhile, Jena ponders how she could have been so wrong about Superman, who seemed like such a perfect paramour but turned out to be so crude.