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

[Jim Kelly]

Next: Kidnapped!

[Johnny Thunders!]

The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent is huge in my memory. The only thing I can compare it too is the return of Bucky in Captain America or “What If Uncle Ben had lived?” I think On Golden Pond and Henry Fonda must have been an inspiration for the book.

[Jim Kelly]

The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent is huge in my memory. The only thing I can compare it too is the return of Bucky in Captain America or “What If Uncle Ben had lived?” I think On Golden Pond and Henry Fonda must have been an inspiration for the book.

"The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent" and "The Secret World of Jonathan Kent" have been reprinted together in the digest-sized BEST OF DC 11 (April 1981) ["Year's Best Comics Stories"], the hardcover SUPERMAN FROM THE 30S TO THE 80S (1983) and the softcover SUPERMAN IN THE EIGHTIES (2006).

But never has the "Secret of the Super-Power Failures" been reprinted.

I found it interesting to discover that ACTION COMICS 507 (May 1980) and THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 5 (May 1980) were both on sale at the local comic shop on the same date--February 28th, 1980 (the day before Superman's birthday, given that was a leap year). And I would have picked up both books that day, so I wonder what order I chose to read them in. It's left up to chance by the publisher which story you could read first.

I put ACTION COMICS 507 first here, because I think it's more exciting to have that unanswered mystery to begin with, before you get more information--so you can share in Clark's astonishment at seeing Pa Kent alive and well in the present.

Reading it now, with experience, it's even more heartbreaking.

[Jim Kelly]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 20 (August 1981)--1st story, "The Planet that Kidnapped Suberboy" by Bates, Schaffenberger and Hunt; 2nd story, "Captive of the Red Sun" by Bob Rozakis, Calnan and Hunt; cover art by Schaffenberger and Hunt
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 21 (August 1981)--1st story, "The Day Superboy Sold Out" by Bates, Schaffenberger and Hunt; 2nd story, "Danger: Condition Red" by Rozakis, Calnan and Hunt:

The Kid from Krypton wakes up to discover that during the night he was kidnapped from Earth to a far away planet, Ulmara. The Elders have given the beautiful Povla the task of leading the Teen of Steel through his indoctrination.



When he tries to go, Superboy loses his will to leave and returns to the planet to stay there, becoming the newest attraction on Ulmara, where tourists arrive from all over the quadrant to take in the planet's astounding marvels. However, many like Superboy have been stolen from other worlds.



In fact, the Ulmarans use Monva-Beams to pacify the brain waves of all the living wonders they've abducted. Povla reveals herself to be in league with Muhr of Baltur, carrying out a plot to destroy Ulmara in revenge for its domination of other worlds.



The Super-Youth overcomes his mind control and subdues Povla and her accomplice. The Grand Lurom of Ulmara promises to abolish the Monva-Beams, so the living wonders can choose for themselves whether they want to remain on Ulmara or return to their own worlds.

[Jim Kelly]

A strange gaseous creature from outer space plummets into Crystal Lake, near Smallville.



Meanwhile, Huey B. McKay, a hustler and a huckster, shows up in town and sets his sights on contracting Superboy's services. It turns out that McKay's voice pattern matches Clark's brainwave pattern, making it impossible for the Kid from Krypton to say "No" to anything he asks of him.

Back at the lake, the phantom-like creature is turning living things to stone and as it emerges from the water and marches toward Smallville, the Boy of Steel is at a loss how to stop it.



Superboy has Huey command him to use a super-power he's never used before and the Red and Blue Blur becomes an insubstantial phantom--one that is able to grapple with the cosmic wraith.



As they fight, they rise into outer space and the starved wraith finds an abundance of its food source--ultra-violet radiation. Happy and satisfied, the wraith leaves Earth to travel through the cosmos again.

Note: This story suggests that Superboy can manifest new powers given enough will. Superman displays a similar phantom power in "The Mysterious Cube," THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN season 6, episode 4 (February 24th, 1958). Huey B. McKay returns to make more trouble for the Teen of Steel in "The Man Who Took the Small Out of Smallville," THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 29 (May 1982). However, as the Smallville Samaritan saves the huckster's hide in that adventure, the proverbial hatchet is buried for good.

[Jim Kelly]

In the back-up tales for issue 20 and 21, a ten year old Superboy discovers he can warp through space and arrives in a completely different part of the galaxy.



When he does so, he's in a solar system with a red sun. He doesn't know yet that a red sun robs him of his powers, so is at a loss why he has no powers on this planet. The higher lifeform there is a kind of giant snail without a shell that communicates through electrical pulses. The Boy of Steel uses static electricity--the friction of a rubber bar against his cape--to make contact with them.



In issue 21, Superboy's hosts angle for their seafood on shore, but the Kid from Krypton invents a submarine so they may hunt underwater for their supper.



The submarine has another use, as a rocketship for the Smallville Champion. He pilots the rocket-sub to the wormhole he came from and is able to return to his own solar system.

[Jim Kelly]

In NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 22 (October 1981), the centre spread of the issue has a map of Smallville which is packed with useful information.



In that issue's featured story, with Ma and Pa away visiting family, Clark goes through a crisis of confidence which will ultimately lead him, in the next issue (23), to travel into the past and start a new life in Cripple Creek, circa 1888, and encounter Toby Manning (the would-be Terra-Man) for the first time.

Issue 28's letter column convenes a congress of Canadians to comment on that Cripple Creek account, including yours truly. Something I plumb forgot when I talked about this story in post #230.



Note: Dial 'H' for Hero begins as an ongoing back-up feature as of issue 28 (April 1982), which eliminates anymore Superboy, Krypto, Superbaby second features. Which is a shame. The Krypto stories are a hoot, as the Super-Dog has adopted the secret identity of Skip, the Kents' family pet--as in issue 22's "The Dog Detective of Smallville" by Rozakis, Romeo Tanghal and Hunt.

[Jim Kelly]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 24 (December 1981)--2nd story, Superbaby: "The Little Green Men That Weren't There" by Rozakis, Calnan and Frank McLaughlin
SUPERMAN 388 (October 1983)--"The Kid Who Played Superman" by Bates, Swan and Hunt; cover art by Gil Kane:

When Terry Flanahan babysits little Clark Kent, she's amused by his over-active imagination, as he fantasizes that he's like Tommy Tomorrow fighting monsters.



Later when Clark sees little green men lurking outside the house, Terry just thinks it's make believe. But there really are little green men hidden from her by an invisibility shield. They are not invisible to the Super-Kid, because of his super-vision.



A similar premise is used for "The Kid Who Played Superman" in SUPERMAN 388.

[Jim Kelly]

In his small town, a boy named Mickey Norris likes to dress up as the Man of Steel and pretend he's a super-hero. Having written to Clark Kent about his fantasy, the boy piques the interest of the ace reporter.

In his other identity as Superman, Kent suspects that Mickey may have some latent psychic powers. And this turns out to be the case as the kid can see an alien ship that no one else knows is there.



The aliens abduct Mickey into their ship and the boy uses his psychic powers to bring Superman to his aid. For his part, the Caped Kryptonian cannot see the ship or the aliens inside it.



The purpose of the extraterrestrials is not hostile. They want to use Earth as a penal colony for their convicts--the transported prisoners would be invisible to the terrestrial inhabitants and therefore no bother to us. But given some Earthlings like Mickey could make contact with these convicts, the aliens decide that Earth is not the right place for their would-be Botany Bay.

[Jim Kelly]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 25 (January 1982)--"The Man Who Kidnapped Nature" by Pasko, Schaffenberger and Hunt:

In this full-length tale (27 pages), we find an Earth-One counterpart to Dr. Fate.

Remember Marty Pasko revitalized Dr. Fate in 1ST ISSUE SPECIAL 9 (December 1975) with Walt Simonson. And a month after this issue, Pasko would write the Dr. Fate back-up series for THE FLASH 306 (February 1982) - 313 (September 1982)--with art by Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt.

While Dr. Fate (Nabu) is a Lord of Order, here we meet Dr. Chaos, a Lord of Chaos--who appears in the same costume as Fate but with the blue and yellow colours reversed.

A student of Professor Lang's, Burt Belker, who assisted on an archaelogical dig in Iraq, becomes possessed by a Lord of Chaos when he dons the blue helm.



As with Nabu, the consciousness of Dr. Chaos is held in his helmet. It's not exactly clear where the Lords of Chaos and Order come from--they are very ancient and seem to be of alien origin.





Chaos also requires a consort and chooses Lana Lang for the job. This might also play off of the relationship between Fate and Inza Kramer (another red head). To free Lana from the spell, Superboy must give her a kiss.

[Jim Kelly]

Next: Gazook!

[marhawkman]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 20 (August 1981)--1st story, "The Planet that Kidnapped Suberboy" by Bates, Schaffenberger and Hunt; 2nd story, "Captive of the Red Sun" by Bob Rozakis, Calnan and Hunt; cover art by Schaffenberger and Hunt
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 21 (August 1981)--1st story, "The Day Superboy Sold Out" by Bates, Schaffenberger and Hunt; 2nd story, "Danger: Condition Red" by Rozakis, Calnan and Hunt:

The Kid from Krypton wakes up to discover that during the night he was kidnapped from Earth to a far away planet, Ulmara. The Elders have given the beautiful Povla the task of leading the Teen of Steel through his indoctrination.



When he tries to go, Superboy loses his will to leave and returns to the planet to stay there, becoming the newest attraction on Ulmara, where tourists arrive from all over the quadrant to take in the planet's astounding marvels. However, many like Superboy have been stolen from other worlds.



In fact, the Ulmarans use Monva-Beams to pacify the brain waves of all the living wonders they've abducted. Povla reveals herself to be in league with Muhr of Baltur, carrying out a plot to destroy Ulmara in revenge for its domination of other worlds.



The Super-Youth overcomes his mind control and subdues Povla and her accomplice. The Grand Lurom of Ulmara promises to abolish the Monva-Beams, so the living wonders can choose for themselves whether they want to remain on Ulmara or return to their own worlds.

Hmmm seems like a nice place to revisit.

[Thor-Ul]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 25 (January 1982)--"The Man Who Kidnapped Nature" by Pasko, Schaffenberger and Hunt:

That helmet.... That Helmet!!

[Jim Kelly]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 34 (October 1982)--1st story, "Beware the Yellow Peri" by Bob Rozakis (with Laurie Rozakis), Schaffenberger and Chiaramonte; cover art by Ross Andru and Frank Giacoia
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 35 (November 1982)--1st story "The Yellow Peri Peril" by Rozakis, Schaffenberger and Giella; cover art by Gil Kane
ACTION COMICS 559 (September 1984)--1st story, "The Once-and-Future Peri(l)" by Rozakis, Schaffenberger and Hunt
ACTION COMICS 567 (May 1985)--1st story, "Peri(l) in Paradise" by Rozakis, Schaffenberger and Hunt:



Note: Laurie Rozakis helped Bob with the research on this story--she has established herself as a renowned writer, educator, scholar and public speaker.

Loretta York from an early age yearns to be a magician. At sixteen, she joins a carnival under the stage name of the Yellow Peri (a peri being a Persian fairy). While she knows the tricks of stage magic, Loretta still longs to learn how to perform real magic.



Then one day she finds the mysterious Magic Book--the nonsense words in the book serve no real purpose, it's the book itself that does the magic. Using the book, she summons a cartoonish imp called Gazook.

[Jim Kelly]

Loretta's experiments with magic threaten Smallville, bringing Superboy into action. However, the girl is always able to stop her magic tricks before they cause any serious damage.

When she sends Bash Bashford flying, nearly killing the bruiser, Loretta takes it on the lam and heads back to her hometown of Apple Creek, Oregon.



There she makes up for her bad acts by performing good acts for the town. To protect her from the Red and Blue Blur, the Yellow Peri summons a gigantic champion to guard her.

In the end, Superboy finds a way to use the Peri's magic against her champion and he hurls the Magic Book into outer space. Because it is magic, the Teen of Steel can't destroy the book, but once Loretta no longer possesses the book all its magic is undone. Gazook is now an ordinary dog and Loretta forgets that she was the Yellow Peri.



Note: It's never explained where the Magic Book and Gazook come from. The Magic Book could come from another world or dimension. Gazook could be a a 5th dimensional imp. I think the name "Yellow Peri" is in very poor taste as a play on "Yellow Peril" which was always an ugly slur.

In issue 35's Mailsack, Tamysyn O'Flynn (taking over for Bob Rozakis, the writer of this issue) explains that regular writer Cary Bates is in foggy old England to act as a consultant on SUPERMAN III, which explains the other guest writers like Bob. As of issue 36, the new regular scribe is Paul Kupperberg.