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

[Jim Kelly]

Tomorrow: S! Maggin Opus!



Peep!

[Jim Kelly]

Previously in . . .

▪ GREEN LANTERN 87 (December 1971 - January 1972)--[new content] 2nd story, "What Can One Man Do?" by Maggin, Adams and Giordano--see post #726
▪ WORLD'S FINEST COMICS 210 (March 1972)--[new content] 1st story, "World of Faceless Slaves!" by Maggin, Dillin and Giella--see post #727
▪ SUPERMAN 260 (January 1973)--1st story, "Keeper of the Eternal Flame!" by Maggin, Swan and Anderson--see post #908
▪ SUPERMAN 268 (October 1973)--1st story, "Wild Weekend in Washington!" by Maggin, Swan and Oksner--to be posted at a later date
▪ SUPERMAN 270 (December 1973)--1st story, "The Viking from Valhalla!" by Maggin, Swan and Anderson--see post #909

In Elliot S! Maggin's first comic book story--"What Can One Man Do?"--Oliver Queen debated running for mayor of Star City. Then in "World of Faceless Slaves," when Clark came to interview the prospective mayor, the two were swept back into the past where, as Superman and Green Arrow, they encountered Effron the Sorcerer!

At some point after this, in an undisclosed adventure referenced in SUPERMAN 268 (October 1973), Batman and Superman encountered Effron the Sorcerer again and took from him the mystical Golden Eye, which was then stored in the Fortress of Solitude.



However, later the World's Finest Friends found that artefact missing from Superman's collection!



Meanwhile, the Caped Kryptonian discovered the lost land of Valhalla where a Viking civilization survived in North America for a thousand years. There he made friends with Valdemar who later came to Metropolis!

Pop!

[Jim Kelly]

And now . . .

ACTION COMICS 437 (July 1974)--[new content] 1st story, "Magic is "Bustin' Out All Over!" by Maggin, Swan and Schaffenberger; cover art by Nick Cardy; table of contents art by Pat Broderick:



I love this clever cover design, where an issue of ACTION COMICS (with the regular cover format at the time) appears to be inside the 100 Pages for only 60c cover. Cool!



At this time, some of the new artists interning at National Periodicals were given small assignments such as drawing the contents page. Pat Broderick did several of these when he was starting out!



"Magic is "Bustin' Out All Over!" begins with the Emerald Archer receiving a flaming message written in the sky by Valdemar's sword It reads:

"Green Arrow Contact Superman at once! Trouble in Valhalla"

Oliver Queen is forced to blow 22 bucks on a shuttle flight to Metropolis to give Superman the message personally!

Pow!

[Jim Kelly]

Meeting Clark at his small office in the Galaxy Communications Building, Ollie shares his knowledge with his Justice League comrade. When he meets Lois Lane, he doesn't seem to remember her--even though they once smooched!





Later the Man of Steel flies the Brave Bowman to Maine, but the village of Valhalla is gone! Effron the Sorcerer appears and uses the village as a bargaining chip to get Superman to be his slave.



Slap!

[Jim Kelly]

After Green Arrow is imprisoned in the Fortress of Solitude, the Action Ace is induced to fight a couple of his other Justice League compatriots. First the Flash and then Green Lantern are summoned to Maine by the Sorcerer Supreme of Veliathan and duke it out with the Last Son of Krypton!



However, Ollie has not been idle in the Fortress. Following instructions left by Clark, the Mod Robin Hood commandeers a Legion Time Bubble and materializes in Maine with a bottle that contains the village of Valhalla--or so Effron believes. The Sorcerer blurts out that Valhalla should be 30,000 years in the future! That's all Superman needs to hear.

Clark Kent himself provides the "Epilogue" on the nightly news, where he explains that the Kandorians used Kryptonian Science to make their city appear to be Valhalla.

The actual Valhalla is safe and sound, but just where Clark isn't telling. No sir!



Superman introduces the reprints in this issue: Undersea Action (Sea Devils)! Action on Another World (Adam Strange)! Action in the West (Matt Savage, Trail Boss)! Action on a High Wire (from MY GREATEST ADVENTURE)! And last but not least, Action in Miniature, starring Doll Man!

▪ DOLL MAN 13 (Summer 1947) [Quality Comics]--1st story, "The Man Who Returned from the Dead!" by W. Woolfolk and Bryant.



Blip!

[Jim Kelly]

Lois Lane Presents
THE SUPERMAN FAMILY 166 (August-September 1974)--[new content] 1st story, "The Murdering Arm of Metropolis!" by Bates and Rosenberger; on sale May 28th, 1974:





When a botanist is killed by an assassin with a mechanical arm, Simon Cross must take Lois Lane into his confidence. Cross works for the Secret Intelligence Agency and Lois Lane is enlisted as an undercover agent to help him find the assassin!



Bump!

[Jim Kelly]

After Lois has finished her training as an undercover agent, Cross and Lane track a man named Spangle, but the assassin kills Simon and nearly kills Lois, if not for Superman!



The assassin turns out to be the head of the S.I.A. training program. Simon is dead but his story isn't finished yet!

Art note: John Rosenberger inks his own pencils for this story and does a pretty good job!

Lois introduces reprints in this issue that follow the theme of secret agents and investigations . . .

▪ SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN 89 (December 1965)--2nd story, "Olsen's Super-Survival Kit!" by Binder, Swan and Klein--the first story where Jimmy was agent Double-5; double five because both his first and last name have five letters!
▪ ACTION COMICS 317 (October 1964)--2nd story, "The Great Supergirl Double-Cross!" by Dorfman and Mooney--Lena Thorul marries F.B.I. agent Jeff Colby!
▪ SUPERMAN 152 (April 1962)--2nd story, "Superbaby Captures the Pumpkin Gang!" by Dorfman and Papp--Superbaby helps rookie police officer Parker make his first big bust; Parker will be Police Chief by the time Clark is a teen!
▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 301 (October 1962)--1st story, "Lex Luthor and Clark Kent: Cell-Mates!" by Hamilton, Swan and Klein--when Lex frames Clark, the two end up sharing a cell!
▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 299 (August 1962)--2nd story, "Car 45 Get Lost!" by Siegel and Forte--a Bizarro version of CAR-54 WHERE ARE YOU, a T.V. show that starred Fred Gwynne before he was Herman Munster!

The "Fact File on the Superman Family" gives pertinent information on major players in the family: Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl, Perry White, Lana Lang and Lucy Lane!



Bam!

[Jim Kelly]

Next week, a Valentine's Day Special: Who was that dog I saw you with . . . ?!!



Yip! Yip!

[Jim Kelly]

The Return of the Dog Knight (Again)

ACTION COMICS 440 (October 1974)--2nd story, "Little Dog Lost" by Maggin and Grell
ACTION COMICS 441 (November 1974)--2nd story, "The Mystery of the Wandering Dog" by Maggin and Grell
SUPERMAN 287 (May 1975)--1st story, "Who Was That Dog I Saw You With Last Night?" by Maggin, Swan and Oksner; cover art by Dick Giordano:

After ADVENTURE COMICS 396 (August 1970), the Dog of Steel was gone. Other than reprints, the good boy was never seen in the pages of a Superman comic--not even in SUPERBOY.

Then in ACTION COMICS 440 (October 1974), something happened in the Green Arrow feature for that issue which would bring the light of hope where all had been the shadow of despair.



A stray white dog on the docks of Star City looks up to see a green-garbed man flying through the sky. It's the Emerald Archer using one of his trick arrows to drop aboard a ship smuggling scientific equipment. Unbeknownst to Green Arrow, the homeless hound uses the ship's line to snag the smugglers.

Later, Ollie Queen and Dinah Lance are at the Pretty Bird Flower Shoppe, when the dog scratches at the door and brings in one of the smuggled gadgets. Queen accidentally discharges the device, causing Lance to hallucinate. But the canine leaps into action to turn off the device.



Black Canary decides to name the tramp Demian.

Next issue, in order to find out where all this science technology came from, Arrow covertly assists the head of the smuggling ring in escaping police custody. G.A. and B.C. then trail this mastermind--Professor Steelgraves--to his warehouse hideout.

As the Black and Green Duet crash into Steelgraves' redoubt, the Professor sets off a device that causes them to super-age. But the canny canine has followed Dinah and Ollie and saves their bacon by smashing the machine.

When Steelgraves (having watched enough SCOOBY-DOO cartoons) says, "You two never would've caught me if not for that blasted superdog--" the penny drops. The Brave Bowman and the Pretty Bird both realize that Demian is Krypto!

However, the Dog of Steel, having lost his memory, has wandered off. So Oliver phones Clark with the good news--and the bad news.



Note: An Editor's note says "How Krypto lost his memory will be revealed in a forthcoming Superman story! Watch for it!"

[Jim Kelly]

The next time we see the white tramp, he's arriving in Metropolis harbour aboard a garbage scow. Taking a fancy to a lovely lady named Chelsea, he is smitten. The Romeo and Juliet of breeds run off together, defying social mores.



Meanwhile, Superman squires Lois Lane in a Metropolis park. The lady and the tramp are playing not far off but, when the canine couple dig for bones, they inadvertently release a gas which bursts into blue flames. The Man of Steel puts out the fire, but Ms. Lane faints from the toxic gas.

The four-legged lovers are unaware and romp freely. A flashback informs the reader that the tramp is Krypto! During one of his voyages through the cosmos, the Superdog encountered the Mindbreaker Beast that feeds on mental energy. In defense of a planet, the Dog of Steel chased off the Mindbreaker but was dazed from the encounter. Now, in the park, as Krypto looks up to see the Action Ace carrying his sweetheart to the hospital, the Canine from Krypton recovers his memory.



The blue flame gas has been planted by a gang of art thieves. They use it to cover their heist of masterpieces from the art museum in the park. The Man and Dog of Steel soon defeat the felons of fine art.

However, when Krypto and Chelsea are reunited, the sight of a dog that flies has quelled the lady's interests in the tramp.

[Jim Kelly]

ACTION COMICS 462 (August 1976)--2nd story, "This is a Job For Superdog" by Bridwell, Swan and Milgrom:

From his Doghouse of Solitude in space, Krypto "hears"* the "supersonic whistle that Superman uses to summon" the Superdog.



However, when the Dog Knight finds the so-called Man of Might, he turns out to be a hitman posing as Superman and not the real deal.



When Krypto picks up the super-sonic signal once more, he finds it's actually Danny Victor playing a recording of the alert. Danny wants to book the Caped Canine for a commercial spot on Johnny Nevada's talk show. The good dog will do it for charity.



*Note: Since sound can't travel through space, Superman explains to Danny that his super-voice can "produce signals similar to radio waves." This might be a super-power that he's had before, but one that was never explained in quite this way.

[Jim Kelly]

ACTION COMICS 467 (January 1977)--2nd story, "A Superman's Best Friend is His Superdog" by Rozakis, Swan and Blaisdell:

When the Man of Tomorrow is called away to a J.L.A. meeting, he leaves his Canine Pal to mind Metropolis. Just Krypto's luck, that 5th Dimensional Puck shows up to rub out Superman's city.



The Superdog sniffs out the source of the disembodied hands that are erasing Metropolis. And Mxy attempts to hide from the Dog Knight Detective, because one bite from Krypto will give the Impossible Imp a case of "Zrfffian Rabies……and there's nothing in the universe as bad as that!"



Mr. M. takes refuge inside the Happy Hound Dog Food Company, in the form of a dog biscuit. But Krypto has caught the scent and eats his way through every biscuit to find his Phony Foe. Before the Uncanny Canine can put the bite on him, Mxyzptlk returns to his original form and says his name backwards to return to Zrfff.



As usual, once Mxy has gone back to the 5th Dimension, the effects of his magic are erased. Metropolis is as good as new, when Superman returns to find his four-legged friend on guard duty.

Note: At the close of this tale, the author's caption states "Metropolis returns to normal--seconds before the last sweep of the erasers would have consigned it to limbo forever!" Bob Rozakis, the Answer Man, knows his lore, so this must be true. However, I always assumed that, no matter what magic feat Mxyzptlk performed in our dimension, everything would always go back to normal when he returned to his. Yet this suggests that Mxy can cause permanent damage to our reality.

[Jim Kelly]

Tomorrow: Bob Kanigher's Last Hurrah

[marhawkman]

Bam!

Hunh, that's a very different Lucy Lane than the one who became Superwoman.

[Jim Kelly]

Hunh, that's a very different Lucy Lane than the one who became Superwoman.

I did not know Lucy became Superwoman. I guess that's recent. This would mean all four women in that fact file have been or will be Superwoman--Lois, Linda Lee, Lana and Lucy. As already covered in my previous posts, Lucy went from blonde to white haired (because of her "death"). Just before the post-Crisis reboot (almost in the same month), there was a two issue LOIS LANE mini-series which had Lucy in it, but this time she had brown hair--maybe she finally decided to dye her white hair so she wouldn't look so old.