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

[Jim Kelly]

ADVENTURE COMICS 415 (February 1972)--1st story, "The Space Pirates" by Albano, Mortimer and Oksner; 3rd story, "Like a Death's-Head in the Sky" by Wein and Oksner; cover art by Bob Oksner:



A space pirates commander believes that Linda Danvers is the ideal woman for him and he orders his captain to abduct her.



Apparently it was Linda's own sweet charms which captured the commander's heart as he's surprised when she switches to her Supergirl identity.

[Jim Kelly]

The captain and his crew were all held in prison before the commander helped them escape. Until Kara Zor-El informs him, the captain does not know that the government on that planet has changed--the commander has kept this information from him and the crew. The captain cannot live with the guilt.



Ultimately, the Daring Dynamo defeats the commander and his henchmen and turns them over to the Planetary Galaxy Patrol. The commander can't help but be impressed by the woman who conquered him.

[Jim Kelly]

No sooner has the Blonde Blockbuster returned from one adventure in space than she must return to the void, only having time to change into her Sposato's, when Dr. Noah Kylie threatens the Earth using a satellite armed to the teeth with atomic firepower.

[Jim Kelly]

ADVENTURE COMICS 416 [DC-10] (March 1972)--wraparound cover, "World's Greatest Super-Females" art by Bob Oksner:

Issue 416 is a Super Spectacular reprint of the "World's Greatest Super-Females." Oksner's cover features a Who's Who of D.C.'s Distaff Darlings.



The cover key [N-474] is written by this issue's editor, E. Nelson Bridwell. The nice thing about these keys is they don't just give background but also direct one to where characters can be found currently [in 1972].

[Jim Kelly]

THE BEST OF DC [Blue Ribbon Digest] 17 (October 1981)--cover, "100 Pages: The Many Lives of Supergirl" art by George Perez and Dick Giordano:



The Sposato Star Trekker gives her fans the Vulcan greeting.

[Jim Kelly]

GREEN LANTERN 87 (December 1971 - January 1972)--2nd story, "What Can One Man Do?" by Elliot S! Maggin, Adams and Giordano
WORLD'S FINEST COMICS 210 (March 1972)--1st story, "World of Faceless Slaves" by Maggin, Dillin and Giella; cover art by Adams and Giordano:

Issue 87 of GREEN LANTERN splits up the Lantern/Arrow duo so they can each have an adventure, both noteworthy in their own right. Hal Jordan's cover story, by O'Neil, Adams and Giordano, introduces John Stewart for the first time. And Oliver Queen's story is scripted by someone who will go on to great things.

"What Can One Man Do?" was the first comic book story written by Elliot S. Maggin--or rather Elliot S! Maggin as Julius Schwartz insisted he should always be credited, after a punctuation error first added the exclamation point. That debut story began as a term paper at Brandeis University, which Maggin later sent to Schwartz.

[see post#252]




As the story title suggests, Ollie is struggling with his own activism. He's given the chance to stand for mayor and is weighing whether he should run. As Green Arrow there's a limit to the changes he can make in society, which he discovers one night when there's a race riot. A young man that comes to his aid is shot.



Arrow rushes the kid to the hospital but he can't be saved.

[Jim Kelly]

The team-up of Green Arrow and Superman in WORLD'S FINEST COMICS 210 picks up the story from there as Clark Kent tries to interview Queen on his mayoral campaign.

However, when Clark gives Ollie a lift in his roving news van, the two are abducted to the "World of Faceless Slaves." They have been brought to this ancient land of Veliathan by Effron--Sorcerer Supreme--who has chosen the Brave Bowman to battle King Dextro in the arena for the crown.

The Sorcerer explains that magic is the main source of power in this realm and he controls the magic. Everyone is born faceless and remains so until they can establish themselves as individuals if they ever can.



The outcome of the battle matters not to Effron since he's the real ruler of Veliathan. However, the Man of Steel--taking a lesson he learned from Doctor Fate in his issue 208 team-up--finds himself able to use the magic in this land and absorbs the power from the Sorcerer Supreme. Unable to exert his control over the masses, Effron is confronted by a throng of people with faces.



Superman takes Ollie back to present day Star City. The Emerald Archer believes the Man of Tomorrow staged the whole thing as a morality play to convince him that running for mayor would be an error.

[Jim Kelly]

Also on sale this month was SUPERMAN 249 (March 1972), the comic that introduced Terra-Man. Unfortunately when I went through all the Terra-Man stories [ posts #229 - 250 ], I missed a spectacular story that came out ten years after the first. Which means I have to update the timeline . . .

The Terra-Man (Toby Manning) Timeline


THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY 23 (November 1981)--1st story, "The Superboy Who Never Was" by Cary Bates, Kurt Schaffenberger and Dave Hunt; cover art by Kurt and Dave
SUPERMAN 249 (March 1972)--2nd story, "The Origin of Terra-Man" by Bates, Dick Dillin and Neal Adams
SUPERMAN 249 (March 1972)--1st story, "The Challenge of Terra-Man" by Bates, Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson; cover art by Neal Adams
SUPERMAN 250 (April 1972)--1st story, "Have Horse, Will Fly" by Bates, Swan and Anderson; cover art by Neal
SUPERMAN 259 (December 1972)--"The Kid Who Knocked Out Superman" by Bates, Swan and Anderson; cover art by Nick Cardy
ACTION COMICS 426 (August 1973)--"Master of the Moon Rocks" by Bates, Swan and Anderson; cover art by Nick
SUPERMAN 278 (August 1974)--1st story, "Super-Showdown at Buzzard Gulch" by Bates, Swan and Bob Oksner; cover art by Nick
SUPERMAN 299 (May 1976)--"The Double-or-Nothing Life of Superman" by Bates, Maggin, Swan and Oksner; cover art by Bob Oksner
ACTION COMICS 468 (February 1977)--1st story, "Terra at Nine O'Clock" by Bates, Swan and Tex Blaisdell; cover art by Neal
ACTION COMICS 469 (March 1977)--1st story, "The Night Superman Was Buried in Boot Hill" by Bates, Swan and Blaidell; cover art by José Luis García-López and Bob Oksner
ACTION COMICS 470 (April 1977)--"Even Superman Must Die Sometime" by Bates, Swan and Blaisdell; cover art by José and Bob
WORLD'S FINEST COMICS 261 (February-March 1980)--1st story, "Showdown at Gotham City" by Denny O'Neil, Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano; cover art by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano
ACTION COMICS 511 (September 1980)--"Luthor Fights for Good" by Bates, Swan and Francisco Chiaramonte; cover art by Ross and Dick


SUPERMAN SPECTACULAR 1982 (copyright © 1981)--"Startling Saga of Superman-Red & Superman-Blue" by Bob Rozakis, Paul Kupperberg, Adrian Gonzalez and Vince Colletta; cover painting by Gonzalez and Dykeman?



SUPERMAN 377 (November 1982)--"Terra Times Two" by Paul Kupperberg, Curt Swan and Dave Hunt; cover art by Gil Kane
ACTION COMICS 557 (July 1984)--1st story, "The Artistic Thefts of Terra-Man" by Kupperberg, Swan and Hunt; cover art by Eduardo Barreto
DC COMICS PRESENTS 96 (August 1986)--"The Deputy" by Dan Mishkin, Gary Kohn, Joe Staton and Kurt Schaffenberger; cover art by Alan Kupperberg

WHO'S WHO: THE DEFINITIVE DIRECTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE 23 (January 1987)--"Terra-Man" by writer undetermined; art by Curt Swan and Sam de la Rosa

[Jim Kelly]

After the Metropolis Marvel foils another one of Lex Luthor's schemes, the scene switches to outer space where Toby Manning (otherwise known as Terra-Man) discovers a chunk of red Kryptonite. The Sidewinder of Space contacts Luthor to make a deal.



The Caped Kryptonian is on a date with Lois when he spies a "job for Superman"--a Terra-Man-made meteor shower.



So busy is Kal-El cow-punching meteors that he is not aware Luthor has slipped the red K. into the shower, until the Action Ace is suddenly transformed into Superman-Red and Superman-Blue!

[Jim Kelly]

With two Supermen on their tail, the Desperado Duo beat a hasty retreat.

Lex always has a contingency plan and he has caused a rift in space between the alternate universes, so that magic energy from one universe leaks into ours.

Red and Blue discover the rift and believe this explains why their powers seem to be winking out. The Blue Boy Scout goes into space to handle the rift and meets up with Terra-Man, while the Red "S" corners Luthor in his den only to be felled by magic. The Man of Blue Steel discovers that his powers increase when Big Red isn't using them, because they are both sharing the same set of powers.



Meanwhile, Lois has found Superman-Red dying from the effects of Luthor's magic. The mad scientist threatens her life, as well. By this time, the red K. clock has run out and the two-timing Superman becomes one again.



As Red fades away, Lois wonders whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow and believes that Lex has killed him. When the Pride of Pittsdale is blasted by Luthor's magic wand, she lies on the verge of death herself. Seeing the life force leave the woman he loves, the World's Greatest Super-Hero can only pray that somehow she might survive. And then by some miracle, perhaps divine intervention, Lois is brought back from the pearly gates.

[Jim Kelly]

Note: Unlike the first Superman-Red/Superman-Blue adventure [ see posts #308 and #495 - 497 ], this one is in continuity. However, in the imaginary story the two Supermen were able to solve the world's problems because their abilities were exponentially increased. In this version, they are given little chance to enjoy the advantages of a double life.

This was one of many stories prepared for the international market and it appeared overseas before it was released in North America. It's frustrating to think there were so many comic book stories that never saw the light of day on this side of the ocean, as many have never been published for the domestic market.

In West Germany, the story--"Die Saga von Superman-Rot und Superman-Blau"--appeared in SUPERMAN ALBUM No. 1 (1982) and in the United Kingdom for SUPERMAN SPECTACULAR No. 1 (1982). The German SUPERMAN ALBUM had a 12 issue run in all, while the U.K.'s SUPERMAN SPECTACULAR had a second issue, which I might talk about some other time.

Printed in West Germany, the North American one-shot SUPERMAN SPECTACULAR 1982 (as it's titled in the indicia) is magazine size, 48 pages, with a cardstock cover and what looks like offset printing. The price is a whopping $1.95. The cover is different for the U.K. release--that one has a cover painting by Alan Craddock,



Whereas, the German and domestic versions have a cover painting by Adrian Gonzalez and someone called Dykeman (recorded in Julius Schwartz's files, according to the Grand Comics Database).

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN 147 (March 1972)--1st story, "Superman in Supertown" by Kirby and Royer
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN 148 (April 1972)--1st story, "Monarch of All He Subdues" by Kirby and Colletta (plus alterations as noted); 2nd story, "Genetic Criminal" by Kirby and Royer:

Getting back to 1972 . . .

The Man of Tomorrow investigates the tunnel where he previously saw that the San Diego Six had Boom Tubed it to Apokolips. He now pursues a blue and yellow figure as they both go through a Boom Tube.



Expecting to find himself on Apokolips, the Action Ace discovers he's on New Genesis. His quarry, Magnar, believes the Red and Blue Blur is from Apokolips and they get in a fight before they realize their mutual misunderstanding.



Superman visits Supertown at last--something he's been wanting to do since FOREVER PEOPLE No. 1 (February-March 1971).



Art note: Again with Mike Royer inking, there are no substitutions on the Superman and Jimmy faces.

[Jim Kelly]

When he meets with Izaya, the Highfather of New Genesis, Superman confesses that he feels out of place among all these other super-beings. Highfather tells the Kryptonian to grasp the Wonder Staff and Kal-El is instantly transported back to Earth.



The Man of Might arrives in time to rescue Jimmy Olsen and the Newsboy Legion, who are being held captive by Victor Volcanum.



One of the Pseudo-Men created by Victor Volcanum is called Boxxa. Kirby would later introduce a similar metallic man--Ben Boxer--in KAMANDI, THE LAST BOY ON EARTH.



Note: Issue 148 is the end of the line for Jack Kirby on SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN.

Art note: Vince Colletta returns as inker for this final Olsen story and again Murphy Anderson returns to fix the Superman and Jimmy faces. It seems much more likely that Colletta was the real problem. Still, not long after this, Colletta was allowed to ink Curt Swan in SUPERMAN and there were no substitutions (would that there had been).

[Jim Kelly]

ADVENTURE COMICS 417 (March 1972)--1st story, "All Men Are But Slaves" by Steve Skeates and Oksner; cover art by Bob Oksner:



Johnny Drew and Linda Danvers investigate when Johnny's father goes missing. The older Mr. Drew used to be interest in mysticism and has disappeared into another dimension. Johnny ends up in the same dimension and then Linda follows after him as Supergirl. But by the time she arrives on this world where space and time have different rules, two years have already passed for Johnny. Here, men are kept as slaves and women hold the power.

[Jim Kelly]

Flying off to find Johnny's father on a work farm, the Blonde Blockbuster must battle women and mystic forces.



However, the leader of the women decides that the two men from another dimension must go free, because her world only enslaves men native to their dimension.