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

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERBOY 197 (September 1973)--1st story, "Timber Wolf: Dead Hero, Live Executioner" by Bates and Cockrum; cover art by Cockrum and Cardy:



With this issue the Legion become the main feature of the book. However, the story does begin with Clark Kent and Lana Lang in Smallville, sitting under the apple tree. Lana wants to know why her best friend never tries to get fresh with her.

This is an uncomfortable situation for Clark--and to add to his worries, he's just got a signal from the Legion to come to the 30th century right away. He uses heat-vision to knock out Lana with falling apples and heads through the time barrier.

But he's only been brought there by the L.S.H. to see Timber Wolf.



In an unrecorded case, S.B. and T.W. were on a mission together in space, when a planetoid exploded presumably killing Brin. However, the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.

It later turns out, when Timber Wolf attempts to assassinate the President of Earth, that he's been brainwashed.

The culprit is Tyr, who reveals himself when he attacks Saturn Girl in Legion H.Q.--his real objective was always to blow up the Legion's citadel and everyone inside. Brin overcomes his brainwashing and saves Imra from Tyr--but the villain's gun hand escapes.



Note: The idea that any alert from the future needs to be answered immediately makes no sense. But it's a quirk of these time travel stories the reader simply has to accept.

Art note: Dave Cockrum gives Brin Londo his new look with this story.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE 133 (September 1973)--"The Lady is a Bomb" by Drake, Rosenberger and Colletta; cover art by Bob Oksner:



A science wunderkind threatens to blow up Metropolis.

***

SUPERMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN 160 (October 1973)--1st story, "The Secret of Harpy Castle" by Dorfman and Schaffenberger:

Jimmy and Percy investigate a haunted castle. Liz and Dick (Horton à la Burton) had the castle moved piece by piece from the U.K.

***

SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE 134 (October 1973)--"Stolen: 10,000,000 Lives" by Bates, Rosenberger and Colletta [Anderson]:

Lois steals the bottle city. But actually it's one of her look-alikes in Kandor--a criminal--who has switched places with Ms. L. Meanwhile, a Superman look-alike--another criminal--has switched bodies with Kal-El.



The look-alikes are also brother and sister. Weird.

[Jim Kelly]

The "Behind the Scenes" column in October 1973 cover dated issues puts the spotlight on Metropolis--that's in Illinois.



Where a Superman theme park is being built.

[Jim Kelly]

THE AMAZING WORLD OF SUPERMAN [Metropolis Edition] (1973):



To promote the new Superman park in Metropolis, Illinois, National Periodical Publications put out a tabloid-sized book (their first tabloid).

In glorious black and white with half-tones--except for the map of Krypton in the centre--this book is full of stuff about the Metropolis Marvel, the production of the comics (from script to printed copy), diagrams, maps, history, on the stage and on the screen. About the only thing it doesn't include is the two guys that created Superman--not a whisper about Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Reprinted stories include--

▪ ACTION COMICS 210 (November1955)--1st story, "Superman in Superman Land" by Finger, Boring and Kaye--the most stupendous theme park in the world.
▪ SUPERMAN 170 (July 1964)--1st story, "Superman's Mission for President Kennedy" by Finger, Bridwell and Plastino.



And a new story--

▪ "The Origin of Superman" by Bridwell, Infantino, Swan and Anderson.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERBOY 198 (October 1973)--"The Fatal Five Who Twisted Time" by Bates and Cockrum:



Lana and Clark go to a carnival on the outskirts of Smallville. Dave Cockrum makes loads of references to pop culture characters on these pages--including Swamp Thing and Man-Thing. Clark's mind is on a mysterious glowing orb that has been reported hovering above the town, but Lana is taken aback when a creature in the "Horror Haven" tent is a living gorilla from one of the other attractions.





After the Kid from Krypton covertly quiets the ape, they next go to a fortune teller, who is really the Emerald Empress. She has travelled to the 20th century, along with her fellow member of the Fatal Five, the Persuader.

[Jim Kelly]

Meanwhile, the Karate Kid, Jeckie, Brainy and E. Lad arrive at the carnival in a Legion Time Bubble on the trail of the Fatal Twosome. Lana tells the Legionnaires that the pair defeated Superboy and took him captive. And Element Lad enjoys some 1950s cotton candy.



The Fatal Five are using a device called a Time Sorter to change the timeline so that the Legion never existed.

Mano appears to be in two places at the same time--the 30th century and the 20th century. In fact, the Mano at the carnival is Cham sent ahead by the Legion to spy on the Empress and Persuader.



The Durlan's deception is found out, but Reep has located where Kal-El has been stashed--in the monument to the hero himself. And the timeline is restored.

[Jim Kelly]

DC 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR DC-21 (October 1973)--"Presents Superboy"; cover art by Nick Cardy:





The three Superboy stories in this issue are reprinted from--

▪ SUPERBOY 94 (January 1962)--1st story, "The Superboy Revenge Squad" by Bernstein and Papp--see post #295.
▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 117 (June 1947)--1st story, "The Miracle Plane" by Finger, Sikela and Roussos (with Mortimer, one page).
▪ SUPERBOY 50 (July 1956)--"The Super Giant of Smallville" by Binder, Swan and John Giunta?

There's a Supergirl yarn from--

▪ ACTION COMICS 313 (June 1964)--2nd story, "Lena Thorul, Jungle Princess" by Dorfman and Mooney.

And a Legion of Super-Heroes tale from--

▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 332 (May 1965)--1st story, "The Super-Moby Dick of Space" by Hamilton, Forte and Klein.

[Jim Kelly]

Next week: Only Monsters in the Building

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERGIRL 8 (November 1973)--"A Head-ful of Snakes" by Bates and Saaf; cover art by Bob Oksner:



Supergirl is possessed by the spirit of Medusa and grows a head of snakes, turning others to stone. A menace to the world, Batman, Green Lantern and Hawkman attempt to stop Superman's Cousin, but the Justice League brethren are petrified by her serpentine scalp.



Meanwhile, Linda's boyfriend of the month, Mitch, is possessed by the spirit of Perseus, who resumes his vendetta against the Gorgon sister.

Art note: Although the art is credited only to brother Art, the inks looks a lot like my cousin Vinnie.

***

SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE 135 (November 1973)--"The Amazing After Life of Lois Lane" by Bates, Rosenberger and Colletta [Anderson].

Lois joins a death cult. The cult leader is bilking rich people out of their millions by putting them through some sort of death ritual. To gain entrance into his family of followers, the Pride of Pittsdale has to pretend she's rich. The Man of Might helps her out by fetching a huge diamond from Africa, only to run afoul of an ape glowing green from an irradiated Krypton space artefact.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN 162 (December 1973 - January 1974)--1st story, "1 By 1 My Brothers Die" by Dorfman and Schaffenberger; 2nd story, "The Savage Who Stalked Mr. Action" by Dorfman and Schaffenberger:

In the first story, Luthor clones Olsen. No one mentions all the brother clones of Olsen that were made by the Evil Factory.

In the second story, Olsen is stalked by a big game hunter, to Meg's delight.



The huntress is a sinister sister named Diana Savage.

[Jim Kelly]

ACTION COMICS 430 (December 1973)--1st story, "Bus-Ride to Nowhere" by Bates, Swan and Anderson; cover art by Nick Cardy
ACTION COMICS 431 (January 1974)--1st story, "The Monster Who Unmasked Superman" by Bates, Swan and Anderson:



During his nightly rounds, the Metropolis Marvel tracks a monster he calls the Quakerer. The creature is called this because it seems to be causing quakes in the city. As Superman follows the flying beast, it creates an animated smoke hand which delays his pursuit. However, he is able to overcome the obstacle in time to see the Quakerer enter his building at 344 Clinton Street.

In his apartment, Clark is contacted by humanity's descendants of the far future via his T.V. set. They tell him that the Quakerer is a super-evolved version of a chameleon that takes human form. In the 420th century, the chameleon creatures dominate the Earth and homo sapiens have been driven underground. The Quakerer has time-travelled to the 20th century to try out their earthquake technology. If successful, the chameleon succession will then use it to destroy the underground habitat of the human offspring in the future.

[Jim Kelly]

On the holiday Saturday, with most of the residents away from 344 Clinton, the Quakerer uses its abilities to swerve the building away from a potential plane crash--meaning that the Quakerer must be one of Clark's few neighbours still at home--either Nathan Warbow, Martin Thorpe, Jonathan Slaughter or May Marigold. Yes, even May--who has a crush on Clark, unlike her identical twin sister--even she is not above suspicion.



That Monday morning, at exactly 8:33 a.m., Clark and the four suspects all board the B Lexington 109 bus, but as the bus turns onto 17th Street, it vanishes.

[Jim Kelly]

The commuters are shocked to find they are in an unfamiliar landscape and even more surprised when Kent reveals he's actually the Man of Steel.



Jonathan Slaughter transforms into the chameleon creature, but he is not the actual Quakerer. That's Martin Thorpe, who used his powers to transform Slaughter, while he made his escape on board the bus.

The Quakerer has figured out that the bus is really a time machine that Superman used to transport them into the distant past. The Man of Tomorrow chases after the time machine and now the two adversaries are travelling forward in time, but the Quakerer exits into the time stream and is lost somewhere in the past.



The bus arrives back in the present, with no time actually having passed for anyone, Clark having hypnotized all the passengers into forgetting their time trip--and Batman posing as Martin Thorpe to help out his bro.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN 273 (March 1974)--2nd story, "Blind Date" by Maggin, Swan and Giordano:

May Marigold plays a part in this Private Life of Clark Kent story, which adds another detail to his life at 344 Clinton Street.



At the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew his driver's license, Clark is suddenly struck blind; however, thanks to his other super-senses and his memory, he is able to pass the test, then hails a cab back to his apartment building, where he encounters May. He recognizes her voice-print, which is distinct from her identical twin, April.

Upon entering his apartment, Kent drops his fedora on the bust of "Morty." This is an inside joke, since this is the Son of Krypton's godfather, Mort Weisinger, in effigy.



C.K. deduces that his blindness is mental--a product of his subconscious alert mechanism--reminding him he has committed to be in two places at the same time as Superman. He's supposed to be on monitor duty aboard the J.L.A. satellite, but he's also supposed to be entertaining a class of blind children. This realization clears up his blindness.

With his super-intelligence, Kent is able to cannibalize his electronic devices into a matter transmitter which beams the sightless offspring up to the satellite, where they can fly around in zero gravity.



Note: Maggin's Man of Steel retains a psychological vulnerability, despite his physical invulnerability. Who needs red Kryptonite for bizarre plots, when mental disorders will do the job just as well, eh?

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERGIRL 9 (December 1973 - January 1974)--"The Super-Amazon" by Bates, Saaf and Colletta; cover art by Bob Oksner





A couple parked at a make-out spot near the Vandyre campus are in deadly danger when their car starts to go over the cliff. Fortunate for them, Supergirl happens to be flying by and saves them. But she's in for a shock when it turns out the guy in the car is Linda's boyfriend of the month, Dale.

Fred and Edna's daughter dumps Dale and the Danvers girl says she's done with men. Superman's Beautiful Blonde Cousin then has further experiences with males that put her off their sex entirely.

Flying above the ocean she spots a small vessel, where Nubia is fending off mutant Shark-Men, who are bent on attacking her mother, Queen Hippolyta.



The Caped Kryptonian flies the Amazon ship out of danger, but not before Nubia has been poisoned by one of the Shark-Men.