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

[Jim Kelly]

"The Legion of Super-Executioners":

After celebrating her birthday with family and friends, Lana is pleased when Superboy finally shows up to give her his gift, which is a trip to the 30th century



When they arrive at Legion headquarters, they're told the team is in the midst of a crisis. Ultra Boy has had fits of madness, tearing up the place with his increased super-strength. The Teen of Steel goes into Jo Nah's containment cell, in hopes of finding out what's wrong. But even the Caped Kryptonian is no match for the hero from Rimbor, who uses Superboy's own cape to tie him down and render him unconscious.

Brainy theorizes that a virus is causing the psychosis and that waters from a twin-ring planet should cure Ultra Boy. Superboy flies off to get the water. But it's a wild goose chase, as in reality it's the rest of the Legion that have gone crazy and Jo Nah is the only sane one.

Lana and Jo are put in front of a firing squad and left for dead, while the Legionnaires depart to work on their project for the "Master."

In fact, the Teen of Tomorrow saved the two. Ultra Boy had tied Superboy's cape in a Hoax Knot, which suggested there was something phony going on. Lana switches to her Insect Queen identity and the three find the Master overseeing the project--a space arc!



Using his control helmet, the Master commands Insect Queen to sting Ultra Boy. He then tells Superboy his plan--to take the Legionnaires to another planet and breed them until he's built up an army of super-beings.

However, Lana's sting was not deadly and Ultra Boy removes the Master's control helmet, ending the threat.

[Jim Kelly]

"The One-Man Team":



Smallville's high school principal and coach try to recruit the Boy of Steel for their sports teams. The lamp signal makes its appearance for the first time in the comics--used here by Professor Lang.



The Kid from Krypton puts on an exhibition to demonstrate why his playing sports would be a bad idea, stopping some crooks at the same time.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERBOY 88 (April 1961)--1st story, "The Invader From Earth" by Coleman and Plastino; 2nd story, "The One-Man Team" by Bernstein and Papp; 3rd story, "The Saddest Boy in Smallville" by Finger and Papp; cover art by Swan and Kaye:



Two of the stories in SUPERBOY 88 were derived from scripts for THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY, the television series starring Johnny Rockwell as Clark Kent and Superboy. Unfortunately, this series never got more than a pilot episode, which failed to impress the networks. Yet, thirteen scripts were written for the prospective series. Allan Asherman lists them all in "The Adventures of Superboy," THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS No. 2 (September-October 1974).

"One-Man Team" was scripted for the series by Vernon Clark and Whitney Ellsworth. And "The Saddest Boy in Smallville" was adapted from Clark and Ellsworth's script, "Rajah's Ransom" which is the pilot episode that was filmed. The script itself was derived from an earlier plot in SUPERBOY 49 (June 1956)--1st story, "The Loneliest Boy in Town" by Binder and Sikela.

The tale concerns a classmate of Clark's who is ashamed of his father, because he works as a doorman at the local movie theatre. At that theatre, a movie called THE RAJAH'S TREASURE is the main feature and to promote the picture some jewels are on display in the lobby. When a couple of crooks steal the jewels, the doorman is the only eye witness. The doorman has been taking art courses and is able to sketch the suspects for the police.

In the pilot, the boy is Jimmy Drake and his father is Fred Drake. In the comic, the boy is Tommy Hunter--no relation to Canada's Country Gentleman--and the father is James Hunter.

James Hunter was a war hero. The Red and Blue Blur flies into the past to film Tommy's father in heroic action.



Given the low budget for the pilot, I doubt this war scene could have been filmed.

The cover story for SUPERBOY 88--"The Invader From Earth"--was previously mentioned in post #155.

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERBOY 205 has more "Lore of the Legion" pages . . .







Art note: While pages 70 and 71 have Dave Cockrum art (his last work for this comic), page 72 seems to be composed of previous art by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein, except Lana (Insect Queen) inked by George Roussos.

[Jim Kelly]

Tomorrow: The Psychic Network

[Jim Kelly]

Supergirl Presents
THE SUPERMAN FAMILY 168 (December-January 1975)--[new content] 1st story, "The Girl with the See-Through Mind" by Maggin, Rosenberger, Colletta (Schwartz ed.); cover art by Nick Cardy:



Linda recommends her old friend Lena Thorul Colby to be a guest lecturer on telepathy at the New Athens Experimental school. Conducting tests on students, Lena discovers one who has extraordinary psychic abilities

Supergirl establishes a psychic connection with the reprints she introduces in this issue--

▪ SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN 86 (July 1965)--2nd story, "Jimmy's D-Day Adventure" by Dorfman, Swan and Klein--Jimmy travels back in time to Nazi Germany and pretends to have the power to predict the future.
▪ SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE 56 (April 1965)--2nd story, "Lois Lane, Super-Telepath" by Binder and Schaffenberger--Lois and Jimmy fake a mentalist act, see post to follow.
▪ SUPERBOY 122 (July 1965)--3rd story, "The Fugitive Krypto" by Siegel and Papp--Krypto goes to a planet of intelligent canines, where they can read his thoughts--see post #157;
▪ SUPERMAN 169 (May 1964)--1st story, "The Infernal Imp" by Siegel, Swan and Klein--telepathy plays a role in this story, but it's a spoiler that Supergirl won't give away in her introduction.
▪ SUPERBOY 111 (March 1964)--1st story, "Lana Lang's Mystic Power" by Dorfman and Papp--Lana poses as a fortune teller, see post to follow.
▪ ACTION COMICS 280 (September 1961)--1st story, "Brainiac's Super Revenge" by Siegel, Swan and Kaye--Brainiac responds to a psychic call for help, see post to follow.

[Jim Kelly]

"Lois Lane, Super-Telepath":

Lois and Jimmy put on a fake mentalist act, when she poses as Miss Telepath at the Blue Tuxedo night club. "Long Odds" Larkin is in the audience and believes that she really does have psychic powers.




The gang boss and his moll, Trixie, kidnap the psychic and take her to his hideout--just as Lois had planned. She has Jimmy's signal watch and once in the hideout, she tries to summon the Man of Steel so he can nab Larkin. But the Caped Kryptonian is in outer space where the signal can't reach him. Larkin wants Miss Telepath to use her powers to help his gang commit crimes. Stalling for time, Lois makes wild predictions that all turn out to be right.




When the Man of Steel finally returns from his interplanetary errand of mercy, he responds to her signal and bags the Larkin mob. Lois is dumbfounded how she could have made so many accurate predictions, but Superman says the laws of chance allow that she could have made such lucky guesses. But was it just luck?

[Jim Kelly]

"Lana Lang's Mystic Power":

Clark and Lana get jobs as cub reporters on the Smallville Sentinel (not the Smallville Star this time). For the paper, they cover the Amazing Mystir Ali at the Center Theatre. Clark is dubious of Ali's mental act, but Lana thinks it could be true. Meeting the psychic backstage after the performance, Mystir Ali gives Lana one of his turbans and one of his crystal balls.



At the Sentinel office, Uncle Phineas Potter pays his niece a visit, showing her some of his latest inventions. She plants his radio transmitter on Krypto so she can track the canine's missions with the Boy of Steel and pick up scoops for the paper, pretending that she saw these deeds in her crystal ball. However, Superboy eventually figures out that she's been bugging his dog.



Then Lana tries to see if the crystal ball will really work and it shows her the Caped Kryptonian changing into Clark Kent. The malicious Miss Lang threatens to expose him unless the Red and Blue Blur brings her Marie Antoinette's jewel box from the past.

However, Clark dupes Lana into believing it was all a gag and the crystal ball doesn't really work. In fact, it does have magic powers!

[Jim Kelly]

"Brainiac's Super Revenge":

After being marooned in the distant past by Superman--at the end of their previous encounter in ACTION COMICS 275 (April 1961)--Brainiac sleeps through eons in suspended animation until he is awakened and time travels back to 1961. Rocketing through outer space, the super-villain perceives mental voices radiating from Kronis, the prison planet. The universe's worst criminals reach out to him with their minds--Invisible Rogue, Elastic Crook, Electric Man and Insect Master. But Brainiac ignores their pleas for assistance and heads to Earth.





Finding Superman in Africa, along with Lois, Jimmy and Perry who have gone there on assignment, Brainiac weakens the Man of Steel and shrinks the four, as well as a golden gorilla. They are imprisoned inside a bell jar, but the gorilla is able to free them and aid the Action Ace in capturing the alien mastermind. Of course, the golden gorilla is Congorilla, mentally controlled by Congo Bill.

Once he's imprisoned on Kronis, Brainiac uses a mind helmet to plead for help from a passing rocket piloted by the space-villain Molnur. But Molnur has no sympathy for anyone who could get caught and put on a prison planet.



Note: This adventure pre-dates the revelation that Brainiac is a living computer.

[Jim Kelly]

ACTION COMICS 443 (January 1975)--[new content] 1st story, "At Last! Clark Kent--Super-Hero" by Maggin, Swan and Blaisdell; cover art by Nick Cardy:



Another brilliant cover that plays with the comic book in a comic book design, as "Superman Unleashes the World's Greatest Action Heroes."



In a Round Robin, the different stars of this issue take turns introducing each other's reprints: Action Underwater (Sea Devils), Action in the West (Matt Savage, Trail Boss), Action on Another World (Adam Strange), Action in the Sky (Hawkman)--and a rare sight, Action in a Spanish Castle, starring the Black Pirate.

▪ SENSATION COMICS 4 (April 1942)--2nd story, "Iron Mask" by Sheldon Moldoff--see post to follow.

E.N.B. answers the L.o.C. in this 100 pg. Super Spec., re. Capt. Strong, can. famil., ed. J.S., etc.

[Jim Kelly]

"At Last! Clark Kent--Super-Hero":



It seems like the whole world is mixed up as Superman is the mild-mannered reporter for Galaxy Broadcasting, subject to Steve Lombard's ridicule and pranks, while Clark Kent is the super-hero that all admire.

From space, on board a beehive satellite, a legion of doom are just as confused--Brainiac, Clayface, the Harpy, Merlyn the Archer, Ocean Master, Sinestro, Chronos the Time-Thief, Gorilla Grodd--and Zazzala the Queen Bee.



It is Zazzala's plan to capture all the Justice League by using their own abilities against them. And so these super-villains have caught, Batman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Green Lantern, the Atom, the Flash, Red Tornado and Elongated Man--all the active Justice Leaguers except Superman.

Having realized that his fellow J.L.A. members had been captured by their foes and he was the only Leaguer still at large, Clark put into play an elaborate identity switch that would confuse the Super-Computer Brainiac.

A Kandorian Brain-Wave Machine reversed everyone on Earth's attitude toward Clark Kent and Superman.

This bought the Man of Steel some time; however, he was still captured and frozen on board the hive satellite, where the other Justice Leaguers were imprisoned, but not before his heat vision helped free the Flash. The Scarlet Speedster is then able to break free his fellow super-heroes. And the Justice League make quick work of capturing their foes.



Note: If the Man of Steel has access to a Kandorian Brain-Wave Machine that can change the minds of everyone on Earth, one wonders what he could do with such power. If nothing else, it would explain why no one can see that Clark Kent and Superman are one and the same.

[Jim Kelly]

"Iron Mask":



The Black Pirate is the secret identity of Jon Valor, a favourite at court in 16th century Spain.

It appears that King Philip of Spain is dead and his son Don Carlos will take the throne. But all is not as it seems. Count Valdez, the hand of Don Carlos, has taken Philip away to the dungeons and put him in an iron mask.

A court jester tells Jon Valor that Philip still lives. The Black Pirate goes to the dungeon, frees Philip and puts Valdez in the iron mask.



Disguised as the jester, Philip is an unwelcome guest at the coronation of Carlos.

[Jim Kelly]

Next week: The Strange Lives of the Family

[Jim Kelly]

Lois Lane Presents
THE SUPERMAN FAMILY 169 (February-March 1975)--[new content] 1st story, "Target of the Tarantula" by Bates, Rosenberger and Colletta--see post to follow.



Costumed identities is Lois Lane's theme for this issue's reprints, from--

▪ SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN 63 (September 1962)--1st story, "The League of Fantastic Supermen" by Siegel, Swan and Klein--see post to follow.



▪ ACTION COMICS 350 (May 1967)--2nd story, "The Anti-Supergirl Plot" by Dorfman and Mooney--a band that dresses up as Batman, Green Lantern and Green Arrow.
▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 269 (February 1960)--1st story, "Krypto's Mean Master" by Siegel and Papp--the Superdog's encounter with Solar Boy, see post #89.
▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 236 (May 1957)--1st story, "Clark Kent's Super-Dad" by Coleman and Sikela--when Jonathan Kent became a super-hero--see post to follow.



▪ ADVENTURE COMICS 293 (February 1962)--2nd story, "The Good Deeds of Bizarro-Luthor" by Siegel and Forte--the title says it all.

This will be the last issue of SUPERMAN FAMILY in the 100 page format.

[Jim Kelly]

"Target of the Tarantula":

A vigilante appears in Metropolis, taking the law in his own hands to pursue criminals. The new crimebuster calls himself the Tarantula, which is the name of a character from a defunct T.V. program. Suspicion falls on Gerold Lester, who was the biggest fan of the show.



Meanwhile, working undercover for the S.I.A., Lois doesn't need Superman to watch her back because she has her own guardian angel.

The Man of Steel uses a ghost gathering machine to trap the spirit of Ms. Lane's astral ally--Simon Cross. After the S.I.A. operative died, his ghost remained on Earth to look out for the woman he loved.



At the end of the adventure, the Tarantula is revealed to be retired detective Frank Lester, Gerold's father. And Simon's spirit is sent into another realm of existence.

Note: One can imagine that the Tarantula on Earth-One is modelled after the Tarantula on Earth-Two--a.k.a. John Law, 1st appearance STAR-SPANGLED COMICS 1 (October 1941), created by Mort Weisinger and Hal Sharp. It was a conceit of the comics that many Earth-Two characters were known on Earth-One as fictional characters. The Earth-One Tarantula and the Earth-Two Tarantula are not dissimilar.

This was John Rosenberger's last Lois Lane story. He had health problems at this time and died from cancer on January 24th, 1977, at age 58.