Superboy #165

Superboy #165 (On Sale: March 5, 1970) has cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

This issue begins with "The Super-Dog from Krypton" by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and John Fishetti and reprinted from Adventure Comics #210. This story tells the origin of Krypto, Superboy's dog. Superboy encounters a super powered dog on the streets of Smallville. The dog seems to recognize him and is friendly. Superboy follows the dog to a rocket that has recently crashed on Earth. Inside the rocket he finds papers which reveal that the dog came from Krypton. The dog was sent into space by Jor-El to test a rocket which was deflected by a meteor. The dog, Krypto, belonged to Kal-El as a baby. Krypto's ship eventually made its way to Earth.

Superboy is thrilled to have his dog back. However, Krypto's frisky nature and super powers cause several problems for Superboy including threatening his secret identity. Superboy constructs a super doghouse for Krypto, but the dog is easily able to free himself.

Eventually Krypto takes off into space to chase meteors. Superboy is happy that he won't have to deal with Krypto's antics anymore, but he is sad that his friend is gone.

Next we have "Superboy's Last Day" by Otto Binder and George Papp and reprinted from Adventure Comics #251. This story tells of Superboy's first encounter with Kryptonite. While cleaning house, Clark Kent recalls how one of his Superboy robots saved his life. Many years before, Pa Kent brought home a green glowing rock for Clark’s mineral collection. Clark immediately took ill and was on his deathbed. To replace him as Superboy, a recently constructed Superboy robot was sent out controlled by Jonathan.

When the robot returned, it inadvertently stepped in front of the Kryptonite. Being made of lead, the robot blocked the radiation. Superboy recovered but relapsed when the robot moved away. Pa Kent realizes that the rock must be responsible and places it inside the robot. Superboy recovers and learns that the rock was Kryptonite, a fragment of his home planet, which is deadly to him.

This is followed by "The Girl Who Saw the Future Superboy" by Jerry Coleman and Al Plastino and reprinted from Superboy #90. While helping her father clean a scientist’s lab, Lana accidentally activates a machine that allows her to see the future. Although the image only lasts for a moment, Lana sees Superman and his girlfriend, Lois Lane. Lana become jealous and tries to alter fate by getting Lois to enter a different career.

Lana visits Lois’s school and tries to sabotage Lois’s attempts to join the school paper. Failing in that, Lana tries to get Lois to pursue a career in science and later, sculpture. Each attempt fails due to the Unbeknownst actions of Superboy and Krypto.

Next we have "The Phantom Superboy" by Robert Bernstein and George Papp and reprinted from Adventure Comics #283. This is the first appearance of the Phantom Zone. Professor Lang discovers a box of Kryptonian weapons which he delivers to Superboy. While Superboy examines and tests the weapons, he is accidentally sent into the Phantom Zone, a dimension which exists near ours in which beings can only exist in a ghostly state. Kryptonian criminals were banished here before the destruction of the planet.

Unable to be seen or heard Superboy can not communicate with anyone in his own dimension. Eventually he discovers that his super thought is enough to activate an electric typewriter on which he types a message to Pa Kent. Jonathan rescues Superboy from the Zone, and then the Boy of Steel disposes of the box of weapons.

We end with "The Death of Ma and Pa Kent" by Leo Dorfman and Al Plastino and reprinted from Superman #161. While on vacation in the Caribbean, Jonathan and Martha Kent find a buried pirate’s treasure. The chest contains a scrap from the diary of Pegleg Morgan and presents them a mystery. Superboy carries them into the past to learn how Pegleg was stranded on the island by Blackbeard the Pirate.

When they return to present-day Smallville, the Kents become ill from jungle fever. Doctors are unable to find the cure, and Superboy is likewise helpless. Superboy tries to send them to the Phantom Zone, but solar flares prevent the projector from functioning.

Without a cure, the Kents die. Superboy blames himself for their deaths and gives up his Superboy career. He donates their money to charity, maintaining their house and store for himself. When searching through his father’s belongings he finds the diary scrap and learns that the chest the Kents found in the sand was the actually source of their illness. Relieved that his time-trip was not responsible for the death of his parents, Superboy resumes his career and treasures the memory of his Earth parents.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Superboy #163

Superboy #163 (On Sale: January 8, 1970) has a superb Neal Adams' cover which seems inspired by Cool Hand Luke.

This issue begins with Superboy in our cover-story, "Reform School Rebel" by Frank Robbins, Bob Brown and Mike Esposito.

The back-up is "The Super-Robot" from Superboy #52 and produced by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and John Fischetti. Two swindlers build a Superboy robot. They then sell the robot to the gullible Pop Peabody who thinks the robot has super powers. Superboy tricks the crooks by posing as the robots and performing super deeds for Pop. When the crooks see that the robot possesses powers they offer to buy it back for twice the price. The crooks then take the real robot back to their workshop where they discover it to be worthless junk. Superboy explains his trick to Peabody and gives the extra money to charity.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

World's Finest Comics #179

World's Finest Comics #179 (On Sale: August 6, 1968), AKA 80pg. Giant #G-52, has a cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with "The Origin of the Superman-Batman Team" from World's Finest Comics #94 by Edmond Hamilton, Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye. Lex Luthor has escaped prison, and Superman will not let Batman help him recapture the criminal. He has instead taken a new partner, Powerman. Batman and Robin trail Superman to learn why he has refused their help.

Robin recalls the first time he and Batman met the Man of Steel. They had run across some Kryptonite smugglers and gone to warn Superman. They teamed up, but at the final stage Superman refused their help in order to protect them. Batman disguised himself as Superman anyway to assist his new friend. Together they defeated the gang.

Batman suspects Superman is protecting him again. He returns to Luthor’s cell and discovers that Luthor is using a powerful new weapon. He devises a shield to protect himself from the weapon and captures Luthor. Superman then reveals that Powerman is a robot. He used the robot to get close to his foe, because Luthor was also using Kryptonite.

Next is "The Mightiest Team in the World" from Superman #76 by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and John Fischetti. This is the story where Superman and Batman discover each other’s secret identities. Both Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne board a cruise ship and end up sharing a cabin. When a fire breaks out, both switch to their alternate identities of Superman and Batman. Batman rescues Lois Lane, while Superman puts out the fire.

Later aboard ship they protect their identities from Lois Lane, while tracking down a jewel thief, John Smilter. Superman must save the ship from danger, while Batman captures Smilter and once again rescues Lois. When the ship arrives at port, the duo once again protects their secret identities from Lois.

This is followed by "Batman – Double for Superman" from World's Finest Comics #71 by Alvin Schwartz, Curt Swan and Stan Kaye. Superman rescues Batman and Robin, when the Bat-plane is shot down by crooks. In the process, Lois Lane witnesses Clark Kent change into Superman. Batman and Superman agree to switch identities to confuse Lois, so she won’t realize she has discovered Superman’s secret identity.

Superman disguised as Batman follows the crooks, but is felled by a piece of Kryptonite. Meanwhile, Batman disguised as Superman tries to convince Lois that Superman is Bruce Wayne. When Superman fails to return Batman tracks him down at the crooks’ hide-out. Lois also arrives, discovering Clark wearing the Batman costume. Batman rescues Clark from the Kryptonite and apprehends the crooks. Lois is still confused by the secret identity situation and believes it was a prank perpetrated by Superman.

Next is "When Gotham City Challenged Metropolis" from World's Finest Comics #76 by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and Stan Kaye. Superman and Batman compete in a contest to determine which whether Gotham City or Metropolis will host a science convention. Superman patrols Gotham and performs four feats in the allotted time frame. Batman is able to perform five feat in Metropolis, earning him the victory for Gotham City.

Batman tried hard to win the contest because one of the inventions on display at the convention emits Kryptonite rays. When the machine is tested, Superman is nearby and weakened. However, the machine malfunctions and destroys itself. Superman then reveals he performed a fifth feat, so the convention is held in both cities.

"The Dictator of Kandor" from World's Finest Comics #100 is next, by Bill Finger, Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye. Luthor has invented a belt which reduces him and his gang to tiny size. Using the belts, Luthor sets up a trap for Superman. Unknown to Superman, he brings Luthor into the Fortress of Solitude inside a machine Luthor has built to use as a Trojan horse.

Once inside the Fortress, Luthor infiltrates the bottled city of Kandor. Superman follows him inside, but without his powers in the Kandorian City, he is captured by Luthor’s gang. Luthor then forces the citizens of Kandor to give him their advanced weapons.

Following a lead of their own, Batman and Robin arrive at the Fortress and enter Kandor. They rescue Superman and take on Luthor with him. Luthor is victorious and leaves Kandor. However, the heroes are still alive and follow him outside. Superman and Batman remain tiny in size because the belts they used were broken, but Superman’s powers return. Together they defeat Luthor and his men.

Lastly we have "The Club of Heroes" from World's Finest Comics #89 by Edmond Hamilton, Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye. Superman, Batman, and several heroes from around the world are called together to form a Club of Heroes. The members decide to elect the chairman of the club based on heroic deeds performed that week. Each hero is selfless and wants another to be elected chairman, so they don’t take credit for their own rescues.

Superman is knocked unconscious by an unknown force while stopping a lightning storm. An unknown hero, Lightning-Man, appears and accomplishes Superman’s duties. The next day a similar event happens and Lightning-Man once again makes the scene while Superman is incapacitated.

Batman suspects that Lightning-Man is behind Superman’s problems. He suspects that the new hero is trying to win chairmanship in the club which is exactly what happens.

When Lightning-Man appears again however, Batman proves that the identity of the new hero is Superman himself. An orbiting piece of Kryptonite is affecting him causing him to assume another identity. The Kryptonite is removed, Superman returns to normal, and he remains chairman of the club.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.