Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #104

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #104 (On Sale: July 2, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson featuring Lois Lane's Greatest Scoops.

We begin with "The Super-Prisoner of Amazon Island" by Otto Binder, Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye and reprinted from Action Comics #235. Lois and other members of her Super Sorority are shipwrecked on a small island. Superman comes to rescue them, but he has violated the laws of the native Amazons living there. He is declared a slave and his services are bid upon.

The queen, Elsha, wishes to make Superman her husband. When she loses in the auction, she abolishes the law and creates a new one. Superman must now perform a task for each woman, if he cannot he must marry them.

Superman agrees to the procedure in hopes of finding a cure for Kryptonite which he believes is on the island. Each woman takes her turn, but Superman completes each task. The final task is the queen’s. He destroys her crown to make her a commoner which was what she asked him to do. The Man of Steel is set free, but he realizes too late that the crown was the cure he sought. He and the sorority return home, leaving the Amazons behind.

Next is "The Monkey's Paw" drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #42. Lois receives a box of strange curios from a recently deceased explorer. Inside is a monkey’s paw which legend claims will grant three wishes. Lois imagines possible wishes for herself, but she uses one to save an airplane and another to save Superman from Kryptonite. When she tells Lucy Lane and Jimmy Olsen about her wishes, they reveal that the wishes were not responsible for the rescues. Lois uses her final wish to give Clark Kent super powers. He fakes an illness, so Lois believes the wishes didn’t work. As a result, she throws the monkey’s paw away.

That is followed by "The Town of Supermen" by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein and reprinted from Superman #153. Eight prisoners of the Phantom Zone escape and move to a ghost town, Drywood Gulch. They bring Lois to town and tell her that they are Kryptonian astronauts. Later, Lois returns with Jimmy and Perry to show them the town of Supermen, but the men pretend to be normal men. Finally, Lois convinces Jimmy of the truth and he summons Superman. The Man of Steel out duels the criminals and returns them to the Phantom Zone.

Next is "Lois Lane's Great Houdini Trick" by Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #58. Lois receives a request to expose a phony spirit medium. When she visits the swamis parlor, she discovers that the medium is Voodoo Vickers, a notorious gangster wanted for murder. Lois attends a séance in disguise and uses the swami's own tricks to force Vickers into revealing the location of the murder victim. Superman then apprehends the swami.

That brings us to "The Reversed Super-Powers" by Jerry Siegel and Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Action Comics #274. During an experiment to find an antidote for Kryptonite, Superman’s powers are transferred to Lois Lane. Without powers, Superman proposes to Lois, but she decides to think about it first. When she discovers that she has gained powers, she decides not to marry Superman for fear that her enemies would harm him. Superman then passes out. Another Superman arrives through the window and explains that it was only a Superman robot. The robot wanted to see if Lois loved Superman only because of his powers. The real Superman apologizes for his robot’s interference and returns it to the Fortress. Lois’s powers wear off restoring her to normal.

We end with "The Girl Who Destroyed Atlantis" drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger and reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #42. While touring Atlantis with Lori Lemaris, Lois Lane is transported into the past by a time-travel belt. She arrives in ancient Atlantis and soon meets Roh-Tul, a dictator who resembles Luthor. Roh-Tul convinces Lois that he is benevolent and that his for Klar-Kan is evil. However, Lois soon learns that Roh-Tul is the tyrant and spurns his affections. Roh-Tul then detonates a bomb. Lois is sent back to the present believing she was responsible for the sinking of Atlantis. Lori explains that the bomb was not the cause of Atlantis’ demise, but another later explosion caused the city to sink

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Action Comics #388

Action Comics #388 (On Sale: March 26, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. I remember falling for this cover gag and trying to count everything that was wrong on it.

Our cover-story is "Puzzle of the Wild World" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and George Roussos. I think the answer to the cover question was that nothing was wrong, that on the planet it was depicting, everything was normal, but it has been a while and I might have that wrong. As I have mentioned earlier, I sold most of my Weisinger books in the late 70s.

The back-up Legion of Super-Heroes story is "Sun Boy's Lost Power" reprinted from Adventure Comics #302 and created by Jerry Siegel and John Forte. After attending the dedication of a Sun Boy statue, Sun Boy finds that his powers of heat and light have stopped working. With the help of the Legionnaires, he tries to recharge himself by duplicating the accident that gave him those powers, but to no avail. After his powers briefly return in an entomologist’s office, he invites Ultra Boy and Superboy to concentrate their heat vision powers on him, still with no effect. Heartbroken, he resigns from the Legion, just as Kranyak, his old foe, breaks prison and comes after him.

More worried than before, Sun Boy realizes what it will take to recharge his powers, and deliberately walks into the blast of a Kryptonian flame-beast. With his abilities restored, he defeats Kranyak, and rejoins the Legion. He then explains that he needed the heat-energy of a living being to restore his power, and the Ultra Boy and Superboy present are robots, sent to take those heroes’ places while they celebrate Pete Ross’s birthday in the 20th century.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Adventure Comics #390

Adventure Comics #390 (On Sale: January 13, 1970) has a Supergirl cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson featuring an All-Romance Issue!

This issue begins with Supergirl in"When Supergirl Played Cupid" from Action Comics #289 by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. Supergirl embarks on a campaign to see Superman happily married. Traveling into the past, she unsuccessfully attempts to interest him in Helen of Troy. Her similar effort in the future era of the Legion of Super-Heroes also fails, when she learns that Saturn Woman, the adult Saturn Girl, is already married to Lightning Man, the adult Lightning Lad.

Finally, she locates Superman’s ideal mate on a distant world, where Luma Lynai, a superwoman who resembles Supergirl herself as an adult, falls in love with the Man of Steel. When it turns out that Luma Lynai cannot survive on Earth, however, the couple are focused to part, and Supergirl learns not to interfere in her cousin’s love life.

Next is Supergirl in "The Secret Identity of Super-Horse" from Action Comics #301 by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney. Supergirl and Comet visit the planet Zerox to help Superman’s friend Prince Endor. Comet allows Endor to ride him in order to complete a ceremony which allows the prince to retain his rule. In appreciation for Comet’s help, Endor places a spell on the horse, which allows him to temporarily become human, when a comet passes.

When they return to Earth, Supergirl leaves Comet with some other horses. A comet passes by, transforming Super-Horse into a man. He assumes the identity of Bronco Bill, a rodeo star. He later meets Supergirl at the rodeo, but decides to keep his identity secret from her. Eventually the effect of the spell wears off, and Comet is returned to his horse form.

This if followed by "Supergirl's Cowboy Hero" from Action Comics #311 and also created by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney. Comet travels back in time to visit his former love Circe in hopes that she may find a way to make him human. Circe creates a potion that will take effect shortly after Comet returns to the present. However, when Comet arrives back in his own time, he has amnesia.

A masked crook called the Hooded Demon finds Comet and uses him to commit a series of robberies. Comet's powers then begin to wear off and both he and the bandit are wounded. Comet's transformation then begins. He becomes human again.

A posse searching for the masked crook believe Comet is the bandit. Comet eludes them and manages to spend some time with Linda Danvers. She thinks he is Bronco Bill, whom she once met as Supergirl. The posse eventually catches up to Comet forcing him to flee.

Supergirl pursues him too, so Comet wishes Circe to reverse the effects of the potion. She complies, and Comet changes back to a horse. The real Hooded Demon is caught clearing Bronco Bill, and Supergirl still does not know that he was really Comet.

Next is "The Great Supergirl Mirage" from Action Comics #256 and created by Otto Binder and Jim Mooney. While secretly performing good deeds as Supergirl, a boy from the Midvale Orphanage, Dick Wilson, takes a picture of her. He suspects Linda Lee is Supergirl, when he sees her turn in a report that she finished at super-speed. Linda makes an excuse that she had a copy of the finished report elsewhere, but Dick is not convinced.

While looking for minerals for Geology class, Dick tricks Linda by throwing a dummy of himself off a cliff. Linda’s X-ray vision ignites chemicals which Dick coated the dummy with. Linda causes lightning to strike the dummy to cover her mistake. Dick is still convinced she is a Supergirl.

Dick tries to trick Linda again with heavy dumbbells. Linda falls for the trick, but her powers allow her to once again cover her mistake and protect her identity. She is distressed over the situation when a Supergirl robot arrives to perform amazing feats at a show. Dick is now convinced that he saw the Supergirl robot sent by Superman, and that Supergirl does not exist.

We end with "Supergirl's Wedding Day" from Action Comics #307 created by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney. Tor-An, a criminal from the Phantom Zone, escapes. He takes the identity of a teacher at Midvale High School in order to get close to Supergirl. He reveals his powers to her, but claims to be a survivor of Argo City.

Supergirl falls in love with the criminal and plans to marry him. Supergirl’s telepathic friends Jerro and Comet warn her about Tor-An’s evil intentions, but she does not believe them. When Superman returns from a space mission, he appears to give his approval. However, Tor-An has replaced the Man of Steel with a robot.

The wedding takes place at the Fortress of Solitude. Immediately after the ceremony, Tor-An reveals his true background. Supergirl then reveals herself to be Saturn Girl in disguise, therefore the marriage was illegal. Saturn Girl had been contacted by Jerro, Comet, and Lori Lemaris. Tor-An is taken to the future for imprisonment until he can be returned to the Phantom Zone.

Edited most likely by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Superman #222

Superman #222 (On Sale: October 7, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson featuring Superman's Secret Family.

We begin with "Superman's Lost Brother" by Ed Hamilton and Al Plastino from Superman #80.

Next is "The Sweetheart Superman Forgot" by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino and reprinted from Superman #165. Superman encounters Red Kryptonite which causes him to lose his powers and suffer amnesia. This time the effects last for weeks.

During his period of amnesia, Superman takes the identity of Jim White and gets a job as a lumberman. He falls in love with a wealthy farm girl, Sally Selwyn, and plans to marry her. Bart Benson, a lumberjack jealous of Jim, causes a rodeo accident leaving Jim crippled.

Though Jim postpones the wedding, Bart still tries to cause him harm. Bart rolls a boulder at Jim’s wheelchair, causing him to fall into the ocean. Sally believes Jim to be dead, but Aquaman rescues him and takes him to Lori Lemaris to recuperate. When his memory returns, Superman has no recollection of Sally or his other life as Jim White.

"The Fantastic Story of Superman's Sons" from Superman #166 is next and is by Ed Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein. In this imaginary story, Superman becomes the father of two children. One of the boys, Jor-El II, inherits super powers; the other, Kal-El II, does not. Kal-El II grows up with an inferiority complex because he can’t perform super deeds.

Superman takes the boys to Kandor, where they become a new Nightwing and Flamebird. Despite the fact that both boys now lack powers, Kal-El II still feels inferior. The boys track down a masked criminal, who escapes Kandor to Earth.

Superman and Jor-El II pursue the criminal, while Kal-El II takes a time bubble back to Krypton and meets the original Jor-El. Kal deduces the identity of the mystery criminal as Phantom Zone escapee Gann Artar. He also develops a way to reverse the effects of Gann’s new weapon. Kal returns to the present and defeats Gann by sending him back to the Phantom Zone. He also rescues Superman and Jor-El II from Kryptonite. With his success, Kal overcomes his inferiority complex.

We end with "The Story of Superboy's Sister" from Superboy #36 by William Woolfolk and John Sikela. When Lana's parents are presumed dead in the African jungle, she moves in with the Kents. Superboy stops a pair of radium thieves, but the crooks escape. Suspecting that Superboy is still radioactive from the radium, the crooks use a geiger counter to find where he lives. The trail leads to the Kent home.

Superboy discovers that the crooks are following him as Clark, but eventually switches their focus to Lana. The crooks begin suspecting that she is really Superboy. When Lana overhears them, she play along. Superboy is able to help Lana secretly, until the crooks are convinced.

Superboy doesn't apprehend the crooks right away because he fears that the radiation evidence could lead them back to his Clark Kent identity. When he learns that a package sent to Lana by her parents contained uranium ore, he is able to explain the radiation and apprehend the crooks. Lana's parents are then discovered to be alive, so she returns home to them.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #122

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #122 (On Sale: June 19, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Neal Adams.

We begin with "A Date with Miss Metropolis" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #27 by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Ray Burnley. Jimmy Olsen agrees to interview the winner of the Miss Metropolis contest. He thinks it was a beauty contest, so he tries to impress her. When he arrives though he finds out that she is ugly. He doesn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he tries to get out of dating her. However, everything Jimmy tries backfires. Finally, he disguises himself as an Englishman to romance Gloria. She jilts Jimmy, freeing him from her attention.

Next is "Jimmy Olsen, Freak" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #59 by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Klein. An alien girl comes to Earth and meets Jimmy. She wants to marry him and gives him a belt, which allows him to gain super-powers. Jimmy agrees to the marriage, but when he learns that Ilona has four other husbands, he wants to back out. Superman arranges to make Ilona believe Jimmy has two other wives, causing her to leave without him. Lucy Lane now wants to date Jimmy since he was seen with a beautiful woman.

That is followed by "The Girl Who Was Lucy Lane's Double" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #60 and by Robert Bernstein, Curt Swan and George Klein. Jimmy Olsen spots Streaky and sees the super-cat travel back in time. Jimmy uses the Sunevian Magic Belt given to him by Princess Ilona to follow Streaky back to colonial Salem. He meets a girl there named Lucinda Lawrence who resembles Lucy Lane. Jimmy’s actions using the magic belt get him branded a witch. Lucinda, who is a real witch, saves Jimmy from being killed and sends him back to his own time.

Our next story is "Jimmy Olsen, Wolf-Man" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #52 and by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan and Stan Kaye. Mxyzptlk returns to Earth and becomes infatuated with Lucy Lane. When he approaches her however she claims to have a boyfriend already, Jimmy Olsen. The imp decides to eliminate Jimmy by once again using the wolfman potion to transform him into a Wolf-Man.

Superman arranges for Supergirl, whom Jimmy knows only as Miss X, to kiss Jimmy. This time however it does not revert Jimmy back to normal because of Mxyzptlk’s magic. Jimmy also receives kisses from Lois Lane, Lucy, Lori Lemaris and Lana Lang, but none are effective.

Miss Gzptlsnz, Mxyzptlk’s girlfriend, arrives, kisses Jimmy, and cures him. She then tricks the imp back to his own dimension and explains that her magic allowed Jimmy to return to normal.

Next is "Jimmy the Soda Jerk" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #58 by Robert Bernstein Curt Swan and George Klein. Jimmy Olsen goes undercover as a soda jerk to discover how ex-con drugstore owner, Legs Halleck is passing messages to his gang. Jimmy fumbles through his job trying to locate the hidden messages until he gets an idea. He asks a fat woman, Elsie, who has a crush on him to step on the scales of a weight machine. The machine dispenses a card with directions for the gang on it if the person is over 300 lbs. This helps Jimmy get proof against Halleck and his fat partner, Willie Paxton, who was receiving the messages.

That is followed by "The Human Porcupine" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #65 by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan and George Klein. Miss Gzptlsnz from Mr. Mxyzptlk’s 5th dimension visits Earth seeking a husband. Jimmy tells her that he is not interested, then makes a cruel comment to Superman about her. Miss Gzptlsnz gets revenge by changing Jimmy into a human porcupine. She forces him to remain that way until he agrees to marry her. Jimmy tries and finally manages to get the imp girl to say her name backwards, returning her to the 5th dimension, reversing the spell, and returning Jimmy to normal.

We end with "Jimmy Olsen's Viking Sweetheart" reprinted from Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #69 and by Leo Dorfman and John Forte. Jimmy and his fan club visit a ski resort where Jimmy is once again jilted by Lucy Lane. The fan club uses a female robot to make Lucy jealous. Jimmy is unaware that his new girlfriend is a robot, but Lucy finds out and makes the robot dump Jimmy. When she is about to gloat, Lucy discovers that Jimmy was about to dump the robot himself because of his love for Lucy. Finally she decides to give Jimmy another chance.
Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman #218

Superman #218 (On Sale: May 6, 1969) has another Curt Swan and Neal Adams cover.

"Superman's Secret Past" is by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. I don't know wat was going on here, but Mr. Mxyzpitlk had sometihng to do with it.

The back-up is a reprint from Action Comics #273, "The World of Mr. Mxyzptlk," by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino. Mr. Mxyzptlk returns to plague Superman who is late for a performance at the Smallville orphanage. Superman gets the imp to say his name backwards, sending him home, but the delay forces him to cancel his performance.

Superman then enters Mxyzptlk’s 5th dimensional world and begins pulling pranks on Mxyzptlk who is running for Mayor. The pranks sabotage Mxyzptlk’s campaign, angering the imp. Mxyzptlk tries to trick Superman into saying his name backwards. When he is finally successful at getting the Man of Steel to say "Namrepus", Superman does not return home.

When it is announced that Mxyzptlk has lost the election, Superman says "Le-Lak", which is Kal-El, his true name backwards. This returns him to Earth, but Mxyzptlk, who did not hear Superman say his name, is left confused.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Action Comics #377

Action Comics #377 (On Sale: April 29, 1969) has another Curt Swan and Neal Adams Superman cover.

Superman stars in "The Cage of Doom" by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. Except for a mystery story in next month's House of Mystery and another mystery story to appear in nine years, this is Otto Binder's last story at DC as he retired this month after working in comics since 1939.

In 1930 Otto Oscar Binder began writing science fiction in tandem with his brother Earl; they worked under the pen-name Eando Binder ("E" and "O" Binder). Though Earl stopped the writing partnership at some point, Otto kept the nom de plume. In 1935 Otto began writing for Mort Weisinger who was editor at Thrilling Wonder Stories at the time and Ray Palmer (can anyone say "Atom?") who was editor of Amazing. It was for Palmer that Binder created the Adam Link series, including the famous "I, Robot" short story which later inspired Isaac Asimov's book of the same name.

In 1939 Otto Binder took a job working with his artist brother Jack Binder at the Harry "A" Chesler shop and in 1940 began writing for Fawcett Comics on such features as Captain Venture, Golden Arrow and Bulletman. But Otto Binder's best known work at Fawcett was Captain Marvel. In 12 years Otto Binder wrote 986 of the 1,743 Marvel Family stories and co-created such characters as Mary Marvel, Uncle Dudley, Black Adam and Mr. Mind.

Binder didn't limit himself to Fawcett. For Timely Comics he wrote Captain America, The Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Destroyer, Whizzer and the All-Winners Squad. He also co-created Captain Wonder, The Young Allies, Tommy Tyme and Miss America. For Quality Comics he wrote Blackhawk, Doll Man, Uncle Sam and the Black Condor as well as co-creating Kid Eternity. At MLJ Comics he wrote Steel Sterling, The Shield, The Hangman and The Black Hood.

He started writing for DC in 1948 where he wrote Merry, Girl of 1,000 Gimmicks for Star-Spangled Comics. Over the years he wrote Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, Robotman, Aquaman, the Start-Spangled Kid, Tommy Tomorrow, Shining Knight, Captain Compass, Congo Bill, Space Cabbie and the Metal Men. But most of the time he wrote for the Superman Family. Superman would never be the same. Otto Binder created or co-created The Legion of Super-Heroes, Jimmy Olsen's signal watch, Elastic Lad, Lucy Lane, Beppo, Titano, Brainiac, The Phantom Zone, Krypto and Supergirl.

After leaving DC, Binder would return to writing science fiction until he died at the age of 63 in 1974. In all Otto Binder wrote almost 50,000 pages of comics in more than 198 different titles. He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2004.

The back-up story is a reprinted Legion of Super-Heroes tale, "The Face Behind the Lead Mask," from Adventure Comics #300, produced by Jerry Siegel, John Forte and Al Plastino. During a routine meeting, the Legionnaires suddenly begin losing control over their powers. Even Superboy, whom they have summoned to the future, cannot discover the cause of their problem. After the World-Wide Police threaten to banish them from Earth, a lead-masked villain calling himself "Urthlo" appears and takes credit for their predicament.

Because Urthlo possesses a device that controls their powers, the heroes find themselves unable to stop him, until Saturn Girl and Superboy release Mon-El from the Phantom Zone, where he has been for 1000 years. After she provides him with Serum XY-4, a temporary lead-poisoning antidote, Mon-El defeats Urthlo, who turns out to be a robot sent into the future from Superboy’s time by a vengeful Lex Luthor.

After the battle, Mon-El must be returned to the Zone, but only after being voted into the Legion.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Action Comics #373

Action Comics #373 (On Sale: January 7, 1969), AKA 80pg Giant #G-57 has a cover by Curt Swan and Neal Adams in a special Supergirl issue. With this issue the 80-Page Giant is no more and the age of the 64-Page giant began.

We begin with "The Battle of the Super-Pets," from Action Comics #277 and created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. Krypto helps Supergirl protect herself from being adopted which wins her favor. Streaky is jealous of the canine and when he regains his powers begins fighting with the Dog of Steel. Superman and Supergirl arrange a competition between the two animals.

They take the rivalry to an alien planetoid and compete in a series of events. Krypto and Supergirl fall in a hole and land near some Kryptonite. Before Streaky can rescue them, the cat loses his powers, however a wish from Supergirl makes the Kryptonite harmless. They soon discover that the planetoid is a playground for Mr. Mxyzptlk. The hole was really a wishing well, which allows Supergirl’s wish to come true. Streaky and Krypto become friends, but the arrival of Super-Monkey starts a new rivalry.

Next is "The Bride of Mr. Mxyzptlk," from Action Comics #291 and also the work of Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. Mxyzptlk returns to Earth to plague Supergirl. First, he changes everyone in New York into a Bizarro, then he falls in love with Supergirl. To make her happy, the imp brings Zor-El and Alura back with his magic. Kara now has two sets of parents who fight over her.

Zor-El agrees to allow Mxyzptlk to marry his daughter, but instead slips him Kryptonian Truth Serum, forcing the imp to say his name backwards. When Mxyzptlk disappears back to the 5th dimension, Zor-El and Alura disappear as well since they existed only with the power of Mxyzptlk’s magic. The world forgets the events that happened while under Mxyzptlk’s influence, but Supergirl remembers that her parents were briefly restored to life.

"Supergirl's Farewell to Earth" from Action Comics #258 and created by Otto Binder and Jim Mooney is next. While saving two children from a falling tree, Supergirl spots Krypto. She introduces herself to the super-dog and plays with him. Superman arrives and is upset that Supergirl revealed her existence to his dog. He exiles her to an asteroid for a year.

From the asteroid, Supergirl keeps an eye on Earth and even puts out a forest fire. Krypto arrives a week later and warns Supergirl of a kryptonite cloud approaching. She is allowed to return to Earth for one day.

Her absence as Linda Lee has caused people to look for her. She gets her clothes dirty and pretends to have been lost in a swamp. Amazed by the girl’s ability to survive, a reporter checks her for mosquito bites. When he finds none, he guesses that she is a super-girl. Linda removes her disguise and reveals herself to the reporter. Then she tells the reporter that he is Superman. The reporter was Clark Kent.

The whole exile was a test by Superman to see if Supergirl could protect her secret. He wanted to see if she was worthy to learn his secret identity. She found out by herself which proved her ability to Superman.

Next is "The War Between Supergirl and the Supermen Emergency Squad" from Action Comics #276 and drawn by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye. Clark Kent grants a dying man’s wish and reveals his secret identity of Superman. However, the dying man was faking his death. He is secretly the leader of the Anti-Superman Gang, John Kiley.

With knowledge of Clark’s secret, the gang traps him in a mine with a Kryptonite meteor. The gang also uses a device which disables Superman’s robots. Instead, the Man of Steel summons the Superman Emergency Squad and Supergirl for help.

They free Clark from the mine and then trick the gang into believing the drug Kiley used to fake his death gave him hallucinations. With Superman’s secret safe again, the crooks are sent to jail.

Lastly we have "Supergirl's Greatest Challenge." from Action Comics #287 and created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. The Legion of Super-Heroes summons Supergirl to defeat the Positive Man, a once-human changed into a massive destructive force by the explosion of his home planet. As they watch from their spaceship, the Maid of Might lures a Negative Creature, created by the same explosion, toward the Positive Man, and the resulting explosion causes both to vanish.

Upon returning to Earth, the Legionnaires learn that this explosion has also erased their powers. Supergirl decides to stay with them, and, working behind the scenes with Whizzy, the telepathic descendant of Streaky (aka Super-Cat), helps the Legion deceive criminals into thinking that they still possess their abilities.

However, the real reason that the Legionnaires are powerless is that they are actually members of an alien chameleon-like race who, in the aftermath of the positive-negative explosion, imprisoned the real Super-Heroes and took their places. Having fooled Supergirl and Whizzy, they project them into the Phantom Zone.

From here, the phantom heroes mentally command a scientist at an android factory to construct a bogus chameleon man, who infiltrates the Legion impostors and releases Supergirl and Whizzy from the Zone. Supergirl captures the aliens and rescues the real Legion.

Edited by Mort Weisinger (E. Nelson Bridwell).

Superman #214

Superman #214 (On Sale: December 12, 1968) has a cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with "The Ghosts That Haunted Superman" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. Superman begins seeing ghosts of his former foes, Metallo, the Composite Superman, and Zha-Vam. Each time Superman sees one of the ghosts he is put in a life or death situation. He presses on despite the fact that he is losing the fight. Eventually, Superman concludes that the ghosts are phonies.

An alien named Nador is responsible for the ghosts. The ugly alien wanted to join an interplanetary club and was given the task of making Superman beg for his life. Superman returns with Nador to the club's planet. The members are happy to meet the Man of Steel and induct Nador as a reward, despite his failing the initiation test.

The back-up is "How Perry White Hired Clark Kent" reprinted from Superman #133 and produced by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino. Clark Kent has moved to Metropolis. As a way to investigate criminal activities, Clark tries to get a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet. The editor, Perry White, is not impressed with Kent initially, but he is convinced by another reporter Lois Lane to give Clark a chance.

Perry sends Clark on a series of pedestrian assignments hoping that Clark will return without much of a story, but with the help of his powers Clark is able to deliver a scoop each time. For his final trial, Clark must get a picture of Superman with some Kryptonite. Clark, as Superman himself, does so using imitation Kryptonite. Perry is suitably impressed and hires Clark permanently.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.