Episode #144: Superman Legacy Month Week II: My Earliest Superman Stories!

As I continue sharing my personal Superman legacy, this episode I feature the earliest Superman stories I can recall reading when I was a boy in the early to mid-1960's. The editor for all of these stories was Mort Weisinger.

Superboy Meets Robin The Boy Wonder, originally published in Adventure Comics #253, October 1958, released around August 28, 1958. The editor was Mort Weisinger, and the cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye. It was reprinted in Superboy #133 (which I have a copy of), The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told and Superboy: The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told. After Superman was mortally wounded from a booby trapped Sueprboy souviner, Robin travelled back in time to warn Superboy and destroy the disguised bomb.

The Army Of Living Kryptonite Men from Superboy #86, January 1961, published around November 17, 1960. The cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye. The story was written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by George Papp. It was reprinted in 80 Page Giant  #11 (which I may have had a copy of because the cover looked familiar), Legion Of Super-Heroes Archives vol. I, Superman Vs. Lex Luthor and Showcase Presents: Legion Of Super-Heroes vol. I. The young Lex Luthor invented a way to mentally control rocks, including some kryptonite asteroids. He used this new invention to trap Superboy, who is saved by the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Superman #181, November 1961, published on September 16, 1965. The cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein. The Super Scoops Of Mona Vine was written by Leo Dorfman, pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein. There was no reprint information on this story. The daughter of the largest shareholder of Daily Planet stock used parts from a destroyed Superman robot to out scoop Clark, Lois and Jimmy. The Superman of 2965 was written by Edmond Hamilton, pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye. It was reprinted in Superman: Past And Future. This story introduced the Superman of the mid-30th Century, his supporting cast at the Daily Interplanetary News, his arch villain and his mortal weakness, which is not kryptonite.

Exit Batman - Enter Nightman from World's Finest Comics #155, February 1966, published around December 9, 1965. The cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein, who also did the story art. The story itself was written by Edmond Hamilton. It has been reprinted in Showcase Presents: World's Finest vol. III. This was the first comic book that I can remember my Father buying for me. For their 1,000th case together, Superman has Batman solve the case of the identity of the Man of Steel's new partner Nightman. Superman had Batman chase his own cape, so to speak, as payback to the mystery the Caped Crusader presented the Man of Steel on his birthday. This occurred in the earlier story, The Super Key To Fort Superman, from Action Comics #241, June 1958, reprinted in The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told, Superman: The Man Of Tomorrow Archives vol. I and Showcase Presents: Superman vol. I.

The Cape And Cowl Crooks from World's Finest Comics #159, August 1966, published on June 9, 1966. The cover was pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein. The story wsa written by Edmond Hamilton, pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein. This story was reprinted in Superman/Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told and Showcase Presents: World's Finest vol. III. Superman and Batman face evil doppelgangers who turn out to be Perry White and Commissioner Gordon, who were exposed to one of Superman's trophies in his Fortress of Solitude. It leaked a gas which turns people evil.

Superman And Batman - Brothers! from World's Finest Comics #172, December 1967, published on October 26, 1967. The Norman Rockwell style cover was drawn by Curt Swan and inked by George Klein. The story was written by a teen aged Jim Shooter, pencilled by Curt Swam and inked by George Klein. It was a classic imaginary story where the Kents adopted a teen Bruce Wayne after his parents were murdered, and Clark and Bruce began their crime fighting careers as brothers.

Next Episode: Last City Of Krypton: Superman #200!

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