So Ends the First Story in This Issue

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The last panels of the story answer the burning question I mentioned in our last post. If Rokk and Sorban mentally erased memories of Superman's "kill somebody" dilemma including his murder of Clark Kent -- how would the world account for that missing time?

Actually, Superman just says, "Don't worry, folks. Everything is fine" when Professor Potter notices his Personal Petrifier has been tampered with.

And, strangely, Superman just lets the two aliens gallivant away into space to torture some other hapless planet full of people.

Now, if I were Superman, I just might wait until those two clowns were near an uninhabited but livable planet, and "accidentally" use long-distance heat vision to make them crash and maroon them there.

Vindictive little tyke, ain't I?!?

At the bottom of the page is an ad for Tootsie Rolls. You know, in TV versions you could actually sing this as a jingle:

Long time, long time!

Chewy chewey Tootsie Roll last a long time, long time, long time ....

Mmm-mmm!

And this was only the first story in our page-by-page sharing of Superman 171, an at-random selection of how cool comic books were in the Silver Age of American childhood.

Don't Look Deep into Sorban's Eyes!

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Actually, it doesn't matter if you do or don't. He'll make you forget ... forget ... FORGET !

To take Sorban at his word, he is selectively deleting ONLY Earth peoples' memories of his and Rokk's coming to Earth and their visit's effect on Superman -- including the murder of Clark Kent.

Hmmm -- so, a news reporter would have hours or days of missing memories, while somebody out camping somewhere for the whole time would not have any holes in their memories?

That's probably reading a little too deep into a kids' story.

Well, it looks like things are winding down satisfactorily. We'll read the denouement of this story next time, as we march page-by-page through Superman 171.

Wuxtry! Wuxtry! Superman Snuffs Clark Kent!

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OK -- to satisfy those amoral aliens' decree that he kill someone or they will destroy Earth, Superman has tried to kill himself with Kryptonite; his friends have tried to kill themselves for him; and now Superman's Clark Kent persona has been sacrificed, in front a a worldwide TV audience.

Will that satisfy the outworlders?

Evidently so, even though we also discover that they knew Superman was Kent all along.

The whole thing was a bet between Sorban and Rokk over a lucky Prothey Tail, whatever that is. The bet was whether or not they could force Superman to kill somebody, thus breaking the Superman Code. Yes, these evil psychos caused all this grief and emotional torture for Superman and company over for a wager over a good-luck charm!

Not only that, but Sorban, the winner, is victorious because he bet that Superman wouldn't commit murder.

Over such a silly, worthless thing, Superman's Clark Kent disguise is now history.

What next? Stay tuned ...

Superman, the Hypocritical Heel!

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After sprinkling fairy dust -- oops, I mean cactus juice -- over Lana Lang and rescuing her from the fatal crystalline effects of Professor Potter's flawed suspended-animation device, Superman is running out of options, and time.

The Earth only has a few hours left before the mind powers of the evil aliens Sorban and Rokk crush it into cosmic dust.

The only way to stop that outcome, they've told Supes, is if he -- the defender of life on Earth -- if he kills somebody!

Well, he's tired of endangering the lives of his friends, and risking the lives of all Earth's people, by dithering around. There's one option left.

Thus it is that the world soon sees Clark Kent chained to a petal pole at Ground Zero of an A-Bomb test. Moreover, the automated cameras are wired for sound, and pick up Kent's howls that it was Superman who chained him there!

The last panel of this page from Superman 171 depicts an awed TV audience seeing Kent swallowed up in the explosion.

Now, you and I, dear reader, know that CK is really Superman. But what will the aliens do next? Has this ruse satisfied their dictate?

See you soon for the answer!

A Baptism Into the Andes Cactus Church?

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When last we left Superman, Sorban and Rokk had thwarted his attempts to kill himself to fulfill their demands that he slay somebody -- anybody -- on Earth, or else they willblow up our world. When Superman tells his Planet pals about the evil edict, Lois gets the idea to sacrifice herself by using a new suspended-animation invention of Professor Potter's.

As you can see in today's page from Superman 171, Lois is too late! Lana had beat Lois to the punch as sacrificial lamb -- only to be expected, perhaps, since Professor Potter is, after all, Lana's uncle.

And, as with many of Potter's inventions, this one has a slight problem -- instead of slipping you into a short century-long nap, it instead turns you into a very-dead crystalline statue of yourself. Professor Potter's Perfectly Petrifying Panjandrum!

Of course, both Lana and Lois knew that the device was a one-way ticket to eternity -- how else could they fulfill the aliens' death wish?

However, Superman's super-vision reads through Potter's notes to discover the antidote to crystallization, a certain rare Andes cactus. Just look at Superman squeeze that cactus!

And look at Superman baptize Lana with cactus juice. Well, he has saved her -- but still needs to produce one dead body or Rokk and Sorban will blow up Earth! What next!?!

Stay tuned!

Superman Comes to His Senses -- But Now What?

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Superman comes to his senses just before strangling Rokk the alien. After all, the guy and his friend Sorban DID tell him to kill somebody!

Only when Superman's Code comes back to his mind that the Man of Tomorrow -- reluctantly -- lets loose of Rokk's scrawny neck.

Even Superman's super-brain is temporarily stymied. He's got to have some time to rethink things -- time which the aliens will scarcely grant.

Still, he returns to the Planet and tells his friends his predicament. They obligingly destroy the farewell letters he'd left for them that morning.

Jimmy Olsen, living up to his press as "Superman's Pal," volunteers to die to save Earth. The Man of Steel immediately demurs, but the proposal sparks an idea in Lois's little bean.

What will Superman's Girl Friend do? Stay Tuned!

PS -- our next post will be next week. My dear Mom's funeral is Thursday. After several years of missing Dad, she finally got to go home to be with Charles. And the Lord!

In the midst of life, we are in death. Are you ready? Sinner, do you know my Jesus?

We'll talk after the weekend!

Kill Somebody? Why, Sure!

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Those psychopathic aliens, Sorban and Rokk, have demanded that Superman kill somebody, or they will destroy all of Earth.


So, Superman reasons, his own death should satisfy these offworld creeps! After leaving farewell notes at the Daily Planet for his friends, he flies to a desert area where a huge cache of Green Kryptonite lies buried.


The noble Man of Steel burrows into the pile of deadly ore, taking comfort in the thought that at least he is saving all the inhabitants of his adopted world in this way.


But, wait! what's this! Superman's honorable solution to the aliens' dilemma is ruined. Not only can their mental powers destroy faraway worlds at a glance, they can also ... transmute Kryptonite! Superman can't even kill himself!

This is the last straw for Superman. These giggling, evil idiots have put him through the emotional wringer for long enough. Kill somebody?!?


Why not start with THEM!

A Mind-Blowing Threat!

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(Those alien demons Rokk and Sorban have ordered Superman to kill somebody -- anybody -- on Earth.

Nertz to you, says Superman. You can't make me!

Oh, yeah? reply the cosmic bullies...)

They tell Superman to watch with his Super-vision, as they use a mental blitz to wipe out a couple of planets on demand, demonstrating the brain power of their ancient race.

OK, OK, the Man of Steel now believes them. What to do? He can't just kill somebody to please these fiends!

Wait a minute ... they didn't say WHO had to die. The noble hero will sacrifice HIMSELF. It's the only way out!

With this sad decision made, Superman writes farewell notes to his Planet pals, and heads to the newsroom to leave on their desks.

What's next in this page-by-page explication of Superman 171? Stay tuned and see!

The Aliens' Condundrum!

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Now, Superman steps in to answer the military's alert about the alien ship that's zoomed into Earth orbit.

What the heck!?!? as Cecil the Sea-Sick Sea Serpent used to say. These creepy, bug-eyed aliens have come from wherever-land for him? One's named Rokk, and the other Sorban. Sounds like a law firm.

But these clowns don't want to play around. They simply order Superman to kill somebody on Earth. They don't care who, and they won't say why. They seem to know all about him, too, putting up pictures of the Daily Planet staff on their viewscreen.

Of course, the Man of Steel refuses. Kill somebody? That's exactly what the Superman Code prohibits. Superman does not kill. And they can't make him!

Or can they? Tune in tomorrow for the next page of Superman 171, and see how these alien creeps intend to make sure that Supes does indeed snuff an Earthling.

Superman's Sacrifice!

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With art by Al Plastino, the first story in Superman 171 is called "Superman's Sacrifice!"

In the splash section of the page, we see a couple of creepy aliens threatening to destroy the Earth unless Superman selects somebody to die.

Do you suppose these alien guys were influenced by the 1962 Topps cards Mars Attacks! ? I think it's possible.

As the story opens, Earth defences notice a rocketship-type spacecraft on its way towards Earth. Shades of ST:TMP and Vejur 25 years later, Earth tries linguacode messages on all frequencies, to no avail.

So they try sending up interceptor rockets, but the craft has a forcefield around it that rebuffs all attempts to bring it down.

Last resort: send for Superman or Supergirl!

Say -- don't you think it's kinda keen that we poor Earthlings at least TRIED to solve the problem ourselves, before asking for help?

Finally for today ... read the "fine print" at the bottom of the page. This is the obligatory copyright notice, etc, found on the first page of all comics. We find that Superman is published monthly, except for March, June, September, and December. Mort Weisinger is the Editor. Subscription price is given, and the standard disclaimer about the contents being fiction and not intended to resemble anybody living or dead.

Printed in U.S.A.

A Public Service Tip

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The inside front cover of Superman 171 featured this public service announcement, "Rx Against Accidents!"

These were several of these one-page features. I remember one had a panel debunking the "put a steak on a black eye" myth. Another had a gal (Miss Teen USA perhaps?) explaining how smoking doesn't make a guy look tough, just stinky & dumb.

"Hey!" exclaim the would-be cool cats. "If a kitten like Miss Teen USA doesn't like cigarettes, who needs 'em!"

This particular page simply presents the case for thinking first before doing something risky. The slight storyline ends with the kid who learned the lesson passing it on to others as if it were his own.

Wow -- the idea that actions can have unforeseen consequences. What a concept! Of course, it's been a while since I've heard someone use the term "fellers."

Tomorrow ... the first page of "Superman's Sacrifice"!

Welcome to a Dynamite Concept!

You know, when I was growing up as a kid, in the mid 1960s, hundreds of comic book titles were being published by Marvel, Dell, Golden, Archie, Disney, and DC.






Every month (bi-monthly in some cases) a complete issue of several stories, ads, and letter columns would appear, as if by magic, to gravitate into the sweaty mitts of any kid with 12 cents.





Pretty much at random, I have selected Superman 171, cover-dated August 1964, for a little experiment.





Over the next week or two we will look at EVERY PAGE of this comic in sequence, from cover to cover, with my observations thrown in. When we're done, perhaps we all will have a little more appreciation for what an undertaking such an everyday thing as a comic book was in the 1960s.





And, in my opinion, how much the poorer we are today, in not having such common treasures kicking around as part of our children's lives.



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Well, on this cover we have a fistfight portrayed by the great Curt Swan. Did you know that Curt was a boxer in his youth? You can tell it here in the way Superman has his hands held up in the "put-'em-up" position, while that caveman lays into him with a mean right cross.
Everybody but Supes is smiling.
Those big domes in the background are supposed to be tipis or some such. But look how huge they are! They must be ten feet tall or higher. There must be some big critters on this planet.
For anybody who didn't know about the effects of a red sun's rays on a Kryptonian, the thought balloon lays it out for us. Superman doesn't have any powers here, and so he's getting his teeth handed to him.
Note the postage-stamp-shaped box in the top right-hand corner, which announces that this issue was approved by the Comics Code Authority. Do you think that the CCA is behind Superman's missing nipples and lack of chest hair?
Tomorrow, we'll dive into this stack of everyday miracle called Superman 171.

The Other Half of the Team

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Well, Illya is a little less flamboyant. The art on the front page of the model sheet makes him

look a little more serious-minded than the illo for Napoleon Solo. The spy seen here definitely knows how to use that gun, and he's on the alert.

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You'll notice the cleverness of Aurora the model company (or was it MGM?) in simply labeling each kit "The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Napoleon Solo" and "The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Illya Kuryakin." Which is "The Man," and which is the sidekick?

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The answer would be, "Yes."

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Building a Spy

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Here is proof positive that I owned Aurora's Napoleon Solo model. Robert Vaughn was served pretty well by the artist on this directions sheet, I think.

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However, no parts seemed to have survived.

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I vaguely remember putting Solo's assembled figure on high, dangerous places -- like the edge of my dresser -- and shooting him off with rubber bands.

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But other than that, I really don't recall even buying these kits. Which is strange, considering my memories of other model assemblies.

I think I used to use Solo's gun as a toothpick, too.

Worlds in Conflict!

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Boy there's something about being in command of opposing forces.

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Whether it was the Civil War, or ships at sea, or the reaches of outer space, the American Way was to take that territory and MILITARIZE it!

While Tommy Hefner (my best friend) and I DID play Civil war, that was because somewhere I had acquired a Union Forces cap (blue not gray). Tommy just wore his cowboy hat and we were just fine.

However, in our youthful excitement we would say that we were playing SILVER War, not "Civil War."

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When I was growing up in the 1960s I had lots of Army Men and Cowboys and Indians, but they were all bought at TG&Y or Kresge's. Very few items came in the mail to the Alfred house, except for bills.

The Final Affair by David McDaniel

Well, here it is, the Holy Grail of Man from U.N.C.L.E. fandom.

David McDaniel wrote several of the Ace paperback U.N.C.L.E. novels. He was also a fan of the show, as you can tell by his characterizations, and several "guest appearances" of other fictional creations in his U.N.C.L.E. books, including a certain world's first consulting detective, if my memory serves.

Well, before his death, McDaniel wrote an MS called The Final Affair, which summed up his thoughts on the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement and its agents.

The MS was never published, and has been passed around, even copies sold on eBay, I've heard.

Well, several friends in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. Yahoo! group got together and decided to share The Final Affair with all interested cousins.

So, with thanks to Kathy E., Cindy Walker, Paula Smith, Greenwoman, and Bob Short. . .

Submitted for your approval is David McDaniel's "long lost" The Final Affair.

Here's the Megaupload link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6UD13C7V

Let me know what you think!

We would like to also thank the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, without whose cooperation this blog post would not be possible.

More Fun Things I Never Ordered

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I was too timid a lad (or maybe too smart) to be willing to fork over a whole five bucks or so for a real tank or a real Polaris Sub.

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Besides, when I was three I'd used an ice pick to poke the family swimming pool full of holes, so I wouldn't have anywhere to float the submarine, anyway.

X-Ray Specs, now -- that would have been something!

Come With Me Now to Those Thrilling Days of Comic Book Ads!

One great thing about being a kid in the 1960s was reading the ads in between the stories.

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The "Comic Pack" had four 12-cent comics for 47 cents. Nearly always, there was a great comic like Superman or Flash on the top of the stack, while inside the pack were some losers like Binky or Young Love. Bleahh!

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Then there were the house ads, like this one for the Second Superman Annual. I very seldom had the cash (a whole quarter) for one of these 80-Page-Giants when they were "new." But I caould afford to buy 'em second-hand at that downtown grocery-store/used-book-store, or swap for them with my friends.

Part Two of This All-Luthor Issue!

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Here we have the second part of Superman 168, a “Special All-Luthor Issue,” “Lex Luthor, Daily Planet Editor!”

Only a month after Superman had left Lexor and destroyed those pesky mind-numbing crystals, Luthor has come up with yet another scheme to best the Man of Steel.

How convenient that the super-scientists of Lexor’s past had created an “inventing machine” – because Luthor has used it to create some Red Kryptonite to short-circuit Superman’s great powers.

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Now, also thanks to the inventing machine, Luthor will head to Earth to nullify his nemesis’s powers and return him as a prisoner to the world where Lex’s word is law.

However, perhaps that inventing machine had a few bugs after all. Because Luthor makes it to Earth, all right – but to San Francisco, in 1906! A chance encounter with an out-of-towner who has a fatal accident leads Luthor to take on the man’s identity – as the new Editor of the San Francisco Daily Planet!

Meanwhile, nowadays, Superman decides to check up on Luthor’s whereabouts, and discovers that he is no longer on Lexor – or on Earth, either! Earth NOW, that is …

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So, it’s off through the time barrier to California and 1906. When he can’t immediately track down his enemy, Superman decides to take a civilian job whole searching. World, meet Clark Kent, Daily Planet reporter!

For some reason, Luthor recognizes Superman, but merely assumes that the Kryptonian has “adopted the name of his friend Clark Kent while he hunts for me in this era!”

Similarly, it seems a bit fishy to me that Supes doesn’t recognize his arch-enemy, even under bushy sideburns.

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After a few tough story assignments by his draconian boss (aka his sworn enemy), Superman/Kent is finally maneuvered into exposure to Luthor’s Red K.

Whoops, the inventing machine screwed up again! Sure, Superman’s strength and flight powers are gone, but this pseudo-Kryptonite has left him all his vision powers. Testing
this, Superman sees a ship in the bay on fire .

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Using his heat vision on the burning ship’s cargo, voila! Fire-retardant foam is invented!
Plus, in a strange twist of fate, take a gander at the young whippersnapper whose life Superman has just saved! Why, it’s Perry White himself!

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Before long, though, the jig is up, and Luthor captures Superman, forcing him to row them to an island in the middle of San Francisco bay. On this island, the criminal genius has used some of the machinery from his wrecked rocket to create a teleportation ray. Soon both captor and captive will be on Lexor, back in the present day.

That darn inventing machine! Once again, the fates are not kind to Mrs Luthor’s pride and joy. He disappears, leaving Superman behind – and causes the Great 1906 Earthquake to boot!

Superman has a high old time cooking soup in a relief kitchen until his powers return and he can come home. But, upon a quick view of Lexor, Supes discovers that Luthor once again didn’t reach his intended target.

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A little historical deduction leads the Man of Tomorrow to deduce that the island from which Luthor disappeared has another name – Alcatraz! And, by golly, that’s where the Greatest Criminal Mind of Our Time is discovered. How embarrassing!

A Shameless Plug for SoonerCon

If any of you, my friends, lives close to the Oklahoma City area, please consider visiting us at SoonerCon 2010 the beginning of June.

For more info, click the SoonerCon 2010 link on the sidebar.

Soon, I promise, we'll share the second half of the Superman 168 "All-Luthor Issue!"