579 – Aquaman and Tridents

In Adventure Comics #205 (August 1954), Aquaman meets a man posing as the god Neptune, complete with a magical trident. The trident turns out to be a scientific invention containing a jet engine, a magnetic mechanism, and deliver an electrical charge.

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578 – Cat-Jet ?

The Catwoman continues her renewed crime spree from last year in Detective Comics #211 (July 1954). This time her Kitty Car has morphed into a Cat-Jet, complete with “Claw Retractors” that lets her damage the Bat-jet.

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577 – Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen

Another fixture of the Silver Age debuts in July 1954: Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. This comic book appeared largely due to his popularity in the “Adventures of Superman” television series. It features Jimmy Olsen getting into trouble with lots of appearances of Superman (only two panels of a brown-haired Lois Lane in this first issue […]

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576 – Space Cabbie!

The Space Cabbie first appears in Mystery in Space #21 (June 1954). He operates in the 22nd century, having adventures while whisking people around the solar system. In this first story, he encounters a Martian who has a “photonic mesh suit” that gives him invisibility. The Martian ends up stiffing him for the cab fare, […]

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575 – Namor, the Original Aquaman

Psst, Atlas! Your superhero revival attempt seems tinged with DC-envy when you describe Namor as “the original Aquaman”. Yes, Namor was introduced two years before the DC aquatic character. Yes, your anti-hero character is more complex and has a more interesting mythology. Yes, your character actually has a supporting cast. Not only that, your character […]

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574 – Electro! Kinda!

In Captain America #78 (May 1954), Atlas (Marvel) continues to try to make their superheroes exciting by adding new super-villains. This time, the Commies create their own version of a “super soldier” to square off against Captain America. Ivan Kronov is given electrical powers and the name Electro. Like electric cars, he has one slight […]

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573 – World’s Finest Mix-Up

In World’s Finest #71 (May 1954), DC changes the format of its comic from a giant 68-page grab-bag of stories for only 15 cents, to a 28-page comic for only 10 cents. With the number of stories drastically reduced, DC came up with brilliant idea to take the Superman-Batman team-up story and make it the […]

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572 – The Return of the Evil Kryptonians

Four years after defeating and exiling U-ban, Kizo and Mala, Superman faces off again against the three evil Kryptonians in Action Comics #194 (May 1954). After their prison ship collides with an asteroid, the trio are freed and Mala decides to head to Earth to get his revenge on Jor-El’s son, Superman. Mala disguises himself […]

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571 – Gorilla Earth

In “Gorilla World!”, another intelligent ape story from Strange Adventures #45 (April 1954), Otto Binder and Carmine Infantino introduce us to a parallel world where gorillas evolved into the dominant, intelligent species and man did not. Scientists from the Gorilla World pluck a couple from our Earth into theirs and then keep them in cages, […]

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570 – Namor Anti-heroing Again

Atlas (Marvel) make the unusual move to turn Namor and Namora back into outsiders / antiheroes again in Men’s Adventures #28 (March 1954). After thwarting a commie plot, the red convinces a “yank” that Namor was responsible for the invasion. Namor and Namora plunge into the sea before they can be seized and Namor swears […]

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