706 – What if… Krypton Had Not Exploded?

In “Superman’s Other Life”, a story in Superman #132 (August 1959), Batman and Robin bringing a special gift for Superman to the Fortress of Solitude. The Dynamic Duo bring Superman pictures he took from Krypton years ago and suggests he put them through his “Super-Univac” to see if it can answer the question: “What would […]

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699 – Bizarro-Lois

Action Comics #255 (June 1959) wraps up the Bizarro two-parter from last month. After a battle, the re-duplicated Bizarro is dissolved by kryptonite dust, leaving Bizarro still free to pursue Lois. Lois has a smart idea and duplicates herself, creating a Bizarro-Lois. The Bizarro-Lois professes her love for Bizarro and Superman, thinking it is the […]

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697 – Luthor Recreates Bizarro

In Action Comics #254 (May 1959), a renegade scientist copies Professor Dalton’s failed duplicator ray from years ago and deliberately re-creates the Bizarro creature. Then the renegade scientist unmasks himself and it is revealed to be Luthor. Funnily enough, Bizarro rejects Luthor’s attempt at controlling him and Luthor is quickly sent back to prison. The […]

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696 – Kryptonite Suit

Superman #130 (May 1959) gives us a tale on how kryptonite has affected Superman throughout his life, as he lays dying next to a chunk of kryptonite he was not able to melt or crawl away from. It includes the first time we see Superman’s kryptonite-shielded suit, including how television played a role in helping […]

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695 – Mysterio the Robot

In Jimmy Olsen #37 (April 1959), “Superman’s Super Rival” has Jimmy meeting a new boy-sized “hero” covered in lead-lined bandages and sporting superpowers like Superman. Superman is curious as to the identity of the new hero, who calls himself Mysterio, who appears to be trying to steal Jimmy’s loyalty away from Superman. It turns out […]

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694 – Lori Lemaris!

Wow March 1959 was a busy month for DC in terms of world-building! In Superman #129, “The Girl in Superman’s Past” describes Clark Kent in college where he falls in love with a student, Lori Lemaris. Love those L.Ls! Turns out Clark has really fallen for a telepathic mermaid from the sunken land of Atlantis […]

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692 – Metallo

Although not as big news as Supergirl’s debut, Action Comics #252 (March 1959) also introduced another Superman villain in the main Superman feature: Metallo, created by Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino. John Corben is a reporter with a secret: he’s really a criminal. On his way home one night, he gets into a fatal car […]

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691 – Supergirl, Finally!

Well, after years of stories which teased a female counterpart to Superman, and testing the concept in the previous year, DC finally pulled the trigger in Action Comics #252 (March 1959) with the introduction of Supergirl into the DC continuity. Supergirl is Kara, daughter of Zor-El and cousin of Kal-El (Superman). Her father’s city survived […]

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685 – Superwoman as Revenge

Lois Lane’s solo comic is providing many more instances of Superman being petty and using his abilities frivolously. In Lois Lane #8 (Feb 1959), for her birthday – but really just to “teach her a lesson” – Superman decides to give Lois Lane his super-powers. Clark then proceeds to put her into a series of […]

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679 – Titano

Another Superman villain is introduced in Superman #127 (Dec 1958): Titano! Yes, we clearly needed a “super-ape”. Chimp goes into a rocket / spaceship, is exposed to two meteors (uranium and kryptonite) and comes back grown to enormous size and sporting kryptonite vision. A “certain spin” sends Titano across the time barrier into the past […]

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