Comic Title: Superman #168
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: April 1964
On Sale Date: February 6, 1964 Copyright Date February 6, 1964
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1964

Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of March, June, Sept. and Dec.
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mort Weisinger

Title: "Luthor -- Super-Hero"
Pages: 25

Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-1)

Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Writer: Leo Dorfman
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in World's Finest Comics #140; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #48)

Supporting Character(s)

• Perry White (as a young boy; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Superman #142)

Villain(s)

• Lex Luthor (becomes the Defender in this story; also disguised as Cyrus Groat; last appearance in Superman #167; next appearance in Action Comics #313)
• One-Round O'Rourke (a heavyweight boxer; no further appearances)
• O'Rourke's manager (no further appearances)
• Two hold-up men (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Ardora (Luthor's Lexorian girl friend; next appearance in Action Comics #318)
• Citizens of planet Lexor (last appearance in Superman #167; next appearance in Action Comics #318)
• Residents of San Francisco circa 1906 (no further appearances)
• Josiah White (Perry White's grandfather; no further appearances)
• Cyrus Groat (would-be editor of the San Francisco Daily Planet; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Lillian Russell and Diamond Jim Brady (an actress and her admirer; no further appearances)
• The warden of Metropolis Prison (no further appearances)

Comments:
The planet Lexor is named in this story.

This story is told in two parts. Part 2 takes place several weeks after part 1.

Synopsis:
Superman returns to planet Lexor where Luthor is a hero to apprehend his old foe. Superman is powerless on the red sun planet and hunted as a criminal. Luthor gives himself temporary super powers, becoming the Defender. Superman steals some rare crystals in an attempt to protect the people from their dangerous emissions. Luthor allows Superman to leave the planet to destroy the crystals and protect his people.

Luthor then builds a spaceship to return him to Earth. During the trip he arrives in the past in San Francisco. Superman tracks him there, but Luthor uses artificial Red Kryptonite to remove some of Superman's powers. Luthor then tries teleporting both of them back to Lexor. The device malfunctions causing the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Luthor is teleported back to the present, trapped inside Alcatraz.