Comic Title: Superboy #165
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: May/Jun 1970
On Sale Date: March 5, 1970 Newsstand Date March 5, 1970
Source: House Ad, Flash #197, Page 10

Newsstand Date March 5, 1970
Source: Comic Reader, #77

Newsstand Date March 5, 1970
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V25 #4

Copyright Date March 5, 1970
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1970

Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of Feb., Aug. and Nov.
Cover Price: $0.25
Page Count: 64
Editor: Mort Weisinger

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: "The Phantom Superboy"
Pages: 14

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

Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: George Papp

Reprinted From:
Adventure Comics #283 (1961)

Feature Character(s)

• Superboy (last appearance in Superboy #88; next appearance in Adventure Comics #284)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Superboy #88; next appearance in Adventure Comics #284)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Superboy #88; next appearance in Adventure Comics #284)
• Lana Lang (last appearance in Superboy #88; next appearance in Adventure Comics #284)
• Krypto (last appearance in Superboy #87; next appearance in Adventure Comics #284)
• Lewis Lang (last appearance in Superboy #88; next appearance in Adventure Comics #285)

Villain(s)

• A gang of jewel thieves (no further appearances)
• Dr. Xadu (a Phantom Zone criminal; in flashback; next appearance in Superboy #104)
• General Zod (a Kryptonian criminal; first appearance; in flashback; last appearance in Superman #233; next appearance in Action Comics #336)

Other Character(s)

• Members of Professor Lang’s expedition (no further appearances)
• Members of a Kryptonian court (no further appearances)

Comments:
This story contains the origin and first appearance of the Phantom Zone.

Synopsis:
Professor Lang discovers a box of Kryptonian weapons which he delivers to Superboy. While Superboy examines and tests the weapons, he is accidently sent into the Phantom Zone, a dimension which exists near ours in which beings can only exist in a ghostly state. Kryptonian criminals were banished here before the destruction of the planet. Unable to be seen or heard Superboy can not communicate with anyone in his own dimension. Eventually he discovers that his super thought is enough to activate an electric typewriter on which he types a message to Pa Kent. Jonathan rescues Superboy from the Zone, and then the Boy of Steel disposes of the box of weapons.