
Cover Credits |
Penciller: Curt Swan Inker: George Klein |
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Comic Title: World's Finest Comics #158
Publisher: DC
(National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: June 1966
On Sale Date:
April 26, 1966 Newsstand Date April 26, 1966
Source: Direct Currents, Batman #181, Page 31
Copyright Date April 26, 1966
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1966
Newsstand Date April 26, 1966
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V21 #2
Frequency: Monthly, with the exception of Jan., April and July
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Story List | >> |
Title: "The Invulnerable Super-Enemy"
Pages: 17
Feature(s):
Superman (of Earth-1)
Batman (of Earth-1)
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein
Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents:World's Finest Vol. 3 TPB (2010)
Batman & Superman in World's Finest Comics:The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2019)
Feature Character(s)
- Superman (last appearance in Justice League of America #45; next appearance in Superman #188)
- Batman (last appearance in Justice League of America #45; next appearance in Detective Comics #352)
Supporting Character(s)
- Robin (last appearance in Doom Patrol #104; next appearance in Detective Comics #352)
- Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #93; next appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #66)
Villain(s)
- A group of Kryptonian criminals, four aliens, and a group of super-criminals (no further appearances)
Other Character(s)
- Brainiac A (no further appearances)
- Ron Farley (a movie star; no further appearances)
Cameo Appearance(s)
- Brainiac (in flashback)
Comments:
Part 1: "The Three Bottles of Danger"
Part 2: "Brainiac and the Bottled Brigands"
Synopsis:
Robin and Jimmy Olsen discover a secret cave which contains three bottled cities similar to Kandor. They bring the bottles back to the Bat-Cave, then shrink themselves to enter one of the bottles. When Superman and Batman return to the Bat-Cave, Jimmy and Robin are still inside one of the bottles. The two heroes shrink themselves to find their missing partners.
The first bottle contains an abandoned Kryptonian city inhabited only by criminals. Superman is powerless in the bottle and is injured. Batman is captured by the Kryptonian outlaws. When Superman recovers he rescues Batman, and they escape the bottle.
Since Jimmy and Robin were not in the first bottle, Superman and Batman split up. Batman encounters a race of aliens in the second bottle, but finds no trace of his friends.
Superman finds them in the third bottle, held prisoner by a gang of super-criminals who possess powers like the Legion of Super-Heroes. The bottle has a green sun, so Superman is again powerless. Batman follows him and helps the boys escape. Robin then turns a sunlight beam on the crooks which weakens them. The four heroes then escape the bottle.
Superman suspects that Brainiac was responsible for shrinking the cities. When they return to the cave in which the bottles were found, they learn the truth. The cities were taken by Brainiac A, a precursor to the evil Brainiac. Brainiac A was not evil and uses the shrink ray to capture and imprison criminals. Superman returns the cities to Brainiac A to take back with him to his own world.
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