Yeah, I can picture it. There wouldn't be enough of Superman left to fill an ash tray! 
- — One of the K-Iron device thieves
Action Comics #485 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1978.
Synopsis for "The Experiment That Backfired On Superman!"
En route to the laboratory of Professor Bolden to help test a new energy source, Superman is attacked by a pair of thieves using Bolden's device. The device is made from K-Iron and is very sensitive to heat while also super-heating the Man of Steel to where the vacuum of space cannot extinguish the flames surrounding him. Falling into a nearby lake, all of the water is instantly evaporated and Superman is unconscious.
While unconscious, Superman dreams of Professor Bolden's first experiment: the Kryptonite Engine. Bolden had hoped to supply cheap electricity using Green Kryptonite as a power source, but the device failed. Through failure came success as the experiment turned all Green Kryptonite on Earth into iron - thus removing a fatal weakness to the Man of Tomorrow.
In the offices of the Daily Planet, Morgan Edge assigned Clark Kent to cover the launch of the new mail-rocket for WGBS despite Clark's protests of being a newspaper reporter. Clark worried about being able to act as Superman if he was in front of millions on broadcast television.
During a commercial break, Superman seemingly foiled a heist attempt on the rocket. However, a pair of jet planes appeared in an attempt to hijack the rocket. Superman stopped the planes but felt incredibly disoriented when over the site of Professor Bolden's experiment. The feeling eventually passed, allowing the hero to take care of the would-be crooks and get back to the Daily Planet. Edge decided to make Clark a permanent part of the TV news team over the protests of Perry White.
Superman begins to recover and buries the thieves in the sand using his super-breath. Professor Bolden appears and learns from Superman that the super-heated exhaust from K-Iron sets solid matter on fire. The professor walks back to his lab, hoping his research will one day pay off.
Appearing in "The Experiment That Backfired On Superman!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Professor Bolden
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lois Lane
- Morgan Edge
- Perry White
Antagonists:
- A pair of thieves
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Daily Planet
- Metropolis Airfield
Items:
- K-Iron
- Green Kryptonite
- Kryptonite Engine
- Transcontinental Mail-Rocket
Vehicles:
- None
Notes
- This issue reprints material from Superman 233 (1971) as a flashback with original material bookending the story.
- The scientist in Superman 233 was named Golden, but named Bolden in this story.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Superman 233 (original story)
- Superman Family