Superboy Spectacular #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of March, 1980.
Synopsis for "The Origin of Superboy's Super-Costume!"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #78.
Superboy is demonstrating the indestructible features of his costume at a local carnival. A bystander asks Superboy about the origin of his costume but Superboy responds that he cannot answer because it would reveal his secret identity.
The question prompts Superboy to flashback to the time he landed on Earth in his rocket. He is found by the Kent’s and they adopt him. The Kent’s immediately discover his super abilities. They also discover that Clarks clothing tends to get destroyed while performing his amazing feats. They notice that Clark’s baby blankets are indestructible since they accompanied him from Krypton. Martha Kent gets the idea to unravel the material from the blankets to sew Clark a durable indestructible outfit. Clark uses his heat vision to sever the strands of yarn that Martha needs to complete her project. As Clark becomes Superboy, they sew a bigger costume for him with the familiar S that will stretch along with him as he grows older.
Appearing in "The Origin of Superboy's Super-Costume!"
Featured Characters:
- Superboy (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Dreams of Doom"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #83.
When a youthful criminal and his dog gain the powers of Green Kryptonite radiation from passing through a green space-cloud, they come to Earth and endanger Superboy and Krypto with their radiation and their abilities to transform anything they touch into Kryptonite. But Mr. Mxyzptlk appears and, rather than see his old enemies destroyed by someone else, teleports the Kryptonite Kid and Kryptonite Dog away, restores the objects turned into Kryptonite to their former natures, and then vanishes.
Appearing in "The Dreams of Doom"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Kryptonite Kid (First appearance)
- Kryptonite Dog (First appearance)
- Mister Mxyzptlk
Other Characters:
- Blorians (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Planet Blor (Flashback only)
- Earth
- United States of America
- Smallville
- Junk Yard
- Kent Farm
- Smallville High School
- Terrill Trailer Camp
- Smallville
- United States of America
- Fifth Dimension (Mentioned only)
Items:
Vehicles:
- Test-Satellite
Synopsis for "Life on Krypton!"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #79.
Superboy uses his powers of Total Recall and a Mind-Prober Ray to remember events of his babyhood on Krypton, with Jonathan Kent listening and Martha Kent transcribing Superboy's recollections.
He recalls how, about a year before Krypton's destruction, Jor-El accidentally sent Krypto into space in a test rocket, breaking two-year-old Kal-El's heart and causing Lara to take her son and leave him. But after Lara hears Jor-El called a fool at a public exhibition for having predicted Krypton's imminent doom, she decides to return to her husband.
Meanwhile, Superbaby accidentally triggers another experimental rocket which knocks Krypto's rocket out of orbit and safely back to Krypton, where he is reunited with the puppy. Superboy emerges from his memory-session, deciding that he will continue with his memoirs in the future.
Appearing in "Life on Krypton!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Jonathan Kent (Flashback and main story)
- Jor-El (Flashback only)
- Krypto (Flashback only)
- Lara (Flashback only)
- Martha Kent (Flashback and main story)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Kryptonians (Flashback only)
- Cannonball Clam (Flashback only)
- Jal-Dix (Flashback only)
- Lara Rok-Var (Mentioned only)
- Lightning Fish (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Krypton (Flashback only)
- Kryptonopolis (Flashback only)
- Amusement Park (Flashback only)
- Hall of Worlds (Flashback only)
- Laboratory (Flashback only)
- Nursery (Flashback only)
- Robot Showroom (Flashback only)
- Kryptonopolis (Flashback only)
- Planet of a Hundred Moons (Flashback only)
- Rao (Flashback only)
- Smallville (Flashback and main story)
- Jonathan Kent's General Store (Flashback only)
- Kent Farm (Flashback and main story)
Items:
- Cosmic Clock (Flashback only)
- Fireproof Cape (Flashback only)
- Home-Weather Machine (Flashback only)
- Waterproof Dome (Flashback only)
- Hyper Atomic Beam (Flashback only)
- Life on Krypton
- Metal Maid (Flashback only)
- Mind Prober Ray
- Muscle Man (Flashback only)
- Space Telescopes (Flashback only)
- Telescope-Viewers (Flashback only)
- Speakwriter (Flashback only)
- Super-Space Telescope (Mentioned only)
- Watch Dog (Flashback only)
Vehicles:
- Jet-Tubes (Flashback only)
- Kryptonian Rockets (Flashback only)
- Tube-Car (Flashback only)
- Undersea Coaster (Flashback only)
Synopsis for "The One-Man Team!"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #88.
When Smallville suffers yet another crushing loss in a football game, the principal of Smallville High and the coach of their football team ask Superboy to go out for the team. Superboy demonstrates to the people of Smallville why he shouldn't be part of the team. During an all-star sports exhibition of his super-powers, he bags several crooks in the process.
Appearing in "The One-Man Team!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mobsters
- Duke
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Three Secret Identities of Superboy"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #67.
Lana Lang is one of three contestants on a quiz show who are challenged to guess which of three guests is the real Superboy.
Appearing in "The Three Secret Identities of Superboy"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Jonathan Kent (Flashback only)
- Jor-El (Flashback only)
- Lana Lang
- Lara Lor-Van (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Bronco Pete (Single appearance) (a rodeo star)
- Lydia Crane (Single appearance) (a game show contestant)
- Thomas Jones (Single appearance) (a game show contestant)
Locations:
- Krypton (Flashback only)
- Smallville
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Man Who Destroyed Krypton"
This story is reprinted from Superboy #67.
Klax-Ar, a renegade scientist exiled from Krypton in years past by Jor-El, claims responsibility for the destruction of Superboy's homeworld (falsely) and, his powers on the wane thanks to exposure to atron-rays, puts into motion a scheme to sap the powers from Superboy and infuse them into his own body.
Appearing in "The Man Who Destroyed Krypton"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Klax-Ar (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Puzzle of the Disappearing Pitcher!"
Appearing in "The Puzzle of the Disappearing Pitcher!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gotham City gangsters
Other Characters:
- Gotham Greyhounds (High school baseball team)
- Bruce Wayne (The Greyhounds' star pitcher)
- Smallville Sabertooths (High school baseball team)
- Ken "Whitewash" Baron (The Sabertooths' star pitcher)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Gotham Stadium
- Hotel Seldon
- Smallville
Items:
Vehicles:
Trivia
- Superboy Spectacular #1 was DC's first comic released exclusively to the direct market (i.e., specialty comics stores) instead of newsstands.[1]
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Superboy Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 1)
- Superboy (Volume 2)
- Superboy (Volume 4)
- Superboy (Volume 5)
- Superboy (Volume 6)
- Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
- Superboy and the Ravers (Volume 1)
- Young Justice (Volume 1)
- Young Justice (Volume 3)
- Teen Titans (Volume 3)
- Teen Titans (Volume 4)