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"The Man Who Saved Kal-El's Life": This story is reprinted from Action Comics #281.

Superman #212 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 1969. It was published on October 15, 1968.

Synopsis for "The Man Who Saved Kal-El's Life"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #281.

Superman seems stymied by Paul Pratt, a thief who appears capable of being in two places at once. But he is contacted by Prof. Amos Dunn, who tells him an incredible story: years ago, before Krypton's destruction, he received radio transmissions from Jor-El, instructing him to construct a matter transmitter / receiver apparatus on Earth.

With a unit on Earth and one on Krypton, humans could be teleported across both planets, and Jor-El hoped to use this device on a mass basis to save the Kryptonian people. Dunn did go to Krypton, where he saved the lives of Jor-El and baby Kal-El after both were attacked by creatures from Jor-El's aquarium. Superman confirms this by examining the scars on his ankle where the Kryptonian fish-snake bit him. However, on the eve of Krypton's destruction, the apparatus on Earth malfunctioned and could not enable Jor-El, Lara, or Kal-El to teleport to Earth. Later, Dunn saw Superboy, knew that he was the former baby Kal-El, and resolved to tell him of his encounter with him and Jor-El when the youth was an adult.

Now, Dunn confirms that one of his assistants has stolen the transmitter plans and is using it with Pratt to commit robberies via teleportation. Armed with this knowledge, Superman intercepts the two thieves and captures them.

Appearing in "The Man Who Saved Kal-El's Life"

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Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Gerald Greer
  • Paul Pratt

Other Characters:

Locations:


Synopsis for "The Rejected Super-Tot"

This story is reprinted from Superboy #90.

During a cruise, young Clark Kent jumps overboard to chase some fishes and gets lost. Several families adopt him but send him back because of his superpowers. Eventually, he finds his way home.

Appearing in "The Rejected Super-Tot"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Gorillas
  • Tiger-Sharks

Other Characters:

  • Betty O'Reilly
  • Claude Burke
  • Merton Merrigold
  • Mike O'Reilly
  • Sarah Merrigold
  • Superboy (Mentioned only)

Locations:

Items:

  • Punch and Judy

Vehicles:

  • Submarine

Synopsis for "The Babe of Steel"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #284.

Clark Kent has been sent out to do a report on a medium who can contact people from beyond the grave. Secretly using his x-ray vision, he learns that the entire operation is a hoax, and that the "ghostly" hand that appears and writes messages is in reality someone using phosphorescent paint. However, left alone in the medium's room, Superman does get a ghostly message from someone needing his help.

Taking time off from the Daily Planet, Clark goes to his Fortress of Solitude as Superman. There he purposely exposes himself to Red Kryptonite that will revert him, physically, back into Superbaby while retaining his adult intelligence. Going out on patrol, Superman spots a carnival for charity, and notices that it's a fraud and that the games are rigged so that nobody wins. Borrowing some children's clothing, Superman then proceeds to use his super-powers to clean the fraudulent carnival owners out of all their prizes which he gives away to the children.

Flying off, Superman thwarts a bank robbery, but has a hard time convincing the police that he's really Superman until he flies away to answer a distress call regarding a sinking naval ship. Superman saves it from sinking into the ocean, and puts on a display of his super-powers to prove that he's really the Man of Steel, but reduced to a young age.

Flying toward his destination, Superman comes across a crazy scientist who thinks Earth is going to explode and is about to send his only son out into space in an experimental rocket. Knowing this to be false, Superman switches places with the child. When the test rocket explodes, Superman appears to show the man that his child is okay and convinces him to return to civilization and get help.

Noticing the nearby Aurora Borealis, Superman flies to the event that he has come to prevent: A portal opening into the Phantom Zone. With the portal being only large enough for someone the size of a child, this is the reason why he used Red Kryptonite to shrink himself. Entering the Phantom Zone, he is met by his friend Mon-El who has warned him that the Phantom Zone criminal Jax-Ur is plotting to expand the portal, so that he and the other Phantom Zone criminals can return to the Earth dimension.

Heeding Mon-El's warning, Superman races back out of the portal, summoning Supergirl and Krypto to meet him at the portal's opening. There the trio combine their x-ray vision to seal off the portal, thwarting Jax-Ur's plot to return to Earth. With Superman returning to his adult form, Jax-Ur vows to one day to escape the Phantom Zone and get revenge against Superman.

Appearing in "The Babe of Steel"

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Synopsis for "The Girl Superbaby"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #260.

While in class as Linda Lee, Supergirl uses her x-ray vision to look out for any trouble that she could help with in secret. Seeing an old man drowning, Linda slips away and as Supergirl, burrows under the lake and creates a water spout to free the old man. To her surprise, the old man looks a lot younger, but she dismisses it. As it turns out, the water she saved the man from turns out to be a fountain of youth, and her exposure to it has transformed her into a superbaby.

After chasing a butterfly, the Superbaby takes a nap in the trunk of jewel thieves, Dude and Mojax, who retreat to their secret hide out, which is a cabin out in the wilderness. Superbaby wakes up and causes and inadvertently causes a series of events that leave the superstitious crooks to believe the place is haunted. Through dumb luck and coincidence, the Superbaby's playing alerts the authorities to the location of the jewel thieves and they are arrested without anyone seeing the Superbaby. The effects of the fountain wear off and Supergirl returns to her normal age and returns home to hear of the thieves' capture on the radio.

Appearing in "The Girl Superbaby"

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Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Dude (Single appearance)
  • Mojax (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Julu (Single appearance)

Items:

Synopsis for "The Grandson of Steel"

This story is reprinted from Superboy #77.

Finding a marionette made by Jonathan Kent's father Hiram reminds Clark Kent of the day he visited his foster grandparents and briefly became a living "marionette" in one of Matthew Kent's shows.

Appearing in "The Grandson of Steel"

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Other Characters:

  • Edna (Phone call only)
  • Hunting Club (In a vision)
  • Smiths (Mentioned only)

Locations:

  • Canada (Mentioned only)
  • Smallville (Flashback and main story)
    • Kent Farm (Flashback and main story)
      • Attic
      • Henhouse (Flashback only)
    • Smiths' House (Mentioned only)

Items:

  • Marionettes
    • Alvin the Elf (In a vision)
    • Bully (In a vision)
    • Little Red Riding Hood (In a vision)
    • Mister Midget (Flashback and main story)
    • Robin Hood (In a vision)
    • Wolf (In a vision)

Vehicles:



Synopsis for "Lois Lane's Revenge on Superman"

This story is reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #32.

Lois Lane accidentally douses Superman with youth serum, which turns him into a baby. Since anger is the only antidote, Lois forces him to do humiliating stunts until his wrath snaps him out of it.

Appearing in "Lois Lane's Revenge on Superman"

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Synopsis for "The Unwanted Superbaby"

This story is reprinted from Adventure Comics #299.

The Kents lose Superbaby when he jumps from the boat where they are traveling to Europe. Superbaby is adopted by various couples, but he is rejected every time due to his shocking behavior. Finally, he hears the Kents and they can find him, due to Superbaby's mighty shout.

Appearing in "The Unwanted Superbaby"

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Antagonists:

  • King Rolf (Single appearance)
  • Queen Greta (Single appearance)
  • Prime Minister Nordholtz (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Zordalians (Single appearance)

Locations:

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See Also


Links and References

Superboy Vol 4 69
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