World's Finest #263 is an issue of the series World's Finest (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1980.
Synopsis for Superman & Batman: "Final Secret of the Super-Sons"
Superman, Jr. and Batman, Jr. discover that their whole existence is a lie and they are actually only computer simulations created on Superman's Super-Computer in his Fortress of Solitude. The Super-Sons find a way out of the computer system via the Fortress' disintegration pit into the real world, where radiations from their bodies cause chaos and destruction, as well as beginning to endanger the entire planet. Superman and Batman are forced to confront the young and confused computer simulations and take them back to the Fortress of Solitude. Once there, Superman and Batman convince the Super-Sons of their non-existence by pointing out that neither can give the name of their mothers; that information was not relevant to the scenarios Superman and Batman created, so it was never added. Faced with this evidence, the Super-Sons enter the disintegration pit from where they came in order to save Earth. Although this is the best course of action, Superman and Batman are truly sad for having to destroy their own creations.
Appearing in Superman & Batman: "Final Secret of the Super-Sons"
Featured Characters:
- Superman
- Batman (Bruce Wayne)
- Super-Sons (Final appearance)
- Superman, Jr. (Final appearance; dies)
- Batman, Jr. (Final appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Doctor Sivana (On a TV or computer screen)
Other Characters:
- Hagen (Single appearance)
Locations:
- North Pole
- Fortress of Solitude
- Atomic Cauldron (Disintegration Pit)
- Fortress of Solitude
- Gotham City
- Metropolis
- Metropolis Central Hospital
Items:
Synopsis for Green Arrow: "Hell's Acre Savior!"
Green Arrow takes down the third crooked generation of a family in Hell's Acre of Star City, inspiring him (in his Oliver Queen identity) to write a demand that the neighborhood be upgraded. Wealthy magnate Matthew L. Durkin astonishes all by unveiling a project to do just that. But GA later proves that Durkin has dealings with local mobsters, who dumped corpses of murder victims in a plot of land in Hell's Acre that Durkin's new project is scheduled to cover in concrete. Green Arrow exposes Durkin and the scandal and sees him sent to prison for life. But the reclamation project goes on, funded by private contributions.
Appearing in Green Arrow: "Hell's Acre Savior!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Ricky Sanchez
- Matthew L. Durkin
- Rooftop Robinson
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Star City
- Hell's Acre
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Adam Strange: "Zeta-Death"
While Kaskor makes an alliance with the Kirri to conquer Rann, Adam Strange uses the new Zeta-Beam to teleport to their hideout in order to destroy their Zeta-Flares. He succeeds, and Rann becomes the only planet with transporter technology.
Appearing in Adam Strange: "Zeta-Death"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Aquaman: "Return to New Venice!"
Aquaman returns to the city of New Venice, whose flooded streets are a counterpart of the canals of Venice, Italy. He easily defeats a gang of scuba-equipped bank robbers.
The mayor takes him on a tour of the new Aquaman Museum, which was set up by the citizens. After reminiscing about his origin, he decides it is time that he and Mera have "surface" people around them. He promises the mayor that he'll return soon, and is off to save the mayor's brother, Senator Lyndon, from another dimension.
Appearing in Aquaman: "Return to New Venice!"
Featured Characters:
- Aquaman (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #260) (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18 and Aquaman #23) (Origin)
Supporting Characters:
- Topo the Octopus
- Mayor Lyndon
- Tom Curry (Dies in flashback) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Atlanna (Dies in flashback) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Aqualad (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Mera (Flashback only) (from Aquaman #18 and Aquaman #23)
- Aquababy (In picture only) (from Aquaman #23) (death mentioned from Adventure Comics #452)
Antagonists:
- Three Underwater Crooks (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Dolphins
- Fish
- Citizens of New Venice (Unnamed)
- New Venice Police Department (Unnamed)
- Senator John Lyndon (Mentioned only) (from World's Finest #262)
- Aquaman Museum Curator (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
- Members of the Press (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
- Commander Tom Haskel (Mentioned only)
- United States Navy (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Atlanteans (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Ocean Master (Flashback only)
- Tumol (Priest) (Unnamed) (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Justice League of America (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Superman (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Batman (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Wonder Woman (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Flash (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Hawkman (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Martian Manhunter (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Green Arrow (In picture only) (from Aquaman #18)
- Black Manta (In picture only) (mentioned from Adventure Comics #452)
Locations:
- Florida
- New Venice
- New Venice Bank
- Aquaman Museum (First appearance)
- New Venice
- Atlantic Ocean (Flashback and main story)
- Sargasso Sea
- Other-Worldly Dimension (Mentioned only) (from World's Finest #262)
- Atlantis (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Sargasso Sea
- Maine (In picture only) (from Adventure Comics #260)
- Curry Lighthouse (In picture only) (from Adventure Comics #260)
Items:
- Acetylene Torch
- Aquaman (Statue only)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Captain Marvel: "The Graybeard Gang"
The oldest gang in town have finally been released from jail, and are now taking revenge on the "infuriating young people" who are enjoying their youth, while the three men had to grow old behind prison walls.
Appearing in Captain Marvel: "The Graybeard Gang"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Greybeard Gang
- Graybeard
- The Waco Kid
- Scattergun Haines
Other Characters:
- Mayor Lyndon
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- "Final Secret of the Super-Sons" is the last story written by Dennis O'Neil in World's Finest Comics. He moved on to work on Marvel Comics as an editor.
- "Final Secret of the Super-Sons" is reprinted in Superman/Batman: Saga of the Super Sons.
- Captain Marvel's story is reprinted in Shazam!: The World's Mightiest Mortal Vol. 3.
Trivia
- When Superman and Batman programmed Superman Jr. and Batman Jr. into the Fortress of Solitude's Super-Computer, they didn't give the Super-Sons any mothers as it wasn't important to the simulation. This would probably explain why the Super-Sons' mothers are never seen fully — and never referred to by name either — during their brief appearances in the series' run.
- Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium identifies the Super-Sons' Earth as Earth-216 with Earth-154 being a variant where the identities of Superman and Batman's wives are known: Lois Lane and Kathy Kane respectively. However, this doesn't explain why in "Final Secret of the Super-Sons" Superman Jr. fails to recognize Lois Lane.
See Also