Guide To Golden Age Manhunter Reprints

Paul Kirk was the Manhunter, hunting the ultimate game...criminals!

His journey began in Adventure Comics #73 (April, 1942) by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon (even getting a cover), and continued through Adventure Comics #92 (June-July, 1944) (though Kirby did less on the series as time progressed....).

Still, worth a look to see where you can find the Golden Age tales of this character!

First up, from Adventure Comics #73 (April, 1942) by Kirby and Simon, was "The Secret Of The Buzzard's Revenge".  The Buzzard kills Empire City's Police Inspector Donovan, inspiring big game hunter Paul Kirk to put on a costume himself, and takes down the Buzzard as the costumed crusader, Manhunter.  

This tale was reprinted in New Gods #4 (August-September, 1971) (that has a few Kirby tales on its own.).

Next up is Adventure Comics #74 (May, 1942), by Kirby and Simon, with a "Scavenger Hunt", where Paul Kirk gets involved in a dispute between Henry and Big Droop, leading Manhunter to help Henry hunt down wanted felon Crusher Burns, (Henry's target in the scavenger hunt), helping him win, and get a date with party goer Patty.

This tale was reprinted in New Gods #5 (October-November, 1971), with Orion fighting the Deep Six!

Adventure Comics #75 (June, 1942) is the next Manhunter tale by Kirby and Simon, where Paul learns to "Beware Of Mr. Meek".  Jewel thief, Panama Parker slips her stolen jewels on Paul Kirk, drawing Manhunter into a confrontation with her and Myron Meek (whom she was fleeing, and she stole the jewels to keep Meek from doing that).  Manhunter captures Meek, with help from Panama...and turns them both over to the police, but with a good word for her for her help.

This was reprinted in New Gods #6 (December-January, 1971/1972), where Orion finishes his battle with the Deep Six.

The next Manhunter tale is "The Legend Of The Silent Bear" from Adventure Comics #76 (July, 1942) by Kirby and Simon, with Paul Kirk being drawn into a murder during a weekend retreat.  Confronting the killers, Manhunter is blinded and, with the help of a boy scout, captures the killers.

This story was reprinted in New Gods #7 (February-March, 1972), wherein the reading world is introduced to the Pact which defines the truce between New Genesis and Apokolips.

"The Stone Of Vengeance" from Adventure Comics #77 (August, 1942) is the next Kirby/Simon epic, with a priceless jewel stolen for the Rajah, who kills all the other thieves, but the jewel falls into the hands of a shoe shine boy.  Manhunter gets involved, saves the boy, captures the Rajah and returns the jewel to its rightful owner.

This was reprinted in New Gods #8 (April-May, 1972), with Terrible Turpin facing Kalibak.

More jewel theft for Manhunter to deal with in Adventure Comics #78 (September, 1942) by Kirby/Simon, with "The Lady And The Tiger", where the Tiger, a criminal, murders millionaire Thurston Drake, with his daughter Ellen trying to track him down, with Manhunter rescuing her and trying to take the Tiger to the police before Tiger died.

This story was reprinted in New Gods #9 (June-July, 1972), with the debut of the Forager.

The last reprinted Manhunter story is from Adventure Comics #79 (October, 1942) where Manhunter "Battles The Cobras Of The Deep"by Kirby and Simon.  Here, the Manhunter deals with Nazi spies led by Dr. Heinnig, where Manhunter stops them from trapping him, then follows them to their U-boat, capturing it and its crew, turning it over to the United States Navy.

This was reprinted in Detective Comics #440 (April-May, 1974), which also has a back up of Manhunter in the current day....

Kirby and Simon do one last tale together on Manhunter (not reprinted; Manhunter also makes a cover with Sandman and Sandy) and then the title falls into others hands until Adventure Comics #92 (June-July, 1944)...until Paul Kirk is revived to fight the Council in a Detective Comics back up series running from Detective Comics #437 to #443 (October-November, 1973 to October-November, 1974) by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson (which has been collected a few times, and well worth the read).

Kirby comes back to Manhunter as well, but this time, Mark Shaw...and more on him here!

Remembering Artist Neal Adams

Remembering artist Neal Adams on his birthday (June 15, 1941 - April 28, 2022) with a pair of his covers from Adventure Comics (#365 and #366, February and March, 1968) featuring Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, where the team go to the homeworld of Shadow Lass (meeting her for the first time) and face the return of the Fatal Five!

Adventures With Superboy-Prime

Looking in on Superboy-Prime (the Superboy from an alternate world called Earth-Prime where super heroes were characters in comic book, taken away after the end of the Crisis On Infinite Earths, only to return, with a psychopathic rage and murdering many heroes including Titans and Bloodlines heroes)....here, in Adventure Comics #4 and #5 (January and February, 2010, with covers by Jerry Ordway, with variants by Francis Manapul as #507 and #508)...

...this Clark Kent was forced to face some of those he killed, brought back as Black Lanterns, with Alexander Luthor Jr. leading the charge (and these stories might also have been his step towards redemption).

Plus back up stories with the Black Witch (Mysa, the former White Witch of the Legion of Super-Heroes), and Superboy/Kon-El as well.

Adventure Comics #4 and #507 (January, 2010)

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Adventure Comics #5 and #508 (February, 2010)

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The Wedding Of Karate Kid and Queen Projectra

After a whirlwind romance, and a long period of courtship, Karate Kid and Queen Projectra finally got married.

But, where did this love affair start?

A quick look below....

Adventure Comics #346 (July, 1966)

With "One Of Us Is A Traitor" by Jim Shooter and Sheldon Moldoff, with a cover by Curt Swan and George Klein, the Legion welcomed four new members to their ranks...Karate Kid (Val Armorr) from Earth, Princess Projectra from Orando, Ferro Lad (Andrew Nolan) from Earth and Nemesis Kid (Hart Druiter) from Myar.  These four had to prove themselves to the other Legion members, and did.  

They joined right in time, as Earth and the United Planets were menaced by a new warlike race called the Khunds...and it seems Earth's defenses were being destroyed by a member of the Legion...Karate Kid.

That was not true, and the real traitor was reveal, and the other three remaining on the team...with Val and Jeckie falling in love.  Val had to endure many trials to eventually wed his Princess...but was only finally able to after the death of her father, when she became Queen of Orando.

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #2 (September, 1983)

Under a cover by Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt, with a story by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen and Dave Gibbons, Val and Jeckie were finally married in "Whatever Gods There Be...". 

Legion wedding are usually big affairs, and this one was as well, with the full Legion membership gathering from their busy adventures...

...as the team had just fought off Darkseid, and was busy restoring Daxam from the damage he did to Mon-El's homeworld, and another group (including Supergirl) just fought the Emerald Empress of Fatal Five.

Strangely enough, the wedding was relatively uneventful on Jeckie's home planet of Orando, but a team of Legion members (including Dream Girl and Ultra Boy) were accidentally sent back in time to ancient Greece, where they encountered aliens who were pretending to be the Greek gods.

Still, the marriage happened, and the two could live on her planet in peace (well, for a too short time....).

Superman And Lex Luthor

Superman and Lex Luthor had a long feud going on...

...and, in the Silver Age, it started back when Superman was a boy (as was Lex) in the small town of Smallville...

How Luthor Met Superboy!

The story of how Luthor and Superboy met was in Adventure Comics #271 (April, 1960), with a story by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino, under a cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.  It began when young Lex saved Superboy from a Kryptonite meteor.  Luthor then took him to his farm home, and showed him his Superboy rescue collection (as Lex was a big fan).  In gratitude, Superboy built Luthor a laboratory, so he could conduct the scientific experiments he wanted to do.  Alone, Luthor discovered a chemical way of creating life.  Then, to show his gratitude for Superboy, thought to make a formula to make Superboy immune to Kryptonite.  While doing that, Luthor knocked over a vile of acid, starting a fire.  

Superboy came by, extinguishing the flame but destroying the protoplasmic life Luthor created, and the chemical mixture caused Luthor's hair to fall out.  Luthor, consumed with rage, blamed Superboy for the loss of his experiment and his hair, and began to plot to outdo the Boy of Steel.  Luthor had two inventions that were suppose to help Smallville (a solar reflector to keep the town warm all year, and fast growing seeds) but both had unexpected consequences, with Superboy stopping the problem and the town turning against Lex.  Luthor then retrieved the Kryptonite meteor and tried to use it to kill Superboy, and would have, had Luthor not tempted Superboy with the Kryptonite immunity formula, which Superboy inhaled.  Though the immunity was only temporary, the animosity between Luthor and Superboy would last.

The Luthor Nobody Knows!

In Superman #292 (October, 1975), under a cover by Bob Oksner, in a story by Elliot Maggin, Curt Swan and Bob Oksner, with a thoughtful Superman, repairing an airport recently damaged during a battle with Lex Luthor and his new super suit, as Luthor had caused Superman to lose control of his muscles, so Superman himself had done much damage to the airport as he worked to defeat Luthor.

Superman reflected back on his many encounters with Luthor over the years, how even as a student before he lost his hair, Luthor was arrogant and self-absorbed, but that after losing his hair, it only got worse.  Luthor's obsession cost him his friends, family and pretty much everything.  

Superboy still offered to help, but Luthor only responded back with hate, which was the ultimate difference between Superman and Luthor, the different between the power of love and hate.

  

Lois Lane Adventures

Thinking on Superman's past, the time when he was a boy in Smallville...you wouldn't think of Lois Lane.  

Yet, oddly enough, even though Superboy's time then was more spent with Lana Lang, still Lois Lane did end up in SuperBOY's life a little bit!

How Clark Kent Met Lois Lane

In Adventure Comics #128 (May, 1948) with a cover by Win Mortimer, and story by Bill Finger, Al Wenzel and George Roussos, here is where Clark and Lois first met.  Clark had begun to write for his school newspaper, and won a contest to be a cub reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis for a week.  There, he met another winner, a young girl from the midwest, Lois Lane.  

The two became involved in a competition to get a story printed (and for an ice cream), and, Lois, wandering into trouble, needed to be saved by Superboy, allowing her the time to get the story, so she got two scoops!

For completeness' sake, including this cover to Adventure Comics #211 (April, 1955) by Win Mortimer, but Lois is only in this one in a dream as an adult, and one flashback to the story above.  

Lois is  also in a few Superboy issues, but....those will be tales for another day.

Superboy Meets Lois Lane!

Superboy and Lois met again in Adventure Comics #261 (June, 1959) with a story by Otto Binder and George Papp, under a Curt Swan and Stan Kaye cover.  Here, Lois comes to Camp Hiawatha, which is near Smallville, with hopes of meeting Superboy.  She ends up with Lana Lang as a roommate (who is infatuated with Superboy).  Clark is also staying at the camp on the boys' side, and comes across the girls whose lunch attracted a bear.  

Changing into Superboy, he saves the girls and talks to Lois and Lana, where Lana is convinced Superboy is one of the boys at the lake.  Lois joins with Lana, but to prevent Lana from finding out Superboy's identity.  The two have some interesting adventures, with Clark thinking fast on how to preserve his identity (including calling on Krypto).  Lois even earns an acceptance to a dance.  Lana, furious, thinks of exposing Superboy to Kryptonite to find out his identity, but decides against it.  For that, Superboy accepts her invitation to the dance too!  But, Superboy is shrewd, he ends up going with neither girl, as he saw that during their time in the forest, the two were exposed to poison ivy, so they both can't go!

From these simple beginnings, a romance blossomed, and if you want to read the stories, look to these issues for reprints!

Superboy Knows Football

Superboy shows he knows what to do on a football field, as shown in Adventure Comics #143 (August, 1949) with cover by John Sikela and Ed Dobrotka and Adventure Comics #207 (December, 1954) with cover by Curt Swan and Ray Burnley.

But, all that still doesn't impress Smallville's Lana Lang, as shown by this cover to Adventure Comics #170 (November, 1951) with cover by Win Mortimer.

Happy Labor Day With The Legion

Happy Labor Day!  

May your day be better than that of the Legion of Super-Heroes, who were laboring as a chain gang, as shown on this Jim Starlin cover for Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #238 (April, 1978).

But, why were the Legion members in their 1960s costumes on this 1970s cover?

Well, this issue came about due to the dreaded deadline doom, and reprints Adventure Comics #359 and #360 (August and September, 1967), drawn by Curt Swan and George Klein, where the Legion was outlawed by Universo, a villain with a hypnotic power, who, after sneaking into the presidency under false pretenses, put the team in a particularly brutal prison.  Of course, the villain's dastardly plan was foiled by Superboy and the kids from the future.

Super Cowboy

Superboy takes to the rodeo, becoming a Super-Cowboy in Adventure Comics #132 (September, 1948) under a cover by Win Mortimer...

...but why?

Here's the tale...

Superboy - Super-Cowboy!

In this story by Bill Finger and Al Wenzel, Clark Kent's math teacher, Edwin Sayers, inherits what he thinks is a ranch, and takes his class out west to enjoy it.  Getting there, they find it not all it was promised to be, so Clark goes into action as Superboy, fixing it up and bringing in horses...all the while uncovering dirty deeds by Edwin's new neighbor, Ben Torpe, who was illegally syphoning oil from the area.

 

Switching To Adventure Comics

Before an alien ever helped Metropolis, or a bat protected Gotham, there were comics.  But, even the stalwart Adventure Comics was not that to begin with.

Adventure Comics started as New Comics in December, 1935, going under that title until New Comics #14 (March, 1937, though the cover said New Adventure), then being New Adventure Comics from #15 to #31, before settling on Adventure Comics with #32 (November, 1938), going from light comedy to kids adventures to full fledged adventures!

New Comics #1 and #14 (December, 1935 and March, 1937)

Covers by Vincent Sullivan and Whitney Ellsworth

New Adventure Comics #15 and #31 (May, 1937 and October, 1938)

Covers by Craig Fessel

Adventure Comics #32 and #503 (November, 1938 and September, 1983)

Covers by Craig Fessel and Ross Andru/Joe Rubinstein

Along the way, it debuted series like Sandman, Hourman, Starman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and carried Aquaman, Johnny Quick, Superboy, Bizarro, Supergirl, Zatanna, the JSA, Dial H for Hero and more! 

A fine title, loved by fans!  To give you an idea of how long this title was around, when #32 hit the stands, it was there with Action Comics #6 (so Superman and Lois were around, but not Luthor) and Detective Comics #21 (pre-dated Batman!).

Happy Father's Day Superboy 2023

Two super covers featuring Pa Kent showing us (and Superboy) how super he really is, as, along with being Father's Day, today is the day that Kal-El's rocket landed on Earth, where he was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who took him into their Smallville home, named him Clark Kent, and eventually shaped the boy who would become....Superman!

These two issues have two different ideas of how super Pa Kent is.  In Adventure Comics #224 (May, 1956, cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye), Jonathan is struck by lightning and only thinks he is super, while in Adventure Comics #289 (October, 1961, also cover by Swan/Kaye), it is a more nefarious plot by one of the men here.

Still, Pa Kent is always super!

Early Legion Of Super-Heroes Weddings

Even though the Legion of Super-Heroes was an early example of science fiction in comics when it started its series in Adventure Comics, it also pioneered more interaction between its rather large cast of characters in the 30th Century, as the boys and girls of the future team started to pair off.  

Here, we show two budding romances of the early Legion era, the couples of Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, along with Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl.

Lighting Lad (Garth Ranzz of Winath) and Saturn Girl (Imra Ardeen of Titan) were two of the three founders of the Legion of Super-Heroes, their feelings for each other grew during an early run of stories in Adventure Comics, dealing with Lightning Lad dying for Saturn Girl, then her working with the other Legion members to bring him back (main stories reprinted in Adventure Comics #403 of March-April, 1971), while Ultra Boy (Jo Nah of Rimbor) and Phantom Girl (Tinya Wazzo of Bgztl) came together based mostly on one tale, when Ultra Boy was accused of a crime in Adventure Comics #316 (January, 1964), and Phantom Girl was his only advocate.

But, now to the main story...

The Weddings That Wrecked The Legion

This tale was featured in Adventure Comics #337 (October, 1965) by Edmond Hamilton and John Forte (with cover by Curt Swan and George Klein), with the newly elected leader, Brainiac 5, briefing the team about a new menace and his Plan-R to fight it (but Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl are too interested in each other to pay attention).  Brainiac 5 calls out the couple on this, with Saturn Girl rising to their defense, with Brainy turning on her, chiding her and Lighting Lad for similar behavior.  The couples go off, drawing closer, and both deciding to marry (though that will mean they will no longer be team members, as the Legion Constitution has a bylaw against married members).

Now short members, the team recruits, finding three new super powered youths (who are really members of the invading force trying to learn more of Plan-R).  Now in the Legion Clubhouse, the three enemy aliens find the plan, and head to their home...unaware the plan was a fake, and that this was all a plan by Brainiac 5 and Saturn Girl to find the invaders home, and defeat their plans.  The marriages weren't real, so the couples return to active membership, but wish that maybe they were real.

It would take a long time for the Legion to see any real team marriages, with Bouncing Boy marrying Duo Damsel (Triplicate Girl for half the Adventure Comics run) in Superboy #200 (January-February, 1974) and Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl getting married in the All New Collectors' Edition #C-55 (March, 1978), ending the rule against married Legion members.  Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl would have to wait decades more (as well as a few reboots) for their wedding, but love finds a way....