Here's a look at the stories contained in this issue..
Adventure Comics #273
This story has Superboy facing off against Ted Grahame, a boy from Smallville that Superboy rescued from a climbing accident, who develops super powers stronger than Superboy's, but whose parents are taken hostage by criminals....resulting in Superboy having to help save them, and take away the risk for Ted (his super powers) for the lad's own good.
Detective Comics #65
The Boy Commandos were a group of orphans (Andre Chavard, Alfy Twidgett, Jan Haasen and Brooklyn) who worked with Rip Carter (a member of the U.S. Army stationed in Great Britain) who worked together to fight the Nazi menace. In this story, the boys were sent to school to continue their education, but found a Nazi hidden there, working as a gardner named Bathingham.
Superboy #57
The story reprinted here has Superboy being disqualified from being in the Boy of the Year contest (because the Boy of Steel cannot supply a home address, without giving away his secret identity). So, four other boys are up for the award, but are beset by accidents, which people feel Superboy is causing. Clark Kent defends his alter ego, ends up being nominated, and while Superboy finds the real culprit, Clark Kent wins the award!
Adventure Comics #270
Wait a minute? Aqualad a menace? That's what a fortune teller told Aquaman, and over the next few days, Aqualad acts odd, imperiling Aquaman. Aquaman finally confronts his young friend about his odd behavior, which Aqualad explains as he was preparing a cave for the two of them to live in, and wanted it to be a surprise for Aquaman's birthday.
Hawk and Dove #3
Hawk and Dove have to hunt down criminals who beat John Kieves (Don Hall/Dove's friend Linda's father), with Hawk taking the more aggressive approach, and Dove trying to reason with Linda's brother, Mark, to stop him from taking vengeance in his own hands. Dove does stop him, but only by resorting to violence (which he claims to abhor).
Superboy #63
Superboy is being sued by a man who claims his house was destroyed by a piece of the rocket the brought Superboy to Earth from Krypton hitting his dwelling and wrecking it. They get Superboy to reenact the original flight of his rocket, and pieces do fall off, hitting a glass factory where the house had been. But, an astronomer comes out with proof that a comet effected the trajectory, getting Superboy freed from charges (and, later, it was discovered the glass factory was really producing secret government weapons).
Adventure Comics #81
Sandy the Golden Boy finds his mentor, Sandman, has been replaced by an imposter, and has to go on a hunt for Wes Dodds, finding him by following the fake. But, Sandy gets captured as well, and he and Wes work together to get free, with Wes taking over being Sandman from the phony, allowing him to defeat the criminals.
House of Mystery #164
Robby ends up fighting new villain, Dr. Cyclops, and his super-spectacles, as the villain runs amuck in Zenith City. Dialing an identity, Robby becomes Zip Tide to face his foe, but has to save innocent bystanders instead. Finding the villain a second time, Robby becomes Super Nova, but fails, and re-dials to become Robby Robot, where he is finally able to end his battle with Dr. Cyclops.
Superboy #130
Superbaby, missing his canine, Krypto (that Jor-El had sent into space), goes looking for another pet in Smallville, causing chaos at the farm, a zoo and then heading out to space, where a shape-changing creature attacks the lad, who luckily defeats it, and returns to Earth, puppyless.
(Don't worry, Clark Kent eventually finds Krypto when he's Superboy!).
...just one of many (Superboy would later get another Super Spectacular full of reprints, and would have an issue of his own title feature many other stories as well....that much more to look forward to!
Wonderful stories and covers!
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