Batman In The Interplanetary Olympics

Batman, as a boxer in the interplanetary Olympics?

What an odd thing, but just one of many stories of Batman in space, here from Detective Comics #260 (October, 1958), with a cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

The Mystery Of The Space Olympics

In a story drawn by Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris (writer unidentified), Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were startled awake by an alarm in the Batcave.  Gearing up as Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo went down there to find two Venusians, Xeo and Tog, who have been watching the duo from their planet, and want to recruit them to play in their own version of the Olympics representing Earth.  Batman and Robin agree, and are taken to a prepared asteroid by photonic light ray where they can compete.

Batman worries about how well he will do, but seems to have an easy time in the rocket race and meteor shoots.  Then, during the boxing match against a man from Jupiter a problem arises.  It is found Batman has magnetic gloves, and was cheating.  The officials check his previous games, to find foul play there as well.  Starting a near riot, Batman and Robin are forced to flee, aided in escape by the Plutoians.  Batman and Robin don't taking hiding out well, and head back to the compound of the Venusians, where they figure out someone else must have been cheating to frame the Earthlings and Venusians.  Going back in public, the Dynamic Duo are chased down by the mob, where they trick the Plutoians into revealing they were the ones behind the nefarious deeds, trying to frame the Venusians.  After, Batman and Robin realize it is time they return to Earth.

Superman Olympics

You'd figure Superman would do well in the Olympics, with all of his otherworldly powers...but you'd be wrong!

A little extra this time around, starting with a reprint of a Superman story with him in the Olympics from Superman #284 (February, 1975) with a Nick Cardy cover, and seeing where that takes us!

Superman 284

In the new story in this issue, Clark returns to Smallville to meet with Chief Parker and deal with his old homestead...

...and comes faces to face with his past....and battles Superboy, in a story about "The Secret Guardian Of Smallville!" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Bob Oksner.

This issue also has puzzles, a feature on people who broke into the Fortress of Solitude, and a few reprints....

...including a story where Superman had to work on comics from Superman #25 (November-December, 1943), dealt with a modern Alice in Wonderland from Superman #41 (July-August, 1946) , his own taxes from Superman #148 (October, 1961) and the death of Clark Kent from Superman #42 (September-October, 1946).

But, the selling point of the issue was the main reprint....from....

Action Comics 304

"The Interplanetary Olympics" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Klein from September, 1963, has Superman competing in an intergalactic game, and as shown, being outclassed by Borko of Gorn and Boscar of Krag!

Superman and Lana Lang were taken there by force, but Superman's powers seems to fail him (a deliberate ploy by the man of steel, to prevent the criminals in charge from syphoning his powers to use in their nefarious scheme).

But, if this seem oddly familiar....(but not reprinted in the Superman issue....).

Action Comics 220

"The Interplanetary Olympics" by Ed Hanilton and Al Plastino from September, 1956, has Superman competing in an intergalactic game, and as shown, being outclassed by Bronno of Kor and Sharn of Iwo!

Here, Superman was unable to perform due to Kyrptonite being used in the construction of the stadium!

Just when you thought you'd seen every Olympic controversy!

Teen Titans Olympics

Holy hot rings, Batman!  Continuing a look back at Olympic comic book moments, here's an entry from the swinging sixites by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy, with "The Secret Olympic Heroes" from Teen Titans #4 (July-August, 1966).

This was the first appearance of Speedy in a Teen Titans title, with this flashback tale happening before the first appearance of the Teen Titans, though later events made him a charter member, so the importance of his issue cannot be overlooked! 

Captain Marvel Olympics

Holy Moley!  When Billy says Shazam!, some of the gods he gets his powers from are Greek.  It took some time, but Captain Marvel was involved in "The Olympic Game Of The Gods!" in a story by Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger, under a cover by C.C. Beck in Whiz Comics #125 (September, 1950).

Wonder Woman Olympics

 

Wonder Woman had Greek beginnings, but it took a trip to the future, where Diana helped President Virtura of the female kingdom of Noman against the male forces Prowd, the director of Elam in Olympic games, in a story by William Marston and H. G. Peter in Sensation Comics #83 (November, 1948) in "The Sinister Olympics".