World's Finest Comics #171

World's Finest Comics #171 (On Sale: September 12, has a cover by Curt Swan and George Klein.

Inside we begin with "The Executioner's List" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Klein. After catching crooked gambler Swifty Sloane, Batman switches back to his Bruce Wayne identity. As police take Swifty away, an unseen gunman takes shots at Bruce and Swifty. Later Clark Kent is nearly killed in a helicopter explosion, though as Superman he is able to protect his secret identity and provide an explanation for his survival. Next Perry White and Alfred are each the victims of unexpected attacks. Superman and Batman think someone is going after their friends until Batman finds a death list.

The back-up story is "The Secret of Kryptonite" reprinted from Superman #136 and is by Jerry Coleman and Al Plastino. Superman returns to his hometown of Smallville for a celebration of the day he landed on Earth. While there he recalls how the world learned about Kryptonite. When he was Superboy, he was briefly exposed to some in a planetarium exhibit, and a crook named "Silk" Smith witnessed his weakness. The underworld then tried to find out which mineral in the exhibit weakened him. Superboy was able to trick the crooks into believing they were wrong.

Later at the first Superman Earthday celebration, a scientist, Mel Evans gives Superboy a present which is a fragment of Krypton. The fragment is of course Kryptonite, which weakens Superboy.The fragment is taken away, but now the world knows Superboy’s Achilles Heel.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.