Friday, March 28, 2008

Action Comics #363

Action Comics #363 (On Sale: March 28, 1968) has a cover by Neal Adams over a Carmine Infantino layout.

"The Leper from Krypton" is by Leo Dorfman, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Lex Luthor develops Virus X, a plague germ mixed with Kryptonite that is capable of killing Superman. He gives the virus to the criminal ventriloquist Ventor who has hypnotized Clark Kent. Ventor then orders Kent to infect Superman. Clark doesn't remember that he is Superman, but he does try to put the virus on his own pillow. His exposed skin touches the virus and infects him.

The infection causes Superman to snap out of the hypnosis, but he soon develops plague symptoms. Luthor then tells the world that Superman is infected with Virus X. People begin to fear the Man of Steel, and he is forced to leave town. Before leaving Clark intends to leave a letter at the Daily Planet.

The Supergirl back-up is "The Landmark Looters" by Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger. Several famous landmarks from around the world have been snatched by giant tweezers. Supergirl investigates and discovers two giant alien children are playing a game called Snatchaway which is similar to monopoly, but they are using real landmarks instead of markers. Supergirl is unable to stop the delinquents because they possess super-powers of their own. She is forced to play the game with them.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

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