World's Finest Comics #205

World's Finest Comics #205 (On Sale: July 27, 1971), has a Superman/Teen Titans cover by Neal Adams.

Our cover story is Superman and the Teen Titans in "The Computer That Captured a Town" by Steve Skeates, Dick Dillin, and Joe Giella. A town is controlled by an alien computer which programs them all according to the wishes of a man whose memories it took and then killed. The computer makes the Teen Titans act like racists until Superman gets a subconscious message from Lilith and arrives to stop the computer from controlling the titans and the townspeople. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007), Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus HC (2017), and World's Finest: Guardians of Earth HC (2020).

Next is "Secret of the Last Earth-Man" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Strange Adventures #111 (1959). 

We end with a real artistic treat, the Shining Knight in "The Duel of the Flying Knights" by Joe Samachson and Frank Frazetta and reprinted from Adventure Comics #153 (1950). In the days of Camelot, Mordred meets a Greek warrior displaced in time by a magical mist. Mordred pits the warrior and his flying steed Pegasus against the Shining Knight. Mordred using trickery to aid the Greek warrior, but the Knight prevails with the aid of Merlin.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6

DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6 (On Sale: July 15, 1971), has a beautiful wrap-around "World's Greatest Super-Heroes" cover by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. This is the first issue with a wrap-around cover that would become standard on this title.

We begin with the Justice League of America in "Crisis on Earth-One" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Justice League of America #21 (1963). While the Justice League battles Felix Faust, Chronos, and Dr. Alchemy, who have united as the Crime Champions, they are unaware of a similar struggle taking place on the parallel world of Earth-2 between their counterparts, the Justice Society, and another team of Crime Champions composed of the Wizard, the Icicle, and the Fiddler. Having discovered the existence of the dual Earths, the two teams of villains have schemed to hide out on each other’s worlds after committing crimes. To safeguard their secret, they capture and imprison the two Flashes, who alone know of the alternate worlds and the method of traveling between them.

Disguising themselves as the Earth-1 villains, the Earth-2 Crime Champions battle and defeat the Justice League, magically trapping them in their Secret Sanctuary. The super-heroes use a crystal ball to contact the missing Flash, who tells them of his adventures on Earth-2, after which they summon the Justice Society to Earth-1.

The JLA then journey to Earth-2 while the two Green Lanterns race to free the captive Flashes, who are trapped in the transition zone between the Earths. This is the first of the yearly team-ups between the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America. This story continued in the next JLA issue, which follows.

As promised, we next have the Justice League of America in "Crisis on Earth-Two" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Justice League of America #22 (1963). The combined efforts of the Justice League of America of Earth-One and the Justice Society of America of Earth-Two continue to fail to stop the combined forces of the Crime Champions, a collation of villains from both Earths. The Earth-Two Atom and Hourman go after the Fiddler, robbing a museum; Hawkman and Black Canary go after Wizard; Doctor Fate goes after the Icicle. Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, and the Earth-One Atom go after Felix Faust, Batman and Wonder Woman go after Doctor Alchemy, and Superman and Aquaman go after Chronos who is stealing a clock from a lighthouse.

While both Green Lanterns seek to save the captured Flashes, the pairs and trios of heroes succeed in capturing the various villains. The heroes soon find themselves trapped in cages in space just like the Flashes, due to a trap that is set off by the release of the Flashes, whose energies provide the power needed to spring the trap.

However, their imprisonment is short-lived when the two Green Lanterns are able to shrink themselves down to sub-atomic size to get out of their prison at the Earth-One Atom's suggestion, and then use their combined power rings and the super speed of both Flashes to free the others. The Crime Champions realize what has happened, and the Fiddler thinks there must be an Earth-Three, to which they can escape, but they fail to find one, before the Justice League and the Justice Society defeat the Crime Champions. With their opponents defeated, both groups part company for their own worlds, taking their respective criminals back with them.

That brings us to The Spectre in (Zor) by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily and reprinted from More Fun Comics #55 (1940). Jim Corrigan is called to a bank where the bookkeeper accuses a teller of stealing from the bank, but Corrigan realizes the bookkeeper himself is the thief and becomes the Spectre to frighten a confession from him. Having made the arrest, Corrigan is then hit by a runaway car, but because he's already been killed, is unharmed. He becomes the Spectre again and chases down the drivers, but soon finds himself confronted by a much graver threat: Zor, an evil apparition.

The two ghosts battle and soon enlarge themselves to cosmic size, but Zor's greater experience as a ghost gives him greater power than the Spectre. To torment the avenging spirit Zor changes himself into Jim Corrigan and convinces Clarice Winston to elope with him. Going to see Clarice himself and realizing what happened, the real Corrigan becomes the Spectre once again to chase Zor down, only for the evil spirit to escape with Clarice into another dimension. 

The Voice gives the Spectre the power to track Zor across dimensions to his fortress. The Spectre enters but is paralyzed by a powerful ray projected by Zor, but the Spectre bargains with him for the secret to creating life for his freedom. Once free they scuffle and the Spectre manages to trap Zor in the same ray that held him, then leaves the evil spirit trapped there for eternity.

Next is Johnny Quick in "Stand-In for 100 Convicts" drawn by Ralph Mayo and reprinted from Adventure Comics #190 (1953). In an experimental prison program, 100 men are released from prison without supervision for a few hours. One prisoner, Mauler Murphy, steals some diamonds but is caught by the other prisoners. Johnny Quick allows several prisoners to locate Murphy’s accomplice while he takes their places at the prison. Johnny’s scheme is uncovered by the warden, but the convicts return with the diamonds and Murphy’s partner, proving the experiment a success.

That takes us to the Vigilante in "The Galleon in the Desert" by Joe Samachson and Dan Barry and reprinted from Action Comics #146 (1950). The Vigilante and Stuff stop three criminals from looting the Great Western Exposition.

Our next tale features Wildcat in "Crime Wore a Costume" by Robert Kanigher and Jon Chester Kozlak and is a previously unpublished golden-age story. Wildcat thwarts the Huntress's attempts to kidnap two boxers to prevent the heavyweight title match, whose proceeds were to go to charity.

We end with Hawkman in "Strange Spells of the Sorcerer" by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Brave and the Bold #36 (1961). At the Midway City Museum, Mavis Trent and her colleague Konrad Koslak are studying artifacts from the Chaldean empire when they are attacked by a mystical winged buffalo.

In his secret room inside the museum, Hawkman hears the commotion and goes to the rescue. When he attacks the winged creature, it disappears in a puff of smoke. In the aftermath of the battle, Hawkman and Hawkgirl decide to go to Hawk Valley and learn what they can from their birds to see if they know what may have caused things.

Arriving in the valley, they are attacked by the Phoenix bird of myth, it too disappears when they attack it. They also find during the attack that one of the birds that live in the valley had its eggs stolen. Deducing that someone could possibly be getting items for a spell, they check in with Konrad Koslak to see what he can tell them. He informs them of an ancient Chaldean spell that would require a yellow egg, a gold sword (Which they find was stolen in the previous attack in the museum) a Chrysoberyl gem.

When they learn that Mavis, who had a Cat's Eye gem on her ring, they realize that Konrad Koslak is the one responsible for stealing these items and is intending to cast the spell. Rushing to his home, they find that he's already used the spells to create real mythical creatures. However, Hawkman and Hawkgirl easily defeat them all, and capture Konrad Koslak and turn him over to the police. Hawkman then personally returns Mavis her ring.

Entire book reprinted in DC 100-Page Super Spectacular Replica Edition #6 (2004).

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Wonder Woman #196

Wonder Woman #196 (On Sale: July 1, 1971), has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

The Sekowsky era ends this month with his last issue of Wonder Woman and this story, "Target for Today?" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Dick Giordano. A man dying of gunshot wounds stumbles into Diana's boutique, reveals that he is a secret agent for a government agency headed by General Stuart, for whom I-Ching also once worked, and tells her that Stuart must learn of an assassination planned on the Koronian ambassador. Then he dies. 

After Diana and Ching defeat two killers seeking the dead agent, Ching goes to Washington to contact Gen. Stuart, and Diana goes to Kennedy Airport, where she stops another apparent assassination attempt on Anatole Karoli, the ambassador from Koronia. 

Karoli insists on taking Diana out and begins romancing her, during which time she foils more attempts on his life. Later, Gen. Stuart and I-Ching meet with Diana. The general tells Diana that she is still in the Army Reserve, even though she has resigned her commission, and he reappoints her lieutenant with the task of keeping Karoli safe from assassination. Diana goes to Washington, D. C. with Karoli and saves him from still more apparent murder attempts. 

But, just after Karoli shakes hands with President Nixon, Diana knocks Karoli down, kicks a pistol he had been packing away from him, and knocks him unconscious. She removes a mask from "Karoli"'s face, explaining to the president that she saw the bottom of the mask poking out from under his collar. The "assassination attempts" were really faked, and the "ambassador" was really an assassin seeking the president's life. Later, the president tells Diana and Gen. Stuart that the killer was an agent of the party out of power in the Koronian government, and their plan was to make it appear that one of the opposition had been guilty of the assassination of the president. Reprinted in Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 3 TPB (2009) and Wonder Woman Diana Prince: Celebrating the '60s Omnibus HC (2019).

Our reprint is a goody, "Introducing Wonder Woman" by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter and reprinted from All-Star Comics #8 (1941). U.S. Army Intelligence Captain Steve Trevor is forced to crash land on a magical island known as Paradise Island, home of the Amazons. His unconscious body is found by Princess Diana and Mala and brought to the hospital for recovery. Queen Hippolyte agrees to help him recover, but forbids her daughter Diana from contact with the man because she has fallen in love with him.

Hippolyte speaks to Aphrodite and Athena for advice on helping the man. They tell her that she must send the best Amazon to America with the man to help further the cause of freedom. A tournament is held to determine the Amazon who will accompany Trevor. Diana, forbidden to enter the tournament by her mother, enters in disguise and is victorious. She is rewarded with a costume and then entrusted with the mission of returning Steve Trevor to America. This story continues in Sensation Comics #1.

We end with a real treat, "The Stormy Menace of Goblin Head Rock" written and drawn by Harry G. Peter in the 1940s and never printed before. Diana learns that the Cheetah has escaped from Transformation Island but when she goes to tell Steve Trevor, he informs her that Professor Profundo, who was working on a device to control the weather, has disappeared. Meanwhile, Etta and the Holliday Girls are on a cruise ship off the eastern coast and strange weather is causing the ship to head for the rocky coast where a mysterious figure is dancing on the rocks.

When Army Intelligence learns of this and the fact that the ship is carrying gold bullion, Diana changes into Wonder Woman, picks up Steve and they head out in the invisible plane to the site of the shipwreck. Wonder Woman manages to get all the passengers to safety only to find Etta and the girls missing. 

Steve dives down to see if he can retrieve the gold but the Cheetah severs his air hose. Wonder Woman sees the Cheetah and goes after her, but when she sees Steve trapped under the sunk ship the Cheetah escapes. WW and Steve retrieve the gold in WW's plane but it is then pulled by strange weather to the Cheetah. When WW confronts the Cheetah she shows her that she has the Professor, Etta and the girls strapped to a lighthouse and with the push of a button will send a lightning bolt down to kill them all unless Diana surrenders. 

She and Steve are tied up to the lighthouse with Diana's own magic lasso, but when the Cheetah sends a bolt of lightning down it is absorbed by the lasso. They escape and take on the Cheetah and her gang, but rather than be caught, the Cheetah appears to jump to her death. Reprinted in Wonder Woman Diana Prince: Celebrating the '60s Omnibus HC (2019).

Edited for the final time by Mike Sekowsky.

Adventure Comics #409

Adventure Comics #409 (On Sale: June 29, 1971), has a Supergirl cover by Dick Giordano. This is the only cover of Mike Sekowsky's editorial reign that was not penciled by him. As we will see, he really did not edit this issue despite what the indicia says.

We begin with Supergirl in "Invasion of the Mer-Men Part II" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Dick Giordano. Continuing from the last issue, Supergirl looks underwater for her co-worker Johnny and her captors, the whole time blaming herself for her co-worker's demise. Finally, she finds the secret base of the Mer-Men and discovers they are loading giant "tanker" space-globes with water to be shipped to their home planet.

In the meantime, a coalition of Earth armies launches attack after attack to destroy the globes, but they have force-fields that resist any attempt Earth makes to destroy them. Supergirl locates Johnny as a patrol of Mer-Men attacks her and she lets herself be captured. Once inside the base, she rescues Johnny, gets him out of the water, and then comes back to smash the globes herself, letting them rain their waters back on Earth.

The Mer-Men leader gives up, telling Supergirl that they couldn't load enough water up in time to save his world, anyway. He and the other Mer-Men depart resigned to their eventual extinction. Realizing this, Supergirl cries.

Next is a story already showing the new direction for Supergirl. "Fight with Fire Drake" is by E. Nelson Bridwell, Artie Saaf, and Dick Giordano. Mr. Stanton, the owner of KSF-TV, is throwing a party on his yacht. Freddy Nero, a party-crasher, tries romancing Linda Danvers, much to Geoff's disgust and jealousy. Minutes later, a scuba-costumed, masked villain called Fire Drake, who "breathes fire" with an acetylene torch nosepiece, loots the yacht and its passengers with his gang. Linda changes clothes and attacks the thieves. Supergirl tries to follow them when they run away, but her powers fail and she is repelled by Fire Drake's flame. 

That night Supergirl's mother, Allura, pays her daughter a visit and both women head to Kandor, where Linda's father Zor-El has some new power-substitution gimmicks for her: a bracelet which can enhance her normal strength when she is depowered, replacing the exo-skeleta cyborg, and her Legion of Super-Heroes flight-ring, to replace her jet-boots.

With her new mechanical powers, Supergirl encounters Fire Drake a second time, captures him, and unmasks him as Freddy Nero.

Our reprint is the Legion of Super-Heroes in  "The Condemned Legionnaires" by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan, George Klein, and Sheldon Moldoff and reprinted from Adventure Comics #313 (1963). When most of the female members of the Legion of Super-Heroes (and Night Girl of the Legion of Substitute Heroes) come down with the Crimson Virus, they have to be sent to a quarantine planet. The rest of the female members are hunted down by a mysterious masked villain named Satan Girl, who seems to be infecting the female Legionnaires with the virus.

With the arrival of Supergirl, who is immune to the virus, the male Legion members try to learn the origins of Satan Girl. When she proves immune to Kryptonite, Lead, and an anti-android weapon, the heroes are puzzled to figure out her true identity. Unable to defeat her due to her superior powers, Supergirl has the Legion go and collect the Legion of Super-Pets, as Satan Girl's powers would not affect them. The Super-Pets manage to easily defeat Satan Girl, who is unmasked, revealing that she is really -- Supergirl!? The weakened Satan Girl explains that she is the product of Red Kryptonite, which Supergirl was exposed to upon entering the 30th Century. Knowing that she had only 48 hours of life, she adopted the guise of Satan Girl and created a device that would siphon the Red Kryptonite radiation and infect females with it, in hopes that once she had rid herself of the Red Kryptonite energies she could live past the 48 hour period which Red Kryptonite effects.

With her plan a failure, and the 48 hours running their course, Satan Girl merges with Supergirl. Afterward, the Legion learns that Satan Girl managed to handle Green Kryptonite because she wore a lead suit. After this revelation, although they are victorious and their female members restored to normal, the Legion takes a moment to feel pity for Satan Girl, for all she wanted to do was live.  

Though this book says it is edited by Mike Sekowsky, the internal DC Job Numbers show that only the first story has the  "M-" prefix that designated Mike Sekowsky. The rest of the book, including the cover has a "J-" signifying Joe Orlando who supposedly takes over next issue.

Falling in Love #125

Falling in Love #125 (On Sale: June 10, 1971), has a cover by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta.

We begin with our cover story, "Clinging Vine!" drawn by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta. Sue promises not to go after Dinah's boyfriend Bill but she doesn't keep her word.

Next, we have "I Hate Your Kisses" drawn by Tony Abruzzo and reprinted from Young Romance #144 (1966), Things always go well for Carla on dates, until the boy tries to kiss her and her feelings immediately change. Eventually, she meets the right boy, whose kisses don't turn her off.

We follow that with another reprint, "Magic Moment" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and John Romita and reprinted from Girls' Love Stories #65 (1959). Hanny's daydreams about becoming a movie star get in the way of her relationship with Tommy.

Next, we have an untitled one-pager on "Do's and Dont's of Dating" drawn by Steve Englehart and Vince Colletta. Englehart is best known as a writer, but this is one of the few art pieces he did before devoting himself to writing. This looks much different than the story he did wor Warren with Neal Adams and appears to be his first (only) pencils for DC. Reprinted in Heart Throbs: The Best of DC Romance Comics (1979).

That is followed by "His Kind of Girl" penciled by Tony Abruzzo and reprinted from Girls' Romances #100 (1964). Katy always feels inferior to her best friend Lori, especially when they are competing for the same man.

We end with "Once Upon a Time" inked by Vince Colletta. Peggy borrows a dress from the store where she works to go to a fancy party where she calls herself Cindy and meets Lee, but she has to run off at midnight to return the dress and doesn't think she will ever see Lee again.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Adventure Comics #408

Adventure Comics #408 (On Sale: May 27, 1971), has a Supergirl cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

We begin with Supergirl in  "The Face at the Window" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Henry Scarpelli. After the case of the "haunted" theater and the arrest of Starfire, everyone in San Francisco knows that Supergirl is now operating in the city. The KSF-TV news crew is agog at the fact that the Girl of Steel has moved to San Francisco and has rescued two of her staff.

Geoff informs them that they have been ordered to do a documentary on some famous old homes of San Francisco. Linda Danvers rushes off home to change into more comfortable street clothes. When she leaves, Nasty hires two persons to snatch Linda's wig off her head and take a picture, but Linda easily foils the unmasking scheme.

After filming several famous houses, the news crew arrive at the old Stanley mansion, a dilapidated building with a spooky reputation, owned by a man -old man Stanley- who inherited it when his nephew and niece died and hasn't left the house in forty years. When they attempt to make a documentary, they are chased away at shotgunpoint by old man Stanley himself.

But Linda sees a little girl standing at an upstairs window, and takes a picture surreptitiously. Then she is told that Stanley has lived alone in the house ever since the deaths of his niece and nephew circa 1918. And when she develops the photos, she sees nothing. Linda decides to investigate.

Supergirl sneaks into the mansion and encounters the little girl, who asks Supergirl's help to find her parents. She says they are both there in the house but have been hidden from her.

At that same moment, Nasty -who had gone to the mansion to spy on Supergirl- gets caught by Mr. Stanley. While the man is busy throwing Nasty out, Supergirl and the child take the opportunity to explore the cellar. Supergirl's x-ray vision finds a lead container hidden behind a wall. She quickly melts away the brickwall and the metal. Before she can look inside, Stanley shows up and starts firing. The Maid of Might overpowers him easily, but then she finds the little child has disappeared.

Supergirl looks for her uselessly. Then she looks into the melted lead-lined chamber and finds two corpses and the doll the little girl was carrying. Mr. Stanley murdered them after their little child died of the influenza and put out the story they had gone to Europe to forget. So he inherited all their money and property, but he was so frightened of being found he never left the house or spent any money.

As old man Stanley is taken away by police, Supergirl sees the little girl in a portrait -- of Cynthia Stanley, the couple's daughter.

Our backup is Supergirl in "Invasion of the Mer-Men" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Dick Giordano. While spending the day at the beach, Linda and Johnny Drew are confronted by an invading force of alien Mer-Men. Linda runs away in order to get changed and return as Supergirl, but Johnny and their attackers are already gone. Investigating the place, Supergirl finds several tracks leading right into the sea.

Supergirl dives into the waters but her powers -which have been malfunctioning for a while- fail, and she has to go back to the beach. Later, her boss Geoff and a police boat arrive at the spot where Johnny disappeared and look for his corpse, but their search turns up nothing. Supergirl is determined to find Johnny, and she goes to Kandor and has the scientists implant filters in her nostrils that will enable her to breathe underwater or in space.

Meanwhile the Mer-Men appear before an assemblage of Earth's scientists and military men to confirm they are stealing Earth's water to save their own planet. If they succeed, Earth will be a lifeless, dry desert within a year. This story continues next issue.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Girls' Romances #158

Girls' Romances #158 (On Sale: May 25, 1971), has a cover by Don Heck and Dick Giordano.

We begin this issue with "My Lover My Enemy" drawn by Ric Estrada and Vince Colletta. Jennie is a special agent for the Secret Service, working undercover and romancing foreign spies to gather evidence against them. She decides to leave her job when she falls in love with one of the men she has been investigating.

Next we have "One-Man Woman" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Young Love #41 (1964).

This issue ends with "Hungry Heart!" drawn by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta. Shy Stephanie never knows what to talk about when she's on a date until she finds someone who is interested in her cooking skills, which she can discuss for hours.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Secret Hearts #153

Secret Hearts #153 (On Sale: May 20, 1971), has a cover by Bob Oksner and Vince Colletta.

We begin with "The Secret" drawn by Jack Katz and John Celardo.

Edie feels ignored when her politician fiancee neglects her for his campaign, so she is vulnerable when her old boyfriend Roy comes back to town.

Next is "Hard to Handle" drawn by Winslow Mortimer and Vince Colletta. Georgie sheepishly admits to his buddies that he married a girl who knows how to handle him.

We end this issue with  "The Man I Love" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Secret Hearts #66 (1960). Arline has loved Michael since they were children but eventually, she realizes that it's really her friend Andy who loves her in return.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Wonder Woman #195

Wonder Woman #195 (On Sale: May 4, 1971), has a nice cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

This issue features "The House That Wasn't" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Wally Wood. The combination of the two artists is just magical, with many pages giving off an Alex Toth vibe. Diana Prince and I-Ching, traveling by car through a snowstorm when they pick up two motorists having car trouble. They soon discover their new passengers are escaped convicts who hold them at gunpoint. Soon, Diana's car stalls as well, and all four of them have to take refuge at the Inn of the White Horse.

Four others are there, including the female innkeeper, her son Lemuel, a writer names James Arnett, and a little man with a briefcase. One of the convicts eventually stabs the little man, mistakenly thinking he has stolen money in his briefcase and he is, in turn, killed falling down the stairs while in flight from an unseen attacker. 

When the other convict is killed in the dark, Diana notices that the innkeeper has no reflection and stops the others from drinking what turns out to be a poisoned ale. Lemuel tries to strangle Diana, but I-Ching knocks him away with his cane. Lemuel and his mother hold Diana and the other two at gunpoint, explaining that they are ghosts and can only appear during storms like these, in which they have the chance to "take...enough souls" to enable them to appear and disappear at will. Diana kicks Lemuel's guns away, and she, Arnett, and I-Ching escape setting the Inn ablaze and burning it to the ground. Reprinted in Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 3 TPB (2009) and Wonder Woman Diana Prince: Celebrating the '60s Omnibus HC (2019).

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Adventure Comics #407

Adventure Comics #407 (On Sale: April 29, 1971), has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

This issue features "Suspicion Confirmed" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Henry Scarpelli. Continuing from the last issue, Linda Danvers is lying in the waiting room of the emergency ward of a hospital after walking in and out of a burning building. She is lucky enough to slip away before someone can examine her and discover she is Supergirl.

The next morning she walks into work to find a new mystery: a man called Mr. Renard has come to KSF-TV and tells the news crew that he is reopening a theater supposedly haunted by the ghosts of an old film star and the leading lady he murdered. He thinks some person of flesh and blood is behind those haunts and hopes the modern equipment of the news crew can find the perpetrator in exchange for the scoop of the history.

The crew spends two nights there trying to check things out, resulting in Johnny Drew and Nasthalthia Luthor getting kidnapped by a ghoulish figure. Kara feels mortified because she didn't dare save Johnny out of fear to reveal her secret identity. She decides to act when the strange being kidnaps Nasty, but her powers are still acting out and she is unable to rescue them.

And because she was filmed wearing a new costume, the police think "the crazy red and blue costume is in league with the creature that is behind all this". So, in addition to blaming herself for her early inaction and her failure, Kara is now angry.

Her boss Geoff also blames himself and thinks it is his duty to rescue his employees. He intends to investigate the place alone and armed with a loaded rifle and tells Linda that if she warns the police, she will be fired. Linda warns the police anyway and they stop Geoff.

Even so, Linda feels conflicted. She has to rescue Johnny and Nasty. But what if she slips up and Nasty manages to prove she is Supergirl? Still, she resolves she has to rescue them, no matter what. She let Johnny go to protect her secret identity, and blame is eating away at her. Her secret isn't worth one innocent life.

That night Supergirl suits up and investigates the old theater alone. She discovers the "haunting" has been arranged by Starfire, who survived their latest confrontation. She heard Supergirl was operating on the West Coast and set up a trap.

Starfire captures Supergirl and after confirming the Girl of Steel is temporarily depowered, tries to dissolve her in an acid bath. Nonetheless, Supergirl is vulnerable, but her Kryptonian costume is still indestructible. Supergirl shields herself with her acid-proof costume and lets Starfire believe she has been killed.

Then she emerges, rescues her friends, and captures Starfire and her ghoulish minion. Supergirl turns them in, and then it is revealed Mr. Renard posed as the ghoulish kidnapper. As Renard claims he was blackmailed into it and Starfire complains about gutless and incompetent minions, Supergirl leaves.

Maybe I was the only one, but I loved what Sekowsky was doing with this strip.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Young Romance #172

Young Romance #172 (On Sale: April 27, 1971), has a cover by Don Heck and Vince Colletta. and it is a fairly uninteresting piece of work.

We start this issue with "Too Young for Love" by Robert Kanigher, George Tuska, and Vince Colletta.

Next is "A Kiss to Remember" drawn by John Forte and reprinted from Girls' Romances #64 (1959).

That is followed by "The Lie" drawn by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta.

That leads us to "He Loves Me Not" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Falling in Love #34 (1960). Should a girl just wait for the man she loves to notice her?

Next up is "I Can't Marry You, Darling" drawn by John Romita and reprinted from Heart Throbs #99 (1966). We were deeply in love... but when it came to marrying him I ran into a stone wall of opposition.

That brings us to "Heartache for Three" reprinted from Girls' Love Stories #13 (1951). This one is a little different in that there is a new header at the top of page one and a new panel at the end of the story, mentioning that this story is a classic from twenty years ago, reprinted exactly as it was back then, and then asking the reader to respond if they would like to see more. This was a change from the normal DC policy of updating hair styles and clothing on the reprinted romance stories.

So we end with "So Little Time" reprinted from Falling in Love #33 (1960). There was so little time for happiness.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Adventure Comics #406

Adventure Comics #406 (On Sale: March 30, 1971), has a nice Supergirl cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano. Interesting that we had two covers in a row, Action #400 and this, that have characters split in two.

This issue features Supergirl in "Suspicion" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Jack Abel. The graduation ceremony of Linda Danvers at Stanhope College is interrupted by a demonstration by a group of radicals. During the proceedings, Nasty witnesses Supergirl enter Linda's dorm room. This arouses her suspicions that Linda is Supergirl.

After graduation, Linda has a hard time landing a job. She asks Clark Kent for help. He directs her to a TV station in San Francisco. Nasty who has followed Linda also takes a job at the station. Nasty is looking to prove her suspicions.

When Linda, Nasty, and reporter Johnny Drew are witnesses at a building fire, Linda slips away to rescue people trapped inside as Supergirl. Linda's disappearance is an opportunity for Nasty to get proof. Supergirl sees Nasty and switches back to Linda. The fire crews believe Linda was inside the building and take her to the hospital for treatment. Continued next issue.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Super DC Giant S-24

Super DC Giant S-24 (On Sale: March 4, 1971), featuring Supergirl has a cover by Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson, Mike Sekowsky, and Dick Giordano.

We begin with "The Girl with the X-Ray Mind" by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from Action Comics #295 (1962). Linda Danvers's friend Lena Thorul has ESP powers and wants to join the FBI, but she has no verifiable past and cannot be accepted. Supergirl investigates and finds the reason why: Lena is really the younger sister of Lex Luthor and gained ESP powers through contact with a "space-brain" brought to Earth by Superboy.

Because of the Luthor family disgrace, Lena and her parents were forced to move from Smallville and change their last names to Thorul, though Lena never learned of her brother's criminal past and was told he died in an accident, not long before her parents died in a very real accident.

When the FBI learns the truth, they are adamant about not hiring her. Lena, however, pretends to infiltrate Bank Busters, a gang of bank robbers, and to use her powers on their behalf. When Luthor hears of it, he tells all to Supergirl and pleads with her to keep Lena from a life of crime. However, Lena was only playing along with the crooks to catch them in the act and helps Supergirl and the police capture the Bank Busters. Supergirl promises to tell the FBI about the case, in hopes that they will reconsider hiring her. But she gets nervous when Lena admits that she has Supergirl telepathically linked with Linda Lee Danvers and keeps Lena's family connection secret.

Next, we have "The Girl Who Was Supergirl's Double" by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from Action Comics #296 (1963). When Lena Thorul attends a costume ball dressed as Supergirl, a soiree also attended by Dick Malverne and Linda Lee Danvers, Dick is convinced by Lena's resemblance to the Girl of Steel and by the real Supergirl's appearance when thieves attempt a jewel robbery there, that Lena is really Supergirl. 

Other circumstantial evidence, later on, hardens Dick's mistaken belief. Linda becomes jealous when Dick's affections are turned to Lena. Lex Luthor, in the meantime, asks Supergirl to give Lena some diamonds he created from coal lumps, as a secret birthday gift. When Dick sees one of the diamonds fallen into the coal-scuttle at Lena's house, he is finally convinced beyond any doubt that Lena is Supergirl. Lena finally "admits" that she is the Princess of Power, and the real Supergirl, listening in with super-hearing, wonders why Lena has told a lie. This story is continued.

That is followed by the continuation of the story, "The Forbidden Weapons of Krypton" by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from Action Comics #297 (1963). Lena Thorul actually told Dick Malverne that she had super-powers because her mind was controlled by a device operated by Lesla-Lar, who has recently broken jail in Kandor. Using her teleport ray, Lesla exchanges places with Lena, and imitated her, convincing Supergirl that a special serum had given her super-powers.

Later, Lesla-Lar used a Phantom Zone Projector to free Jax-Ur, Kru-El, and General Zod from the Zone. The threesome armed themselves with a cache of forbidden Kryptonian weapons and repaid her by destroying her with a disintegrator gun. Since Superman was in another time-era on a mission, the three villains set up a force-field that blocked time-travel, and the people of Kandor were made prisoners of their bottle. 

Both Supergirl and the villains were stalemated when they tried to use their powers on each other, but the weapons gave the villains the edge. Kru-El infected Supergirl with a disease that turned living creatures near her into plants. But, when Supergirl told Lex Luthor that Lena was a prisoner in Kandor, he agreed to help her battle the three Kryptonians. This story is also continued.

We end with the story's final chapter, "The Super-Powers of Lex Luthor" by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from Action Comics #298 (1963). The warden of Metropolis prison refuses to believe Lex Luthor when he says that Supergirl wants him as an ally, so Luthor throws in with the Phantom Zone villains. Kru-El gives Luthor super-powers with a ray device, and, later, demonstrates a mind-over-matter helmet to him.

The Zoners, in a private conversation, plan to use Luthor to construct a magnet that will attract Gold Kryptonite to permanently remove Superman's and Supergirl's powers, but they also intend to strip away Luthor's new super-powers as well when they have it. Unknown to them, however, Luthor is listening with his super-hearing, and, once Kru-El drops the force-field so as to lure Superman into their trap, he switches sides again by using a fake Gold K meteor.

Supergirl, Superman, and Luthor triumph sending the Kryptonian villains back to the Phantom Zone destroying the weapons (and thus removing Luthor's powers and Supergirl's plant scourge), releasing Lena Thorul from Kandor, and returning Luthor to prison.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

Wonder Woman #194

Wonder Woman #194 (On Sale: March 2, 1971), has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

This issue features  "The Prisoner" written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Dick Giordano. While on vacation in the European country of Daldonia, Diana Prince finds herself the victim of a kidnap attempt, but fights her way free and helps catch the perpetrators. However, she is astonished to find herself treated like royalty and hustled into the state palace. There, Diana soon discovers that she is an exact double for Princess Fabiola, who is to marry Prince Rupert on the next day. If she was abducted or done away with, however, her cousin Frieda would be next in line for the throne. 

General Rudolph asks Diana to stay a few days, feeling she will be needed, and she is: Fabiola is kidnapped that very night. Rudolph manages to persuade Diana to stand in for Fabiola until the princess is found. But when Rupert kisses her, he knows that she is not his intended. Diana and Rudolph secretly explain things to him, and they decide that the wedding must go through, with Diana still secretly substituting for Fabiola. 

As she is being led down the aisle to the altar, Diana is attacked by the kidnappers and fights them off, then trails them to where Fabiola is held. She soon defeats and unmasks the ringleader of the kidnap crew--Fabiola's cousin Frieda. Fabiola is recovered unharmed and goes through with the wedding to Rupert. Frieda and her husband Helmut are banished from Daldonia for life. Diana gains the thanks of Gen. Rudolph and returns home to I-Ching and Cathy Perkins. Reprinted in Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 3 TPB (2009).

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Girls' Romances #156

Girls' Romances #156 (On Sale: February 25, 1971), has a cover by Don Heck and Dick Giordano.

We begin with "Forsake My Love" drawn by Ric Estrada and Dick Giordano. Sue breaks up with Tom, her true love, when she learns that she is going blind.

Next, we have "The Game of Love" drawn by Lee Elias. Anne loves Jim, but she is tempted by Mitch, a new man in town.

We end with "Battle of the Sexes" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Secret Hearts #60 (1960). Jinny tries to use Tom to make Bart jealous, but her plotting has a surprising result.

Edited for the first time by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Adventure Comics #405

Adventure Comics #405 (On Sale: February 25, 1971), has a Supergirl cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

This issue features Supergirl in "Starfire's Revenge" written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Dick Giordano. Supergirl is questioning her own self-worth now her powers are coming and going and she has failed to capture the crimelord known as Starfire. Forcing herself to stop her inner brooding, Kara Zor-El uses her super-senses to scan the city and find Starfire. Sadly, her powers vanish right when she has spotted her enemy.

Starfire and Dr. Kangle take a flight to Paris where Starfire plans to pull off her next heist. Starfire also plots to eliminate Supergirl's powers forever with a stronger dose of Kangle's formula. To get someone to administer it to her, Starfire contacts Derek Ames's brother Rodney. She tells him that Supergirl murdered his brother while maddened by Kangle's serum. Rodney desires vengeance for his brother, and Starfire hands him a gun loaded with capsules of the formula and tells him she will lure Supergirl to Paris. Once de-powered, Supergirl can be killed in any way Rodney chooses.

The next days Starfire makes herself visible in Parisian high society. Kara, seeing photos of her foe and a story detailing Derek's death, reasons that she had Derek murdered. Despite his actions, she can not help but feel sorry for his horrible death. She also thinks if she can prove Starfire murdered him, she can end her criminal career.

Supergirl flies to Paris to capture Starfire, who is executing the theft of the entire fall fashion line of Paul De Paris, a designer. Supergirl fails to capture Starfire, and Rodney fails to de-power or kill Supergirl. But she convinces Rodney to listen to her side of the story, and that he may be in danger for having failed Starfire like his brother did.

When Rodney brings Starfire an apparently unconscious and depowered Supergirl, she has them both thrown in a barred pit and lets in a gorilla to kill them. Supergirl renders the ape unconscious, frees them both, and battles Starfire and her gang. Starfire leaps to freedom from a high window in her castle hideout, landing in the moat. She emerges onshore after Supergirl and Rodney lead Kangle and her gang away.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

From Beyond the Unknown #10

From Beyond the Unknown #10 (On Sale: February 23, 1971), has a cover by Murphy Anderson.

We begin the repeats with our cover story, "The Fish-Men of Earth" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Bernard Sachs which comes to us from Strange Adventures #56 (1955). Aliens use a weapon that causes the atmosphere of Earth to become super-dense, like their homeworld. Dr. Walker and his assistant Jim find a way to counter the effect.

Next up is "The Devil's Island of Space" by Joe Millard and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Mystery in Space #46 (1958). Willy Elkins promises to escape from a prison planetoid in 30 days.

That is followed by "The Most Dangerous Man on Earth" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Bernard Sachs and which is reprinted from Strange Adventures #129 (1961). While experimenting on a ray to prevent the common cold, Jeff Carter accidentally causes himself to emit radiation that causes all vegetation to grow wildly out of control.

The next story is "Destination – Star" by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino and is reprinted from Mystery in Space #14 (1953). Ralfe Gordon warns other space travelers that going faster than the speed of light is dangerous.

Our next story is "Tomorrow's Hero" by John Broome and Sid Greene and reprinted from Strange Adventures #112 (1960). Ral Grayson is a mutant with the ability to understand things quickly by just seeing a portion of the process. He uses his ability to figure out the one weakness of the Borg who have taken over Earth.

That is followed by "The 24,000-Hour Day" by Otto Binder, Manny Stallman, and John Giunta and is reprinted from Mystery in Space #49 (1959). Brad Stanton and Jim Kirby answer an ad for space-miners promising to pay them $1000 a day. When they sign on they learn that one day on this asteroid is 24,000 hours long.

Our last story is "The Answer Man of Space" by Gardner Fox and Sid Greene and reprinted from Mystery in Space #73 (1962). Evan Wright can answer any question whose answer is in a book he has read, but can he answer a question about something he has never read before?

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Secret Hearts #151

Secret Hearts #151 (On Sale: February 11, 1971), has a cover by Werner Roth and Vince Colletta. 

We begin with "Mother, Let Me Go" by Jack Miller and Lee Elias. Elaine avoids serious relationships because her mother constantly pressures her to get married.

Next, we have "The Loser" drawn by Ric Estrada and Vince Colletta. Rosalie reviews her failed relationship with Kent and realizes that she's better off without him.

We end with "Follow My Heart" drawn by Mike Sekowsky and Mike Peppe and reprinted from Secret Hearts #59 (1959). Tobey is torn between two men: one who's romantic and one who's responsible.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Adventure Comics #404

Adventure Comics #404 (On Sale: January 28, 1971), has a Supergirl cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

This issue features "Super-Girl?" written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky and inked by Jack Abel. Continuing from Adventure #402, Supergirl awakens after she was nearly killed by Derek and Starfire's men. Her powers have vanished, but they suddenly return. Supergirl visits Kandor where she is examined by Kryptonian scientists. They conclude that the drug given to Supergirl has caused her powers to work only intermittently. To make up for her inconvenient power loss, they equip her with an exo-skeleton to boost her strength and boot jets that allow flight.

Meanwhile, Starfire believes that Supergirl is dead. She rewards Derek for his job by killing him. She then organizes a group of female crooks who commit a string of robberies during a Mardi Gras celebration. Supergirl finds the gang, but she is knocked out during a moment where her powers are not operational.

The gang brings Supergirl to their boss. Starfire then fights Supergirl using judo and beats her. Then Supergirl's powers return. She defeats the gang, but Starfire escapes. Continued next issue.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Young Love #85

Young Love #85 (On Sale: January 12, 1971), has a nice cover by Tony DeZuniga in pencil. I really love this one.

We begin with "I Couldn't Trust Myself" by Jack Miller and John Rosenberger.

Next is "I Love You Again" penciled by Mike Sekowsky and reprinted from Falling in Love #69 (1964).

Following that is another "Beauty on a Budget" by Barbara Friedlander and Liz Berube.

After that, we have "Love a La Carte" by  Jack Oleck and Artie Saaf.

This issue ends with "Yesterday's Romance" by Jack Oleck, Ric Estrada, and Tony DeZuñiga.

Edited by Joe Orlando.