Superman #17

Issue Details

Synopsis

MAN OR SUPERMAN? Lois begins to entertain her long-term suspicion that Clark Kent is Superman. She tests her theory by putting both herself and Clark in danger, from the saboteur known as the Talon. By using his super-speed Superman is able to make it appear to Lois as if he and Clark are in the same place at the same time. THE HUMAN BOMB MUSCLES FOR SALE WHEN TITANS CLASH In early February, 1942, Luthor is sentenced to death in the electric chair, but the criminal genius has prepared for this event, and instead of killing him, the electrical energy restores Luthor's artificial super powers. Laughing maniacally, he smashes his way out of the prison, eludes Superman, gathers his henchmen, and robs the Elkhart Express on the outskirts of Metropolis. Superman shows up; he and Luthor duke it out inconclusively; Luthor escapes.   The next day, Luthor in a fake beard, posing as Carlyle Allerton, prominent authority on ancient stones and their mystic powers, easily dupes Superman into handing over the Powerstone. This immediately saps most of Superman's power, into Luthor, who now can also grow to giant size. So can his clothes. Superman remains invulnerable enough to survive being smacked with a steel bridge, but has trouble crawling out from under it.   Next day, Lois & Clark blunder into Luthor's gang's hideout, an abandoned factory; Kent is tossed into a pit, gets lucky, climbs out, changes clothes, bluffs his way past Luthor's gang, frees Lois, and confronts Luthor, whom he dupes into dropping the Powerstone. Superman quickly grabs the stone, frees Lois, frees Luthor's hostages, and rescues Luthor's gang, as Luthor cravenly blows up the factory to cover his own escape.