Action Comics Vol 1 329

Superman: "The Ultimate Enemy!"

Cover

Superman: "The Ultimate Enemy!"

Supergirl: "Drang, the Destroyer!"

Inkers

Jim Mooney

Previous Issue	Next Issue
Action Comics # 328	Action Comics # 330

I, Jon Smatten, place my story on tape so that the world will know I destroyed Superman

— Jon Smatten

Action Comics #329 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1965.

Synopsis for Superman: "The Ultimate Enemy!"

A medieval Knight smashes and loots in Metropolis, and Superman quickly finds out that the Knight is more powerful than he — not only can its Super-Sword cut Superman's Costume, but Superman himself! After risking a brief analysis, Superman makes his escape; returning with a Kryptonian shield and a sword of his own, and he issues the Knight a formal challenge.

The Knight smashes Superman's sword; and in apparent desperation the Man of Steel plunges them both into the river; from which only the Knight emerges. The Robot Knight returns to the lead-lined cave of Jon Smatten, who had long ago sworn revenge on Kal-El. Smatten had hunted for Kryptonite but had found an indestructible metal, Kryptium, instead which he had made into a Super-Sword and a robotic suit of armor.

Once Smatten recorded what he thought was his victory speach on tape, Superman revealed himself inside the armor. He had remembered visiting Kryptonian scientist Hab-Rull as a child and learned how to manipulate Kryptium; as Smatten had done by translating Hab-Rull's notes. Jon Smatten had been captured, his robot destroyed, and his confession was on tape; thus Superman retreated to his Fortress of Solitude with his new invincible sword.

Appearing in Superman: "The Ultimate Enemy!"

Featured Characters:

Superman (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

Jimmy Olsen (Cameo)
Lois Lane (Earth-One) (Cameo)
Jor-El (Flashback only)

Antagonists:

Jon Smatten (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)

Other Characters:

Hab-Rull (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
King Arthur (Mentioned only)

Locations:

Earth
- Arctic Circle
  - Fortress of Solitude
- Metropolis
  - Bridge
  - Metropolis University
  - Overpass
  - Reformatory (Flashback only)
  - Third National Bank
Krypton (Flashback only)
- Hab-Rull's Laboratory (Flashback only)

Items:

De-Coherer Ray
Excalibur (Mentioned only)
Kryptium (First appearance)
Green Kryptonite
Robotic Knight (Destroyed)
Super-Shield
Super-Sword of Krypton

Vehicles:

Delivery Van
Train

Synopsis for Supergirl: "Drang, the Destroyer!"

Supergirl is tricked by Fantasta, an evil alien sorceress who poses as a stage magician, into being teleported onto her cosmic ship bound for Gotha — home of the Circle of Evil. Her initiation was to bring back Supergirl: dead or alive.

Stranded in an unknown universe, Supergirl must challenge Fantasta. As her magic powers are neutralized by water, Supergirl squeezes water from an asteroid and snatches the now-powerless amulet away from Fantasta. In defeat, Fantasta commits suicide by grasping the legs of Gnomo, the Execution Bird.

Supergirl takes Fantasta's costume, disguises herself as the sorceress, and is accepted by Gnomo and the Circle of Evil as Fantasta. However, she finds her powers do not function in the strange environment. Lord Kirol, head of the Circle, gives her one last initiation mission: bring back Drang the Destroyer, a super-powerful evil sorcerer, from the Purple Planet.

Drang projects an image of himself into the Circle's meeting room and demonstrates his power by wreaking destruction upon the Council Chambers. After he fades away, Supergirl boards the spaceship which she finds has a preset course — destination: the Purple Planet, and Drang the Destroyer.

Appearing in Supergirl: "Drang, the Destroyer!"