Action Comics Vol 1 401

Superman: "Invaders Go Home"

Cover

Superman: "Invaders Go Home"

Superman: "The Boy Who Begged to Die!"

Editors

Murray Boltinoff

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Action Comics #401 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1971.

Synopsis for Superman: "Invaders Go Home"

Reporter Clark Kent is in the middle of covering a Pioneer Week celebration when it is suddenly attacked by native Americans on motorcycles. Superman hunts down the attackers and discovers them in an underground cave. They are led by a man named Don Hawks who works at the Astro Physical Lab on the coast. Hawks states that he has given up his position at the lab to aid his people against white settlers who have invaded their land. He shows Superman how the Navarros have become poor beggars trying to scrape out a living out of their leftover land. He introduces Superman to a teacher named Moon Flower who teaches their children about their proud culture. They also show Superman how they are protesting at a nearby rocket testing site that sits on their land. The site is under the management of Frank Haldane who refuses to listen to the Navarros and their protest. He states that the rocket site is needed for the good of America. Superman offers to relocate the rocket plant to another part of the West but Haldane refuses. Hawks announces that force is necessary to make the government listen but he is interrupted by his uncle, Old Snake. Snake claims that he can use his magical sand paintings to drive out the invaders. He creates a sand drawing depicting a lightning bolt and the sky suddenly becomes dark with lighting strikes appearing from all directions. The lightning causes some damage to the plant but Superman is able to use two cranes as a lighting rod and repairs the damage. Old Snake then creates another sand drawing which depicts the wind. The sky is then filled with a giant tornado looming over the plant. Superman jumps into action and flies counter to the cyclonic winds to slow down its power. Once again he repairs any damage caused by the storm. It is then revealed that Superman has actually been helping Old Snake by making it appear that he has magical powers. The weather events have been created by Superman all along to help convince Haldane to move the plant to a safer location. In a final move, Old Snake draws a great turtle in the sand and the earth begins to shake. Superman controls the earthquake and believes that this final event should convince Haldane to move the plant. Old Snake suddenly collapses and dies. Haldane witnesses the death and is relieved that the old man will no longer cause anymore problems. Hawks and his men then summon Superman to their cave one night and they create another sand drawing. This time the drawing depicts the Superman S symbol and Hawks places a jewel in the middle of it. He then announces that Superman has lost all of his powers and orders his men to seize Superman. To his astonishment, Superman finds that he is powerless and he is taken prisoner. Hawks then announces that he plans to hold Superman hostage with the intention of trading him for his people's stolen land.

Appearing in Superman: "Invaders Go Home"

Featured Characters:

Superman

Supporting Characters:

Don Hawks
Old Snake
Moon Flower

Antagonists:

Frank Haldane

Other Characters:

Locations:

Astro Physical Lab
Cave

Items:

"Magical sand paintings"

Vehicles:

Synopsis for Superman: "The Boy Who Begged to Die!"

A small town called Masonville is suddenly disturbed by a meteor that fell from the sky. The townspeople gather around to look at it but Superman arrives on the scene and implores them to move back. He examines the meteor with his X-ray vision and realizes that he has ignited unstable elements within the meteor which will cause it to explode. He holds on to the meteor for fear that it will devastate the small town. He orders them to evacuate without delay and they quickly obey. The town evacuates to a spot a mile away but Superman fears that it might not be far enough. He has no choice but to detonate the meteor before it can become too powerful but suddenly a small cripple boy appears. He had been in the basement of an orphanage and did not get the chance to evacuate with the others. Superman then has to wrestle with the thought of exploding the meteor for the greater safety of the town or saving the life of this one lone boy who has appeared out of nowhere. The boy realizes Superman's predicament and implores Superman to detonate the meteor even though it would kill him. He desperately tries to get Superman to drop the meteor but Superman holds on tightly to it. The boy then gets the idea to take off Superman's cape to fashion it into a noose. He hopes that his death will convince Superman to detonate the meteor but then Superman gets a different idea. He wraps up the boy in his protective cape and detonates the meteor. The devastating explosion destroys the small town but the boy appears to be unharmed. Superman flies the boy off to a hospital and announces that he will return to rebuild the town.

Appearing in Superman: "The Boy Who Begged to Die!"