Action Comics Vol 1 565

"Superman: "The Wizard City Warrior"": A crook named Desmond Dexter finds the lost Wizard City of Krypton again on Earth and uses its weaponry against Superman.

Superman: "The Wizard City Warrior"
Action Comics Vol 1 #565
March, 1985
Executive Editor	Dick Giordano
Cover Artists	Keith Giffen Bob Oksner
Superman: "The Wizard City Warrior"
Writers	Mort Todd
Pencilers	Kurt Schaffenberger
Inkers	Kurt Schaffenberger
Colorists	Anthony Tollin
Letterers	Ben Oda
Editors	Julius Schwartz E. Nelson Bridwell
Ambush Bug: "$ellout" or "Manna From Mando"
Writers	Keith Giffen Robert Loren Fleming
Pencilers	Keith Giffen
Inkers	Bob Oksner
Colorists	Anthony Tollin
Letterers	John Costanza
Editors	Julius Schwartz
Previous Issue	Action Comics # 564
Next Issue	Action Comics # 566

Hey... Bats! If you don't want to guest-star in my book, can I join the Outsiders?

— Ambush Bug

Action Comics #565 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1985. It was published on December 27, 1984.

Synopsis for Superman: "The Wizard City Warrior"

A crook named Desmond Dexter finds the lost Wizard City of Krypton again on Earth and uses its weaponry against Superman.

Appearing in Superman: "The Wizard City Warrior"

Featured Characters:

• Superman (Flashback and main story) (as Superbaby and Superboy from Adventure Comics #216)

Supporting Characters:

• Perry White (as a voice only) (Behind the scenes)
• Jimmy Olsen
• Mark Olsen (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216) (Final appearance)
• Lana Lang
• Professor Lang (Cameo) (Final appearance)
• Sarah Lang (Cameo) (Final appearance)

Antagonists:

• Desmond Dexter (Single appearance)
• Vedders (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216) (Final appearance)

Other Characters:

• Jimmy Olsen Fan Club (Mentioned only)
• Ma Dexter (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Krypton (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #216)
  • Bokos Isle (Mentioned only)
• Earth
  • Kurtiswana (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216) (Final appearance)
    • Wizard City (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216) (Final appearance)
  • Arctic Circle
    • Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
  • United States of America
    • Metropolis
      • Galaxy Communications Building
      • 344 Clinton Street
      • Suicide Slum
        • Ma Dexter's Apartment

Items:

• Green Kryptonite (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216)
• Kryptonian Holograph Crystal
• Lead-Glass Suit (to protect Superman from the Kryptonite bedrock of Wizard City)
• Wizard City Weapons
  • Tanks (Flashback and main story) (from Adventure Comics #216)
  • Mobile Weapons
  • Repulsor-Projector (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #216)
  • Spectrum Beams
  • Telepathic Helmet (Mentioned only)
  • Catapult
  • Six Bombs (Destroyed)

Vehicles:

• Subway Car
• Kryptonian Rocket (Flashback only) (from Adventure Comics #216)

Concepts:

• Klurkor (Hologram)
• Kryptonese
  

Synopsis for Ambush Bug: "$ellout" or "Manna From Mando"

The agency of Peabody, Dicker and Pending are trying to drum up interest in an Ambush Bug limited series and have sent the Bug out to try and find guest stars to endorse his new series. Going to Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Superman agrees to help out as long as Ambush Bug doesn't make him feel foolish, however when the Bug brings up some of Superman's more embarrassing moments (such as a time when he was turned into a caveman, when he fell in love with a statue, or Supergirl's romance with Comet, and Superman's ridiculous Kryptonite proof suit of lead armor) Superman loses his temper and kicks Ambush Bug out of the Fortress of Solitude.

Trying to get Batman's endorsement, Ambush Bug interrupts the Dark Knight as he is trying to figure out a crossword puzzle (finding a nine letter word for lunatic) and ends up trashing the Batcave. This fiasco ends with Ambush Bug propositioning Batman for membership in the Outsiders if he doesn't want to guest star in his Ambush Bug's series.

In Washington, D.C. Ambush Bug is disguised as a woman and is saved from a purse snatcher by Wonder Woman. The Bug then tries to convince Wonder Woman that she would be participating in a feminist comic book, Ambush Bug almost has her convinced until he accidentally calls her "Sweetcakes" and Wonder Woman reacts by putting the Bug up in a tree. After some editorial differences at the DC Comics office, Ambush Bug is visited by his Guardian Angel who tells him that team books sell. This inspires Ambush Bug to visit Titans Tower where he is very vocally rejected for membership.

Appearing in Ambush Bug: "$ellout" or "Manna From Mando"

Featured Characters:

• Ambush Bug

Supporting Characters:

• Batman
• Superman
• Wonder Woman

Antagonists:

• Peabody, Dicker and Pending (Single appearance)
  • Peabody (Single appearance)
  • Dicker (Behind the scenes) (Single appearance)
  • Pender (Behind the scenes) (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Supergirl (Mentioned only)
• Comet the Super-Horse (Mentioned only)
• Jack Kirby (Mentioned only) (as Curby Magik)
• The Outsiders (Mentioned only)
• Daughters of the American Revolution (Mentioned only)
• Young and the Restless (Mentioned only)
• Marcel Marceau (Mentioned only)
• Brother Power the Geek (Mentioned only)
• DC Comics
  • Julius Schwartz
  • Keith Giffen
  • Bob Fleming
  • Freelance Editors (Mentioned only)
• Uh-Oh Squad (Single appearance)
  • Blotto (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Ms. Mohawk (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Jerry Mathers as the Cleaver (Cameo) (Single appearance)
• Old Man (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Ambush Bug's Guardian Angel) (Single appearance)
• Teen Titans (Cameo) (as a voice) (Behind the scenes)

Locations:

• Earth-One
  • North Pole
    • Fortress of Solitude
  • Gotham City
    • Wayne Manor
      • Batcave
  • Washington, D.C.
    • Capitol Building
    • National Mall
    • Washington Monument
  • New York
    • New York City
      • Titans Island
        • Titans Tower
• Earth-Prime
  • New York
    • New York City
      • DC Comics
        • Julius Schwartz's Office

Items:

• Red Kryptonite (Mentioned only)
• Kryptonite (Mentioned only)
• Duplicator Ray (Mentioned only)
• Batcomputer
• Giant Penny
• Giant Joker Card

Concepts:

• Fourth Wall

Notes

• Kurtiswana is a possible homage to artist Curt Swan.
• Superman's protective lead-glass suit was previously seen in Action Comics #377.
• In the Ambush Bug story two pages featuring covers that were a parody featuring the Inarticulate Bug as the Incredible Hulk and the Omega Men (Volume 1).
• Ambush Bug appeared last in Action Comics #563. He appears next in DC Comics Presents #81.
• This is the final appearance of the Silver Age Mark Olsen. The revised and renamed post-Crisis Jake Olsen makes his first appearance in Superman (Volume 2) #39.
• This is the final appearance of the Silver Age Lewis and Sarah Lang. The revised and renamed post-Crisis Thomas and Carol Lang make their first appearance in World of Smallville #3.

Trivia

• This issue features the final appearance of the Wizard City, which made its first appearance in Adventure Comics #216.

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Action Comics series
• Images from Action Comics Vol 1 565

Recommended Reading

• Superman Recommended Reading

• Ambush Bug Recommended Reading
  • Early appearances:
    • DC Comics Presents #52
    • DC Comics Presents #59
    • Supergirl (Volume 2) #16
    • Action Comics #560
    • Action Comics #563
    • Action Comics #565
    • DC Comics Presents #81
    • Secret Origins (Volume 2) #48
  • Ambush Bug (Volume 1)
  • Son of Ambush Bug (Volume 1)
  • Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1
  • Ambush Bug Nothing Special #1
  • Lobo Unbound (Volume 1)
  • Ambush Bug: Year None (Volume 1)
  • Doom Patrol (Volume 5)

Links and References

Multiversal Crossover
The events from this issue or series involve a Multiversal Crossover between Pre-Crisis worlds and characters. This template will categorize articles that include it into the Pre-Crisis Multiverse Crossover category.
See also Post-Crisis Multiverse Crossovers.