Action Comics Vol 1 501

"The Mystery of the Mild-Mannered Superman": A psychologist's attempts to beef up Clark Kent's self-image backfire when Clark gains the heroic qualities of Superman. And Superman, facing the Superman Revenge Squad, takes on the cowardice of Clark.

"The Mystery of the Mild-Mannered Superman"
Cover
Action Comics Vol 1 #501
November, 1979
Executive Editor	Joe Orlando
Cover Artists	Ross Andru Dick Giordano
The Mystery of the Mild-Mannered Superman
Writers	Cary Bates
Pencilers	Kurt Schaffenberger
Inkers	Joe Giella
Colorists	Gene D'Angelo
Letterers	Milt Snapinn
Editors	Julius Schwartz E. Nelson Bridwell
Previous Issue	Action Comics # 500
Next Issue	Action Comics # 502

I bet these Revengers would turn a different shade of blue-- If they knew the "secret weapons" I used to defeat them-- were basic psychology and a TV camera!

— Superman

Action Comics #501 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1979.

Synopsis for "The Mystery of the Mild-Mannered Superman"

A psychologist's attempts to beef up Clark Kent's self-image backfire when Clark gains the heroic qualities of Superman. And Superman, facing the Superman Revenge Squad, takes on the cowardice of Clark.

Appearing in "The Mystery of the Mild-Mannered Superman"

Featured Characters:

• Superman

Supporting Characters:

• Steve Lombard (Flashback only) appeared (On a TV or computer screen)
• Morgan Edge
• Laura Conway (Behind the scenes)
• Johnny Nevada (Mentioned only)
• Lois Lane
• Lana Lang
• Jimmy Olsen (Mentioned only) and (Cover only)
• Perry White (Mentioned only) and (Cover only)

Antagonists:

• Superman Revenge Squad
  • Truo (Single appearance)
  • Muka (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Dr. Robert Bartlee (Psychiatrist for Galaxy Communications) (First appearance)
• NASA (Mentioned only)
• WGBS Employees
  • Assistant (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Fred (cameraman) (Single appearance)
  • Cameraman (Unnamed) (In a vision) (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Space
• Andromeda (Mentioned only)
  • Earth
    • Metropolis
      • Galaxy Communications Building
        • WGBS Studios (Flashback only) on (On a TV or computer screen) and (Also in a vision)
        • Dr. Bartlee's Office
        • Morgan Edge's Office
        • Clark Kent's Office (In ruins)
        • Rooftop
    • Smallville (Mentioned only)
      • Smallville High School (Mentioned only)
    • Virginia
      • Pentagon (Mentioned only)

Items:

• Dead NASA Satellite (Destroyed)
• Superman Costume

Vehicles:

• Superman Revenge Squad Spacecraft
  • Quoa-Charge
  • Projectacon
  • Troton Blast
    

Notes

• The Superman costume Clark wears in this issue for Morgan Edge's gag was reused from the time Clark wore it on a special program of The Johnny Nevada Show, as seen in Action Comics #474.
• A letter to the editor from Tamsyn O'Flynn.
• The DC Feature Page
  • Ask the Answer Man
  • DC Profiles #51 featuring Joe Staton.

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Action Comics series