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129,257
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in: Nick Cardy/Cover Artist, Elliot S. Maggin/Writer, John Rosenberger/Penciler,
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Superman Family Vol 1 168

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"Supergirl: "The Girl with the See-Through Mind!"": Linda Danvers recommends her old friend Lena Thorul-Colby as a guest lecturer on telepathy to New Athens Experimental School board. Linda's going to drop by her class to greet her when

Quote1 I could tell you that you're not the only girl in the world who's different from others... and that you're not the only one who'd rather not be different--! Quote2
— Supergirl

Superman Family #168 is an issue of the series Superman Family (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 1975.

Synopsis for Supergirl: "The Girl with the See-Through Mind!"

Linda Danvers recommends her old friend Lena Thorul-Colby as a guest lecturer on telepathy to New Athens Experimental School board. Linda's going to drop by her class to greet her when she finds out Lena is having trouble with a student called Jan Thurston, who refuses to acknoledge her telepathic powers. Jan rushes away, and Linda, who knows Jan used to a loner due to being a genius, guesses Jan doesn't want to give people another excuse to shun her.

Later, Jan tries to commit suicide several times against her will, but Supergirl saves her every time. Supergirl and Lena question Jan and discover she is having awful visions.

Meanwhile, on a mansion in Santa Augusta, a sorcerer is using his magic to mind-control a woman into committing suicide so that he can steal her life-force and lenghten his own life-span. The woman manages to shatter his magic ball, and the sorcerer gets her dragged back into her cell as he looks for a replacement.

Back on New Athens Experimental School, Jan tells she keeps having visions of someone behing held captive in some old house on top of a hill. Lena guesses Jan is an empath who is feeling the emotions of someone who is being driven to suicide. Kara and Lena try to persuade her to help them find that person, but Jan wants to know nothing and leaves.

Supergirl meets her later, and explains she herself feels different and lonely due to her powers, too, and she would rather be a normal woman, but she keeps using her powers because people needs her. Kara convinces Jan, and Jan and Lena combine their telepathic powers to find the old house.

At the old mansion, sorcerer Don Romero is attempting to induce Shari Jones to commit suicide again when Supergirl and her two friends approach the hill. Don Romero's spells nearly overwhelm Supergirl, but Jan finds out she can not only feel Supergirl's pain but also turn it off. Supergirl fights and defeats Don Romero and rescues Shari.

Later, Shari applies for a job teaching at New Athens, and Linda writes a recommendation for her. At the same time, Jan is considering to start a credit course on extra-sensorial powers.

Appearing in Supergirl: "The Girl with the See-Through Mind!"

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Antagonists:

  • Don Romero (Lemon-Lips Romero) (Single appearance)

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Synopsis for Jimmy Olsen: "Jimmy's D-Day Adventure"

This story is reprinted from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #86.

Jimmy Olsen acquires an old film reel which shows Adolph Hitlers inner circle meeting during the war. Jimmy spots an officer that strongly resembles himself and decides to travel back in time to investigate the identity of the lookalike figure. He uses a device given to him by professor Potter to go back to June 6, 1944 D-Day. He finds himself pinned down by enemy fire along with a group of other American GIs. Olsen then gets the idea to pretend that he is a Nazi soldier bringing In the captured Americans as prisoners. Olsen then pretends to execute the American soldiers to gain their trust when in reality he merely used a harmless smoke bomb that allowed the American prisoners to escape. Olsen is questioned by a Nazi superior officer asking how he captured all of his prisoners and Olsen remarks that he is clairvoyant. He predicts the destruction of a nearby bridge and his superior is convinced of his powers when the bridge is blown up by enemy fire. Olsen is promoted for his clairvoyant insights, and he is eventually introduced to Hitler himself. Olsen spends the next few weeks making one successful prediction after another but the Nazis notice that he is only predicting German defeats and never victories. They begin to suspect that Olsen may be a spy and set up a trap for him. Olsen realizes that he is being tested and pretends that he is a loyal soldier turning in a traitorous waitress who was passing on military information. The Nazis announce that Olsen has passed the test with flying colors and continue to ask for his clairvoyant advice. At one point there is an assassination attempt on Hitlers life but Jimmy had failed to predict the event. They search him and discover a list of predictions which includes Hitlers own Suicide. Jimmy makes a run for it to get away from the Nazis and he is almost shot by the waitress Lotte Lutz but the shot misses and strikes a Nazi Swastika above their heads. The pieces that fall and hit the Nazi officers are in the shape of the letters LL. Jimmy quickly transports himself back to his own time and finds that the role of film he had originally viewed had crumbled to dust. The person on the reel had actually been him and he realizes that he was saved once more by the letters LL.

Appearing in Jimmy Olsen: "Jimmy's D-Day Adventure"

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Items:

  • Film Canister
  • Grenades
  • Luger Pistol
  • Time-Bomb

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Synopsis for Lois Lane: "Lois Lane, Super-Telepath"

This story is reprinted from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #56.

Lois Lane poses as "Miss Telepath", a girl with supposed psychic powers, in a plot to trap gang boss "Long Odds" Larkin and his mob. Jimmy Olsen has lent her his Superman signal watch. But unknown to them both, Superman is in space at the time and cannot hear its signal. Captured by Larkin, Lois is forced to "psychically" detect secrets that will aid his robberies...and every one of them comes out correct! Superman finally returns from space and rescues her. When it is determined that neither Supergirl, Lori Lemaris, Comet, or a time-traveling Saturn Girl was helping her, Superman and Lois determine that Lois merely made four lucky guesses in a row...with odds of 326,454,839,047 to 1 against her doing so.

Appearing in Lois Lane: "Lois Lane, Super-Telepath"

Featured Characters:

  • Lois Lane (First appearance as Miss Telepath)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • "Long Odds" Larkin (Single appearance)
  • Trixie (Single appearance)

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Synopsis for Krypto: "The Fugitive Krypto"

This story is reprinted from Superboy #122.

Krypto travels to the dog star Sirius and discovers a planet inhabited by dog people. He is also surprised to learn that he is considered a hero and widely admired on that planet. Krypto proceeds to enjoy his fame until he discovers that he has lost his powers due to light from a red moon. The dog people immediately assume that Krypto is an imposter and he is immediately imprisoned. A second Krypto appears and he seems to have all the powers of the real Krypto. It is later revealed that the false Krypto is really a disguised dog named Bonzo. He serves a cruel master by the name of Astawrk who uses him to collect gifts and treasures meant for the real Krypto. Bonzo's superpowers are derived from bones infused with a superpower potion that only works on real dogs. His superpowers only last a few hours after which he is vulnerable to abuse from Astawrk. In the meantime, the real Krypto escapes from his prison and he proceeds to locate his impersonator Bonzo. He contacts Bonzo and offers to help him escape the clutches of his cruel master. Bonzo agrees to help and flies off to meet with his master. While he is delivering the latest batch of treasures, Bonzo steals a superpower infused bone and delivers it to Krypto. Krypto returns and soundly defeats Astawrk. He delivers him to the authorities and Krypto is able to return back to Earth.

Appearing in Krypto: "The Fugitive Krypto"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Astawrk (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Lana Lang (Cameo)
  • Humanoid alien dogs (Single appearance)
  • Nonhumanoid alien dogs (Single appearance)
    • Bonzor (A superpowered Krypto impostor)

Locations:

Items:

  • Sea-Tigro
  • Superboy Statue
  • Superfood Bone

Vehicles:

  • Police Sky Patroller

Synopsis for Superman: "The Infernal Imp"

This story is reprinted from Superman #169.

The scene opens in the 5th dimension in which Mxyzptlk is playing a prank on the mayor. He makes the mayor's car fall apart and he begins to laugh so hard that his jaw locks up and remains stuck. The doctor informs him that it will remain locked for a week and Mxyzptlk decides that this will be the perfect time to visit Earth. Once on Earth, he immediately begins to make a nuisance out of himself. When Superman attempts to make him say his name backwards, the imp uses sign language to let him know that his jaw is locked and he is incapable of speech. Superman is at a loss as to how he can rid himself of Mr Mxyzptlk. Eventually Superman gets an inspiration. He disguises himself as a hat salesman and offers the Imp a fancy hat for his use. Mr Mxyzptlk sees through the disguise and uses sign language to communicate that he is incapable of saying KLTPZYXM. Superman then pulls out a device that speaks in the Imps voice and says his name backwards. Mr Mxyzptlk begins to disappear puzzled as to how Superman made him say his name backwards when his jaw was still locked. Superman then reveals the telepathy gadget which reads thoughts. It had been implanted in the hat that he gave the Imp. Superman goes on to reveal that the gadget was a gift from the planet Brrym that he had retrieved from his fortress for this occasion.

Appearing in Superman: "The Infernal Imp"

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Synopsis for Superboy: "Lana Lang's Mystic Power"

This story is reprinted from Superboy #111.

Lana and Clark are assigned to interview a mystic named Mystir Ali. They attend one of his shows as he demonstrates amazing clairvoyant abilities. Clark remains skeptical. They meet with Ali backstage, Lana raves about the show and the mystic presents Lana with a magical crystal ball. Clark mocks the crystal ball as well as Mystir Ali's clairvoyant abilities.

Because of his smugness, Lana is determined to show up Clark and decides to humiliate him by beating him to newspaper scoops. Superboy and Krypto arrive at the newspaper office to repair their printing press. As Superboy is distracted, Lana attaches Professor Potter's tiny transmitter to Krypto's collar. This allows Lana to listen in on Superboys activities. Superboy then performs a number of amazing feats around town but finds that Lana scoops him on the stories and publishes them before Clark has a chance to write about what he just accomplished. Lana claims that she was able to use her magical crystal ball to write up her stories.

Clark then notices that Lana always wears a turban while typing. He uses his x-ray vision to see that Lana is actually wearing headphones underneath the turban. Superboy informs Lana that he has discovered Krypto's transmitter and supposedly brings an end to her scooping abilities. Lana then decides to focus on her crystal ball and notices an image of Clark changing into Superboy. She threatens to reveal Superboys identity unless Clark goes back in time and retrieves Marie Antoinettes jewel box. Clark returns with the box but it turns out to be a jack in the box that scares Lana.

Clark tells Lana that the image she saw in her crystal ball was actually a slide projection created by Clark to humiliate Lana. Lana tosses the crystal ball out the window where it shatters into multiple pieces. Moments later Clark retrieves the pieces and puts them back together revealing that the crystal ball really did have magical powers. He had to fool Lana to make her give up the ball. It would have been too powerful for any mortal to possess.

Appearing in Superboy: "Lana Lang's Mystic Power"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Mystir Ali (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • Crystal Ball
  • Icebox
  • Ice Tongs

Synopsis for Superman: "Brainiac's Super-Revenge"

This story is reprinted from Action Comics #280.

Since his last defeat at the hands of Superman, Brainiac has been trapped in suspended animation in Earth's distant past. However as the age of dinosaurs comes to an end and man rises into predominance, Brainiac is revived when cavemen invent the wheel. The first wheel rolls away and smashes into Brainiac's ship cracking it's dome and releasing the gas that has kept him in suspended animation for millions of years. Revived, Brainiac returns to the present and decides to get revenge against Superman. Seeking an ally, Brainiac beams out a message to criminals that have been imprisoned in the intergalactic prison. Unable to find a suitable protege to help him, Brainiac decides to get revenge against Superman on his own.

In Metropolis, Perry White assigned Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen to go to the African Congo to follow reports of a native uprising in the area. Clark manages to wiggle out of going so that he can accompany his friends as Superman. When plane troubles prevent their timely departure, the three reporters and their plane are carried to the Congo by Superman who gets there in record time. When they arrive they spot an explorer watching a herd of gorillas and find his lack of concern about being in their proximity perplexing.

After the group sets up camp they are attacked by Brainiac who uses a special Green Kryptonite dust solution to weaken Superman. With the Man of Steel immobilized and made vulnerable, Brainiac then uses a shrink ray to shrink Superman, Jimmy, Lois and Perry down to miniature size. Fleeing from Brainiac, the group hides out near a tree when they are approached by a gorilla. Before they can figure out what the gorilla's intentions are, Brainiac traps them all (including the gorilla) in a gigantic glass bottle which is shrunk down to size.

While Brainiac is distracted by the same explorer, who is now making strange noises, the others are surprised to find that the ape has human-like intelligence and climbs the tree inside the bottle and removes it's cork. Then using a rope that was with them when they were shrunk down to size, helps Superman, Lois, Jimmy and Perry out of the battle trap. Getting to Brainiac's ship, they are all restored to their normal size and Superman's powers return to him. Superman and the ape then track down Brainiac. Superman easily knocks out Brainiac and the secret of the ape that acts like man and the man who acts like an ape is revealed: They had just been rescued by Congo Bill.

Switching his mind back to his own body, Congo Bill tells Superman he secretly noticed Brainiac's arrival and decided to help Superman out by switching his mind with the Congorilla. With Brainiac defeated, Superman turns him over to the intergalatic police. In a twist of irony, Brainiac sends out his thoughts to criminals appealing to them to free him, and is refused rescue on the fact that he is a has-been.

Appearing in Superman: "Brainiac's Super-Revenge"

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  • Brainiac's Time Bubble



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