Superman #139 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1960.
Synopsis for "The New Life of Super-Merman!"
Lois Lane and Clark Kent are sent on assignment to spend time with millionaire Brett Rand. When alone with Clark, Brett explains that he hopes to propose to Lois. As Brett is proposing to Lois while they have a moment alone, Clark notices that Brett's net has caught his old college flame, Lori Lemaris. Pretending to be seasick, Clark changes into Superman and rescues her and brings her aboard the ship. Superman vocally expresses that he still cares about Lori, takes some photographs of her before returning her to the sea. Lois is jealous, but is relieved that Lori is already married and poses no threat to her intentions to marry Superman.
The next day at the Daily Planet, Jimmy Olsen shows Lois a viewer device that Superman gave him that allows them to look in on the Man of Steel. They find him in Atlantis with Lori, and her husband Ronal, and to everyone's shock, Ronel is suddenly struck by a boulder. Apparently dying, Ronal tells Superman to marry Lori and keep her happy.
Driving out to sea, Lois is horrified to find that Superman has changed his body so that he has a fish tail just like Lori, and that the two are honoring Ronal's request that they get married before they go into the sea. The heartbroken Lois resumes her life and when Brett Rand tries to propose to her again, she rejects him, saying that if she can't have Superman she won't marry anyone.
When Lois almost collides with a truck when driving home, she is suddenly saved by a normal-looking Superman. Superman takes her back to the Daily Planet where he admits the entire charade was a hoax. Superman, not wanting Lois to waste her youth waiting for Superman to marry her, attempted to make himself unattainable in the hopes that Lois would marry Brett. He was forced to end the hoax when he realized that Lois wasn't going to marry anyone but him.
Appearing in "The New Life of Super-Merman!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Atlanteans
- Brett Rand (Single appearance)
- Perry White
- Jimmy Olsen
Locations:
- Atlantis
- Tritonis (Unnamed)
- Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
- United States of America
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Jolly Jailhouse!"
Perry White sends Clark Kent to the island of Voroda where there is political instability and potential for a great story. There Clark begins his report and learns that the evil Colonel Stradi is attempting to over throw the democracy on Voroda and install himself as a dictator. When Stradi learns of Clark's reports, he has him arrested and locked in a cell.
Now a prisoner, Clark secretly uses his super-powers to find ways for himself, and his cell mates to escape their cells in an attempt to discredit Stradi as a competent leader. When Clark is put before the firing squad, he secretly drinks a bunch of acid and spits it out on their bullets when he's lined up to get shot. When everyone believes that Stradi mistakenly gave his firing squad blank shells, he is completely discredited. When the government officials who run Voroda return to the island, his army has deserted him, and Stradi -- his dreams of being a dictator of the small island crushed -- is put in a cell himself, and all his prisoners are set free.
Appearing in "The Jolly Jailhouse!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Colonel Stradi and his army (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Judge Rafol (Single appearance)
- Officials of the government of Voroda
Locations:
- Voroda (Single appearance)
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Untold Story of Red Kryptonite!"
An undersea exploration is imperiled when a meteor crashes on the bathysphere, trapping the divers at the bottom of the ocean. Superman is called in, however the Man of Steel has to stop when his x-ray vision detects Red Kryptonite. Sending in one of his Superman robots, they prove ineffective as they are destroyed by the water pressure of the ocean. With no choice, Superman risks exposure to Red Kryptonite to save the submarine crew, in spite of the unknown and random effects Red Kryptonite has on him.
After saving the crew, and being exposed to the Red Kryptonite rays, Superman reflects on his previous exposures to the Red Kryptonite over the years as both Superboy and Superman. From his first encounter while battling Kozz from the planet Mars which led to an evil Clark Kent doppelganger being created, to changes in his proportions, to losing control of his x-ray vision and super-breath.
Returning to Metropolis to tell his story to Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and Lois Lane, Superman is shocked to find that the Red Kryptonite has made his hair and finger nails grow super-long. With a full mien of hair, beard, and long finger nails that are as indestructible as the rest of his body, Superman realizes to his horror that not even his x-ray vision can trim down his growths. Not wishing to lose his secret identity, Superman retreats to his Fortress of Solitude, where he summons Supergirl and Krypto to help him out. Their combined x-ray vision proves powerful enough to burn away the excess growth of hair and finger nail so that Superman can resume his civilian guise of Clark Kent without arousing anyone's suspicions.
Appearing in "The Untold Story of Red Kryptonite!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Earth
- Arctic Circle
- Fortress of Solitude (Flashback and main story)
- United States of America
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Daily Planet
- Metropolis High School (Flashback only)
- Smallville (Flashback only)
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Arctic Circle
- Krypton (Destroyed in Flashback)
- Mars (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Green Kryptonite (Flashback only)
- Red Kryptonite (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
- Superman Robot
Vehicles:
Notes
- "The Jolly Jailhouse!" was reprinted in Superman #201.
- "The Untold Story of Red Kryptonite!" was reprinted in Superman Annual #8, Superman: From the 30's to the 70's, The Best of DC #36 and Showcase Presents: Supergirl Vol. 1.
- All three stories were reprinted in Showcase Presents: Superman Vol. 2.