Superman #216 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1969.
Synopsis for "The Soldier of Steel!"
As they advance with tanks GIs are confronted by a giant dressed in a US army uniform but who is fighting for the Vietcong. Dubbing him King Cong the GIs wonder where Superman is as the giant totally destroys the tanks and brings the advance to a halt. After the battle he receives his reward - a kiss from Dr. Han.
Back in the States, Perry has Clark to go Vietnam to find out what the soldier's beef with Superman is. Clark offers to go as a soldier medic and Perry accepts. After passing the physical Clark is put on a plane with other soldiers which is shot down by the Vietcong. Clark changes into Superman and saves the plane. He then disables a series of Vietcong tanks and changes back to Clark. Elsewhere it is revealed the the giant's behavior and size are due to jungle herbs which wear off allowing Johnny to return to his unit. Clark finds the soldier who bemoans being a coward and reveals he is the son of General Morely. Later, near Saigon, Clark finds that Lois has gone scoop hunting as a teacher. The school is attacked and Lois sees Clark change into Superman. After stopping the attack Superman rescues an ill Lois and they kiss.
Superman is called to HQ by General Morely who orders Superman to destroy the giant, an order he stays with even learning the giant is his son. Elsewhere Dr. Han kisses Johnny turning into the giant under her control. She orders him to destroy the American soldiers and Superman. Superman stops him by tossing him into the jungle where he shrinks in size returning to normal. Dr. Han orders an advance but Superman melts the ground beneath the Vietcong tanks and Johnny overcomes his fear to save his father. Superman reveals that the drug has made Johnny invulnerable even when normal sized. Dr Han is captured and Lois brushes off seeing Clark changing into Superman as a delirium.
Appearing in "The Soldier of Steel!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dr. Han
- King Cong
- Viet Cong soldiers
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Strangely during the physical Kent worries about his abnormally strong heart rate hinting at his secret identity but then uses his supervision on the eye test chart.
- This issue could not have been canonical by the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths, as Earth-One's floating timeline eventually made it so that Clark Kent was still a teenager in his Superboy career while the Vietnam War was still raging.
Trivia
- The eye test chart gag during the physical is a variant of the one seen in 1953's Forward March Hare right down to the chart being printed by ACME.
See Also
Links and References
