DC Database
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
DC Database
DC Database
129,837
pages
in: Dan DiDio/Executive Editor, Joe Shuster/Cover Artist, Bob Kane/Cover Artist,
and 79 more

World's Best Comics: The Golden Age DC Archives Sampler

Sign in to edit

"Superman: "The Construction Racket"": This story is reprinted from Superman #6.

World's Best Comics: The Golden Age DC Archives Sampler is a one-shot with a cover date of December, 2003. It was published on October 1, 2003.

Synopsis for Superman: "The Construction Racket"

This story is reprinted from Superman #6.

When a new department store in Metropolis collapses on opening day, Clark Kent is sent out to investigate the story. He starts by heading to Globe Construction Company, to talk to the head of the firm. Instead, all he finds is a corpse. The police sergeant arrives at the office as Clark is examining the body. Although the police mark it as a suicide due to the gun in the victim's hand, Clark secretly disagrees. His telescopic vision lets him see the fingerprints around the victim's throat, indicating he was choked to death first, before being shot. A strange anomaly about the prints, in that there seemed to be one absent, further leads him to believe the killer has only four fingers on his right hand. Clark visits the wife of the victim, who tells him that her husband had recently been fronting for another company, and she noticed he was having problems with his employer. She didn't know which company it was, however.

Back at the Planet, George wants Clark to find out more about the construction of the new Municipal Stadium. Lois decides to accompany Clark this time. Upon entering the construction site, Clark and Lois are yelled at by one of the employees, Sam Goetz. Even after they try to explain that as reporters they have a right to be there, Goetz shoves Clark, telling him to get lost. Clark meekly backs off, to Lois' frustration. She storms off, thinking Clark a coward. Clark tells the bully construction worker that he'll report him, Goetz snidely replies that the Jackson Construction Company is where he'll need to go, but that it won't do much good.

In the office of Mr. Jackson, Clark begins to tell him about Sam Goetz's rude behavior, when he notices something fishy. Mr. Jackson had only four fingers on his right hand! Jackson assures Clark that the roughness was only due to their insurance company not permitting them visitors on-site. Clark takes his leave, still wondering about Jackson's connection with the murder. Clark Kent changes to Superman and streaks towards the stadium under construction. His hunch proves true, as he finds the Jackson Company is using inferior materials that could cause another catastrophe like that at the department store. The men at the site try to grab him, but Superman easily evades their attempts. During the cat and mouse chase, two workers fall off their perch into a tub of quick drying cement! Superman dives in to rescue them, speeding them off to the emergency room just in case.

Days later, the dedication ceremony at the now-complete stadium has started! Folks arrive in droves, including Lois Lane herself. Clark, meanwhile, has some unfinished business he intends to see to. Zipping off to Jackson's office, he eavesdrops on a phone call between Jackson and the Mayor. Jackson needs Mayor Hansen to sign a release on his work so he can be paid, or else he'll expose the Mayor's getting a cut on the shady department store project. Superman zooms off to the Mayor's office, grabs Hansen under his arm, and returns to Jackson to do the same. Carrying them both, Superman lands at the stadium observation tower, where he sits Jackson and Hansen together, securing them in their seats by wrapping them in a steel pipe. When the cracks start to appear, it isn't long before the stadium begins to collapse! Superman rushes to the aid of the people, keeping the stadium up as long as he can while they evacuate. He hears Lois' voice crying out for him. She is under an arch that is about to fall! But on the other end are a bunch of children that are in danger from falling debris! Making the decision easier, Lois tells him to save the kids first, so he does. When the last child is safe, Superman races to Lois' side, where she has fallen under a pile of rubble. Luckily she is alive, but Superman takes her to the hospital anyway, despite her insistence that she is fine. Then, only after everyone else is saved, does Superman return to the tower to get Jackson and the Mayor. They are noticeably shaken by the experience. But there is still more that Superman could do to get his point across. He ties them by their belts to the landing gear of an airplane taking off. He doesn't release them until they promise to confess to their crimes. His tactic is a success, Mayor Hansen and Jackson are all too willing to let the police lock them up if only to get them away from the high-flying madman!

At the hospital, Clark returns to find out that Lois was in critical condition and needs a blood transfusion if she is to survive! Clark volunteers his own blood. Since he knew no medical instrument could pierce his skin, Clark secretly tears open his own skin so the needle can penetrate. The doctors are amazed that, not only does Clark have the proper type, but his blood seems to match all four known blood types! Shortly after, much sooner than anyone expects, Lois makes a full recovery. She and Clark depart from the hospital together, Lois claiming she feels stronger than she's ever felt before.

Appearing in Superman: "The Construction Racket"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Jackson (Single appearance)
  • Mayor Hansen (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • John (Appears only as a corpse)
  • Sergeant Clancy
  • John's widow (Single appearance)
  • Sam Goetz (Single appearance)

Locations:


Synopsis for Batman: "The Riddle of the Missing Card!"

This story is reprinted from Batman #5.

Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson ponder about how quiet it has been since the apparent death of the Joker. Bruce then states that he really must be dead because they hadn't heard from him in a while. Meanwhile at the docks, a small boat carrying three people passes by a figure in the water desperately calling for help. They initially don't care to help but one of the men in the boat flashes a light on the person revealing him to be the Joker! They then rescue the Joker taking him back to an old abandoned factory, they introduce themselves as the the Queenie, Diamond Jack, and lastly Clubsy. The Joker questions the trio on their intentions, not to rescue him at first, and asks them what they were up to. They reveal to him that they are diamond smugglers and their reason for rescuing him was so that he could come up with a new racket for them.

The Joker comes up with new names for them: Black Queen, Jack of Diamonds and King of Clubs and he organizes a gambling ship in which they would take their guests' money at the gambling tables as well as stealing their jewels at night.

Two months later, Dick Grayson questions Bruce Wayne while he is shaving, whether or not he would go to check out the gambling ship called "The Deck". Bruce replies that he will, as he has his suspicions, as well as the recent report of recurring robberies. Later that evening, Bruce Wayne suspiciously analyzes the ship, while putting on the front of a bored playboy, he then dances with the Black Queen for a moment, but then goes out to the Deck of the ship to smoke. In the corner of the ship he overhears the plans of the four, planning to rob the empty Logan yacht later that night.

Bruce is discovered and then hit over the head by the King of Clubs and thrown off the ship. The Joker tries to shoot him, eliminating any chance of him being alive. They all assume he is dead but in reality the Joker's shot missed and Bruce only pretended to be shot. A soaking wet Bruce Wayne climbs out onto the wharf, he then goes to his apartment to acquaint Dick Grayson with what he has discovered. The two race to the Logan yacht as Batman and Robin in the Batmobile. They find the Joker, Black Queen, Jack of Diamonds, and King of Clubs looting the boat. The Joker escapes in his car with Batman following in the Batmobile, as Robin stays behind to fight the trio. As Batman chases the Joker on a narrow road, he is tricked by the Joker into falling off a cliff. Meanwhile the Joker arrives back at the Logan yacht, where the trio had captured Robin. They have also discovered while searching that Robin had a wireless communicator in his Utility Belt, enabling him to contact Batman. Doubting that Batman had died from falling off the cliff, the Joker contacts him using Robin's communicator. Batman is discovered to be alive and the Joker tells him to meet him back at the Logan Yacht unless he wants anything bad to happen to Robin.

Batman shows up and the Joker tells him to have a seat and the two play cards. The Joker cheats and Batman takes the chance to attack the Joker, putting the room into a frenzy. The Joker then escapes but not before double-crossing his partners and setting the ship on fire. The Black Queen, knowing that Batman is Bruce Wayne, shoots The Jack of Diamonds to save Bruce, but ends up dead herself when the Jack of Diamonds repays the favor by shooting her before he dies. As a last request, Batman and the Black Queen kiss and she then dies in his arms. Batman and Robin escape the ship, going after the Joker who goes into the Light House, he is defeated there and then pushed into the fast roaring water from the catwalk of the Light House by Robin.

Appearing in Batman: "The Riddle of the Missing Card!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for Wonder Woman: "Expedition to Eros"

This story is reprinted from Sensation Comics #11.

The astral bodies of Wonder Woman, Etta Candy, and Steve Trevor traveled to Eros, where they confronted Rebla's rebellion on behalf of Marya, the Planetary Judge and Supreme Mother. Rebla reluctantly ruled Trans Mountainia under Marya's order and would have rather pursued her electrical studies in prison, so after defeating Wonder Woman and her allies, she made Dominus the Supreme ruler. However, Rebla was not allowed to work in prison and after escaping, Steve freed both her and Diana before saving Marya and Eta from Dominus. Afterwards, Marya declared that Rebla was not fit to rule Trans Mountainia and allowed her to continue her electrical studies in prison and Wonder Woman's, Steve's, and Etta's astral bodies returned to Earth.

Appearing in Wonder Woman: "Expedition to Eros"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for Plastic Man: "The Granite Lady"

This story is reprinted from Police Comics #51.

Plastic Man heads to a dive called the Red Angel to capture the Myers Mob, which he finds strange that they'd let themselves be so visible when they're so wanted. At the place he learns why: everyone in the room's in love with Sheila Sorrell, the beautiful singer (whose vocal talents don't match her looks, Plas notes). The Myers Mob are so besotted Plas has no problem hurling them all into a paddy wagon. However, he learns Sheila really does have a heart of granite like a suicidal man tells him, cruelly rejecting all her suitors, as her only interest is in joining an opera company.

One spurned scientist decides to get revenge on Sheila by injecting her with a formula that will make the rest of her as hard as her heart. However he's surprised when she's still able to talk and move, and goes out to use her newfound superhuman strength to force her way onto an opera company, killing the theatrical agent with her bare hands when he mocks her talents. She then kills a cop when she tries to rob a bank. Plastic Man tries to intervene, but only manages to fend off her attempts to strangle him by borrowing a cement drill from a road crew. Fortunately, the repentant scientist gives Plas an antidote he uses to restore the villainess to normal, leaving her with no memory of her horrific deeds. Woozy argues to the hero they need to let her go, as the evil Granite Lady was like a Jekyll and Hyde from the sultry Sheila. Who, Woozy is disappointed to learn, is still no more interested in men after being turned back to flesh and blood.

Appearing in Plastic Man: "The Granite Lady"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Mickey the Goon
  • Charley the Choker
  • Mr. Myers

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:


Vehicles:




See Also

Recommended Reading


Links and References
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More DC Database