World's Finest #103 is an issue of the series World's Finest (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1959.
Synopsis for Superman and Batman: "The Secret of the Sorcerer's Treasure"
While out on a patrol, Batman and Robin spot a man running for his dear life clutching onto a strange box. To their surprise, the man is being chased by a giant dragon. Using their keen acrobatic skills, they manage to keep the creature at bay with a spot light while they summon Superman to come and take the creature away. Batman questions the man who was fleeing the creature and the man, named Atkins, tells his tale. He explains that he and his partner Bork are owner of a Curio shop and that they came into the possession of a map that led to the location of four items of power left in hiding by an ancient magician. The three heroes agree to help them find the rest of the treasures. However, Atkins misdirects them to the location of the second treasure his friend Bork is attempting to collect.
Realizing that he men could possibly abuse the powers they seek to unleash, they track down Bork just as he has finished uncovering the second treasure: A power prism that causes Superman's powers to go haywire. While Superman is busy undoing the damage done by his powers, Bork manages to escape. Going to the two men's shop, the Dynamic Duo find a map pointing out the locations of the next treasure.
They track both Bork and Atkins to the sight of the third treasure and Atkins unleashes another dragon to keep the heroes at bay. Atkins takes the treasure and leaves Bork to die. When Batman, Superman and Robin defeat the dragon and save Bork's life, Bork agrees to tell them the location of the fourth object. Once at the location of the fourth treasure, they are tripped up by the third treasure: a glove that can dissolve inert matter. When Atkins uncovers the fourth treasure he attempts to keep the heroes at bay with the power prism. Superman however whistles at a hyper-sonic level and causes the crystal to shatter. However before they can grab the crook he unearths the fourth treasure: an invisibility cloak and uses it to try and escape. However, Superman uses his powers to cause a cloud of dust that makes Atkin's visible long enough for Batman to tackle him and Superman to remove the cloak. With Atkins defeated, Superman gathers up the remaining treasures and throws them out into orbit, causing them to burn up as they break through Earth's atmosphere, thereby insuring that the objects can never threaten the Earth again.
Appearing in Superman and Batman: "The Secret of the Sorcerer's Treasure"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Atkins (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Bork (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Dragons
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Tommy Tomorrow: "The Menace of the Metal Monitor"
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.
Appearing in Tommy Tomorrow: "The Menace of the Metal Monitor"
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Other Characters:
Locations:
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Synopsis for Green Arrow: "Challenge of the Phantom Bandit"
When Professor Zorn is killed by a crook, the crook takes his experimental formula that can cause one to become intangible. When Green Arrow and Speedy try to stop the crook, none of their attempts at capturing him work. Later after catching a television program about the power of suggestion, the two heroes come up with a way to beat their foe. Following the crook back to his hide out, they wait for him to spray himself with the antidote for the intangibility spray and then pretend to try and rope him up and it not working. Afraid that he can never become solid again, the crook tells Green Arrow and Speedy where he keeps the rest of the formula. With the formula destroyed, the two heroes reveal that they tricked the crook and cuff him.
Appearing in Green Arrow: "Challenge of the Phantom Bandit"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Phantom Bandit (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Professor Zorn (Mentioned only)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- The Secret of the Sorcerer's Treasure is reprinted in:
- The Cloak of Invisibility, Power Glove, and Sorcerer's Prism are eventually retrieved by the Secret Society of Super-Villains on behalf of a mysterious bankroller, who turns out to be the team's manipulative member Wizard, looking for a source of Earth-One magic to compensate for the dwindling power of his Earth-Two-derived spells in the Earth-One universe.[1][2]
Trivia
- The Secret of the Sorcerer's Treasure is arguably the first instance of Superman being susceptible to magic. Prior to this story, all encounters with "magic" in Superman stories were ultimately revealed to be frauds, often paired with a lesson about the dangers of superstition.
- At the same time, Superman has always been depicted as vulnerable to Mister Mxyzptlk's magical tricks.
See Also
Links and References
