World's Finest #179 is an issue of the series World's Finest (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1968. It was published on August 6, 1968.
Synopsis for "The Origin of the Superman-Batman Team"
This story is reprinted from World's Finest #94.
When Luthor escapes from prison again, Batman and Robin are reminded of their earliest case together with Superman. They rush to Metropolis in the event that Luthor intends to use kryptonite against Superman again.
When Batman and Robin summon Superman to work out their collaborative attack to stop Luthor, they are surprised to see Superman arrive with Powerman. Superman unexpectedly claims that Powerman is his new partner and that Batman and Robin are no longer needed.
Powerman
The surprise move does not deter Batman and Robin from continuing their investigation against Luthor, though not directly with Superman. Batman and Robin devise an effective defence against Luthor's latest invention - a destructive ray that cannot penetrate silicon. With their shields the subdue Luthor and confiscate the kryptonite he intended to use in a ploy against Superman. With the threat of Luthor removed, Superman revealed to his friends that Powerman was a remote-controlled robot he designed to safeguard them from harm, and deal with Luthor is he attempted to use kryptonite to eliminate Superman.
Appearing in "The Origin of the Superman-Batman Team"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (Flashback and main story)
- Batman (Flashback and main story)
- Robin (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Powerman (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Mightiest Team in the World"
This story is reprinted from Superman #76.
After Batman and Robin work together to capture Gell, the last criminal on Gotham City's most wanted list, they turn him over to Commissioner Gordon. With no crime in Gotham for the time being, Robin decides to go visit some of his relatives upstate leaving Batman to his own devices for a little while, as Bruce Wayne, Batman decides to take a cruise. While in Metropolis, Superman delivers some fossils he dug out of the Gobi Desert for the Metropolis Hall of Learning. Switching to his civilian guise of Clark Kent and going on a date with Lois Lane. Lois offers to see Clark off on his vacation aboard the cruise ship Varania.
Boarding the ship, Clark is shocked to learn that due to overcrowding he is forced to share his room with someone else and is introduced to his bunk mate: Bruce Wayne. As both men are introduced to each other, both men worry about the other learning their secret identity unaware that both men are the super-heroes Superman and Batman.
While out on the docks, a man fires an incendiary bullet at a fuel truck causing a massive blaze to cover his escape with stolen diamonds. Witnessing this, Bruce kills the lights hoping the cover of darkness will allow him to change into Batman unobserved. Clark had the same idea and changes into Superman, and upon the two trying to rush off to stop the crook realize their secret identities. Witnessing Lois Lane caught in the blaze, Batman swings down to rescue her while Superman goes to douse the flames. Upon investigating the crime scene, the two heroes deduce that whoever stole the diamonds might be trying to escape aboard Varania. They agree to keep their identities secret and work together to catch the crook. Getting permission to operate aboard the vessel as Batman and Superman, the two heroes find that their mission has been complicated by Lois Lane, who has gotten permission to take her vacation early so that she can cover the story for the Daily Planet.
Needing an excuse to explain Clark Kent's absence while Superman and Batman are aboard the ship, the two heroes quickly return to their cabin and switch to their civilian guises where Clark pretends to be terribly sea-sick until a disgusted Lois Lane storms out on him. Returning to their costumed identities, the two heroes agree they must come up with a way to keep Lois Lane out of their hair. Superman comes up with an idea to pretend like he is jealous of attention Lois is showing toward Batman, unaware that Lois has been overhearing this plan and has decided to make things difficult for the two heroes.
While the two keep Lois occupied, they begin deducing who is behind the theft and determine that John Smilter is the likely suspect. Sure enough, when Smilter believes that Superman and Batman are too busy vying for Lois's affections, he tries to make an escape in helicopter. With is cover lifted, Batman and Superman easily capture the crooks involved and turn them over to the authorities when the ship briefly docks. With their mission accomplished Batman and Superman "leave" so that they can resume their civilian identities. However, Clark's "miraculous" recovery from sea sickness just after Superman and Batman's departure tips Lois off to the possibility that Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are secretly Superman and Batman. Quickly thinking, that night Superman flies Batman off to Gotham City to bust a crime so that when they return to the ship to meet with Lois for supper as Clark and Bruce, Lois hears a radio report of Batman's exploits, thus preserving his identity. When the ship finally docks at the end of its voyage, Bruce disguises himself as Clark Kent as the real Clark greets Lois at the port, protecting Superman's identity. Later, when back in town, Batman and Superman are shocked to see that Lois Lane has accepted a date from Robin.
Appearing in "The Mightiest Team in the World"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (First historical appearance as an adult)
Supporting Characters:
- Batman (First appearance)
- Commissioner Gordon (First appearance)
- Lois Lane
- Robin (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Gell (Single appearance)
- John Smilter (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- The "Varania", a cruise ship
- Helicopter
Synopsis for "Batman--Double for Superman"
This story is reprinted from World's Finest #71.
Recently, Superman and Batman have discovered each other's secret identities while working together to stop some diamond thieves and have agreed to keep their identities secret and work together in the future.
Batman and Superman switch identities
Months later, a gang of crooks are salvaging something out of the ocean, their operation attracting the attention of Batman and Robin, who arrive in the Batplane. The crooks spot the two heroes and manage to escape with the item they sought out: A chunk of Green Kryptonite that was tossed into the ocean some time ago by Superman. In their escape they blast the Batplane, causing it to plummet towards Metropolis. At this time, Clark Kent has just changed into Superman and has spotted the disaster waiting to happen, and manages to save the Dynamic Duo and the Batplane from a deadly crash. However, in the process of saving them Clark accidentally reveals his secret identity to Lois Lane.
Batman insists that they can put aside repairing the Batplane until they find a way to convince Lois Lane that she saw a hoax and protect Clark's secret identity. Batman comes up with a solution to the problem: confusing Lois Lane by making her think that Bruce Wayne is really Superman while they find some other way to throw her off. In order to work this scene the two heroes switch costumes and Superman goes off to catch the crooks that the Caped Crusaders were after before this all happened.
Wearing the Batsuit, Superman uses his x-ray vision to find the location of the crooks and goes after them. Unaware that the crooks had recovered Kryptonite, Superman sneaks into a back window and is instantly knocked out by the deadly element. Meanwhile, Batman begins his plot to convince Lois Lane that Superman is really Bruce Wayne. Disguised as Superman he swoops down and picks her up just as she is about to enter the Daily Planet. "Superman" tells Lois that Clark Kent has been missing for a while and asks if she's seen him. She refuses to believe this ruse, but later when she spots "Superman" changing into Bruce Wayne, Lois asks him out to dinner in the park and Bruce agrees. Running to a phone booth, she asks the local zoo keeper to let his lions loose in the park while on their date so that she can confirm her suspicions. Unknown to Lois, Robin has been listening in on the whole conversation.
Thus begins a series of tests by Lois to confirm that Bruce Wayne is really Superman, and Bruce manages to trick her around every corner. He manages to knock out the lions by knowing the commands the keeper would use to make them play dead. Later, noticing that Lois intends to cut his hair he breaks her scissors to make it appear as though his hair is indestructible. And, lastly when he agrees as "Superman" to carry her furniture to her new home uses a helium rig to make it look like he's flying away with the moving truck. This plot goes to pot when Lois, still suspicious watches the operation from binoculars and watches as "Superman" climbs down on an uncertain location and she decides to go investigate.
Lois unmasks "Batman" as Clark Kent
Worried about Superman's progress, Batman goes to the crooks' hideout and overhears them talking about having Kryptonite and realizes why Clark has been missing the past few days. As he smashes in on the crooks and defeats them in combat, Lois Lane sneaks in through the back room and comes across the unconscious "Batman". Unaware of the Kryptonite in the room, Lois unmasks "Batman" to reveal he is Clark Kent. She surmises that Clark was posing as Batman for some story and got himself knocked out. When "Superman" enters the room, he quickly disposes of the Kryptonite and takes Clark to safety. When Clark revives, Batman tells him what's happened and they realize they have the perfect way to once more protect their secret identities. The real Superman picks up Lois and flies her back to the Daily Planet where she is shocked and confused to find both Bruce Wayne and Superman in the same room -- the only thing she is sure of is the fact that Superman has once more played a complicated trick on her.
Appearing in "Batman--Double for Superman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Shorty (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "When Gotham City Challenged Metropolis"
This story is reprinted from World's Finest #76.
In Gotham City, a pair of helicopter bandits figure they'll get away with their crime and avoid interference from Batman and Robin, and are shocked when they are instead captured by Superman. While in Metropolis, a bunch of crooks attempting to rob an ice ballet are captured by the Dynamic Duo.
As it turns out the three heroes are in a competition to determine which city gets to be the host for an electronics convention. With the mayors of each respective city pitching their city for the convention's location, the convention committee cannot decide, so they ask Superman, and Batman and Robin to switch cities and see whom could perform more super-feats of civic duty within a 24 hour period. The winner would have the convention in their native city. As they are preparing to switch places, Robin and Lois Lane both note that Batman is almost obsessive over winning the competition and beating Superman. While Robin wonders why this could be, Lois presumes that Batman is jealous of Superman and uses that as an angle for her coverage of the event for the Daily Planet.
Before getting started in Gotham City, Superman notices that the Batcave has a crack in it that will pose a problem in the future. Deciding to help out his friend, Superman would repair the damage so that disaster can be avoided. As the day progresses, the group of heroes put on various super feats leading to a deadlocked tie. Batman and Robin meet up with Professor Vohr and Robin learns why Batman is determined to win the competition: Vohr's new invention would create Kryptonite rays that would prove harmful to Superman if activated. Batman and Robin manage to win the competition by helping a hospital raise money for its charity fund. Later, Lois Lane meets with Superman and asks him to think about any good deeds he's done that he might have forgotten. Realizing he didn't report repairing the Batcave, Superman flies off to Gotham City to tell Batman that they are still in a tie.
He arrives just as Professor Vohr activates his machine causing Superman to collapse in pain. However as Batman and Robin come to his aid, the pain suddenly stops. When they go inside to investigate, they find that Vohr's invention had exploded and that scientific principals behind his invention are unsound and he resolves not to build another generator. With a tie on their hands, Superman, Batman and Robin make the decision with holding the convention partially in Gotham City, and partially in Metropolis, with Superman ferrying it between the two cities. After the decision is made, Superman tells Lois the full story and comments on how much of a true friend Batman is.
Appearing in "When Gotham City Challenged Metropolis"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Robin (Flashback and main story)
- Commissioner Gordon
- Lois Lane
- Perry White
Other Characters:
- Metropolis Police Department
- 'Copter Bandits
- Gotham City Mayor
- Metropolis Mayor
- Professor Vohr (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- Bat-Signal
- Giant Penny
- Super-Signal
Vehicles:
- Batmobile (Cameo)
Synopsis for "The Dictator of Kandor"
This story is reprinted from World's Finest #100.
Reading a story in the Daily Planet about Superman saving the Bottled City of Kandor from the clutches of Brainiac[1], Lex Luthor gets a brilliant idea: with a shrinking device he intends to infiltrate the Bottle City for the purposes of trapping Superman. Arming himself and his goons with shrinking belts, they hide themselves in a phony device and tip off Superman -- who is participating in a charity event with Batman and Robin -- to its location. The two heroes find the fake weapon, while Luthor claims will destroy any city he chooses, and Superman takes it back to his Fortress of Solitude for examination, while Batman and Robin search for Luthor's hideout.
Upon arriving there, Luthor and his minions come out of the device and using a specially made drill plane manage to get inside the Bottled City of Kandor. When Superman dismantles the "weapon" he finds a letter telling him of Luthor's real intent and a size changing belt as well. Superman uses it to enter Kandor. However, upon entry he loses his super-powers in the Kryptonian like atmosphere. This allows Luthor's men to easily gang up on the Man of Steel and beat him in a fight, tying him up with rope. With their mission accomplished, Luthor doesn't want to leave until he can steal some of the Kryptonian technology to use for his own fiendish ends.
Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Batman and Robin find Luthor's lair and stop two of his other henchmen from leaving with more shrinking belts to help Luthor steal more technology from Kandor. Batman and Robin realize what Luthor is up to and fly to the Fortress of Solitude in the Batplane and use the shrinking belts to shrink themselves and the Batplane so that they can gain entry into the Fortress and get into Kandor. Inside, Batman and Robin free Superman and the three heroes drive Luthor and his men out of Kandor. Following after them, they find that only Robin's belt works after their first fight with Luthor. Despite this, both Batman and Superman manage to trip up Luthor and his men, and Robin relieves them of their belts so that Batman and Superman can be restored to normal size. With Luthor defeated, he and his crooks are blindfolded while Batman and Robin take them back to prison in Metropolis.
Appearing in "The Dictator of Kandor"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Kandorians (Flashback and main story)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Brainiac (Flashback only)
Locations:
- North Pole
- Fortress of Solitude
- Kandor (Unnamed) (Flashback and main story)
- Metropolis
Items:
- Batarang
- Daily Planet
- Miniaturization belt
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Club of Heroes"
This story is reprinted from World's Finest #89.
Superman, Batman, Robin, as well as international heroes Legionary, Knight, Squire, Musketeer and Gaucho are all called to Metropolis by the millionaire John Mayhew. Mayhew has paid to have a headquarters built for the gathered heroes whom he has dubbed as the Club of Heroes. Mayhew tells all the gathered heroes that he will make out the deed to the property in the name of whomever the newly formed Club selects as their chairperson. Because no hero will volunteer for the title, Mayhew decides that the best person to be their leader is whomever performs the greatest super-deed.
While all the heroes go about their usual super-heroics, they all believe that Superman or Batman should be elected chairperson and decide to keep their feats secret, so that Batman or the Man of Steel can win the position. However, Superman begins to suffer strange fainting spells and while in these states a new hero named Lightning-Man appears and avert disasters that appeared before Superman would pass out.
As Lightning-Man puts on more super deeds and Superman fails to appear, Batman and Robin begin investigating to find out if Lightning-Man is somehow preventing Superman from going into action. Eventually, Mayhew invites Lightning-Man into the Club of Heroes. Batman and Robin then decide that it's best that Superman stay out of action and leave a device to monitor him when one of his fainting spells hits him. Sure enough, Lightning-Man makes more appearances, and Batman invites him into the Club of Heroes. Ultimately, due to his many super-feats, Lightning-Man is named leader of the Club of Heroes and is named the deed holder.
Batman and Robin deduce Lightning-Man's identity and return to Clark Kent's apartment. When Kent revives from his most recent fainting spell, Batman and Robin reveal that he is in reality Lightning-Man. Telling Superman to go into space, he is shocked to see a small chunk of Kryptonite orbiting around the Earth, part of a larger meteor that he smashed out of Earth's orbit days before. The truth then makes sense: each time the fragment passed over Metropolis, Superman would have one of his fainting spells. These would actually be black-outs in which Clark would become Lightning-Man, go out into action, and return to his home before waking up with no memory of the feats he performed as Lightning-Man.
With the mystery solved, Batman proves it by pointing out that the "monitoring device" he left was in reality a camera that took a picture of Superman in the act. With the truth revealed, and the Kryptonite chunk dealt with Batman and Robin reveal to the Club of Heroes and Lois Lane that Lightning-Man was really Superman in disguise. The Club of Heroes then happily celebrate the fact that Superman is the leader of their group.
Appearing in "The Club of Heroes"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Lois Lane
- Commissioner Gordon
- John Mayhew (First appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- ↑ See Action Comics #242