World's Finest #253 is an issue of the series World's Finest (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1978.
Synopsis for Superman and Batman: "The Third Face Is... Death"
Bruce Wayne is called upon to impersonate the prince who is to wed Julie Madison, now Princess Portia, to foil a traitorous general's attempt to construct a neutron bomb. Bruce's impersonation is uncovered by General Lazlo, but fortunately for Bruce, Clark Kent is nearby reporting the iconic wedding. When Clark learns about Bruce's troubles, he goes looking for the bomb and together, the heroes save the real prince and stop the plans of Lazlo, who had allied himself with Doc Willard.
On his mission, Bruce gets to see Julie one last time and, after saving her wedding, he returns to America with Superman.
Appearing in Superman and Batman: "The Third Face Is... Death"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Princess Portia (Final appearance)
- Count Alexander Delos (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- General Lazlo
- Doc Willard
Other Characters:
- Prince Jon Relondos (Single appearance)
- Rufio (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Earth-One
- Gotham City
- Tybern (Single appearance)
Items:
Synopsis for Green Arrow and Black Canary: "I Die Screaming (part 1)"
After the Green Arrow and the Black Canary have a fight against a group of faceless aliens, they are astonished to discover that the aliens have vanished. Later, the aliens (the Glorn) and their king capture the Black Canary at her apartment. The Green Arrow discovers that Dinah is missing and appeals to Hawkman and Hawkgirl for help.
Appearing in Green Arrow and Black Canary: "I Die Screaming (part 1)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Glorns (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Green Arrow and Black Canary: "I Die Screaming (part 2)"
Hawkman and Hawkgirl use a Persona-Tracker from Thanagar on a costume that the Black Canary has left behind and learn that the Glorn come from a buffer dimension between Earths One and Two, in which the Black Canary picked up the energy charge that gave her the canary cry. Hawkman gives the Green Arrow a dimensional traveling machine. The Green Arrow enters the Glorn's dimension and battles past soldier-Glorn to the Glorn Hive-Master's inner chamber, where he is captured, sees a bound Black Canary before him, and learns that she is to be the Glorn's queen.
Appearing in Green Arrow and Black Canary: "I Die Screaming (part 2)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Glorns
- Glorn Hive-Master
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Trick Arrows
- Infra-Googles
Vehicles:
Synopsis for The Creeper: "The Wrecker"
The Creeper opposes a round machine of destruction which is sent to destroy Cosmic Broadcasting.
Appearing in The Creeper: "The Wrecker"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Captain Marvel: "The Captain and the King!"
Captain Nazi uses a machine built by Dr. Sivana to control the minds of all non-blonde people in the Marvel Family's city. This is compounded in difficulty when the machine controls King Kull, who reveals that he has created three doomsday devices to destroy all humans. Captain Nazi, a fan of being alive, manages to call in the Marvel Family to destroy the devices while he fails to attract Beautia Sivana, who he wants as a "consort." On his way out, Captain Marvel accidentally orders King Kull to destroy the machine, prompting him to regain his senses and start a protracted battle with Captain Nazi, destroying Sivana's lab and getting all three of them arrested. Later, Captain Marvel worries that Station WHIZ is being bought up by Billy's evil uncle, Ebenezer Batson... while Ebenezer is visited by Satan, who has come to claim his mortal soul!
Appearing in Captain Marvel: "The Captain and the King!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Beautia Sivana
- Magnificus Sivana (1st Full Appearance in DC Comics)
- Sterling Morris
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Jim Barr (Cameo)
- Ebenezer Batson (Cameo)
- Satan (Cameo)
Locations:
- Earth-S
- New York City
- Sivana's Hideout (Destroyed)
- New York City
Items:
- Sivana's Will-Sapping Machine (Destroyed)
- King Kull's Doomsday Devices (Destroyed)
Vehicles:
Notes
- Despite what it seems, the characters on the cover actually do not appear in the same story; while all of the other characters are from the dimension known as Earth-One, Captain Marvel resides on Earth-S.
- This is the debut of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family in a regular series since their own magazine was cancelled three months earlier. It continues the story from Shazam! #35. Given the length of this story, it is very possible that it was intended for a possible Shazam! #36 before the series was cancelled.
- In his story, the Green Arrow wears infra-googles similar to those wore by Dr. Mid-Nite.
- At the end of Captain Marvel's story, there is a cameo with Ebenezer Batson and Satan, teasing the story in the next issue.
- Captain Marvel: "The Captain and the King!" is reprinted in Shazam!: The World's Mightiest Mortal Vol. 3.
Trivia
- After seeing aliens causing turmoil, the Green Arrow gets off the plane stairs in a rude way; one of the passengers asks, "What is this -- Star City or New York?". This may be an allusion to the famous trope that New Yorkers bump into people without apologizing.
- In Captain Marvel's story, the film Curse of the Scorpion, starring Tom Tyler, is in a movie theater. This is one episode of Adventures of Captain Marvel, a live action theatrically released serial movie in which Tom Tyler was the actor who portrayed Captain Marvel.
- This issue implies that mild-mannered police scientist Jim Barr is a natural blonde, despite every previous appearance of him showing him with brown hair.
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.