World's Finest #78 is an issue of the series World's Finest (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1955.
Synopsis for Superman & Batman: "When Superman's Identity Is Exposed"
Before going with Lois to cover an electronics exhibition in Metropolis, Clark Kent finds that wherever he goes there are notes, signs, and public announcements outing him as Superman. Concerned over this endangering his secret identity, Superman builds a giant spotlight to summon Batman and Robin from Gotham City to help him figure out who is trying to compromise his secret identity. Upon seeing the powerful signal, Batman and Robin take leave of their mission to capture the Varrel Mob to help Superman out.
As Superman accomplishes various super-feats, the Dynamic Duo attempts to figure out who's trying to expose Clark's identity by investigating the various sources. As Superman diverts a flood of water from Rivertown, Batman and Robin track down and examine a blimp outing Clark Kent for clues. Learning that it's made of junk rubber and had no fingerprints, the lead turns out to be a dead end.
While they are continuing their investigation, Lois Lane points out a news story to Batman and Robin telling of Batman still being active in Gotham City. Reading this, Batman presumes that it's Commissioner Gordon's work to make the criminals in Gotham City unaware that Batman is absent from the city. When Batman and Clark Kent question Lois to see if she is responsible for this wave of messages, she denies it. They suddenly notice that the ticker sign outside the Daily Planet is playing message also outing Clark as Superman. Going to investigate leads them nowhere but makes them also suspect Perry White, who is conveniently in the sign's control booth when they arrive to investigate.
When the person writing these messages challenges both Clark Kent and Superman to appear at the Metropolis aquarium to prove his claims wrong, Batman disguises himself as Clark Kent so that they can pull off this hoax. Before going "Clark" hears from Lois that Batman was once more reported as being active in Gotham City, making Batman realize that someone is impersonating him while he is gone.
When both "Clark Kent" and Superman appear at the opening of the new museum (which Superman personally installs under the ocean and digs a tunnel for people to enter from), everyone in Metropolis is convinced that Clark Kent is not Superman. Batman meanwhile has deduced who has been impersonating him in Gotham City and rushes back there. He gets a tip where the Varrel Mob is hiding out. This turns out to be a trap that the mob has put in place in an attempt to gas Batman and pull off his mask so that they can learn his secret identity. When they think they've succeeded, they pull off "Batman's" mask to reveal that he is really Superman in disguise. Superman easily rounds up the criminals, just as Batman and Robin arrive on the scene to capture the crooks. They soon find out that Superman himself was behind the whole charade, knowing that the Varrel Mob was planning on murdering Batman and so he created the ruse of some villain exposing his secret identity to keep Batman busy in Metropolis while Superman (posing as Batman) would learn the location of the Varrel Mob and capture them before they could harm his friend.
Appearing in Superman & Batman: "When Superman's Identity Is Exposed"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Varrel Mob (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Commissioner Gordon (Mentioned only)
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Synopsis for "Green Arrow -- Ace Reporter"
Appearing in "Green Arrow -- Ace Reporter"
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Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Duke Conroy and his gang
Other Characters:
- Daily Comet
- Burris Fowler
- Chuck Davis
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Vehicles:
Synopsis for Tomahawk: "The Frontier Peacemakers"
Appearing in Tomahawk: "The Frontier Peacemakers"
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Notes
- This issue of World's Finest is considered by some comic indexers to be the last issue to regularly feature the Green Arrow of Earth-Two. Other indexers place the dividing line between Earth-Two and Earth-One elsewhere. The DC Comics Database has selected this issue.
- When Superman's Identity is Exposed is reprinted in:
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.
