The World’s Greatest Heroine!

ACTION COMICS Vol.1, No.360,  March 1968;  Cover Art:  Curt Swan;  Writer:  Jerry Siegel;  Penciler:  Jim Mooney;  Inker:  Jim Mooney

One of the real joys of the Silver Age era was coming across one of DC’s delightful multi-story anthologies,  packed from cover to cover with all kinds of colorful adventures culled from past issues.  This 80-page giant collects a variety of partially-edited stories from Supergirl’s previous escapades in the pages of Action Comics,  reprinted from issues #278-280 and #283-285,  and partly comprising an ongoing story line that unfolds prior to the world’s awareness of Kara’s presence on Earth.

In the tales revisited here,  our heroine loses her powers unexpectedly just as she’s about to make her global debut,  a Kandorian scientist named Lesla-Lar swaps places with Supergirl and conspires with Lex Luthor to destroy Superman,  and Red Kryptonite temporarily transforms the Maid of Steel into a myriad number of other forms,  such as a werewolf,  both large and tiny-sized Supergirls,  and a Mermaid of Steel trapped in an underwater love triangle.

Kudos to Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg for his expert commentary above and to the talented artists and writers of DC Comics who captivated and inspired millions of readers during this magical Golden Age. 

Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg is an educator,  publisher,  author,  comic book and pop culture historian, and former museum curator.  He is the author or co-author of Zombiemania,  The Big BIG LITTLE BOOK Book,  and Howe’s Transcendental Toybox.   He was the editor of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide and also wrote for Cinescape,  The International Journal of Comic Art,  Fandom,  and IGN.com.  He holds a doctorate in Communications Design from the University of Baltimore and teaches courses in everything from comics and superhero mythology to zombies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  You can find him on Twitter at @DoctoroftheDead