Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #144
Published April 1961
Cover Price 0.10 USD
Pages 36
Editing Mort Weisinger

Cover Details - "The Orphans of Space!"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Supergirl [Kara Zor-El]; Krypto
Genre superhero
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Reprinted in Showcase Presents Superman (DC, 2005 series) #2; in Showcase Presents: Supergirl (DC, 2007 series) #1

9 page Superman story "The Super-Weapon!"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Lex Luthor (villain); Bert Talbot (intro, villain); Jimmy Olsen; Kryptonite
Synopsis Lex Luthor designs Weapon-X, a device that can drain Superman's powers and use them to power a weapon powerful enough to destroy Superman. Bert Talbot is supposed to use the weapon to help spring Luthor from prison but instead decides to try to use the weapon to destroy Superman himself.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Curt Swan
Inks Stan Kaye
Reprinted in DC Super Stars (DC, 1976 series) #9 (November 1976) [renamed "The Super-Gun"]; in Showcase Presents Superman (DC, 2005 series) #2

9 page Superman story "Superboy's First Public Appearance!"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Superboy [Clark Kent] (flashback); Jonathan Kent (flashback); Martha Kent (flashback); Lana Lang; Franklin Delano Roosevelt (flashback); Smallville Mayor Courtney (flashback); Gregg Peterson (flashback); Dirk; Mugsy
Synopsis The story of Superboy's debut and first meeting with President Roosevelt.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Al Plastino
Inks Al Plastino
Notes An Untold Tale of Superman
Reprinted in Superman From the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1971 series) #nn (1971); in Showcase Presents Superman (DC, 2005 series) #2

8 page Superman story "The Orphans of Space!"

Characters Superman [Clark Kent]; Supergirl [Kara Zor-El]; Krypto; Kandor; Fortress of Solitude; green earthite; red kryptonite; Interstellar Council of United Planets
Synopsis In his Fortress of Solitude, Superman disassembles a strange machine he found in space. When the machine explodes and destroys the Earth, Superman, Supergirl and Krypto are the only survivors.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Al Plastino
Inks Al Plastino
Notes Most of this story is a Red Kryptonite dream.
Reprinted in Superman (DC, 1939 series) #213 (January 1969); in Supermann (Williams Forlag A/S, 1969 series) #8/1969; in Showcase Presents Superman (DC, 2005 series) #2; in Showcase Presents: Supergirl (DC, 2007 series) #1