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

Issue Details

Issue #493
Published November 1982
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 1.25 USD
Pages 100
Editing Carl Gafford

Cover Details

Characters Ace Morgan; Prof Haley; Rocky Davis; Red Ryan; Superboy; Lana Lang; Star Boy; Brainiac 5; Chameleon Boy
Genre superhero
Pencils Keith Giffen (signed)
Inks Romeo Tanghal (signed)

9 page Challengers of the Unknown story "When Destiny Calls!"

Characters Rocky Davis; Prof Haley; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
Synopsis Origin story retold
Genre superhero
Script Bob Rozakis
Pencils George Tuska
Inks Andy Mushynsky
Colors Carl Gafford
Letters Milt Snapinn
Notes Story is "Dedicated to the power and majesty of Jack Kirby"

13 page Superboy story "Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes"

Characters Superboy [also appears as Clark Kent]; Lana Lang; Star Boy [Thom Kallor]; Zynthia; Jonathan Kent (cameo); Legion of Super-Heroes [Cosmic Boy (cameo); Saturn Girl (cameo); Lightning Lad (cameo); Chameleon Boy (cameo); Brainiac 5 (cameo)]; Mr. Kallor (cameo); Mrs. Kallor (cameo); Professor Lang (cameo); Mrs. Lang (cameo)
Synopsis Superboy and Lana meet Star Boy, a new Legion recruit.
Genre superhero
Script Otto Binder
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp
Letters Joe Letterese
Editing Mort Weisinger (original story)
Notes Lightning Lad is still referred to as Lightning Boy in this story. Star Boy's powers similar (not identical) to Superboy's; story is partially rewritten from Adventure #195 (December 1953).
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #282 (March 1961)

23 page Aquaman story "Is This My Foe?.."

Characters Aquaman; Black Manta; Aquagirl; Aquababy [Arthur Curry Jr.]; Narkran; Mera (cameo flashback); Aqualad (cameo flashback)
Synopsis Aquaman encounters his old foe Black Manta and wonders if the villain is behind Mera's abduction.
Genre superhero
Script Steve Skeates
Pencils Jim Aparo
Inks Jim Aparo
Letters Jim Aparo
Editing Dick Giordano (original story)
Reprinted from Aquaman (DC, 1962 series) #42 (November-December 1968)

5 page Zatanna story "A Nightmare Called Gorgonus"

Characters Zatanna: Jeff Sloane; Gorgonus
Synopsis Gorgonua returns to battle Zatanna.
Genre superhero; occult
Script Len Wein
Pencils Dick Giordano
Inks Dick Giordano
Editing Joe Orlando (original story)
Reprinted from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #419 (May 1972)

12 page Supergirl story "Supergirl's Three Super Girl-Friends!"

Characters Supergirl [also appears as Linda Danvers]; Legion of Super-Heroes [Saturn Girl; Triplicate Girl; Phantom Girl; Cosmic Boy; Lightning Lad; Brainiac 5; Shrinking Violet; Bouncing Boy; Sun Boy]; Lori Lemaris; Jerro; Krypto; Brainiac (flashback); Koko (flashback)
Synopsis Supergirl and Brainiac 5 become the newest members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Genre superhero
Script Jerry Siegel
Pencils Jim Mooney
Inks Jim Mooney
Editing Mort Weisinger (original story)
Reprinted from Action Comics (DC, 1939 series) #276 (May 1961)

9 page Captain Marvel story "Captain Marvel and the Twisted Powers"

Characters Captain Marvel [also appears as Billy Batson]; Joe Bloe; Zeus; Hephaestus (cameo)
Synopsis Captain Marvel's powers have vanished, but Billy seems to have them.
Genre superhero
Script Otto Binder
Pencils Pete Costanza
Inks Pete Costanza
Reprinted from Captain Marvel Adventures (Fawcett, 1941 series) #50 (December 1945)

1 page text article "And Now a Word From Our Library"

Script Carl Gafford
Letters typeset
Notes Original issue numbers and dates for the reprinted stories in the last three issues (#491-493).

24 page The Spectre story "The Ghost of Ace Chance!"

Characters Spectre; Jim Corrigan; Ace Chance; Mona Marcy
Synopsis The villainous ghost of Ace Chance occupies the body of Jim Corrigan - shutting the Spectre out.
Genre superhero; occult
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Murphy Anderson
Inks Murphy Anderson
Editing Julius Schwartz (original story)
Reprinted from Showcase (DC, 1956 series) #64 (September-October 1966)

1 page text article "The Story Behind the Stories"

Script Paul Levitz
Letters typeset
Notes Levitz provides commentary on the two Legion stories reprinted in this issue.

Cover Details

Characters Aquaman; Black Manta; Zatanna; Gorgonua; Captain Marvel; Billy Batson; Spectre; Jim Corrigan; Ace Chance; Supergirl; Saturn Girl; Phantom Girl; Triplicate Girl
Genre superhero
Pencils Keith Giffen (?)
Inks Romeo Tanghal (?)