ACTION COMICS #260 (1960)
“Mighty Maid” by unknown & Al Plastino
“The Girl Superbaby” by Otto Binder & Jim Mooney
I’m starting to suspect that Superman has a thing for Lois watching him kiss other women.
We begin with Lois doing a story on tornadoes and getting juuuuust a little too close to the action.
She’s not rescued by Superman, but by Mighty Maid.
Who surprisingly isn’t from another planet, but from another dimension.
And she’s here because she’s in love with Superman, because in this period that is the ONLY reason to visit Earth. That and to mess with Jimmy Olsen.
He’s instantly smitten, taking her to a date where they save the Sphinx from an earthquake by blowing on it. (what?)
And apparently Superman thinks that’s hot.
It’s so serious that Superman wants Mighty Maid to marry him. And he wants Lois to watch because he gets off on that kind of stuff.
This is more action than Lois has seen in decades.
And that’s enough to make Superman leave Earth forever!
But Lois knows that Superman is The Worst.
Unfortunately her theory that Mighty Maid is just a robot doesn’t really work out.
Superman and Mighty Maid leave Earth, and that’s when we learn about her true identity.
Wait wait wait. But a few pages ago…
EEEEWWW.
Never a good sign when Superman hears voices, folks.
In an interesting twist, the aliens aren’t conquerors: they seek revenge for when Krypton destroyed their CIVILIAN ships!!!
These guys really play the long game, because they’ve known the last Kryptonian was headed for Earth. And I guess they didn’t notice that Argo City, the place where Supergirl grew up, was also thrown into space?
That might be because despite the fact that their technology is advanced enough to destroy planets… their space radar sucks.
I suppose the timeline could make sense since these guys go int suspended animation between flights, even if that doesn’t really work with how every other alien civilization works at DC.
With that solved, it’s time to make Supergirl hide herself. For some reason.
Why do I get uncomfortable whenever Superman gets close enough to Supergirl to touch her?
Oh yeah, that’s why.
Well… that was disturbing. Let’s not think too much about Supergirl’s age for a while and…
Oh come on!!!
We begin with Supergirl being so bored that she looks at the wall. Or rather through the wall, the planet and logic.
Turns out she’s stumbled into the fountain of youth.
Wait, I get that Supergirl’s costume is stretchy…
…but how does her skirt and especially her cape get shorter!?!?
The so-called “Tot of Steel” (ugh) gets a nap inside the trunk of a car that belongs to criminals. Wait, what?
What the… did they keep milk in the trunk!?
On second thought, I don’t want to know what was in that bottle.
Then the so-called “Tyke of Steel” (ugh) makes a ball with a rock and throws it at a mountain…
…and that saves Superman, who was dying from Kryptonite poisoning!
I didn’t cut any scenes involving Superman, by the way. He just appears out of nowhere, dying from a Kryptonite meteor that HE DUG OUT BY HIMSELF.
All while the so-called “Infant of Steel” (ugh) is still tormenting those criminals.
Until they eventually get captured and Supergirl returns to her age.
So… we’re just going to forget the Fountain of Youth exists? I thought so.
Historical significance: 0/10
At this point Superman has proposed to what, a dozen women already?
Silver Age-ness: 5/10
Pretty average for the era.
Does it stand the test of time?
Superman’s story: 1/10
The entire idea of why the aliens are after Superman is kind of neat. Unfortunately it’s relegated to a few panels at the end, and it comes after Superman kisses his teenage cousin.
Supergirl’s story:0/10
Nothing offensive or even particularly stupid, but I just can’t see this story holding up today.
Kryptonite, baby!
One of the most egregious examples.
Interesting letters: oh so that’s how it works!
Sounds legit.