World’s Finest #87 (1957)
by Bill Finger & Dick Sprang
cover by Curt Swan
Either that is the Flash wearing a Batman costume, or it’s the slowest lightning in history.
How much of a primadonna can you get, Superman? This is the FIRST panel!!!
Supervillains are so rare in this period that Superman doesn’t believe anyone else has real superpowers.
Kryptonite, on the other hand, is already omnipresent.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, get ready for one of the most BONKERS premises for a Superman story we’ve seen in a while.
Yep. Jor-El packed some super-pills into the rocket!!!
Baby Superman looks way too excited about this. Although given the stiffness of the artwork it could be his mother holding up a doll.
The ship that brought Superman to Earth is not always shown with a consistent design, but try looking at this and not think Jor-El just shot his son out of a cannon!!!
The smartest man on Krypton, ladies and gentlemen.
Get this: not only the box survived the explosion AND reached Earth (at this point I’m convinced Kryptonite is magnetically attracted to the planet)… but the pills designed to give powers to Kryptonians work just as well on humans!!!
Superman manages to open the box and swallows one of the pills…
He swallowed Kryptonite!? HOW IS HE NOT DEAD!?!?
At least Superman has the good sense to call for help, so he phones Batman. It’s not like in this period he had many options, most superheroes are not around in 1957.
Superman has been rendered powerless before, yes, but I think he does this every single time he loses his powers.
It’s kind of weird in a post-Crisis view, since Superman tends to develop his powers more slowly in other continuities, but pre-Crisis he’s had his powers since he was a baby.
So Superman gives the super-pills to Batman and Robin, granting them super-powers!
I guess if a human swallows Kryptonite particles it’s harmless.
Aaaand they blow it almost immediately because they’re not used to powers. Despite, you know, Batman already getting super-powers in previous stories. Multiple times.
Jokes aside, I like this moment. And for once the artwork really sells the danger.
And then the supervillains just THROWS SUPERMAN AT A CLIFF!!!
If only someone had a car that Superman could borrow. Some kind of fancy car full of gadgets themed around a winged nocturnal mammal.
While Superman hitchhikes, Batman and Robin are protecting the city from a thunderstorm.
With a little investigation (that doesn’t involve Batman), Superman tracks down the supervillain.
The villain’s powers will fade away soon, because he only took one pill and left the others behind (LIKE AN IDIOT), so he decides to just shoot Superman.
But Superman survives being shot thanks to his indestructible costume, as Batman and Robin soon discover (with Lois Lane joining because she’s contractually obligated to show up).
Interestingly, the super-pills are NOT destroyed by are instead kept in the Batcave.
I wonder if they’ll show up again?
(spoiler alert: they will)
Historical significance: 1/10
The pills return, but don’t get too excited.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Jor-El sent super-pills!? Which work on humans!? And Superman can eat Kryptonite!?!?
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
There IS some good stuff here: Superman showcasing he has the smarts to track the villain on his own, and… yeah that’s about it.
The premise is ridiculous, the villain is a complete moron (why would he leave the box full of superpower pills behind!?!?), and while Batman is somewhat competent this time around he really doesn’t get to do much interesting stuff.
Did Superman really need Batman?
This time Batman does help. A little.