Superman 1939 #239 - reader copy - $5.00

vignettes of battles

Lex Luthor builds a time-machine to bring Hercules to the present to use him to stop Superman. Hercules gets wise to Luthor's plan and helps Superman stop Luthor, and then decides to stay in the present and falls in love with Lois Lane.

Vampirella and Frankenstein help Dr. Deadly to obtain a girl victim for his experiments.

Hercules wants to marry Lois, but Lois won't marry him while Superman is around, so Hercules tries to get rid of Superman.

Lois befriends the intelligent chimp Toto just before he is sent into orbit inside a satellite. While in orbit, the satellite passes by a collision of a uranium metorite with a kryptonite one, which causes the chimp to grow to enormous size and shoot kryptonite beams from his eyes. Because of this change, Lois re-names him Titano. Though not meaning any harm, Titano poses a threat to humanity and Superman, so the army traps the giant chimp, planning to execute him. But Lois devises a way to block Titano's kryptonite vision so Superman can send him into the past where he cannot harm anyone.

When Luthor escapes from jail, he challenges Superman to meet him in a fair fight without his super powers. The two head to a desert-like world where they brawl until Superman knocks out the villain. Luthor retaliates by using secret weapons hidden in his shirt pocket.

While Superman struggles to survive, Luthor meets the few remaining inhabitants of the planet and becomes their hero when he reactivates their scientific machines and temporarily solves their water shortage problem. But Superman finds Luthor, defeats him in combat, and returns him to prison on Earth, after providing the people of the planet with sufficient water on which to survive.

Maps of Krypton's "Old World" and "New World" hemispheres, highlighting 15 unusual locations.

Also designated on cover as Giant (DC, 1969 series) #G-84 and as G-84 on indicia page. On-sale date from copyright registration.

• Superman's Greatest Battles! - Colorist and Letterer credits from Carl Gafford, who worked in the DC production department at this time.
• Table of Contents - The background art is an outer space sky with a spaceship.
• Hercules in the 20th Century! - Art credited solely to Wayne Boring in issue. Story continues in "Superman's Battle with Hercules!" later in this issue.
• The Weird World of Aurora - Ad for Monster Scenes model kits in sequential art form. Between pages 5-6 of "Hercules in the 20th Century!" story.
• Military Men! Your Credit Is Good - Ad for engagement and other rings. Between pages 7-8 of "Hercules in the 20th Century!" story.
• Superman's Battle with Hercules! - Story continues from "Hercules in the 20th Century!" earlier in this issue.
• New for the First Time! - House ad for Sugar & Spike (DC, 1956 series) #96, with cover shown, on sale April 22nd. At bottom of final page of Titano story.
• Part I: The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman! - A two-part story. Second part titled "The Super-Duel!". First appearance of the planet Lexor, though it is not named in this story.
• Part II: The Super-Duel! - The planet is unnamed here, but its inhabitants will rename it Lexor in honor of their hero sometime after this story.
• The All-New 64 Page Binky - House ad for Binky (DC, 1970 series) #79, with cover shown, on sale April 8th. At bottom of final page of Lex Luthor story.
• Special Offer! Binocular Kit - Ad for kit to make your own binoculars, from unknown company.
• First Time Ever - Ad for a t-shirt with the cover of Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #1 printed on the front, from unknown company.
• Fly Your Own 747 Jumbo Jet! - Ad for polystyrene model of a gliding 747 jet in American Airlines livery, from Dymo Products Company.
• One to Startle You -- - House ad for Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen (DC, 1954 series) #138, with cover shown, on sale April 13th.
• For Sheer Suspense! - House ad for The Unexpected (DC, 1968 series) #125, with cover shown, on sale April 22nd.
• Schlagers / Looney Tunes Merrie Melodies - Ad for record albums.
• Giant Metropolis Mailbag - Letters from Jesus Mongeagudo, Gregory Kent, Richard H. Morrissey, Charles C. Vornadore, and Ollie Seay.
• The Best Baseball Game Cannot Be Purchased in a Retail Store! - Ad from the Strat-O-Matic Game Company.
• Raleigh's Got it Either Way You Go - Ad from Raleigh Industries.
• - Ad for toys and novelties in classified format. On inside back cover.
• Be a Pilot - Ad for Hot Birds, flying toy airplanes from Mattel that launch on a string. Back cover.