Back Issue Box: Action Comics #303

Back in Action Comics #1081, Phantom Zone villain Ras-Krom summoned Zanchyroia dragons.

I'll be honest, I thought for a second they were an updating of the Kryptonian kaiju from Action Comics #303. Turns out, I was wrong. This creature is a Kryptonian Drang. 

Then in Superman #21, we learned that Superman's Red emotional storms are the result of a Red K injection from Pharm and Graft. I remembered Action Comics #303 again for its Red-K centric main story.

Between a flying Kryptonian dragon and the Red K connection, I thought it would be fun to formally review this story here. As a plus, Supergirl has a small role in the story. Besides, it has been a while since I have gone back to the Silver Age for something completely silly and fun. 

'The Monster from Krypton' was written by Edmond Hamilton with art by Curt Swan. It sports a pretty eye-grabbing cover of Supergirl riding the one-horned monster while the US military fire Kryptonite bullets at it. But perhaps the most interesting thing about the cover is that it gives away the twists. The monster IS Superman, changed by Red Kryptonite!

Well, settle in for a silly ride! Here's some Kryptonian Kaiju and Red K hijinks!

Review: Superman #156

I continue to navigate the current COVID-19 world of no new comics by dipping into the collection and covering interesting back issues. If they include some sort of infection, it's a bonus.

A couple of weeks ago, I covered Action Comics #366 in which Superman being cured from his infection with Virus X, So I figured why not cover Superman #156, 'The Last Days of Superman', the first appearance of Virus X, as far as I can tell.

It is a classic Silver Age story, deemed on the cover to be 'Not a Hoax' and 'Not a Dream' but real! The cover is certainly a grabber. Superman is in some isolation booth, saying goodbye to Supergirl, Krypto, and the Kandorians. he is dying from Virus X. And he needs his friends to heed his last wishes. His will is unfurled before him. You can see the concern on Kara's face, This is a winner by Curt Swan.

As for Virus X, it is as deadly as it seemed to be in the other story. It cannot be destroyed by heat, cold, the vacuum of space, or time. It is impervious.

One thing that I love about this issue is that Supergirl is really the star here. You will see how she is in charge of enacting Superman's wishes, executing his will, and still working tirelessly to try and cure her cousin. Kudos to writer Edmond Hamilton for giving Kara the space here to shine.

Can you figure out how Superman survives this before the ending?

On to the book.