Action Comics #332
"How Superwoman Trained Superboy!"
January, 1966
Story: Unknown
Art: Jim Mooney

The cover features Superwoman reprimanding Superboy for tampering with the trophies in her Fortress of Solitude, as The Teen of Steel is grappling with The Invisibles, and swears that he'll obey his cousin, even after he grows up to become Superman! (No, not an Elseworlds, but a great Imaginary Novel! What a novel approach!)

Descending underwater, Superwoman comes across a rocket from outer space and sees a youth wearing a costume exactly like hers. (Well, not exactly like hers, I hope...) In this story, Zor-El lives in Kryptonopolis with his family, while Jor-El and his family live in Argo City, with Kara being born before the destruction of Kryptonopolis, instead of after.

Zor-El predicts Krypton's destruction, but the scientific council disbelieves his findings. (At least they agree that Krypton is round!) Visiting his brother, Jor-El, he sees that a plastic dome is being built for Argo City, in order to contain a germ-free atmosphere. (Hmm, and no doubt to raise the value of the city. Where's the gigantic backboard and certificate of authenticity? Oh yeah, that was Kandor...) Zor-El works on a craft which will take Kara to Earth, but as the first quakes strike the planet, Zor-El uses his enlarging ray and makes the spacecraft larger, so that his family can make the trip. From their vantage point, the destruction of Krypton is at hand, as the planet explodes, once they are away from the planet.

Argo City escapes Krypton's destruction, as Zor-El seeks to outrace the deadly Kryptonite meteors in their spacecraft. Earth is in sight, as the travelers from Krypton discover that they have gained super-powers due to the lighter gravity and yellow sun. Their spacecraft is hidden in a cave, as Zor-El and his family adopt identities as farmers on the outskirts of Smallville.

To their neighbors, the family is known as The Zorelles, with Carole, the brightest child in kindergarten. Under the cover of night, Zor-El and his family peform good deeds for their community, but one day, Zor-El and Allura lose their powers due to exposure from Gold Kryptonite, but they manage to bury the Gold K before Carole returns from school. Growing older, Carole adopts the identity of Supergirl, while feigning timidity as Carole Zorelle, and wearing a pair of glasses.

During her teens, Carole makes the acquaintance of Lex Luthor, who won't lose his hair and become a villain in this reality. By adulthood, her parents have succumbed to an epidemic and Carole leaves Smallville, setting up a detective agency in Metropolis. (Nothing like that Pamela Anderson program, though.) In Argo City, Jor-El supervises the distribution of Lead Sheet-Metal to prevent the Green Kryptonite Radiation! Kal-El is shown a portrait of Zor-El and his family, after his tracking device has traced them to Earth. Kal-El longs to meet his cousin and gain super-powers.

One day, meteors shatter the plastic dome and cause holes to be made in the Lead Sheet Metal, as the Green Kryptonite Radiation is released. (Hmm, and not one citizen told Jor-El to work on the dome or the sheet metal? Just like real-life.) Jor-El makes a space missile and sends Kal-El to Earth, where he escapes Argo City's destruction. (Hmm, if Jor-El could make a ship in a few frantic minutes, then why didn't he make a fleet or improve Argo City? Resources?) Carole hears from her employee, Jimmy Olsen, who compliments her on the ability to identify the murder bullet, but with her microscopic vision, detective work is a snap. (Gee, what happened to The Lane Sisters in this reality?) Carole overhears a radio bulletin concerning a missile plunging for the Atlantic, where she changes to Superwoman and finds Kal-El emerging from the missile. Superwoman realizes that she and Kal-El are related!

Superwoman promises to be a big sister to Kal-El, who wishes to live with her, but must go to an orphanage, where she brings him some clothes to disguise him. Donning a blond wig, Cal Ellis is admitted into Midvale Orphanage, but when he asks to work with his famous cousin, she insists that he get some training and be her assistant. (Hmm, Superboy is not as patient as Supergirl was.)

At a picnic, Cal makes the acquaintance of Dick Wilson (Malverne), who invites him for a swim, but Cal can't find a place to hide his suit, so he hurls it into space, where he'll retrieve it later. Later, Cal discovers that his super-suit has not landed where he planned, and worse, it is Superwoman who brings it back to him, very aware that due to the Earth's rotation, the suit would land hundred of miles away. She urges Cal to work on his history essay, which she'll be judging for tomorrow. (All work and no play makes Cal a poor Superboy!)

Superwoman is surprised to see Superboy on patrol, while Dick Wilson finds Cal's incomplete essay, which is due two minutes from now. After Dick leaves, Superboy returns and changes to Cal, who finishes his essay at super-speed. (Where were you when I needed you for finals?) In class, Dick asks Cal how he managed to finish his essay, but Cal explains that it was an earlier draft he read, and Dick jokes that he thought Cal had super-speed like Superwoman! (Hmm, he should have said that Krypto ate his homework.)

Superwoman tells Cal that he had a close call regarding his secret identity, but she'll begin training him tomorrow night. At The Fortress of Solitude, an emergency alarm sounds, and Superboy is left alone while Superwoman handles the crisis at the nuclear power plant. (D'oh! Homer must be doing "eenie, meenie, minee, moe!") Superboy's curiousity wins out and he presses a knob, releasing some invisible assailants, who wreak havoc on The Fortress, and have him in a wrestling hold. Superwoman returns and tells Superboy that he accidentally released The Invisibles, a race of beings from a parallel dimension, similar to Krypton. (I.E. Vertigo!)

Superwoman reverses the coil on the device and The Invisibles are sent back to their own dimension, but Superboy is reprimanded by his cousin and believes that she wants to be the only super-being on Earth. (Gee, what a maroon!) Once he's dropped off at Midvale Orphanage, Superboy flies to a junkyard and fashions a laboratory after his father's on Argo City, but nights later, an explosion gets the attention of Superwoman! Using her X-Ray Vision, Superwoman sees Superboy cowering from Gold Kryptonite and is in danger from the fire!

Superboy has sought to devise an antidote to Kryptonite, but had created artificial Gold Kryptonite, leaving him powerless. Superwoman regrets the accident and tells Superboy to return to Midvale Orphanage, but once she leaves, Superboy picks up the piece of "Gold K" and hurls it into space, in anticipation of surprising his cousin.

In this story, Superwoman seems to be the sensible one, while Kal-El is the reckless, juvenile delinquent. I suppose an upbringing by Ma and Pa Kent made the difference for Clark Kent, and their deaths were a lesson to him in mortality, as well as keeping his solemn vow to his adoptive parents.

Was it a difference of location which caused Zor-El and not Jor-El to find out about Krypton's imminent destruction, rather than scientific knowledge?

The Gold Kryptonite turned up in the most convenient of places and it was intriguing to see Luthor with a full head of hair, as well as being a fan of Supergirl. What happened to the young scientist once he became an adult?

Did Jor-El and Lara make it into The Survival Zone?

JImmy Olsen, private detective. Not too much of a reach, as an episode of The Adventures of Superman had him pretend to be one.

Cal Ellis seemed more of a Kryptonian than a Earthling, with his concern of harnessing his super-powers than learning responsibility.

Action Comics #333
"The Duel Between Superwoman and Superboy!"
February, 1966
Writer: Unknown
Artist: Jim Mooney

Superwoman is being kicked out of Superboy's laboratory by The Teen of Steel, himself! (Yup, his rooftop abode even has a sign which reads, "Superboy's Laboratory KEEP OUT." Maybe he should rent some chow-chows...) He threatens to release The Phantom Zone villains and take over Earth, while Superwoman can't believe that her cousin has become her mortal enemy. (Hmm, since Luthor is not bald or a villain in this reality, and Superboy wasn't raised by The Kents, this would make all the difference.) Part 2 of the story flashes back to when Superwoman discovers Superboy in his rocket from Argo City, as well as her attempt to train Superboy in the use of his powers, but he shatters the giant key when it becomes wedged in the keyhole, as well as being less than graceful when flying! (Ooooo....)

Superboy is given a tour of Superwoman's Fortress of Solitude, where he sees displays of Green Kryptonite in lead cases, Gold Kryptonite and Gold K capsules, coated with lead, for use against Phantom Zoner escapees, but The Teen of Steel grabs some for later use, as he succumbs to the temptation of opening the Red Kryptonite container and exposing both he and his cousin to its influence, as they each become the victims of age, he becomes a Superman, while she becomes a Supergirl. The Red K effects soon disappear and Superwoman heads for a nuclear plant emergency in Atom City! (Hmm, in this reality, Ray Palmer must be a big hero... errr.. hit it big... errr...)

When she returns, The Fortress is in shambles, as Superboy has inadvertantly released The Invisibles, other-dimensional monsters, but using a coil machine, she manages to return them to their own dimension. When Superwoman tells him that it will be some years before he's good enough to be her secret weapon, Superboy figures that she's jealous and wants to be the only super-being on Earth. The Teen of Steel is determined to strike out on his own, but one night at the junkyard, Superwoman finds her cousin in the wreckage of an underground lab with Gold Kryptonite, having inadvertantly created it in his quest for a Kryptonite antidote. Superwoman tells her now-powerless cousing to return to the orphanage, but once she leaves...

Superboy throws the fake Gold K into space and schemes to leave the orphanage as soon as possible. After a visit by Superwoman and her determination to restore his powers, Cal sees Dr. Kean and his wife are interested in adopting a little girl named Diane, but Cal uses some marbles to destroy her dolls, making it seem as if she had done it herself, causing the Keans to decide against adopting her. (Sheesh, what a family circus!)

In tears, Diane throws her dolls into a nearby brook, while Cal continues his plans to foil the Keans' adoption of Stan, by stealing from the orphanage safe and placing the valuables in Stan's suitcase. (Sheesh, what a super-rat!) Once outside, an exposure to heat-vision causes the suitcase to burst open and the "theft" is uncovered, as the orphanage is determined not to have its reputation besmirched. (Hmm, what about poor Stan and Diane?)

As the matron searches her files for possible candidates, the physicist works out some mathematical problems on a blackboard, and while Kean is in the office, Cal seizes the chance to use his super-brain to solve the problem! (Hmm, super-brain? How about a super-conscience and not a super-ego?) Dr. Kean is amazed by the solution of the equation, as Cal introduces himself and states that mathematics is his hobby! (Hmm, give me comics anyday!) The Keans adopt Cal, who moves into the Metropolis apartment, complete with penthouse laboratory (and plenty of comic book space, no doubt!) which Cal plans to use as part of his plan. With the Keans away at a Physics Conference, Cal changes to Superboy and begins to create anti-Superwoman devices. (Hmm, don't knock it if you haven't tried it, son!)

Using his heat-vision on a piece of equipment, he is seen by Superwoman, who realizes that her cousin still has his super-abilities, as she sees the blueprint for a device to release the Phantom Zone Prisoners! (I wonder why she hasn't sent Junior into The Phantom Zone?) She tells Superboy about Van-Dal, a juvenile delinquent on Krypton, whose mother, Tir-An, aided him in his crimes! (Van-Dal? I suppose that there's a Lars-Ceny, Cro-ok, Bur-Glar, etc)

Both mother and son were projected into The Phantom Zone, but their story only encourages Superboy, as Superwoman is determined to foil his plans, and as Carole Zorelle, confides in her private eye assistant, Jimmy Olsen, that she is in reality, Superwoman! As Jimmy reels from the revelation, Superwoman's robots see Superboy's activities and decide to expose him to Gold Kryptonite. (Hmm, were these robots capable of independent thought?) Having completed work on his protecto-belt, its alarm detects the presence of Gold Kryptonite, as his telescopic-vision locates the oncoming robots! (Hmm, can Brainiac 5 sue Superboy for creating a device that he'd discover first in the future?)

At the press of a button, a force-field protects the Teen of Steel from the Gold Kryptonite, and a second button-press causes a hyper-energy force-bolt to smash the robots. (Hmm, like continuity, old characters are torn asunder. Sigh.) As his work on the Zone-Escape device continues, Superboy receives a telepathic call from The Phantom Zone, but when he attempts to use the viewer, the voices urge him to go to Riverside Park, and tell him to sent the viewer to zero. (Hmm, he hears voices... Yup, there's nothing wrong with this guy...) The Phantom forms of Van-Dal and Tir-Ran appear on the screen and urge Superboy to free them, but The Teen of Steel insists on turning on his force-shield in case of treachery. (Hmm, I'm still marvelling at the viewer's ability to work at zero...)

Under protection from the force-shield, Superboy listens eagerly to Van-Dal's claim of a Kryptonite antidote, which his mother extracts from tree sap, powered limestone rock, and thorn-bush juice. (Mmm, just reading that make me wanna go...) Superboy is skeptical, but Van-Dal drinks the concoction and soars into the air, showing no ill effects, but as Superboy prepares to drink, "Tir-An" exposes him to Red Kryptonite, and reveals herself as Superwoman! (Wearing a costume on top of a costume?) "Van-Dal" turns out to be Jimmy Olsen with an anti-gravity belt, as the Red Kryptonite has neutralized his super-abilities, but Superwoman had been exposed to it before, and is unaffected. (Somewhere in the 30th Century, a green-skinned, blond haired Legionnaire is kicking himself for having "created" the flight belt. Hey, did the Legion exist if Superboy was a criminal or are they villains in the future? Missed opportunity there.)

Using super-breath and heath-vision, Superwoman made herself and Jimmy to appear as phantoms, but as she raises the Phantom Zone Projector, Superboy uses his waning heat-vision to melt the device, just as she hears an s.o.s. at sea, and tells Jimmy to deal with The Teen of Steel. Removing his anti-gravity belt, Jimmy punches Superboy in the jaw, but The Red K effects wear off and Superboy prepares to crush Jimmy with a rock! Upon Superwoman's return from the emergency, Superboy's powers disappear at the crucial moment, to Jimmy's relief!

It turns out that when Cal used the marbles to shatter Diane's dolls, one of the projectiles was a lead-coated Gold K pellet. (Some super-brain he has, eh folks?) The discarded doll was beneath the rock that Superboy reached for, robbing him of his super-abilities for all time. Using a spinning coin and super-hypnotism, Superwoman makes her cousin forget his past, and an amnesiac young boy with a bright mind and 'S' curl, may have an equally bright future.

An interesting Imaginary Story, as opposed to a Prestige Format Elseworlds, particularly the Superman ones, where the character would be drastically altered at the start, but in the end, Superman would emerge in all his glory, as if the preceding pages hadn't happened at all.

Jim Mooney's version of Superwoman, Superboy, and Jimmy Olsen had them appearing as ordinary folks in costumes, not as dynamic as Boring or Swan's, but featuring them as real people with the facial expressions revealing their thoughts and emotions. A vastly underrated artist.

I wonder if Jim modelled Superwoman after "Honey West"?

Cal Ellis' actions against his fellow orphans was reprehensible, but his appearance reminded me of a villainous Pete Ross than a scheming Kal-El.

I always enjoyed that moment in "The Day The Earth Stood Still" where Klattu (Michael Rennie) left his "calling card" for Professor Sam Jaffee in the form of a complex mathematical equation! But in this instance, Cal's intentions were hardly benevolent.

It's funny how when Superwoman mentions "Phantom Zone", Superboy is compelled to describe it verbatim as "an eerie twilight dimension." (There's the signpost up ahead, your next stop, The Pha... whoops, wrong one!)

Carole decides to change in a closet to Superwoman, rather than at super-speed in front of Jimmy Olsen. Modesty, thy name is Superwoman... or Comics Code Authority.

I wonder if Superwoman's robots would have rebelled against her on other issues?

When it came to using the Zone-Release Machine, Superboy is hardly a "View-Master!"

Review by Steve Chung