Adventure Comics, #493 Direct
Published: November 1982
Cover
Reviews
Posts About This Issue
No discussions yet.
Issue Contents:
"Presenting... the triumphant return of... the Challengers of the Unknown!"
Characters
- Brainiac 5 (mainstream Universe)
- Chameleon Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Reep Daggle (mainstream Universe)
- Rocky Davis (mainstream Universe)
- Prof Haley (mainstream Universe)
- Thom Kallor (mainstream Universe)
- Clark Kent / Kal-El (mainstream Universe)
- Lana Lang (mainstream Universe)
- Ace Morgan (mainstream Universe)
- Red Ryan (mainstream Universe)
- Star Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Superboy (mainstream Universe)
- Querl Dox (mainstream Universe)
Credits
- Pencils: Keith Giffen
- Inks: Romeo Tanghal
- Colors: Anthony Tollin
- Letters: Gaspar Saladino
Story Notes
Lettering and coloring credits from Carl Gafford in a December 2010 e-mail.
Presenting Another Sensational Issue of Adventure Comics
Credits
- Script: Carl Gafford (uncertain)
Story Notes
Inside front cover. Includes indicia at bottom of page.
When Destiny Calls!
"There is a line most people will not cross -- a line which marks the boundary between the safe and familiar and those horrors that we fear!"
Storyline
Origin story retold.
Characters
- Rocky Davis [Origin]
- Prof Haley [Origin]
- Ace Morgan [Origin]
- Red Ryan [Origin]
- Ted Skinner
- Betty Timmons
Credits
- Script: Bob Rozakis
- Pencils: George Tuska
- Inks: Andy Mushynsky
- Colors: Carl Gafford
- Letters: Milt Snapinn
- Editing: Carl Gafford
Story Notes
Story is "Dedicated to the power and majesty of Jack Kirby."
Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes!
"Holy cow! You want me to patrol Xanthu for you, Star Boy?"
Storyline
Superboy and Lana meet Star Boy, a new Legion recruit.
Characters
- Imra Ardeen (mainstream Universe)
- Brainiac 5 (mainstream Universe)
- Chameleon Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Cosmic Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Reep Daggle (mainstream Universe)
- Thom Kallor (mainstream Universe)
- Clark Kent / Kal-El (mainstream Universe)
- Jonathan Kent (mainstream Universe)
- Rokk Krinn (mainstream Universe)
- Lana Lang (mainstream Universe)
- Sarah Lang (mainstream Universe)
- Professor Lewis Lang (mainstream Universe)
- Lightning Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Garth Ranzz (mainstream Universe)
- Saturn Girl (mainstream Universe)
- Star Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Superboy (mainstream Universe)
- Querl Dox (mainstream Universe)
- Zynthia
- Fryd Kallor (flashback)
- Mira Kallor (flashback)
- Janet (on movie screen)
Credits
- Script: Otto Binder
- Pencils: George Papp
- Inks: George Papp
- Colors: Carl Gafford
- Letters: Joe Letterese
- Editing: Mort Weisinger
Story Notes
Lightning Lad is still referred to as Lightning Boy in this story. Star Boy's powers similar (not identical) to Superboy's; story is partially rewritten from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #195 (December 1953). Coloring credits from Carl Gafford in December 2010 e-mail.
Is This My Foe?..
"Far from the kingdom of Atlantis... continuing the search for Mera, his captured queen... Aquaman nears the colony of the savage Marzons..."
Storyline
Aquaman encounters his old foe Black Manta and wonders if the villain is behind Mera's abduction.
Characters
- Aquababy
- Aquagirl
- Aqualad (mainstream Universe) [Flashback]
- Black Manta
- Arthur Curry Jr.
- Garth (mainstream Universe) [Flashback]
- David Hyde
- Mera [Flashback]
- Tula
- Aquaman (mainstream Universe)
- Arthur Curry (mainstream Universe)
- Narkran
- Storm (a seahorse)
Credits
- Script: Steve Skeates
- Pencils: Jim Aparo
- Inks: Jim Aparo
- Colors: Bob LeRose
- Letters: Jim Aparo
- Editing: Dick Giordano
Story Notes
Coloring credits from Carl Gafford in December 2010 e-mail.
A Nightmare Called Gorgonus
"Night has set uncomfortably about the shingled shoulders of the proud old Edison Theater..."
Storyline
Gorgonus returns to battle Zatanna.
Characters
- Zatanna (mainstream Universe)
- Jeff Sloane
- Gorgonus
Credits
- Script: Len Wein
- Pencils: Dick Giordano
- Inks: Dick Giordano
- Colors: Tom Ziuko
- Letters: Milt Snapinn (uncertain)
- Editing: Joe Orlando
Supergirl's Three Super Girl-Friends!
"Hi, Supergirl!"
Storyline
Supergirl and Brainiac 5 become the newest members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Characters
- Imra Ardeen (mainstream Universe)
- Bouncing Boy
- Brainiac [Flashback]
- Brainiac 5 (mainstream Universe)
- Cosmic Boy (mainstream Universe)
- Salu Digby
- Luornu Durgo
- Jerro
- Koko [Flashback]
- Rokk Krinn (mainstream Universe)
- Krypto (mainstream Universe)
- Lori Lemaris
- Lightning Lad (mainstream Universe)
- Dirk Morgna
- Phantom Girl
- Garth Ranzz (mainstream Universe)
- Saturn Girl (mainstream Universe)
- Shrinking Violet
- Sun Boy
- Supergirl (mainstream Universe)
- Chuck Taine
- Triplicate Girl
- Tinya Wazzo
- Kara Zor-El (mainstream Universe)
- Querl Dox (mainstream Universe)
Credits
- Script: Jerry Siegel
- Pencils: Jim Mooney
- Inks: Jim Mooney
- Colors: Carl Gafford
- Editing: Mort Weisinger
Story Notes
Coloring credits from Carl Gafford in December 2010 e-mail.
Captain Marvel and the Twisted Powers
"Holy moley! There's something wrong here -- I'm supposed to do the fighting, not Billy!"
Storyline
Captain Marvel's powers have vanished, but Billy seems to have them.
Characters
- Billy Batson (mainstream Universe)
- Captain Marvel (mainstream Universe)
- Zeus
- Joe Bloe
- Hephaestus
Credits
- Script: Otto Binder
- Pencils: Pete Costanza
- Inks: Pete Costanza
- Colors: Nansi Hoolahan
- Editing: Wendell Crowley
Story Notes
Coloring credits from Carl Gafford in December 2010 e-mail.
And Now a Word from Our Library...
"Would you believe ADVENTURE #491 has only been on sale a week, and we're already getting mail trumpeting the return of comicdom's oldest title?"
Credits
- Script: Carl Gafford
Story Notes
Original issue numbers and dates for the reprinted stories in the last three issues, Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #491-493.
The Ghost of Ace Chance!
"Ace Chance was a gambler, a cheat, a con man -- and a loser!"
Storyline
The villainous ghost of Ace Chance occupies the body of Jim Corrigan - shutting the Spectre out.
Characters
- Jim Corrigan (mainstream Universe)
- The Spectre (mainstream Universe)
Credits
- Script: Gardner Fox
- Pencils: Murphy Anderson
- Inks: Murphy Anderson
- Colors: Jerry Serpe
- Editing: Julius Schwartz
- Letters: Gaspar Saladino
Story Notes
Coloring credits from Carl Gafford in December 2010 e-mail.
The Story Behind the Stories
"Our chronological reprinting of the adventures of the Legion of Super-Heroes rolls on this month with their fifth and sixth appearances."
Storyline
Paul Levitz provides commentary on the two Legion stories reprinted in this issue.
Credits
- Script: Paul Levitz
Story Notes
Inside back cover.
"Aquaman face-to-face with his greatest foe: Black Manta!"
Characters
- Imra Ardeen (mainstream Universe)
- Billy Batson (mainstream Universe)
- Black Manta
- Captain Marvel (mainstream Universe)
- Jim Corrigan (mainstream Universe)
- Luornu Durgo
- David Hyde
- Phantom Girl
- Saturn Girl (mainstream Universe)
- The Spectre (mainstream Universe)
- Supergirl (mainstream Universe)
- Triplicate Girl
- Tinya Wazzo
- Zatanna (mainstream Universe)
- Kara Zor-El (mainstream Universe)
- Aquaman (mainstream Universe)
- Arthur Curry (mainstream Universe)
- Gorgonus
- Ace Chance
Credits
- Script: Carl Gafford (uncertain)
- Pencils: Keith Giffen
- Inks: Romeo Tanghal
- Letters: Gaspar Saladino
Story Notes
Previews of the stories in the issue. Back cover.