Super DC - The Uncollected Text Adventures : Super DC #5 "Brainiac and Toyman"
Profiles of Sean Connery, stunt man Peter Diamond, and TV producer Monty Berman (The Champions, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)) make up the rest of the first feature page, while a two-page tribute to comedy icons include nods to Tommy Cooper, Bernie Winters, Charlie Drake, the iconic Ronnie Corbett and Henry McGee, who were at the time performing together on the ITV sitcom "No That's Me Over Here." This issue's sports hero is police constable George Scorey who was credited, along with his horse, with stopping a 1923 World Cup riot at Wembley. Eh.
Peter Stokes of Preston writes in to describe his favorite Jimmy Olsen Stories, Yank correspondent Richard Morton of Dallas argues that Superman's X-ray vision should logically have trouble not only with lead but also the 19 other elements which are heavier than lead ("heaviness has nothing to do with it" replies a seemingly offended editorial voice), and Charles Oates of Stamford has a hoary old dad joke to share.
Batman and Robin face the Penguin in their text adventure this issue, "The Penguin Pool."
The following adventures are reprinted in Super DC #5:
From Riches to Rags! Action Comics #337 (May 1966)
Superman's Forbidden Room Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #2 (May-June 1958)
The King of Crime! Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #47 (September 1960)
The Fallen Idol of Gotham City! Detective Comics #330 (August 1964)
The Mysterious Mighty Mite! Superboy #137 (April 1967)
This Issue's Text Adventure:
Two of Superman's classic foes interrupt the flow of original British baddies, although they seem a little off-model. Weird enough that Brainiac is teaming up with the Toyman, out of all of Superman's major malefactors, but the computer tyrant's janky movements, ineffective inventions, and small-stakes villainy are equally unusual.
Stick around for Brainiac and Toyman tripping on alien crystal energies, and then buying studio time to sabotage the Man of Steel. Their most successful scheme of the story may be the money they made showing off a villainous video!
And now, Brainiac and Toyman ...
* * *
Superman turned the giant key in the great lock of his Fortress of Solitude and launched himself into the sky, a streak of blue and red. A frozen calm descended upon the North Pole. The only movement was that of a drifting iceberg.
But deep inside the iceberg, two of Superman's deadliest enemies - Toyman and Brainiac - were chuckling with relief! For the iceberg camouflaged a floating control room, packed with electronic devices with which the two planned to seek out Superman's hidden Arctic base.
Brainiac waved a green hand. It was a jerky movement, for Brainiac was an electronic computer in human form. Toyman flipped the switch of a television screen. The picture which flashed on to it was transmitted from a satellite viewer and, streaking through the meteorites, was - Superman.
"There he goes, back to Metropolis," gloated Brainiac. "And now that we have watched him locking the door to his Fortress of Solitude, let's find that key and go inside."
The two criminals transferred to a hover-jet, heavy with extra equipment, and sped to the spot at which they had observed the Man of Steel emerge from his hideout. "There's the key!" cried Toyman, as the hover-jet landed before a wall of ice.
"And there's the keyhole," nodded Brainiac. High above their heads was a dark entrance to what could have passed for a cave.
Brainiac hovered over the control panel, his long green hands twisting dials and pulling switches. There was a high-pitched hum and the hover-jet began to rise into the air on jointed steel legs. From the side of the craft powerful steel arms sprouted.
At the touch of another switch, the hover-jet began to walk stiffly forward like some weird creature from another planet. It stopped over Superman's key, which was enormous. Steel arms reached down and claws fastened around the key. The whine of the motors rose to a deafening pitch. The whole craft juddered under the strain as the hover-jet sought to lift the key.
Toyman clung on in fear. "It's no use!" he cried. "The key is too heavy. Stop it, Brainiac or we'll crash."
His companion scowled, but he could see that Toyan was right; the steel arms of the hover-jet were barely lifting one end of Superman's massive key.
They flew back to their base in a black mood. For years they had plotted how they might get information with which they could blackmail Superman. They had decided to try and get pictures of his Fortress of Solitude for they knew that the Man of Steel valued the secret of his hide-away and would be prepared to do a great deal to guard it.
"If only we could have lifted that key and got inside," groaned Toyman. Brainiac said nothing. He began to examine the films they had taken of Superman leaving.
"What fools we are!" he burst out, turning his evil, green face towards his accomplice. "There's enough in these films to blackmail Superman." Brainiac held up the film. "Look! there is the wall of ice and the cave that is really the keyhole. With these landmarks, we could reveal the location of the Fortress of Solitude to the world."
Toyman stared eagerly at the film "You're right, Brainiac! There's these two snow mountains and that huge glacier ... perfect landmarks! We've got Superman in the palm of our hands."
The next day, in a shabby rooming-house on the seamier side of Metropolis, the two criminals waited impatiently for Superman. "Maybe he didn't get the message," complained Toyman.
Brainiac, who was fiddling with a film projector, looked up. "Listen!" he said. There was a rushing sound outside the window. The next moment it flew open and a powerful figure in blue and red stepped into the room. "Well?" he said, folding his arms.
"Oh, have we got a surprise for you, Superman!" began Toyman.
Brainiac pressed the switch on the projector. With a hum it began to show pictures on a screen on the wall. As Superman watched, the frown on his face deepened. "They mean to blackmail me," he thought. "But per- haps I can foil them with my heat-vision!"
As the film ended, Superman turned glowing eyes full upon the projector, which burst into flames. But the two criminals were prepared for this. "That isn't the only copy of the film " said Brainiac smoothly.
"What do you want from me?" asked Superman.
Toyman flung himself into a chair and put his feet up on the table. "Just do us one or two favours and nobody will ever see that film. But try and double-cross us, and ... " He left the threat unfinished.
Brainiac rubbed his green hands together. "Let's get to business, Superman. At the Grand Hall in Metropolis there is a jewellers' conference. On show are some of the finest jewels in the world. Get them for us!"
Superman clenched his mighty fists. "You really believe I will turn thief for your sake?" he burst out angrily.
"But it's for your own sake!" reminded Toyman slyly. "Think it over, Superman."
Superman turned to stare out of the window.The secret of his Fortress of Solitude meant much to him. He knew that once its position was known, his privacy would be destroyed by his many fans-and by his many enemies. "I'll do the job tonight when the Hall is closed," he said.
"Good!" gloated Brainiac. "We'll expect you here about midnight."
It was shortly before midnight when Superman arrived back in the room. Under his arm he carried a jeweller's showcase, which he placed on the table.
Toyman and Brainiac bent over it greedily and threw back the lid. "What jewels!" gasped Toyman. "We're rich for life."
Brainiac was staring at a huge jewel that sparkled in the centre of the showcase. "That jewel! It gives off strange rays," he gasped. Suddenly he stepped back with a cry of fear. "Aa-aagh! I'm turning into a plant! Help me, Toyman."
But Toyman, too, was trembling with fear, crying, "I've turned to glass!"
Superman held up the big jewel between his finger and thumb. "This is one of the prize space trophies that I keep in my Fortress of Solitude," he said. "It is called the Illusion Jewel. Its rays create visions in the mind."
Brainiac waved his green hands like the fronds of a plant. "I'm a plant, I tell you!"
"And I can't move; I'm glass!" wailed Toyman.
Superman kept the Illusion Jewel in his hand as he picked up his enemies and stepped to the open window. "I'm going to bundle you up in my cape and take you to the North Pole," he said. "And you are going to show me the base from which you took pictures of my Fortress."
When Superman reached the polar wastes, he was amazed to find that the iceberg was the hideout of his enemies. He carried them inside and, in the control room he set them down. "We have done as you asked. Please don't let me stay as a plant," begged Brainiac.
"Help me first," sobbed Toyman. "I don't want to stay turned to glass."
Superman smiled and slipped the Illusion Jewel into his belt. Immediately the strange rays were hidden, a change came over the two men. They stared down at their hands and feet. "Why, everything is back to normal," cried Toyman.
Brainiac staggered to the control panel and leaned on it as if overcome with relief. But he was pressing a switch.
Superman whirled. His super hearing had detected a faint whirring outside the iceberg. "What's that?" he cried. As he spoke, he felt himself growing strangely weak.
Brainiac turned with blazing eyes. "That, Superman, is the kryptonite ray which now surrounds this iceberg," he cried. "You see, when I built this base, I prepared for the eventuality that I might lure you inside. You're trapped, you fool!"
Toyman roared with laughter as the Man of Steel sank down to one knee. "We knew that kryptonite is the one substance against which you have no defence, Superman."
Brainiac stepped past the faltering Superman. "Come on, Toyman. The iceberg is already beginning to melt, as we planned. I've set the time clock, and within a few minutes this control room with its kryptonite ray around it, will lie on the floor of the polar sea. Goodbye, Superman. This is your coffin of ice!"
Toyman could not resist one last jeer from the door: "We're returning to Metropolis in a hover-jet, hidden in the iceberg," he said. "And we're going straight on television to show these films to the world. Soon everyone will know where your hideout is."
Toyman was speaking the truth. It did not take long after their return to Metropolis for he and Brainiac to arrange a TV showing of the amazing film. They received a huge fee for it.
The film was screened amid great excitement. Toyman and Brainiac, who were in the television studio, were about to answer questions, when the door opened and in strode - Superman!
Brainiac's face seemed greener than ever as he stared at the Man of Steel. "You should be dead, I made that kryptonite ray so strong.'
"So it was," agreed Superman. "But when the iceberg melted and the control room sank into the water, the intense cold cracked your wiring. The kryptonite ray was fused and I was able to stagger to freedom.
Toyman's lips twisted into a grim smile. "Well, you're too late to stop the world seeing those films we took," he gloated.
Superman nodded. "That's all right," he said. "You see, with my super-strength I have just re-shaped all the landscape around my Fortress of Solitude. So nobody would ever find it from your film now. I flattened two snow mountains, melted the glacier and built a huge snow screen for the front of my Fortress ... "
Toyman sank into a studio chair with a groan of defeat.
As for Superman, he turned with a smile towards the camera. "My friends at home, I am sorry your time has been wasted by these evil men," he said.
* * The End * *
Comments
Post a Comment