Action Comics #495

1. Cover by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez.
2. "Attack of the Ultimate Warrior!" written by Cary Bates, penciled by Curt Swan, inked by Frank Chiaramonte, colored by Gene D'Angelo and lettered by Ben Oda.
3. "Daily Planet" Volume 79 Issue 8 the week of February 19, 1979 edited by Bob Rozakis, production by Anthony Tollin and lettered by Typeset. Featuring the upcoming issue of World's Finest Comics #257. Plus, "Ask the Answer Man".
4. "Hembeck" written, penciled and inked by Fred Hembeck.

Notes:

• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Wonder Woman in "The Golden Treasure".
• Perry White and Jimmy Olsen flashback from Action Comics #494.

Previously, letters threatening to reveal Superman’s secrets had arrived in the Daily Planet. Perry White had sent Kent and Lois to Smallville to cover the story. Now they have arrived in Smallville and have experienced forces beyond their understanding. Superman got busted by an alien warrior at a waterfall.

Now Superman recovers from the skull-shattering blow struck by the Dwalu and flies back home. There he manages to duck Lois’ questions and gets down to draw a sketch of the Dwalu. Chief Parker prepares his infra-red camera once more to photograph the ghost. But Clark is disturbed and prefers to remain alone.

Superman goes down to his underground chamber and keeps the sketch inside the secret niche. Next he goes to sleep. But later that night, an unearthly energy emanates from the metal trophy and seeps into Clark’s bedroom. It enters his mind and feeds him the memory of his adventures as Superboy on Zoltam. Superboy had ventured to that planet and defeated a monstrous flying gnmod. But unbeknownst to him, the spirit of the gnmod had taken shelter in the metal trophy presented to Superboy by the people of Zoltam.

Now, the Dwalu appears in ’s bedroom and blasts him with his Xaka sword’s energy. Chief Parker and Lois hear ’s scream and come up to see his smouldering bed.

Superman is instantly teleported to a grassland and comes face to face with the Dwalu. The Dwalu reveals that he is really the Gnmod and has gained this form from Superboy’s memories. He will now have his revenge on Superboy. The battle begins. The Gnmod uses the Xaka sword to blast Superman. Superman tries to defeat him by trickery because his super-strength pales before that of the Dwalu. Still he manages to separate him from the sword and throws it around the world in a controlled trajectory. He hacks at the Dwalu’s neck but is progressively weakening. This is when the sword comes back and reaches Superman. He points it upon the Dwalu’s head and asks him to surrender. The Dwalu accepts his defeat and threatens to return.

Superman returns home and appears under his bed. Lois is relieved to see him. He makes up a story and quickly dispels her suspicions.