World's Finest Comics #266

"The Last Laugh of Lady Lunar!"

When Metropolis was plagued by a villainess calling herself Lady Lunar, Batman and Superman noticed her powers resembled those of the Moonman. They went to Gotham City to interview NASA pilot Brice Rogers, who had been turned into the Moonman by passing through a comet's tail while orbiting the Moon. Rogers had no idea how a woman had come to possess his old powers, but pitied her suffering as he had.

Batman traced Roger's old moon capsule to S.T.A.R. Labs, where it had been shipped from Houston as part of astronaut trainee Stacy Macklin's lecture on past lunar exploration. The lecture had been cancelled and the capsule moved to storage on the orders of Dr. Jenet Klyburn, the director of S.T.A.R. Labs and an old friend of Superman's. Somehow, they concluded, the radiation had been reactivated and, however inadvertently, the doctor had become Lady Lunar.

In the meantime, Lady Lunar had stolen an experimental bomb from S.T.A.R. Labs and rigged a timer to set it off. She intended to rid the Earth of the "filthy human parasites" who had dared loot the Moon. Batman went looking for Dr. Klyburn, while Superman searched for the bomb. Batman located Dr. Klyburn at her home, but it was a trap set by Lady Lunar. When Batman regained consciousness, he found he and Dr. Klyburn were bound hand-and foot. The doctor told Batman that she'd recognized the woman wearing the Lady Lunar mask and costume. It was Stacy Macklin, who had been working late into the night preparing her exhibit. When moonlight struck the capsule, it had erupted in a green glow, bathing Stacy in its rays. Dr. Klyburn had sent Stacy home, dazed but apparently unharmed. She'd cancelled Stacy's appearance and ordered the capsule removed for study. The next night, Lady Lunar made her first appearance. She used her mesmerizing power to pick Dr. Klyburn's brain, and discovered the existence of the prototype bomb.

Superman reasoned he could reflect solar rays from orbiting reflectors, counteracting the moon's rays in the same way that the Moonman had returned to normal each day. The plan succeeded, and Batman captured Stacy when she returned to normal. Dr. Klyburn's tests revealed the radiation was wearing off, just as it had with Brice Rogers. Until then, Stacy would have to be sedated whenever the Moon was out and she was in danger of Lady Lunar taking over.

1. "The Last Laugh of Lady Lunar!" (Superman and Batman) written by Cary Burkett, penciled by Rich Buckler, inked by Bob Smith, colored by Gene D'Angelo and lettered by Ben Oda.
2. "I Shot an Arrow into the Air" (Green Arrow and Black Canary) written by Bob Haney, penciled by Trevor Von Eeden, inked by Rodin L. Rodriguez, colored by Jerry Serpe and lettered by Shelly Leferman.
3. "God Bless the Child!" (Red Tornado) written by J.M. DeMatteis, penciled by Jose Delbo, inked by Kim De Mulder, colored by Lynne Gelfer and lettered by Milt Snapinn.
4. "Something Sinister in Sewer Seven!" (Hawkman and Hawkgirl) written by Bob Rozakis, penciled by Ken Landgraf, inked by Rodin Rodriguez, colored by Bob LeRose and lettered by Shelly Leferman.
5. "Sivana's Space Armada" (Captain Marvel) written by E. Nelson Bridwell, penciled by Don Newton, inked by Joe Giella, colored by Adrienne Roy and lettered by John Costanza.
6. "Daily Planet Puzzle"
7. "DC Profile #67 - Dan Spiegle" text piece by Mike W. Barr.
8. "Hembeck" by Fred Hembeck.
9. "Daily Planet" Volume 80 Issue 24 for the month of September 1980 edited by Bob Rozakis, production by Jodi Saviuk and lettered by Typeset. Featuring three mysterious men in appearing in three spooky titles. Johnny Peril shows up in The Unexpected #205, Doctor Thirteen takes control in Ghosts #95 and the debut of Mister E in Secrets of Haunted House #31. The return of Wizard World in Warlord #40. The Legion of Super-Heroes meet a new nemesis named Dark Man in Legion of Super-Heroes #270. Plus, Doctor Polaris battles the Green Lantern in Green Lantern #135. Finally, "Direct Currents".

Notes:

• 48 pages no ads.
• Autographed Photos filled Arrow, news story filled Arrow and Magnetic Head Arrow used.
• A business named Levitz Liquor appears in the Red Tornado story as a homage to Paul Levitz.
• Don Newton cameo in Captain Marvel story.