Superman must figure out what's wrong with Hawkman!
Presented an award in Paris, Superman discovered it was filled with explosives, and flew it into the sky, to protect the populace. The force of the explosion sent Superman back 35 years, to 1944, during France's occupation by German Forces in World War II. After sharing an adventure with Sergeant Rock and the men of Easy Company. Superman returns to the present. Unbeknownst to Superman, the explosion has charged him with concentrated stellar energy, gathered from the star, Polaris. Superman speaks with the President of France, unaware that he is being observed by Hawkman. As Superman takes to the skies to depart, Hawkman viciously attacks him. Despite Hawkman's furious assault, the Man of Steel is, largely, uninjured, and swats the Winged Wonder away from him. Hawkman takes the opportunity to flee. As a distraction for Superman, Hawkman orders a flock of falcons to descend upon the crowd of onlookers. In the time it takes for Superman to blow the falcons away, Hawkman makes good his escape. Back in Metropolis, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and Lois Lane are meeting with Marc Teichman, the winner of the Daily Planet's latest charity lottery drawing. Teichman's prize is a half day with Superman. The Man of Steel arrives to pick up Teichman, and begin their outing. Though Superman is gracious to Teichman, his mind is on an earlier rendezvous, in Midway City, with Hawkgirl. Superman finds out that Hawkman has been missing for over two days, and vows to find, and help, him. Superman spends his time with Teichman performing super-powered feats for Teichman's camera. Meanwhile, miles away, Hawkman returns to the secret observatory headquarters of his new master, Frank Rayles.
The sole beneficiary of his dead brother's estate, Rayles stumbled across his brother's greatest discovery, Polaris Power. Rayles' brother harnessed the power of the star, Polaris, and determined that exposure to the concentrated rays of the faraway star would give Hawkman astonishing power. Unfortunately, this boon came with two terrible side effects. Once charged with the Polaris Power, Hawkman would become highly susceptible to mental domination. The charge would also, essentially, transform Hawkman into a living explosive just waiting for the right fuse for detonation. Back in Metropolis, Teichman develops his pictures of Superman. Surprisingly, every image of Superman shows him to be covered in eerie sparkles of light. Teichman approaches Clark Kent with his discovery. Kent promises to get the information to Superman. Suddenly, Teichman is drawn to the the sound of a blue jay, beating it's wings against the window glass. The blue jay has a message for Superman. That night, in the skies over Metropolis, Hawkman, again, attacks Superman. This time, when he hits the Man of Steel, both men are consumed in a massive explosion of pent-up Polaris Power. Lana Lang reports on the incident. Rayles is beside himself with glee, until Superman and Hawkman arrive to arrest him. The next morning, Superman and Hawkman fill in the blanks for Teichman. Using information garnered from his brother's notes, Rayles had been able to lure Hawkman to the observatory. Just before Hawkman's mind was lost to the polaris charge, he spoke to the blue jay, providing it with instructions to contact Superman. Knowing that a direct hit from Hawkman's Polaris charged fists would kill them both, Superman rolled with the blow,while also providing special effects to fake the expected explosion. Once Hawkman regained his senses, the two heroes went to apprehend Rayles. As a token of their gratitude to Teichman, for his assistance with the case, Superman and Hawkman take Teichman on an aerial tour of the city.
Notes
- Story continues from the previous issue.
- Contest winner Marc Teichman appears in the story.
- Lana Lang's cameo is through a televised news report.
- This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Batman and Commissioner Gordon in "Someone is Kidnapping the Great Chefs of Gotham City".
- "Daily Planet" Volume 79 Issue 14 week of April 9, 1979 edited by Bob Rozakis, production by Anthony Tollin and lettered by Typeset. Featuring Sgt. Rock battling wits with a downed NAZI fighter and a World War I tale in Sgt. Rock #330, and are the Legion of Super-Heros killers find the answer in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #253 plus "Ask the Answer Man!" and "Direct Currents".
- "Hembeck" by Fred Hembeck.
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