Action Comics
Action Comics is a long-running American comic book title that has been published since 1938 by DC Comics (known in 1938 as National Allied Publications). The series created the character of Superman, featuring him in its very first issue. Many other characters in the Superman universe, such as Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, and Supergirl, also made their debuts in the pages of Action Comics.
Amnesiac Robbers! (Issue 25)[edit | edit source]
Clark lands a scoop about a string of robberies in which bank couriers turn up missing both money and their memories of carrying it. Lois then one-ups Clark by landing an interview with Medini, the "world's greatest hypnotist," who promises to reveal the true identity of Superman to her. Clark quickly puts two and two together and figures out that Medini is the one behind the robberies. But when he arrives as Superman to arrest Medini, both he and Lois are hypnotized.
The Lumber Millionaire's Will! (Issue 33)[edit | edit source]
While investigating the suspicious death of a lumber baron, Clark and Lois are locked inside a burning dynamite shed. Clark uses his powers to hypnotize Lois into forgetting what she is about to witness- namely, Clark using his powers to free them from the exploding shack before changing into his Superman outfit.
Masquerade of the Nutty Kid! (Issue 458)[edit | edit source]
Lex Luthor uses a hypno-ray on Black Canary, planting an irresistible hypnotic suggestion to kill Green Arrow. Luthor cheerfully notes that he doesn't really care which hero ends up dead, as the survivor will go to prison for murder. Unfortunately for him, Black Canary thinks up a solution before Green Arrow even arrives. She places herself into a meditative hypnotic trance and programs herself to see Lex as Green Arrow. With no way to break a trance he didn't create, Luthor uses a gadget to make himself invisible so that he can escape. This frees Black Canary from her compulsion, just in time for the real Green Arrow to arrive.
Sometimes you just get an idea into your head...
...no matter how ridiculous it seems...
...you just can't let it go.
It helps to have a hypno-ray at your disposal
And a nice public park to land your helicopter in
Luthor, aspiring fighting coach, gives Canary some helpful last-minute advice
Canary goes into a hypnotic trance as Lex bothers some poor homeless guy
"How could this plan possibly fail? It's foolproof!" (Spoiler: Danny is in the helicopter)
I'll take "didn't think this through" for $400, Alex
Hypnosis on top of hypnosis!
Our criminal mastermind, crawling under a helicopter on his stomach.
You probably shouldn't walk on the helicopter like that, Lex. (Love Canary's eyes here)
"Better hope my... oh wait, it didn't."
Green Arrow has no idea what he nearly walked into here.
A Walk on the Dark Side! (Issue 592)[edit | edit source]
One of the strangest Superman stories ever penned. After a wrong turn takes Big Barda into the charming area of Metropolis known as "Suicide Slum," she chases a purse-snatcher and gets captured by an alien being known as Sleez. The outcast (even Darkseid finds him distasteful) hypnotizes Barda and makes her do a suggestive dance for him. Superman arrives, intent on rescuing Barda, but the two of them get into a fight over how to deal with Sleez, resulting in them both getting captured.
This... is not exactly a high point in the Superman comics...
The Suicide Snare! (Issue 593)[edit | edit source]
Sleez's videotape of Barda's dancing is a smash hit in Metropolis- a smug Darkseid gets his hands on a copy and plays it for Mister Miracle, Barda's husband (he also breaks into their house and helps himself to some of their booze). Miracle Man heads off to save his wife but gets ambushed by some of Sleez's goons. Meanwhile Sleez has a hypnotized Superman "convince" a local adult movie director to film an X-rated movie starring Superman and Barda.
Mister Miracle easily escapes the "deathtrap" Sleez's goons cook up, and arrives at the film set to find his wife and Superman in a passionate embrace. Luckily, his arrival snaps the two brainwashed heroes out of their trances. Sleez appears to blow himself up rather than be captured by Superman. Barda and Superman can't remember much about what just happened and agree its best if they just forget the whole thing.
Barda's tape, one assumes, is still being passed around Metropolis to this day.
A mindless Superman roughs up the director
Introducing the hypnotized costar...
Superman isn't exactly cut out for this business
Sleez manipulates his emotions to corrupt him
Mister Miracle gets a nasty surprise
He crashes through the skylight, like a proper superhero.
"Gosh, I've conveniently forgotten the embarrassing details!" "Yes, um, me too!"
Eye of the Storm (Issue 747)[edit | edit source]
While Superman battles a pesky robotic shark, Lois is kidnapped and brainwashed.
