Action Comics #336
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAction Comics #336 introduces Ak-Var, the Kandorian ex-convict whose rehabilitation arc became the foundation for the beloved Silver Age Nightwing-and-Flamebird feature that ran in Superman Family beginning in 1977. The issue doubles as a two-story showcase of the era's expansive Superman mythology, pairing a nuanced Phantom Zone redemption tale — one of the more morally textured scripts of the Weisinger years — with a serialized Supergirl adventure that dares to disfigure its hero across multiple issues, a surprisingly bold move for mid-1960s DC. Together the two leads and their supporting casts (Van-Zee, Thara, Dick Malverne, Comet, the Bizarros) illustrate just how elaborate the shared Kryptonian universe had become by the twilight of the Silver Age.
In "The Man from the Phantom Zone!", Superman grants a rare second chance to Ak-Var, a former prisoner of the Phantom Zone, allowing him to experience Earth before returning to Kandor. Once there, Ak-Var reunites with his old friends—Vas-Quor, Brenn-Bir, and Kyl-Ibo—only to find them using super-powers to commit crimes, leading to suspicion. With Curt Swan’s expressive art and George Klein’s crisp inks bringing the action to life, this 1966 classic sees Superman and Ak-Var team up to clear his name, uncovering a twist tied to a mysterious encounter with Red Kryptonite. The cover by Curt Swan and George Klein captures the moment of tension perfectly.
In "The Man from the Phantom Zone!" from Action Comics #336, Superman grants a rare second chance to Ak-Var, freeing him from the Phantom Zone after his sentence. After a brief tour of Earth, Ak-Var returns to Kandor, only to be framed by his former friends Vas-Quor, Brenn-Bir, and Kyl-Ibo—now using stolen powers—when they rob a museum. With help from Superman, Ak-Var must clear his name before the truth behind their newfound abilities is revealed.
In "null," Super-Turtle enjoys a night at the movies—literally—when his superhero duties interrupt his theater outing. Stuck behind a pole, he uses his x-ray vision to catch the cartoon show, turning a minor inconvenience into a surprisingly clear view of the screen.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The Superman lead story was scripted by veteran science-fiction writer Edmond Hamilton working alongside assistant editor E. Nelson Bridwell, who completed Hamilton's unfinished script — a fact Bridwell himself disclosed years later in Superman Family #190. The issue was edited by Mort Weisinger, whose tight editorial control over the Superman family of titles defined their Silver Age character, and it went on sale February 24, 1966, carrying an April 1966 cover date. The Supergirl backup, written by Otto Binder and drawn entirely by Jim Mooney, picked up a cliffhanger from the previous issue, continuing a rare multi-part story structure for the feature.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Ak-Var, a Kryptonian released from the Phantom Zone after serving his sentence, who is eventually framed by his old gang and exonerated by Superman in the bottle city of Kandor.
- Ak-Var later assumed the Flamebird identity as partner to Van-Zee's Nightwing, a heroic duo that starred in a regular 'Nightwing and Flamebird' feature beginning in Superman Family #183 (May/June 1977).
- First appearance of Thara (Van-Zee's niece), who becomes Ak-Var's wife; her name was later repurposed for the post-Crisis character Thara Ak-Var in the 2008–2009 Superman: New Krypton storyline.
- Superman lead story ('The Man from the Phantom Zone!') was co-scripted by Edmond Hamilton and E. Nelson Bridwell (Bridwell completed Hamilton's unfinished script, as revealed in Superman Family #190), with pencils by Curt Swan and inks by George Klein.
- Supergirl backup ('The Forbidden Fortress of Solitude!') was written by Otto Binder and drawn by Jim Mooney; the story is a direct continuation from Action Comics #335, with Supergirl wearing a mask to hide facial disfigurement inflicted by the villain Jak-Thal.
- The Supergirl story introduces a Bizarro-Supergirl — an imperfect duplicate created on Bizarro World — who briefly locks Superman out of the Fortress of Solitude.
- Cover pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by Sheldon Moldoff, with lettering by Ira Schnapp.
- Reprinted in Superman: Tales from the Phantom Zone (DC, 2009) and collected in Supergirl: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 2 (DC, July 2018); the cover image was also featured in The Silver Age of Superman: Greatest Covers of Action Comics from the '50s to the '70s (Abbeville Press, 1995).
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Reprints
Reprinted in Supermann #9/1967 (1967), Supermann #10/1967 (1967), Super DC #4 (1969), Action Double Double Comics #4 (1971), Eks almanah #99/1 (1978), The Silver Age of Superman The Greatest Covers of Action Comics from the '50s to the '70s #[nn] (1995), Superman: Tales from the Phantom Zone #[nn] (2009), Supergirl: The Silver Age Omnibus #2 (2018), Teräsmies #5/1966
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