Cover: Curt Swan

Adventure Comics #197

Feb 1954 · DC · 0.10 USD

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“Clark Kent -- Toughie!”

In "Clark Kent -- Toughie!", a mischievous Clark Kent takes a surprising turn, joining the Skull and Crossbones Gang—a group of boys on tricked-out bikes—after a prankster phase that lands him in hot water. With Bill Woolfolk’s playful script and Curt Swan’s crisp art (inked by Sy Barry), the story follows Clark as he quietly guides the gang through a series of pranks that unexpectedly become acts of kindness, from making a statue speak to helping put out a wildfire. The cover, by Curt Swan, captures the spirited energy of the moment.

writer Bill Woolfolk · artist Curt Swan · inker Sy Barry · cover Curt Swan

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VG $88 ADVENTURE COMICS #197 1954 Age coverless, complete, nice condition EXTREMLY RARE $39.94

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Full credits

writer Bill Woolfolk

artist Curt Swan

inker Sy Barry

cover pencils Curt Swan

Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers

▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers

Clark Kent turns bad, shooting spitballs and mouthing off. He's asked to join the Skull and Crossbones Gang, and (barely) passes the initiation. (These "gangs" are boys on tricked-out bicycles.) Their enemies are the Red Dragons, and both pull pranks. Clark/Superboy gently steers them by making a statue talk, inadvertently helping an old woman and her shoe store, then sends them carrying water on their bikes to battle a raging wildfire. Both gangs get awards, and will now compete to out-good-deed each other! And Clark is thanked by the principal for his undercover operation.

Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).