Adventure Comics #289
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAdventure Comics #289 holds a firm place in Silver Age Superman history as the debut issue of Jax-Ur — the Kryptonian scientist who destroyed his own world's inhabited moon, Wegthor, and became the first criminal ever banished to the Phantom Zone, a distinction that made him a foundational figure in the mythology of Kryptonian villainy predating even General Zod. That single issue thus does double duty: expanding the Phantom Zone's roster of dangerous inmates while simultaneously advancing the 'Tales of the Bizarro World' backup feature, the 15-issue satirical comedy run in Adventure Comics that turned Bizarro's imperfect-logic premise into a sustained vehicle for social commentary. The Bizarro backup in this issue, 'Bizarro's Amazing Buddies,' uses the device of time travel to argue that monstrous appearance does not equal evil — a surprisingly pointed humanist message wrapped inside Silver Age silliness. Together, the two stories make this one of the most narratively productive single issues in the 1961 run of the title.
In "Clark Kent's Super-Father!", a mysterious figure from the future stumbles into the past, subtly influencing the creation of Mary Shelley’s legendary novel—though his true role remains shrouded in mystery. Written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by John Forte, this 1961 Adventure Comics tale blends time-travel intrigue with a bizarre twist when the people of Bizarro World accuse the visitor of stealing the idea for Titano from the King Kong movie. Curt Swan and Stan Kaye deliver the iconic cover, capturing the story’s odd, otherworldly tone.
In "Clark Kent's Super-Father!", Jonathan Kent touches an alien crystal and suddenly gains the same superpowers as Superboy—leaving him both amazed and alarmed. As his son struggles to keep his identity hidden, Jonathan begins to forbid Superboy from using his powers, but his actions are driven by a secret fear: a Kryptonian criminal has taken his place, and he believes the only way to protect Earth is to eliminate his own son.
In "Bizarro's Amazing Buddies!," Bizarro teams up with a surprisingly intelligent Titano, only to find the people of Bizarro World convinced he's plagiarized the ape's story from a movie—despite the fact that the movie hasn’t been made yet. Written by a mysterious hand and drawn with playful flair, this 1961 adventure blends absurd humor and sci-fi whimsy in a tale that dares to ask: what if the most famous monster was actually a misunderstood fan?
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The issue appeared in October 1961 under the editorial hand of Mort Weisinger, who at the time oversaw the entire Superman family of titles — including Adventure Comics — and used them as an interconnected testing ground for new Kryptonian mythology. The lead Superboy story, scripted by Robert Bernstein with art by George Papp, introduced Jax-Ur as a Phantom Zone escapee posing as Jonathan Kent; writer Otto Binder is credited by some older sources but the Grand Comics Database notes that writer credit was corrected to Bernstein per researcher Martin O'Hearn. The Bizarro backup was written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel — a key figure in the feature's run — with art by John Forte, while the cover was penciled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Jax-Ur (created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist George Papp), the Kryptonian scientist imprisoned for destroying Wegthor, an inhabited moon of Krypton — establishing him as the first criminal ever banished to the Phantom Zone.
- Jax-Ur's debut plot has him escaping the Phantom Zone and impersonating Jonathan Kent as 'Super-Dad,' using super-powered hijinks to keep Superboy from operating; Superboy ultimately uncovers and re-imprisons him.
- The issue is the fifth installment of 'Tales of the Bizarro World,' a backup feature that ran in Adventure Comics #285–299 (June 1961 – August 1962) — 15 issues in total.
- The Bizarro backup, 'Bizarro's Amazing Buddies,' was scripted by Jerry Siegel and drawn by John Forte; it features Bizarro traveling through time and being mistaken for the Abominable Snowman, Frankenstein's Monster, and the Devil, and introduces the one-appearance character Frank N. Stein.
- The Bizarro backup also depicts Bizarro appearing before Mary Shelley and supposedly inspiring her to write Frankenstein, and culminates with Bizarro bringing the giant ape Titano to Bizarro World, only to be accused of ripping off King Kong.
- The cover was penciled by Curt Swan and inked by Stan Kaye; the lead Superboy story was drawn by George Papp; Mort Weisinger is confirmed as editor.
- The Bizarro backup 'Bizarro's Amazing Buddies' was later reprinted in Superman #202 (December 1967/January 1968), an all-Bizarro 80-Page Giant, and again in the 2000 trade paperback Superman: Tales of the Bizarro World.
- The issue contains a Legion of Super-Heroes cameo (as statues) within the Superboy lead story — consistent with the era's habit of seeding Legion references across the Superman family of books.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Super Albo Nembo Kid #20 (1962), Superman (3ª Série) #1 (1964), Superman #202 (1967), Superboy #185 (1972), Superman #17/1972 (1972), Superman: Tales of the Bizarro World #[nn] (2000)
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