The New Adventures of Superboy #1 is a premier comic book published by DC Comics with a cover date of January 1980. This launch marked the start of Superboy Vol. 2, a series created after the character was spun off from the Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes title. It is a well-known Bronze Age collector's item that returned the focus entirely to a young Clark Kent navigating life in Smallville.
Issue Overview
- Cover Price: $0.40
- Main Story Title: "The Demon Next Door"
- Creative Team: Script by Cary Bates, pencils by Kurt Schaffenberger, and inks by Dave Hunt. The distinctive launch cover was illustrated by Schaffenberger and legendary artist Dick Giordano.
Plot Synopsis
The double-sized premiere issue contains a main story and a special bonus reprint:
1. "The Demon Next Door"
- Characters: Superboy (Clark Kent), Ma and Pa Kent, Lana Lang, and Professor Lewis Lang.
- Plot: Lana Lang's father, Professor Lewis Lang, returns from an archaeological dig in the Middle East with a strange ancient idol known as the "Twins of Kokra." Unbeknownst to everyone, the artifact is possessed by a malevolent, ancient demon. The entity takes control of Professor Lang, forcing Superboy to find a creative way to safely exorcise the spirit without harming Lana's father.
2. "The Computers That Saved Metropolis!"
- Characters: Superman and Major Disaster.
- Plot: A 28-page promotional bonus story (originally a Radio Shack giveaway). When Superman's powers dangerously spin out of control, two clever kids named Alec and Shanna use a pair of TRS-80 computers to help the Man of Steel track down and stop the villainous Major Disaster.