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DC Database
DC Database
129,591
pages
in: Dick Giordano/Executive Editor, Keith Giffen/Cover Artist, Bob Oksner/Cover Artist,
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Action Comics Vol 1 563

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"Superman: "Black Beauty or "A Horse Is a Horse, of Course, of Course""": As news reports of Ambush Bug's latest antics hit the evening news circuit, the Bug himself is busy tweaking with the mechanical bugs that aid with his teleportation abilities. After a freak accident, Ambush Bug finds that

Quote1 ...is yours truly, Mxyztplk the Magnificent, with an exclusive look at how I made a sap out of Superman--as usual! Quote2
— Mr. Mxyztplk

Action Comics #563 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 1985.

Synopsis for Superman: "Black Beauty or "A Horse Is a Horse, of Course, of Course""

As news reports of Ambush Bug's latest antics hit the evening news circuit, the Bug himself is busy tweaking with the mechanical bugs that aid with his teleportation abilities. After a freak accident, Ambush Bug finds that he's gained the ability to teleport without the aid of his bugs. As a side effect, his costume turns black, embarrassed by this change, Ambush Bug disguises himself in a horse costume and goes about the town trying to right wrongs in his own bizarre fashion.

Meanwhile, Superman catches a petty thief trying to burgle Jimmy Olsen's home and brings him to the police station. There, Superman is surprised to find Ambush Bug trying to pass off as a cop (But of course, you know, his horse costume totally gives him away.) Ambush Bug then explains his origins to Superman: That on the distant planet of Schwab the scientist known as Brum-El would learn that his planet was doomed to destruction. Deciding to build a rocket, he decided who he would save to be his world's last survivor. Finding that his wife and child were unsuitable for this distinction, Brum-El would instead send his wardrobe out into space. Travelling through space, the ship would be bit by a giant radioactive spider which would irradiate one of the outfits inside. The ship would eventually crash land, and the uniform that would become the trademark outfit for Ambush Bug would be found by Irwin Schawb, who just left his home after his television would break down. Meanwhile, back on the planet Schwab, Brum-El would find that ironically, his planet was not doomed after all.

Fed up with Ambush Bug's rantings, the Man of Steel decides to leave, he secretly scoffs at Ambush Bug's ridiculous origin story, until he realizes -- wait a minute -- it's his own origin.

Appearing in Superman: "Black Beauty or "A Horse Is a Horse, of Course, of Course""

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Thief (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Giant Radio-Active Spider (Cameo) (Flashback only)

Other Characters:

  • Ronald Morris (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Jack Ryder (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo)
  • Bethany Snow (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo)
  • Derwood Denton (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo)
  • Ted Baxter (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo)
  • Chuckles the Clown (Mentioned only)
  • PLO (Mentioned only)
  • Yasir Arafat (Mentioned only)
  • WUBS TV
  • George Perez (Mentioned only)
  • Teen Titans (Mentioned only)
  • Costume Store Owner (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes) (Single appearance)
  • John Costanza (Unnamed) (Mentioned only)
  • Wilbur (Mentioned only)
  • Metropolis Police Department
    • Five Officers (Unnamed) (Cameo)
  • Tonto (Mentioned only)
  • Larda (Brum-El's wife) (Single appearance) (Cameo) (Flashback only)
  • Mon-Grel (Brum-El and Larda's son) (Single appearance) (Cameo) (Flashback only)
  • Commissioner Gordon (Mentioned only)

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:

  • Brum-El's Rocket (Flashback only)

Concepts:


Synopsis for Mr. Mxyzptlk: "Mr. Mxyzptlk, Media Star!"

Mr. Mxyzptlk comes to Earth in hopes of becoming a media star, and casts a spell that makes it impossible to say his name backwards.

Appearing in Mr. Mxyzptlk: "Mr. Mxyzptlk, Media Star!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

  • Bizarro Kltpzyxm (Cameo) (headshot only)
  • WGBS Employees:
    • Three WGBS Studios Members (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
    • One Movie Premier Cameraman (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
    • One Galaxython Cameraman (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Five Daily Planet Employees (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Citizens of Metropolis (Unnamed)
  • Limousine Driver (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Movie Star (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Movie Star's Date (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Movie Theater Audience (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Three Miss Metropolis Pageant Contestants (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Miss Metropolis Emcee (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Eight Football Players (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Congressman (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Two Political Rally Guests (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Six Swim Meet Members (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Three Galaxython Phone Volunteers (Unnamed) (Cameo) (Single appearance)
  • Charlie Chaplin (Mentioned only)
  • Marx Brothers (Mentioned only)

Locations:

  • Fifth Dimension (Mentioned only)
  • Metropolis
    • Galaxy Communications Building
      • Eighth Floor
        • Conference Room
      • Morgan Edge's Penthouse Office
      • WGBS Studios
    • Astor Movie Theater
    • Miss Metropolis Pageant (Unnamed) (location)
    • Football Stadium (Unnamed) (location)
    • Political Rally (Unnamed) (location)
    • Swimming Pool (Unnamed) (location)

Items:

Vehicles:



Synopsis for Jimmy Olsen: "Jimmy Olsen -- Blob!"

Radiation from one of Superman's space-trophies alters the Elastic Lad serum, causing Jimmy, when he drinks it, to become a boy blob.

Appearing in Jimmy Olsen: "Jimmy Olsen -- Blob!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Two Albino Alligators (Cameo)
  • Two Car Thieves (Unnamed) (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Six Daily Planet Employees (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • One WGBS Employee (Unnamed) (Cameo)
  • Citizens of Metropolis (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
    • Girl (falling out of a building) (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Minnie (Jimmy Olsen's date) (Single appearance)
  • Metropolis Police Department
    • Six Police Officers (Unnamed) (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:

Vehicles:


Notes

Trivia

  • The title of the first story is a homage to the 1960's TV show Mister Ed's theme song.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References
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